This review may contain spoilers
" 9.30 in de evening. De time I realized I am in love wid Xiao Miao Miao.”
Basically watched dis drama 4 Lai Gualin as this was de startup vehicle 4 de 17-yr-old in de drama world. De main character develops a full-blown crush on a popular boy in school, but because she has such a shy personality & an appearance that’s—let’s just say she’s not to her fullest potential, de romance stays 1-sided until the boy wakes up and realizes she’s perfect.If I had a high school senior like our ML, Liang-You-Nian (I’m pretty sure half my school would b just like Miao-Miao falling head over heels 4 him. He’s the whole package. Good-looking, smart, athletic, mature, & most importantly, he’s so nice! Sure, he can be a little awkward @ times& isn't super aware of his feelings (we all know he’s in deep wid Miao Miao long before he realizes). But he’s a kid, he will learn! FL's overnight 360-degree transformation was soo cool , Miao Miao slowly changes over a period of time which makes it feel organic and real. It’s also nice to see that her outward physical transformation reflects her internal transformation
@ first glance, it might seem like a run of the mill first love youth romance. However, de drama is so endearing and sincere that you cannot help but keep watching.
DRAWBACK--The romance between Miao-miao and You-nian was slow. And I do mean slow. I kept getting frustrated at the loads of missed opportunities to advance their romantic relationship and get things more physical.
THING I LOVED_ I will say that their break-up scene at the pool was one of the better break-ups I’ve seen. There’s nothing like a male lead refusing to clear the air and communicate that gets things to bubble up. Miao-miao’s impassioned speech about her feeling insecure about his feelings for her and her just waiting for the other shoe to drop during the entire relationship was stirring. It made total sense, too.
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This review may contain spoilers
I started watching this just as a way to practice my Mandarin listening skills, but I ended up really getting into it. I'm usually not a huge fan of Chinese dramas, but I thought this one managed to avoid a lot of the things I usually don't like. For example, even though Miao Miao definitely idolized You Nian while she was in high school, she learned to be more comfortable with him and focused on herself. The only thing I had an issue with was Miao Miao's physical transformation, but I think it could have been worse, so I'll let it slide. If You Nian had only started to like her when she became more attractive, I would definitely take more issue with it. Was this review helpful to you?
The story was pretty cute, with a nice paced romance. The love triangle was interesting too, with enough intensity to keep things fresh for a while. Although, her friend was a bit clingy and overdoing it with her obsession for her love interest, which was obvious that wouldn't lead her anywhere. Nevertheless, the main character was pretty likable, with a nice, smooth character development that was well handled. However, the final episodes were disappointing. Especially the last one, was a bit open, as they didn't conclude everything nicely.
So, overall, six and a half out of ten.
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Mouse & Lighthouse /or/ Never underestimate the power of a good hairdo °8.5° °Outstanding°
“As long as there's a lighthouse you'll never get lost.” Mom is an optimist. Even still, business has been bad and it's on a skid. Hopefully this new location near the lighthouse will turn things around for them. Speaking of lighthouses, not all are mere buildings: Some people guide us just as well.ALTCFL is a 2019 release that is rated 8.2 on MDL. It is 1 season consisting of 36 40-minute episodes. It is well directed, written, and acted, and is, hands-down, the best Chinese modern-day feature I've seen, thus far. Simple and gentle piano playing supplements the scenes to soothing effect. The soft techno-pop theme song is good, but none of the soundtrack is Shazamable. Spotify does have the playlist. A project headed up by women, screenwriter Zhao Qian Qian is a force for good with A Love So Beautiful-7 (Korea already adapted it into a Kdrama), Put Your Head on My Shoulder-7.3, and The Love Equations to her credit. The director is Qi Xiao Hui of Consummation. Every element of the show is solid.
