Love, Obsession and Control: A Thought-provoking Thrill
My final rating for this mini-drama is 8.5, the highest I give to shows in this category. In essence, it's a perfect 10 for a mini-drama. I was blown away by how masterfully it tackled heavy themes like toxic relationships, obsession, and the blurred lines between love and control. The story is dark, intense, and engrossing, with a narrative that's both captivating and thought-provoking. The angst was palpable, and the narrative's unflinching exploration of toxic relationships left me spellbound. Honestly, I've never encountered a story as dark as this in C-drama world.The male lead is a masterclass in toxicity, showcasing a level of manipulation and emotional and physical abuse that's terrifying and it's wild to see how far he'll go. His behavior is a massive red flag, and it's chilling to think that people like him exist in real life. But what sets this show more apart is the female lead's character. I applaud how she refuses to forgive him, even when he tries to guilt trip her into feeling sorry for him. Her determination to avenge herself, unwavering resolve to reclaim her freedom and never back down, even when he saves her life to guilt trip her, is a testament to her strength and resilience.
The acting in this show is top-notch, with performances that are raw, realistic, and immersive. Main leads bring incredible depth to their characters, making it effortless to become fully invested in their stories. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, and their portrayals of complex emotions are both convincing and haunting.
The ending, while slightly watered down from my ideal conclusion, was still satisfying and impactful.
And let's not forget the OST – it's pretty good, perfectly capturing the mood and atmosphere of each scene.
This drama is a must-watch for anyone who's ever wondered what a genuine red flag looks like in a relationship. It's a cautionary tale that vividly illustrates the nightmare of being entangled with someone who's masterfully adept at manipulation and control. Be prepared for a few sleepless nights and a thought-provoking, unsettling experience that will linger long after the credits roll! It's a tough watch, but it's worth it.
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Dark, toxic love with obsessive & abusive male lead
What the hell did I just finish watching, was my first thought as the end credits rolled. This is the darkest and most disturbing cdrama I’ve ever seen. You are not only getting an angsty, toxic love story but a full on psychological thriller.The drama is about the female lead who pretends to be a Princess to avenge her family and the male lead, a Prince who is mysteriously scheming behind the scenes.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
- Love-hate relationship. In fact it’s more of a lovers to enemies trope.
- Beautiful aesthetics and cinematography.
- Strong-willed female lead.
- The epitome of red flag, toxic, obsessive, abusive and pretty much psychotic male lead.
- 1000% angst. Check the trigger warnings below. Nothing is sugar coated here and not many can stomach it.
- Republican era cdrama vibes but in historical style.
- Fantastic acting from the main leads. I watched this for He Xuan Lin and she didn’t disappoint with her fantastic aura on screen.
- Hot kisses (only those that were consensual). The male actor looks like a great kisser.
- Sped up politics/revenge. The focus is on the love story so the actual plot stuff is kind of glossed over.
- A very fitting ending that brought me to tears.
- A big contrast between the first and second half of the drama. After ep 12 the plot turns 180.
OVERALL:
Horrible things happen in this drama and yet it’s written well for the most part. Only the last few episodes felt quite draggy. I loved the aesthetics and the female lead as a character. My big complaint is that I didn’t truly understand why the male lead became so deeply obsessed and toxic with her but who knows, I might have missed that detail. Anyway, to be honest if I knew how dark the story would get, I probably wouldn’t have even started it.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Disturbing scenes of abuse, r*pe and forced kisses.
FAVOURITE QUOTE:
“I hope you never meet someone like me again” by the male lead.
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This review may contain spoilers
A tale of Revenge, Obsession and Hate
Contains minor spoilers.To start this review off I want to say that many people won't enjoy this drama, to the the very toxic male lead who is an awful human being. It's okay to not enjoy those stories, and drop it halfway when things get dark.
Production wise I'd say that Love & Bid Farewell is much better then many standard 24 ep dramas of normal length. The cinematography, sets, styling and music is really great. There are many beautiful shots and I really do love the styling of the actors.
The plot is quite simply. Gu Junyao's family was murdered five years ago and she eventually comes back for revenge disguised as a princess from another country. She approach the seemingly weak seventh prince Yue Jinchen to get revenge and they fall in love. Midway during the drama, when they both have achieved their goals new truths come to light and this is when things get dark. The male lead will do some inexcusable things to the female lead in order to get her to stay.
