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Dounie
孤单 - 冬天的沙子 ♥/ Feel down
This review may contain spoilers
That's the embodiment of sweetness and warmth.
I guess the only way to let go of this drama is to write a review about it because otherwise I wouldn't be able to move on and start something else, not that it's a bad thing but I'm really too much in love with ARRTI at the moment. Honestly it's been 3 years I haven't written a single review so I can tell you that to come back and write one today is such a big achievement and only proves to me how much attached, in love and invested I was with the story, its characters and everything else.I wanna start by saying that what got me interested in the drama is the 90s setting, I'm a real sucker for that time period especially in school dramas so when I read it was mostly set in 1997/1999 which is the case for most of the drama (if I remember correctly we move to the second millenium around ep 24 so I was completely satisfied because in most school dramas only 1 quarter of the drama takes place in the late 90s which is so frustrating. And to be honest I think that the 90s settings, props and decors were realistically depicted, from the fashion to the culture (music, movies ...) and the technology of that time, it was as I remember them from my childhood days. And to me that matters a lot because if I feel like it's not well represented it would have lessened my interest and love for the drama so really a big thumb up to the production behind this unforgettable and wonderful drama.
It'll be hard to express my thoughts into words and what truly made me fall in love with ARRTI but all throughout my watching journey I was comparing it to "When We Were Young" (2018) and thought it would never surpass that drama which was my fave chinese school drama until I finished " A River Run Through It" however my heart just loves ARRTI so unconditionally which made me realise how stuck and in love I am with it, I can now say proudly that it's the best Youth drama I've ever watched and definitely in my top of 2021, that's how well written and breathtaking it is.
The reason why I'm so emotionally invested is because this drama made feel utterly and completely happy while I was having a difficult time, it made me forget about my harsh reality and brought me happy tears, smiles and laughters for about 30 hours, and for a drama to make me feel that way it can only be a good one in my standards. It's rare going through such feelings during your watching experience, it's something to cherish from the bottom of your heart and that's why I felt the need right now to write about it and tell how awesome, heartwarming and stimulating this show is because it can definitely brighten up someone's day like it did for me. I'm so grateful toward the actors, the production and everyone behind the success of this drama because it made my viewing experience so much more meaningful.
Regarding the story, I don't have much to say, I've seen similar shows like this one and I know that it will either be a hit or a miss but this time what made it a success for me is:
*The realistic portrayal of the characters and how natural they were with each other.
*The relatable relationship between the main characters and their parents, I particularly love the squabbles between Shi Yi and his father, I encountered similar things when I was younger with my mum who was often chasing after my siblings and I with a broom in a serious but still in a funny way. Not to forget XiaoJu's issues with her mother regarding her mum's preference for her brother over her, it was so realistically portrayed that it hurts.
*The authentic settings, I absolutely love their neighborhood, it looks so 90s and so real, everyone knows each other and helps each other, it brings so much nostalgia.
* The beautiful and convincing friendship between all of them: Shi Yi, Xiao Ju, Le Tao, Bao Bao, Cheng Lang, Lin You and Huang Jun. They're all good and wonderful in their own way.
* The Music, the songs and the bgms I particularly love Datu/XiaoJu's song " Do you Know I'm waiting for you?" which is so touching and beautiful, same with Huang Jun/Le Tao's song. And not to forget that bgm with those weird sound effetcs with that bleating sheep sound, it cracked me up for real :p.
And now the most important part for me and what got me truly addicted and obsessed: the friendship between Lu Shiyi and Xia Xiaoju. They were definitely the highlight of the drama for me, it's true Shiyi is my fave character of the drama and he's the one who made it even more special in my eyes but his relationship with Xiaoju was just so beautiful and inspiring to watch, a lot to learn from them both: their interactions, their understanding of each other, their care and unconditional love for each other was just portrayed in such a way that you can only believe it's true. Shiyi did a lot for XiaoJu, he was always there for her in her saddest and most painful time but Xiaoju was always there for him helping him and comforting him when he needed it the most. They just complement each other so well, Shiyi is naughty, playful, funny, positive and caring and Xiaoju is calm, serious a little bit pessimistic yet very cute and supportive of her friends.
{SPOILERS] If I were to mention about the things I didn't like, I would say sometimes it looks a little bit cliché but afterall it's a school drama, to this day I haven't found one where I told myself "yeah that's how it was during my high shcool days" but maybe because In western countries the education is different from what it is in Asian countries, I don't know.
Of course the last few episodes were a little bit disappointing but I've seen so many more Chinese dramas with frustrating ending with annoying decisions taken by the leads that I didn't feel bothered it by certain turn of events.
Also though I really like Le Tao with Xiaoju and the others I didn't like how she hit Huang Jun no matter how wrong he might have been toward her, it's something that truly bothered me, it's a tendency that she had all throughout the drama with guys. {END OF SPOILERS]
I guess when I feel bored I'll come back to this drama as it not only brought me happiness, laughters and inspiration but also beautiful and positive messages about life and its ups and downs and that with effort and confidence we can achieve whatever we want to. I really loved seeing all of them evolving into mature, strong and independent persons who didn't give up after one failure.
And obviously I would recommend to watch this drama for all those who are looking for a realistic story with genuine and touching characters that will grow on you and make you feel immensely happy and crazy. Last but not the least the best character of the year definitely goes to Shiyi, I can't count how many times I replayed his crazy and funny scenes while he was playing with Xiaoju's nerves but my it was so hilarious and heartening ♥♥
I'll remember A River Runs Through it for all the sweetness I got from it ♥.
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The beautiful and inspiring 90s.
That was my first drama of 2019 and I think I made the right choice, it was absolutely refreshing and sweet <3.After hearing only positive things about When We Were Young I thought it was an overrated drama and that I won't like it as much as others did but it was the exact opposite , I just loved it and would definitely recommend it to all those who want to reminisce about their high school days or simply about their youth. And despite having prejudices against this drama before starting it what made me want to venture into it was the 90s setting being myself born in the early 90s and a huge fan of that time period, I just couldn't miss that one no matter how prejudiced I was before starting it (I know it's bad). Yes, I think this drama totally deserves all the positive critics it received.
To be honest after I watched the first few episodes I was quite impressed, I immediately fell in love with the whole group of friends and particularly with Hua Biao. Their friendship and the overall drama seemed so authentic and beautiful that I was actually really happy I chose this one as my first of 2019.
Firstly I would love to mention about the friendship in this drama because this is what I loved the most, and it was so powerful that I could feel it was real.
-Hua Biao, Yang Xi, Si Tu Er Tiao, Li Yu, Yang Xiao He Mei. A little mention for Huang Deng Deng.
I'm a sucker for friendship dramas and I generally always enjoy them but in this drama it was even more special (for me) because those 5 persons are such genereous, kindhearted persons, doing things not expecting anything in return, I have so many examples but that would be pointless mentioning them. I just can't tell how many times Hua Biao did something for Yang Xi and the others without even telling them, same goes for Si Tu Er Tiao who is such an adorable and selfless boy, Huang Deng Deng all what she did for Li Yu and so on. So yeah I really fell in love with them because there's a meaning behind each of their action even though at first we might not understand why they are behaving in such a way.
