sharreb
Im happy to report the opening two episodes i was swept away. The opening theme is one of the best ive heard in awhile (its a trademark sound similar to CSI) and the cinematography was so nicely done. Those drawings adorable and gorgeous. Finally i now couldnt imagine Ji Bai as none other than Wang Kai and Xuxu none other than Olivia. They both suited the roles to a T.
Yet there is a but after putting out these praises. Of all the 3 novels from Ding Mo i find the love relationship in When Snail falls in love to be the cutest and sweetest. And just the right balance with the crime solving bit. But the production crew in this drama has opted to tip that balance and scale down the romance. I understand roles get magnify or diminish and plots do change in adaptation. But i cant really agree its for the better with some of the changes. Nevermind that its more centric on police detective skills, crime solving and profiling and character growth for Xuxu.
Just to name a few: Xuxu's pursuer was scraped off. Xuxu as the solo disciple to Master Ji scrap off. The JiBai pursue first got a 180degree treatment. The reason why JiBai went to Myanmar changed. Yao meng character changed but since its for the better im ok with that.
Lets just say cause i read the novel there were certain things i was waiting for and came up empty waiting and watching from beginning to ep 15. Nothing. Then we go from nothing to suddenly 75% in their romance development. I get it thats its snail" but that sudden development didnt have time in earlier episodes to plant and bloom properly.
Then episodes 18 to 21 was so epically good and bolstered up by such commendable acting from both our leads.
This drama could have been a solid 10. All the more cause we know the chemistry between our leads is powerful and that i felt was not fully unleashed. Ive been left in vain wanting that bit more for our lion and his snail. To the point i wish theres a special episode to see more of them as an item.
Il definitely miss Wang Kai as a detective n that man rocks the white shirt blue jeans look. Again want to note awesome casting of him n Olivia. This among the best C dramas have to offer in 2016. DO WATCH and if you love more romance development Do READ the novel.
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Sidenote i was surprise to google it was Olivia. Same gal in Ode to Joy and When a snail falls in love. Looks so diff with the change in harstyle.
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Just to the add. The leads remain true to themselves and just like their love it has always been honest and sincere. The heart to heart talk and mature discussion before the made up and even the proposal was so fitting. I love the balance of sweet romance and a couple who is honest and mature to face the reality and their background differences, together.
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As with korean costume makeup, the ghost were scary looking. Some scenes were gripping and not for the faint hearted when you watch it at night
What amazes me the most is the script and the writing. Heres a team of writers who knows what it wants to tell and how to tell it in 16ep. The plot when you thought was predictable as they clearly show who the antagonist was from almost the start keeps surprising you as the plot unfolds a d continues to be exciting and suspenseful to the end.
Furthermore i was surprised with Taecyeon and So Hyun. When they first announce the pairing i was worried and hesitant to watch. Surprise surprise that they were adorable together and bashful which works for their character and school student setting. So Hyun was a gem and i love her Hyun Ji who was spunky, can kickass, and super cute. Bong Pal was dorky, grumpy turned sweet. The two sidekicks were fun to watch too. Lastly Kwon Yul's acting was spot on. So eery and scary. So this is another awesome tvn drama that i didnt expect to like but in the end love it.
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All the characters are based off the novel but some changes has been made to fit into a 100mins running time. These means some scenes from the novel did not make it into the movie. However it was still nice to spot the difference and also points for new originality. Further they included Gu man in the workings of this movie, so it retains her touch.
What is enjoyable is the flow and the ease of interaction between Xiao Nai and Bei Wei Wei.
Xiao Nai here is intelligent but not infallible, cool but still approachable and his gaze when he sees WeiWei is warm and familiar. But turn purposeful and masculine the scene where he kisses her. Their embrace and kiss was also done sweetly and feels like a believable couple as compared to the drama. Angelababy's Weiwei is more bubbly, fun, outgoing and even a tad tomboyish when she goes high over gaming. So this pairing for me works.
