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What would you do if you could go back in time & change your life...?
I stumbled upon this drama while browsing for a new drama to watch, and I do NOT regret it! While the first episode-ish got off to a bit of a slow start, the drama's plot soon picked up once Qian Wei's dream started.The drama becomes so entertaining, funny, and touching once the dream starts. It was so touching to see all the things little Lu Xun did for her over the years & how his love for her still persists...even 10 years later.
There were definitely moments I cried/got teary-eyed. And as some other reviewers said, all of the characters were well written. Even our protagonists are not perfect.
The music is pretty good; I really love Z. Tao's song <3 If you're thinking about watching this drama, I highly recommend! It's super sweet & entertaining!! <33
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Cliche done right
I avoided this show for a while because when I read the description, I thought it would be a bit too out there for me to enjoy. I was quite pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this show from episode one and it wasn't quite as out there as I thought it would be. Obviously, it's not very realistic or anything however the plot they used is actually quite genius in some ways.Overall positive review:
This show hooks you in from episode one with the cold boss and overworked and underpaid assistant who went to school together and are "enemies". Episode one has humor and drama that gets you invested in these three characters fairly quick. Then it immediately transports you to the "coma world" where the FL lead is rewriting her past. It's interesting because from the first episode you make some pretty quick judgements about the characters, specifically the two male leads, and it leads you to be biased in terms of not wanting to like them or thinking they are awful people. But as her past unfolds you end up seeing how everyone got to be where they are in reality and the people you were determined to not like you end up empathizing with and even find yourself somewhat rooting for.
Also, this drama is secretly really about the female lead healing while in the coma. There's an obvious pun there that I think most viewers missed out on. While she is "rewriting her past" in the coma she is also coming to grips with everything that has happened both in the past and in the present. She uses this coma world to come to grips with finally letting go of her ex-boyfriend she gave way too many years to. I think some people watching this were frustrated she wasn't meaner to him, but people forget when you spend so many years loving someone and by their side, it doesn't just go away in an instant. I thought this show did a great job at allowing her to accept that the relationship is over but also allowed her to want the best for him still and not be consumed by revenge and anger. Same goes for the relationship with her boss/rival. Her whole focus is on beating him and essentially stealing everything that deep down she feels like he took from her. You can tell she has a lot of regret and anger at herself for how she was in the past and the ML is simply just a misdirect of that internal disappointment. Obviously, the main thing she needed healing from was the loss of her father and she also gets to go back and have more time with him and truly come to grips with the reality of what happened and realizing that there are certain destinies we cannot change, and we cannot stop our life over things we have no control over. This show in a way that went over a lot of people's heads was quite masterful in using the coma time to heal her in more than one way. She truly woke up with a new look on life and ready to take back what she had been keeping from herself.
So, I really did love this story and all the themes it included in it. Obviously, there are many tiny details and moments that make you fall in love with the characters outside of the overall plot. This drama was much better than I thought it was going to be and Ill probably be rewatching some parts to notice things I didn't notice before and smile at the sweet moments.
However, it wasn't perfect. These are my critiques:
- The ending in terms of how they went from a lighthearted and fun college drama to a dangerous war between law firms was...kind of unnecessary. I think we could have gotten the happy ending and full closure to the story without the extreme circumstances that were happening at the end. Looking back it honestly is a bit silly with the whole near death stuff happening. Felt like we were watching a mafia drama at parts and it just was kind of random and extreme.
- Like a lot of people I did find myself a bit annoyed with the FL at multiple parts. For one thing while in the coma world shes just a little too zealous with her obsessions of fixing things and completely missing obvious things in front of her. It's like the show has her as this top law student who is crazy smart and a quick thinker but then it's like she has no common sense and can't put two and two together. Obviously she was working off what she knew from the past and had strong biases about things but it still got a bit annoying at parts and I wanted to scream please wake up (no pun intended). Also, she kind of woke up and just.... expected her and the ML to just...ride off into the sunset???? Like in reality he literally watched you love and only care about another man for 10 YEARS. I feel like the gravity of that just doesn't hit her at all and she needs to humble herself a bit. In reality I think the love story really isn't as cute as this drama is which is ironic to say. I think a man like the ML shouldn't be waiting around for someone for 10 years on the sideline. It would be different if he dated around or whatever but he didn't. From a realistic view (which is not how romance cdramas should be viewed lol) it actually made me pity his character a lot. And then the FL was trying to test him? She wanted to him to confess first and acted like he needs to be honest with her when he clearly always was obviously in love her and literally everyone knew it? It just kind of makes the FL look super ... entitled and also makes me pity the ML even more which takes away a bit from the love story to me.
