Nan Feng Zhi Wo Yi (2023)

The best drama to think about war, family, and love. A compliment to humanity.

"Only bullet holes and shards of glass could be seen. Local health care systems are destroyed. Some clinics had to be closed. Fog and smoke pervade this place. I haven't seen the sun for a long time. Sometime I think, this might be another world."
"This people are brutal. They actually live on the same land. Why do they plunder and kill each other?"
"Because humans have desires."
~ Zhu Jiu and Gu Ruanruan

I beg to differ from most people in MDL. I love this drama so much. I don't believe what people said that this drama is not well written, not good directed, and deserved to be dropped. I have watched it without skipping a scene and it is proven worth my time. Released at this time (November 2023), this drama resonates so much with current global situation (Ukraina-Russia War, Hamas-Israel War) by showing us the experience of war and conflict from the point of view of medical personnel. War is horrible not only for civilians, but also the paramedics and doctors.

I landed at this drama after Mysterious Lotus Casebook (MLC; 2023) which I am very satisfied and Love is Panacea (LIP; 2023) which I hate. I enjoy Cheng Yi's performance in MLC and I want to explore more about his works. Meanwhile, LIP is such a waste because it didn't live up to its promise as a medical drama and in the end it is gravitated more on individuals romance. South Wind Knows (SWK) really fulfilled my longing for a quality medical drama. What I mean by "quality medical drama" is not a hardcore one like the US "The Good Doctor" which highlights more on medical skills and solving cases, but a soft one which leaves a deep emotional impression and contemplation.

Story (10/10)
If you read synopsis of SWK in MDL, I suggest you to not believe it because it mislead you. The story is greater than a mere romance (romantic love) between ML FL. Yes, it is true "the power of love conquer all", but it refers to a greater kind of love, including love for family and spouse as well as love for community and humanity. Most dramas themed with love commonly have various types of love in them. But, what makes SWK stands out is its comprehensiveness, balance, and detail.

The drama first takes us to a war torn country "M" to show us the basic kind of love, i.e. love that stems from sense of humanity (episode 1-11). Both ML FL have similarity in this aspect. They are young people with empathy, compassion, and same idealism. They are united by the desire to help disadvantaged and unfortunate people. FL wants to cure the new immune disease found there, whereas ML wants to support her by creating the medicine using the power of his family pharmaceutical company. This mission becomes the bridge that dissolves their differences. It is heart warming; from the beginning of the story we see a healthy and supportive relationship. Then, the story moves to Shanghai, to ML family story. It seems like an odd turning point for many viewers, but the purpose is to show that the making of the new medicine is not easy. The enemies (of love) are self-interest and profit orientation of pharmaceutical industry. The industry wants to monopolize the use of a very important herbal ingredient. ML tried his best to fulfill his promise to ML but to no avail. The worst, he was betrayed by his brother, the most trusted person he has, and involved in an accident. He lost his ability to walk, failed to recover, and sank into depression.

The second part of the drama starts in Germany after two years of separation and no communication. They meet again where ML turns to be different person from who he was. FL with her compassion and love, helps ML to be able to stand up and walk again (episode 12-17). When they come back to Shanghai again the situation has changed drastically. Driven by desire to revenge, ML's brother holds much power of the company and gives no room for ML to get what he wants. The worst, ML's mother turns out to be a despicable person who refuses to accept FL and harm her several times. The brother and the mother hate to each other and clash a lot. ML is caught in the middle while tries his best to defend FL and their wish to unite and continue their mission. The family hate and conflict might be not too interesting to watch, but it is just one besides several beautiful love and humanity stories/ subplots that keep the drama on the track. One, the story of FL family and granny, the granny lovely supports to the couple, her sickness, and the end of her life. Two, the story of Meng, a little girl with heart congenital condition, their work hard to keep her alive and console her and her family, until her inevitable death. ML FL become the source of support for granny and little Meng; they are like a family. Family should be the source of support and protection, but at the same time, ironically, can also be the source of hatred and harm. In the end, the innocent ML becomes the victim again amidst the clash of selfish people. Gravely injured, more handicapped, and seeing no future for family life, he broke his relationship with FL (episode 32).

The third part are the days ML FL parted. The Fu family internal conflict is resolved and the Brother revenged is failed. The truth is opened, justice is restored, and the rights of every family member are distributed equally. All conflicting parties learn their lesson and relationships are slowly repaired. In the last 3 episode, the story moves to country "M" again where now at war. Amidst war, the doctors' duties are getting difficult and life threatening. In the end, ML saved FL again, helped her with PTSD, and started a new relationship, now without enemies. FL now becomes a lecturer and ML serves the company. The last scene is their engagement.

***
What I like the most:

First, the characterization of ML and FL. They are very compatible in traits, interest, and life mission. They are good natured, kind-hearted, capable of empathy, wise, straightforward in communication, dutiful, and hard working. Importantly, they love one each other from the beginning, and their love comes from the shared concern for humanity. They don't become burden to each other, and use every means they have to care and support to each other. Their relationship is very healthy and they are able to trust even their third wheelers and maintain professional relationship well. Also, I like other supporting characters development towards the end of the story. All get redemption. Their stories are as full as the ML and FL, and so satisfying, even the mother and brother turned into good persons.

Second, this drama shows the process of love and hate so we get the full picture, how they start and how they end. Love starts with bonds, ends with ambitions. Hate starts with selfishness and ambitions, ends with justice and kindness. It makes us empathize to the antagonists (the brother, the mother) as they are not two dimensional when they are desiring power. The brother was once a good brother, but his mother was wronged, so he got angry and took revenge. The mother was once a good mother and wife, but she was wronged too by an unloving husband. Their dynamics as enemies are predictable. It is a bit cliché and tropey, but it doesn't matter and not disturb overall story line. Interestingly, the ML is able to maintain neutrality and level headedness to deal with his mother and brother.

Third, the compliment to doctor and medical professional. It is so poignant where death is showed as inevitable and a possible alternative every doctor must face during their career, especially when they are powerless. We see, doctors can't act alone. They are not powerful alone, but need helps from a bunch of people like nurses, families, researchers, journalist, and pharmaceutical industry as well as best friends. This drama shows their dedication, adaptation to harsh environment, loyalty to humanity, dedication to community, and sacrifice to fulfill their oath. In the end of the day, doctors are still human-being who can be hurt. Sometimes, the hero are also the victim of war.

Fourth, the balance and realistic portrayal of suffering. This drama is a rare gem because it is more than just a romance between man and woman. It holds high certain idealism we all agree, like the sense of humanity and community, family values, and that love should be the source of resilience as well as peace. It told multigenerational stories, from the grandmother/ father, the fathers and mothers, and their children (see how the social tradition and perspectives change). It has good balance on setting, too: from a big cities to remote villages with beautiful scenery of the jungle and the sea. Also, it is not afraid to depict the reality of suffering: refugees, the camp, the injured and the died, the cries, the devastation, the powerlessness, the weapon, the killing, the struggle to survive, the sacrifice. So, admittedly, the story is so grand and vast. And, the power of love outshines all adversity.

I have nothing to complain.

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