The only minus is the movie length is too short. So not only cut scenes from the novel but also not enough time to flesh out the bromance and the female friendships. The plus is theres no unnecessary scenes of unnecessary characters which irked me when i watch the drama.
I thought the CGI here were nicely done. Theres alot of sweet scenes that are memorable and beautiful (marriage scene, backhug on the creek, running towards the game showing portal from real life to game life) but it was done either subtly or sweetly and did not come off as cheesy.
Like i said i like some of the creative difference from the novel. Just to mention roughly without spoiling. From their first official meet up on their date, from how and why weiwei traveled back from her hometown to be with Xiao Nai and weiwei as part of the team for ultimate game they created. If you havent read the novel, its fine to watch it as it is too.
Ive already watched it twice and i wouldnt mind watching it again. But i wouldnt rewatch the drama. That tells you how i feel about the two. Everyone have their own preference though so keep that in mind.
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That should suffice to hint what is the strengths and weaknesses of this drama.
Tong tong is really cute and adorable both in appearance and the sweet things he says to the mum. It is testimonial that a child brought up with love even though they lack in material wealth blossoms to a lovable person.
Wu Tong character is quite pitiful. I really cry during the first mom-child separation. Too often in real life the kid is given to a parent who seems more capable.
Jerry Yan's character is cold calculating, cynical and does not know how to love thanks to his mother. Wu Tong shows him the bettee side of humanity and also digs out the warmth inside him and his capability to care. So far this plotline looks good. But then theres the annoying famous girlfriend, the horrible mother and step brother who is also a love rival. I dont even know when the brother became Wu tong boyfriend. The flow of the story is a bit off.
Jerry yan has improved alot since him Meteor Garden days but in scenes where he is sad or about to cry he twist his mouth, seems to pout like a petulant child so i dont always feel him. You can actually see scenes where he's good and scenes where the acting is unnatural. Chemistry wise with Wu Tong is there. But i didnt like how they write the characters behaviour the last third of the drama.
I love all father and child, mother and child bits. I also like the Secretary. Focus on these bits and the drama is quite good. But theres also a lot of tedious scenes to skip.
Ive finished watching this over a week ago and instead of reviewing straight away like i usually do.. Hmm i guess this drama is quite forgettable. And definitely not rewatching.
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Then the focus was lost or shall i say shifted. The Dan tae birth secret and uncovering culprit should have and would have made an okay side plot. Instead this thin plot with an unremarkable antagonist (that was transparent and revealed very early on) was stretch to fill many episodes. If they had stared true on the Gong shim path, more on her character development, growth in career and confidence and interactions with both Dan tae and Jun soo this drama would have been better. Instead she became a prop, mostly on the sidelines and only utilise when the writers feel like it.
Overall the storyline is forgettable but i will remember the wig, the brush Gong shim used to brush her teeth and some of the cuter moments of the trio.
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3/4 of the way the plot seems to have slowed. And supporting cast in character Gary and Amy wasnt that interesting. They both developed a bit in their character.But Dal Nim, Bo nui's bestfriend is my favorite. Shes really cute and has her own charms.
Kudos to the writers for wrapping up this drama nicely. I love it their reunion ties back to their work. Often we see leads background abandoned secondhalf of a draman not in this case. I find it really sweet and great way to recap back all their times together and what they were to each other. And that letter from Su ho was simple but moving and the turning point to Bo Nui's decision to grow and be better. Su ho although inept and clueless in love always made the best decisions instinctively. He knows when to press the gas pedal and when to pull back to give her space. Oh my heart, il moss Je Su ho very much.
Ost part i love 90% of the songs. I find Junsu's track here better than the one he did for DOTS.
Wardrobe i find the stylist to be very bold. Su ho's tshirts sweats and shorts fit his character well. Most of the time i can tolerate Bo nui's boho look. She has the frame to rock it but 3 layers of denim is wrong. So its a hit and miss. And if theres too much negative comments on some of the dresses layered on bell trousers it means its distracting.
