Charlie_xo
New Zealand
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Let me start off by saying that you're either going to love or hate this drama. There's not really an in-between feeling with this one. The good stuff:
Casting - I feel the casting team did a great job. I actually started watching because of Shen Yue but found that casting of Darren Chen, Caesar Wu and of course Dylan Wang pretty much nailed it in terms of outer appearances.
Soundtrack - I actually really enjoyed the music that was played throughout that drama. I think they choose the right songs for the right moments and I loved how they subtly used the original songs in some scenes.
Original tropes - Aside from the obvious fact that Daoming Zhuang is played by Barbie Hsu's real life sister, there are many more tropes, linking it to the original that is super cute.
Chemistry - Again chemistry between leads were on point. The only reason why I made it to the finish line was actually the chemistry. Not just the main lead couple but all of them as a whole. I usually don't have second lead syndrome but I was rooting for Hua Ze Lei more than Daoming Si in this version. The main lead still had a lot of chemistry but I enjoyed the screen time between Shen Yue and Darren more for some reason.
Emotional Scenes - Shen Yue cries like an absolute angel. It's super natural and i'm a sucker for emotional scenes. In particular, the hot pot break up scene and their last date in London still lingers in my heart even now. Both main leads nailed the crying scene there. The scene where Shancai walks to Daoming Si's room after standing in the rain and collapsing due to exhaustion was a killer one as well although I wish it was a little more extended.
The bad stuff:
Acting - To be honest there were some scenes that really highlighted the young cast's acting ability but overall i'm sorry to say, their acting was pretty bad. I am no acting expert and yes it's harder than it looks and these guys are all mostly rookies but if no one is going to speak up about this, how are they all meant to get better? I'm sorry to say that the acting was very stiff and sometimes you could actually see them glimpsing directly at the camera.
Story - I appreciated the fact that they toned down the bullying and adapted into a way that is more relevant to today's generation which is centered around the internet. What I did not enjoy was the fact that the story moved rapidly at the start and became stagnant in the middle. Obviously the story is nothing new and we all kinda knew where the train was heading but there were parts that really had no relevance to the original story or adding depth to the current one. For example Mei Zuo's strange love triangle. Like WTF? I can understand that they wanted to give this character more screen time as he hasn't received that in any of the other previous versions but that stupid love triangle was the biggest wast of time.
Dubbing: Why? Just WHY? I understand when period drama's need dubbing to be more accurate to the time and place but modern drama? Really? Shancai's voice was soo annoying that it actually still irks me now. Shen Yue's voice is actually quite nice as it is and it was not dubbed in A Love So Beautiful so I don't really understand why they had to use dubbing here.
Setting - Considering that it is set in university, the whole drama feel was VERY childish. They either should have used the same cast in a high school setting or a more mature cast in the uni setting and made it a tiny bit more mature while staying true to the original story line.
The downright ugly:
Product placement - Okay so at some points I actually had to check to see if I was still watching the drama or was I watching a commercial? Absolutely absurd the way products were shot and used in this drama like how clear do you want to make it that these brands are sponsoring you? Product placements here is the worst I have ever seen in any drama to date.
Ending episodes - Just WTF? The final episodes were the most ridiculous, laughable and down right stupid scenes I have ever had the misfortune of seeing on any drama. His mum conceding because of a video he made detailing how he's grown up but does piece signs and checks his hair at the end? The weird as fuck wedding with no parents and the worst ever dance from his sister? Their weird star gazing in London where Hua Ze Lei is hard core third wheeling? I could literally go on for hours about how the ending was a disgrace but I think you get the gist of it.
So on that note, it concludes my review. All I can really say is that i've seen it, it was below average but with good chemistry and a terrible, terrible end.
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Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days
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In this instalment you will learn all about the guardians and where they came from. They tied everything in perfectly and the visuals were just as great as the first. Acting was superb and like the first one you will laugh and cry sometimes simultaneously.
A must watch and would rewatch without a second thought.
