No Light Without Darkness

Ever Night depicts the adventures of characters in the Empire of Tang. The Emperor of Tang rules over several kingdoms with different religious sects trying to maintain a balance of power and peace. He’s hindered by his own royal family, due to rivaling siblings, and the opposition of the conquered kingdoms. Other troublemakers are the religious fanatics of Xiling and the barbaric Demon Sect in the North. Both parties believe in the foretelling of “Ever Night is coming” a.k.a. the Legend of the Child of Hades who will destroy all light and happiness in the world. Their mission is to kill this child of darkness as soon as possible.
Both sects are highly skilled in martial arts leaning on mystical power from some kind of energy field that is created by light/angels/heaven or darkness/demons/earth. They are able to perform super powers like telepathy, telekinesis, and manipulation of physical energy. Apprentices are aided by their masters to obtain higher levels in power through training and meditation.

Summary
The protagonists of Ever Night are Ning Que and Sang Sang. They’ve lived together since early childhood, being both survivors from a massacre. The 5 year old Ning Que has found baby girl Sang Sang under a pile of corpses protected by a big black umbrella. Wherever they go they take this umbrella with them like a symbol of their relationship, a strong protective bond against all evils in the world.
Ning Que is driven by anger and revenge, Sang Sang is motivated by loyalty and love. Their story unfolds 15 years later. Ning Que (Arthur Chen) earns a living thanks to his natural fighting skills. One day he’s hired to accompany the royal princess of Tang to Wei City, where he decides to stay as a professional fighter while Sang Sang (Yiren Song) takes care of his basic needs and house hold.

Once they are settled in the city they become entangled in the power struggle of the palace factions and religious sects. The fanatics of Xiling believe Ning Que is the child of darkness so they try to kill him. Somehow every battle is won by Ning Que gaining him even more powers. One day he gets the chance to be trained by the Head Master of the Martial Academy of Tang. Ning Que grows into fame as Mister 13, the 13th disciple of the Academy, envied and admired by many people including beautiful ladies. More and more he’s driven by his testosterone levels and the iron ambition to kill the culprit of the massacre. This attitude puts pressure on his relationship with Sang Sang. Main question is: what’s more important, Ning Que’s passions or his lifelong habit to live with Sang Sang? Will they end up together or on opposite sites? There are no spoilers available, just an universal truth, There’s No Light Without Darkness.

The Pro’s
Ever Night has the look and feel of a Disney movie. Ning Que and Sang Sang seem like a leading couple in Star Wars sometimes. The cinematography is outstanding with glorious landscapes, buildings, close ups, time lapses of the weather, and slow motion scenes of falling rain. The music score is constantly pulling at our heart strings.
Then there's the cast. The 18 year male lead convinces as the apparently uncaring, selfish anti-hero whose only soft spot is his little “house maid”. Although the female lead is 6 years his senior she’s totally believable as the younger, loyal Sang Sang. I loved their teasing-caring scenes, and the painful awareness, eventually, of their own hidden feelings as shown in episode 45 and further.
Personally I’m not a fan of Wuxia battles, but if you are, you will appreciate the many fighting scenes, the choreography is A++.

The Cons
The characters from the supporting cast remain rather flat throughout the series. Take for instance the emperor. The way he calmly accepts the bad attitude from his siblings and political opponents keeps me wondering if he’s some sort of saint in stead of an absolute ruler. Also the antagonistic Prince Long Qing learns nothing from his faults, making his evilness somewhat dull and childish.
Moreover this epic adventure follows the traditional Chinese way of story telling meaning long winding scenes, endless repetitions, flash backs, and a lack of focus on the main story in favor of less interesting side characters. I had to resist the urge to use the fast forward button.

Verdict
The beautiful faces, places, and music, won me over eventually. Ever Night ends with a cliff hanger, but I am a fan waiting for the sequel. I really want to know who’s the Xiling ruler behind the mask. He made me think of a good guy turned evil like Darth Vader. Perhaps he is the legendary pupil of Tang Academy, the one and only love interest of Madam Jian Da Jia of Red Sleeves Bordello. Who knows?

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The Korean Art of Styling

Korean productions are famous for their stylish remakes of other asian drama, c-drama in particular. This is the second time I'm watching a Korean BL drama that has its origin in Chinese BL.

Story
Where Your Eyes Linger follows the Chinese BL trope Young-Master-Falling-In Love-With-His Servant. There are several versions on the market, with body guards, butlers, marketing managers, usually with a tragic or open ending. The main question is: will the Master and Servant end up as a real couple? In this case they surely have the support of the mother of He Mi, the embodiment of the female BL stan scene.