The acting of the leads is terrific. Gu Junyao goes from a woman seeking revenge and playing a role to a tired and brokenhearted woman who can't escape. He Xuanlin portrays this role beautifully and you can easily see the despair in her eyes in many scenes, and then there are scenes where she shines with joy. Yue Jinchen starts as a wolf in sheeps clothing and once he has enough power his humanity melts away. Yan Zixian plays this character wonderfully, and it's a character that you can love to hate. They both have great chemistry, which makes me look forward to their second project, and their future projects as well.
Gao Ming chen as Zhao Ming portrays a general who has always loved Gu Junyao, and his only wish is to protect her and keep her safe. He does not have that many scenes, but he did a good job with this character. Mo Han portrays Zhao Li, Zhao Mings sister, who is entangled with Yue Jinchen. Her story is also tragic and the actress did a good job too.
This is not a romantic drama, although there are a few romantic scenes. It is a tale of revenge and tragedy and obsession.
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Outstanding
"Love & Bid Farewell” is one of the best mini-dramas of 2024. Even though the year isn’t over yet, I doubt any other drama of this type will surpass it. While the story itself isn’t particularly intriguing, Yan Zi Xian’s performance elevates it to another level. Although He Xuan Lin also delivered a strong performance, Yan Zi Xian truly stole the show.The story revolves around a crown prince who crosses every boundary to seize the throne but ends up falling in love with a girl. The girl teams up with the prince to expose the truth and reveal the villains to the emperor, who is also the crown prince’s father. However, she is unaware that the prince is using her to achieve his own goals. Despite his deceitful intentions, the prince genuinely falls in love with her, hiding his true, ruthless nature. But as the saying goes, falsehoods don’t last forever. When she discovers the truth, she seeks revenge, attempting to kill him multiple times. However, he always manages to survive and keeps her close, driven by his obsession. He breaks all limits for her, but in the end...
Though the male actor portrayed a cruel and selfish crown prince, I found myself sympathizing with him, despite his actions leading to countless deaths. As a viewer, I should have hated him, but somehow he managed to evoke empathy. While the ending was justified, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with it. I can’t quite explain it, but I’m eager to see a second season.
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You can't forcibly cage a bird badly wounded
Have you questioned yourself how you could continue watching it to the end?This story explores on the consequences of love and hate intertwined, the darkness of obsessive possessiveness while evoking sympathy, understanding, and all emotions. Also, the effect of taking things for granted and overestimating oneself.
What has become of the male lead from his desire to have two things within his grasp has led him to a path of destruction to a point of no return. He became the epitome of red flags in a relationship. The female lead could have helped prevented him from totally losing his humanity if he understood and trusted him more; therefore, saving herself from torture and freeing herself after completing her quest for vengeance or having a happy ending with the man she loves. She could have helped get their revenge with lesser damage and burden for both of them but that isn't their story,
It was short but very intense. I like that the fight for the throne and revenge was not the center of the story. But I disliked how long it took for the empress to die. She had an easy death. The story talked more about the main leads' tragic story while pursuing revenge and falling in love
The male lead was wrong for sparing the life of his envious female colleague who he made the female lead's personal maid. He did not clarify the misunderstanding she caused him and the female lead, instead he let the female lead misunderstand and loath him before telling her the truth. It was too late for them to go back because the damage he caused her was beyond repair
I find the ending for the emperor and his lineage pitiful but he had it coming too. The ending for the main leads is the most appropriate. The female lead was prepared for the ending she wanted but was surprised he came knowing that. The male lead chose her over the throne but failed to keep her in the end, the way he wanted it
Saddest lines:
The female lead saying she should have never met him and the male lead wishing her not to meet someone like him in her next life
Music: Contained hints for the story, very appropriate
Favorite lyrics:
Love is like a blade
The thinner, the sharper
The wound I made just inches from my heart
Yet it still couldn't stop my longing
Acting: Yan Zi Xian is superb. He made me love and hate Jin Chen. I hated Jin Chen when he crossed the line ? but I was impressed with Zi Xian's acting,
He Xuan Lin as Gu Jun Yao is also impressive. I felt broken for Jun Yao because of her acting,
Both have chemistry. I hope they work again in a less toxic drama,
⚠️ Warning
It has mature themes, scenes like abuse and coercion. Although sensored, it could be inappropriate and stressful for others,and it's not a drama suitable for all types of viewers
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This review may contain spoilers
Stabs of Love-ly Red Flags (Major spoilers ahead!)
