Addictive murder mystery period drama with complex characters
This show had me hooked from the beginning! It had so many of my favorite TV elements: a slow reveal of characters' complex backstories, a murder mystery, glamorous period costumes, and a variety of badass female characters. Also, compared to Taiwan's normal campy, cutesy TV fare (which I do love, to be clear), Light the Night is a huge step up in production quality and story.The show revolves around Rose and Sue, two best friends and house mothers of a 1980s Taipei nightclub. As the episodes unfold, we learn about each of the supporting characters and the drama leading up to the pilot episode's murder. We don't learn the murder victim's identity until the very end, setting us up for Season 2 to investigate the murderer's identity.
I would highly recommend watching this show not just once but multiple times; it's definitely the type of show where you'll pick up subtle details during a rewatch. An artfully crafted story, superbly acted, scored, and production designed, I can't wait for Season 2!
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This review may contain spoilers
Light the Night is a mature drama with a superb cast. The acting was phenomenal, especially from the two lead actresses, whose relationship is the focal point of the drama. The betrayals feel intense, and their complicated feelings about each other are well-portrayed. Ruby Lin’s camera presence is strong and captivating. Yang Jinyan as Su Qingyi was such a pleasant surprise for me, as someone who’s never heard of her as an actress before. Her Su Qingyi character was so well fleshed out and acted. Such an interesting antagonist from the very start. One of her expository scenes is when she comforts a sobbing Lo Yunung in bed, soothing her broken heart. The viewer can hardly believe the hatred that arises between the two protagonists later in the story. But as much as we can hate Su Qingyi for her betrayal of Lo Yunung, it’s still hard not to pity her — a reserved woman by nature, festering her unrequited love for Chiang Han in silence, while watching her friend’s happiness with him from afar. In the end, I felt that their mutual selfishness and perhaps delusional ignorance of each other’s feelings brought the destruction of the friendship, rather than one being a “villain” antagonizing the other.
One of my qualms about this drama is not the writing or acting — it’s that the drama is written for the male gaze, while on the surface seeming to be a feminist drama that shines a light on sexual assault. (Granted, at writing this review, I don’t actually know who wrote this drama, or what their gender was.) The overwhelming pattern amongst the female characters is that they do stupid things to feel worthy of a man. We see this with Su Qingyi, who epitomizes the love-struck mistress; Aiko, who unwittingly destructs her own life by avenging her heartbroken crush; Yuri, who overlooks the selfishness of her drug-dealing boyfriend and breaks the law for his approval. The show sensationalizes a love triangle in which the two mamasans Qingyi and Yunung love the same man, a charismatic screenwriter named Chiang Han. His disregard for their feelings, selfishness, and misogyny were steeped in his interactions with them. But at the end, he’s almost redeemed. He’s granted a tearful pseudo-repentance, a cinematic shot of him distressing over the last image of his supposed soulmate Yunung, a (what was meant to be) redemptive visit to Chingyi in hospital for attempting suicide after he rejected her… All this felt like a reward for a character who had, all along, been a douchebag. And perhaps, by extension, the show is asking us to forgive and romanticize this handsome playboy who showed a modicum of decency at the very end. All the while, Chiang Han has done the absolute bare minimum for any woman who has cared about him.
If I had to write a counter thesis in support of a pro-feminist reading of this drama, I’d argue that the show actually endorses Lo Yunung and her character arc, in which she “gets over” her tie to Chiang Han. She becomes jaded at the “I’ll do anything for love” sentiment and is the only clearheaded woman in the drama. In fact, at the end, we see her break away from Chiang Han and finally choose her friendship with Chingyi over love. So the question becomes, whose side is the show actually on? The more “feminist” Yunung, who is the hero throughout and played by the beloved Ruby Lin? Or perhaps, by romanticizing the womanizing Chiang Han and showing smart women self destructing over men, is the show unintentionally misogynistic?
Despite my hesitations about its theme and message, I would still recommend Light the Night for anyone looking for an interesting Asian thriller with excellent acting. The drama is has a lot going for it and is overall an entertaining, unique binge!
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A TRAGEDY IN PROVOCATIVE WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
A Modern Day Feminist Series of the intertwined lives of women, who have met and experienced stigma, with very emotional and painful travails in their early lives. Now set with lesser choices in life, constantly trying and struggling to alleviate themselves for a much better alternative way of life, through fate by joining a business joint bar in the 1990’s run by two equally provocative madams also with a disdained past of finding the wrong life partners, imprisonment and the inevitable discriminatory societal marginalizations that comes with disdain and a tainted past. The different travails of these women unravel in each episode. Alongside the natural bonding among the forlorn lives of these women from their bleak past. A crime and murder mystery in one of the women in the adult entertainment joint caps Season One of this modern and avant garde adaptation series. We truly await for the conclusive Season 2 on this tele-drama series.Was this review helpful to you?