That doesn't mean it's blemish free. It has typical Chinese quirks, like when all the characters complain about the heat, yet they don't take off their jackets, smh. Kai’s father falls in the water. In Chinese entertainment, going into the water is treated as a threat of imminent death. Just swim with it as a representation of something traditional rather than an attempt at realism. Small inconsistencies like these can add up, but ALTCFL doesn't have many. What's probably the most subtly offensive is how, when Miao is in her ugly stage, her skin is darker. Asia is under a shared delusion that pale skin is most attractive. Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but just like a sunset is undeniably beautiful, so is a nicely copper-toned skin. For Asia, this isn't really a looks-based preference at all, though. It's an antiquated fashion based on a prideful perspective from the days when fair skin was associated with wealth. Field workers were the ones with the tanned skin. The important people were the pasty ones. Hey, Asia!! - Pasty isn't prettier than a lovely tan.
Lai Kuan Lin (Don't Disturb My Study) plays ML & human lighthouse, Liang You “Nian”. I've gotta admit he's delish - He's sorta perfect. Even his coach seems to have a crush on him. He's kind to kids. He was kind to Miao's sister when he happened upon her. When he says Miao’s name, he makes it sound scrumptious. Think his voice is a rich and woodsy bourbon? He was a pop star before he acted in anything. Call him Mr. Asia: He's Taiwanese, a K-pop star, and is now a Chinese actor. He's also a superb romantic ML. What they did nicely in My ID is Gangnam Beauty-7.5 they do even better here. He sincerely seems to find her cute when she's in her “ugly” stage. The viewer believes he's being drawn into her with his eyes doing the majority of the work. At times he seems more likeable than ice cream… or did I mean lickable? ;)
Zhao Jin Mai (Princess Royal, Amidst a Snowstorm of Love) plays the homely Xia Miao Miao. Her name sounds like “meow-meow”, but she's not a cat, she's a mouse. She's got awful teeth and even worse hair (it looks like a black scotchpad scrubber). She ain't Ugly Betty. UB is a cutie. One can tell Miao’s impy face is cute, but only barely. Miao struggles with math, but she is good at making doll clothes for her sister's enjoyment. (When mom finds out why her curtains keep getting shorter - they've been using the fabric - it's not Miao's happiest moment. Mom is scary.)
Alone at a new school, Miao is transfixed by Nian's beautiful presence. With her new house being on his route to school, they /always/ seem to run into eachother. He is /always/ kind. Miao is seatmates with the surly Lin “Kai” Tuo (Wang Run Ze from Amidst a Snowstorm of Love & Imagine Me Without You, who looks more Caucasus than Asian to me). Kai is particularly antagonistic towards his cousin, Nian. Gruff and often rude, he's got a “thing” for family members: It's love or hate. But even he isn't awful to our sweet mouse who gets into everything, everywhere. The prim He “Xin” (Chai Wei from Justice in the Dark) initially is awful to our mouse, but after a couple random acts of kindness and a couple other brave overtures. they become friends. Xin appears snobishly self-important at first, but she has a warm heart and she's true. Wang Yi Miao is the special topping on this confection as Miao's lifelong friend, Lin 'A Xia’. I'm jealous. I want an 'A Xia’ too. She doesn't get to shine until the summer before college. Mom has a sharp tongue. Dad is warm and quietly content to let mom take the lead but will step up when bravery is required. Miao's alot like dad. Little sister is a touch entitled and bratty but still endearing (she's alot like mom).
Soon, Miao starts to want more from life. She wants to do more, to be more. Like a mouse grabbing crumbs here and there and dedicatedly working the wheel, it all starts to add up to something more, something good. Our little mouse is too cute to be denied. In bangs she reminds me of actress Maisie Williams who plays Arya Stark. Like Arya's journey, this'll take awhile, though. Miao's teeth are even worse than her hair, and the viewer has to put up with them until the end of episode 4, when she finally gets braces. The braces don't come off until ep7. She still has dreadful hair, but she is a cutie-pie without a doubt. Ep7 also sees Nian going to college while the other 4, a year behind, go into grade 12.
