A worthwhile watch!
Leave behind your judgements for a while and give this series a chance. It is not what you think whatsoever!Zhang Yi Xiang is a 17 going on 18 year old high school student who is known to be a bit of a spoilt brat. Xie Shu Fen is his mother and a helicopter parent. She is also the chairwoman of their school and thus a very influential person when it comes to the school's decision making and manages to get her son out of trouble every time. Chen Meng Yun is her son's teacher and a new hire. Yi Xiang takes a sudden interest for his teacher and creates problems for her by crossing the line however she discovers that he is acting out at school mainly because of his overbearing mother and is actually helpful towards his peers.
There is a lot to love about this drama. Although it appears like an inappropriate relationship, it is not because of the teacher's direct actions. There are a lot of unexpected plot twists and a whole mystery subplot that makes this series a brilliant and exciting watch. The series also deals with relationships of children with their parents and the stress of parents in trying to help their children do their best.
The show has a decent pace that keeps you engaged. Each actor did a wonderful job at portraying their characters. The chemistry between the actors is good too.
One of the best aspects is the ending. Things are not always as they seem.
I hope that more viewers are able to give Lesson In Love a try and you might just discover something unique.
Was this review helpful to you?
This is not what you think it is!
This drama is not what you think it is. Is it a taboo romance between a student and teacher that, if real, would be unacceptable in every possible way? Absolutely yes. But, again, this drama is not what you think it is.In the first 5 eps, we are set up to believe that the story is nothing more than an icky romance. In episode 6, your jaw will drop, as the plot takes a total twist and the story becomes so much more. This story is part thriller, mystery, and melodrama.
The main leads have sizzling chemistry and both are sympathetic characters. At first, the ML is beyond insufferable, but if you give it a couple episodes, you'll see a big transformation in his behavior.
This is a series where the second half is way better than the first half. Don't stop after the first episode.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Lesson in Love ... plot twists and karmic connections ... don't be fooled by face value
This series is a wild water ride of tragedy, plot twists, karmic connections and misdirection. It starts slow but keep watching as it will take you on a ride that you least expected.For me, this was 🌟 EPIC 🌟 storytelling. Don't be mistaken thinking this was a story of a sordid little affair between teacher and student ... there is far more to the story than the description lets on ... the plot is a complex one, the psychology runs deep across multiple characters and yet it flows seamlessly ... it takes you very slowly at first and then before you know it, around half-way, you hit dramatic 'white water' and then things get really rough ... there are twists and turns and hidden rocks below ... what you thought the story was about ... is not what the story is about.
Your emotions are going to get a beating, but at the very end of that intense 'white water' ride of a drama ... the waters suddenly slowed to a gently flow ... at last you could 'float'. I had tears at the end as well, but these tears were of a different kind.
"Lesson in Love" ... yes it was ... and it was a lesson for many of the main characters in this series ... including the viewer watching it. It is a series about people, their pain, their loves, their hidden stories and drivers ... it is a story about unexpected degrees of separation between everyone ... it is the story about the 'face' value of someone's life and actions and the fact that people are definitely not always what they seem to be and because of their hidden lives and/or because of their failure to communicate, it is all too easy to jump to conclusions and 'see' someone's life and what they do to be something that it is not and "kill" them for it.
I have two MVPs in this series. The first is the ML Zhang Yi Xiang ... he is a character that runs deep and is far more that his public face value ... he is so he is 'pure' even when the whole world is against him. I admire that kind of integrity and tenaciousness ... age is not necessarily an indicator for these attributes. Edward Chen did a stellar job with that character.
My next MVP is Yi Xiang's Pa ... not only was he a hot Daddy, but he was just gold in how he respected his son's self determination and saw through the game plays of people around him. I so agreed with him when he said: "if you are not hurting anyone, why would I oppose it." Û¹(^á´—^)Û¶
AWESOME series ... I am glad I watched to the end ... I am glad it was not what I thought it would be when I started watching it. It was brilliantly acted, the script was amazing ... nothing was irrelevant at all ... the art of misdirection was superb ... WOW what a ride ... and best of all a HE ...۹(♡´◡`♡)۶
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
advised trigger; teacher and student relationship
"Lesson in Love" could have delved a lot deeper into the backstory. The first six episodes set viewers up for a completely different tale, one that should have gone much darker than it did. One where a compromise of tag-principals, might have been warranted. The student and teacher relationship was still what it was, even without the manipulation of timed events. The implication was the same. Instead of playing with that tag, as later flashback reveals. If the writer had clarified those in advance, it would have made both leads' choices acceptable in the end. The writer did cover certain aspects of past facts; playing on similarities and comparisons to tie up loose ends. But, that liaison was an adult college student and a married professor, and not an underage teen. "Lesson in Love" falls short of what it needed to be to convince me the topic deserved to be covered. I would say an average watch that didn't deliver on its promises in the end.Was this review helpful to you?
