The Imperial Coroner 2 (2026) - Final Review

Final review/rating: The Imperial Coroner 2 (2026) - Nostalgia can only take the dream team so far in this uninspired sequel

This is 7/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮  from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         7 Stars Plot:                      6.5 Stars Acting/cast:           7 Stars Chemistry:             7 Stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      6 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7 Stars

I was so excited to see this hotly anticipated sequel to The Imperial Coroner (2021) and wanted to love it so much. Season 1 was an absolute gem of a drama, and was easily a 9 out of 10 stars for me (👉review). Season 2 brings back the original Director (Lou Jian), one of the original Screenwriters (Qian Xiao Bai), and all of the original main cast members - our dream team of Chu Chu (Su Xuai Tong), little goldfish Xiao Jin Yu (Wang Zi Qi), Jing Yi (Yang Ting Dong) Lang Yue (Zhao Yao Ke). Even adorkable older bro Xiao Jin Li (Wang Yan Bin) is back. Surely a recipe for success? 

But alas, despite a promising start and the warm nostalgic feeling of a reunion with old friends, it was evident early on that The Imperial Coroner 2 (2026) was not on par with the original in terms of novelty and whimsy. The cases were bland, the relationship dynamics often felt contrived, and the drama's pedestrian pace and predictability meant that it was mediocre at best. 

Albeit the occasional moments of brilliance that reminded me why I loved season 1 so much, season 2 definitely falls short by comparison. I give it a 7 out of 10 stars, but that is a subjectively generous score - it is more of a 6.5, with an extra 0.5 added for pure nostalgia. 

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Perfect Match (2025) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Perfect Match (2025) - On the ties that bind and finding perfection in the imperfect 

This is 7.5/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮  from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         7.5 Stars Plot:                       7 Stars Acting/cast:            7.5 Stars Couples chemistry:  7.5 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      7 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7.5 Stars

If Perfect Match (2025) was a novel, it could have begun as follows: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a mother in possession of five unmarried daughters must be in want of five good son in laws." However, the drama may not be everyone's cup of tea because it is a fairly blunt portrayal of the Northern Song marriage mart, warts and all. 

Whoever came up with the English drama title did the drama no favours (or was being rather tongue-in-cheek?) because Perfect Match (2025) is not a fluffy romcom in which perfect people pair up neatly. 

Instead, it explores conventional romance tropes with imperfect people. It is almost as if the drama is testing how much it can get away with in making each of the leads unlikeable in some way, though the way the drama is structured means you can pick and choose the trope/pairing of your liking. At the same time as the drama takes us through each of the Li sisters' path to domestic felicity, it also looks at the ties that bind and what it means to be family. 

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Brocade Odyssey (2024) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Brocade Odyssey (2024) - Shu Silk, sincerity, and a swoonworthy hero shine, but patchy pacing and unnecessary plot threads mar the finish

This is 8/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮  from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         8 Stars Plot:                       7 Stars Acting/cast:            8.5 Stars Couple chemistry:   8 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      7.5 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7.5 Stars

Brocade Odyssey (2024) is one of those female-centric dramas in which a strong, business savvy, heroine overcomes obstacles and makes her mark on the world, whilst finding love, friendship, and redress for pass wrongs on the way. 

Such dramas are a dime a dozen, but what makes this one stand out for me is the way it showcases the beauty of Shu silk and weaves the beauty of Chinese poetry into the narrative. When I was a kid, I used to tell my parents that my c-drama watching was educational to their general amusement and scepticism, but this drama would have fit that bill in how it works in the poetry of Li Bai, Du Fu and other great poets with a light touch (more on that later).     

Tan Song Yun is in her element as the plucky Ji Ying Ying, but the MVP has to be Zheng Ye Cheng's swoonworthy Yang Jing Lan. The man is the greenest of green flags, has some of the most romantic lines ever, and also fights like poetry in motion. This drama definitely took the opportunity to showcase Zheng Ye Cheng's martial arts and Chinese opera training.

Alas, although the first half of this drama is strongly written, the pacing is patchy thereafter, with the plot seesawing between the mundane and the melodramatic.  There were some arcs that could easily have been edited out to keep the threads from unravelling. By the final arc, I gave the drama a hall pass for logic and tedium because I was just there to enjoy Zheng Ye Cheng's gorgeous fight scenes which, along with the threads of poetry throughout and the strength of the first half of the drama, lifted this drama to a 8 for me. 

