A drama that stays in the heart
I was contemplating on making early review on this but decided to let all eps be aired first. This drama deserves review per episode to be honest coz each episode is so wonderfully presented.The drama started off with them meeting after years of separation. When they locked eyes on that first episode is a proof that everyone behind this drama are really gifted and the perfect actors were rightfully put to play the role respectively. From that moment it makes viewers hungry to know their past their present and look forward to their future.
The drama itself feels like a journey never ends and u really wouldnt want it to end. The story is really easy to follow with the flashbacks played once in a while in the right moment . What makes this perfect is really the chemistry of both leads. Not just the chemistry but how they played their roles wholeheartedly. They were like a match born to play this drama. They are destined to give life to this drama.
Their journey from being young to young adults though played by same actors is just perfect.
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This drama is a moving romance set against the backdrop of sweeping majestic landscapes with soulful and emotive music playing. You cannot help but be swept along with the love between Lu Chen and Gu Xiao through their years of separation and through the angst that both unavoidably created for the other. I have read criticisms that the drama is slow but to me, the pace of the show, the words that are unspoken but conveyed through expressions are a powerful way to convey the story. The final episode, although initially a bit of a let-down but on further reflection, is a different way of ending a story by letting the ML tell his part of the story. I am definitely going to rewatch to breakdown the nuances that I missed the first time round! Was this review helpful to you?
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A draggy, at times boring drama but why did I finish all 30 episodes?
This is a slow-burn romance drama about first love and all about it, nothing else. The pace is like "no hurry at all" and I have to use the fast forward button on many scenes.Why I kept on watching:-
(1) I'd watch any drama with Tan Song Yun in it regardless of the male lead. She has the ability to form great chemistry with all male actors she has worked for - the latest was in Flight to You where she was incredible with Wang Kai and his grumpy/annoying character. Although in her early 30s, her baby face makes her able to act out schooling or teenage girls to a T.
(2) Great looking cast. Jing Boran looks good in this drama compared to his last contemporary drama I've watched (The Psychologist) and totally different from A League of Noblemen. It's always enjoyable to watch nice looking actors on screen.
(3) For the romance-so many kissing scenes, warm moments, romantic vibes, the list goes on...For the romance part, this drama scores 9/10! Plenty of sweetness and eye-candy indulgence!
(4) I'm glad those parts of those annoying family disputes and third party interference are kept to the minimum. No long winded melodramatic scenes, it just concentrates on the leads' love story and their lives.
(5) Good cinematography especially those scenes in Jining. Love the winter paradise. A beautiful love story and winter/snow flakes are great chemistry.
What I hope could be better:-
(1) Those irritating and tiring flashbacks-they are necessary to tell the background story but do they have to do it so many (and many) times and at irregular intervals. I'd prefer they do all the flashbacks in one go instead of having it in almost every episode and many are repeats too.
(2) 30 episodes is too long due to the flashbacks and repeated scenes. It's incredulous how they dedicate one full episode (episode 30) to flashback-just about the leads' school days. It's totally unnecessary and exceedingly boring.
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You Don't Know How to Love Your First Love
Many may find the drama adaptation as mundane or boring. However, I wish they continue watching.
It tells a story of a couple who broke up but is not over or has not moved on from each other. I like how the flashbacks explain how they met, fell in love, and broke up. I like the line Duan Rou said at episode 17 "its common that you don't know how to love the other in your first love" which is true that's why it's rare to end up with your first love in real life. The sweetness of their youthful love and the bitterness of breaking up because of circumstances uncontrollable
GX broke up with LC and when they met again it took another two years for her to find a reason, ahem, an excuse to reach out to LC. I think it was fair since she was the one who broke up with him. When they were younger GX wanted to rely on him but can't. She needed a pillar and the person she wanted to lean on the most is not around it broke her and she broke him. That scene where LC is crying secretly while on break from training nearly broke me. LC wanted to be there for her but can't he loves her and he feels guilty about it. LDR is a scary relationship. It really breaks or makes the relationship stronger.
I like that it took a decade for them to get together again because they had a lot of growing up to do. They grew up individually and it made the relationship better. Even with all the crap they have to deal with their families they have friends that they can rely on. The line where GX said she would have been fine withbher life without LC struck a chord. It's true for a woman who has grown up and well. Why should she settle for mediocre when she can have a fairy tale of her own.
other couples:
HD and MXS typical HS relationship. it didn't end up well for HD but MXS has a husband in QF that loves her much more than HD ever did.