More Than What You Think
First A Warning. This drama contains a fair amount of triggering/sensitive content (other than just the student-teacher relationship.) It can be incredibly cringy at times but if you can get past the cringy-ness then this drama can be quite the entertaining ride. Shocking and cringey but entertaining.It's a bit difficult to write a review about this drama without giving away any spoilers because the description would have you believe this drama is just about a teacher and her student and their taboo relationship but there’s really a lot more to this drama that is revealed as the story progresses. There's bullying, revenge, scandal, past secrets, deception, and obsession/stalking, and not all from people you would normally suspect.
If you were to drop this drama in the first few episodes you would completely miss out on so much more story. There are many moving parts and storylines that trickle out all the way until the last episode. While the first couple of episodes seem a bit ridiculous in terms of how the ML acts towards the FL and how the FL reacts to him, about halfway through this drama things take a big turn.
I was not expecting so many little twists and turns. At times I was thoroughly shocked but no matter what was happening I could not stop watching and I'm glad I didn't because things really weren't always what they seemed to be. It's been a long time since I've been so surprised and entertained.
The romance was okay. It wasn't x-rated by any means. There were some very satisfying kisses.
As for the acting, I've seen Tiffany Hsu's acting before. She's a good actress and her performance here is very good even though her character had to be quite cold and somewhat stoic. There are reasons she acts the way she does. I didn't quite understand why her character didn't react the way I would think she would but again, there's more to her character's story...
The acting by Edward Chen wound up being very good. I found him so annoying as a teenage spoiled brat. At first, I didn't like him at all, but then I realized that a teen boy can be like that. Annoying, obnoxious, and immature. Sometimes he may have overacted but that was mainly in the beginning and sort of phased out as the story played out.
If you're looking for a story that has some unexpected turns then this is a story for you. There is a cringe factor here but I think it was all worth it. Overall, this drama is quite a wild ride.
I doubt I would rewatch this drama again because the shock value is gone but I definitely enjoy watching.
Would Recommend
Would Not Re-watch
Was this review helpful to you?
Nothing is what you think it is.
If you're triggered by student/teacher relationships then this isn't the show for you, but you'll be missing some pretty epic storytelling if you pass on it. The first few episodes are setting up character personalities and a lot of watchers take these episodes at face value. The teacher seems like an emotionless robot, the student seems like a juvenile bully, the mother seems like an emotionally abusive tyrant. But as the story peels back its layers you will be pleasantly surprised by the emotional depth of each character, how their pasts effect their futures, and how personal growth can change relationships.The ML is particularly spectacular to watch. His acting is nuanced and his performance is completely believable. His small mannerisms at the beginning SCREAM "I'm a 17 year old boy" - slouched shoulders, hands in his pockets, kicking pebbles as he walks, opening and closing doors with his feet, and rebelling in all ways possible. As he starts to develop more adult feelings and begins his emotional journey his mannerisms become about where his eyes linger and quickly dart away, jealous glances, longing looks, mirroring the adults around him, and the changes he makes to become a better person. The transition from boy to man is slow and volatile, but believable because of the attention to detail from the actor and writers. The chemistry between the leads is also incredibly natural and fiery hot.
At 12 episodes long, this was just the right amount of time to say what needed to be said. Any longer and it would get draggy, any shorter and it would feel like it was missing something. Don't be afraid to invest your time in this show if you appreciate a well-planned mystery with romance, friendship, distrust, and emotional growth.
Was this review helpful to you?
So amazing and intense love
If you love watching shows with intense love from the ml to fl this is for you. I know that its a teacher student relationship but its so good. This had me feeling hot.The ml killed this role. His eyes carry so many emotions. His love for the fl was beautiful. I loved his schoolboy love turned to a mature relationship. This is probably the best cdrama that i have watched. I really hope i can find more shows like this because this was amazing. I cant even think straight to put into words how great everything in this drama was. I watch 8 episodes in 1 seating and the other 4 the next day. Stayed up ubtil 4am just to watch this show.
Was this review helpful to you?
WOW
Shocked with episode 6. Never expecting this. Was so shocked had to go get 2 shots of Soju. Actors are great. Sad at times because I can relate to being in love at a young age. Being young, adults think you can't fall in love. First loves are a real thing and really hard to get over even years later. Trying to figure out what the outcome of this series will be. Didn't think it would pull me in as much as it has. Unfortunately, like many series money talks and can be the root of all evil. Always sad to see a series where the nasty people always seem to be the rich.Was this review helpful to you?
Thought i'm open minded when it comes to relationships but this really tested me!