ALTCFL is a superb romance. They slow-walk it, yet every moment is delightful. I had just finished watching Zhao Qian Qian's Put Your Head on My Shoulder which starts strong but falls off a tad in the second half. There, they drag out the romance in a frustrating way and don't seem to have enough content for all the episodes. In ALTCFL the director stretches it out perfectly. Nothing feels like filler. Nian excels at everything he does, afterall. So, when it comes to love, we shouldn't expect anything less.
Physical appearance is a theme. Many truths are parallel, being true all-around despite seeming opposite. “There are no ugly women in the world, just lazy ones,” Xin avows. ‘No matter how pretty a woman is, someone out there is tired of putting up with her $h!+,’ on the other hand, is a common saying. People love to complain about the privilege of beauty, but it seems that 90% of us are part of the problem. Going after a person merely for looks is as common as it is foolish, and it's the basis for that harsh cliche about pretty women. Drying up the deep-end, too many people treat beautiful people like collectible figures - shallowness begets shallowness. Be that as it may, we will never stop people from judging external appearance, and looks will never, not be a part of romantic attraction. Protesting it is like protesting the color of the sky. Wrongs, human foibles, and downright stupidity should be called out, but complaining and name-calling are rarely (if ever) the right tactic. Complaining is actually a communicable disease that attacks emotional health but will never change core designs - or innate flaws, if you will. It just drives them underground. You will never complain your way to the top. True, beautiful people have a great advantage in life, but most of us are average. The good news is that confidence is the sexiest thing, and true lasting beauty comes from within.
Too little focus on external appearance, on the flipside, is almost as imbalanced as too much. The physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual are the 4 legs of the table that is humanity. To be a fully developed human, a person should work on each of those aspects and derive pleasure from each as well. Humans, by nature, take everything too far - people aren't good at balance or moderation. I've noticed that many of my fellow nerds refuse to compromise, believing they shouldn't have to change a thing to fit in. That's choosing to believe a lie. We all need improvement, and most people should pay more attention to their physical appearance (even moreso, their health). Don't spend one moment feeling sorry for yourself, Miao teaches us. Just keep going forward. Keep picking up crumbs. Keep improving. Steadily pick up good habits. Life can get hectic and our busy schedules can be murder, but if all your energy is going into your job or being a mom then you aren't a wife or a completed woman. Try new looks: Try a new hairdo (it grows out, don't be scared) - accessorize - put on makeup, pick up healthy habits. If all your energy is going into work, or something worse (like sports or video games) then you aren't a husband or dad. One could even argue that there's a self-indulgent arrogance to neglecting one's appearance, especially if one is married. That person is saying that their mate is not worth the effort.
Don't want to put in the effort? That's a personal choice. Just accept the truth about the likely outcomes of your decisions. Don't carp because things align with the standard profile. “Just because I'm fat doesn't mean that I'm not aware of how society operates,” snaps the zaftig Xia. “I just have a big appetite.” Xia inhabits reality. She understands it. She understands that she must accept it as so. She's made her choice about who she is, what she's about and what she does, and she doesn't complain. She embraces life. She enjoys herself, and she elevates the lives of those around her. She will always be loved just the way she is. She's the healthiest person in the show and the one we all want to hang with. If one looks at a photo of the writer, Zhao Qian Qian, it's easy to imagine that she wrote herself into Xia. I'm a fan of Ms Zhao, so I'd like to think she did. My biggest criticism of the show is that in the second half, Xia devolves into a caricature of herself. She becomes a background eating machine as her character stutters and goes into neutral without continuing her arc. After building her character up, they left her half done.
