The Spirealm: Behind the Mysterious Doors
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INTRODUCTION
If you have elderly parents, grandparents, or great grandparents, you sure can relate to the characters in this drama. Each character is realistically written with a story to tell. This is a story about a phase in our lives that all of us will eventually face one day, and that is growing old. It’s frightening for many but inevitable, yet the drama has made it funny, blunting the pain of reality while at the same time capturing all the details, good and bad, happy and sad, that we may eventually come to terms with when we grow old ourselves.
INFO Title: Octogenarian and the 90s Native Title: 八零九零 (8090) Country: China Genres: Romance, Life, Drama, Family Aired: Apr 21, 2021 - May 16, 2021 Episodes: 43 Duration: 45 min Official trailer (Eng sub): Viki Global TV Where to watch (Eng sub - free): Viki and China Huace TV |  |
SYNOPSIS
Ye Xiao Mei inherited ‘Sunshine House’ from her grandmother and set to revitalize the nursing home with the enthusiasm and carefree attitude of post-90s youths, creating conflict with the resident elderlies who were opposed to change. The youth slowly come across the secret and touching stories behind each elderly. The house becomes a place where sincere feelings develop between the youths and the elderlies and for the beloved elderlies to live out their favorite and missed years. (Source: ninenovel.net)
MAIN CHARACTERS: THE 90s
This story is told from the perspective of Ye Xiao Mei (Janice Wu / Wu Qian), who inherits the senior home from her grandmother. As a passionate manhua artist, Ye Xiao Mei is reluctant to get involved in her grandmother’s mission. However, she eventually comes to understand what that mission signifies, and she realizes her duty to continue her grandmother’s legacy. Life in the senior home has also become the inspiration of her manhua story.
Ye Xiao Mei is intelligent, independent, and strong. When others have given up on dealing with certain recalcitrant elderly, Ye Xiao Mei always finds a way, especially with the help of Guo San Shuang. With her compassion and firmness, she defuses tense situations involving various players. She has no qualm in getting her hands dirty, helping the elderly in their daily needs, dealing with foul temper old men and picky old ladies, and calming anxious ones. Janice Wu’s portrayal is amazing. As an actor, she naturally possesses that firm, no-nonsense attitude with a calm hand that fits perfectly into the role of the director of a nursing home.
Guo San Shuang (Bai Jing Ting) is originally a health supplement salesman who is desperate to meet sales quota and has scammed the elderly to whom he sells products. His conscience calls, and he quits his sales job, comes to help Ye Xiao Mei, and lives in the Sunshine Home. Guo San Shuang is cartoonish, to say the least. He is compassionate, intelligent, with unlimited resources to solve all kinds of difficult problems for Ye Xiao Mei. His sincerity, infused with silliness, melts all hearts.
Bai Jing Ting is such a versatile actor. From a wimpy kid (Ping Pong Life) to a police SWAT (You Are My Hero) to a salesman in this drama, he has done it all. His acting is immaculate and convincing. Having an adolescent face with youthful energy, Bai Jing Ting’s Guo San Shuang is lovable and funny. He is comical most of the time with funny facial expressions, silly words and deeds, and he is unabashed. He provides the much-needed humor that softens the cruel reality of life.
CHARACTERS: THE 80s
This drama boasts some very fine veteran actors. Their acting is natural and convincing as if they are the real characters themselves. Overall, the acting by the whole cast is amazing and believable.
Every character has flaws, some more so than others. How the dynamic between the characters play out help make them more alive, realistic, and relatable. Learning and growing are not limited to youngsters. Even the elderly continue to learn and grow and become better people.
 Guo Ye |  Shi Chang Seng |  Hou Lao (He Tie Hong) |
THE ROMANCE
Ye Xiao Mei’s and Guo San Shuang’s romance is slow-burning. In fact, there is hardly any visible romance at all, though Guo San Shuang is pretty blatant in considering himself as Ye Xiao Mei’s boyfriend and her family as his. Although she denies their special relationship openly, Ye Xiao Mei’s feeling for Guo San Shuang is undeniable, but she refuses to give him the joy of admitting that she is his girlfriend. In a way, the romance is mutual but implicit, like with couples who know each other so well that they don’t need to declare their love for each other. They do things together all the time, and they share everything. In time, they become part of each other. They know deep in their hearts, they have each other.
THE HUMOR
Throughout the drama, sharp tongues are thrown everywhere with piercing comments. The dialogues are hilarious, witty, and unforgiving, yet cute and endearing. The dynamic between the old and the young, family and friends, is incredibly well written and executed. Being young like a grandson to all the residents here, Guo San Shuang is often addressed as “sun zi”, which has a double meaning: one means grandson, and the other is derogatory. It is this type of humor that makes viewers laugh out loud in the midst of the chaos.
OST
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 Jin Wen Qi |  Liu Mei Lin |  Ma Di |  Liu Xi Jun |
CONCLUSION
Life is bitter and sweet at the same time. All it takes is the perspective to have more of one over the other. As old people were once young like us, and we ourselves will grow old eventually, we need to be more compassionate towards them and empathize with them, and that's the message of this story.
A well-written drama that deserves to be cherished. A great watch!
THANKS FOR READING!
Credits: We do not own any of the images; credits go to their respective owners. The images are from drama screenshots, official posters, and YOYOROCK. Gifs are made by Cho Na from drama screenshots.
Editor: YW (1st editor)
