Jerry Yan is one of the most handsome Taiwanese actors and I have watched him in a few dramas. His character here is quite different from the immature-but-funny-and-sweet brats he generally plays. Here, he's a cold, ruthless businessman who does not believe in love or marriage. I liked him here and he definitely stole the show! Wu Tong is really clumsy and at times, really stupid. She's the perfect damsel-in-distress, something that ticked me off a bit. I'm kind of used to strong drama female leads now and characters like her make me want to roll my eyes at them every minute. If I got a penny for every time she fell down, I would be a millionaire. But the woman is plain stubborn. She never got rid of those heels (and how did she afford them anyway since she barely managed to earn her living). But anyways her character wasn't entirely hate-worthy. I mean, she was the sweet, innocent, perfect lead after all. Tong Tong was alright. Nothing compared to Xaio Le obviously (Xaio Le was too classic). Supporting characters were fine. My personal favorite was the special assistant.
The OST was good enough. This was my third Chinese drama (I think) and although these dramas are longer in terms of episodes, they're enjoyable. I could rewatch Jerry Yan's scenes with his child and Wu Tong but the rest I would definitely skip in the second round (if there is one). It's a good drama overall and when it comes down to it, definitely worth the watch.
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Friends, being too forgiving only makes you more attractive to the kinds of men who mistreat women and therefore need to be forgiven a lot.
Content Warning: contains a sexual assault scene while the female lead is unconscious. The assaulter is forgiven instantly and never truly held accountable.
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The saving grace of this drama is definitely the OTP. The two main leads, Jerry Yan and Tong Li Ya, had superb chemistry. They both had outstanding performances in this drama, and I was captivated by their scenes together. Usually in other dramas, the OTP is most important to me; in dramas like this one, however, the child is just as important. Unfortunately, the child actor was very average. He was cute, yes, but nothing about his performance stood at all. His dubbing severely detracted from his performance, and his acting was mediocre. The supporting actors were alright. Nothing particular. Zhong Mou’s(Jerry Yan) assistant was funny, and of course, Jerry Yan himself was just phenomenal. His acting was on point and his crying scenes were just so emotional provoking. I personally didn’t like Wu Tong’s (TongLiYa) character, although her acting was fantastic. She is a strong mother, but she is also such a pushover.
Some of the music didn’t fit with the scenes, especially the english songs played at the club scenes made me cringe. Jerry Yan’s ending song, and Jin Sha’s song, however, were amazing. I loved it.
For me, re-watch value isn’t that high. I would re-watch some scenes between the OTP, but I don’t think I would watch the whole drama again. In the end, I do recommend this drama if you're in the mood for a heavy melodrama. Even with all the ridiculous plots, it still managed to make me tear up in some scenes. If you also care about an amazing OTP, like me, then I recommend watching just for the OTP. 7.5/8.5
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Acting falls short of my expectation. I think both leads did an ok job, but not to the extent to be impressed. I know the female character is trying to portray her deep and touching love for the child, but she acts too hysterical and crazy by constantly worrying and crying at the earlier episodes. I pity her though, because she has to cry a lot for those scenes. Her crying skills is good, but overly excessive which loses its appeal.
I didn't like the slow pacing of the show and they focused quite a lot on side characters (the 2nd male lead, 2nd and 3rd female lead, the male lead's secretary and mother to just name a few..) which wasn't interesting but in fact feels like fillers. I prefer drama that focuses on the leads and properly develop their relationship. The main leads' lovey-dovey scenes were cute and had sufficient chemistry, but sadly, the drama didn't had a lot of this.
Development wise, I can't see how the male lead develop feelings for the female lead. He kind of suddenly transited from "I want nothing to do with her" to "I like you, please be together with me."
In conclusion, with average acting, slow pacing with fillers and poor development of characters, I would give this a 3/10, just for the main couple's chemistry. Otherwise, I don't recommend the 34 episodes.
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For the music, I just love the soundtrack especially the instrumentals and Jerry Yan's Having One of Me as both an ending and an insert song. I may have not heard his beautiful voice in this drama but at least his song was still playing in it ;)
For the rewatch value, I believe that there are only a few dramas worth rewatching since I'm also not a fan of rewatching. However, I'd love to rewatch some scenes because of the emotional impact that they gave me when I watched them for the first time. Overall, I haven't watched so many good C-dramas and I already consider this as one of the few good ones so I recommend this to anyone who's willing to try a good Cdrama. And for Jerry Yan fans like me, you definitely shouldn't miss this!
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LnF was certainly an unexpected find. I loved the story which was heartwarming and addicting. The acting was good and chemistry was great. Especially the love scenes were so natural as compared to korean drama, it shows how a couple should and do act when they discover they are in love.
It was also a pleasant change not to have any evil baddies creating constant friction.