Finally, don't be part of the problem. Awareness is the key. Attractive people are given more deference and generosity. That ain't fair. Try to ignore looks and treat everyone the same. Don't be the 10,000th person to make a height joke or ask about a scar, birthmark, or some other anomaly over which a person has no control. Can you imagine having to hear the same jokes and comments from everyone new that you meet? What a nightmare. Scripture talks about how when we help a stranger we might be helping angels, unawares. If angels do exist among us they probably do take on the appearance of street people more than movie stars. So be an angel and treat everyone with respect. You never know…
“You never know what the future holds.” The math teacher encourages Miao after she failed the exam. (Only one other student failed, and he's been absent since a serious accident). Her teacher wants her to keep plugging away. Don't give up. That's the theme: Stay on that wheel. Adjust. Try things. Maintain hope. Always be decent. Do your best. No quitting. Soon, YOU will be the lighthouse.
QUOTES?
This is learning. You learn because you don't know it.
Attitude is Altitude
〰? IMHO
RATINGS
Directing 8.3
Writing 8.5
Acting 8.2
Romance 8
Flutters 7
Art 7.5
Sound & music 7
Ending8.5
LEVELS
Warmth 7
Action 2
Laughs 3
Tears 2
Fright 2.5
Tension / Anxiety 3.5
Gore 0
Thought provocation 3.8
Snores 0
?8.3 ?8.5 ?8.2 ?8 ?7 ?7.5 ?/?7 ?8.5 ▪ ?7 ⚡2 ?3 ?2 ?2.5 ?3.5 ?0 ?3.8 ?0
Age 11+ This show can be appreciated by a wide age range of viewers.
There's nothing objectionable. There's little physical contact. The relationship progresses slowly. No kisses until the mid to late eps
Rated- Per IMDB it's TV-G: General Audience and per MDL it's TV-PG-13: Parents Cautioned
Re-?? Definitely
In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:
♥️ -
C: Well-Intended Love 7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine;
I Hear You ‘19 7.3, so cute but with many flaws
You are my destiny 6.8 ‘20 cute and sweet and 1/2 padding
Find Yourself 8.9;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1
K:
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love To Hate You 8.9;
Touch Your Heart 8.2;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not to Be Okay 9;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;
Period -
C: Overlord 8.4,
Under the Power 8.6,
The Rebel Princess 9.1,
The Sword and the Brocade 8.6 (in ancient Chinese opera style),
The Rise of Phoenixes 9
K:
My Only Love Song 8.7 excellent comedy;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl 8.5;
The King's Affection 8.3;
Mr. Sunshine 9
Fantasy
C: Love Between Fairy & Devil 8.9;
Once upon a time in Linglian Mountain 7.5;
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Eternal Love 8.3,
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
Love and Redemption 10
Japanese lite romcoms: Maid Sama-10, Mischievous Kiss Love in Tokyo-7.8, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions-8.4, Toradora-8.5
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This review may contain spoilers
Why you should watch this drama.
The actor playing Liang You Nian is called Lai Kuan Lin. The actress is named Zhao Jin Mai who plays Xia Miao Miao. I really love her acting and some of the sweet moments that are included in this drama. This drama mainly focuses on art and their slow development in love. This isn’t the best drama, but this is super low key and adorable. Sometimes, I can’t grasp the acting of the actors and actresses for some reason. They don’t express the emotions in some scenes but that doesn’t mean it ruins everything, rather they are super adorable and laughable.I’m really looking forward to other school dramas which could peak my interest. This drama shows us many relationships between humans and many dating skills. Of course, although you may hate some actress because of their character role, you have to forgive them because it is a role after all.
This drama has some familiar faces. Actor Lai Kuan Lin who was in wanna one. Xu Haiqiao who played in The Journey of Flower. Chen Ke Fan who played in Ten miles of peach blossom. These people are very unforgettable to me. They are very unique in these dramas and I really love them for their art and passion.
I enjoy the background stories and some of the conflicts the female lead had to face. Honestly, the rewatch value is very high because I feel very comfortable watching this drama, it helps me relax and honestly let’s me see an eye candy. Kuan Lin is a very handsome and unique man with an amazing aura. He looks like he is smiling but can be planning your murder LMAOOO. Gosh, he really scared me with that glare at Wang Yu Tian when they were painting the trucks for the welfare community.