I. The UglyThere is no happy ending. There isn't even an open ending for you to squint your fantasies through. It is, however, a fitting ending. There is also no way of repackaging this: The male lead (ML) is toxic AF and the female lead (FL) is a confusing mix of strong and stupid. Consider yourself warned that this contains emotional and psychological abuse, as well as physical and sexual assault. This drama is about a beautiful woman’s stab-happy antics and a handsome man's (less than creative) methods of abuse.
II. The Good
The drama explores a twist in an overused storyline. There is no sugar coating or random back story which miraculously sanitises the ML's actions-- the actions are toxic through and through. Episode 1 opens with the FL masquerading as the Yueying Princess Yingge, who is gifted to the old emperor to be his concubine in an alliance marriage. We get a glimpse of the ML's background as a sidelined seventh prince, whose mother was also from Yueying. The FL infiltrated the palace to avenge her Gu clan members who were executed for alleged treason. By episode 8 of this 24-episode drama, the ML is appointed Crown Prince and FL successfully cleared the Gu clan's name, defeating the villainous empress and third prince. This, of course, does not bode well because what story will they tell for another 16 episodes? Episode 12 reveals that the Gu clan was collateral damage in the ML's meticulous plan to eliminate his brothers as rivals for the Crown Prince position, with the FL's quest for revenge being part of the plan. The next 12 episodes are filled with dog-blood melodrama, as the FL repeatedly stabs the ML like a pincushion (somehow never managing to end him) and repeatedly failing to escape. The ML grows increasingly obsessed including retarding her kung-fu skills in episode 15, slipping her an enchanted amnesia elixir in episode 16, and executing the 2ML before the FL and sexually assaulting her in episode 19. Finally in episode 24, the ML willingly dies in the FL's arms on their wedding night before the FL sets fire to everything including herself.
The drama dazzles with its visually appealing costumes and the story's rich backdrop. The intricate designs elevate the overall aesthetic. YZX is also easy on the eyes, playing the obsessed ML with the crazy look in his eyes really well. HXL's visuals totally fit the role of the strong, imprisoned FL. Credit should also be given to the soundtrack, which enhanced the emotional depth of the story and perfectly complements the visuals, elevating it from short drama series quality to almost full-length quality.
III. The Bad
Parts of the storyline were unnecessarily repetitive and protracted, e.g., the number of times the FL unsuccessfully stabs the ML (how does she miss!), the repeated and lazy use of the 2FL's role to thwart the ML's plans or complicate the leads' relationship (at least be more creative), and the over extensive use of soliloquy and monologues (no matter how beautiful they are, please, get to the point!). I got bored around episode 18 and started speed-watching the remainder of the drama till the end.
IV. The Verdict
The bosom-heaving, steel-muscled '90s Western romance novels and Chinese costume/period dramas have one thing in common: the romanticisation of abuse. The persistent use of these tropes indicates that they strike a chord with many viewers, secretly evoking a tantalising response. If you can ignore the realities of abuse, then this drama is worth a one-time viewing (though not for repeat watches).
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A whirlpool of mixed emotions and great acting
Upon finishing this series, i have so much mixed feelings about it.. It was such good acting and such elaborate story.. but also such ending! The struggle for power is really cruel ? It's lonely and cold for the weakest, that even the slightest warmth could become an obsession.. However, even the victims can have their flaws, and self pity can turn into selfishness and hurt the loved ones around ?It's really difficult to find dramas that can make you feel all those emotions at once nowadays.
Hats down for the actors and staff for conveying such deep emotions and this great work ?
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Obsessive, Possessive, Toxic, Passionate and Manic!
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25This is probably one of the better acted short-length dramas I’ve seen. Female lead, He Xuan Lin, is an experienced actress and I last saw her in the very popular “Starry Love”. Her character, Gu Jun Yao, has gone through so much in her life that this is such an angsty watch. You can’t help but root for her freedom and happiness.
“Love & Bid Farewell” is a tale of revenge, obsession, love and toxicity. There are many reviews going into the details of the drama, so I won’t go into that. I’ll just write a few quick thoughts of the drama.
1. As mentioned, the acting is great. He Xuan Lin really is the shining star. Apparently, I’ve seen male lead, Yan Zi Xian, in many other dramas before when he had a supporting role. I don’t remember him at all. But I will now for his role as the obsessive and possessive Yue Jin Chen.
2. I appreciate a strong female lead, who once she realized what happened, did not go back at all. She never fell into the trap of romance, no matter how much the male lead tried to entice her.3.