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Wonderland of Love (2023) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  Wonderland of Love

Chinese title:  樂遊原 / 乐游原  (Eng translation: "You Le plains") 

Episodes: 40 

Genre: Romance, historical, political  

Original network:  Tencent 

Release date:        6 Nov 2023

Airing schedule:    6 Nov 2023 - 24 Nov 2023

Synopsis:

The Emperor's grandson, Li Ni (aka Shi Qi Lang) is a talented general who guards the border along with his loyal Zhen Xi army, eschewing the political intrigues of the court. Hiding his royal identity, he and his men spend share carefree days of comradeship at Lao Lan pass instead.  

When a military coup results in the death of the Emperor and Crown Prince, Shi Qi Lang takes on the burden of quelling the rebellion.  Along the way, Shi Qi Lang meets 'Lieutenant He' (aka A'Ying), a wily and beautiful member of the mighty Cui family army.  As the two go toe-to-toe matching wits on the battlefield and off, sparks fly, and love blossoms.  

  

Yong An Dream (2024) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Yong An Dream (2024) - A sweet adaptation that eschews the darkness of the source novel in favour of light fluffiness 

This is 7/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         7 Stars Plot:                       7 Stars Acting/cast:            7 Stars Couple chemistry:   6 stars Music:                    6 Stars Re-watch value:      6 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7 Stars

Jeremy Tsui/Xu Zheng Xi as Lu Shi Yan

So I watched Yong An Dream (2024) after Jeremy Tsui/Xu Zheng Xi's recent 15 March 2024 announcement on Weibo that he was retiring from acting. 

I've always wanted a magnum opus from Xu Zheng Xi - a drama that showcases the full extent of his considerable abilities. The man has a gravelly low voice (criminally under used alas!), the ability to swing from high comedy to tormented angst, and the acting chops to carry off nuanced morally grey anti-heroes. Sadly, he has not had much luck with the scripts that have come his way and more often than not, he has been paired with much younger actresses who are not in his league acting wise, and/or he is casted in some generic idol romcom. 

Yong An Dream (2024) is more of the same, rather than magnum opus material. Notably, the source novel《長安第一美人》Chang'an's First Beauty goes down some very dark Stockholm-syndrome-on-steroids pathways and was a did-not-finish for me, but the drama adaptation sanitises this in favour of light fluffiness. 

SPOILERS AHEAD

  

Blossoms in Adversity (2024) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Blossoms in Adversity (2024) - A heartwarming comeback tale with family at its centre and a strong heroine at the helm

This is 8.5/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         8.5 Stars Plot:                       8 Stars Acting/cast:            8.5 Stars Couple chemistry:   8 stars Music:                    8 Stars Re-watch value:      8.5 Stars Enjoyment factor:   8.5 Stars

Blossoms in Adversity (2024) is one of the dark horses in the 2024 drama line to date. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the Hua family's heartwarming comeback tale, how much I rooted for their success, how moved I was by their losses, and how invested I was in their outcome.  

For those who despair at the preponderance of flakey c-drama heroines, the titular Hua Zhi as played by Zhang Jing Yi is a breath of fresh air, with her incisive intelligence, her courage in the face of adversity, and her visionary outlook.  If anything, Hua Zhi is a little too perfect, a few minor flaws notwithstanding. But who better to take the helm? It certainly makes for some very compelling feel-good watching.  

Undoubtedly, suspension of disbelief is needed to enjoy this drama because plot armour abounds. That said, the story is engaging and full of twists and turns, and the empowerment of women by women is an uplifting leitmotif throughout, as is the importance of family.   

While the drama is not romance focused, the main pairing of Zhang Jing Yi's Hua Zhi and Hu Yi Tian's Gu Yan Xi is also a #relationship goals portrayal of a very healthy romance.

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Fighting for Love (2024) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Fighting for Love (2024) - Hodgepodge of cringe comedy, decent action, and poorly written palace intrigue that falls well short of epic

This is 7/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         7 Stars Plot:                       6.5 Stars Acting/cast:            7 Stars Couple chemistry:   4 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      4 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7 Stars

I really wanted to love Fighting for Love (2024) - what's not to love about a drama with a kickass female general beating unbeatable odds in a man's world? 

The drama had such promise - a fantastic cast with Zhang Tian Ai, whom I remember fondly as the lethal foxy swordstress from Sword Snow Stride (2021), and Zhang Hao Wei, who has had a number of intriguing secondary character roles under his belt and who recently did a stellar job as the comical lead in The Trust (2023). Not to mention Wang Rui Chang whom I have not seen in a substantial role since In a Class of Her Own (2020) and whom you can always rely on for very watchable snark, as well as some veteran actors, such as Wang Yong Quan (whom viewers may remember as the iconic Xia Jiang from Nirvana in Fire (2015)).   

The source material for the drama is also great.  The drama is based on the popular novel A'Mai Cong Jun《阿麥從軍》/ (A'Mai joins the Army) which as at the time of writing this review has a rating of 8.5 on Douban, which is a high score on a platform not given to generous ratings. 