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Story - For a drama that has 52 episodes, the story had soooo many wtf moments that I actually can't believe I did not drop it. It was complicated, overly dramatic and at most times way too predictable. There was literally two drama's within the one. Even the characters seemed to be completely different but with the same name and faces. There was no connection apart from one minor object which was a scent pouch that conjoined these two story arcs together. I kept hoping and praying that the link would appear but obviously the writer gods did not listen. To top off all of this craziness, the ending left so much to be desired that it was the biggest slap in the face. So many questions and so many loose ends that it makes you regret staying up to 6am to finish it.
Characters - Like what I mentioned earlier, characters in this drama were very confusing as after ep 16, they basically became different characters all together. These poor actors and actresses did not have any chance of character development because of this. Furthermore we didn't really get a chance to see the origins of the main characters in detail apart from a few flash backs of the female one at the beginning. I feel as though they plunged us in the very middle of the story and never really gave us a beginning or an end.
Acting - This was the first time seeing all the actors and actresses in action and to be fair they did very well with what they were given. I think that Song Wei Long pulled off the serious and cunning Rong Zhi from ep 1-16 very very well considering he is only 19! Guam Xiao Tong did exceptionally well too especially in the emotional scenes where she cried very genuinly. Bai Lu who played the female general has to be my favourite though. Her fighting scenes were kickass and she played two characters brilliantly. I feel that the main lead couple was too young which is why there was no intimate scenes apart from a few forehead kisses here and there. This aging was a massive let down since the couple became husband and wife very early on in the show.
There were some very meaningful quotes in this drama that encourages self love so even when you loose the one you love, you can keep pushing forward. There was also a very strong undercurrent of feminism in the drama which is right up my alley but the execution and overall thought process behind was soooo poorly done that it ended up being the biggest let down. What makes me angrier is that the ratings are so high that its actually deceiving. This drama is a solid 6 in my opinion and that's basically all down to the acting and the first 16 episodes. It's worth a watch but don't get your hopes up after episode 16. Just enjoy the ride but know that you will be left with alittle more than confusion after the final scene.
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The story is mediocre to say the least and had HUGE plot holes but it's watchable. I'm so very thankful to the writers as they made our FL smart (sometimes) and able to contribute a large amount to the overall story. I think the one thing that ticked me off was the fact that the FL was smart when she wanted to be and not consistently smart. This combined with her childlike naivety did get on my nerves but thankfully it wasn't too overwhelming.
I know the FL gets a lot of hate for various reasons but I personally feel she has some great talent for acting. Even though she is rich, at least she is working hard at doing something she enjoys. I know of many other actors/actresses with less talent but are in leading roles so I'm glad to see someone who actually looks natural while on screen.
The ML is a great actor who I look forward to following in the future. For such a rookie, I think he cried absolutely beautifully. I'm a sucker for guys that can convey emotions that fiercely. Special mention to the second FL as she was more of a badass than the main FL.
Would recommend this drama for anyone looking for a light hearted romantic comedy. Re-watch value is not high but would re-watch certain cute moments or scenes if I was bored.
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Love wins everytime
I see a lot of people have rated this very highly and maybe it’s because I've watched too many drama's over the years that it takes something quite special for me to give a rating of above 9. In my honest opinion this drama was great and had a very intriguing but sometimes cliche story.Cheng Yi was by far the standout performance in this show from beginning to end. It broke my heart every time his character suffered but it got to the point where I was waiting for him to be hurt as it happened almost EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. If you play a drinking game where you took a shot every time he spat blood, you would probably be too drunk to finish the drama.
He is such a multifaceted actor and I could not imagine a better person to play SF. I am a sucker when guys start to cry because it's so much more painful to watch and you don't see it as often as appose to females as they are seen crying all the time. I've seen him before in the Nobel Aspirations series as the second ML but found him quite stoic and not very memorable. Could have just been due to the writing though and not a reflection of his talent. Nonetheless, he knocked it out of the park with this performance and I hope that his popularity will continue to rise as I cannot wait to see more projects from him.
Crystal Yuan played the FL lead well, but she did not impress during the emotional scenes. She was convincing as the playful XJ in the earlier episodes but lost her spark midway through when things got more intense. She was in no way stiff but did not convincingly portray deep sorrowful emotions. I am sure that after watching episode 48, you as the audience would probably cry more than she did on screen. Savage but the truth.
Their chemistry was undeniable though and I feel like a lot of people can/will overlook a lot of flaws in the drama because of this.