QM and DR now this is a couple I like two individualists. I ship this CP. This is a mature relationship that we all need in real life. You are you. I am who I am. No changes made but there's a lot of understanding each others lifestyle. This is the ideal realistic couple for me. Both have issues and divorced but have no hang ups with their exes. The son was like a cupid of sorts for them.
What I liked most is that it followed the novel. Including the epilogue.I wished they included the letter GX wrote for LC too.
The osts are perfect for the series. The lyrics fit the story.
Rewatch value: I have been rewatching while waiting for upcoming eps when I watched.. need I say more?
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Love and danger, pristine snow and downy willows in spring, triumph of persistence
Ep30 was a sweet coda to this very wholesome composition, which deserves full marks for acting, choice of shooting locations, no nonsense or over-sugary dialogues and plot. I also liked the realism and the messages of hope, endurance, faithfulness and mature understanding and support to partners. I actually liked the slow pace which showed how intuition and almost telepathic getting vibes and staying "in tune"without need for long conversation is one form of beautiful love.For those who don't get or get impatient with first episodes, it could be viewed first, since it is the chronological reason for what happens in first episode, and an explanation of the "baffling" reply by ML to FL in the beginning.
The two separated "because they were too young", because Gui Xiao thought she needed comforting words to overcome the pain of her family turmoil, but these could not be conveyed over the phone, and because her great love was prevented from rushing back to hug and comfort her. Both felt hurt and regret but years went by and, not wanting to be intrusive, neither of them managed to make the needed step forward to get back in tune. Until they did, and this is the sweet and realistic story that unfolds in the drama. The radiance of their love not only make them stand out, but also touches those around them: their friends and "complicated families", and the little boy that Gui Xiao spontaneously agrees to foster to allow him get a more stable environment with trusted people and better schooling. Unconsciously or not, this first act of kindness and love brings her friend (and other foster "aunt" for the boy) together with Lu Chen's friend and Qin Xiaonan's dad.
LuChen and Xiao Nan are quickly aware of Captain Qin and Duan Rou's compatibility, which culminates in Ep22 where both couples radiantly and almost literally "walk on air". For once, we would not have minded seeing more about this secondary couple!
It also helps that Jing Boran has a special type of northern handsomeness, impervious to the cold weather, maybe due to his part-Russian ancestry. Sichuanese Seven Tan Songyun is delightfully petite and with an infectious warm smile that brought perfect balance to this "fire and ice" story where the apparently cold and detached ML was just yearning for spring to be back and enough fulfillment in a life half or more devoted to dangerous missions.
As for OST, it is nice, although as I mentioned in an earlier comment, what stood out for me was the old Zheng Jun Cinderella song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xVtrob8Rto). Lyrics here : https://www.chinese-tools.com/songs/song/12/cinderella.html
I watched quite a few of Seven Tan's dramas before; always very satisfied. I had not watched much of Jing Boran's filmography, he seems to have been mostly involved with light movies, when I was following more heavyweight directors' filmography. Perhaps, if I have time, I will go back to check more of Jing Boran's filmography now, and perhaps even re-watch Road Home which despite its slow pace, was as enjoyable as a famous director's movie. Ah, spotting 2018 "Us And Them" in JB's filmography, which I think I must watch since I love Rene Liu's music and her acting in "A World Without Thieves".
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A heart warming mature and romantic story
Road home is a story about first love basically, break up and reuniting but it's more than just your usual lovers reuniting plot....it had moreWhy do I love road home?
The story which by the looks of it one will say it's just another ex girlfriend and boyfriend get back together but this felt more deeper than that, transition of relationships from when they were young to a more mature advancement, trying to not make the same mistakes they did before and trying to protect their relationship more using the lessons from the past..it felt real and more engaging and mutual... people will call this type of story slow because it feels more natural and realistic like things are happening like they would in an everyday life so basically yes people could say that slow but I found that this had a different touch to it? in addition I appreciate the main leads centric plot like yes we have supporting characters but it has all been mainly surrounded on the leads
#2.
