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This review may contain spoilers
This is one of these dramas you spend so much time watching - week by week - waiting for the next episode because it seems to be following a logical and intriguing storyline that was building on a theme that made sense. Then for some reason, this drama took a u-turn. Reality takes a dive and the viewer must suffer through 2 episodes of dry storytelling and unrealistic scenes accompanied by dumb piano playing and pitiful music in the background. This was not a realistic or credible story ending. I am not going to write a spoiler but I advise any new viewer to heed a warning -- don't spend 52 hours of your life on this scrambled egg. The rest of us have been wounded deeply and feel the burn of frustration. Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Definition of Love - A classic for all times.
This story started out as one that a viewer would ordinarily tend to reject. This very pretty young girl pursuing a strange older man after what she feels while her hair is being shampooed. The pursuit was relentless and mindless and initially began to turn me off because of the obvious age difference. The visuals appeared to be a teenager pursuing an old man. However, each episode debunked this visual and made the viewer feel the growth of a true relationship only tarnished by "other" women who desired this extremely handsome man and had no qualms about showing their desire.Not a unique story but the story is told with musical interludes and English lyrics that were integrated magnificently into scenes and scene changes. Without looking at the scream you felt emotion. Without reading the lyrics you felt emotions. This is the first time I felt the music was the drama and the drama was integrated and woven into the fabric and tones of the music.
Each episode became more and more addictive as the introduction of additional storylines and scenes and locations was shown. The most memorable and award-winning scenes were from the Qiang province. The village, the people, the love, and the commitment to love were just awe-inspiring.
I would watch this drama again and again except for the illness of the FL (my sis died from this diagnosis) and it was painful to watch her go through the struggles of illness. The uplifting part of this drama is asking yourself - what is love? The answer can be easily found in this drama. A must-watch and definitely my top ten modern drama in the past 10 years.
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outstanding drama from beginning to end - A GEM
I had stopped writing reviews because I was binge-watching so many dramas from different countries and decided to watch fluffy dramas in between the historical ones that find. Thanks to MDL I saw a 10 rating for this drama from a previous reviewer and put it on my "binge-watch calendar."The story - from episode 1 to episode 40 you are engaged and immersed in the story. Each episode I felt the writer was KNITTING. The writer did an excellent job and initially was weaving a story using different strands - without flashbacks his technique was perfect and the viewer becomes part of the strand that he is the weaver. The story is a mystery, romance, police investigation story with unique qualities. Only one warning - try to watch without comments from Viki -- viewers spoil some of the anticipations of storytelling halfway through.
The title: TO LOVE -- gosh -- I'm sappy. Everyone wants to be in love with that level of commitment. The writer hooks you again with this thread that makes you ask yourself - have I ever loved with trust or commitment? An element that is streamed throughout the 40 episodes.
The flow of Storytelling: Never a filler, never a drag - always moving forward and weaving the story without dropping or dragging or repeating. I gave this aspect an A+ because I hate filler episodes.
Actors: The writer used every actor to his/her fullest and within their talent range. The lead couple - outstanding (both impulsive and strong - which made them compatible) the secondary couple - outstanding. The violinist - convincing in his dual role. The police officers outstanding and convincing without diminishing the occupation of the police office or investigation.
OST: moving and good. Not overwhelming soundtrack distracting from the story but music to set the mood - and done appropriately, not distracting.
This is a guarantee WINNER and your viewing time will be rewarded with QUALITY!!!!. Highly recommend.
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First the story. It is a patriotic masterpiece and as a viewer, I realized the energy for the drama comes from the "youth" of resistance. There were lessons to be taught in so many situations that I wondered whether the writer was a revolutionist in his/her youth. Often women are put in roles to portray men and it is so unbelievable the drama is a bust. In this drama the actress was a powerhouse -- man or woman - she could be masculine and feminine without question -- which added to the quality of the drama. The historical period was worth researching just for edification of the "times and circumstances" the Chinese were facing.
The romantic backstories and bantering backward and forwards added to the success of telling a story with a military background.
The use of enough extras to add to the story and move the story forward was extremely pleasing and made the 48 episodes addictive and worth binging throughout the night time hours.
The added emotional investment in the lives of the students, teachers and all of the main characters and their lives or deaths or romantic encounters was the icing on the cake.
