Sweet Love Story

Luo Yunxi & Bai Lu - what's not to love?! However, I did not watch this following their last collaboration (which I dropped because of the heavy angst). I love the pairing of these two actors. Their chemistry is off the charts, and they seem like they really enjoy collaborating! I digress.

The storyline was interesting and not so draggy that I got bored. I watched all the scenes with the ML & FL, and with most of the other characters. I felt a mixture of outrage, anger, disappointment, pity, sadness for their stories. I read somewhere that the director wanted the actors to 'overact' and they did even that well. I liked this series very much.

The one character that I did fast-forward through was the best friend, Xu Li. OMG talk about annoying! Silly! Ridiculous! If I had a best friend (or any friend) like her, I'd be a hermit! Her character was the one I liked least of all, and they could have done without. Give that cute Riley Wang's character Li Xiao Chuan a girl with sense! In fairness however, when an actor plays a part well, the audience reacts to that character, so give Xiao Yan kudos for her performance.

I would definitely rewatch this for the moments of comedy, tragedy, and so much sweet romance. The kisses and PDA were definitely worth it!

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Lies, Lies, and More Lies!

The story was interesting and was well told. The writers and director got it right. The actors were superb. You loved the characters, or you hated them - this is the proof of a great performance. The chemistry between the ML & FL was so sweet, and I even liked the chemistry of the second couple too. No loose ends as far as I could see, and everything wrapped up nicely in the end; their story was not rushed or short-changed.

But...

For the first time since I started watching CDramas, I actually hoped the ML's character would get some comeuppance. I really got angry at all the lies he told - and kept on telling. He seemed not to have any conscience about lying, especially to someone he was supposed to love. I found similar fault with SFL's character, whom I found to be singularly annoying! Both characters seemed so dishonest and just flat out lied their way into the hearts of the FL's character and the SML's character. As much as the last couple of episodes tried to give them redemption, I just could not get past how much they both lied so much in the beginning! At one point I kept hoping one (or both) would succumb to a sword or fall off a cliff or something! Anyway, all's well that ends well, and the writers gave them both happy endings.

As it is with any MangoTV production, the English subtitling was terrible. Some of the translations made it impossible to figure out what was happening, what the history or backstory of some events were, and even some explanations that would have made the story make complete sense. Some things were left up to the viewer to try to figure out or decipher... or not know why but just accept that something had happened.

Rewatch? I doubt it with those subtitles - and I don't think I could manage watching the lies fall from those lovely lips another time.

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I Barely Made it Through This One

Right off the bat, I started fast-forwarding through a lot of the FL's scenes. Mousy, picked-on, yes-woman character I get - but this one was over the top. And she just kept on whining and playing the victim. Even her steamy chemistry with that dreamy ML couldn't save her character. And I know better than to blame the actors, who are playing the parts they are given, so the screen writers and the director are guilty.

Wang Xiyi tried to convince Chen Jia Xin that he loved her and that he would do right by her and their baby - but over and over with the guilt trip and the apologizing! And then when her own actions led to her running out in front of a car and losing the baby, she (and just about everyone in her circle) blames Xiyi. The story up to that point had me fast forwarding a lot! So annoying!

However, I managed to finish the series and could only give it a 6 (because I liked the leads). But that being said, I do have to express:

Most Noble character - Dylan (sorry he couldn't get a better ending). Maybe good guys get rewarded somewhere.

Least Favorite character - Jia Xin's mother. Not quite Mommie Dearest, but what a virago!

Most Annoying character - Siqi - hands down!

Very touching in parts, especially dealing with Ximi. But everything else was just too messy and the story arcs could have been developed a little more.

Re-watch? I doubt it. But maybe for the romance factor - there were some good kissing scenes in there.

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Love Wins

I really wish this could have been a full-length drama and not a short-episode series.

I would have loved to see the back stories of our ML & FL - two flawed, broken people who come to know and accept love despite their past. I loved the chemistry between them. I loved that he was the weaker of the two, but he loved her enough to let her go. I loved how no matter how much she denied it at first, she finally let him love her till she was able to love him too.

Their love scenes were tender and sweet, even with the chaste kisses. The cinematography added to the unspoken romantic interactions of the lead couple and was quite appealing and effective.

Loved the interjection of the time traveler and her sweet (well-deserved) ending. Hilarious!

I will definitely watch this one over and over again.

