r/cdramasfans

I am FURIOUS. And episodes 1 to 27 are the reason why.

Because those 27 episodes are almost perfect television. Tight writing. Gripping pacing. The kind of show that makes you cancel your plans, ignore your alarm, and binge until 3 a.m. WITHOUT GUILT. I was telling everyone to watch it. I was that person.

Then episode 28 happened, and I want my tears, my sleep, and my emotional investment back. Something went WRONG in that writers' room. I don't know if they changed writers or handed the script to people with an axe to grind but whoever wrote episode 28 and beyond had an AGENDA, and it's not subtle. I have been watching C-dramas for YEARS, and I have never seen a male lead assassinated like this. Not by an enemy. Not by betrayal. BY HIS OWN SCRIPT.

Let's call it what it is: the writers were so obsessed with propping up the female lead as untouchable, so determined to deliver a "girlboss" arc, that they decided the only way to lift her up was to saw the male lead off at the knees. That's not empowerment. That's not good writing. That's an agenda and the male lead's corpse was the offering on its altar.

They took a brilliant, strategic general a man who outsmarted everyone on the battlefield AND turned him into a SIMP.

From episodes 28 to 40, this man BEGGED. He chased. He pleaded. He bent over backwards for the smallest crumb of affection, while she gave him nothing but coldness and tests and the show framed it as devotion. DEVOTION? Every episode, she was handed the power, the moral high ground, and the wins, and he was handed kneepads. He lost every argument. She lost nothing. That's not romance that's a lecture, and the male lead was the cautionary tale.

And then it got WORSE because the show made his humiliation the entire POINT of the romance

SHE MADE HIM QUIT HIS JOB AS CAPITAL COMMANDER OF THE LEFT ARMY . Read that again. He gave up his position, his power, his ambitions everything he fought an entire first half to earn and protect and this show presented it as ROMANTIC GROWTH. No. That was the agenda's endgame, fully exposed the strong man had to be stripped of everything so the female lead could stand taller. A general without his command is just a man in nice clothes, and the drama expected a STANDING OVATION. I was standing, alright to throw something at my screen.

That's when it became undeniable. The writers decided the male lead's power was a PROBLEM to be solved instead of the very foundation of his appeal because in their worldview, a powerful man in love is a threat that must be tamed, humbled, and leashed. So they solved it. By amputating it. With a rusty knife. Slowly. This isn't character development it's ideological taxidermy stuffing a great character into a lesson about how men should submit.

And the FINAL insult the one that made me laugh in disgust? It took them FOUR YEARS. Four in-story YEARS to consummate this "romance." Another humiliation ritual for the male lead, packaged as a grand reward.

I was a hard-core fan for 38 episodes.

39th episode felt off pace, but I reconciled after reading a bunch of comments and discussing it.

Episode 40 felt like it was back into peak storytelling.

Then 41 drops.

Not giving any spoilers but I still maintain - he has taken 99 steps towards her and she has taken half a step.

She’s never wrong.

He’s the one constantly learning and growing. She’s perfect.

I love a female centric drama (new life begins is one of my favorites). But by making her completely perfect and still making it feel unrealistic.

I never looked at this drama as a romantic drama. But the director introduced all the elements and then yanked it away and left us hanging.

Maybe this is why the director had the drugging scene so we’ve be against the ML and on FL’s side.

But too much of FL’s steadfastness when he’s done all that like she’s not being honest with the ML and he will accept whatever she gives him (is it love? Is it gratitude? Can you not with one word/gesture show that he means the world to you like you do to him vs just show that you’ve accepted to sleep with him ?)

My biggest beef with the director - the romance element shouldn’t have been introduced at all. The respect between the two after the grave scene should’ve been enough. But once they did showcase it, they did not execute it to the end properly.

I was far too invested in the story of these fictional characters than my own life. And I feel …. empty.

Besides looking too modern it could be for other reasons but they just seem to break the immersion for you in historical or costume dramas.

Heavy modern makeup trends, like Douyin makeup, is just terrible for these settings or the acting that doesn’t feel convincing because the actor can’t fully immerse themselves in the role or adopt the mannerisms needed. It's like you watching the modern version of them cosplaying a character.

Sometimes when you’re scrolling through social media, you come across random C-drama clips that make you curious. That’s exactly what happened to me with Blossom. I’d already seen a few clips that intrigued me, but THIS iconic sliding-kneeling hug scene is what finally made me press play. It was just way too beautiful to ignore, especially combined with that gorgeous hug and Li Yunrui’s grey hair. Like… how was I supposed to not be curious anymore!

Have you ever started a C-drama because of a scene you came across? What scene convinced you to press play?