Acting/Cast
Jang Eui Soo combines real acting with a sturdy body, ideal for the body guard/servant role. Han Gi Chan has been put forward by his company as try-out for BL-Heartthrob, and why not? With his fine body and feminine features he fits the bill, appealing to men and women alike. Their mission is instant chemistry, because this is one long BL commercial with 8 short episodes, and they deliver. The female roles are exactly what they're supposed to be, not intervening too much.

Music
Leave it to k drama to present us with some catchy pop tunes. This series is like any other.

Rewatch Value
I've started watching Where Your Eyes Linger because I was impressed with the short series Long Time No See (2017) This Korean BL drama combines bloody scenes with steamy scenes, filmed in an aesthetic, yet glamorous style. Where Your Eyes Linger is too slick and stealthy to my taste, like I'm guilty of prying when I see those guys wrestling and washing each other's hair.

Overall
I guess I'm fed up with stories about boys who are supposed to be straight, but feel amorous about a certain guy, like homosexuality is not a way of life, but just an accident. When will the time come that I can watch gripping drama with well rounded characters where the leads just happen to be gay? Now I'm feeling used by Rakuten testing the waters for Boys Love as another marketing formula. Where Your Eyes Linger is bound to bind the main target group, hard working females who are willing to pay a Viki pass to watch implied male sex, unhindered, and in style points too.

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Searching For A Heart of Gold

Going through Li Hong Yi's playlist I stumbled upon The Legendary Life of Queen Lau. What a find! This is so much more than a story about a country bumpkin girl meeting a preppy flower boy.

Summary

Liu Jin Feng (Jackie Li) is living a simple country life with her mother until she's summoned by her father, the Grand Chancellor Liu Xie (Wang Dong) who lives at the imperial court as guardian of the late emperor's son, Duan Yun Zhang (Li Hong Yi) He forces a marriage between his daughter and the young heir apparent, and Yun Zang plays along under the motto Keep Your Friends Close, Keep Your Enemies Closer.
As he meets his bride on the wedding day Yun Zhang is surprised by her appearance. Liu Jin Feng turns out to be a small but sturdy country girl, courageous, spontaneous, easily fooled by the courtiers. It beats him why Liu Xie chose this unrefined girl, Liu's lovechild, in stead of Liu's official daughter who's famed for her finesse. The Grand Chancellor claims it was the dying wish of Yun Zang's royal father. So Yun Zhang decides to share his sleep quarters with his wife meanwhile observing her and testing her loyalty towards him and her father.
Jin Feng is oblivious to all of this, and completely swept off her feet by her husband's looks. She's putting all her energy and focus in meeting his standards, and she's stubbornly blind to his passive aggressiveness. Wreaking havoc with all her good intentions she angers Yun Zang in such a way that he spills the ugly truth. Heart broken Jin Feng leaves him alone and demands a legal separation. Now that she's gone Yun Zang begins to miss her. Can he re-evaluate his priorities, and will he finally win the power struggle for the throne without losing his wife in the process?

Acting/cast

The strongest point of this production is the cast. The role of Yun Zhang fits Li Hong Yi like a glove; I like his Soft Ice look in contrast to the Powder-Your-Face-With-Sunshine, Jackie Li. I hope she sets a trend with stars like Wang Peng. They are the shining examples of authentic looks that may become mainstream. A breath of spring in the land of mass plastic surgery where faces scare the hell out of me, or become indiscernible at best. Take Li Hong Yi's face f.e. compared to Wang Yibo's. That brings me to the subject of The Untamed and two actors who play in this series as well. Guo Cheng (Lan Lingyi) is the crown prince's brother who's interested in the other Liu sister, and Qi Pei Xin (Jin Ling) is guest starring as the imperial physician. Kudos for Wang Dong as Grand Chancellor Liu Xie who maintains a believable balance between the dark and good sides of his character.

The Bad

Although the cast performs well, I see some flaws in the production. F.e. there are too many storylines, repetitions, slowing the flow of the story and leaving loop holes in the plot; there's a misbalance between romance, slapstick, and sentimental scenes; serious dialogues are abruptly followed by odd social media sounds that are somehow deemed appropriate for romcoms. Also the emphasis is on looks and appearances, in stead of character traits and inner growth.

The Good

Still, the emphasis on authenticity vs duplicity is a very good one, especially in the character writing of the leading couple. It gives this light romcom a deeper layer and some food for thought. Yun Zhang and Jin Feng get some real life lessons along their way.

Overall

So, if you like romcom combined with a coming of age story, this is for you. Enjoy the legendary life of the cinderella queen and her prince, searching for a heart of gold.

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A Chinese Modern Family

I've binge watched Go Ahead in two days recovering from an operation in bed and yes, it really healed me. I laughed, I cried, the day-to-day meals in this series made my mouth water, regaining my appetite for food and living.

