YCC
Heartwarming relationship among friends and family
This is such a rare hidden gem.I happened to come across this drama while searching for something to watch on WeTV. When I saw the low rating, I almost didn't even want to try. But the two reviews both gave 9.
Qiao Xin's character here reminded me of her role in the Autumn Ballad. Zheng Da Qian was brash and even rude at times, but she does care about her family and her friends. The casting is superb, each character feels so real. The music is simple but really fitting. The meaning of the words really describes the scenes. The sceneries were beautiful. I really love the time they stay at Mi Lan's grandma's house.
If you want to know more about this drama before watching it, you may want to read it here https://inf.news/en/entertainment/228d12095d93e2aef3ebe04557dfe06c.html There are some spoilers in it, thus avoid it if you hate spoilers. For those who are looking for sweet fluffy romance, sorry, this drama may not be for you. This drama is more about friendship and family, and about going back to your hometown and finding out that things were not like how you remember them. It is heartwarming, as well as heartbreaking at times. But all's well that ends well (hint)
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Beautiful cinematography, wonderful cast, stellar acting, amazing story
I watched this drama on TV, waiting for it every day, 2 episodes, and rewatched it again when it was re-broadcasted on TV. From the first episode, I could tell that it was a great drama. When I started watching I didn't know how many episodes it would be, thus it didn't matter that it was 74-75 episodes. Just felt a kind of lost when it ended.Story
It was supposed to base on a real person, though the story was modified, it is a great story altogether. I could really feel the despair whenever the Wu family face a particularly difficult time and amazed at Zhou Ying's way to overcome each difficulty.
Acting/cast
Sun Li as the protagonist is amazing, but basically, every actor/actress did their job very well, even though their role was just the maid or the bodyguard.
Music
The music was wonderful. It keeps playing in my head long after I finished watching.
I didn't feel bored after rewatching it a few times, as each time I notice something I didn't realise before.
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Marvelous story, wonderful cast, very good production, this drama deserve much higher rating!
I came across this drama in Feb 2022, during the pandemic, after watching a dozen or so C-drama, including Joy of Life, Evernight, Untamed, Imperial Coroner, Good Bye My Princess, World of Honor, and more recently Novoland-Pearl Eclipse & Sword Snow Stride. To my surprise, I had not seen most of the main casts in this drama, except for Hao Shuai (Hua Yun Fei) whom I had seen in Ancient Detective. Of course, I had seen most of the veteran actors in various productions, including Liu Pei Qi, whose acting in 'Nothing Gold Can Stay' was truly amazing.Story setting and costume *****
The story started very light, in a rather comedic scene, but it gets more serious with each episode. I have to say it was very well written, well-paced, and quite different from most historical/costume C-drama I had ever seen. I read that the writer is a university professor. I really like the setting of the story with many minorities tribes, very different from the majority of C-drama. The tribal costumes were a delight, though I suspected the tribal costumes were made shorter in this drama to show more legs. I also like the beautifully embroidered costumes worn by many of the supporting characters, as well as the female lead. The costumes of the male lead are mostly simple, but I like the combination of colors and pattern, it gave a very vibrant feeling.
Cinematography & scenery ****
I like the way they do the scene transition (turning it into painting-like) and the different characters they featured in the last part of the intro (sort of foretelling us who will be the focus in the episode). This drama spares us from annoyingly repeated flashbacks. Flashbacks were mainly used to tell us something we didn't know before (which had not been shown), except for one particular very sad incident, but even for that flashback the repeated scene was not lengthy and justified the mood.
The sceneries in this drama are beautiful, too. I know some of the scenery was CGI, but they were beautifully done. After watching too many C-dramas shot in Hengdian, and getting too familiar with the same town setting, canal, etc, it is nice to see something different. They also use adequate numbers of people as extra/background/crowd, unlike in some productions where the number of people in the scene didn't correlate to the story (e.g. Untamed).
Some of the scenes, especially the dances were a bit too revealing and seductive, but I guess that was to show the decadence character of Yang Yinglong, the chieftain of Bozhou. The battle scenes can be quite gruesome, and some scenes (master & servant/maid scenes) were rather sadistic, though I understand it meant to show us the real characters of the masters. How you treat your servant/maid tells a lot about your real characters. I also find one particular scene (rape) rather disturbing, but I understand later that this scene was very important to set the mood for what is coming. It was basically the pebble that started the huge snowball.
Acting*****
All the actors were extremely excellent! I truly love all the main actors, especially the two main leads. I'm going to search for more drama where they were involved. Even the antagonist Xu Bo Yi was very well portrayed. I also love the Lady Ya character, portrayed by Chen Zi Han (Xi Sang Gui in World of Honor). One unusual thing in this drama was, almost every character has their own comedic moments, sort of making a joke of themselves. As one reviewer mentioned, the comedy part helps to balance the darkness in the later part.
