QAS
Los Angeles, CA
Heartbreak drama
Here to Heart was my Go-To Drama for May 2018. It started out very favorable, owing to the participation of Hans Zhang and Janine Chang, who are engaging actors. As the drama progressed, with the characters remaining in a rut, I began to notice the bipolar, depressed, weepy and/or deluded characteristics of several characters. Midstream, the weepiness began to wear on me. By the end, I was too worn out, to cry during the lovers' emotional reunion.
Story: 6.5
A credible romance plot with too much weepiness, depression, delusion. By the middle of the story, I had no empathy and sympathy for the two lovers, Wen Nuan and Zhan Nanxian. Their persistent weepiness and inadequate communication skill made me indifferent to the lovers' plight. While the supporting characters were beautiful to behold, their mini stories also seemed to drag on forever.
Acting/Cast: 8
Credible acting by the main and supporting casts! Janine Chang's range of emotions was impressive, but she was wept her way through this drama, and that was depressing. Hans Zhang exuded charm and elegance on screen, but his weepiness was depressing. My favorite character was Gao Fang (… actor Ji Xiao Bing), who was the only rational, normal person.
Music: 9.5
The incidental music was beautiful. I wondered if the Winter Sonata composer composed the music. The theme song was overplayed too much; two or three times in the episodes. Once is enough, during the opening credits.
Rewatch value: 1
I was too depressed, watching the depressed, bipolar, deluded characters. Never again!
Overall rating: 6.5
If the drama had been trimmed to 30 episodes, with a tighter plot, less drivel, less weepiness, less depression, it would have been awarded the title of Ultimate Romance Drama to challenge the K-drama, Winter Sonata, sitting at the top of the Romance Drama chart. The Writer, Director and Actors put too much emphasis on the MELODRAMA, versus DRAMA.
Wardrobe notes:
Janine and Hans wore the most beautiful fashions, but some of their wardrobe should have been rejected. Nanxian wore checkered pajama pants and a tailored black tuxedo jacket and bowtie, and loafer shoes that looked like bedroom slippers, at his wedding in episode 45. Wen Nuan's red dress in the final London scene looked ill-fitting. It was loose and ready to fall off her. Yixin was an extreme fashionista, wearing elegant or tacky outfits. In general, all the actors were subjected to the whims of the wardrobe department.
Observation:
I felt that HTH had the tone of Winter Sonata, in story, characters and music. Lost love, love rivals, lost memory, interfering deluded parent, lack of communication, dream house, weepiness, depression, delusion! There were similarities between the four main characters of HTH and WS. Wen Nuan (=Yu Jin), Nanxian (=Joon Sang), Linlu (=Sang Hyuk) and Yixin (=Chaelin)! The HTH characters had more depth of character and job responsibilities.
The final montage of the couple in their State of Happiness was unnecessary. The drama should have ended at their final reunion by the River Thames.
Story: 6.5
A credible romance plot with too much weepiness, depression, delusion. By the middle of the story, I had no empathy and sympathy for the two lovers, Wen Nuan and Zhan Nanxian. Their persistent weepiness and inadequate communication skill made me indifferent to the lovers' plight. While the supporting characters were beautiful to behold, their mini stories also seemed to drag on forever.
Acting/Cast: 8
Credible acting by the main and supporting casts! Janine Chang's range of emotions was impressive, but she was wept her way through this drama, and that was depressing. Hans Zhang exuded charm and elegance on screen, but his weepiness was depressing. My favorite character was Gao Fang (… actor Ji Xiao Bing), who was the only rational, normal person.
Music: 9.5
The incidental music was beautiful. I wondered if the Winter Sonata composer composed the music. The theme song was overplayed too much; two or three times in the episodes. Once is enough, during the opening credits.
Rewatch value: 1
I was too depressed, watching the depressed, bipolar, deluded characters. Never again!
Overall rating: 6.5
If the drama had been trimmed to 30 episodes, with a tighter plot, less drivel, less weepiness, less depression, it would have been awarded the title of Ultimate Romance Drama to challenge the K-drama, Winter Sonata, sitting at the top of the Romance Drama chart. The Writer, Director and Actors put too much emphasis on the MELODRAMA, versus DRAMA.
Wardrobe notes:
Janine and Hans wore the most beautiful fashions, but some of their wardrobe should have been rejected. Nanxian wore checkered pajama pants and a tailored black tuxedo jacket and bowtie, and loafer shoes that looked like bedroom slippers, at his wedding in episode 45. Wen Nuan's red dress in the final London scene looked ill-fitting. It was loose and ready to fall off her. Yixin was an extreme fashionista, wearing elegant or tacky outfits. In general, all the actors were subjected to the whims of the wardrobe department.
Observation:
I felt that HTH had the tone of Winter Sonata, in story, characters and music. Lost love, love rivals, lost memory, interfering deluded parent, lack of communication, dream house, weepiness, depression, delusion! There were similarities between the four main characters of HTH and WS. Wen Nuan (=Yu Jin), Nanxian (=Joon Sang), Linlu (=Sang Hyuk) and Yixin (=Chaelin)! The HTH characters had more depth of character and job responsibilities.
The final montage of the couple in their State of Happiness was unnecessary. The drama should have ended at their final reunion by the River Thames.
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