Summary

Go Ahead tells the story of a recent widower who's running a local noodle bar. His life is focused on cooking and making his little daughter happy, in spite of the attempts of older ladies in the neighborhood to find him a new wife.
One candidate, a beautiful single mother with a son, seems to his liking. Alas, she is forced to leave by urgent family matters, taking his money and leaving her little son in his care. At the same time the neighborhood is disturbed by the arrival of new inhabitants, a police officer with his wife and son. The woman turns out to be a drunk who's terrorizing her family out of grief from a freaking accident that caused the death of their former baby girl. The drunken quarrels are so fierce the son prefers to spend his evenings reading comic books at the stair well . The widower and his daughter take pity on him, inviting him to stay with them whenever he likes, and before they know it, the silent, moody boy stays permanently at their home. Finally the woman leaves, the police officer follows the habit of his son including eating the home made meals from the widower and within a year both male neighbors have formed a functional, modern household. Their son and daughter are living in harmony, together with the fresh adopted son from the widower. Papa Li and Papa Ling form a real power couple. They encourage the children to move forward as good as it gets. At work, at school, with their friends, at university. Question is: will they go ahead in spite of their mental scars and the trouble on their doorstep caused by far away family members who come to claim their support mainly based on Chinese family traditions.

The Pros

Both the child and adult actors are so good, their emotions so real, it made my heart swell and melt. I love the interaction between the papas so much, I even thought this based on a censored original work about two homosexuals forming a family life. Themes like group pressure, status in life, keeping up appearances, marriage, divorce, midlife crisis, they are all there. The cast is superb, not only the leading actors gave me the feels. I also could relate to the other characters.

The Cons

The first ten episodes put me on a roller coaster of emotions, the mental issues of the children were that gripping. The following episodes however inflated a bit with minor issues about school and friends. And is it just me, or were most female characters portrayed in an inferior way to the male characters? I found them all insecure, ignorant, silly, troublesome, or downright evil. The leading couple, the widower's daughter and the police officer's son, seem too good to be true by contrast. It wouldn't have hurt to see more realistic growing pains between them. Also the many eating scenes with sweet cakes, water melons and other food, made me wish for product placements that make me feel less hungry.

Verdict

Nevertheless I was hooked for 40 episodes, I loved the ending that left me smiling for hours. Go Ahead is a warm and sweet opinion on humans and theirs struggles in life. Go See It!

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Not-so-brotherly love

Yes! Another time travel drama on Youku with (Master Devil) Li Hong Yi and Lusi Zhao (Untouchable Lovers, Oh My Emperor, Cinderella Chef), in short, three elements I can't resist.

Synopsis
The story begins in the future. A girl is willing to trade her immortality for a romantic life. She’s sent back by the matrix of the universe to live in the body of a girl in the past. She’s foretold she will meet the love of her life the moment she opens her eyes. The girl from the future awakes as Chun Hua. Somehow she’s found beside a murdered healer, bystanders think she’s the culprit. Still dizzy she can’t see the first man she meets, but he seems to be a tall guy with long waving hair seen from the back as he’s deserting the place. The second man she clearly sees is Xiao Bai. He’s the good looking son of a martial arts master, and very angry. His father has been poisoned and now the guy who was supposed to cure his father has been killed. Chun Hua eagerly greets Xiao Bai as her future husband, but he suspects she’s a female spy. He decides to keep her close by his side to keep an eye on her. The girl pretends to have amnesia, because she hasn’t got the faintest idea who Chun Hua is. Her information gap is soon filled by the mysterious man with long waving hair who apparently comes to her aid. He turns out to be Qiu Yue, sworn enemy of Xiao Bai, a highly dangerous man, full of tricks. He introduces himself as her brother to take control over Chun Hua and Xiao Bai. What he can’t control is his not-so brotherly feeling for Chun Hua.

The Pros
It’s a joy to watch Lusi Zhao, she is such a versatile actress. I hated her as the antagonistic wife in Untouchable Lovers, I mistrusted her in Cinderella Chef. Her tone deaf singing in Oh My Emperor made me cry of laughter and now she plays such a cute, airhead girl that it is totally believable that every man wants to protect her. Both male leads are eye candy, the chemistry is on spot, and there’s also this tension about a yes or no- sister-brother connection.

The Cons
If you are into wuxia stories I guess you'll be disappointed. The storyline about the longevity nut has a meaning because of the love/immortality theme of the series, but it feels a bit forced and long-winded as well.

Nevertheless...if you like romance, tension and doubt between lovers, plus a mystery to be solved, this is for you.

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Work and (love) life of secret agents

This is the third time I've watched Call of the Country and it still delivers what I asked for, good laughs & action scenes, with insights in human characters & relationships. This show is not just another office romance, character development, redemption drama, or detective story, it's all in one, the Korean comedy-version of the successful BBC series Spooks/MI5.