And now Hua Biao who left the biggest impression on me. I have to say that I had a real crush for Hua Biao's character, he's a pure GEM and his smile aaaaw <3. All the characters are adorable and selfless but Hua Biao he's on another level in my opinion. He's a friend you can depend on and who will never let you down, he's having a difficult time taking care of his sick grandmother but if you need him for something he would never refuse helping his friends and other acquaintances. He would always find a way to make others happy . Well I could say more but I will stop here.
As for the female lead I really liked her too though she's kind of impulsive but she's a really caring and lovely girl. And I really enjoyed her interactions with Hua Biao and her brother.
Lastly I need to mention about the 90s setting and the realism of the drama. I found the story quite realistic especially the way the characters are portrayed in the drama. I really could see myself in all of them, the way they interact with their family, friends and teachers, and aaaah the scenes between Yang Xi and her brother are really funny and realistic. What I loved the most about the 90s though it was the apparition of videos games and such, teens knew how to have fun like we can see in ''When We Were Young'' :
-Reading books, we could seen them reading some famous wuxia novels like ''Legend of Condor Heroes and The Return of the Condor Heroes'' etc, and they were so happy talking about their fave characters of the books.
-Going to the theater with friends, watching famous movies of that time.
-Spending time in each others' houses, when Hua Biao and Li Yu went to Yang Xi's house and or Yang Xi, Si Tu Er Tiao and others were gathering in Hua Biao's rooftop.
this is what I remember about the 90s and why those years are so special to me though I was still a kid. That's also probably why this drama resonated so much with me.
Oh and about realism, I really loved the ending, I found it realistic and very satisfying. I couldn't imagine another ending if you were to ask me.
In conclusion, I really recommend this drama for all those who are looking for a heartwarming and lighthearted drama because that's what it was for me.
*I gave an 8,5 rating because I truly enjoyed the drama and felt so much emotion while following, Yang Xi, Hua Biao, Si tu Er Tiao, Li Yu and the others's adventures and it reminded me how valuable my high school years were and how much I love that time. I couldn't give more for some personal reasons but all I can say is that it was the best school drama I watched from China and I want to watch more dramas like this one ;).
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This drama deals with serious matters such as divorce, remarriage, single parenthood, family problems and so on, however everything is told in a really peaceful way and it's what makes this drama so interesting and appealing in my opinion, I kept thinking and questioning myself about all those issues that are generally hard to talk about and more importantly to handle. I always appreciate when a drama doesn't only give me entertainment but also intellectual nourishments.
Obviously what truly made me love this drama was the deep and powerful friendship between Luo Zi Jun and Tang Jing and also the growth of characters and they all evolved either from bad to good or good to bad, it was truly convicing and realistic.
Regarding Zi Jun/Tang Jing's friendship, I absolutely loved their poised, calm and mature personalities, they truly complement each other, Tang Jing is more emotive and full of pride while Zi Jun is more calm and strict but when they're together, they look so happy, jovial and relaxed. I have to say that Tang Jing left a big impression on me, she's such a true, selfless and sincere friend and she would absolutely do anything for her friend in need, she doesn't care about what others may think , she just does what she thinks is the best for Zi Jun, and always helps her even when she's extremely busy, that's how good she is. Their friendship to me feels so real and friends like Tang Jing are rare, it's just sad she's too proud. And this quote tells how Tang Jing in Zi Jun's heart means everything "I don't know what character or abilities I have that bestowed me such a great friend, who shares my happiness with me, carries my troubles for me. If in this world there are others who I can't be unworthy of, who I can't disappoint, then Tang Jing is certainly the most important one of all", it truly moved me.
Now I'll move on to the characters and I have to say they were all superbly beautifully presented, there are some I disliked obviously and they infuriated me so much but the actors did such an amazing job portraying them, I mostly think of Ling Ling, and JunSheng (though he wasn't really detestable) for example and anyway without them the drama wouldn't be this much stimulating and engaging. I can only praise all of them, I must admit that what got me truly interested in the drama was the atypical synopsis and the title really caught my attention too, but also seeing that Jin Dong was one of the leads was a great plus for me as I do really admire him as an actor, he was outstanding as always but I wasn't too fond of his character "He Han" though He Han is always full of great advice, so smart and rational, and someone we can rely on, but apart from that I didn't feel much for him but still it was another breathtaking performance by Jin Dong. However my revelations with this cast were Yuan Quan and Ma Yi Li and "The First Half of My Life" was my first drama with them and will definitely not be the last. They both played two fascinating characters but Zi Jun is the one that had a bigger impact on me, it was so beautiful seeing the Luo Zi Jun from the beginning who's a naive, frivolous, insecure, vulnerable woman growing into a responsible, independent and calm woman and at that a woman who doesn't show any of her insecurities/shortcomings in front of strangers and what I liked is that she knows how to seperate her private from her professional life. Ma Yi Li was simply mind-blowing as Zi Jun, truly gorgeous, classy and ravishing; such a delight *.*.
I'll briefly mention one character that made me smile a lot, I know that Zi Jun's mother is a little bit too nosy and annoying, I just couldn't help but like her, she's a pure bundle of energy and I think we do need people like her in our life, someone who'll cheer for us and bring only positive energy when we are so down, that's why I liked her so so much. The rest of the cast was nice as well, I particularly liked the interactions between Old Zhuo, the Jiang Zi's owner and He Han but I have nothing much to add about the rest, though they all had significant roles.
I won't add much about the drama nor the several topics it deals with as I think it's better to watch to see for yourself but one thing I loved in this drama is the realisation, it's so gorgeous and realistic and I particularly loved the flashbacks in black and white which in my opinion intensify some of the most powerful and touching scenes, the settings and sceneries (aaaw that Jiang Zi restaurant *.*) were also beautiful and I truly enjoy watching these dramas that take place in Shanghai, the views are always stunning.
A drama I fully recommend to everyone even to non Cdrama lovers as it deals with actual topics that might be interesting to others who are looking for something more realistic with a touch of slice of life.
As for the rating to be honest I was really hesitating between an 8.5 and a 9 because eventhough I loved this drama and I consider it to be the best drama of 2017 until now and definitely in my top 3 best Chinese modern dramas I was expecting something a little bit different for the second part of the drama but the ending was so satisfying that I decided to go for a 9 and anyway it was such a great show, seriously I already miss all of them, especially Zi Jun.
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When I say this drama is crazy it's not an overstatement, Truly undefinable.
As I said above I didn't really expect anything from this drama indeed I did find the beginning a bit slow, the first 10 eps were good but something was missing for me to fully enjoy it, I was still curious about Lu Yuan and Jiang Lai and wanted to continue for them as I loved their interactions and their chemistry and found them so intriguing. Also I was very fascinated by the Ost, the colours and the cinematography : the reason why I continued and we can clearly see it's a high budget drama and they did so much effort which are very noticeable if we pay a close attention to every little detail. And slowly I fell in love with Lu Yuan and I think it's around ep 11 when Lu Yuan ordered a Wellington Steak in a restaurant that I realised I was already under his spell and I then I told myself '' this man has clearly nothing to lose, he is special and he has something that no other male leads have, he is strange, full of tricks, fearless and hilarious'' this instant I knew this drama had an offbeat feel and that it would suit my current mood.
This is a story about a man, Lu Yuan who lost everything in the United States and decides to come back to his motherland with his friend's ashes, he is then his friend's daughter guardian and has the duty to take care of her until she becomes an adult. We will follow each and every of his adventure in China, his reunion with his past friends (mostly his ex girlfriend) and his meeting with one enigmatic and fickle woman, Jiang Lai. It looks simple reading it like that but that's all what transported me for 42 eps.