In terms of the story, I like how it was not super predictable and did have a few mysteries in there to keep you interested. One of the main reasons why this story is appealing (especially for the female audience) is the idea of a love story that transcends 10 lifetimes. One of its main flaws is the FL just seems soooooooooooooooo heartless in all of them except from the last one. I would have liked to see more of the 9 lifetimes when the FL finally realises, she loves him and suffers knowing she killed him. This is another one of the story's flaws as it seems like SF is literally the only one suffering, repeatedly. Some would argue that the XJ also suffered especially in episodes 48-51 but in my view, it wasn't nearly as much as SF.
SF suffered ALL throughout the drama trying to protect her. At the start I could understand that she did not have the correct senses to even know what suffering is but after she got her senses back, she still did not suffer that much. I am in no way a masochist that likes seeing others suffer but damn, these writers were hell bent on making SF shoulder EVERYTHING all the way to the very end.
This drama is not without flaws but has an amazing cast who are all talented. I really enjoyed the snake lord character as he provided some much needed comical relieve in a lot of the episodes. LL, XJ sister was also a great character who was brave, loyal and feisty. She also portrayed emotions beautifully and the scene where she abandons her dad and home for the love of her life was super heart-breaking. The music was good and played at the right moments to evoke your emotions. This is definitely a great drama and it's been awhile since we've had an epic love story like this so I can understand the hype.
Must watch drama but obviously it's 59 episodes so I would recommend starting it when you have time as you will quickly get addicted. Also prepare tissues as you will need them. If you’re watching with friends than please try out my drinking game I mentioned earlier as I would love to know how it plays out LOL
Happy watching guys!!
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It reminds me a lot he sayiof the saying "Choose the one that loves you, not the one you love". It kept repeating in my head as I was watching it and once you've seen it, you may know what I mean.
To but it in a nutshell I think a lot of people who have watched they drama would agree, the whole drama was carried by a few things. The music and the cute main couple.
The music was great and it has been a long time since I really fell in love with a drama OST. I think the last time was Ashes of Love. There was only a couple of songs but they played them at just the right moments.
Honestly the writing of this romance was not in any sense "new" or "refreshing" but the main cast somehow made you not hate those cliche moments. Instead of being like "Oh not again" your like "AWWWWW that's soo cute". Your sitting there fan girling over things that you would usually find boring. The couple had great (understatement) onscreen chemistry and when you watch their BTS it gets even sweeter. The kisses were actual mouth to mouth, movement kisses which were not overly done or usual akward static asian kisses. I enjoyed their skinship but also enjoyed their conversations as the ML has this loving gaze that he does and it shows how much he just adores our FL. The casting agents did a wonderful job and i sincerely hope both leads get casted in more main roles as they deserve it.
The story was very mehhh. It was interesting that ML was written as a pirate but you don't really get to see much "pirating" if that's even a word hahaa it's the main couples interactions and cute flirty moments that will really have your attention. Everything else in the drama kinda becomes background noise. There were a few tears and a lot of laughs. Great little drama to get lost in. Would recommend if you enjoy romances with a little comedy and lots of sweetness.
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The romance really comes third in this drama as it focuses primarily on family and friendships. Being such a romance geek, this actually did not bore me in the slightest. It was heart warming and I feel like every character had the developments necessary to make this a great drama.
Of course it's not without flaws. There was a few times the FL annoyed the hell out of me but in the next scene she would melt my heart so it balanced it out I guess. The ML in my opinion came off as wayyyyy to perfect in the first couple of episodes and slowly but surely he mellowed out and his human side started to show.
I really liked how the ML prioritized his life. His Nana always came first so despite the criticism about the ending, I think it perfect. What made this drama great was the distinctive 90's humor that they incorporated so effortlessly along with the true struggles and heartbreak of that era. The tropes were all spot on and the acting honestly top notch. Every single lead did extremely well in their portrayals of the character they played. They made me laugh, cry, frustrated and shared their sense of accomplishments with me along the way.
Rooting for a second season but quite satisfied right now with the ending of this drama. Would definitely re-watch when I need to be reminded about the true value of family and friendship.
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I love that one of the messages in this drama was that the next generation should not have to bear the sins of their ancestors. I have read so many cruel comments that states we should not visit Japan but please remember the message this drama was trying to convey.
