One of the problems I had with this drama is the character growth of Gu Yaodong. In the beginning, he is shown as a naive and kind of stupid character. Halfway through the drama, around episode 30, he still didn't really learn and relied on the help of others. But afterward, it did get better and Gu Yaodong becomes smarter and mature. The growth of the protagonist was a bit slow for me but in the end, his growth didn't disappoint me though. Another problem I had with this drama is the lighting. I had to turn up the brightness on my device when I watched since many of the scenes were filmed in dark settings, sometimes it was hard to figure out what was happening in the dark.
The acting and the casting of the drama was awesome. Li Yifeng was a great actor for his character, Gu Yaodong. He showed the naiveness and simpleness of Gu Yaodong really well and the eventual character growth really well. The actor for Xia Jicheng did really well too but one of the castings that was the best is Gina Jin as Shen Qinghe. I had never seen her before in any dramas before, but her acting and beauty she showed here were amazing. She was able to portray the calmness and decisiveness of Shen Qinghe nicely. Also, I think the most realistic character was Zhao Zhiyong. Both he and Gu Yaodong have the same dream of maintaining justice and protecting citizens but the conditions of Zhao Zhiyong did not allow him to follow his dream. (first time writing a review here, please excuse if my grammar is off lol)
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AN UNEXPECTED GEM
PACING: This drama has natural pacing, there are slowish moments and it would have been perfect as a 40 ep drama, but this is one of the most addictive and well-written dramas I've ever watched. When you watch this drama you can tell how much the scriptwriters care about building this world. There are little details like the neighbours or family moments that WOWED me!- I love it when dramas don't have to establish all these extra characters, but put so much thought into them anyways, it makes this drama come alive, and the world feels realistic, most of these people also get referenced throughout the drama
CAST/CHARACTERS: The cast is phenomenal. The acting is so convincing! (Especially the main 3 leads, plus the entire 2nd police squad)
-The characters are complexed and not one-dimensional, there's so much character development.
- GU YAO DONG IS ONE OF THE NICEST CHARACTERS WRITTEN. His character stays consistent the entire drama, he will always pick to do what's morally right even against all odds which is so hard to do in the chaotic era that this drama is set in, so the ML is so likable and it's hard to play these kinds of characters without annoying, props to Li Yi Feng!
-the female lead is loyal, smart, badass. The romance is slow, but for me, it's a good thing since it allows the relationship to progress naturally
- Ji Cheng is probably my favorite character, he's so charismatic and I love every scene he's in!
THINGS I LOVED:
- The heartwarming family moments, and bromance between the chief (Ji Cheng) and Yao Dong, basically all the relationships in this drama are so well written and tugs on your heartstrings!
- THE DIALOGUES are SO INTERESTING! (Similar to Nirvana in Fire, this drama is more character-driven and the most intense scenes for me wasn't the action or spy scenes, but actually the schemes and mind games between the officers and the main characters
-THE GU FAMILY ARE SO PRECIOUS
MUSIC: I made fun of the op song so much the first time I heard it but after 20 eps it started to feel nostalgic and suits the drama, I actually started humming it myself xD and by ep 51 it's like the national anthem where I can't skip anymore haha xD
Hopefully there will be proper eng subs for such a great drama! When there is make sure to give this drama a chance and have patience since this drama might not have the fastest pacing, but I swear the payoff if worth it! IT IS A BEAUTIFUL, HIDDEN GEM.
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Great Slice-of-Life drama of a Rookie Cop - a different kind of Espionage drama.
Completed - 9/11/2022“Fearless Whispers” feels very different from the regular spy, Nationalist vs Communist espionage drama. I would say it’s a slice-of-life drama about a rookie cop and the police department, set in Shanghai between 1946-1953. It gives me the feeling of a combo of “Ordinary Greatness” + “The Rebel”. This drama is so underrated due to the lack of English subtitles. However, it scored a high 8.0 rating on Douban (and that is really high!).
When watching this, I can’t help but compare it to “The Rebel”. It lacks the thrilling plots and action scenes but it shines in showing us life of ordinary folks during that time frame. Not everyone comes from an elite family, but heroes can be found within the common folks. We follow the life of top university graduate and rookie police officer, Gu Yao Dong, as he starts his new career, has his ideals challenged, and gets entangled in the fight between the Nationalist and Community parties.
What I Like:
1. Acting & Characters - Great acting all around from the younger actors to the veterans. It’s so great to also watch a drama where actors are using their own voices and hearing the Shanghai accent. It adds to the authenticity of the drama.
♦︎ Li Yi Feng: I watch this drama because of him and he doesn’t disappoint. There’s something about him that I really like (and I don’t really think he’s handsome). He plays the idealistic, innocent yet brave GuYao Dong really well. He's the diamond in the rough, or gold waiting to be polished and shine. The perfect hero that we all root for. Watching this drama clears the unpleasant memory of him in “Mirror: Twin Cities”. His role here reminds me of his role in “Noble Aspirations” as well. Oh, he also looks the most handsome and adork-able in this drama.
