The Forbidden Flower

<3

Despite the basic cdrama tropes still being present slightly, the overall major storyline is very nice and I enjoyed it a lot. It made me cry, it made me smile.... I loved the OSTs too.

The only thing I would've said is, the male lead doesn't really speak much (I don't think he's fully Chinese/raised in China? I could be wrong) so it loses a lot of its effect. Some people were commenting about how nice the male lead's voice was, but it personally wasn't for me. The female lead was a perfect actress though - from her emotions to her body language. I loved her so much.

The rewatch value is slightly lower though. The first few episodes were slow to get into, and I only started watching this because I watched a YouTube edit of this cdrama.

Read More

Don’t waste your time. Bad pairing for main CP. Jerry Yan is so bad in this drama

I think Jerry Yan is too old to match with xử Rou Hàn in this drama. I understand it is a forbidden love between middle aged man and a younger, but their onscreen chemistry was horrible.

The story is so slow and draggy. I watched 6 episodes and I can no longer continue with it.

I wish Jerry Yan acts in better role that fit his age, something with mature relationship. Perhaps play a divorcée or widow dad, instead of RomCom where he is teaming up with actresses half his age.

Don’t waste your time with this drama in my opinion, and the supporting cast is also horrible, especially the mom.

Too bad, I really like the FL in Perfect and Casual with Miles Wei, a better pairing. I am dropping it and give it a 3.0 rating.

Read More

Why is the rating so high?

I was super excited about another Jerry Yan series. I haven't watched anything recent of his so I was excited when this show was airing. Sadly, my excitement died down and I could not digest what I was watching. It's slow...like super slow. A story about a young girl falling in love with a mysterious man. I'm in 6 episodes and I'm sick of the long scenes of Jerry Yan looking hot. In my head, I'm playing behind the scenes of him crackling up as they film these.

I read an article that the directors were fans of his since Meteor Garden. I felt this was just a fan girl directing a fan service show. I had the impression that this was meant for them to reminisce about him during those years, especially his headband...he wore a lot of headbands during MG. And those slow supposedly sexy scenes of him... I was laughing the entire time. I think they were trying to make him look good but I couldn't help but shake my head.

The FL was very disappointing. For someone young and daring and wanting to fall in love I didn't sense that. Instead, I felt she was like a little girl just curious about a mysterious man. Another thing I was hard to endure, I tried hard not to keep rolling my eyes - the foreshadowing of her having cancer or some sickness and was going to die soon. It is SLOW and BORING. I wouldn't recommend it even if you like Jerry. Dropping this series.

Read More

He Waited

I went into The Forbidden Flower expecting a romance famous for its kissing scenes.

That is not the drama I got.

What I got instead was one of the most emotionally affecting romances I have watched in years.

The story follows He Ran, a young woman carrying a devastating secret, and Xiao Han, a quiet horticulturist who seems disconnected from the world around him. On paper, the premise sounds simple. In execution, it becomes a story about loneliness, grief, choice, agency, devotion, and the courage to love someone when there are no guarantees about the future.

One of the things I value most in a drama is momentum. I can forgive a lot if a story keeps moving. The Forbidden Flower never stalled. Every episode revealed something new, deepened a relationship, or changed the stakes. The plot continually moved forward, and several times it genuinely surprised me. That is rare. I am usually very good at spotting narrative patterns and predicting where a story is headed, but this drama fooled me more than once.

The biggest strength of the show is Xiao Han.

I absolutely fell in love with this character.

Not because he is flashy. Not because he is powerful. Not because he delivers grand speeches.

Because he listens.

Because he notices.

Because he waits.

Again and again, he learns things about He Ran and gives her the space to tell him when she is ready. He doesn’t manipulate her. He doesn’t pressure her. He doesn’t force confessions. He simply remains present. There are many romantic heroes who are exciting. There are far fewer who feel trustworthy.

What struck me most is that Xiao Han consistently respects He Ran’s ability to make her own choices. Given how often dramas use secrets, misunderstandings, and “I know what’s best for you” behavior as shortcuts to conflict, this stood out enormously.

That does not mean I agreed with all of He Ran’s choices.

In fact, I spent much of the drama frustrated with her decision to hide the truth about her illness. While I understood her motivations, I never believed she had the right to make that choice for Xiao Han. One of the central tensions of the drama becomes the difference between protecting someone and respecting their right to choose. The show ultimately explores that conflict in a way I found thoughtful and emotionally satisfying.

The chemistry between the leads is excellent, but perhaps not in the way the drama’s reputation suggests.

I had heard repeatedly that this was a drama known for its “hot kisses.” After watching all 24 episodes, I think that description is misleading.

Are there a lot of kisses? Yes.