And yet, despite a promising beginning, this drama failed to deliver compelling viewing. I'm not of the view that a drama has to follow its source novel religiously, but watching this had me wondering how it was possible to butcher a great story this badly. It's as if the scriptwriter decided to demonstrate that with enough incompetence it is indeed possible to make a sow's ear out of a silk purse.  

It's not all bad - there are some decent fight scenes, some great acting from the older veteran actors, and Zhang Tian Ai holds her own with a committed performance as the lead.  I also thought that the ending was a fitting one.  But unless you are a huge fan of the leads, this is definitely not a must watch and an overall rating of 7 is probably on the generous side... 

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Egg and Stone (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Egg and Stone (2023) - A wuxia parody romp with zombies 

This is 7.5/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         7.5 Stars Plot:                       7 Stars Acting/cast:            7 Stars Couple chemistry:   7.5 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      7 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7.5 Stars

Egg and Stone (2023) is a tongue-in-cheek parody of the wuxia genre, complete with zombies. Some of the goofy humour is a bit hit and miss, but it is all done in such good fun and with such self-aware cheekiness, that I couldn't help enjoying myself. 

It does help if you can understand Mandarin, as there is some deliberate mangling of the language and some funny homophones and cultural references which probably get lost in translation.  But even if you don't, there is still plenty to laugh at.  Also, an English drama title that is apt, perhaps even more so than the Chinese one - this must be a first in c-drama land surely. Will wonders never cease?😅

The drama gets a bit draggy midway through and becomes noticeably less funny, but I think this is still a good pick for when you just want a stress free watching experience. There is also some fluffy romance in the mix.  

This drama must have been fun to shoot and it shows in the way Wu Xi Ze and Xu Lu fully commit to the silly - who knew that they had such decent comic timing?😆 

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

A Journey to Love (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating: A Journey to Love (2023) - Wuxia meets politics as a princess, an assassin, and a squad of spies embark on mission impossible

This is 9/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         9 Stars Plot:                       8 Stars Acting/cast:            9 Stars Couple chemistry:   8 stars Music:                    9 Stars Re-watch value:      9 Stars Enjoyment factor:   9 Stars

Based on an original screenplay, A Journey to Love (2023) is an engaging blend of wuxia and politics.  The narrative centres around the journey of a delegation that embark on mission impossible: the rescue of their undeserving Emperor from the hands of a hostile State. Although they (and we) know it is essentially a suicide mission, there is so much thrilling heroics, hilarity, and hijinks along the way that it is impossible not to fall in love with the squad and to be invested in their story.  I found myself fervently hoping that their plot armour would hold forever and that they would all make it home.   

The English title of the drama is serviceable, but I much prefer the Chinese title, 《一念關山》/《一念关山》 "A Thought of Fortresses and Mountains". It is derived from "一念起關山", the penultimate line of Shen Yue 沈约's frontier poem 《卻東西門行》/《却东西门行》 But the East West Gate (which I have attempted a more detailed commentary + translation of 👉here).   

In brief, the line "一念起關山" expresses the poet's yearning for the fortresses and mountains that delineate and protect his country. Given the drama's themes, the choice of title is incredibly apt, poetically evoking the delegation's love of country and their desire to protect its frontiers, as well as their yearning to return home.  

Notably, A Journey to Love (2023) heralds the comeback of veteran actress Liu Shi Shi, as well as the first main male lead role for Liu Yu Ning in a costume drama. Their kickass power couple of deadly assassin Ren Ru Yi and Chief Ning Yuan Zhou blew me away with their awesomeness.  Liu Shi Shi is a delight to watch, especially in her mesmerisingly good fighting scenes, and although Liu Yu Ning's acting is a work in progress, I think he holds his own.  I fell for them, as well as for every member of the squad (especially Fang Yi Lun's Yu Shi Shan) like the proverbial ton of bricks.

Although I enjoyed this drama, it isn't without its flaws. A tendency to focus on characterisation at the expense of plot meant that midway through there was a marked decrease in momentum, and the rush to the ending could have been better conceived and executed. But overall, it is still a drama that scores a solid 9 from me, because there was just so much to love.

   

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Scent of Time (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Scent of Time (2023) - A suspense-laden reverie on regret, redress, and redemption

This is 8.5/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         8.5 Stars Plot:                       8 Stars Acting/cast:            8 Stars Couple chemistry:   7 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      8 Stars Enjoyment factor:   8.5 Stars

Scent of Time (2023) poses the tantalising question of what, if anything, one can do to redress past wrongs and to change fate if given a second chance. 

