Fortune Writer (2024)

Very entertaining, new approach, but could have been more

I love the begging and I love the end.
I was so happy because it have a different approach to the whole back in time and revive stories.
The thing is, what a mess during the middle. It gets so repetitive, it gets confuse and it has a lot of unnecessary little plots.
It could have been amazing, but I had to lower the rate because I just got really tired during the drama. What a shame.

Good things: The FL is amazing. The production is definitely beautiful. Very interesting story. Good end.

Bad things: The story loses its track during the middle. I'm not sure if the ML it's the best for the role, he is definitely handsome though. The other characters are just there...

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Fortune Favours The Bold: Subverting All Expectations

I. The Good
There's an unequivocal happy ending.

The plot is fantabulous. It's a refreshing take on the 'cannon fodder realises they're merely fictional characters; hugs big thigh to survive' trope. The FL refuses to succumb to her role as the evil cannon fodder, and stubbornly pits her wits against the Fortune Author once she discovers that she can push the storyline so long as the ink is not dry yet. The plot doesn't whitewash the FL as a misunderstood 'good' person. She is no meek, timid, mealy-mouthed damsel in distress. She is pragmatic, conniving, and arrogant, and will lie, cheat, and steal as means to an end. The FL commits all kinds of evilry to get the Big Thigh ML on her side and to ensure her own survival. Mr Big Thigh ML falls in love with the FL, sins and all, recognising that everyone has their good side and their bad, and she's just more honest about hers. The storyline constantly subverts expectations (e.g., the FL really isn't a 'good' person, the 2FL isn't really a 'bad' person, the various pot shots at cliche tropes).

I really, really loved the swipes taken at cliche tropes. In episode 9, the FL questions the need for people to hide in bathtubs. In episode 11, the doctor complains "Don't you think accidents happen to you too often? Two days ago she was poisoned, and today she's been shot!". In episode 13, when they were unable to feed the passed out ML medicine, and the 2FL is about to feed the medicine via mouth-to-mouth, the FL says "You couldn't get it in using your hand, but you can using you mouth? Do you think he has a special mouth-opening switch that turns on with a kiss?"

The costumes are gorgeous and intricate, even when the FL is dressed like Minnie Mouse in a few scenes. The details in the sets are superb, e.g., the delicate painting of cherry blossoms behind the ML and the exquisite lamp designs. The production team committed their entire music budget to one song, and it produced a beautiful, poignant melody with melancholic tailored lyrics that really elevated the scenes to full-length drama level.

LMC's acting as the FL has improved significantly, although she struggled in some scenes to emote sufficiently. Surprisingly, YSJ made a believable ML, which is a credit to his acting chops because his babyface was really difficult to get past, which leads me to the bad.

II. The Bad
YSJ's babyface had me struggling to believe he was supposed to be the merciless and ruthless ML. However, the combination of his acting skills and the strategic camera angles helped to glaze over this, especially during the steamy scenes (otherwise the audience would uncomfortably feel the need to sit in jail).

ZMY's acting as the 2FL was hard to watch. I get that she's supposed to play the ingénue role, but all she did was stand there widening her eyes and pouting her lips for every scene. The only time she came to life was in the last episode, when she and the FL are huffing at each other.

III. The Ugly
This drama is not for the liberals and for those who are triggered by some events due to some plot devices. The FL fakes a rape attack to trick the ML into taking her home with him. The FL physically harms herself and threatens suicide more than once.

There are also missing plot points, e.g., why or how did the Fate Book fall into the FL's hands, how did the ML break out of the Fortune Author's hold, when or why did the ML regain his memories.

IV. Verdict
I really enjoyed the constant subversion of expectations and will definitely rewatch this. For this drama to be pleasurable, you must not think too hard. It does make you examine why you think that only 'good' people deserve happy endings when really, most of us have our deep, dark thoughts that we never share because we're afraid of being marginalised and in all actuality, we would do the same as the FL.

