This review may contain spoilers
I will remember you, will you remember me?
This is a heart warming, unabashedly tropey love story about how true love conquers all. The OTP face a daunting obstacle: Feng Mianwan's (Chen Yuqi) mother is blamed for Jing Ci's (Yu Menglong) mother's demise. Nonetheless Jing Ci shields her from his revenge driven aunt and raises her as his companion/maid. They are childhood sweethearts but when he can no longer protect her, he finds a doppelganger, arranges for them to swap identities and doses her with an amnesia drug to forget him and their past. In her new identity Mianwan/Ah Yuan evades her (doppleganger's) engagement to the noble Mu Beiyan, dresses as a man and goes to work as a fledgling constable. In her new life, she grows into her own person and finds meaning in her existence. Her guardian angel Jing Ci joins her in a new identity as a county official and together they investigate criminal cases. They eventually stumble upon a larger conspiracy with ties to both their identities and extends to the highest levels of the empire.While this is mostly a lighthearted and fun love story, there is a sad undertone as Jing Ci's health is failing and he struggles to conceal his feelings for Ah Yuan. She does not remember him but falls in love with him all over again. His intention is to selflessly see her happily settled with someone who can expect to live a normal lifespan and who can protect her but who is he kidding? Love is never ultimately that self-less! Both characters are strong and intelligent and have an enjoyable rapport with the other couples; confidantes and allies who help them unmask their enemies and reveal the secrets of their past. I particularly liked the princess who is a fantastic and loyal friend with her own rather charming love story.
There is broad consensus that Yu Menglong's Jing Ci deserves an award for best characterization ever of a plank. Although the character is supposed to be unwell, in pain and stoic, he impressively took being plank-like to a whole new level. He has this amazingly eerie ability to seem deathly still and expressionless while speaking or in motion. Given the excoriating feedback, I feel a bit bad for the actor who clearly over-intrepretred the character and was also probably camera shy the way his eyes avoided the lens the whole time. To be fair, there were the rare one or two scenes when Jing Ci's feelings for Ah Yuan overcame him that were well acted though far from squeal-worthy. The one saving grace is he and Chen Yuqi make for a very stunning and romantic looking couple. Am a big fan of Yuqi who has really honed her acting skills and was convincing as a smart and independent minded character who knows what she wants and is not fooled or daunted by Jing Ci's seeming indifference. I really appreciate this smart and strong female lead character who is not obnoxious or dislike-able, which is more than I can say for several similarly themed 2020 releases. She is a total delight from her remarkable ability to absolutely adore her plank to her subtly comical eye rolls at Mu Beiyan's ridiculous overtures. And no, I never shipped her with Mu Beiyan - her Ah Yuan is way too capable for a dilettante and (nice) dufus like that. While Mu Beiyan is a well written, likable and much better acted character, I still find it impossible to ship a love rival who is better made up and coiffed than the female lead!
The story overall is not terribly original but the cases are interesting enough. You will not win armchair detective of the year if you spot the bad guys early on or unravel the conspiracy on your own. Some of the plot twists are a bit lazy but the characters are quite colorful and stop short of being too archetypal. The ending was well done, wraps up most loose ends and delivers a final and very satisfying coup de grace. It won't rock your world but you won't have to retreat into the fetal position to get over a gigantic slump after it ends either. I would have rated this higher (7.5/8.0 ) if Yu Menglong's performance managed to improve towards the end.
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Could Have Been Better
This could have been an enjoyable drama had it not been the poor performance of one of the lead actors, Yu Menglong. Though the storyline is simple, conflicts between neighboring countries, conflicts within the royal court, conspiracies, switches of identities etc. make this drama a rather good watch.All the characters are quite interesting too. The Jing Ci character could have been so intriguing but Yu Menglong’s disastrous robotic portrayal sends it down the drain; he walks like a robot, talks like Alexa in a male voice, stands like a mannequin. Even when he tries to tell his love how much he loves her, there’re no emotions nor expressions on his face, nor can the viewers feel any heart-warming passion he has for his love. His declaration is like an announcement reading from a book – unemotional. It’s indeed such a pity because Yukee Chen (plays the Feng Mian Wan character) and the other cast members put up quite an impressive performance.
I must say I quite enjoy watching the side couples especially Princess Zhangle (played by Ma Yue) and her to-be consort. Though they don’t have many scenes but their dynamics are cute, as the princess has a forward personality whereas her consort is rather timid and unromantic. The other couple is Zuo Yanxi (played by Kid Young) and Jiang Tan (played by Xu Hao). This is a tragic romance when a great man is being brought down by his love of the woman who is also his Shimei (sister in learning). The Jiang Tan character is not likable as many viewers take her scenes as the opportunity for bathroom breaks, to put it mildly.
Overall, I would say, watch this drama if you can’t find anything better to watch, or watch it in between episode releases of other dramas. It’s not totally terrible, but it’s not fantastic either.