I started this drama with very low expectations and I was pleasantly surprised. Firstly so happy Ci Sha was discovered by many international viewers! That man is gorgeous, talented and has aura! I thought he Ren Min were fantastic here. For me this is one of the best dramas of the year.

I wanted to know how others felt? Did you love it, felt neutral, you dropped it or it was pretty average for you?

It can be for any reason!

I like both and have enjoyed watching them both, but my pick would be Liu Xueyi. There's something about his screen presence, the way he portrays his characters, and uses his eyes that just has a hold on me. Plus his such a friendly humble goofball in real life completely different from his intimidating characters!

My fav has to be Zhang Ruonan and Leo Wu because his coat made me laugh, he still looked somewhat cute though.

And yes, this was triggered by Against the Current, but it’s definitely not the only example and is not limited to FLs.

I just don’t understand how some actors/actresses can have incredible range, they can scream, cry and show a full palette of raw emotions, yet when it comes to romance, they’re like, “I hope you are ready… for nothing!” Last time I checked, passion and affection are still basic human emotions.

When it comes to actresses, I’m so tired of the standard excuse: "Oh, but it’s a woman centric drama." So what?! The show could be a documentary about the life of tapeworms, but if there’s an ounce of romance written into the script, you need to deliver it. What really rubs me the wrong way is when people claim a show "isn't romance centric”, yet production plasters the main couple all over the promotional posters.

Also, I’m done with the condescending attitude from certain viewers who say "If you’re only interested in romance..." No, I’m not. But even if I were, what’s wrong with that? Since when is romance beneath other genres? Especially when it comes to idol dramas, come on, let's be real. We are here to watch beautiful, talented actors, not to contemplate the meaning of life.

Bottom line: I appreciate it when the whole package is delivered. Give me a good plot, great chemistry and solid acting, not penalizing some emotions over others. Don't give us 80% just to completely drop the ball on the rest.

Whether it’s because the story was terrible, the plot stopped making sense, the pacing was painfully slow, or you dropped it for the pettiest reason.. what made you finally say, “Yeah… I’m done.”?
I’ll go first!

Veils of Shadows
I want to like it. I REALLY do. But Ju Jingyi’s makeup is distracting me so much that I literally cannot get past Ep1. I’m sorry. Maybe it gets better, but my eyes are fighting for their lives.. same reason with In Blossom and The Eternal Fragrance.. watched the trailers first coz I don’t want to ragewatch..

The Blossoming Love
Everyone keeps saying it’s really good… and I believe you! Maybe it’s just not the right time for me. Maybe I’m just not in the mood. Maybe I’ll pick it up again someday. Maybe that day will never come. Maybe I’ll change my mind. Maybe I won’t 😅

A Dream Within A Dream
I LOVE Li Yitong (she’s gorgeous!!!) But I just couldn’t stand her character. The comedy also wasn’t landing for me.. maybe the comedic timing just isn’t my thing. I painfully tried to like it for at least 5 eps, but eventually I had to admit defeat..

The Legend of Zhouhua
I made it to Ep 20-ish before dropping it. It was just TOO. SLOW. I kept telling myself, “Okay, it’s going to pick up soon.” Then… it didn’t. And eventually my attention span filed for divorce.

Perfect Match
This one is still sitting in my “Continue Watching” like it pays rent. LOL.. I got bored after the first couple (still got 4 sisters!!) and just… stopped. Maybe I’ll pick it up again someday. Maybe I’ll just let it remain there forever as a monument to my unfinished Cdrama collection.

Love Like the Galaxy
Okay, don’t come for me. I dropped it around Ep 30 because of the FL. I LOVE Zhao Lusi, but her character annoyed me SO MUCH. And her and her mom being stubborn together was driving me insane. I eventually picked it up again… and then proceeded to skip straight to the last episode because apparently I just needed “closure” 😂
No honestly, I just watched it for Li Yunrui (sorry not sorry)

Now I want to know yours! So I can skip it too 🤣
Which Cdrama did you drop… and was it for a completely valid reason or a petty one?

I am actually rewatching Against The Current 😭 while waiting for the new episodes.

I wish I had waited to binge watch it. What are you watching or rewatching?

An amazing singer and actor who also seems to be getting even more handsome with age!

I finally figured out why I react differently to Luan Nian than I do to most Cdrama male leads.

I’m a guy, and usually I look at these ridiculously perfect men and think… okay. Cool. Great hair. Owns a company. Can command an army. Has never experienced an awkward emotion in his life.

On the other hand, Luan Nian is a fucking mess, and I mean that as a compliment!

He’s controlling. He’s emotionally unavailable. He’s rude when he doesn’t know what to say. He pushes Shang Zhitao away and then gets angry when she actually starts pulling away. The six year secret relationship alone is enough to make me want to shake him.