*Update - I had to amend the rating I originally gave this drama because I have come back to rewatch so many times! I hope there will be a Season 2.

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Love & Revenge

A nicely-played drama about love and revenge. The chemistry between the lead couple carried this whole drama. The secondary characters were well played by the supporting actors, and the story came together well (for a mini episode drama). I enjoyed the players so much that I would have loved to see this as a regular length series so that the writers/director could develop the characters a little more.

Best to watch all episodes together, so as not to lose continuity. It was hard to break up the episodes (they are so short), but if you are looking for something short and sweet, this one is surely a contender. I wish they had invested a little more time and depth for the ending and explained some of the relationships a little more, but all's well that end happily - and this one did.

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A Pleasant Surprise

Nothing too complicated about this storyline. A few plot holes and loose ends, but overall, a decent watch. The actors did a fine job in my opinion. When you really like or really despise characters, you know that the actor did his/her job well. In this one, there weren't a lot of characters to despise, but there were quite a few to love. Jeremy Tsui did a great job as usual - his expressions say even more than his words do, and I love that about his acting. He can relay such emotion with one stare that it melts your heart! I'm a big fan of PDA, and this one didn't have too many scenes like that, but the attractions and feelings were portrayed well, and even felt sweet in some scenes.

Can we talk about the familial roles in this one? Finally, there wasn't the heartless emperor or the wicked stepmother/sister/auntie/uncle. The families had their moments but were so much nicer and more unified. I really liked that a lot.

The ending was a little bittersweet for me, I like Karma and got very little of it this time. The couple I liked a lot didn't quite get much but leaves something to your imagination (which doesn't suit me - I want hard facts and gratification). There were a lot of very touching, heartwarming scenes which I appreciated and enjoyed as well. Still, I didn't fast-forward through much of this series which says a lot for me.

A good watch if you're looking for something sweet and simple (and you're a fan of Jeremy Tsui).

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Only Lukewarm

I don't have any rave reviews for this one. The storyline was weak, the plot was full of holes and loose ends; characters who served little or no purpose to the main story and did very little to develop the characters or the overall drama.

The actors did a fair job portraying their characters, and for the most part the chemistry was ok. Just ok. Everyone was believable as friends, but I didn't feel much heat in any of the couples (what couples there were besides the main couple). I loved Chilan's character the most and am sorry her 'pairing' was a non-starter. I'm still trying to figure out the CP/Mu Yan twist. Wen Jun deserved his own happy ending, but I suppose he was born to be noble. The side characters too - Key Yun Cha - so underdeveloped and underutilized. Liu Fu - loyal and protective. Uncle Hu - a potentially loveable character, again, wasted. And what was the real story with Su Jiuer's father!? There wasn't even a hint of a real connection between him and her mother. It just seemed like pieces of a puzzle, thrown together on a big table, but not all of the pieces fit or were even put together.

And the ending! What was that? Where did the villain go? How did Chilan end up fighting in the competition? How did Wen Jun become the Crown Prince? I figured out why Han Zheng lost his powers, but there was no explanation to come to a conclusion. Are we to just guess and figure out a rationale? I'd say that's pretty sloppy work after investing in 36 episodes. But, as I said, the story was sloppily told, and a lot of time was wasted on solving side-story crimes with characters who really never added to the main story - just took up screen time.

OST was pleasant thanks to Liu Yunning. Sadly, no rewatch value for me.

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Much ado about ... not much.

Despite all the rave reviews about this drama, I was underwhelmed and disappointed in the lackluster job that the writers & director did. Certainly, there were moments of comedy and touching moments as well, but the story arcs were not as interesting or as intriguing as I had hoped. I hoped that they would tie up the 40 episodes nicely and neatly, to reward the viewers for their commitment to this series. Unfortunately, they did not deliver.

Can we talk about the actors in this series? They did a great job bringing their characters to life. You loved them, you hated them, you felt sorry for them, you despised them. You were happy with them, in love with them, sad with them, grieved for them. They all did a wonderful job of making their characters real - whether in the Heavenly Realm, The Beast Realm, The Mortal Realm, or (my favourite) the Void. I really can't single out one particular actor - they were all so good. They are the reason for any high rating!

To be honest, if I were to rewatch this drama, I would only be interested in the Void Realm. There were great possibilities there and those characters had depth and potential that sadly was not given enough screentime or attention. It will be interesting to see if there is a second season (the fans would definitely support it), but hopefully the writers/director will do a better job.