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a drama that should gain more recognition!

i don't usually write reviews, but i will for this drama that has such a unique storyline that i dont understand why it's so underrated for the international viewers (it's super popular in mainland china itself)! i am here to show some support!

the story is already unique for telling the drama from a second female lead's pov, the second female lead that is supposed to get into our FL and ML's way every single time, and then when she's almost getting what she wants, the FL and ML takes their revenge and our poor second FL have to get every bad consequences for everything she does. but our FL here WILL NOT accept this fate, she will write her own fate and decide her own ending! (despite all the twists and turns and problems that she has to encounter. but no fear, because our puppy ML will be there for her every time, even if he does have to forget who she is once in a while).

this was a very fresh storyline amidst all the dramas that are airing right now, and i appreciated the breath of fresh air given to us, even if there were some minor plot holes. we don't write the rules here for the world that they are in, but we sure want to see some consistency and logic in the the rules that are presented to us. but it's something that i am willing to overlook for we were given such a fantastic cast with such acting skills + all the shade thrown on typical drama tropes (the always looking for physician because fl or ml get injured trope, the feed medicine through their mouths trope, the petals thrown into the scene trope to make out ml's heart throb, etc.). they were funny and also very unique and I LOVE IT. i will rewatch this drama again if i have time and if you have time and would like a short vacation away from typical drama storylines or storylines that are too heavy to handle or you need a cast that can act - i strongly recommend watching this drama~

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very convincing and unique plot

story is basically based on two priniciple
1) you and only you (no one else) can change your fate. nothing or no one in the world can take the role in your instead for the fate that is been decided for you.
2) once you are ready to let go of everything and hold no desire than only you can become actually free.

other than psychological angle i find this drama also had that deeper than thou love story ..the dynamic chemistry between the leads (so called side characters acc to fate book) which gradually ended into both of them giving up on their lives to protect the other... OMG !!! what to say i am little old school and i always long for such romance in my life ...

the only negative thing i felt was cheapness in fortune writer'character that he suddenly erase the fate and rewrite it again ... but anyway in the end that all made good sense

is it worth watching ..totally
is it worth rewatching .. of course ..may be after sometime when you suddenly want to know how fate works in your life ...

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Free will or the fate

I somehow grew to like these short historical c dramas. First of all they are short so they do not have time to waste on fillers and unnecessary side plots. Second of all, they are historical i.e. costume dramas which have no relation to real history. And finally, they are pretty to watch: pretty people dressed in pretty clothes inside pretty sets accompanied by pretty music.

Fortune Writer is one of the better ones, combining seamlessly costume drama and characters-inside -a-book drama. Even though the plot gets a bit complicated and repetitive, it is certainly worthy of the watch.

The story follows Yun Qui, the daughter of the Prime Minister as she realizes that she is a character in a book, written by the fortune (or fate) writer and decides to rebel against her tragic fate by lying and manipulating other characters. I loved the FL: she is an unabashedly gray character, not entirely evil but not far either. When the drama started, I thought she was a side character molesting the usual pretty and kind princess.

The story is tightly written. The mysteries are revealed one at a time steadily. The characters are not what they seem to be , there is a depth in them which is a nice change for a short drama. The main point of the story is the duel of wits between YunQui and the Fortune Writer. She is convinced that she is the sole master of her own fate which the FW refuses to admit. The whole concept of FW is an interesting one: they come into existence when individuals have something they deeply desire so in order to obtain it they are allowed to manipulate the lives of other people. The FW invades bodies of such people. Yun Qui refuses the offer eventually, and lets everyone in her vicinity have free will. Could this be a pique to the current politics? I wonder....

The acting was solid though I found the chemistry between the leads lacking: the main actor has one expression throughout the drama. Whether he is in love or in pain, hungry or constipated, it is always the same stony face! But I loved his line: "Just keep lying to me! I don't care!" He was in love!

I needed to suspend belief a few times especially when falling off of a cliff or when arrow wounds were concerned. At one point, the FL has an arrow buried in her shoulder, pulls it out (no visible blood) and continues as if nothing happened. When a friend sees her a few minutes later, he gives her a handkerchief she uses to wipe her chin, the arrow wound has somehow magically disappeared. This made me lose concentration badly!

Another good point for this drama is that the version on youtube is mercifully free of audio problems: they found the way to air a complete drama without cutting the sound. This is the first!

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A refreshing plot with a good acting

This drama has successfully 'killed' the mainstream plot, and 'rebirth' a new storyline.
A very unique one. It might be quite confusing at first, but if you do follow the story closely you will understand and find it really entertaining. The production was really good for a short drama. I like their cinematography and its ambience. The casting, both the leads are really good in bringing me into the drama. I did not realise was so drowned in the series until I noticed that I cried when the FL cried...

If you are looking for a not-so-heavy drama to watch in your leisure, you should watch this drama!

[End = Happy Ending]

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