The only negative was the length, wish it was shorter, maybe 20 or so episodes. I loved the first half of the drama more than the latter, especially I hate the writers putting in fillers to keep the drama running for so long.
overall good romantic and addictive. I would definately recommend to watch if your are looking for this genre.
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End, you are not worth the journey...
I actually go back and forth from liking and hating this drama. I feel so bipolar. This is such a guilty pleasure that I want to forget yet once in a while pops in my head to call me for a rewatch.But watching this again now, I definitely unsatisfied with the ending.
First off, the good things:
As many reviews has mentioned has similarity with Autumn Concerto (a drama which is dear to my heart), and in which case yes, the plot narrative is definitely the same.
From the secret pregnancy, then the cute toddler kid, with struggling and loving single mom, and a rich jerk baby daddy who has a pretty sophisticated GF. It is like a carbon copy of plot device from Autumn Concerto. I always liked those secret pregnancy dramas with cutie toddlers. I keep rooting for the babies to experience having a full family and their happy ever after.
Sadly for this drama, the bad things:
The happy-ever-after here feels like a bad case of Stockholm syndrome or abused woman who just cant get away from the abuser.
I mean, the ML is one big BIG jerk, who is characterized as smart yet get easily manipulated. For all his brains and heart, he can easily forgive other people who manipulated him, berated him and used him; but then he turns to bite and distrust the FL pretty fast and deep. I get mad at my screen. The worst part is how he conscientiously separated the mother from her kid. That is just wrong.
I keep waiting and hoping for an alternate universe dramaland, where the FL ends up with a kind man not the ML.
But sadly the SML in this drama is the same type of cruel or way worse than the ML. SML is way into the competition with the ML, he uses, hurts and assaults the FL for his own selfish agenda. He should have spent some time in jail. In the end, all were forgiven.
Then there was the mother-in-law who was horrible as a mother and worse as a grandma and just wrong as a human being. Then there father-in-law, who was as horrible as everyone in his family. they were one big lump questionable and cruel people.
I feel bad for the kid on How he will be raised by these people. He grew up with a kind mom for 5 years but after that he will be raised by these tr*sh people. This family doesn't deserve the FL or her kid. But sadly she doesn't realized it, cause she is a doormat of a character. I mean i get that she has some mental issues and easy to be manipulated, but to have a female lead who is weak just makes me so angry.
i wish there was an alternate ending, with her having enough backbone to Kidnapped her kid and goes somewhere away. Or just file for divorce and use ML's brothers manipulation, ML's mom bitchy attitude, and ML distrust in her as the cause her ultimate distress and demand to get a big fat alimony with sole custody of her kids.
Or this totally needs to be a transmigrating drama. She dies giving birth and she goes back to the time before she gets pregnant with her child and makes a conscious choice not to meet the ML and the SML. They are the bane of her sad experiences.
I could not get over the the narrative which was wrong in so many ways. and the acting isn't even to mention. everyone was all kinds of shallow portrayal.
The journey was one roller-coaster, and the ending still feels like a horror train crash with the zombies eating away the mangled disarray of a plot in this drama...
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This one has the vibe of Autumns Concerto, domineering ML + meek girl formula
I was interested with the show mainly because of JY. Story was your typical domineering CEO and a meek nice girl finding each other again and falling in love.I don't like FL very much though. Either she's a very good actress playing a meek girl or she has really weak acting skills.
Somewhere in the middle of the story, I can already see the head on collision traffic ahead. FL's character is very weak, so I like the domineering ML better even though he's rude most of the time.
Sure I can understand hiding a pregnancy and fighting for custody afterwards. What I don't understand was her keeping close contact with the 2nd ML. It's like courting for disaster..
Also with the final episode, can't the writers just leave them in peace to have their happy ending? I love a happy ending, always. What I don't like is the part where everything was either forgiven or forgotten..
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I would have given this a higher mark if not for some of the pissed off moments I had watching a really naive to the point of being stupid female lead. It was really annoying seeing how many times she did the damsel in distress moments by physically falling down in front of her man. Aside from that, excellant drama, my first China drama, I look forward to seeing more dramas from there now.
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Acting: If I have to say something about acting here I would say only one line, "The actors satisfied their characters." I loved acting. There was no extra drama & the emotions were very well expressed. The actors didn't let the drama to be a drag & I didn't abandon it. Seriously it was good.
Music: There was only OST but it was great!!! <3
Story: Well I just started on the spur & read the plot after watching one episode. The story perfectly depicts the parental love & how a single unthoughtful step in life can change everything. I liked how Wu Tong & Zhong Mou relationship established. It wasn't like love at first sight & here & there & everything's set. But something that took time & they understood each other. They overcome different problems together & alone. I loved that part a lot. It has a unique charm in it!!! The ending was most satisfying.