- Tao did well here and actually surprised me a bit with his acting chops (though I agree that I think this character in some ways was very similar to himself) but the FL to me wasn't at her best. I found her expressions and whatnot really recycled. She went all out playing the girl determined on revenge and rewriting the past that it made her character... very one dimensional. Also she keeps saying how she is 28 but I felt like while reliving college as a 28 year old she was still very immature. The whole point is she is going back in time with maturity and insight but I felt like a lot of her actions were very childish. But then when she woke up from the coma, I felt like she was more mature but it didn't make sense because in the coma world she was 28 too.... just back in her 18 year old body. For me that was an oversight of the writers and directors. I understand being young and naive is part of the charm of the show but her antics got a little old at some points. You are intelligent and 28 and this is how you are acting? This isn't on her this is mainly on the writers and directors so don't take this as an attack on the actress, my issues is with the script for her character at some points during the period she is in the coma.
- I thought the leads had good chemistry and their bickering in the show came off very natural and almost like adlibs not scripted. However, when it came to the romantic, intimate parts I felt like the male lead was more into the female lead. He was way more into the kissing and whatnot and even when she fell in love with him and started dating him I just feel like her character still was very... anti touching or kissing. I do not enjoy dramas where it looks like the female isn't into the kissing or physical stuff.
- This is a personal thing and I know it'll get some hate from his fans but I really wish Tao would change his hair. He had many sexy moments in this drama don't get me wrong, especially with the suit and glasses, but I still did not like the hair. I also think the hair didn't fit the character very well either. Top law student and top lawyer with that style of hair? Despite the cocky attitude it still didn't match for me and didn't seem very professional or serious. I really wish it was at least shorter but this is a personal thing cause in real life I really wish he would switch his hair up since I don't think this haircut does his face justice. I get how you could argue the haircut was kind of carefree like the character but I just don't think it really matched.
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Not what you'd expect, but defo touching & sweet
This was not at all what one might expect from the title or from the official blurb. To start with, it is not a legal drama…the characters just happen to be law students and lawyers. A woman is stuck in a dead-end job under a relentlessly picky boss. After getting professionally back-stabbed—at possibly career-ruining levels—by her ex-boyfriend, she gets into an accident and seems to time-travel back 10 years, where she has the chance to try and re-do her years in university.Her choices end up focusing on her current boss, who appears to be the villain competing for every good thing in her life for years, ever since they studied together as classmates. However, as the “time-travel” part of the show plays out, she realizes that many of the choices he made which seemed to go against her…were actually quiet expressions of his heartfelt care for her. This initially seems like a sci-fi rom-com, but turns out to be a touching slice-of-life melodrama that happens to center around a romance and include moments of comedy. Also deals with societal expectations, grief, and poverty as a decision-driver. All with lots of sweet romantic scenes peppered in.
One of the funnier and more thought-provoking side storylines includes the female lead desperately trying to avoid a guy at university who she knows that she will date and then break up with in the future. But it’s tricky trying to explain to the infatuated guy why she refuses go out with him…without telling him that in the future he will turn from a dedicated sweetheart into a back-stabbing scumbag. If she tells him, would it change his choices? Would it change who he becomes? Or is he unavoidably destined for scumbaggery? Oh, the drama!
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Twisted dream then reality based romance for teens
Its an odd drama, I both like and hate it. Perhaps because it targets a younger audience, teens to mid tweens so there is no realistic grey been good and bad.There is a high degree of idealism with the legal system being a white horse and going the cliche route of vilifying the more grey aspects of it. A realistic view of it with witty interactions between defendants and prosecutors would have been more interesting but the plot used the cliche illegal countermeasures instead of the real nitty gritty law battles using law intricacies. Those might have worked in a gangster world but we are talking about a law firm and a corporate here, things can't be concluded by just dealing with the direct belligerents... I felt like the show downgraded to a 90s Indian film.
