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Truly worth the hype!
I watched this drama because I heard so much buzz around it and finally gave it a chance to see if it was worth the hype. And I will say yes it absolutely is worth it. This is one of the few dramas that I find to be timeless. The production is flawless and the set/costumes are one of the most accurate depictions of the Qing harem I've ever seen. Not only is the set true to its times (and shows that the set/props and costuming team really did their research), the actual plot and storyline also holds up. It's all around a really quality drama.I also like that this drama is a lot more face paced than your typical historical cdrama and has multiple plot lines to keep you interested in Yingluo's growth throughout the years. Although Yingluo is the main FL, I am actually most invested and most impressed by the development and performance of Charmaine Sheh's character (Hoifa-nara Shushen). Her character development was perfect and Charmaine Sheh's performance was top notch. She really brought her to life.
I also loved the depiction of the different types of love that Yingluo has around her and can understand her actions at every turn.
The only critique I have of this drama is the lack of chemistry between Yingluo and Fuheng. I personally don't feel the chemistry between them and was not invested in their plot nearly as much as the other plots even though that was supposed to be a big part of the story. I think that Wu Jingyan and Xu Kai can improve in their acting/chemistry. But overall it still delivered the point and drove home their story.
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Does not age well, so bad it's almost good
This drama does not age well. I know that this is considered a classic because it was very popular when it was released but this drama is the antithesis of timeless. It is absolutely not timeless even less than 20 years later. It has the most sexist plotline I've ever seen post 1990 and the most horrendous acting performance done by a FL. The only thing this drama has going for it is the OST and its loud late 2000s/2010s fashion style. Everything else in this is absolute garbage and not worth watching after 2010.I would place this drama in the category of "so bad it's good" like watching the Twilight series. People meme and rewatch Twilight in the United States because it was so bad that it's almost good. I would put BOF in the same category. I gave it a high rewatch value simply because it is so bad, it's entertaining to rewatch and laugh about it because it is so cringe I can barely believe it was real. This whole drama is like a fever dream.
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Underrated drama
I watched this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. It's nothing groundbreaking but I think this drama is underrated. If you enjoy Chinese and HK dramas, I believe this is one of the ones to watch. It has a really interesting plot and interesting characters. I usually think that Priscilla Wong's performances are lackluster but she actually did really well in this drama. And of course, Bosco always delivers a great performance.This plot was a breath of fresh air to me as I've never seen another drama quite like it. It does have some plot holes and the ending was a bit weird but overall, I enjoyed this drama and think it's worth the watch. It doesn't receive enough hype for how different it is.
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Entertaining and has fresh female characters
As someone who grew up watching TVB and always has a soft spot for the nostalgia of 90s and 00s TVB, I remember that this drama was really popular when it came out in 2006. Watching in 2023, I will say that the story does not age too well since the tropes are a bit outdated. But if you can put yourself back in 2006 when watching this drama, it is actually quite fresh for 2000s. It touches on some very prevalent gender norms that were more relevant for 2006 even if it may seem absurd or unrealistic in 2023. The main takeaway from this drama is that women can make whatever decisions they want in their life and that a woman's value is not in the beholder of men but is in the beholder of their own selves. This message is communicated well for 2006 with the exception of Ida and Venus's side plots. Ling and Hilda's storylines do successfully challenge two extreme versions of a modern woman.The character development for Man and Hilda were done particularly well and of course Sheren Tang always delivers on a memorable performance. I think one character that did not age well at all is Ling's character. Her character was beloved back in 2006 because she was the typical girl next door character but I think that if you are watching in 2023, her character is really annoying. Her romance with Chai Foon is also extremely annoying and did not age well past 2006. But I do appreciate the show challenging age gaps in a relationship where the woman is older than the man. They did successfully tackle that message by setting them up romantically.
This drama is also really funny. I find that Michael Tse is always unintentionally funny. The funniest part to me is that the old guy's name is Please-- like who names themselves that? But overall Michael Tse's character Man was really funny and had great development as well. Overall, this drama is funny, hits on some controversial topics on what being a modern woman was like in 2006, and provides different types of female characters for the audience to relate to. Despite the cliche and some outdated storylines, it's still very enjoyable and I can see the hype it had in 2006.
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Top of its genre, classic young love story
I watched this drama YEARS ago when I myself was closer to the age of the characters. Let's just say this drama had me by the chokehold when I was 16 and it was one of those dramas that kept me up thinking about the characters and the couple's love story. I haven't rewatched this drama is years but I feel that it doesn't warrant an entire rewatch for me to write a review of it.This drama is in my opinion top of its genre meaning that if you are a sucker for a teenage/high school, cinderella love story, this show is for you. The charm of Chaekyung is timeless to me (can't believe I still remember the FL name 10 years later). Yoon Eunhye also does a great job bringing her energy and sorrow onto the screen- my teenage self was so charmed by her! This drama had funny parts, heartwarming parts, and parts that made me cry. It's a very straightforward cinderella love story. The chemistry between Chaekyung and Shin could be felt through the screen as well and the OST is a classic! It has classic Korean ballads that we associate with Kdramas pre 2010.
This drama still has the charm it had in 2006 even though its target audience has grown into full adults. If you are an adult above the age of 25 watching this drama, don't expect any earth-shattering soul stirring love-- it is a high school love story that touches on your teenage heart that is timeless and pure.