Undeniably Lu Yuan was the highlight of the show and he was truly the only shining star for me though I loved Jiang Lai and Lau Tai Tai (Da Hai's mother) a lot. Lu Yuan is not a character he is more than that, simply too real and too charismatic to be unreal (in my world), that's how much I love and admire this man, we all need a Lu Yuan in our life to illuminate our days.
Of course I need to mention the gorgeous Jian Shu Ying, who completely stole my heart here with her beautiful smile, her mannerisms, capricious and lovely personality, simply I fell in love with her charisma, I think she has a peculiar beauty but all those traits make her so elegant and lovely. She made a great pair with our main actor Sun HongLei and I love every one of their scene together. Da Hai's mother was the sweetest and loveliest character in the drama, so caring, she's also the only one who made me cry here, some of her scenes are too powerful. Of course I loved the little cutie Xiao Cai who truly loves and admires Lu Yuan for who he is, never judging him and accepting him the way he is, without conditions. They both made me smile so much. I did like the other characters, Jia He could be very adorable and understanding but I didn't like how she always wanted to control Lu Yuan's life, she could easily become irritating at times. Don't have much to say about Jiang Haokun and Gan Jing, they clearly don't inspire me!
There are 42 eps but I can tell you that when I was already at the end I wish there were more waiting for me. ><
Now the Ost, I immediately fell in love with this music, I mean the first thing that attracted me in this drama is the opening so enchanting and beautiful, both musically and visually and it's the best I ever heard/seen. The songs and pieces of music here fitted perfectly with the atmosphere of the drama and were well chosen for certain scenes. I love the ending song "Lu Yuan" so so so much, aww.
I think this drama is definitely not for everyone, though it's very special to me and it means a lot as it brought me so many laughter and enjoyment. I'd recommend it more to people who are looking for mature, delirious, not typical and realistic stories though it has a bit of fantasy* (EDIT: eventhough* it felt weird and inappropriate at times it didn't bother me too much hence I change my 9.5 into a 10).
THIS DRAMA IS TERRIBLY UNDERRATED, hope it eventually gets the attention it deserves.
Last but not least I love this quote : "True love is actually very simple and plain, whenever I sit next to him just by the look in his eyes, the tone in his voice I feel strongly that we could both read each other's minds. Some people might never come across such a feeling." Lu Yuan truly deserves to be loved.
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I always wanted to write about this movie because I loved it and still I think it's so underrated though I can totally understand why people were disappointed and did not like Shanghai Triad as much as other Zhang Yimou's movies such as "Raise the Red Lantern", "To Live", '' House of Flying Daggers'' etc. I read diverse opinions here and there and why people didn't like it that much, expecting something else considering it's a crime movie, but what I can tell is that all what happened was in my opinion really logical and I knew it would be like that and not otherwise. Maybe it's because I enjoy more those type of stories which might not be everyone cup of tea.
I found the first part of the movie a bit too slow, everything was shown from Shuisheng's point of view and the second part was my fave, I simply loved it, In the first half of the movie I did not like JingBao's behaviour she was in my opinion too strict, capricious, mean and too superficial but in the second half I simply fell for her, I loved how she showed such a different side of her.
This is how I rated this movie :
A 7 for the first 45 mins because like I said they were a bit slow but I still enjoyed the scenes with JingBao in the Cabaret, her singing and strong presence.
The second half was simply a pure 10 for me, JB singing with Aijao and Shuisheng, plus all her scenes with Aijao's mothers were so touching and beautiful in my opinion, not to mention the setting with the gorgeous and breathtaking sceneries.
Overall : 8.5.
This movie is simply one of my favourite Zhang Yimou's, I'd say My 5th favourite, that's how much I loved it. I gave not less than a good 8,5. It's purely subjective and maybe I'm among the few who loved this movie but simply I was amazed by Gong Li's wonderful acting, the sceneries and the touching scenes with the little boy and little girl.
Gong Li as always was ravishing, outstanding and a pure beauty, making this movie even more enjoyable for me. Would recomment it at least to her fans.
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So in my humble opinion the most enjoyable parts of the drama are the story and the friendship between our three main characters : Yun Xiu, Feng Jing and Liu Yi :
1. I really found the story interesting and quite intriguing, firstly the revenge part where our lead is reborn as a new man with a new face, then his path to become a popular and acclaimed actor not for his look but only for his acting and at the same time getting his revenge, secondly the other important element is about the entertainment industry and how it works; what the actors have to go through before being accepted in an agency, how they are selected for their first project, it also deals with the internal battles between agents and last but not least the harsh competitiveness between actors, I found all of that fairly well done and realistic except for one or two things but nothing can be perfect.
2. The intense friendship between our main characters, I found it so real, pure and honest. It's true Yun Xiu isn't without faults but he knows how to value friendship, he is such a loving and caring man. He always gives support to Feng Jing and Liu Yi in most difficult times and the fact that it is reciprocal for them was very beautiful to see. It was mostly hard for Yun Xiu and Feng Jing to trust again after what happened to them in the past but when they met they knew they were meant to be good friends and that they could trust each other unconditionally and yes those who love bromance I can tell it's one of the deepest I've seen, it kinda startled me at first ^^. The strongest point of this drama definitely and what I loved the most about Revive. Surely for me they were the only attractive characters of the drama but they were just purely amazing and made this drama 100% worth watching for me.
My mind was only focused on Ma Ke, Xu Joe and Zhang Viann's characters the other actors weren't enough interesting to me and didn't add any savor to the drama that's why I won't say anything about them, but I need to say the twin brothers (whom I already saw in The Journey of Flower) had important roles here and I appreciated they weren't there just to block the two male leads' way even though I wanted to know more about them but they were not boring villains at least for me, just too stubborn at times.
Ma Ke delivered his part very well and was very credible in these different roles, I couldn't tell it was the same actor playing those various personalities, he was such a delight for the eyes, really well done. Both Xu Joe and Zhang Viann did really great too and surprised me in a good way, I loved how Xu Joe made his character so cold, meticulous and yet very heartwarming and vulnerable. A guy full of inner charms and principles ^^
Zhang Viann what a radiant actress and wow her black hair *.*, I really had eyes only for her, she's so beautiful and lovely as Liu Yi, a very understanding person, her best trait.
The music wasn't impressive unfortunately and didn't leave a great impression on me, only two or three BGMs caught my attention, the songs were just boring and not so much present in the drama.
There are other bad points and things I didn't like such as the dubbing which was very bad and disturbed me all throughout the series, I never complain about that as I'm used to it but when it's bad it's simply bad! Secondly I found the other characters so bland and very unappealing, for most of them I didn't like their acting and they were very frustrating (cf: Amanda, Qin Chu, Zhu Feng, Xie Yi ...) to be frank Lin Xuan was useless as well. There are other flaws but I'm a little bit lazy so I will stop there for now ;p
I would still recommend it for those who wanna watch something short and addicting, actually that's how this drama made me feel. Just if like me you start this drama with some apprehension you might end up liking it!
As for the ending, it was fine like that, I personally don't need a second season and I even think it would be a waste of time, so no complaint from me.