P.S: It's really worth your time!!
P.S.S: While watching it you'll definitely notice the phone & it's no use complaining. The only person who has phone according to 2014 is Xaing Jun!!! I was like "why are they using those phones!!! why!!"
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I've just finished and I'm livid! Urgh I'm so mad!
To start off with, despite the terrible dubbing and over the top acting, I was really into this story. I liked the plot line. The leads had good chemistry, albeit a slightly toxic relationship, and the progression of the story was good. That all changed in the latter 3rd of the drama. His half brother turns into a cartoonish villain and my new least favorite drama character. Buckle up folks, you're in for a rant!So, the story starts out with FL's child going to the hospital after an accident. The over the top acting was wow, soap operaesque. Then there's the awkward revelation of the child's paternity. Seriously, why was it so awkward? She literally grabs this calm AF man and says you have to save our son because there's this over arching plot of them having a rare blood type (We'll come back to it). He's like wtf lady I don't even know you? Then after learning about the child's paternity ML sues the FL for full custody and wins, while basically calling her a gold digging tramp at every turn. You later find out that after the night they conceived their child, he told her to never speak of their relations that night and never speak to him again and paid her to leave. What right do you have to be angry? She went along with your wishes after you treated her like a prostitute and tossed her out like yesterday's garbage. She kept your child a secret from you because you told her to go away! Yeah, maybe she should've told you in the end but she had no idea how you would react.
So, FL, after losing custody of her child, in her depressed state starts hanging out with her lawyer, male lead's half brother (You don't find this out until much later but I thought it was obvious from the beginning). This man is the world's most awful person who is using her to get back at his brother. ML is in a relationship with an actress and she basically sucks. She broke up with his half brother for him, hence the wanting revenge. ML is a man who said he'd never marry you or have babies with you, why d you want that, you might be scheming and suck but you still deserve love, honestly you'd probably not be scheming or suck if you just actually went out there and found someone who reciprocated your feelings. ML is a real charmer. Anyway ML is jealous of FL's relationship with his brother and starts to realize maybe he has feelings for her. He begins to let her visit her child on occasion and gives up partial custody to her when he realizes how she's not the bad person he initially thought she was and it's also hurting his son that his mom, the woman he's spent every day with and who has raised him since he was born, isn't around. So, male lead, after treating FL like utter garbage, wants to get back together but not before dumping his scheming gf who basically tries to trap him in marriage and even after they break up they still are pretending to be in a relationship. She's really not a problem anymore though, in the grand scheme of things.
ML pursues FL but she (lies and) says she fell out of love with him when he stole her child away from her and was an utter douche canoe, honestly. Snaps for female lead although the delivery could've been more convincing. Then blah blah blah weeks pass, younger brother is fully in love with FL. I like how she never leads him on though and actively pushes him away, only saying I like you as a friend and wouldn't want to lose my best friend when he asks for more. So ML is continuing his pursuit of FL and one thing leads to another the relationship builds a bit before they smash one night at her house and they move in together with their son. IDK, although I liked it I felt like the ML's personality changes a bit too quickly after that night. Unless she has some magical vagina I just don't see it. His mom hates her, treats her horribly. and thinks she's a gold digging whore. Brother is being a prick and is always upset she chose his older brother, the father of her child who she's always been in love with. Stop acting like a toddler you're a grown a** adult! Then ML and FL get married but don't tell anyone, resulting in cuteness and sexy times.
FL tries to help his bio dad, who abandoned him, get the sons to stop fighting and hopefully find his way back into his son's life (ML). This man literally had nothing to do with you for 30 years, if it were me I'd write him off and never see him again, screw him! Honestly, there is such a heart breaking scene of his dad and his brother ignoring him and driving away from him when he was like 8 and came to their house to show his dad his good grades. I couldn't forgive him. (I've never forgiven Alex Rodriguez for promising to come back after showering and sign my 4 year old brother's baseball at a game, when he was in the minor leagues and never doing so, My brother is 33 now and doesn't even remember) Dad also needs a liver transplant and has that special blood type which ML also has (See, I told you we'd come back to it!). Anyway after some more clownery or maybe you'd class it as heartfelt discussion and apologies, he gives his dad a lobe of his liver and forgives him for 30 years of pain and heartbreak after a single conversation. No, sorry, doesn't track for me.