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Interesting concept, heartwarming moments
This drama is perfect for anyone looking for a heartwarming and slice of life type drama. There are many moments in it that are super heartwarming and I am honestly most impressed by the child actor's acting abilities. I like how this drama used simple day-to-day observances on smartphones to build a nontraditional love story. Sometimes, it can be cringey and cheesy but overall, I think this drama achieves what it's set out to do and appeals to their target audience.I watched this drama when I was younger and then rewatched it now after being a full grown adult and I will say that this drama was way more appealing to me as a young adult or even for teenagers. I liked Priscilla Wong's performance in it and really enjoyed Raymond's performance as well.
The music in this drama is actually my favorite. I loved all the songs that they used at all the different points of the drama and it really brought out the slice of life feel because it used some of the best cantopop songs and felt integrated into the story!
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Easy to watch, some interesting cases,
This is an easy to watch drama. It's nothing to write home about but the cast are all great actors with a lot of history in the HK entertainment business. The cases are interesting and watching them unfold was easy to follow. It's a good drama to watch if you like the professional genre. Overall middle of the road, easy to digest and mindless television. Music is meh- the opening and ending songs were mediocre.Nancy Wu's performance in this drama is underrated-- I really enjoyed her character in it.
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The most moving story I've ever watched on television!
Where do I even begin when it comes to this drama? It is probably my favorite drama ever and I've seen hundreds of dramas in my lifetime. Nothing I've ever seen quite compares to this drama. Is it the highest budgeted production I've ever seen? No. Are the FL and ML the hottest actors I've ever watched on screen? No. Is the OST being blasted daily? No. Is it an endless fashion show of 1930s-1950s costumes? No.Even though this show is none of the shiny things that sometimes attract people to watch a drama, it is everything it needs to carry a beautifully written story. It is the definition of pure talent, writing, and chemistry. The bare bones of the show speaks so loudly for itself that none of the packaging really matters.
Firstly, the acting in this drama is some of the best acting I've ever seen between a FL and ML. You would think that since the two leads are actually in their 40s, they may be too old for a good romance to be attractive to a younger audience and I was proved wrong. Because the FL and ML are experienced actors and are playing full blown adult characters (the characters are supposed to be in their 30s), their love story is actually even more compelling and needs none of the fluff to carry the story. It's so hard to explain without giving spoilers but the love story between Lau Sing and Cheng Kau Mui is one of a kind and truly moves the soul. LS and CKM's love does not need to be verbalized for the audience to feel moved and that is completely down to superb acting/chemistry and top notch writing.
Secondly, the writers do a phenomenal job of bringing the side characters to life. The way they use Stick (Pai Gwut) and Ching Ching to narrate the story and ties in all side plots into the atmosphere of republican China and WW2 was very well thought-out. It almost forces the audience to build a strong para-social relationship with these characters that you've never actually met which is why it moves viewers so much. Each side character also serves a purpose for the plot and does not exist in a vacuum purely for comic relief or filler. Each performance (even the smaller side characters) was phenomenal acting as well. By the end of the drama, you feel like you've experienced all 13+ years of war, death, and danger with the entire cast.
Thirdly, the drama rarely relies on retelling of the past. A lot of dramas that are not well-developed when it comes to their plot relies on flashbacks and retelling of a character's backstory to fuel the present. This drama really doesn't do much of that. Besides some of Kau Mui's childhood, the story drives itself in the present and each character develops as the plot develops in the present. Every episode is ACTION. You literally cannot blink when you watch it because nothing in this drama happens for no reason and everything leads to either character development or plot development. Each plot development is also logical and does not require the viewer to do mental gymnastics in order to follow it. The twists and turns are very logical and contains very little room for plot holes. The ending was also perfect in my opinion to tie up the story (even if it made me sob and I wish in an alternate universe the ending could be different, it is still the perfect ending!)
The critiques I have of this drama is the overuse of the same background music (like sometimes I just want to enjoy the moment without the woooooo oooooh oooooh music in the background lol), limited costume changes (Kau Mui's fashion choices are the same throughout the 13+ years??), the underuse/development of Lai Wah's character (the only side character I felt was not developed well), and the overuse of Ching Ching's illness as a plot crutch at times. Besides those very minor things that don't really change the integrity/foundation of the drama, this is my favorite drama of all time and I think that the international drama community has slept on it because HK dramas is usually not what international fans flock to. This drama is highly regarded in China and Hong Kong and still has a huge cult following even 13 years later and if you take the time to watch it, you will understand why.
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Weird???
This drama is... weird.I was recommended to watch it because I am a huge fan of Bosco Wong and his performance here is actually good but Linda Chung's performance is one of the most horrendous acting I've seen from her. The plot of this drama is also really weird? The side characters do a lot but also nothing at the same time. I ended up dropping it because I am so bored and confused by Linda's character's uncle and dad.
Overall, this drama made me feel weird as in it didn't hook me in the first 6 episodes at all and I am unable to follow the plot. The opening song is so good though so I gave the music a high rating.
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Great costumes and beautiful setting, boring storyline
I did not finish this drama so take this review with a grain of salt. I stopped at episode 11. This drama is like a very pretty house that has no furniture. The superficial things look great- the cast, fashion, colors. But the actual plot is so draggy. This drama is 40 episodes but I got to ep 11 and I swear NOTHING has happened. The characters just sit around and talk to each other about what supposedly happened in the past but there is little to no action in the present.Although the costumes look really pretty, I'm also not sure how accurate they are to the times. The same thing goes for the props. It's almost so pretty that it feels fake? The Yi family mansion is so busy with furniture and fancy decor that it ends up looking like a set instead of a real 1920s home.
Overall, this drama has all the shiny elements but no real substance. This cast was completely wasted. The only character I was invested in was Wei An.
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