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I was burning of impatience to start this drama especially with such talented and acclaimed actors, Go Hyun Jung, Shin Goo the best father of dramaland (in my opinion # ROYOW), Na Moon Hee, Yoon Yeo Jeong, Go Doo Shim (it was my first time seeing her), Park Won Sook etc. It was not only because of the cast but because of the story which I kinda guessed would be easy for me to connect with and I was right. It's a straight 10 for me, and my first of the year *.*
A big part of the story revolves around Park Wan's relationship with her mother and her Aunts (her Mother's friends) who all are around their late 60s (some in their 70s) but not only as we also get to learn bit by bit about all of them , our 6 other main female characters of the show (Jeong Ah, Hee Ja, Nan Hee, Yeong Won, Cheong Nam and Ssang Boon) and 2 male characters Seok Gyun and Seong Jae. I really love how Wan is so close to all those people who are for most of them 30 years older than her.[off topic= I'm really envious of her as I consider elders as the most adorable and caring people of the world (with kids), they make me feel comfortable, happy and also more at peace and generally I have more healthy discussions with them and I learn a lot from them especially about their personal experiences. I definitely feel more at ease and more like myself in their presence. End of off topic].
Wan is there for them and share most of her free time with them as much as possible and we can feel all throughout the drama the special attach between Wan and her aunts, this special and indescribable love they have for each other, the genuine and soothing one.
As I said Wan is not the only main focus of the drama, all the veteran actors have equal screentime and have their own stories to share (I mean the characters they portray).
The drama mostly narrates us the stories of Wan's Mother and her friends, their own adventures and anecdotes worth being told to their own children, grandchildren or nephews, some are very sad, painful and heartbreaking and will move the most sensitve ones to tears (like me :p) and some more funny and sweet. I love all of those Helmoni because despite having a very hard life and some being deprived of freedom (partially) they always look cheerful, they laugh and have fun on their own way like anyone else, they are true bon vivant I'd say. They all touched me and broke me because they are genuine, sweet, sometimes very funny and weird too.
My fave characters are definitely Jeong Ah and Hee Ja, I can already tell you that both of them made me cry not less than 50 times, mostly happy tears but some were also sad tears. Those two women caught my attention since the first minutes of the drama, other characters I love them too so so much but I found Jeong Ah and Hee Ja's stories more powerful and heartbreaking, and their friendship is so strong and unwavering, they have their moments of doubt of course but it's what make them even closer.
I've said enough about them but they are such lovely and cute women, they are honest to themselves and to others too, never hiding their true feelings especially Jeong Ah who always speaks her mind even if it can be a little bit hurtful anyway I love her for that. As for Hee Ja I think she's the kindest and the most innocent one, this makes her so gorgeous and what a delicate woman she is *,*. I also need to mention that the Hee Ja/Min Ho's bond really got me, so real, beautiful and unshakable, Min Ho is such a filial son, their scenes were the sweetest ^^
Of course all other characters are so fantastic and deserved to be loved, Ssang Boon the lovely grandma who's always playing with her phone, Yeong Won the elegant and caring friend, Cheong Nam the curious and honest friend, Nan Hee the hot tempered and caring mother and Wan our lovely young woman who's having some issues dealing with her love and family life. All of them made this drama the gem it is to my eyes.
The Ost is also very beautiful and the songs perfectly fitted for each scene, the funny, the cute, and the sad ones. Probably among the best Ost I heard this year, very addicting and memorable, especially ''Want to Be Free'' by Lyn and '' Wonderful'' by Jannabi.
If I were to say in a few words what truly made me fall in love with the drama, I would say : its realism, its endearing and funny characters, its serenity, peaceful tones, and its natural and brillant writing. Dear My Friends from start to finish made me feel jovial and calm which is something that happens very rarely when I watch dramas especially Kdramas but this is one of the few exceptions, and that's exactly why I'm watching dramas : feeling relaxed, connecting with the characters, evading from reality, spending a good time and not feeling anxious, DMF gave me all of that so I'm very thankful to the actors's hard work and the team who worked on it. Indeed finally South Korea came up with a realistic and heartwarming drama, never letting me feeling uneasy nor angry about the events or the characters. From this country the only other drama which gave me the same feelings was Ruler of Your Own World,I hope more dramas like this one and Dear My friends will be produced though I don't have high expectations.
I decided to give it a 10 for personal reasons, though the drama can sound slow or simple due to its length (around 70 mins per ep). But here are some of the reasons why I went for the highest rating.
- The story, exactly what I've always been waiting for, a drama which would mostly focus on friendship between elders and make them the center of the story.
- Every second was precious and meaningful for me, never I felt bored and I savored every moment.
- Great family and friendship drama and all actors portrayed their characters so flawlessly and convincingly.
- The characters are so relatable.
- Showing the true love of mothers for their children and vice versa, thanks Dear My Friends for those great moments of emotion <3
Na Moon Hee and Kim Hye Ja, My lovely actresses <3
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First and foremost because I have total trust in the production team and actors (Jiang Xin, Liu Tao, Yang Zi, Jin Dong, Zu Feng and so on ...) and well when I read what it would be about I was filled with too much happiness, I mean there's Jiang Xin and she'll be a main character I was really overjoyed because of that and this time she could finally shine and show what great outstanding actress she is which I never doubted <3 furthermore I've always wanted to watch a drama about strong friendship between women from different background and age, to see how their relationship will evolve throughout the drama, in the end I can tell you that it exceeded my expectations, it was more than just friendship, it was sisterhood and a friendship filled with so much love, respect, funny and cute moments. And I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of Chinese Modern Dramas but now I can definitely say, this one is the best I've seen and among my fave dramas right now.
Of course what made this drama such a wonderful and unique journey is the friendship between all of them : Sheng Mei, An Di, Xiao Xiao, Ying Ying and Guan Guan, how they all get to know, accept, respect and love each other, it was simply beautiful and magical to see, everything feels so genuine, it's like they've known each other since a very long time and were able to confide in one another, joke and do lot of amusing activities together like true friends would do and yeah it did take a little bit of time for at least two of them to open up more and accept the others girls however in the end they were themselves when together, all 5 of them.
Friendship is definitely not what this drama is all about and I love this drama for many other reasons :
-The writing, I was so impressed and since the first second when I saw how the dialogues were so well thought- out, rich and intelligent, I love all those quotes Sheng Mei, An Di and some characters like Lao Tan ( Tan Zong Ming) said, very realistic, deep and sometimes pretty bitter.
-Different genres mixed so well in only one drama such as : friendship, drama, comedy (mostly scenes with Ying Ying and Xiao Xiao), romance, slice of life and also family. This is true that some situations were a bit too unreasonable but overall it was such a refreshing and realistic drama and as a big Slice of Life fan I couldn't resist and and love with all my heart all the characters and their stories, sometimes it felt also too real that I couldn't help but cry (from both sadness and happiness).
-Also love how the writer doesn't only focus on one or two characters but takes time to develop all of them and show their own stories, struggles and family problems. Just this is such a pity I still don't know much about Guan Guan and because of that I couldn't relate to her nor her story but it doesn't mean she's not likeable and that I didn't like her.