Overall*****
I can relate the incidences and a lot of the conversation/dialogue in this drama with our modern life, where you meet jealous colleagues, incompetent managers, back-stabbing, framing, merger, acquisition, hostile take-over, etc.
All in all, I highly recommended this drama, perhaps to a more mature audience. It may not be suitable for teenagers or young adults looking for a light-hearted fluffy romance story.
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A very good portrayal of psychology issues
I'm not a psychologist, thus I'm only commenting as a common drama audience.Like most people, I came to watch this drama thinking that it was just a light romance drama. But, I have to say, I really like the presentation of psychology cases, especially the gas-lighting and the chameleon. It could have happened to any one of us, in fact, I think most of us may have experienced it to some extent, either personally or knowing someone who had gone through a similar condition. Most of the cases are about relationships, be it a relationship between a couple and/or parent-child relationships, as sometimes both occur at the same time.
I also like how the cases were presented, showing what was going on in the mind. I agree with most reviewers that the treatment part was quite bizarre, mainly the education background of the FL which was not clear. What did she study before she became an assistant? But this is a drama, so let your brain relax, and watch it for the entertaining mind.
I highly recommended this drama for people who are interested to understand more about the human mind and relationships,
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Movie King and His Princess
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A fresh intake at love in three lifetimes... sans reincarnation or time travel
Not your usual amnesia C-drama...Amnesia may still be vogue in drama-land, but this one may be the best I have seen so far... thanks to a slightly different concept and superb acting!
I chanced upon this drama after watching Miss Truth only recently and was looking for another drama by the same actress (I love her expressive eyes). To find her paired up with Jeremy Xu from The Autumn Ballad was such a delight! In this drama, we got to see the many faces of Jeremy, and it is quite amazing.
The combination of a historical drama within a modern drama reminded me of One & Only + Forever and Ever... without having to go through reincarnation... The love story between the ML & FL all happens in one lifetime... but it may have felt like 3 different lives... due to the ML losing part of his memory in each arc...
I love all the characters including Aunt Zhao, she was like the fairy godmother (appearing when needed) with her unwavering support to the couple from the very first day ... I guess everyone will hate Xu Lin, the fashion designer with the worst dress sense... one of her outfit (black with super big white collars) make her looks like a vampire!
It may not be a perfect storyline for everyone... but I find it enjoyable... I binged watched it in 3 days, it makes me laugh and cry... exactly the thing I need after four stressful weeks...
The trailer may look rather cheesy... but there is depth to the story... imagine if this truly happens to you or someone you know...
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One Inch of Yearning, One Ton of Sacrifice....
The English title of this drama; Love in Between was truly misleading, sound superficial and really didn't convey any meaning. This is not just a romance drama, though there are a few sweet couples... this is really about sacrifice... sacrifice for your loved ones (family, friend, lover), and sacrifice for the country...It started quite light, and I thought it was just going to be another drama about a group of young people going for adventures together, but things get deeper and deeper... I like that each character was given ample time, though the character may look unimportant in the beginning... I also like intelligent antagonists... though of course, we hate their ruthless and selfish behavior.
The acting was quite good, I really underestimate some of the young actors/actresses in the beginning... There are quite a few veteran actors, too... And as someone else has commented, this drama show the best male disguise by a female actress, unlike most C-drama where you easily tell it was a female disguised as male.
The scenery was beautiful... I like the music, it is a reminiscence of the old days' wuxia scores... And I really like the lighting... many indoor scenes seems to really rely on candlelights.
The ending was a bit bizarre, a lot of things were not explained... and certain deaths seems unnecessary... But overall, it is still a drama worth watching...
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The Legend of White Snake
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A beautiful remake of a classic tale with beautifully sung OST by the FL
I had been putting off watching this drama due to its poor review. However, I'm glad that I finally watch it, and completed it.I had watched the New Legend of White Snake (1992) by Angie Chiu and Cecilia Yip in my younger days, but do not remember much except for the main plot. I enjoyed watching this 2019 version, as I get to understand more about the main message.
Despite some poor comments about the acting, I think the acting was decent, most of the close-up scenes did show corresponding emotions from both Alan Yu & JJY. I didn't like most of the scenes in the Heaven and under the sea, as they feel really fake. The casting for the immortals doesn't seem to fit, except for Lu Dongbin, Guan Yin & the Goddess in charge of the rebirth. I like the scene where Suzhen went to take the Bancheng lotus, that scene struck a chord in me! Ruyi was really annoying, but that only shows that the actress (Yu Lang) did well portraying her. Tim Pei did well as Fa Hai, too. And of course, Xiao Qing was the most adorable character in this version.
