This review may contain spoilers
Every situation plays out to set the final arc
I must appreciate what a well written story. I mean what I said. I haven't read novel or have no idea what happens, but this series is well made. It's not often we see them address a psychological issue underlying a usual (red/black flag) mls and try to make an effort to work on it. This series shows the progress of Lu feng through psychological lens, not the usual "love changed me from black flag to green flag".
Situation is the real enemy here. Our characters are complex, and this is their emotional journey navigating a situation, which is homophobic setting with no support to abusive environment. They were constantly seperated, gone through physical and emotional abuse, and that shows how these traumatic experience shaped two characters. One, who could navigate these situations by "giving up/running away" and one by "revolting and emotionally volatile".
Yi Chen grew up with love and sacrifices, Lu Feng grew up in abusive environment, although both the families turned out to be against their love and homophobic, with extremely controlling behaviours. That shows loving family of Yi Chen was only extended with terms and conditions, while Lu Feng father openly hated it. It clearly explains as individuals how Yi Chen and Lu feng faced the crisis.
On top of that, as Lu feng openly admitted that he had abandonment issues, it's obvious how everything played out.
The arc where he locks up Yi Chen and becomes emotionally volatile despite loving him clearly sets the stage for final arc where he's revealed to be diagnosed with Bi polar disorder with abandonment issues. And the progress of how he navigated it with a support. That is what I appreciate. He was vulnerable enough to admit and seek help, not often we see red/black flag mls. That just makes him human.
Coming to the second couple, i find it kinda ironic, how that little boy in past who was against his brother being in love with a guy, turned out to found a stable, though little quarrels, loving guy. They also play out as narrative foils to the main couple, contrasting it with sweet, loving and healthy relationship.
Special mention, Lu feng's father and Yi Chen's mother, one is physically abusive, one is emotionally abusive. Lu feng's father beat him up and sent him away in first arc of the story, first seperation, first hit, and villian of first arc. Then somehow they found their way back to each other, turns out his mother was waiting for her turn in second arc. Here, she emotionally abuses Yi Chen to a point to manipulating him into getting married, calling him ungrateful, forcing him to fit her standard of normal because somehow she can't accept her son is in love with a man.
That's selfish parenting, what both of them exhibited and it's a main concern in Asian households and how it turns out to destroy families. They expect their children to fulfill their duties because they raised them and mere fact of giving birth, so they must listen to them and live according to their will. That's how Lu Feng was kicked out of family for choosing Yi Chen, and Yi Chen had to marry someone else.
If you observe, that's how characters turned out. Yi Chen takes "emotional" hits being exhausted, while Lu Feng release it through "physical" abuse.
Finally, I have to appreciate the actors, especially Ayden, starting from intense scenes to intimate, vulnerable, sweet, charming, caring, abusive, conflicting, commanding, portraying an emotionally volatile character, he showed all the variations of character very well.
Overall, this series turned out to be different from other psychological romances I watched. And not to forget, I love watching emotionally complex characters and stories, more work for my mind, and also forbidden troupes just hit me hard.
My final verdict is, I love this story, from beginning to ending, watching it as a whole, everything plays out reasonably.
Situation is the real enemy here. Our characters are complex, and this is their emotional journey navigating a situation, which is homophobic setting with no support to abusive environment. They were constantly seperated, gone through physical and emotional abuse, and that shows how these traumatic experience shaped two characters. One, who could navigate these situations by "giving up/running away" and one by "revolting and emotionally volatile".
Yi Chen grew up with love and sacrifices, Lu Feng grew up in abusive environment, although both the families turned out to be against their love and homophobic, with extremely controlling behaviours. That shows loving family of Yi Chen was only extended with terms and conditions, while Lu Feng father openly hated it. It clearly explains as individuals how Yi Chen and Lu feng faced the crisis.
On top of that, as Lu feng openly admitted that he had abandonment issues, it's obvious how everything played out.
The arc where he locks up Yi Chen and becomes emotionally volatile despite loving him clearly sets the stage for final arc where he's revealed to be diagnosed with Bi polar disorder with abandonment issues. And the progress of how he navigated it with a support. That is what I appreciate. He was vulnerable enough to admit and seek help, not often we see red/black flag mls. That just makes him human.
Coming to the second couple, i find it kinda ironic, how that little boy in past who was against his brother being in love with a guy, turned out to found a stable, though little quarrels, loving guy. They also play out as narrative foils to the main couple, contrasting it with sweet, loving and healthy relationship.
Special mention, Lu feng's father and Yi Chen's mother, one is physically abusive, one is emotionally abusive. Lu feng's father beat him up and sent him away in first arc of the story, first seperation, first hit, and villian of first arc. Then somehow they found their way back to each other, turns out his mother was waiting for her turn in second arc. Here, she emotionally abuses Yi Chen to a point to manipulating him into getting married, calling him ungrateful, forcing him to fit her standard of normal because somehow she can't accept her son is in love with a man.
That's selfish parenting, what both of them exhibited and it's a main concern in Asian households and how it turns out to destroy families. They expect their children to fulfill their duties because they raised them and mere fact of giving birth, so they must listen to them and live according to their will. That's how Lu Feng was kicked out of family for choosing Yi Chen, and Yi Chen had to marry someone else.
If you observe, that's how characters turned out. Yi Chen takes "emotional" hits being exhausted, while Lu Feng release it through "physical" abuse.
Finally, I have to appreciate the actors, especially Ayden, starting from intense scenes to intimate, vulnerable, sweet, charming, caring, abusive, conflicting, commanding, portraying an emotionally volatile character, he showed all the variations of character very well.
Overall, this series turned out to be different from other psychological romances I watched. And not to forget, I love watching emotionally complex characters and stories, more work for my mind, and also forbidden troupes just hit me hard.
My final verdict is, I love this story, from beginning to ending, watching it as a whole, everything plays out reasonably.
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