I find i enjoyed the drama better in marathon rather thn 2 episodes a week. Hence the last 6 episodes i waited it to air and watch in a go. Now i hope Ryu picks another nice project. Will miss him on the screen.
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There isnt quite a guy like Fang Zhan Chen, the male lead. Someone like him is super rare in both dramaland and reality. Hes the ultimate boyfriend. Hes gentle, caring, attentive and his actions speaks louder than words.
What is beautiful in this drama are Fang boss and his caretaker Yue xi's interaction when he was blind. Lots of romantic scenes (although some are quite cliche scenarios); among my favourite was guiding her in the dark when she was afraid, dancing together, piggyback on barefoot and her singing for him.
Its also rare to come across two leads who are very balance in love. By that i mean actually both Fang boss and Yue Xi are the types who when loves somebody puts that person as top priority. They value their loved ones and would go beyond to make that person happy. Yue xi is also a very warm person and once she cares for a person she does it whole heartedly.
Back to the storyline although my favorite bits are when hes still blind ( ep 2 to 11); i appreciate the scriptwriters didnt leave until the end tl give Fang boss his sight.
Other pluses include no evil meddlesome parents (their parents are cute and wonderful) and Fang boss sister initially annoying slowly changes and has her own cute romance with the priest.
Bo yan, our main antagonist also have a very good wrapup towards the end in my opinion. Interesting to compare Bo yan and Fang boss love. For Bo yan, once he acquired Yue xi's love already he assume thats something he dont have to waste more effort and time in her. For Fang boss, for someone you love you will always make time for them.
I have to say i love alot of the sceneries (fields, green hills, meteor shower, sky lit with wishing lantern) in this drama as well as the cablecar, come across as very fresh and unique.
I also love the songs used in this drama including the one Lorene sing in her character.
Drawbacks would probably be ep17 (watch and you will know) and maybe Fang boss was a tad too perfect?
Another comment is probably i would have wished his dead wife isnt identical twin. Fraternal would have been better. Cause seriously same face , how could that not have marred judgement of his feelings initially.
Regardless this was a very warm and sweet drama
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This is for those who appreciate a heroine that is intelligent and uses both skill, mind and some cunning to outwit her rivals. Add to the mix she is creative and comes up with new things almost like an inventor and last but not least beautiful. But she still has a good heart, never cruel and retained that to the end despite the palace life. That roughly sums up Lu Zhen.
Gao Zhan is a crown prince that has capability to be king, to lead and one who appreciates the qualities in Lu Zhen and is patient and willing to wait for her. His main trait other than good looks is his loyalty and love that was unwavering. In fact i appreciate that quality potrayed here. Even the emperor and later General Sheng are loyal faithful people whose heart only faces one person. Thats so hard to come by during the olden days where harems are aplenty and men of power have wives and many concubines.
Back to the story. The romance part is really nice. How Lu Zhen and Gao Zhan rescue or help each other the first few meetings. I love that the drama effectively uses its many episodes to show the growth in both their characters and their love.The two faces alot of problems either stirred up by their rivals both politically or romantically and also secrets they keep from each other. In many cases it was potrayed that their pride also caused the rift. They learn to overcome that. I really love that Gao Zhan com to realise that to truly love Lu Zhen is not tie her down to be kept in his residence but to give her freedom of choice and use that intelligence of hers that could contribute to the nation. Most importantly i need to mention that Chen Xiao and Zhao LiYing has wonderful chemistry and totally filled the screen when they are together.
I need to mention that i usually hate palace drama. Too much strife evil and power struggle. In this case the director and script allows small victories that we celebrate together as we see Lu Zhen overcomes them step by step to ascend to that place of power. It also realistically shows it wouldnt have been possible if not for those people that assisted her or believd in her, either her supporters or advisors.
Last but not least i love that the supporting character especially the emperor's wife also grew and mature from hateful to accepting.