Romance is nothing phenomenal and is just OK. As per the known Chinese predicament, three is a reset after the fantasy part which spanned longer than half the drama.
This writer does the same thing they vilify in their story as some pitch black evil thing; going against the original intention/spirit behind a law. They play with the Chinese fantasy law's spirit by ending it early, using the same stories inside it as material for plot progression in real life, thus, legitimizing its existence and possibility.
For me, it really just went more of the same and by episode 27, I was bored out of my mind.
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such cuties
this was soo good!!! while it was really melodramatic at times and i would have liked a different ending it was still so fun and nice to watch. it did turn a little dark towards the end, and i'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing. yes it added to the plot, but i found the interactions between lu xun and qian wei enough. love their relationship sm and i hope i find someone who loves me as much as they do each otherit was a great drama. not on the top of my lists but definitely somewhere up there!
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Fresh and unique ❤️ Loved it
Really enjoyed this series ❤️Both ML & FL were great in their respective roles. Both were the best choices for these roles in my opinion - can't imagine any other actors that could have pulled this off as they did. Also enjoyed the side characters.
The story is fresh and unique and can't recall any other series that's similar to this. Binged this series as there were no dull moments and kept me wanting to see the next episode.
I loved the songs played through out the series, perfectly chosen and played at the right moment and will definitely add some to my Playlist.
Highly recommended ❤️
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What a pleasant surprise!
I started this show with zero expectation as I was not very impressed with both Song Zuer and Ztao past shows. They both are very average in their acting provess. Infact this show as well, they have acted in their usual way but somehow that works. Ztao clearly is not a good actor but script and director has used him to his best ability and you end up liking him very much. Song Zuer is super cute and witty in her role and suits perfectly. They chemistry is awesome. Also the side characters support the show very well, you will end up liking many of them. Show is equal parts funny and romantic with some really fun moments. Dont Miss this gem. Its rating should be higher than current 8.3.Was this review helpful to you?
Cute and interesting
I find the story very much instresting and on how the sequence of events acted. The casting did a great job in selecting the cast for this drama. They have portrayed their roles fantadtically. The chemistry of the main couple is undeniably surfaced. I LOVE THEM BOTH SOOO MUCH. They have never failed my expectation for this drama. Honestly,I'd love to ship thosevtwo. They're so cute.The story is 100% nice for me.A job well done to the script writer and the director!Kodus to all the staffs,crews,and casts. Hoping for another project for the ZiTao and Song Zu'er. God bless to them and more blessing for their careers. All the cast deserve a praise. A round of applause to all of them.
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Unexpectedly amazing!
I didn’t think I would love this show so much when I first started watching it, but I quickly became surprised. If you are hesitating, just go for it!Pros:
Second leads are supporting and don’t try to hurt the people they love. SML is obsessed for sure and that is a slight con, but the sfl is a doll.
The acting is on point! The way they carry their characters through the whole story without changing their personalities is so very rare to see in a drama. Loved it. Also they are super realistic. Like the (not to give spoilers) certain scene on top of the Ferris wheel was so good, realistic and funny.
Music, camera work, editing were all top notch.
I didn’t really get bored at all. There are a few episodes that drag out a bit, but over all it was a good pace and kept you wondering what was going to happen in the next episode.
Cons: SML is a little over obsessive. I get that it’s his character, but he didn’t need to be quite so clingy.
FL is a little demanding to ML especially when he was so patient with her for so many years. Not too horrible tho it mostly fits her character.
Over all a really great watch. I am super picky about the shows I watch too. ? from me! I want to see more shows produced like this in the future.
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"I want the thousand eyes of eternal light to see only you."
What do i say about this series.. i regret not watching this sooner. This is way way better than i expected. This was such a wholesome, heartwarming, cute without overdoing it story with lots of comedy and romantic scenes.
