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Poorly Written, Yet Entertaining at First—Boring and Illogical by the End
The first thing I noticed—and what almost made me drop the drama halfway through Episode 1—was how poorly the dialogue is written. Many conversations feel very artificial. The storytelling is weak, with plot holes, illogical scene resolutions, and characters changing their behaviour or motivations far too quickly, often without any logical explanation.
Also, I enjoy shorter dramas, but the plot needs to suit the format. With only 28 episodes, there simply isn't enough time to properly develop the characters or establish the backstory this drama aspires to explore. As a result, many parts of the story are not actually shown but merely narrated by the characters. Instead of allowing the audience to experience events naturally, the drama relies too heavily on dialogue to explain the story, the characters' actions, and their motivations. Many characters' actions also lack logic and continuity.
As for the actors, I loved Peter Ho in "Duel on Mount Hua: Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar", but here his performance feels unconvincing. I suspect this is more the result of the weak script and direction than his acting ability. Many of the supporting cast also deliver rather weak performances.
The male lead is good enough, and while the female lead appears to be less experienced, I think she shows talent for someone so young. I only found out about her age after reading the other reviews. Otherwise, as a Western viewer, I honestly wouldn't have noticed the age difference. To me, she looks around 20, while he looks about 24.
I also read about the controversy surrounding her age, but I see it differently. The interactions between the two main leads are very innocent. There are no kisses or intimate scenes—only a few romantic lines and some hand-holding on a film set. It is about as innocent as it can be. I also don't see someone who is nearly 18 as being as young as some people make her out to be in this context. To me, she is old enough to make her own decisions. She also has parents who most likely supported her, and I highly doubt she was forced into this. If anything, she was probably determined to become an actress and wanted to advance her career as early as possible—which this drama certainly achieved, despite all the controversy.
I also don't believe this drama has any negative influence on teenage girls. In my opinion, what is far more harmful is much of today's Western entertainment. From television and live concerts to the way many celebrities—and sometimes even parents—present themselves, young girls are exposed to far more sexualised content from a much earlier age. Just walk down the street and look around. Teenagers today often look and dress very differently from how many of us did at the same age. By comparison, this drama is about as innocent as it can be. I found nothing vulgar about it. Instead, it portrays sweet, platonic interactions between two fully dressed actors on a set surrounded by dozens of crew members.
The story and the chemistry between the two main leads were surprisingly addictive during the first half of the drama. Unfortunately, the second half became rather boring and increasingly illogical.
It's the kind of drama you watch to kill time when there's nothing better to watch.
Also, I enjoy shorter dramas, but the plot needs to suit the format. With only 28 episodes, there simply isn't enough time to properly develop the characters or establish the backstory this drama aspires to explore. As a result, many parts of the story are not actually shown but merely narrated by the characters. Instead of allowing the audience to experience events naturally, the drama relies too heavily on dialogue to explain the story, the characters' actions, and their motivations. Many characters' actions also lack logic and continuity.
As for the actors, I loved Peter Ho in "Duel on Mount Hua: Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar", but here his performance feels unconvincing. I suspect this is more the result of the weak script and direction than his acting ability. Many of the supporting cast also deliver rather weak performances.
The male lead is good enough, and while the female lead appears to be less experienced, I think she shows talent for someone so young. I only found out about her age after reading the other reviews. Otherwise, as a Western viewer, I honestly wouldn't have noticed the age difference. To me, she looks around 20, while he looks about 24.
I also read about the controversy surrounding her age, but I see it differently. The interactions between the two main leads are very innocent. There are no kisses or intimate scenes—only a few romantic lines and some hand-holding on a film set. It is about as innocent as it can be. I also don't see someone who is nearly 18 as being as young as some people make her out to be in this context. To me, she is old enough to make her own decisions. She also has parents who most likely supported her, and I highly doubt she was forced into this. If anything, she was probably determined to become an actress and wanted to advance her career as early as possible—which this drama certainly achieved, despite all the controversy.
I also don't believe this drama has any negative influence on teenage girls. In my opinion, what is far more harmful is much of today's Western entertainment. From television and live concerts to the way many celebrities—and sometimes even parents—present themselves, young girls are exposed to far more sexualised content from a much earlier age. Just walk down the street and look around. Teenagers today often look and dress very differently from how many of us did at the same age. By comparison, this drama is about as innocent as it can be. I found nothing vulgar about it. Instead, it portrays sweet, platonic interactions between two fully dressed actors on a set surrounded by dozens of crew members.
The story and the chemistry between the two main leads were surprisingly addictive during the first half of the drama. Unfortunately, the second half became rather boring and increasingly illogical.
It's the kind of drama you watch to kill time when there's nothing better to watch.
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