This review may contain spoilers
Not as mind-blowing as the hype, but still a solid and enjoyable drama
I went in with very high expectations because of all the hype surrounding this drama, but after finishing it I felt rather indifferent. It wasn’t bad at all — it was good — but I just expected more.
The first half was strong and engaging. The female lead and her mother move into the male lead’s house. I really loved the childhood portion; both child actors performed excellently. It’s a shame that the childhood arc was so short. The teenage years were still enjoyable, but once they separated, reunited, and entered their working lives, the story became messy. Many episodes felt empty or unnecessarily drawn out. The drama really didn’t need 32 episodes. The early episodes focused heavily on drama, while the later ones shifted into a more generic romance mixed with investigation and office elements. Several plot points were set up but never explained — for example, the scene where Tu Li meets Cen Ye. Why did that happen? If it had no connection, why include it? That said, the acting and chemistry between Song Weilong and Zhang Jingyi were outstanding. He Ruixian also performed well — she was cute and stood out — but her role felt underdeveloped and underused. The depiction of the 1990s was detailed and very realistic. The cinematography was beautiful, and the soundtrack perfectly matched the tone of the story.
Overall, A well-made drama with a strong and engaging first half, outstanding chemistry between Song Weilong and Zhang Jingyi, and a beautifully detailed 1990s atmosphere. While the later episodes become a bit messy and stretched, and some plot points remain unresolved, the overall experience is still enjoyable. The excellent performances and production values make it worth watching despite not fully living up to the initial hype.
The first half was strong and engaging. The female lead and her mother move into the male lead’s house. I really loved the childhood portion; both child actors performed excellently. It’s a shame that the childhood arc was so short. The teenage years were still enjoyable, but once they separated, reunited, and entered their working lives, the story became messy. Many episodes felt empty or unnecessarily drawn out. The drama really didn’t need 32 episodes. The early episodes focused heavily on drama, while the later ones shifted into a more generic romance mixed with investigation and office elements. Several plot points were set up but never explained — for example, the scene where Tu Li meets Cen Ye. Why did that happen? If it had no connection, why include it? That said, the acting and chemistry between Song Weilong and Zhang Jingyi were outstanding. He Ruixian also performed well — she was cute and stood out — but her role felt underdeveloped and underused. The depiction of the 1990s was detailed and very realistic. The cinematography was beautiful, and the soundtrack perfectly matched the tone of the story.
Overall, A well-made drama with a strong and engaging first half, outstanding chemistry between Song Weilong and Zhang Jingyi, and a beautifully detailed 1990s atmosphere. While the later episodes become a bit messy and stretched, and some plot points remain unresolved, the overall experience is still enjoyable. The excellent performances and production values make it worth watching despite not fully living up to the initial hype.
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