♦︎ Gina Jin: She plays the badass female lead who is smart, brave and rational. It seems like we need to watch a spy drama to find such strong FLs these days. Gina was great in her tough spy scenes, as well as the more emotional scenes when she actually has to hold her feelings in. I am so glad to see a different side of her after her rom-com roles in “Why Women Love” and “Crossroad Bistro”. I also like the really simple make-up she has on throughout the drama. Plain but beautiful, and fit her character.
♦︎ Wang Long Zheng: This is my first drama of his and what a great veteran actor. He doesn’t ooze the type of charisma that Wang Yang has in “The Rebel”, but he attracts you in a different way. His chemistry with Li Yi Feng is great. Xia Ji Cheng is a complicated character and he did a fantastic job. I miss him when he’s gone for several episodes.
♦︎ Niu Jun Feng: He’s a surprise and I am so glad I found him again (I forgot about him in “Love O2O”). I was very impressed with his acting as Zhao Zi Yong. Zhao is such a conflicted character and the one I sympathize with the most. I was rooting for him and praying that he’s going to have a somewhat happy ending. Zhao Zi Yong is a good contrast to our male lead, and portrays a more realistic struggle. Not everyone can be a hero and most of the times, reality forces you to choose differently.
♦︎ Li Qiang: First scene I saw him and I hated him. That’s how good his acting. He gives off such an evil, cunning and manipulative vibe. What a great veteran and I think he helps elevate Niu Jun Feng’s scenes.
2. Bromance - The chemistry between the male characters is better than the romance.
♦︎ Gu Yao Dong + Xia Ji Cheng = the mentor/mentee relationship between the two is one of the best things about this drama. They have so much chemistry together especially when they are having heart-to-heart conversations or teaching moments. I noted down specifically the scene when Gu Yao Dong was drunk and Xia was taking him home. The scenes were done so well. If I didn’t know any better, I thought they have romantic feelings for each other. LOL. There are a few episodes when Xia Ji Cheng was away. I didn’t know I miss them on the screen together that much, until they’re gone and then back together.
♦︎ Gu Yao Dong + Zhao Zhi Yong = These two best friends started out with a cute friendship in the police department. They are both good-hearted young people but walk a very different path. I was glad that throughout the drama, though they made different decisions, their friendship never really died. They might have done things that hurt each other, but they still care deeply. It saddens me to see such good friends enduring so much pain, but it also makes their friendship all the more memorable.
♦︎ Police Dept Team 2 = They may not start out loving each other, but it's great to see how their friendship develops throughout the drama. Each character is colorful and complements each other. They annoy me sometimes, but they are also quite funny at times. I am glad the drama did not forget these supporting characters and spend some time in the last episode about each of these colorful characters.
3. Pacing - 51 episodes could scare people away. I was skeptical at first and prepared for the drama to drag. Luckily, to me, I think the drama is well-paced - not fast, not slow. It has the pacing of a slice-of-life drama with some exciting plots sprinkled throughout. It doesn’t have as many intense and heart-pumping scenes as in “The Rebel” but it has its own charms and exciting moments. I was kept interested throughout the drama. I do think “Fearless Whispers” ends on a strong note, especially Eps 49-50. The last episode does wrap things up nicely.
4. Gu Family + Neighbors: ML has a lovely and supportive family. It’s no wonder our male lead is such a great guy. There are many heartwarming moments when they reach out to a neighbor in need and it’s so great to see. I enjoy the lively neighborhood and even the annoying neighbors (you got to have a couple of these characters)and luckily they are kept to a minimum. I was heartbroken about the story of Mr. M and his daughter. Not a lot of time is spent on the neighborhoods, but enough to give us a feel of life as an ordinary person trying to live through changing/tough times.
What I have mixed feelings about:
1. Injuries: The injuries are probably the most unrealistic part of this drama. Our male lead was beaten to a pulp multiple times and he recovered at a remarkable speed. If this happens in the real world, he would have been dead several times, or be in a coma, or paralyzed. Actually, not just him but all the characters. We see another character getting beaten by a metal rod on his legs, his body and his head, and he was walking and running around in the next scene.
2. Production Quality: Compared to “The Rebel”, “Fearless Whispers” appears to have a smaller budget. The sets and props, though don’t seem too fake and flimsy, also do not look very high quality as well. Speaking of injuries as mentioned above, we seen quite inconsistent wounds. Someone being tortured only had a slash on the face and a slash on the chest, and then the shirt was just soaked with red dye. Those wounds are so unrealistic and fake that I wonder if the character really was tortured to almost dead. On the other hand, I quite like the neighborhood set and houses. They all seem very realistic.
3. Romance: I find the chemistry between our leads to be good, but not amazing. There’s definitely a lot more romance in this drama than in “The Rebel”. However, though the romance in “The Rebel” is limited, the chemistry and longing are off the charts and memorable. In “Fearless Whispers”, the romance pales in comparison. It’s decent and there are a few emotional scenes well done. But for the most part, it’s nothing to write about. I also wanted a little more about the Love Square and feels that those side plots just went away.
Today, 9/11/22, it was reported that Li Yi Feng was arrested due to illegal prostitution. I am not sure what would become of him or if he's really guilty. I am saddened because I like him as an actor and we will probably not see him in any drama or movie for a very long time (or ever). I still see the YouTube videos of this drama online and not taken down (yet). The chance of this drama being subtitled is even lower now and audience will miss such a good show.
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