I really have too much love for this drama that will be hard to explain with words but anyway I'll try to convey my thoughts and affection for Ode to Joy without being too subjective. You know since the very first ep I already felt attached to Fan Sheng Mei, An Di and Ying Ying, I really love the way they were introduced to us, one is very mature and have such strong opinion about love and life situations, the second one is straightforward and can be very badass as well and the latter so cute and naive but also very foolish at times but I couldn't help but fall for her kindness, gentleness toward other girls. They do really have their own qualities and flaws and that's what make them humane and alive.
Of course I know If I start talking about all of them it will take me hours so I'll try to make it as short as possible and go straight to the point.
~If you don't want to know more about the character's personalities you can skip this part~
[Fan Sheng Mei : who's my absolute favorite of the show and the reason is because she's so mature, so elegant and classy, strong, independent who only relies on herself to live and survive in a big city like Shanghai, she's particularly pessimistic when it comes to love and relationship between human being but we can only go along with her as she's always stating the awiful truth.
An Di : Smart, quiet, elegant, mostly wears black and white clothes and for like 25 eps it always bugged me a little bit but that's her style :p, discreet about her life and once again for good reasons because it's hard for her opening up to others and trusting them.
Xiao Xiao, the real light of this drama, so eccentric, also sometimes very awkward with others and the words she uses to speak to people and which leads her to be misunderstood in my opinion, this can be both an asset and disadvantage. Anyway she's considerate, adorable and cool, and for that I like her a lot.
Ying Ying : cute, loving, caring, she also has an eccentric side but now in same way as Xiao Xiao, it's more in her behaviour and her cheerful personality.
Guan Guan : She's also a very understanding and compassionate person and always there for Fan Sheng Mei and Ying Ying, she's hardworking too and a bit too shy, has hard time expressing her feelings to others but once she's with her friends she can fully be herself.]
5 unique, interesting and colourful women :p
I'm really impressed to see that those 5 women who are so different can share so much and support each other during hard times, such endearing, caring and loving characters, for me it was impossible not to love and admire them though I have my personal favorites and I know all of you who watched this drama have your own favorite characters as well for personal reasons and that's what makes Ode to Joy so unforgettable. And yes my fave is definitely Sheng Mei and I love her .
I now need to say a few words about the OST which definitely became one of my all time favorites, I absolutely love all of the songs : I'll post my favorites below. But I won't say more cause I hope people who're gonna watch the drama will discover all of them by themselves and enjoy them the same way I did, and being surprised the way I was too otherwise it would not be fun for you.
My faves :
The ending song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEmSGIaT4Rg&amp;list=PLlxGEDlRe5WNN-_2n7giCKga4V5YHa8-1 Love
Hui Gu Niang/Cinderella : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fGAWMfO7HQ , definitely my favorite and I love the lyrics, so beautiful and true.
Wo Yao Ni/I Want you : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL_QJkbrCKE&list=PL9ct9xr9-KGQtUXpZDeec-oi5WXSz9oNc&index=7 so punchy and addictive
Pei Ni Zuo Yu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9R4gKWn9W4&amp;amp;amp;list=RDsY6u6NbtTlE;index=2
It was overall a very great drama as I said above and I just can't wait for the next seasons to see my girls again *0*. Very very recommended as it will definitely bring you lot of smiles, laughter and food for thoughts as well. And I have to say it was really addictive, I still can't believe I completed this show :(.
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Fifteen Years to Wait for Migratory Birds
26 people found this review helpful
-The friendship part which was so pure and beautiful between: Li Li, Shang Xuan, Li Jun and Daniel.
-Li Li's love for Migratory Birds (which actually was what I liked the most about the drama and also the reason why I got interested in watching it).
When I started 15YWFMB I didn't expect anything from it but I immediately found it pretty original especially Li Li's hobby, her love for the migratory birds and how it's linked with her love for Shang Xuan, so wonderful and subtle metaphors about love <3
First and foremost, I recommend this Chinese drama to everyone especially to those who want to watch a good Chinese modern drama with well written and developed characters, I've always wanted to find one which would impress me when it comes to character development and definitely it was a success for me. On the surface it's a pretty relaxing drama but as the story progresses I could see that it was more complicated than it first seemed, Ok I did guess at some extents how it would end but definitely I think it was well done. I'm just really disappointed by the ending or should I say the way they ended the drama.
Our leading lady really grew on me all throughout the drama, I could totally see myself in her and I had similar experience as her during my high school years (so it was easier for me to connect with her character), how she was bickering all the time with Shang Xuan, they did not start their relationship on the best terms but they ended up appreciating each other, and I'm sure many of us had a similar adventures during adolescence.
I love so much how their relationship is evolving in the drama, how since the beginning she loved him and kept her feelings for herself and how everything was developing slowly but surely in such a mature way , all of that was done so well. In a few words I would say LiLi is a really responsible, sensitive, smart, selfless and kindhearted girl (became a wonderful and elegant young woman for whom I only have admiration), she always stays true to herself and is always there for her dearest ones, definitely the best friend/family member we can ever have.
Shang Xuan is such a lovely and dependable man, he had his issues and sometimes he could be odious and all of that I understood it because he had his reasons to act the way he did but just like Li Li when it comes to friends and family he would do anything<3
I love other characters too particularly Qian Ren, sincerely this guy is such a sweetheart that sometimes I didn't know if I should ship Li Li with him or Shang Xuan, really too hard to choose only one. Two handsome, reliable, lovely men for one amazing and wonderful woman, I guess that for many other viewers it must have been hard to choose their side, at least for me it was hard <3
I truly loved both leading actors and oh why is Deng Lun (Qian Ren) younger than me just why ? Also I need to say that I'm not into Love triangle and I hate that so much but here so unexpectedly it was not exaggerated nor complicated maybe because all three characters (Li Li, Shang Xuan and Qian Ren are very understanding and mature persons).
Supporting characters were so adorable too and they had their own stories so that's a very big plus, it was good to see that the writer didn't focuse only on Li Li's relationship with Shang Xuan and Qian Ren and showed more of other characters like Li Jun and Daniel, both really caring, honest and loyal friends.
I read some comments about Han Yi Chen being a bit too mean or something like that but honestly I think she was a pretty fine rival to Li Li, I never hated her and thought she was too bad though of course as a rival she was very selfish and jealous of Lili. By the way it was kinda annoying seeing that they put so much make up on the actress's face to make her look older, actually it didn't work in my opinion as it seemed too forced.
As for my rating I decided to go with a 7.5 and it might sounds weird I'm not giving a higher rating when I enjoyed the drama this much however though it's a really great drama and I don't have complaints about it (well only on certain aspects such as the ending, some turn of events which did bother me a little bit but nothing too disturbing, the OST= almost non-existent and not my taste at all) so I just can't give more. Of course I definitely recommend it especially for the reasons mentioned above plus the actors did a very decent job though some of them lack experiences. I found two actors I would definitely stalk : Sun Yi and Deng Lun as I loved their portrayals of Li Li and Qian Ren, both being my two fave characters of the drama as well <3
The drama itself didn't give me goosebumps nor made my heart palpitated hence this rating.
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It's not in my habits writing reviews for a Korean drama, actually it's the 2nd I write but this time I had to, because it was such an exciting and incredible experience. I want to always remember the emotions I went through while watching this drama, I really screamed, smiled and cried a lot (well did not cry that much but some scenes were so touching and lovely which had me in tears) I already feel very empty now we're already in the end. I'm wondering when I'll be able to watch and find such a gripping and fascinating long Korean period drama ?!