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This review may contain spoilers
Tomorrow is the last two episodes, but I just want to throw this review out. This is one of the few times where I actually prefer the 2nd Male Lead, Mu Beiyan, and the female lead to be the main couple. This is my second time watching Alan Yu, the first being The Legend of White Snake. If you put his two characters together, I wouldn't even call them two separate characters, since they are literally the same. I understand that he just wants to protect her and that he loves her, but there is no emotion. Maybe the director of the drama wants him to be an actual block of wood, but this is the main reason why I have this drama a 7 instead of a 8 or 9. I would like to compare his character and the character Donghua, from "Eternal Love of Dream." Both are cold and emotionless, but as Donghua discovers the truth about Fengjiu and her love for him, Donghua begins to show his loving and caring side. He actually starts to have humane reactions. This, by the way, starts towards the middle to end of the drama. But in "The Love Last Two Minds," we are near the end of the drama, and he still pushes her away, (yes, he is trying to protect her). I sincerely hope they can resolve the misunderstandings and conflicts between the two leads, and not rush the ending.
All the other characters and their stories are great. The villain is understandable because he was looked down upon through his childhood. Princess Changle and Zhaoyan's relationship is funny and entertaining. The best has to be Mu Beiyan, since he transitions from being a playboy to someone who cares about his responsibilities. He loves A'Yuan, and knows why he loves her. I think the director did a great job showing his transition because we got to see how much his father cares about Beiyan and wants Beiyan to grow up.
Yukee Chen, the actress for Feng Mianwan/A'Yuan, does a great job playing the different characters within the story. She technically plays 4 roles: Feng Mianwan, Yuan Qingli, A'Yuan (male version), and A'Yuan (female version). I really love the part when she decides not to drink the potion that allows her to remember her past because it shows how determined she is to be who she is. She does not want to remember a past, where she is not herself and especially not weak. I just love how she grew throughout the drama and uses her skills to help her. In other dramas, some female leads tend to forget their skills or their personalities towards the end of the drama, but not her. She uses her detective skills to see into people and to help her in many different situations.
Edit: After finishing the drama, I think it is a bit rushed since they decide to add a second villain, Jingci's foster father. Although this is hinted in the story, I don't believe there is a need for him to be the villain, because his motives are not as good as the second prince. The second prince's story, in my opinion, is pretty good and realistic.
Trust is really hard to build, yet she decides to trust Jingci again. Sure, she misunderstands him, but he actually breaks her heart and causes her to become sick. Her mother honestly summarizes the love stories within this drama. The women in her family just blindly follow their love.
Also, does Mu Beiyan progress throughout the drama? The only change I saw is Beiyan stopping his drinking and his flirting habits. His father's death should have changed his character, but he is still dumb and rushes into things. They emphasized scenes where he mourns for his father and him changing, yet in the end, this honestly just goes away.
I think the story is really good and sophisticated, where the beginning, middle, and end are all connected. Scenes in episode 1 are just as important as scenes in the end of the drama. Music and settings are pretty. Cast is good, though some actors may need to improve.
One super bad aspect of the drama.... They use so many FLASHBACKS to explain the plotholes, schemes, backstory, etc. This just completely ruins the flow of the drama, and sometimes these flashbacks feel as if they are used to just add minutes into the story.
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Long story short this is not and overly Sweet series. You will get lots of action and fight scenes here. You’ll get a little bit trail mix with that good or misunderstanding that leads to hatred and revenge. After around episode 15 I started to feel like I was watching a murder mystery “who done it.”
Although there were relations tied into, it just seemed more like a detective film with a hint o love, the action was good, the chemistry was so so, kiss scenes cringe worthy, plot unknown. The ending was okay.
If you’re looking for a upbeat historical film that involves solving mysteries with a hint of romance you may like this one but if you’re looking for a historical romance that is predominantly relational I would advise you to look someplace else.
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I like it
After reading so many reviews regarding Alan's act, I believe I will invite trouble with my review.Alan's acting was well delivered IMO.
Jing Ci stoic posture was very noticeable especially during walking, that is true. But considering that as a person who had his hamstring cut and then diagnosed to be forever unable to walk too much, too fast or using his leg too strenuously, Jing Ci has to be mindful on how to walk, lest he expose his weakness to the enemies.
Expression wise Jing Ci also can show some gentleness and friendliness. It is subtle and only to certain people he comfortable with, but it is there.
Bear in mind he grew up with a complicated background and living style so he has to be very mindful to not show too much expressions. Plus, he.(Jing Ci) is not the ' must put a happy cheerful facade ' type of person, so being stoic and aloof is what he good at and I believe the camera loves to expose too much of that, it became unnecessarily over exposed.
Though if there is one unsatisfied act, that would be during the last scene with Mu BeiYan (tea/soup)...somehow a bit forced/ooc.
(I tried to find the scene about the camera shy, but maybe I am untrained...)
Another thing that bother me is YuQi portrayal as FL a bit too similar on hers in " And The Winer Is Love " .
That said, I like her.playing twin in this series, and.you can see the difference of which sister is which. Kudos!
Romance is the biggest let down to me in this series. The chemistry is almost non-existent therefore the ending is not too satisfactory to me.
All other actors and actresses played their roles well, adding the enjoyment factor to this series.