Are they good? Absolutely.

Are they the primary source of the drama’s emotional impact? Not even close.

Most of the kisses are gentle, tender, and consistent with who these characters are. The emotional intimacy is far more powerful than the physical intimacy. The moments that stayed with me were not the kisses themselves, but the conversations, the waiting, the flowers, the promises, and the quiet acts of devotion.

The secondary romance between Chou Jia Rong and Zhang Yuanqi deserves special mention.

I expected it to be a side story.

Instead, it became one of my favorite parts of the drama.

Chou Jia Rong is a woman who has spent years defining herself entirely through responsibility and sacrifice. Her heartbreaking belief that she does not deserve happiness becomes one of the most moving themes in the series. Zhang Yuanqi brings a completely different energy than Xiao Han. Where Xiao Han waits, Zhang Yuanqi acts. Their scenes together are filled with tension, humor, vulnerability, and some of the strongest chemistry in the drama.

The cinematography is beautiful throughout. Flowers become a recurring visual language. The triangular structure by the sea, the greenhouse, the paintings, and the changing seasons all reinforce the emotional themes without feeling heavy-handed. The soundtrack was generally strong as well.

The ending was exactly what it needed to be.

By the time the final episode arrived, the question was no longer whether these two loved each other. The question was whether love would be enough to survive uncertainty, illness, distance, and time.

The answer was contained in a simple promise that became the emotional heart of the entire drama:

He waited.

Read More

I'm so dumb to watched this two years late

Story
- Honestly, I understand He Ran's feeling. Wanting to live longer, be happy and do things I want (as someone undergoing chemo, right now). I love that despite her sickness, she continues to be happy and do what she wants. Her actions, expressions, chasing the man she fancy is basically what a 18-19 year old girl would do. The way she shows her attitude when she's jealous, is cute. I believe she is stubborn, prideful and arrogant (at times), but it isn't annoying at all.

- Xiao Han, at the beginning you could see he's holding himself back, probably because of their differences (like their age and life). Even if it seems, He Ran is the one chasing, he is always there waiting for her to come back. It shows that he wants her just as much as she wants him.

During their last break up, he waited for her for a long time. When he decided to give up, he found her confessions, and decided to go after her.

This is one of those few dramas, where the 2nd lead couple didn't take up too much time of the drama. It focuses more on He Ran and Xiao Han's love story. At first I thought they only have 10 years age gap (in the drama). But, no, it's 20 years! And having 20 years age gap irl, having that chemistry. I couldn't think of other actors that could portray them. Like, this story is made for them.

Read More

Stunning Visuals Can't Mask Shallow Plot

I really get confused when it comes to the rating of any Cdrama. I haven't watched many but the majority I found rating should be at least 1.5 points less. this drama is no different. the only good thing here is super sexy Jerry Yan, oh yes also the cinematography. I am halfway, and now keeping it on hold as it's very boring. I will complete it sometime later but now I can't keep it going anymore.

Positive Aspects:

1. Jerry Yan's charismatic performance.
2. Impressive cinematography.
3. Beautiful locations, especially scenes on top of the mountain.

Negative Aspects:

1. Lack of character development.
2. Shallow relationships and lack of depth.
3. Absence of chemistry between the leads.
4. FL's lack of likability and depth.
5. Missing backstory and logic behind character actions.
6. Supporting characters' dullness. (though there aren't any significant ones)
7. There is no intriguing story, just some sexual tension between two leads that runs on for half of the drama.

Overall Assessment:
The drama falls short in various aspects. While it excels in visuals and Jerry Yan's performance, it lacks character development, relationship depth, and chemistry between the leads. The main female character's lack of likability and depth can be attributed to weak writing. The supporting characters also fail to engage the viewer. The drama's potential might have been better realized in a shorter format like a 2-hour movie rather than a series.

Read More

لقد رأيت فيديو قصير عبر الانسقرام لذا شاهته ولم اندم على ذلك ابدا وعندما انتهيت من مشاهدته
رغبت بمشاهدته مره اخرى وقد شاهته بعد شهر ولا ازال ارغب بمشاهدته مره اخرى انه حقا مذهل اعتقد انني بعد مشاهدت هذه الدراما احببت حقا ان بكوه فارق العمر بين الشخصيات الرئيسة كبير لا اعلم حقا ماذا اقول لكن المر يتطلب ٥٠٠ حرف لكتابه هذه المراجعه ولكن انا حقا اعتقد ان هذه الدراما مظلومه من قبل المشاهدات