I started SFD while it was airing but I had to stop cause I knew waiting each week for only two more eps would be a pure torture for me, so this was only three weeks ago I decided to properly marathon it and aigoo those three weeks went way too quickly. This drama is simply addicting, once I finished an episode I felt the urge to watch the next one, it leaves you no choice but to go watch immediately what's coming.
Maybe now I should tell how this drama managed to captivate me like that and how every ep killed me, first reason is all those references from Queen Seon Deok and Tree With Deep Roots, and I bet all people who watched those two fantastic dramas are/were feeling the same, I was always so impressed and reminiscing about the quotes and characters of these dramas, simply yes I was speechless and always thinking those two scriptwriters are real geniuses to make me going crazy and happy like that. Secondly it's all those political intrigues, the way Sambong and Bang Won were portayed here, how they could manipulate people and control them the way they both did and most of all their ability to read in their opponent's minds, I admire both them for that. I love smart moves and political intrigues in dramas and this drama had all of that. And third reason is that I always wanted to watch a drama which would show how Joseon Dynasty was established and here it was so wonderfully explained and done.
When I think about all the cast I have no words because all actors were so into their characters and we could feel how much invested they were for this long historical drama, they delivered such a electrifying , sincere and wonderful performance, I literally fell in love with all of them, just maybe from my point of view I did not like Seo Yi Sook 's acting (Moo Hyeol's grandmother) it's very personal and I just did not find her very convincing, otherwise all other actors did so well, zero complaint about them simply the opposite, they were all phenomenal.
Of course first I have to comment about Yoo Ah In and Kim Myung Min's awesome's portraits, they were totally the characters they played ''Lee Bang Won'' and ''Jeong Do Jeon'', it did not feel like they were acting, it was simply really as if they were in front of me, like I was seeing each one of their every actions and moves.
Frankly speaking I'm not so fond of Kim M.M but I will never ever forget his flawless performance here, one word : grandiose. As for Yoo Ah In, his facial expressions, words, moves gave me goosebumps, he was too imposing and magnificent. I think I said enough about these two amazing actors, they would definitely not leave you indifferent.
It's hard for me to choose a favorite character cause I think the writers here wrote them so perfectly, there's no one I love more than the rest, well maybe Gil Tae Mi because he added so much fun to this dark and very tense atmosphere, he was so cool, skilled, sometimes stupid and hilarious even when he was about to kill some people, I just couldn't hate him ! Another one I liked a lot was Lee Bang Ji and I personally do think his character was so well written , I'm just a bit too sad he did not have (in my humble opinion) as much screen time as other dragons, in some scenes I was completely missing him and was wondering where he was and what he was doing, I love him because his care for his sister and his loved one was so sincere, beautiful and pure, he did not want to involve himself into politics and all what he did was only because of their dreams and ideals, he lives for them, that's how unselfish his love is for both of them, I can only admire him!
I would like to write some words about other dragons and characters however I think I already said too much, just I will say these things : Cheon Ho Jin as Lee Seong Gye did an awesome job, he never fails to surprise me, I don't know much about Lee Seong Gye and did not read anything about him except that I know he was the first king of Joseon and from what I saw here in SFD he really had a tragic and sad life.
Boon Yi I like her a lot and especially her relationship with her brother which is so beautiful genuine and filled with so much tenderness, I always have a thing in drama for brother/sister's bonding and in this one it was simply just so touching, I was always so happy when they were only together on screen, discussing, eating playing together. Boon Yi is a very caring, brave and smart girl, I really appreciate that she never gives up on her dreams and till the end she believes in it and simply wants to be happy with her family and people.
Moo Hyeol I love him so much in the first place ( eheheh TWDR yeah) so badass, unselfish, generous, strong and sweet at the same time, I always found his way of fighting so cute and funny but in the end he had to grow up and become mature, it was very painful to see and Yoon Gyun Sang did a really great job with his Moo Hyeol's portrayal. I also wanted to say I loved all these supporting characters as well especially Ha Ryun, Yoon Rang (very charismatic woman), Lee Bang Woo, Lee Ji Ran, Jo Joon, Gil Seon Mi and Hong Dae Hong and for sure the drama would be totally different without them <3
Needless to say the sceneries, settings, colors and costumes were so gorgeous, every costume fitted perfectly for each character, I particularly loved Boon Yi's dresses so simple and yet very eye-catching, suited her personality so well, I also loved her hairstyle <3 I would say the same for all other characters' costumes especially those Yoo Ah In, Byun Yo Han, Cheon Ho Jin, Gong Seung Yeon, Park Hyeok Kwon and many other wore, very colorful and elegant .
The Ost was really great and the ballads were always used in appropriate moments though there weren't to my taste, I loved BGM more and songs Muiiya and Cheongsanbyeolgog (I think it's the title) more. In any case the ost was wonderful so no complaints from me.
I'll end this review with those four fantastic quotes, I had shivers all over my body when those sentences were said.
-''The King is just this country's flower. The Roots have to be this land's scholars, confucian scholars and officials"
-''If you want to fool your enemy, you'd have to fool those around you including yourself''
-''How can betrayal be a sin ? In this turbulent times, believing someone is a bigger crime ''
-"Since the world began, the weak have always been stepped on by the strong. Even a thousand years ago, even a thousand years from now! The Strong steal from the Weak. In this world the only truth is that the strong take and swallow the weak ... this is only the constant truth"
I would probably rewatch this drama as it brought me so much feels since the very first second, Political dramas are generally too heavy for me but I always found Political Historical dramas to be to my liking as I've already seen many and I noticed the writers always manage to make them so interesting and appealing especially when the characters are so well written like it's the case here.
Highly recommended, it's the first time for me to watch such a long drama and to not feel the length, 50 eps of pure awesomeness and if you want my opinion I did not see the time passing.
Last but not least, this is one of the most intelligent dramas I watched and I would recommend for people who haven't wacthed Tree With Deep Roots nor Six Flying Dragons to start with SFD first and then watch DR.
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This review may contain spoilers
I guess this is the first time a Kdrama inspires me that much for me to write a review, from my point of view this drama is a jewel so I decided to express my love for it though it might be an unpopular opinion.It's true I only got interested in Ruler of Your Own World because of Lee Na Young as I've always wanted to see her in at least one drama (her movies are not enough for me I needed more of this actress and a drama would be the perfect length), if it was not for her I think I would have never heard of Ruler of Your Own World and miss the opportunity to watch such a great and passionate drama. She was the one who brought me here indeed but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Yang Dong Geun was also in this drama as the leading guy, I discovered both main actors in the awesome movies (Our Happy Time with LNY and Fighter in the Wind with YDG) so without any doubt I was even more excited to start this drama, and I was not disappointed, the opposite I'd say.
RoYOW really impressed me and I still can't believe I did not stumble upon this drama sooner as I fell under the spell of all the characters and the story, the reason is that it feels so real and genuine and for the first time I watched a drama with almost zero clichés and it's a first for me saying something like that about a Korean drama, I know I did not watch that many but among those I watched no one is as authentic as RoYow which at first really surprised me, I was like ''Am I really watching a Kdrama'' anyway I'm glad I can now say that about a Kdrama as it was about time for me to watch something new and different from South Korea and for me this is a magnificent piece in so many ways. I really loved this drama for all the mentioned things above but there are more than that, the story itself is very uplifting and heartwarming largely thanks to the great supporting cast, all of them bring a lot to the drama. I also need to say it's very depressing because of all the things that are happening/happened to the characters however I was very amazed to see how they cope with their own issues so calmly and bravely.