For those who complained about the lack of chemistry between the leads, they ought to understand that this is a classic tale, the original was in opera form. It was set in an era where husband and wife show their affection in a very subtle way. I like the way the ML defends the FL in front of his sister. That was considered very outstanding for that era, where filial piety is the basis of individual moral conduct and social harmony.
It is interesting that they involved the actresses from the 1992 version in this 2019 version. Even though Cecilia Yip fit into her role as Xu Xian's mother (due to her ageless beauty), I think the actress who portrayed Xiao Qing's mom looks a bit aged to be her mom. The worst part was they cast Angie Chiu's son as Xu Xian's son, he really looks too old for the role (he is older than Alan Yu), and doesn't seem to fit with the image of the Star of Wisdom.
The ending seems a bit rush, Suzhen came out in the exact same dress, and look exactly the same as when she went in, which was probably around 20 odd years later. And yes, I agree with some of the comments that the two leads should at least embraced when they met again after such a long time.
And last but not least, I like the way JJY sang the OST, which to me is much better than the 1992 version, even though it is basically the same song.
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Pride & Prejudice against women and people from 'foreign land'
I watched this drama in mid 2022... the synopsis didn't sound so exciting... but I'm truly glad that I gave it a try... after feeling disappointed with some of the newer dramaThis is a story about women... and their fight for equal footing in society.... You will meet Banshu, a very smart & cheerful girl grown up in the prairie and thus have very different upbringing as compared with the 'polished' Han ladies. In the beginning you will hate Lanzhi, the finest lady in Han, who on appearance always follow societal etiquette. But later on you will learn about how she always have to follow the rules set by her parents and suffered. And then you will respect the Empress Dowager, young, pretty, wise and ... lonely.... Luckily she has Lady Ming who is also very wise, and in her quiet way, always support the Empress Dowager and remind her when necessary. There is also Banshu's aunt (acted by Tien Niu) who is very wise and well respected., though you don't see much of her.
I think the males in this drama are only supporting characters... to the point of comedic, especially General Deng. I lose count how many times he proposed to Banshu, one was even done in the jail! For me, the most eye-catching male was Suri, the head of bandit who first propose to Banshu in episode 1!
The costumes are beautiful! I especially like the layered embroidered kimono-style hanfu with beautiful sashes. The triple embroidery on the hem are very nice. Initially I didn't pay much attention to the set, but my little nephew pointed to me that the Empress Dowager throne look like a dragon face. And I notice some of the supposedly gilded sculpture has sparkling blue gemstones for their eyes. I also love the dance between the Empress Dowager and her lover, it was like the crane courting dance, very elegant.
This drama featured a superb cast... most of them are famous actors/actresses now... but are still very young when they filmed this drama.... The round-face young emperor is so cute! He was likely only around 11 or 12 when they filmed this drama.
I love the ending... All's Well that ends well!
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Two People's Little Forest
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The story of an ugly duckling tried to be a peacock...
This drama reminds me of the 2001 romantic comedy"Bridget Jones' Diary" or a more recent (2019) "Isn't It Romantic?" They are American movies that focus on the insecurity women often find due to their appearance.For us who are used to "near-perfect" female leads, the beginning part of this drama could be very frustrating as the vlogger Yu Meiren tried all ways to get close to the "perfect" Professor Zhuang Yu. But little by little we get to see what had happened in her past, and why she feels so insecure without makeup.
I really love all the scenery taken in the village, especially the tea plantation. Vin Zhang looks so good in this drama, his smile is so captivating. This drama and Rattan are probably his best.
The OSTs are very nice, too. I love the ending duet sung by both the leads (Ester Yu & Vin Zhang) as well as the opening theme song. These are the songs that make me do not want to skip the intro and the credits, just to listen to the OSTs.
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Sweet and fluffly as candy floss
If you are looking for something light-hearted, funny to the point of hilarious at times, sweet and fluffy as candy floss, then you will love this. The first half is really hilarious to the point of almost slapstick, then it got more serious and at one point was quite frustrating, but no worries, as it will be "All's Well that Ends Well", perfect for those who love Happy Ending and a little surprise at the table-turning reveal in the meeting room.I love Zhao LuSi, and had been watching many of her dramas. The OST that she sang for this drama is very apt. I prefer the Chinese OST than the English ones. There were some grammatical mistakes in the English OST, as well as a slight mispronunciation which irritates me, especially as the song was repeated all the time.
The story itself is quite simple, the ML reminded me a bit of Richard Gere's role in "Pretty Woman". FL's trio best friend and her quaint apartment reminded me of "Friends". The cooking scenes were beautiful. The conversation in the final face-off with the future MIL reminded me of "Crazy Rich Asians" without a game of mahjong.
I wasn't interested in this drama initally until I saw both Zhao LuSi & Li YuShen in Happy Camp. YuShen seems like such a shy guy. The ML in this drama is supposedly only 36, Yushen is 40, but somehow his moustache, hair and all those expensive double-breasted suits made him looks like he was well over 50. Making the age difference in the drama more pronounced. LuSi can always easily looks like a school-girl.