Likes
1. The drama was addicting because the topic is taboo and there were a lot of twists along the way. The first 6 eps weren't easy to watch and I wasnt sure why I was still watching. Ep 7-9 made me feel uneasy coz i thought although it's not a crime to fall in love, it felt too inappropriate for the teacher to fall in love with a hs student. Couldnt they have waited until he graduated before they started anything? Ep 10-12 added a stalker storyline to already stressful events.
2. It's tough to like the couple, Mengyun and Yixiang given the circumstances. But i admire them for fighting for what they want. I also didnt feel any passion in all their steamy scenes because I look at the guy and all I see is him wearing his hs uniform in every scene, reminding us that he is still a boy. But his father telling his son that he was ok with the relationship also made me think.
3. I really hated the mom at the start but in the end, i liked her even more than the FL. She had the most growth in the drama. Still doesnt excuse all the bad things she did and i understood she tried to protect her son from an adult trying to get her revenge and hurt her son.
Dislikes
1. The way Mengyun was written. From the start her decisions and actions have been terrible. We dont always know what she is thinking or feeling because she has one expression. What did she like about Yixiang? I really cant imagine, but hey she seems happy so be it. But she should have resigned even before it became public because it was really unethical.
2. The whole stalker thing was unnecessary and obvious but they didnt figure it out because they were too busy with themselves. Also i didnt like that the ending was written in a way that they're forced to forgive or sweep everything under the rug after the stalker. I think without it, the mom would still be fighting with her son and Mengyun, which I think is more realistic than showing all is well after 6 years.
Rating: 7.5/10
Was this review helpful to you?
Disturbing yet oddly entertaining
This lesson in tabus is most probably not a drama that will make you swoon or fall in love with pretty much any of it´s characters. Even if you are like me who has a soft spot for bad-boys gone devoted (obsessed) and soft. As it is there constantly offering disturbing twists some more predictable than others yet indeed very disturbing in so many ways.It also offers a bunch of issues done wrong oh so wrong and has me questioning the writers motives for this drama.
That said I was entertained, the story did surprise me more than once as well as made me reach for that next episode button so all in all a decent watch. Just prepare yourself to feel uncomfortable. Or at least I did
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Love & Obsession
Actually, there are two different dramas in one here. And they do no mix well! I wanted so much to drop this but I kept watching since it had turned into a hate watch after 3 episode only to become more interesting in last two episodes.The first story is a usual student/teacher forbidden romance. It was bad! Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against this theme in a drama if it is done correctly. Unfortunately everything was wrong about it here starting with the cast of the main roles: both actors are too old and it is very much obvious so the story is not convincing. They are supposed to be 17 & 27 but the actors are both 10 years older and it is jarring. The only credible moment these two had were the very last couple of minutes of the drama! Another jarring point in this love story was the teacher's behaviour. Why is it that when women fall in love in dramas they completely lose every brain function and become lovelorn idiots making one wrong decision after another until the hell breaks loose? The student was behaving his age; a hormones raging teen who first jumps and then looks! I was really annoyed with the love story more so since the couple had no chemistry to speak of! For a long time I was convinced that the teacher was fooling with the kid to take revenge on his mother who ruined the teacher's family long ago! No such luck! I kept wishing they would not end up together. No such luck!
I almost dropped it but the second story was much more compelling...
The second story is a crime story. The couple is being talked and bullied on the internet with growing violence. One of the suspects is the student's mother. Her character is very interesting. As the story progresses and we find out more about her life, she becomes more and more human and likable. At the start of the show she's just that tiger mom, controlling and fierce. We find out the reasons for her behaviour and suddenly our appreciation of her changes completely. Really, she is the best character in this drama and actually makes it worth the watch.
The rest of the characters are not worth the mention. They are there just to be a soundboard for the three main ones.
This drama does nor know if it wants to ba a romance or a crime drama and that is bad. The romance part is extremely badly written: the kid is a brat playing cruel pranks on the teacher who falls in love with him instead of punishing him? What?!?!? The stalking crime part was much better structured and the final search was suspenseful as they managed to keep the mystery until the very end!
Was this review helpful to you?
Turn off your brain
my first ever review.what i like:
1. chemistry
2. the way the scenes were shot and how it shows on screen
3. some decent acting
4. the overflowing emotions
5. interesting makjang
6. not boring
7. imperfect characters. morally grey, morally red. red flag. green flag. Mysterious character (xia yuxin), annoying character (the mom).
8. the pace, the amount of eps, and duration of each eps
what i dislike:
1. some of the logic and reasoning (i just ignore it, bcos I don't treat this as an educational material, just a pure entertainment drama).
2. sometimes ekkkk acting
overall a 8.5/10. it's definitely not perfect in any way. so many questionable morals, but heck as a makjang and rom, it is entertaining. ok that's it :)
Was this review helpful to you?