The cast, First time seeing Jing bo ran in a series but I must say he ate up the LU CHEN role and left absolutely no crumbs, his expressions how he uses his eyes to speak, intimate macro gestures, his deep voice, his body language, presentation everything about him and I kinda low-key love it when they don't take the cold guy route here he's more quiet, calm mature, understanding, responsible....he's everything ? I don't know if such men exist in real life or we just under the fictional character spell but I'd want my self a Lu Chen ASAP
Seven Tan is pretty, and a natural actress everything about her acting from when she's crying to when she brightly smiles feels real to me...so yah she has done an amazing job too?
Other cast did amazing too love how Dou ruan is such a sweet heart her interactions with the kid, and yes favourite supporting character has to be the kid.
#3.
The chemistry, we all describe chemistry differently, to me chemistry between leads acting as a couple should feel so real I'd almost think they are in a relationship together, the sensual tension from when they are just staring at each other to when they touch each other should drive me utterly crazy, the level of comfort they have with each other, the thrill I get from their interactions...these two gave it all and left no stone unturned ?? so far I've felt really single watching this....don't get me started on those simple gentle kiss scenes....ahhhh?
#4.
Cinematography especially in Qinan the snow covers houses and roads, the sunset, the cinematography is absolutely pleasing to the eyes....??
#5. HAPPY ENDING
Who doesn't like happy endings every one does and after witnessing these twos story of how they have tried to win each other back fix mistakes from the past support and love each other a wedding and a child were the best rewards these two could get I absolutely loved this drama
Final Recommendation
I recommend this drama to people who love mature stories iam speaking no cringe moments, no unnessesary love triangles no unnessesary scenes the story was mostly lead centric iam saying a female lead that's out spoken and cute at the same time a male lead that isn't cold for a change just mature and considerate and loving this tory might seem slow for some people but trust me and give it a chance you won't regret it.
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May we all find the happiness that belongs to us.
Last episode today! It's going to be tough to get out of this drama. The director and scriptwriter did a fantastic job. The cinematography was fantastic. The scenery was fantastic. Tan Songyun and Jing Boran did a fantastic job of portraying the characters. I love that they paired both of them together. Casting Jing Boran as Lu Chen was a fantastic choice. He has that rugged, tough, very attractive face. Casting Tan Songyun as Chen Xiao was an equally fantastic choice She has such a soft, squishy baby face. It's like the yin and yang coming together. Ladylike and ruggedness.I love their chemistry in the bts and in the drama. Watching them during their interview was so cute. They kept looking at one another, affirming what the other said and teasing one another. The fact that they reconnected before filming Road Home was really sweet. You can watch them on He Jiong's Welcome Back to Sound Season 2 (ep 9-10). I think that helped to break the ice before filming. They are both such great actors. I love Tan Songyun's voice....I never get sick of it. Watching her in her dramas give me a sense of calm and healing. I know that there are other great dramas out there but somehow the FL's voices will turn me off and that stops me from starting or dropping those dramas. Thank you, director, scriptwriter, actors, actresses. Thank you for making my heart sing. In the meantime, I will wait impatiently and languish around until Tan Songyun's new movie & drama. May she find the happiness that belongs to her. May we find a Lu Chen who will love us as unconditionally & deeply. And may all the Lu Chen find their Gui Xiao.
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Second chance romance with mature characters!
This is definitely a feel good drama. The pace is slow but the plot advances quickly. Everything about it just feels warm and calm. I love how in the earlier episodes, they pictured so much tension, so much longing, and so much unsaid words. It keeps you on your toes to see how the relationship advances. I also love how both leads act maturely resolving their problems and how this drama has no filler annoying episode. All are in the good portion. Jing Boran and Tang Soyun have so much chemistry and have done well with the acting. One thing that I will nitpick is how they put the climax on last few episodes. It's just feel anticlimatic to me. Otherwise, ll is fine.Was this review helpful to you?
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A perfect angsty, protective hero romance . . . until the propaganda ruined itOn one hand we have an angsty, forbidden secret childhood romance, and a silent, gruff protective hero who thinks the world of the heroine:everything I like in romance in one place. If you like the Jane Austen novel Persuasion, you will love the first 20 episodes of this.
On the other hand, this is a propaganda pitch for dangerous frontline work to men, and the propaganda wins out for 10 slow dragging episodes.