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i really enjoyed watching miaomiao and younian’s relationship developed. the ups and downs, the confusion, frustration — these are normal parts of relationships. the show didn’t portray love as a fairytale, but something you need to fight for, especially with honesty and vulnerability. however, some scenes were frustrating to watch and there were a few plot holes. at a certain point midway watching the show, i felt as if they were running in circles to lengthen episodes. there were a few aspects of younian’s character that could have been written better, but i think they resulted their relationship in a beautiful way and i was pleased with the ending. the youthful and innocent love made my heart warm and i was happy to see them find places in each other’s hearts.
although i did enjoy the show, the reason why i’m not thoroughly pleased was due to the harmful beauty standards that were unnecessarily implemented throughout the show, especially imposed upon xia and miao miao. in the beginning of the show, miao miao was tanned with curly hair and glasses. there are multiple scenes where her friends, family, and peers downgraded her beauty because of that. being tanned was scene as ugly, which is especially harmful for poc. at the end of the show, miao miao eventually had somewhat straight hair and light skin. i didn’t appreciate how ‘beauty’ was portrayed as fair-skinned, having straight hair, and being skinny. the plus sized friend, xia, was constantly teased and belittled to just being the fat girl in her friendships and society in general. her character lacked depth and was solely treated as a punching bag or a peacemaker in miao miao and younian’s relationship. the casual fatphobia and portrayal of fat people was uncomfortable and is extremely harmful for plus-sized women and men. the harmful beauty standards was the deal breaker and is the primary reason why i can’t bring myself to say this show my favorite.
overall, the show was enjoyable, but is hard to watch at times because of the unnecessary commentary. id say give it a try if you’re in for a heartwarming, youthful, exciting show. but beware of how the colorism and fatphobia in most episodes.
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It's about first love
This drama was the remake of Thai film Crazy little thing called love. This is the first drama I watched in Chinese, because of this drama I got interest in Chinese dramas.I don't know why some people didn't like this drama but this is the story about a shy, timid and introvert girl Xia Miao Miao making herself better because of love(Liang Younian).
This drama is about love can make us be better person, real friendship is for forever, communication is really important and shows us every problem have a solution. The story is well written, the actor/actresses all did a good job and this drama gives you a decent picture of young love without making it too sweet or too romantic. It feels very natural.
The OST was really good. It's definitely worth rewatchable!!!
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Very refreshing
Shows like 2019's A Little Thing Called First Love are what keep me kicking and screaming in the Drama community's cast iron grip. The acting is superb. The leads are superb. The side characters are hilarious. Wang Yi Miao steals the show as the feisty Lin Xia. The show's main theme is a BOP.The storytelling is refreshing. It's a cute story about how a FL's crush turns into journey of self-improvement and self-discovery.
One thing did irk me, though: I was surprised that after spending the majority of the show watching Xia Miao Miao blossom into a respected artist, in spite of her looks, suddenly she couldn't complete her transformation into a successful careerwoman until she adhered to the suffocating Asian standards of beauty. I think 99% of the show's budget was provided by advertising from those few episodes. Numerous brands of cosmetics bombarded the screen as the FL was transformed... and her skin whitened.
But that didn't ruin the show for me. I'm going into this with an American ethnocentric lens, and this show was primarily developed for teens and young adults living in China. The ML is a pop idol and this show did the job of sustaining his fame so he can join a second pop idol group... Sub-group. There are so many idols they have subgroups now. Good grief.
Regardless, it was a banger show. Give it a watch.
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A great coming of age drama that gave me butterflies from throughout. This drama kind of reminded me of "A Love so Beautiful" but more innocent. I enjoyed that this drama takes you from the moment they first met then took you on the journey of the characters growing up and finding themselves while also developing feelings. The female lead falls first so you get to see the male lead realize his feelings over time and his jealousy is adorable. I also love that you get to see the female lead grow up and change. Both leads chase their passions in college which was also refreshing. The side stories were interesting enough but didn't overly distract you from the main leads. Overall I loved this drama. It was sweet innocent and wholesome. Was this review helpful to you?