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An OK drama to pass the time

I really don't care for these short episode format dramas. This one was not 'stitched together', so there were more opening and closing credits than drama content and that was annoying. If I have to watch a short episode drama, I would have to tough out the awful sound that comes as a result of running the episodes together. Anyway, I digress...

This was an uncomplicated story, and it didn't drag. The episodes were too short to allow that. The editing was awful, as many of the episodes did not run smoothly into one another, so the scenes were choppy. Still able to follow the general plotline, however.

The ML & FL didn't have an awful lot of chemistry, but it was believable, and the directors must have completed this before the nonsensical censorship that has since gripped the film industry. I found the FL to be stiff and almost expressionless in some scenes, but for the most part the characters and the acting were just ok.

I liked the ending, although right up to the end I was prepared for something else.

If you're looking for something light to fill the time, this isn't bad. Would I rewatch? Probably not.

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Enough with stupid FLs

It took long enough for this story to start coming together. It was confusing at first, especially with all these male characters coming out of the woodwork. If you could get past that confusion, the ML was the only constant in the story. I like LHY and was willing to try to stick it out for him. BUT I just couldn't. Sorry, Li Hong Yi!

Let's talk about the FL. I have seen this actress in other dramas before. She plays the same kinds of roles. Dumb. IMO, she's not believable as a kick-ass heroine because she comes across as a silly, giggling, ninny. She wears the same clueless expression on her face and just isn't convincing. So calling her character 'naïve' and 'goodhearted' to suggest why she's so gullible is a stretch! I kept hoping she wouldn't come back from her many 'deaths' - plant or no.

The men! Cang Qi, Cang Nan, Tang Huan, Tang Yang - what a bunch of psychos! One look at FL and they are 'in love' to the point of creepy obsession? Please! Even LHY's character of the ML couldn't save this shipwreck of a story, the stalker arcs, and the awful acting by the FL.

Thankfully I didn't waste much time because of the reviews of a few reputable posters on the MDL website. Those who thought this to be a great story, to each their own. Not for me! I only gave it as many as 4 stars for Li Hong Yi.

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Dreadful writing, despite the actors' efforts

What an abysmal waste of the talented actors in this piece. The fact that I liked so many of them (ML, Sidekick, Father Shen, Kid); despised some of them (SML, Dowager Empress); and was totally disgusted with just one of them (FL) proves that even good acting cannot save a crappy storyline. I don't know what the writer was thinking. And then to reward the slimiest character in the end with no Karma... that was hard to take!

I fast forwarded through entire episodes after around ep. 18. The deceitful SML's perfidy was repeated over and over, and the brainless FL was swallowing every story she could get out of a damn bird! The ML was like a sponge, sucking up all the blame and the betrayal in the name of misguided love. I only watched till the end to see reality hit the FL in the face - but still she kept on being just as delusional as she was throughout.

What a waste of a potentially good drama! You can bet your bottom dollar I wouldn't rewatch this if it was the only series playing. Sorry actors (who tried hard to save the sinking ship)!

Oh! Shout-out to the community on the MDL message board for this drama. Without their spoilers and reviews I would have been so much more frustrated, aggravated, and disappointed. Thanks, y'all!

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Almost a masterpiece

But for the decimation by the censors, I would have given this drama a perfect score. The editing due to the new censorship guidelines bordered on massacre and made the story choppy. That being said, there were no unnecessary sidelines, no petty spats and tantrums. No brainless ninnies (if you don't count the FL's maid). And you could still get the gist of the story even with the obvious chops.

Wang He Di & Chen Yu Qi were great together. Even without the PDA and kissing scenes (which we, the viewers who watch for the romance want more of) their chemistry was evident, and the tenderness they managed to portray, endearing and believable. I was backing them all the way. It was refreshing to see a couple trust and believe in each other, still express doubt, anger, even jealousy, without the silly, immature pouting and mind-games. The supporting characters were awesome too. Even the evil characters were played to perfection. And here, I must single out possibly the best performance of the drama, by Peter Ho. As the fanatical emperor, he was totally hateful and deranged, terribly flawed and pitiable, without conscience or restraint - but still self-doubting and simple-minded at times. He was magnificent!

Some say the ending was rushed, but I think it was satisfying. I would have liked a little more closure for some of the characters, but it didn't ruin the story for me. I'm glad the bad guys got their comeuppance in the end - I'm happier that the lead couple lived happily ever after - but I still have lingering questions about some of the other characters I liked and got attached to. Oh well, guess you can't have everything!