But I understand him.

The stuff with his father especially made a lot of his behavior click for me. He clearly learned that being vulnerable is something you get punished for, so when he actually has feelings, he doesn’t know what to do with them.

He gets sarcastic, defensive, and says something cruel instead of saying something honest or vulnerable.

And unfortunately, I recognize that.

Mind you that it is not because I’m secretly Luan Nian, but because I’ve definitely had moments where silence or saying the wrong thing was easier than admitting I actually cared. That’s why he feels different to me.

Ladies, I don’t think he’s a good boyfriend and understanding his behavior does not excuse it at all! I know a lot of you have been burned by dramas that expect you to excuse a man's cruelty because he had a sad backstory. That's not what I'm doing here. Understanding him does not mean forgiving him.

In fact, I get why some of you are like GET THIS MAN AWAY FROM HER.

But he’s the first Cdrama ML in a while where I haven’t felt like I’m watching someone’s fantasy boyfriend. I’ve felt like I’m watching an actual person screw up.

Maybe that’s what I’ve been missing. I am truly glad that he exists and I am also glad that Shang Zhitao exist! She is not a fantasy girlfriend either. She has her own principles, ideaology and a personality outside of her romantic interest. Shang Zhitao is not there to fix him either. She walks away when she needs to. She's not a reward for his growth. She gives me hope for dramas with female leads who aren't defined by trauma.

It's taken a lot of courage to share my perspective. I have typed and erased this post plenty of times and almost didn't share my opinion, because I am afraid of being misunderstood by everyone who hated him.

Douyin is the original, localized Chinese version of TikTok and is one of the metrics used to measure a celebrities popularity in China or atleast the ones who seem to be creating alot of buzz domestically. Domestic popularity can be very different from international popularity. For example you might be surprised not to see certain names that are popular internationally appear in the top 10 or 20.

Starring Chen Zheyuan and Li Qin in lead roles.

I recently finished watching "Fake It Till You Make It" — a drama that had been recommended to me — and I almost gave up right after the first episode. I felt the premiere didn't offer anything substantial enough to hook me; it was just a dull workplace setting that didn't leave much room to breathe. However, I decided to stick with it, and I ended up loving every minute of the main couple's story from that point on.

Their dynamic was a joy to watch; they had distinct personalities and lived in different "worlds," yet somehow, they managed to "fake" a friendship or relationship so well that they ended up forging a real connection and complementing each other perfectly. In the end, they made a wonderful couple and undoubtedly earned a spot on my list of favorite couples.

What really surprised me was Bao ShangEn character (her acting pleasantly surprised me, even though the character herself came across as unlikable). Honestly, I wished — more than once — that she would snap out of it and get a reality check, just to see if she’d learn the hard way not to be so spoiled or to stop playing games with others. I don't think there's anything wrong with being a bit materialistic or superficial — seeking security in those aspects at times — or wanting affection and attention from a partner (current or potential), but her behavior in certain situations really made me want to give her a wake-up call.

I wanted to say, "Girl, wake up and get your act together; what you're doing isn't healthy for you or anyone else," and point out that, ultimately, she would be the one to suffer the most.

She really should have avoided doing to others what she wouldn't want done to herself.

All in all, I found the dialogue and monologues to be very well-crafted and mature. The main storylines and subplots were executed beautifully — even the ones with limited screen time still delivered unique, memorable realities that were a joy to follow.

The characters felt so human overall — full of ambitions and flaws (and plenty of pretense, lol) — yet they maintained certain virtues amidst the harshness of their realities and strove to overcome obstacles despite the difficulties; I simply loved it all. It was a truly rewarding emotional experience, and every second was worth it.

Thanks so much for the recommendation😊:

u/tootsiepuze

u/plantstuff22

u/loartea

For anyone else interested, here are the details:

Drama: Fake It Till You Make It

Number of Episodes: 14

Available on: Viki and the Mango TV YouTube channel.

Synopsis: Lawyer Tang Ying (Elvira Cai) is on a business trip when she has an unfortunate run-in with Xu Ziquan (Elvis Han), a pretentious young investor who makes a terrible first impression.

As they spend more time together on the flight, they get to know each other better, leading Ziquan to believe he has fallen in love with her.

Upon their return, Tang Ying has the pleasure of meeting Ma Qiyuan (Geng Le), who is immediately drawn to her charm.

Tang Ying’s life becomes increasingly complicated as the two men begin vying for her attention.

Both of these shows are based on same characters of same historical time of Emperor Qianlong of Qing dynasty. They are about the dynamics of Emperor and his harem politics. However, they differ in certain points like the main protagonist-antagonist are swapped in these two shows. So, which one is better in terms of plot, character development, and emotional payoff?