Mind you because i read reviews and comments before i started i elected to NOT watch the epilogue. Im a stickler for Happy endings so i chose to watch until the bit where they won against the main antagonist and Gao Zhan was proclaimed emperor while holding hands with Lu Zhen. For me that is enough, no need anything else to twist my heart and wring tears from me.
Now im looking forward to another drama by this director.
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I really like the magic show part and girl saving guy for a change. Then i keep waiting for the romantic development. Plotwise it was moving but the feel between Hawick Lau and Tiffany Tang was lacking. They were individually okay in their roles. Hawick Lau as usual nails the angsty lonely male figure who has power and wealth. But every time they get together i couldnt feel the spark or believe the love. In scenes where it would have fireworks or catapult to kisses, nope we dont get the kiss scenes, almost like it was avoided. I ended up shelving this drama so many times cause I couldnt connect with them. (Maybe cause Tiffany is Hawick's wife's bestfriend in real life? So they are friendly but hard to dwell into romance?? I dunno)
The only thing left to comment is they hav good sense to write a good ending.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a skewed review. My 7.5 score is solely based on the good romance part between Wang Yuan Feng & Xiao Cui. Most of the rest of the story, the middle onwards and especially the ending is crap.Lets talk about the good bits. Xiao Cui is really adorable character. One u want to take under your wing and root for. Her naveity and treating yuan feng initially as 'mama' was really cute. He was the first person after she came out from her 'egg' and ended up beside him assisting him in breaking cases. Her love stems from very pure and basic reasoning. Loving him means spending the rest of your lives together. Yuan Feng character initally comes off as brash and proud. He does t quite say what he means and without knowing it comes to care for xiao cui. The two have some really sweet moments that i really love. And for those reasons i couldnt exactly say i regret watching this drama.
I couldnt really develop any attachment to the other supporting cast. The other couple also had alot of screentime but i find Ai ya character to be annoying. Sad to say i skip almost 2/3 of the drama, sometimes nearly an entire episode whenevr theres no Xiao Cui. I find the scriptwriter forgot the whole gist of the story. The title of the drama should be on the fox spirit aka Xiao Cui. If only they spend more time on her and her romance it would have been way better. And dont get me started on the last few episode weird plot and sour ending. Spoiler or not i feel the need to forewarn.
For the good romance part i love ep 26 and parts of ep 30. U may skip 31 to 40 to avoid the ending. Or if you want to know more of how thins unfold watch til ep 39 and the first 10mins of ep40. I wish someone have told me that before i watch the whole thing.
Now im gonna scour youtube for fmv that combines only the good bits of Yuan Feng & Xiao Cui moments. Sigh that kiss in the rain was so romantic as was the parts when he rescue her. If only the writers didnt screw up..
Fyi i love the ending theme song. Very emotionally provoking.
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The characters are on the extreme end. A rich successful and prideful Lee Gun and poor normal office worker with big heart but pushover Kim Mi young. Lee Gun character is supoose to push the limits of theatrical and over the top n hence the trademark laugh which you either love or hate. What really works is casting Jang Hyuk and Jang Na ra. I almost couldnt imagine anyone else. They reunite and showcased brilliant chemistry and ooze feelings both spoken and unspoken. In fact Jang Hyuk said his character was hard to potray and it wouldnt have worked if he didnt stare opposite to Na Ra.
Back to the story the middle parts meander into melodrama territory. Again i never really like the noble high roads male otps take to spare their heroine and ended up giving more heartache and noone is happy. Ep 17 to 20 picks back up and gives me all the good feels.
I really love the press conference scene. It is my favorite. It also showcased how much growth Mi young have to be brave and speak in front of the world. If you watch it you will know what i mean.
Again i pity the second male lead. But i also love when they are not selfish. I dont care about the second female lead and am thankful her scenes arebt too much like the Taiwanese version.
Song wise the ost of the taiwanese one is actually better. Here the korean one is ok. But not as addictive or emotional.
When i have time i may rewatch the good bits but not high on my list.
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