Our main male character 100% will always pick his job first. The female lead is just so grateful to be in a relationship with him, and she will never make the mistake of putting herself first again! Even his alcoholic waste of a father, and his snobby father in law come around to accepting he is a hero whose needs and priorities come first, and they need to stop making trouble.
So there you have it. A great premise, excellent chemistry and acting all ruined by its simplistic propaganda theme: become a hero of the state, and you'll get the girl and the home and the life you always wanted. Everyone will just be so grateful.
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SECOND CHANCE AT ITS Best! BRILLIANTLY DONE!
At first, I am hesitant to watch this drama since I am not into second chance love romances. But I was totally moved by it.JIN BO RAN was SUPERB in this drama. He really pull it through and he is so Hot in uniform. Though I already like him on other drama but this once thoroughly fits.
SEVEN TAN is a surprised for me,this drama is more mature and a lot of kissing scenes, some of her dramas doesn't. But she's good at it. I really like some of her dramas. Despite the agr difference in real life, for me it doesnt matter coz they make it through and they give justice to it.
For me, this is a brilliantly done drama. A slice of life and a real tear jerker esp the scene where JIN BO RAN was crying in the snow after break up. Wow! Really moved by it.
Side characters are good but not much highlighted which is for me is better since the story itself is more about the couples up and downs and how they faced it and became mature in their relationship.
Can't forget the cinematography. Truly wonderful!
I highly recommended this drama esp if your are into more mature audience.
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Underrated
The first time I have read the plot of this drama, I immediately know I would like it but later got doubtful because of the reviews I have read while watching but it turns out my first impression was right. I am a fan of first and only love, hardworking male characters, and old lovers or acquaintances meeting again just like in Le Coup De Foudre, Lighter and Princess, You Are My Hero, Forever Love and etc. but what was different in this drama was how it involved the people around them in the development of their love story the second time around. All the issues that caused their relationship to fail in the first time got resolved. For some, it may be slow because the drama did not just rotate in the main characters' issues but also in each of their family's issues which have affected them and their relationship directly. I was really happy how each of the characters developed into better versions of themselves especially the mains' parents because some dramas would start and end with unsupportive and close minded parents. I also like how in most of the episodes, the characters' are together . They are already certain of the feelings they have for each other and I was happy that there were no episodes wasted where the mains will try hard to be together. Instead, the drama developed with the mains' being there for each other. I really like this drama and if you are someone that do not like dramas where it would take a long time for the characters to be together then I think you would like this too.Was this review helpful to you?
A Completely Beautiful Love Story Of ..... "The First Love Is My Last Love" .... My Forever Love
I was still swooning from the aftermath of Seven Tan and Ren Jialun romance in Under The Power, when I clicked into another Seven Tan's drama "Road Home". Being a hopeless romantic, I immediately got hooked into this drama, curious to watch the really mesmerizing male lead Jing Boran. His manly, cool and man of few words Lu Chen character who only has eyes for Seven Tan's - Gui Xiao will simply take one's breath away.The story itself is nothing new and yes, the pace was really slow. Therefore, the two leads had an immense responsibility to make their chemistry work on screen. Their un-said words, their internal struggles, their facial expression, their body language, yearning, happiness and love were all felt throughout the drama. The director's request for this love story to be played out in such pure and raw emotions amidst the beautiful backdrop of Xinjiang Autonomous Region allowed me to soak into the characters so comfortably. 30 episodes went by too fast for me.
Till now, I am still replaying many memorable moments between Lu Chen and Gui Xiao in my head. The love at first sight at school. 8 years later, bumping to her again after breaking up. Another 2 years later to meet again. Him singing his song for her whilst cuddling on the ground in the snow. Both of them watching the sunrise they name "Chen Xiao" and many many more. Everything that a die-hard romantic like me will find endearing is found in the Chen Xiao love story.
The drama however, is not perfect. The many repeated throwback scenes were a slight off to me. But, everything else made up for it. Two second couple love stories, Ming Yu's delightful son Xiao Nan, Gui Xiao and Lu Chen's parents drama and on top of this, an appreciation for military police S.W.A.T work which I did not know much about, until I watched this drama.
Road Home is a slow paced emotional drama for die hard romantics. If you are not into hugging, kissing and natural love interactions, you can give this drama a miss. As for me, this drama will be one of the classics, in my books. I will be re-watching this drama again whenever I feel like having a dose of positivity in my life. Scoring 10, for an overall entertaining drama.
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