Oct 23, 2026, 12:54 PMTried to watch Where the Mask Ends several times but I hate Jun Dai so much I kept fast forwarding lol.
I need less stressful entertainment right now 😅
- Oct 23, 2026, 12:54 PM
Replies
AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦AlsoPaisleyCat@tenforward.socialOct 23, 2026, 5:59 PMI hope you can get back to it. I had to sign off and do laundry in the middle of yesterday’s episode before coming back to it. I haven’t had the courage to watch today’s episode yet. I know my blood continue to boil.
That said, I’m really enjoying it but like you I am astonished at how much stress Tian Xiwei can give us every single second the villainous sociopath Jundai is onscreen. It only takes two seconds before I am wishing her offscreen every time she appears as Jundai but keen to follow the story of her physically identical character A-Chou/Wei Rao.
The creepy expressions and body language combined with the high pitched nasal vocals (which TXW does herself) for Jundai make us know instantly which of the two ‘Wei Raos’ is onscreen in any given moment.
***Where the Mask Ends*** may be one of the most unhinged and shamelessly tropey long format Idol dramas in years but it’s taking it all to such an _extra_ level that it’s at the *must watch* level.
Face slapping is only the beginning of what the women will do. Several seem to have no lower bound. This is the first cdrama I have seen where a matriarch grandmother literally kicks a member of a prince’s guard in the gut.
There are generations inner court politics, at least three matriarchal grandmothers in the mix not to mention an Empress Dowager and a noble consort.
The production values are high and it never hesitates to have masses scenes of scheming nobles going at one another in every possible way.
Having the title OST waltz sung by Liu Yuning come into overlay in counterpoint in the background every time there’s a scene of particular viscousness, plotting or mayhem (and there are many), just adds to the overall sense of a psychopathic train wreck that this cdrama leans into.
I’m not sure if this drama meets the coproduction requirement for Netflix to be able to submit it for Emmys, but this OST deserves a nomination.
Here’s a good link for Liu Yuning singing ***Entering the Game Under Another Name***. PeacheyBlossom’s video with the Mandarin, Pinyin with their English translation. (Peachey Blossom does not monetize their channel but relies on patreon donations instead.)
#cDrama #Netflix #OST #TianXiWei #Television #Emmys #WhereTheMaskEnds
- Oct 24, 2026, 2:33 PM
@AlsoPaisleyCat I am hooked on Small Town Remedy now. Less blood pressure inducing lol. But may get back to it. I think I need some time after against the Current to be more tolerant of the imperfections of idol dramas again 😆
- AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦AlsoPaisleyCat@tenforward.socialOct 24, 2026, 4:27 PM
@liztai I can appreciate that. I’m finding one episode a day more than enough at this point.
I’m mostly working on finishing other dramas such as ***A Prophet*** and ***The Vanishing Beauty*** (both with Li Yitong).
I’m viewing ***Where the Mask Ends*** as almost at the level of camp/parody or a ***Knives Out*** comedic mystery show.
At the halfway mark, we get two entire episodes that mainly are an Agatha Christie big climatic peel-the-onion set of revelations with almost everyone in a big room.
I’m not sure how the drama will sustain any interesting momentum after all of those narrative threads are resolved but I am curious. Almost, a season two in the back half, it seems.