I love the fashion designer uncle. He ended as the one supporting the relationship, even though he may not be so likable at the beginning. The Grandpa is also wise and imparts some important message to the ML.
I have rewatched the first few episodes almost as soon as I finished watching the series, they were the best part!
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Western styled C-Drama?
Excellent production, great acting & cast, lovely costumes & set, superb cinematography, interesting soundtrack.I did not read the book, thus my impression is solely from the drama.
Story
It is a bit like Harry Potter. A young man who lost his family, hunted by people who wanted him dead, accepted into the prestigious Academy, received guidance and tutorship from so many experts along the way, received many interesting artifacts/ magic gadgets, meet and made many good friends, and then defeated the bad guys.
Characters & acting
I love how Arthur Chen portrayed Ning Que: good-looking, smart, adorable & lovable by everyone who knew him, including the Emperor. Song Yiren (24 y.o. during the filming) is amazing in portraying a child-like girl. Sang Sang looks like a 12-13 years old girl. At first, I wonder what trick they use to make her body looks so small, but then I realized she is indeed very petite. Their relationship feels more platonic than romantic though. I like how Ning Que gave up his crush on the seemingly perfect Mo Shan Shan and choose the ever-loyal Sang Sang. After all, Sang Sang has supported him from the time he was a nobody, while Shan Shan only gets to know him after he was well-known as Mr. Thirteen. This is like choosing your plain Jane companion of many years over a pretty and smart new colleague.
The Tang Emperor is likely the wisest emperor I had ever seen in a C-drama. He is kind, loving, faithful, and made many wise moves and decisions. I truly like how he tried to revert the injustice done to the General Lin family to avoid the life & death duel between Ning Que (whom he liked very much) and Xia Hou (for the sake of his Queen). Also when he decided the send the Academy students instead of sending troops to the badland when Xiling demanded so. He was also very kind to his brother, despite his brother being so wicked. I felt short-changed when I found out that Leon Lai was replaced by another actor in Session 2, his wise character seems disappeared.
The Academy is so unlike any school ever depicted in wuxia/xianxia movies. It sought to develop each person uniquely according to their passion and talents. There is a such strong sense of brotherhood. I love how Fuzi is depicted as a food-lover, almost every scene showing him eating or waiting to eat something. And the food is so interesting! There are pepperoni pizza in the Victory House (eaten by Sang Sang), Japanese-Italian fusion unagi pizza, instant noodles (in the badland), satay, and the most interesting juicer invented by the one and only Chen PiPi. In Session 2, Chen PiPi even introduced the self-heating hot pot! Everyone loves Chen PiPi, of course, the way he walks (shuffles), talks, eats and his cute facial expressions.
I can't stand all the fanatics and hypocrites in XiLing, especially Long Qing (but he has amazing six-packs!), Flower Addicts, and the various priests. Thankfully Wei GuangMing turned out to be a nice old man, though eccentric. Ye Qing (XiLing Universe Traveller) seems like a very wise person. I love the scene where he was told by a Tao priest in the Tang Kingdom how to spread the message of Tao to the common people. The conversation and the building in the background really reminded me of how the Catholic missionaries spread Catholicism to the world.
I also love the scenes where Ning Que was tutored by Yan Se.
I pity Princess Li Yu for her determination to get the throne for her brother (despite knowing the poor characters her brother had displayed), just because her late mother made her promised to do so. Parents should just wish their kids to live happily (like the Tang Emperor had told Li Yu) and should not leave a burden to their kids.
Costume & Set
Even though the story is set during the Tang dynasty, the costumes and set are somewhats Romanesque, especially for the West Temple/Xiling. The costumes of the priests resemble the robes worn by Catholic priests, the facade of the temple with tall pillars and triangular roof reminded me of the Roman buildings. The armors worn by the soldiers are similar to those we see in movies that depicted the Roman Empire. The headgear worn by High Templar Lou Kedi is certainly a Roman soldier headpiece. The way Xiling tried to control everything reminded me of the time Catholic Church tried to control Europe. The way they pursue the supposedly barbarian & demonic Huangren tribe and the Son of Hades reminded me of the witch-hunt. The Temple in the West could be a reference to the Church?
Qu Ni from YueLun looks like a gypsy, and the building where her son laid to rest looks like a catedral!
The Princess and Queen costumes and tiaras are also very Western-oriented.
Soundtrack
At first, the ballad-like soundtrack startled me, but then it started to grow on me, and in the end, I found myself humming it! Too bad they don't use it much during the last 10 or so episodes.
Cinematography
It is just wonderful!
Production
All in all, it is a really superb production. The pace may be slow in some episodes, but they were also beautiful, so I kind of enjoyed them.
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