I won't touch the 'it is male.right to think what's best for his woman' theme... We are watching classic drama where ancient way of thinking is applicable..so...
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Recommended
Recommended. Best drama ever. Nice story. All cast are amazing and excellent. All drama of yu menglong.. this is the best. His acting very well. He portrait the character very well.. the cast of the drama very natural acting.. convincing... i cried , hurt and happy watched each episodes.. i like also YUKEE CHEN very good actress and very natural acting. She also portrait the character well. I like the chemistry of yu menglong and yukee chen. It seems like a real couple. I hope they work together again. Because this couple is big impact for the audience. And take note all the country admire them couple..so.amazing amd sweet.. handsome yu menglong and beautiful yukee chen ... very match and perfect for the eyes of audience.This drama recommended.. actually many times i did watch over and over again. The story itself very nice and understandable. ..
I like the soundtrack of this.drama.. downloaded.
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There are better ones out there...
Although I have enjoyed this drama's main leads in other productions, I didn't so much in this one. The costumes, sets and story were okay, but the acting here was terrible, particularly in out ML. I didn't't have a problem with Alan Yu in TLTWTMPB and he was okay in Legend of White Snake, but I just could not tolerate his acting in this one. He was the main lead in a romantic drama and he failed miserably. He gets the award for best impersonation of a plank of wood. He has perfected the blank, emotionless stare, and it hurt this show tremendously. When it comes to romance, the couples have to be believable or it just doesn't work. We, as an audience, don't feel invested in them and can't feel for them. This was the main problem here. The FL was better but he, especially, was not believable. Because of his stick-in-the-mud personality, I just could not enjoy this drama as much as I should have. The supporting cast was better compared with the performance of our male lead.Some of the plot line was implausible and I found myself disappointed in the choices some of the characters made. It didn't seem to fit with their personalities. The OST was the best part of this entire production. I heard the theme song over a year ago and I wanted to see the drama from whence it came. I finally found it, and was disappointed in the production, but still love the song. There are better performed romance dramas that turn your heart inside out. This isn't it.
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Better than the Reviews I Read
I loved this! I feel that Yu Menglong did a fantastic job of portraying this character, despite what others say about him being wooden in his acting. The character is supposed to be reserved and the small facial emotions he emits are even sweeter because of this. I loved the chemistry of our 2 leads. The wonderful bond they shared made it so enjoyable. A couple of our leads sweet scenes had me catching my breath and making me feel like swooning. However, I was really sad for our second ML. My heart was definitely aching for him because of everything that happened to him. I really wish they could have given him more happiness. With all of that said, I would definitely rewatch this.Was this review helpful to you?
Much better than the previous comments suggest
I'm glad I watched this drama despite the negative reviews.Especially the negative comments about the main actor Alan Yu are unjustified in my opinion.
Hi played a character with severe illness and injured legs. His movements were therfore rather stiff and, as noted in some comments, robotic. I did not feel that way at all. It was his interpretation of this character. And he did a very good job. Alan Yu has a great charisma a wonderful soft and tender voice und gives this character of Jing Ci a kind of untouchability. Jing Ci had to learn to suppress his feelings to protect himself and his beloved ones. Alan Yu succeeds brilliantly in this in his play.
All actors and actresses did a very good job. It's a story about friendship, trust and unconditionally love.
It gives us a lecture what hate, striving for power and one's own inadequacy can do to and with people.
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The story's premise was different, but over time, it fell victim to the same old tropes with misunderstandings cause the leads' break up, stoic male lead, etc. I will give a shout out the music tracks. All of them sound so beautiful! I'm still listening to them weeks later.
Will I be watching this again soon? Likely not.
Did I enjoy the drama? Yeah sure. You can probably do other things while listening/watching this show in the background.
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Finally finished
Finally i've finished watch this drama. I don't know why but it's really a long way to finished watch this drama, where i pause several times in the middle to watch other drama. I can't say this drama boring or the cast ugly :p or their chemisty bad. I just don't know why the reason i hit that pause button.Disagree with ChineseDramaFan, in my opinion Yu Menglong played as Jing Ci (JC) is quite good. JC is one of the most calm character in the drama, not cold but calm ^_^. It's like nothing can agitate him. That's why Feng Mian Wan (MW) sometime confuse with his feeling & maybe we sometimes frustated with him being no expression like ChineseDramaFan wrote.
In this drama we can find 3 type of love. Love like JC & MW, the one where we can do anything for our loves one. Love like Mu Bei Yan, where at the end he just happy if MW is happy. Love like Yuan Yu Luo or MW mom, where we are stupidly sacrifice our feeling for our love one.
In this drama, we also can see how stupid prejudice is. Aunt Zhi Xia have really bad prejudice toward MW, so that's why she just always instanly jump to conclusion if about MW, expecially if that's about bad think.
Overall this is a good drama where we can understand love sometimes really doesn't need reason, like MW who fell in love again with JC even though she already lost her memory. But is this the drama you have to put on your list...? I don't think so. Re-watch...? Of course not, one times is enough.
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