I also really enjoyed the underlying tones of Karmic debt. It showed how every action taken by the leads had a sort of rebound effect that needed to be paid off in one way or another. It reminded us that every word and act of violence only added weight to your Karmic debt regardless of the reason. And that Karma would come for you...sooner or later.
Romance was one of those "blink and you'll miss it" type but it was vastly deep and heartbreaking. I think there was actually more Bromance than Romance in this drama and it added the humor that was needed to make this a well rounded piece of work. Physical intimacy was very limited but so well executed that I didn't feel ripped off. Acting was...sooo beautiful to the point it was agonizing. Every single cast member was mesmerizing.
The two female leads stole the show and it was spectacular. My all time favorite character will always be Hina Kudo/Lee Yang-Hwa. She was intelligent, loyal, fierce, brave and beautifully righteous. She is literally the epitome of what a feminist is. I could honestly go on for hours about how well written this character was as she out shined the main female lead in soo many aspects. I would love to see a spin off of her earlier life and how her and Gu Dong Mae met in Japan #praying.
As for re-watch value...I would definitely re-watch it but it is quite heavy and emotionally draining so maybe not in the near future. I'm usually into fantasy romances like TMOPB (Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms) but this drama really did leave me speechless. Highly, highly recommend.
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The Destiny of White Snake
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First of all it is very loosely based off the original tale. It is a very very very well written and I hate how underrated it is compared to other drama’s that aired at the same time. Seriously guys if you want a classic love story without all the usual back stabbing, misunderstandings and annoying love triangles then this is the one to watch.
I usually shy away or skip ALOT of content when it comes to drama’s that run for this long (60 eps) but I have seen 42 eps and have not skipped a single second. Everything in the drama is what I have been looking for in other dramas and it hits all the right spots. You cry and laugh, sometimes in the space of 5 minutes.
Please please please subbing gods, continue the subs for this incredibly underrated drama so others can experience the beauty of it. Hope my pleas are heard!!
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I’m dark and intense but will protect those I love
Personal opinion…any other face that played XW would have made me feel the relationship or romantic line was controlling and boarderline toxic. XW character is very intense, intelligent but possessive. He’s definitely not the type that has the mindset of “if you’re happy, I’ll be happy”. Realistically, keeping JXN near him is actually way more dangerous for her as XW is a strong strategist so would have enemies everywhere. It would have been nicer forJXN to leave and realise her love for him on her own and come back to him. I truely believe that “if it’s meant to be yours, it’ll come back to you.”I felt they way they got together in the end didn’t feel like love but more like JXN felt too much debt to him. Almost like pity and very forced. I think over time she would have definitely loved him but as an audience, I didn’t get to see that transition.
Story is similar to “Love like the Galaxy” and some things were done better, like the way the main male lead was smart enough to get the revenge he so desperately wanted but also didn’t walk all over the FL trust to get there. He literally said and then showed that JXN was the most important thing to him when he stabbed his own hand. Actions do sure speak louder than words. On that note, there was also some things that wasn’t done as well like the aforementioned rushed/forced love. Give JXN some time to breath and process so she can make the decision herself to return to him. I think that the couple in “Love like the Galaxy” had a literal 10 year or so gap before they got back together. They were more mature and more trusting. As they say “Distance makes the heart grow fonder”.
But damn, ZLH face is just too gorgeous. He really played the role well and the man can cry like a god. His intensity, jaw clenches and beautiful lips makes it really hard to take your eyes away from the screen. He really didn’t have the air of “imperial teacher” though but considering the story line, it’s a smaller issue than the others. He really did not suit his “modern” day look either so whoever styled him for that did us a great injustice.
BL was great as always but her make up and hair didn’t make her stand out. The first episode when she was Queen, everything looked majestic. I guess that was the point but her “younger self” image really made her look older than when she was the Queen. The Princess really was beautiful and made BL look like an extra in some shots when they were together.
Would rewatch literally for only ZLH and BL but otherwise the story was average. The kiss scenes really felt like they would melt my screen so I’m so glad it passed review! BL always has such great kisses with all her ML but I would say ZLH takes the cake as the best kiss partner so far.
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