Mature, murder mystery + life of women at a nightclub in the 80s
Completed - 2/24/2022**Trigger warnings - end of review**
The "Light The Night" series is divided into 3 parts of 8 episodes each. Part 1 provides us with the background information of our main characters, especially the women at Hikari Nightclub. We're introduced to their complicated and tragic lives and romantic entanglements.
The story is told through the present day timeline and many flashbacks. The flashbacks could be confusing as these are also in different timelines - 4 years ago, 1 year ago, 4 months ago, 1 month ago, 2 weeks ago, a few hours ago, etc. The drama does jump back and forth often, thus, viewers would have to stay focused.
Acting is great all around., esp. the two female leads, Ruby Lin and Cheryl Yang. The production quality is high. If you enjoy the 80s, you would appreciate the hairstyles, outfits, makeup and especially the music and songs in this drama. They brought back so many memories for me and I love the opening theme song, the famous oldie, "The Moon Represents My Heart/月亮代表我的心".
If you are looking for a fast-paced action- packed crime/mystery drama, then this is NOT it. Part 1 only let us know that there's a murder, and we don't find out who was murdered until the last few minutes of Ep. 8.
Personally, it was so great to see Ruby Lin again. I've only watched one of her dramas, "Princess Pearl", when she was very young. She has definitely aged but is still a beautiful woman at the age of 46. She reminded me of watching Zhang Zi Yi in "The Rebel Princess". On the other hand, I haven't watched too many Taiwanese dramas, but I am glad to recognize quite a few actors/actresses in this drama. "Light the Night" has many guest roles and it's a great way of introducing all these amazing Taiwanese actors/actresses.
** Trigger Warning*
- End of Ep. 5 and Beginning Ep 6. - rape scenes
- End of Ep. 6 and Beginning of Ep. 7 - attempted suicide scenes
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One of the best Netflix Productions
If not THE BEST!I know there are many who hates those productions(and i can't understand why,but its ok).If you are one of them,please think this one as the 1% of those which really worths your time,take a leap of faith and at least give it a chance.I literally begging you.
I had Light the Night in my PTW list for a long time and for a very silly reason:I hate 80's!Yes..i know.To me is the most kitsch, tacky,ugly-use any word you like-decade when it comes to fashion,make-up,hair,trends sometimes even to movies and music.And although i grew up in this decade and have great memories of it,still i wouldn't go back there,lol.
So while i was checking my very long list i stumbled on this and decided to read few reviews.I can't thank enough all of you who actually encouraged me to start watching it with your very positive comments.And by the way reviews indeed are very helpful,positive or negative it doesn't really matter.To me all have gravity agree or not to them.
Initially i gave 9 stars to all 3 seasons but after finishing S3 i changed all my rates to 9,5 because of the feeling this Drama left me with.And don't forget to mention that this review is for the 3 seasons as i binged watch them and i took it as one.So all my thoughts and comments in this section is about the 24 episodes in total.Also i read somewhere there is a slight chance of a S4 ,so i save my 1/2 star(for the perfect 10)for this possibility!
I will not go deep into the story or the characters as the purpose of this review is not to analyze the drama but actually to encourage all of you to give it a try or at least learn about this series.So in this way i feel i kinda contribute to make this series known to as many as i can.
Production itself is excellent.If you lived in the 80's iam sure you will feel very nostalgic as everything really..smells like the 80's.Props,costumes,hair,make -up,cars,furniture, everything to the last detail is well planned.If you are a member of Gen Z you will feel grateful you didn't have to dress like that,lol(ok im obviously kidding)
I have to tell you that here they smoke a lot.Like A LOT!Just a fun-fact!They smoke as their life depends on it,like there is no tomorrow.Typical 80's!
Music although not to my taste fitted perfectly to the whole concept,so i gave a 9 because never felt off.
Cast/Acting:
I have seen the mains at least once so i wasn't totally unfamiliar with them.
As for the acting, mesmerizing and phenomenal at least.Incredible,flawless and realistic,is literally the best part of the drama.
Every actor brought to life his character the best possible way.I really admired everyone's talent.
The story is exceptional.And you cannot fully appreciate and understand how deep and engaging it is,unless you start watching it.
Mystery/murder/drama. But above all Light the Night is a slice of life series.And i usually don't watch such dramas as iam easily bored and not really interested in such stories(daily life,work routine,family relationships etc)
Here the screenwriter managed to successfully blend many genres creating a masterpiece.Kudos!
Friendships,family bonds,family rivalry,colleagues,lovers,enemies,good guys,bad guys,evil guys.The characters and the story reflects the society.
Everything revolves around Love.Any form of it.From the pure and unconditional to sick and calculated.
You will not get your answers easy and fast.The 24 eps may sound too many and you think you will lose your interest.Trust me you won't.You will love and hate every character.Is not about who did what.Is about each character's life journey.
Light the Night is a fascinating Drama.I didn't expect to love it so much.Apart the mystery part nothing was really appealing to me before i started it.Iam so glad i was bold enough to watch it(as in other circumstances i would just pass it)
Is one of those dramas i really hope to get more attention and recognition.Totally worths it.Please don't miss it.
Happy watching.
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