3. It’s amazing how Yue Jin Chen can get stabbed so many times and not die.
4. Great, passionate and forceful yet realistic kisses. Probably one of few C-dramas (mini or full-length ones) where the male lead and the female lead are both going at it and not being shy.
5. I appreciate there’s no evil and annoying secondary leads.
6. For a low budget production, the drama doesn’t feel cheap.
7. There are times I did feel like I wanted to fast forward, as the plot became a little repetitive. 24 episodes at about 20 mins each, might be too long when the plot only revolves about the leads.
8. A great drama for those who want a real red flag ML.
9. The ending is not surprising and you can’t really go any other way. I am glad the drama sticks to its dark theme and didn’t try to please the audience and gives us a different ending.
If you are looking for a toxic romance with an obsessive and possessive red flag male lead, then I strongly recommend this drama for you.
Completed: 10/26/2024 - Review #504
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Reminded me of Goodbye my Princess & Till the End of the Moon.
I finished this drama over night and i am so overcome with emotions it makes my heart hurt .Jin Chen is a ML in the form of a villain. His love for Yao was doomed before it even started because in a world of power hungry politicians and brothers Jin Chen had to become more cunning,vicious and ruthless than them,at the cost of his humanity which he entirely lost the moment Yao decides to leave him.
His words to her:”You are all that i have left ” was said calmly but firmly,indicating for her to understand (and us viewers) how lonely and starved he is of her love. He sometimes reminded me of Tantai Jin,utterly heartbreaking.
Yao is such an admirable heroine stuck in the never ending cycle. Her anguish and grief,her blooming love turned into cool hatred tied to the knowledge (especially at the end) that she would have gladly accepted Jin Chen ’s blinding love if it weren’t for his past involvement. This is indeed the tragedy of Love & Bid Farewell.
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This review may contain spoilers
Note: trigger tags hidden under spoilers.
So, you've come to watch anyone's daughter (female lead) revenge the deaths of her family, clan, and friends. Her badass self, taking no prisoners, while giving no quarter. The target in her life is her former lover (male lead), and his achilles heel is her. He'll do anything to keep her close, and she'll do anything for revenge. And, I mean anything. A push me pull you on an insane path maddening with grief.How many dramas have you watched with this plot line? Where the insanity spiraled out of control with filters off. Or did it fizzle out for the easiest ending; neither bitter, nor sweet. Because the premise was written out of the story. This cast did well, and the leads' story was disquieting as it took us where other daughter-revenge plots have failed to go. I appreciated it for what it was - a dark, unique take.
If you have ever hated-on lackluster general/prince/official/scholar/king's daughter revenge plots - F'xd. Recommended.
Note: trigger tags hidden under spoilers.
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Fantastic Acting Story is Predictable
I would only say watch this just for the actors cause they did incredible with the story they were given but don't watch this if you don't want to watch a very toxic, abusive and obsessive male lead.Yan Zi Xian- This actor was incredible to watch even if he did play a horrible male lead. His intense stares that he did throughout this drama were crazy and I just think he deserves some love after playing this character. It is obvious he is horrible and you will not root for the best for him at all.
He Xuan Lin- She was also amazing in this and loved the way they dressed her in this the costumes were beautiful but I also have to say though I really didn't like the decisions they had her make in this. That is nothing to do with the actress that is her character. Would of definitely loved a different ending for her for sure.
There is so much you really can say on this drama. It is definitely one of those what the heck did I just watch moments.
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This review may contain spoilers
Disturbing, leaving a heavy impact
This miniseries left me with an uneasy feeling. I changed my inner rating thrice before deciding.As I don't like spoilers (don't read further if it's the same for you), I didn't know what to expect and observed that poor 7th prince being bullied, I pitied him, loved his sweet smile ... this is until the moment his true face showed. Man, that was a great plot twist, the change was really well done.
The ML was so abusive, it was almost disturbing. Be it mental or physical abuse, he did it all. He was crazy, taking away everything she had, isolating her completely. And she was so resilient, never giving in.
I loved the acting of the leads, that was a real performance, they did an amazing job.
I really liked this drama but the disturbing part still lingers.
What was frighening was not only the ML, who had no limit to make her stay, it was also the fact that noone helped her, although it was obvious what was going on.
If you can stand a drama with a very toxic, dark red flag, this is for you, don't miss it.
If you struggle with abusive leads, don't even think about this one
For a miniseries it was really great, even though the side characters were nearly nonexistant.
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