I love how the relationships between the main and the supporting cast are developing in the drama, really wonderful and honest.
BokSu and Kyung are the center of the story, this is obvious (and when they are together it's definitely like they are the ruler of their own world) but the supporting characters play also a big part in the drama, their bonds with the main characters are strong and deep and the drama also takes time to develop their parts. I decided to Edit my review and put the part about the characters in the spoiler tag, feel free to read, there's no spoiler but I think it was better to remove that part from the review.
The Ost was one of the other good points in this drama, anyhow there's not a single bad thing to say about Ruler. and yes the Ost was the part I love the most, so beautiful & relaxing. At first I did not pay much attention as the songs and intrumentals played in the background are so discreet, I was more immersed into the story but I came to notice them and they are a pure delight for the ears. So many great songs I could mention especially by the singer ''Lee Hyun Wook'' a real discovery ;D
I'll end this review saying this drama is really worth the watch and that Kdrama fans should give it a try, especially those who like old Kdramas. If I fell in love with this drama it's because its storytelling is simple yet so heartwarming, it's not the addictive type but it has its own qualities which I generally appreciate in dramas : greatly written characters, great story and Ost. The interactions between all of them are always natural and mature, I'm almost sure that teens would probably find this drama too slow and maybe boring but a mature audience could appreciate it for its qualities.
Okay the chemistry between characters is great especially between our main couple and for me it was so beautiful seeing them this close but it's not the kind of chemistry a romance drama fan would expect I think but for me it was perfect, I did not want more, it was good this way.
If I have to find some flaws it would be about the last eps which were a bit too long and in my opinion 16 eps would have been enough but I won't complain cause I could see Lee Na Young and Yang Dong Geun a bit more and I have to tell how outstanding they were in their roles, I was feeling all what they were living because their lives are not like a fairy tale, they are all struggling and living with their own problem courageously , and this doesn't apply only to them but also to the other actors who did as great especially Gong Hyo Jin , Shin Goo, Lee Se Chang & Yoon Yeo Jong. My other complaint is about the last ep which was for me a bit ridiculous at some moments, certain events happening in this episode were exaggerated and upset me a little bit, one of the reason I can't give a 10.
I don't think I would rewatch it, I loved it but it was depressing enough so once is good but twice not, maybe after 5-10 years have passed;D
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As for the kid it was one amazing experience for him cause the people he met with Kikujiro made his days much brighter filled with laughter, and he is the total opposite of Kikujiro, so quiet, don't talk much, so kind but also very sensitive. One thing is sure he is an obedient child and would do anything you ask him and never complains. So those two characters complemented each other so well and they were a very nice and cool company to the other.
The other characters were a big added bonus especially Fatso, Baldy and the traveller. Their scenes with the two protagonists were among the best, so weird, ridiculous but so much diverting at the same time, just I had some issues with Baldy's behaviour for various reasons I won't tell there.
It definitely has a little dramatic tone but honestly we don't feel it as it was such a fun movie. I need more like this one from Japan, a real Gem highly recommended.
The Ost was exactly to my taste, we hear it since the first second of the movie and it was enough to make me fall in love with it, and what's even better is that all the soundtracks never leave us, they are always in the background adding more emotion and depth to the movie.
Some of my favorite tracks here:
- River Side
- Summer
- Going Out
- The Rain
I'm giving an 8 rewatch value cause I'm sure I would still enjoy it a second time, it's the perfect movie to watch when we're feeling down and morose however also good when we need something refreshing and a bit creative.
So that would be it for me, and hope more people will give it a try and enjoy it;D
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Plus I need to say that every character has its own appeal and no one has more screentime than another and that's cool, cause generally it's not the case. And also I have to say that it was a very addicting drama, I just couldn't stop watching it and always wanted to see the next ep.
Of course this drama is for a mature audience but in my opinion everyone above 13 could watch it without problem but I would rather watch it alone than with someone though ;D
The characters Honestly they are all relatable, we all have experienced something similar, especially family or friendship issues and I loved seeing how they were constantly dealing with their main family issues while being a student and trying to hide their problem to others.
I have three favorite characters:
-Tar ( the Guitarist) he is so kind, funny, mature, adorable and most of all carefree but not in a bad way, then
-Toei the girl who is simply normal and whom many other girls of her age can relate too, me first and that's why I love her the most, she's normal and a bit closer to the guys than the girls probably because sometimes it's easier talking with guys and I can totally understand that and for me she was so cute with Tar, I shipped them so much together,
- Kwan is my third favorite, the most intelligent girl of the school, very mature who always says the right things to the right person, who cares a lot about friendship, always there for her friends but also a very sensitive and I love seeing that despite being a brillant student she has her own flaws and shows them to others cause no one is perfect on this earth.
Other 6 main characters were interesting too and I love seeing their development as well especially Sprite's character who maybe grew the most throughout the show, then Mhog and Pu who is very conflicted about his feelings and also Win who's a very tortured soul I felt so bad for him in the end and at least for him I have to watch second season cause I can say everything I want about him, how irresponsible, brainless and unsensitive he can be, he is very lonely and I think he needs more support but for that he has to change too anyway even if at first I did not like him and couldn't understand all the fangirling about him I admit that his character is really well written and also quite intriguing.
Others were present too but I don't have special feelings for them (Phai & Dao), simply their characters were less interesting for me.
I totally recommend this drama not necessarily to everyone but for those who need change and want to watch a mature drama about youth and the obstacle teenagers have to overcome.
My last words will be for the OST which I simply loved, the BGM are so good especially the opening theme, I'm just so sad there's one instrumental I love but I can't seem to find it and I think I won't be able to find it either, and I love the ending song so so entertaining <3
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I'll make this review short since it's a movie review and only talk about my feelings about it, avoiding to spoil anything about the story plus the synopsis here is pretty complete. So in my opinion Little big Master is more a movie about human relationship than anything else and I think that's why it is so special to me. Like I said I love all of the characters in the movie be it the headmistress, her husband the kids or even the little girl's parents/family, they all have a significant place in the movie.
What I love about the teacher- kids's relationship is how they influence each other's lives in such a good and positive way, and we can see that for the headmistress teaching and taking care of these girls is not like a job nor a chore but more like a passion, all what she does with them she does it with her heart and with great pleasure. Their relationship is so magical, so touching and so genuine . I particularly liked how the teacher manages to make these girl do all those rewarding things whether at home, school or outside, she taught them so much and make them to be such sensitive girls, as much as she brought them a lot those little girls did the same to her and even made her life more passionate and more worthy and noble, with them she learned a lot, how life can be worth being lived even in such a poor environment. Of course I have my favorite characters and there's a girl who particularly moved me I think her name is Tam Mei Chu, they are all so cute and moving but she was so adorable and during her crying scenes I felt that it was so natural, no over acting just a little girl crying because life can be unfair and shedding tears is also good for the heart. Another good thing about this movie is that we see those girls are poor but they never ever complain, they always stay cheerful and calm and try to be helpful to others.