I didn't realise it at first, but the twist in the tale is obliquely hinted at in the Chinese title of the drama, 《爲有暗香來》/Because of the Subtle Fragrance, which is derived from a poem by Song Dynasty poet and statesman Wang An Shi王安石. Elsewhere, the twist is also foreshadowed throughout the drama, which makes it difficult to miss.

Despite this, the way the drama unfolds skilfully dials up the suspense - it is almost impossible not to root for Zhou Ye's Hua Qian in her high stakes quest to atone for and rewrite the past. The hook is in what choices she makes, what actions she takes, and the unintended fallout of those decisions.   

Viewers who are watching this drama for the romance may well be disappointed - it is protagonist rather than romance focused. Three potential love interests are presented, but Scent of Time (2023) is one of the rare dramas in which I truly did not care who, if anyone, the endgame would be.  I just wanted Hua Qian to be living her best life.  Although some of the scriptwriting in the later episodes was noticeably weaker, I stayed until the very end to find out how Hua Qian's story would conclude...

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Wanru's Journey (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Wanru's Journey (2023) - A no frills wuxia that is surprisingly watchable up until the lame ending

This is 6/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         6 Stars Plot:                       6 Stars Acting/cast:            6 Stars Couple chemistry:   6 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      5 Stars Enjoyment factor:   6.5 Stars

Wanru's Journey (2023) is a short, 

low budget, no frills wuxia drama. There are
24 episodes, each at 30 - 35 min long.  If you are wondering why it's called Wanru's Journey, the English title is a mashup of both of the names that the female lead goes by (Murong Zhu Wan and Xiao Ru).  I personally prefer the Chinese title 《少年江湖》which translates to "Youth's jianghu". 

This is obviously not Jin Yong quality, and the acting is nothing to write home about, but there really is a wuxia vibe to this one, including some decent CGI-lite fighting scenes. And there's Ao Rui Peng. Although this is decidedly not his best work, he looks great glowering in black or channeling young master vibes in white.

All in all, surprisingly watchable, at least up to the final 15 minutes or so given the lame ending...

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Romance on the Farm (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Romance on the Farm (2023) - Not much romance but there is family melodrama aplenty 

This is 7.5/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         7.5 Stars Plot:                       7 Stars Acting/cast:            7 Stars Couple chemistry:   8 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      7 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7.5 Stars

When I saw that Romance on the Farm (2023)  was headed by big eyed cuties Zeng Shun Xi and Tian Xie Wei, it went on my to-watch-while-airing list.  What's not to love about a historical slice of life drama set in a rural farming setting?  Historical/period dramas on commoners are far and few between, and there is an interesting twist in this one in that the female lead is a modern gamer testing a VR farming game.  Besides, having just watched Mysterious Lotus Casebook (2023), I wanted to see Xiao Bao again and that cute doggy Hu Li Jing also makes an appearance as Dai Wang in this drama...    

However, Romance on the Farm (2023) is not what I expected. Although the name, trailer, and marketing gave off a fluffy romcom vibe, romcom this definitely is not.  The Chinese drama title 《田耕紀》"Farming Chronicles" is more apt. If you watch this one, be prepared for what can often be a melodrama that makes your blood boil because Man'er's extended family are a toxic bunch and their machinations would not be out of place in a palace drama. I also think the drama would have made more sense without the VR gaming premise.  

However, despite the family melodramatics and some rather obvious logic flaws linked to the gaming premise, the drama (and Zeng Shun Xi and Tian Xie Wei) kept me watching till the rather sweet play-on-words ending. 

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Wrong Carriage, Right Groom (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Wrong Carriage, Right Groom (2023) - Cute and clichéd romance on a familiar trope 

This is 6.5/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         6.5 Stars Plot:                       6 Stars Acting/cast:            6 Stars Couple chemistry:   7 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      2 Stars Enjoyment factor:   6.5 Stars

Wrong Carriage, Right Groom (2023) is a fluffy cheap and cheerful 24 episode romance, that is entirely predictable.  It is a remake of the original 2001 drama of the same name which I have not watched, so I can't compare this 2023 version to the original and can only judge it on its own merits.   

My verdict is that if you are wanting a fluffy low stakes drama that you don't have to engage your brain to watch, this one fits the bill. Both sets of leads are very cute, especially the Ao Rui Peng and Tian Xie Wei pairing, but this drama is definitely well within their comfort zones and does not stretch them as actors (which is understandable given the genre). The second pairing of Bai Bing Ke and Zhao Shun Ran have much less screen time, but also turn in competent and cute performances.  

Worth a watch if you are a fan of Ao Rui Peng and/or Tian Xie Wei but don't expect it to rock your world - it gets a bit draggy and repetitive in the middle and would have been better with 20 episodes or less.  

SPOILERS AHEADS