Here is where this show goes off the rails and made me dislike the latter part of the drama. Brother, being the toddler who can't stand that he lost to his brother (Who BTW is much more unfortunate in the grand scheme of things than you) drugs FL and sexually assaults her. Oh and bonus, he also has it photographed. She wakes up in his apartment (fully clothed btw) in a daze not realizing she was possibly raped the night before (BTW they don't make it clear I think we're supposed to think she was just sexually assaulted which honestly not that much better) like wtf???? Anyway the pictures of the "affair" are shown to the ML and he kicks her out. Good riddance girl, you deserve better! But her bans her from seeing her child which is an awful thing to do, although I guess I can understand him doing so, he's hurt but that being said it's not your kid's fault. That makes brother start to feel a tinge of remorse and then he feels a lot more remorse when the FL finds out she's pregnant with ML's child again and has been abandoned all over again! History repeating itself. This still doesn't make the abuser come clean even though she repeatedly begs him to. That man would never rest if it were me I would ruin his life and be there at every turn telling him to come clean, I'd stalk him, he'd never rest, he'd do it to end the incessant torture! Not that at this point I'd want the ML back but I'd deserve to see my child and I'd deserve a clean name! She starts to neglect herself and gets really depressed after ML denies he's the baby's father. Dude, uncool, you know that kid is yours. She and brother get into a car together and while struggling over the wheel because she's hysterical and driving erratically they crash. She's injured and brother is in critical condition and comatose. ML tells her he'll take the fall, they try him for murder which like what, his brother is still alive! Who did he murder exactly? Brother runs into court at the last minute and saves ML from going to jail says it was an accident and that he was also at fault. Wow, thanks for finally doing the right thing months too late!
Then brother comes clean about the pictures and says he drugged the FL and made it look like they were together and he's sorry and ML just forgives him. That man assaulted your pregnant wife! Kill him or do something! This is not a hug it out scenario, that man belongs in jail or he at least should be handed a restraining order because he's clearly obsessed with your wife and has tried to rape her twice before! Anyway female lead has already run away. No one can find her. There are so many moments in this drama where people are lost or run away and they'll spend most of the episode searching for them. It's honestly a problem, go home, read a book, watch a movie, or a better drama than this, stop running away!
Long story short ML finds female lead who, even though it's been like 3 weeks in my estimation, is super preggo! She doesn't want to take him back (Snaps for female lead) but ends up taking him back in the end (Slaps for female lead) because he falls down after chasing her it was very strange and I don't get it. I mean I know she still has feelings for the guy but I think her forgiving him could've been for a different reason. She then forgives the man that sexually assaulted her, a man who she considered her best friend, someone she just wanted to have a better relationship with his brother. He betrayed her trust and took advantage of her. This man assaulted you when you were pregnant with his brother's child. He tried to ruin your life and made you go through your pregnancy alone because he wouldn't admit he did anything wrong. This man belongs in jail but not before you kick him in the cajones, he's obsessed with you get a restraining order, and never speak to him again, he's dead to you. No, she just forgives him. I'm so mad! HOW COULD YOU FORGIVE HIM???????? I'd kill him, but that's just me personally, you do you boo, except don't because you suck and you have no backbone and it's infuriating at this point. Then she has a difficult pregnancy and delivery and you think they are not going to put me through all of this torture only for things to basically be set right (except for judicially) only for her to die in the end! But she's fine and they have a daughter and all is well and good except WHY IS THAT MAN NOT IN PRISON? Why is he around you at all? Why are you taking family photos with him? He's evil! People forgive and forget in this drama way too easily! When I feel there are drama characters I don't like I imagine them in front of a big truck, barreling down the road, about to mow them down, Brother from this series has taken the lead in the queue, he will be casualty number 1 followed by the slimy half brother from Jao Sao Jum Yorm, the creepy chan sister from Guilty, and Secretary Kim's brother in law. They all didn't get adequately punished for their wrong doings and were forgiven too easily. Does this make me a sociopath? I don't mean the actors, they're probably fine people. I mean the fictional characters they play.
So yeah, I only gave it as many stars as I did because the first 30 or so episodes are alright but it was ruined for me. Dear writers how dare you, whoever dubbed this deserves to be put in the stocks, and tone down the acting folks we get it you're sad. stop wallowing in hysterical sorrow on the floor, calm down it'll be ok.
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Loving, Never Forgetting is a very good drama that will stir all kinds of emotions from the viewer. The drama is not perfect, but it is a very good watch. The leading male characters are quite imperfect and wounded human beings and the lead female can be exhaustingly naïve, but they are the reason that the plot keeps viewers watching. This drama brings about how the decisions and grudges of past generations can exert painful memories and feelings in their offspring that can bring disastrous consequences for all people involved. In this drama there are many obstacles and major character growth before the characters can finally find peace within themselves to be able to move on into a happy ending. The leading couple has good chemistry but the leading lady causes a lot of misunderstanding while trying to bring the family together and she became a victim to her own naivety and simple-mindedness. Still, the drama is a good watch if not for some extreme leniency toward the wrong doers. Overall, a nice drama, enjoy it! Was this review helpful to you?