Characters and acting: This is my 3rd drama of Huang Zitao, not gonna lie his characters are sort if similar in all 3 of them. But this was so far his best performance and also the most likeable character he played. He was in love with the fl through and through, for 10 years. His devotion and care for her with the facade of reluctance was sweet and fun to watch. Mostly he was an introverted guy in one sided love with the fl and dared not voice out his feelings, just misunderstand the fl with the sml. He did so much for her silently and his efforts went unnoticed and very often i found him pitiful. The way he always had her back, cared for her family, never looked at others the same way ... i LOVED him. Never watched the fl before, but i think she did her role well. In the dream which lasted for over 20 eps, she was all about her career, avoiding her nemesis of love, not making the same mistakes that she once did and often came off as cold to the ml. She was oblivious to mls feelings for her because she didn't expect it ever but everything that he did for her, screamed that he liked her. During the 20 eps of the dream, sometimes i just couldn't see any romantic feelings from her side. She was rather selfish and not that caring to the ml at times. Only after ep 23 when she woke up, did it actually seem that she loved him from her actions. The ml and fl had such amazing natural chemistry. The sml was rather likeable and pitiful in the dream, but after she woke up he was trashy. I must say that i shipped ml and sml a lot in the dream, their interactions were HILARIOUS. Lol. I liked the bromance. Shiyun and Qian Chuan were the best side couple ever. I liked fls dad, no wonder she loved her father so much. The other characters were also mostly warm and supportive.
Story: A flawed fl with lots of regrets about her life, dreams that she went back to her college self and made different choices to lessen her regrets, only to have the same ultimate ending; and an introvert but very considerate ml who kept supporting her through everything and finally got his girl and overcame challenges together to achieve their own goals. The ending was sweet and all the characters got what they deserved. A very happy and satisfying ending.
Production : Well i think that a lot of important scenes were cut down in the last 5 6 eps, so I'd say rather poorly edited. The sml had a lot of screentime and the ml was not given that much chance to shine compared to the sml. Music wasn't really special. Cinematography was well done.
This show made me blush, laugh, smile and cry all together. Overall i really liked it a lot and would recommend watching it to everyone who is looking for something warm, happy, sweet, satisfying and fun to watch.
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This is a greatest time-travel Cdrama I ever watched by far
I rarely finished C-drama, especially the one with more than 30 episodes. They're usually dragging, so I got bored and stop watching. But, this drama is different. Even though they got together quite soon (in compare with other dramas), but the story keep going.I don't like drama with lot of conflicts, so if you feel the same, this is the one you should be watching.
I also usually avoid time-travel dramas, because the way they go back and forth usually feels unrealistic.
The FL is cute, but the ML's hairstyle is a bit ridiculous in my opinion.
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Unexpected life lessons
It's been about 3 months since I finished watching this & it's still one of the best dramas that I've watched this year. This drama wasn't even on my radar but I ended up being glad that I decided to watch it.There's things that could be nitpicked about the "time traveling" but I personally didn't find it a problem for my viewing. I was more focused on the journey of Qian Wei as she reaffirmed what was truly important in her life. I guess for some she could come off as annoying when she first went back in time & tried pushing Lu Xun to Zi Xin but it was easy to understand why she thought that was the best course of action, even if her actions weren't the best at times. What I liked about her is how she stuck to her convictions even when it would be easier for her life if she turned her back on them.
I'm going to be honest & admit that at the beginning I wasn't fond of Lu Xun's way of grabbing onto Qian Wei (& that's still a no for me) or how he was kind of overbearing in some of his actions to have a part of her life. However, it wasn't anything too bad or unexpected from a cdrama - I've seen worse. As the story goes on, it's clear that he acts the way that he does because he's been carrying an unrequited love for years. I have mixed feelings about waiting for someone for 10 years or so but, in his case, it makes you see how much she means to him & how much he loves her. So, it's impossible not to root for him and their happy ending.
I will say that one of my favorite things about this drama was the messages that came with each episode. They weren't over the top or too cheesy but just right. Without giving too much away, I really liked what they showed us through Qian Wei's interactions with Chong Wen when she returned to the past, and even when she returned to the present. I also really loved what they had to say about love rivals & truly loving someone - it was refreshing to see.
Other things I liked were the family relationships, her friendships, the secondary couple, and the opening song (I still have it stuck in my head). This is a simple story yet it had me wishing it was 40 episodes. I enjoyed every episode.
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