First Love Perfectly Portrayed
OMG THIS IS SO GOOD FOR NO REASON. I'm not exactly sure why so many people are so against this drama, but like I said once before, I get easily impressed with dramas so, don't take my review seriously seriously (I guess??). There was a lack of kissing, but honestly they should have just kept it as a high school drama if it was going to be like that intentionally. I get that some of the actors were teens at the time, but in the end the result was okay I guess. I liked the other interactions so I guess the lack in that department can be overlooked, especially if you're someone who doesn't like a of of those kinds of scenes.Xia Miao Miao is a really impressive female lead. I feel like her character development is very significant, considering the fact her decisions were made based on the development of her character, specifically her confidence in herself and her talent. Liang You Nian is CUTE. Yes, I know I'm always putting down that the male lead is cute, but he really is. I love his interactions with his friends, it just goes to show how well they all act. Lin Kai Tuo is superior, I don't care what anyone says. My favorite line from him was when he said something like "I pissed her off until she exploded, and I confessed my love for her. Then I pissed her off even more". He Xin also had some good character development, she learned how to build herself up, even after everything she got through. Lin Xia is the most relatable character ever. It's so easy to give advice to your friends about love, but it's like love treats you like the plague; you don't get infected, and it wants you to infect others. Wang Yi Chao is a great friend, even though he is a little shameless whenever he was pursuing Fang Xiao Yue. Fang Xiao Yue is actually one of my favorite supporting characters I've seen so far in dramas. She wasn't even interested in the male lead, which is something that rarely happens. I feel like there was a lot of supporting characters, so I'll just stop here.
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This drama taught me to be patient and somehow I finished all 36 episodes! A little thing called first love centers around Miao Miao who develops a crush on the perfect senior Liang You Nian in high school. Miao Miao tries hard and slowly changes from a classmate, HeXin's friend, to becoming Liang You Nian's confidante and girlfriend. It is a very, very,very slow burn romance as we spend over half the drama watching Miao Miao and Liang You Nian dance around their feelings, drift apart due to misunderstandings before someone finally confesses! Hallelujah! Along the way, the show covers a lot of deep topics and I'm really glad that our two leads have a great support network helping them through it all.
I personally think this drama should have been 20 episodes, there were a lot unnecessary scenes that should have cut, such as : the teacher love-line, the roommate who needed therapy, the Frank character etc. Over time, the poor acting became even more noticeable. Liang You Nian had several moving scenes but unfortunately the acting was stiff and wooden, I couldn't connect to the character at all. In contrast Lin Kai Tou and HeXin were so good, their arc was compelling and we could feel something from their acting. I would have liked Xia to have more depth to her character, she was portrayed as the girl who ate snacks 24/7 and it got boring quickly.
I also want to mention, the very obvious ppl and the styling of Miao Miao in the beginning. I can't understand who approved that but in some scenes she looked like a yellow highlighter.
Overall, I 'd recommend watching this if you are bored or tired and are looking for something which doesn't tax your brain cells.
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It is your typical like romantic drama, where like the girl falls in love with the guy and yeah the whole story. But I felt for me anyways, it was a little draggy! - and a lot of misunderstandings that were just dragged on for quite a while as well, which annoyed me a little bit. But for me even if I don't really really like the drama, I actually still watch it, skipping some things, just because I want to see what happens at the end.
I mean the character development of the Main Character Miao-Miao Xia, was really interesting, you literally see her change every few episodes, and she looks soo different as well! But the main guy kinda just looked the same throughout the whole thing. Yeah, I don't think this show was for me! I think it was a little too draggy for me and the storyline went on a bit too long for me. I mean the change of the Main Girl was good, but I think the whole story was a little messy for me.
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