Acting - flawless - main, support - no weak links - total professionalism and immersion into the character played. Xu Kia was pure eye candy throughout and you had to fall in love with him.
There was nothing I disliked, I did not fast forward one second, I didn't increase the speed of the drama playing, I rewound often if I missed a sentence. I savored all of the dialogue. I didn't get frustrated because there was an unnecessary filler killing time. There were no moments of saying "that was stupid". This was not a CGI type drama -- it felt so real that you will believe they are actually in 1911 or circa. The authenticity of costumes and cars and building and almost everything was carefully studied and again added to the "10" rating.
Music was appropriate and coordinated with the theme.
Rewatch -- a YES!! This drama shot up to one of my top 10 and will be one of my most memorable ones and one to recommend to others. Quality is rare in drama land and it is often overshadowed by compromises. I felt like there were no compromises made to tell this story. The spirit of justice and patriotism is a worthy winner.
Definitely WATCH!!!!
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The does he or doesn't he question is the fun of watching. I would definitely recommend with some fast forward moments and some skipping.
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Not a Dry Eye In the House ( No spoilers - just reasons to watch
Many reviewers have described this drama as a masterpiece. It is a priceless drama that shoots to my top 3 of all time and I have been watching K dramas. Chinese dramas, Thai dramas, Japanese dramas since 2014. What makes this one that must be on your watched list is simply the storytelling and the unique way the writer has weaved a tragedy that is so common with young people today throughout the world into a treatise on cause and effect, depth of friendship, and family interactions. I found myself crying so much during the drama that I began to understand the writers were astute in layering common situations into everyone's emotional DNA. The story writer is a genius, and the screenwriter was able to take this story to the next level by making it a visual treat. My only complaint and why this must be watched and rewatched over and over again --- the English translation was not accurate (seemed to be google translation) but this does not stop the viewer from being absorbed into being a second skin or shadow for each character.The reason to watch and rewatch -- the need to take notes and analyze the lessons being taught and the lesson learned about how we as humans respond to a variety of challenging situations and crises in our lives. Our parents, our friends, our boyfriends/girlfriends are intimately affected by all of our thoughts words, and deeds. Just living and bearing burdens to the point of being in a dead-end situation was so graphically and emotionally portrayed that there is a point that each of us has to reevaluate our own lives and the lives around us.
How much do we share with others we trust, how much do we hide that is painful, how much deception do we live in our own lives, how much do we pretend, how much do we value our partners and their aspirations and goals? These are only a few of the socially challenging questions that this drama achieved in only 12 episodes. A priceless lesson on living - you have to reflect and be introspective to really benefit from this drama.
Just watch and you will agree - a SOLID 10 -- and that is a rarity.
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Legend of the Dragon Pearl: The Indistinguishable Road
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Story - the story was so good and really needed to be told to its conclusion for viewer satisfaction.
Acting/Cast - chemistry over the top and the roles were cast perfectly throughout
Music - good - not epic but good
Rewatch - would only watch season 2 if ever made or rewatch as a refresher.
Overall - for many could be a waste of time ( if you like finality) but as a filler {in between searching for a good drama) it was satisfying.
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This review may contain spoilers
I don't know where to start but I will give it a try. ACTING -- Plastic, repetitive, unemotional, forced and just bad. Tedious repetition of same lines, same outcomes and impossible resolutions of problems. Acting was just merry-go-round pronunciation of the same or similar lines or facial expressions. The baby stretched out on the blanket was the best actor throughout.
STORY - I routinely watched this drama in the morning and the story was so unrealistic and condescending to human intelligence that I felt like an idiot watching this mess. They even extended it 23 more episodes which was a trigger to drop but after 60 hours - I just went into fast-forward mode to the end. A 26 mile marathon running with bad knees.
MUSIC -repetitive music every episode with singers at a cabaret. It was just plain annoying after a while.
REWATCH - not in my lifetime.
I have had bad luck watching daily dramas recently. They are becoming the worse of the worse with the dullest writers and actors. Simply they should try to write an outstanding 60 episode drama then divide it in half., timewise. What is happening is the substance of these daily dramas seem to fill up 30 episodes and they stretch and stretch until the viewers are hooked or frustrated trying to learn the ending which is always unrealistic or totally disappointing.
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