This one is a definite re-watch.

Oh, and one more thing... Wang He Di's fight scenes. I'm not big on the technicality of action scenes, but boy! was he a thing of beauty to watch in some of those sequences. Truth be told, he's a thing of beauty no matter what he's doing, but... those fight scenes! Wow! This young man has a bright future ahead of him.

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A good way to reel us in

OK - I took the bait. I enjoyed this first season (not knowing it was a Season 1) but I got to know the leads and their backgrounds, enough to be interested. Hopefully Season 2 will be equally interesting and then I will be invested!

I like the ML a lot - and the FL too. No simpering miss, this one, and she fell hard and fast for her man and wasn't afraid to show it, and to sacrifice all for him. But he loved her too - too much to risk her life. Just a sweet chemistry. The jury is still out regarding her 'sister' and his second-in-command... but they could develop into a couple as well.

The villain is your typical villain, and I would like to see him get his Karma in the Second season. So, on we go - and hope for more of the same quality in both story and acting. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long.

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After the hype, I was underwhelmed

I have heard about this series since I started watching CDramas about 3 years ago. I tried twice, and this time got farther than 2 or 3 episodes and managed to watch the entire series. I like these long dramas - you can get invested in the characters, and be immersed in the story which has time to explore many arcs and aspects. The story itself was interesting enough for me to keep watching till the end. It was hard for me to keep track of the characters (who were not main characters) but whose story arcs got thrown in for some reason or another. Brother this one, cousin that one, fourth, second, eighth, you get my drift... that was a bit confusing at times. Then the little plot holes that had people coming in and out for no apparent purpose, and then left us wondering what happened to them in the end (especially when they deserved some comeuppance).

I really gave the drama a chance because I had just watched FSF in Shining Just for You - and I liked him in that one, and I liked him in this one too. His character took a little getting used to, but he played it well. He (and so many of the other actors) played their roles so well that you liked the ones you liked and despised the villains. I found myself yelling at the screen when characters like Minglan's father and stepmother were on - and Gu Tingyu's stepmother (probably the most evil character in this). Some characters could have been developed a little more - and a little more attention to other relationships would have been better than the boring court/minister scenes and the battle/war scenes. A lot of time was wasted on the concubine's fawning on Father Sheng - and his stupid obsession with the family reputation. Same with his wife's obsession with petty revenge and spite. Still, it made for emotional watching - even if that emotion was disgust and frustration.

The chemistry between the ML & FL lead was obviously there given their real-life situation (which sadly ended). But I have never been a big fan of Zhao LiYing. She did a much better job in showing her emotions in this one, but she's just not high on my list of actors (apologies to ZLY fans). I loved the characters Grandma Sheng and Nanny Chang. Loved Shitou and Chang Bai.

It was hard to digest the conditions that women endured in that era - always hard to watch because these roles are based on historical facts. But I know that these are stories, not real life. Still makes for a lot of mixed reactions.

I enjoyed the series. Hope for another long drama soon. However, wouldn't re-watch this. After a while I was fast-forwarding through some of the scenes which I thought were repetitious and unnecessary, or when a character came on who I didn't know or recognize - but realized had a side-story that really wasn't important to the main story.

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Had all the makings of a good series and then the sub-titling ruined it!

The storyline was interesting - although there were a few holes in the plot, story arcs that could have done with a little more development and closure - but overall, there were very few draggy points, and I didn't have to fast-forward through very much.

The chemistry between the lead couples was believable and I found myself rooting for the second couple even more that the main couple, just because I liked their story better. The villains were really evil, and all I wanted was decent Karma for them (which I guess we got, albeit a bit rushed in the end) They could have spread the wrapping up of all the stories over the last two episodes.

I really want to recommend this drama, however if you don't speak or read fluent Chinese and rely on English sub-titles, be warned. This is a MangoTV production, and this company is known for its lousy (and I mean supremely AWFUL) subtitling. I have seen complaints in every review and discussion group I looked at for alternative platforms to watch this drama at, but there were none. A lot of the story was lost on me (thankfully the actors' expressions, actions, and interactions made it possible to guess a lot of what was happening especially when there were backstories or explanations happening).

Re-watch? Only if there is different subtitling. Otherwise, I would just be repeating the frustration I had with this one. It's a real pity, because the story isn't bad, and the characters were interesting as well.

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