As for the actors it was my first time seeing Miriam Yeung and Louis Koo and they were really perfect in their roles, gonna try some of their works when I have time. And this actress Miriam is so beautiful she doesn't look her age at all (:
In one sentence I would say this movie is filled with so much love. Absolutely everything is done wonderfully in this movie and I did not even find it a little big draggy, it's meaningful, beautiful and I love how the story and the relationship between all of them develop, it's so so well done and the fact that it's based on a true story makes this movie even more touching.
To conclude I maybe a little bit too generous with my rating, well I don't really know but yes it's all a matter of heart, I just loved it from the beginning to the end and since I don't easily give more than a 9 to a movie so why go without it , right? And for me this is simply one of the best slice of life's movie I've seen and I think that China and Hong Kong are good with this genre for movies and manage to make them so emotional and oneiric in my opinion. So it'll stay forever as one of the most memorable and unforgettable movies I've seen especially since I watched it with my partner in crime.
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I'll try to explain why Legend of Concubines Zhen Huan is so special to me and why eventually it left me speechless but I know that won't be easy job, still I want to write about this drama cause I want to always remember all the things I experienced while watching it and remember how it was a real inspiration for me. First I need to say that it instantly became one of my ultimate favorite dramas, it was totally addicting, interesting, entertaining, and even more informative than any other Chinese historical dramas I've watched about Palace (palace intrigues and palace etiquette) especially about concubine ranks (from Daying to Huanghou), how they have to behave and follow the proper etiquette when meeting the Emperor, Empress, Empress Dowager or concubines with higher rank and even also how concubine's parents have to salute and address them very strict conduct. it's like I've learn lot of things only with that drama and made me want to read a lot more about Qing Dynasty. This drama impressed me on so many levels that I hardly have words to express the beauty of this piece as everything is simply perfect from the writting of characters and story to the costumes which are so exquisite, make up, sceneries, music, poetry … In my opinion the costumes and make up in this drama are the best I've seen, all the concubines look so graceful and sublime in all these different dresses with their make up and headpiece which make them so unique and different from each other, but of course for me the Queen of the Palace is Zhen Huan, she's so dazzling and the most beautiful woman the emperor ever has in his harem and somehow I totally understand why he fell for her, why he wanted to always be in her company and asked a lot about her opinion for private matters because of her superior education and great cleverness.
Now I'll write about Zhen Huan and her story just if you plan to watch this drama I don't really know if what's coming can be considered as a spoil so just in case do not read the next lines, only about Zhen Huan's part though), so it deals with her story and how from an innocent and pure hearted girl she becomes one of the most powerful and scary women in the harem. What I liked about her when she entered the palace is despite that she was very young she was not careless but very cautious, in the very beginning we can see that she does not want to gain the emperor's favor to stay away from all those schemes/plot and I have to say that it was her most peaceful moments, living in harmony with her two dearest friends. But of course it did not turn like she wanted it to be and after all the sad things that happened to her what she then did was not because she wanted fame and power or favor from the emperor but only to survive and protect the ones that are dear to her, parents and sister, her love, her children, her best friend. Even if people would say she became heartless and greedy I can't really agree with them and I can't hate Zhen Huan either, on the contrary I think she was so smart, strong and daring, all what a woman in the harem needs if she wants to live and survive. After finishing this drama I realise how I love Zhen Huan, she automatically became my favorite female character because she always manages to remain unscathed no matter what's happening to her not showing her true feelings to her opponent, I admire her so much for that, I also love her imposing character, her braveness, her heart and her scary face as well.
I've always liked Sun Li and found her incredibly talented but in this drama she showed another facet of her acting, in my opinion she delivered her most outstanding performance In LOCZH. A Stunning Actress indeed <3.
In this drama I generally like Zhen Huan's relationship with all other characters, I'll talk about some of them :
-Mei Zhuang her sister of heart, the only woman in the palace with whom she could be fully herself and tell all of her inner thoughts, I like so much their bonding and their conversations it was always so genuine and so adorable how they care for each other and help the other when necessary and I can't even count the number of time they tried to help each other in dire situation, her best friend and her best confidant in this awful palace.
-Jing Fei one of Zhen Huan's Jie Jie in the Palace who was always here for her, I love seeing them together and despite their age gap I found their friendship so beautiful, as much as Jing Fei did a lot for Zhen Huan, Zhen Huan always helped her in return and gave her one of her most precious thing in life, one of the most wonderful present ever.
-Duan Fei, I love so much those two, I don't really know why Duan Fei decided to go near Zhen Huan and approached her (maybe I'll understand more when I rewatch the drama) but for sure they have one of the most incredible friendship in this palace, I also love the way they always salute each other, and only both of them do that in the Palace making them look so cool and unique. Duan Fei is such a respectful and dignified woman and I'm glad I could see more of her in the second part of the drama.
-Hua Fei, ahaha what an incredible and hateful relationship they have those two, such a threatening woman Hua Fei is but Zhen Huan never showed her feelings towards her I mean she never ever showed her weakness and so it was so hard for Hua Fei to attack her and destroy Zhen Huan however she's for me one of the greatest villain I've seen in drama, Jiang Xin did a really great job in portraying the cruel and scheming Hua Fei, SUPERB !
-4th Prince, he is cute and very well educated I'm glad Zhen Huan paid attention to him and decided to take care of him and keeping him company.
-Ning Pin, this woman is so unpredictable and dangerous and we love her like that (at least I do), she never ever showed some attention about all those scheming in the palace nor for high position or favoritism cause after all she was like lost in an empty island , a place she was not meant to be and maybe I think that befriending Zhen Huan made her life a bit more positive and interesting, love love so much those two together and all the things she did for ZH . Definitely a character I will never forget since she made such a great impression on me when I first saw her.
Generally I liked all of the different characters even those I haven't cited above (Guo Jun Wang, Zhen Huan's maids especially Liu Zu and Jin Xi, Doctor Wen...)
Frankly speaking there's not a character I truly hated, I rather sympathize with some of them nevertheless there's one exception and that is the emperor whom I just couldn't like and totally hated all what he did to all the concubines, how he treated them like merchandises, shows favoritism to some of them and doesn't even look at the older ones arousing jealousy of each other. I particularly disliked that he couldn't trust them and believe his favorite women and not look for evidence and punish them whe he thought what he had before his eye were crucial proof. I won't say more but yeah that's pretty much what I think.
The Music also was so beautiful, another one of the aspect of the drama I truly enjoy and that's true that at first I did not really notice it I would even say that I did not like it either especially the op and end songs which I found pretty boring but honestly I realised after some time that they fitted perfectly with the tone of the drama and I even started to like them and enjoying listening to those songs that we can hear in some sad and memorable scenes in the drama. I also love so much the instrumentals.
Personally I enjoyed every second of this drama and I know the beginning is a little bit slow I would say the first 15 episodes but it was necessary for the comprehension of the story and the main characters. After that everything was so addicting and all I wanted was to watch the next eps and follow Zhen Huan's and her friend's adventures, how she will evolve throughout the drama and what would she do. I'll definitely rewatch this drama for sure, I'm not scared to rewatch the entire drama as it is one of those dramas we know no matter how much we rewatch them we won't be bored and at least maybe it'll give me the opportunity to understand more the characters and their difficulties.
without any doubt I would recommend it to everyone and especially for those who aren't afraid to watch a long drama and wants to learn more about palace etiquette and how it worked at that time.
This is one of those rare drama I knew I would love and yes it totally lived up to my expectation and even more than that since I loved it much much more than I expected.
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