Read More

Você se sente flutuando

Fazia tempo que eu não dava nota máxima num drama, mas me senti obrigada a fazer isto, pois este título não merece menos do que todas as estrelas disponíveis. É difícil encontrar uma obra que te encante em basicamente todos os aspectos, há sempre algo que pode não agradar muito, pode ser um dos protagonistas, pode ser a pobreza de detalhes, pode ser uma trilha sonora cansativa, mas aqui não há nada disso. Temos o conjunto completo de satisfações.
Vou separar por tópicos pra ficar mais fácil:

---Cinematografia, fotografia:
Parece até que queriam pintar um quadro em forma de drama. Os cenários são maravilhosos, cada quadro parece uma pintura, é lindo de ver. As cartelas de cores usadas são muito lindas, trazem uma sensação de nostalgia e romance. A fotografia é relmente um detalhe que não vai passar despercebido por ninguém, enche nossos olhos e a gente se sente relaxado assistindo. Pra quem acaha que fotografia não importa muito, este drama te deixa nocauteado provando o contrário a todo instante. É magíco.

---Trilha sonora:
Uma das primeiras coisas que chamam a nossa atenção é com certeza a trilha sonora. Atípica, com muitas músicas em inglês,
um gênero musical de chill out em cenas que harmonizam perfeitamente. Há também uma premissa vintage, retrô musical, que se encaixa muito bem em cenas iluminadas pelo sol saudades pelo frescor do mar. Há também algo mais sensual, combinando muito bem com cenas onde há certa tensão sexual entre o casal. Parece que as músicas dançam com a cena, ou é a cena que dança com a música, você nunca saberá porque estará totalmente submerso. É incrível.

---Química entre o casal:
O casal tem muitas diferenças, em idade, estilo de vida, entre outras. Contudo, são duas almas de artistas que se encontram e se harmonizam, se conhecem devagar, se encantam. A construção deles não é muito apressada e nem muito devagar, é no tempo certo. Uma coisa que eu amo de ver, porém é difícil de encontrar, é quando as interações entre o casal são mais sensíveis, mergulhando em camadas, sem se resumir apenas a fatos e superfícies. E é gratificante ver que essa maravilha acontece aqui. Há muitas cenas com trocas de olhares, diálogos pertinentes, tensão sexual. Claro, pessoas maduras agindo com maturidade, até que enfim né? kkkkk. Eu me apaixonei demais por esse casal, tem um monte de cenas lindas entre eles, beijos de verdade, mais intimidade que o de costume (nos dramas). Já é um dos meus preferidos dos dramas.

---Enredo:
Como já mencionei, é tudo no tempo certo. Não será difícil que a gente se sinta ansioso por um fato que deve acontecer, mas após os acontecimentos é que entendemos a necessidade do tempo ter sido diferente. A trama não te deixa confusa, a narrativa é leve e fácil de acompanhar, um enorme potencial para maratona. A história é delicada, floral, calorosa como o verão, fresca como uma brisa, sem negligenciar seu drama necessário, nem dispensar algumas doses de humor.
O final me pareceu algo aberto a interpretações, ou não. Mas, pra variar, foi lindo.

---Atuações e outras personagens:
O destaque é com certeza pra quem mais precisava se destacar né, o casal principal. Eles foram ótimos, o Jerry eu sei que atua muito bem e Xu Ruo Han me surpreendeu. Eu a vi em outro drama e ela foi satisfatória, mas neste drama eu a achei incrível. Além de linda e fofa, sua interpretação foi impécável, a personagem parece que foi feita especialmente para ela.
Falando em personagens secundárias, a mãe da He Ran é um destaque positivo também. Há ao menos umas duas cenas com ela que me deixaram bem emocionada. Com o tempo, você a entende mesmo sem concordar com tudo, e personagens assim são necessárias, é o tipo que eu adoro acompanhar.
O rival do Xiao Han passa longe de ser um rival, zero chances kkkk. Honestamente, ele dividiu meus sentimentos, porque às vezes eu o achava um pé no saco sem noção e sem amor próprio, e outras vezes eu estava com pena e pensando se a He Ran não era muito maldosa com ele. Enfim, ambos tem seus pontos. A relação entre ele e a mocinha é de amigos de infância, e talvez ele tenha desenvolvido uma espécie de dever com relação a ela, de querer fazê-la feliz e de achar que é o homem destinado a isso. Mas não é. A gente aprende com ele que nunca é sobre tempo né, e sim sobre a pessoa ser simplesmente A pessoa.

---Conclusão:
Nem vou me prolongar mais. Apenas assistam. Se você está buscando algo em suma romântico, refrescante, gostosinho, uma vibe um tanto retrô, um colírio para os olhos e bálsamo pra sua ansiedade, este é o drama perfeito. É imersivo. Você se sente numa viagem de férias para algum lugar paradisíaco. Absolutamente recomendável.

Read More