Summary
The main story is about the rookie police officer Oh Ha Na who accidentally interrupts a secret operation of special agent Go Jin Hyuk. Team leader Go has a perfect elite background, he's a stickler for the rules unlike his older boss who's more a people manager. At first Go Jin Hyuk dislikes Miss Oh for disturbing his actions, even thinking she's a snitch who works for the highest bidder in the mafia, but soon he learns she's an original with a good heart, some one he could use in his team. From day one working together it doesn't take long to develop romantic feelings for each other. All goes well until Go's former girlfriend returns to his team, rekindling their unfinished business. The second story is about the developing relationship between Oh Ha Na and a chaebol heir who's dabbling in art trade apparently using his work as a cover for drugs trade. She's working undercover as his secretary, gaining evidence for his arrest.

The Good
I love the dynamics between the main couple. Oh Ha Na seems silly and rash at first sight, but she's more serious than people think, and easily hurt as well. Go Jin Hyuk seems Mr. Perfect but happens to be stiff and unfeeling some times not easily relating to less perfect humans . Also the story about the narcissistic son of a chaebol leader who develops feelings for his secretary, is an entertaining romcom on its own.

The Bad
Personally I don't have anything against this show, but I understand why people complain about the "second lead syndrome" here. The love of the second male develops gradually, taking more episodes, and his interaction with Oh Ha Na is shown more physically. The main leads don't get much screen time for their love scenes. Their love is more talked about than shown, if only in cat fighting scenes between the former girlfriend and Oh Ha Na, making their love more funny and cheesy.

The Verdict
If you don't mind that romance is less important than comedy, and if you like watching series about the work and (love) life of workers in secret service , this is for you. Made almost ten years ago, this show is still very entertaining.

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Solid Gold Classic

What can I say about Crash Landing on You that hasn’t been said already? For starters this drama belongs to the Premier Division of k drama IMO, in line with Secret Garden, You Who Came From the Stars, Legend of the Blue Sea. Not entirely coincidental these dramas were aided by respectively the same actor, Hyun Bin, and the same screen writer, Park Ji Eun. The question remains: what’s so good about it? I think it is the right mix of story, actors & music.

The Story

Crash Landing on You combines many proven genres that capture a worldwide audience from the start: action, romance, comedy, drama, tragedy, business, rags & riches. Moreover it is meticulously written according to the golden rules of screen writing:
1. Use the time of your audience in such a way that they will not feel their time was wasted
2. Give people at least one character to root for
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water
4. Every minute must either reveal more of a character or advance the action
5. Start as close to the end as possible
6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet your characters, make awful things happen to them to show what they are made of
7. Don’t try to please the whole world, this only weakens your storyline
8. Give your audience as much information as possible in order to stay hooked.
The storytelling is also rock solid: boy meets girl - they get into trouble - things go from bad to worse - there is a closure but at the same time it keeps us from knowing if new developments are good or bad, hoping for a sequel.

The Actors

Even well written stories are made or broken by the cast. In this case the acting of each and everyone was on point. I can’t imagine any other actor playing the lead than Hyun Bin (the stern and sturdy North Korean army officer Ri Jung Hyuk) and Son Ye Jin (the sophisticated South Korean chaebol heiress Yoon Se Ri). Also the supporting cast did a great job, with honorable mentions for Yang Kyung Won (sergeant Pyo Chi Su who speaks North Korean to a T according to North Korean defector Kang Nara) and Bang Eun Jin playing the emotionally scarred mother of Se Ri.

The Music

So, we've got our story and the right actors, but we can check the box of the soundtrack as well. This one leads the Top 10 of most downloaded OST’s at the moment I'm writing this review.

Rewatch

Sometimes I can forget a story as soon as the clue has been reached, but I think I will rewatch this drama. There are many layers in the episodes that deserve a re-run.

Verdict

Overall, if you haven’t seen this already, go watch it, and learn how k drama earned its reputation.

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Mysterious Game of High Tech Busybodies

Yes, the plot of season 2 is similar to Sweet Revenge 1. Bullies and evil doers get punished through a mysterious revenge game on a mobile phone of the female lead. This sequel however is less fantasy, more reality. Every episode seems a day-to-day journal of young adults, their struggles in life, human dynamics. It's all about the bonding of brothers, sisters, children, parents, students, and their teachers.

The good

The cast has to play the usual suspects of school drama, but they feel authentic. No one acts over the top, the love scenes are cute, the feelings relatable. Kudos for bringing up the character of Ha Rok Hee, who's more of a real knight than the oppas in this drama. I love this kind of comedy that helps to ease the pain or tension when bullies are at work, and darker themes like corruption, abandonment, or divorce are treated lightly.

The bad

The wicked characters aren't really fleshed out in this sequel, and that's a pity. I would have loved to see more background of the bullies as well. Also there aren't many clues on the secret who's the Master of the game. Why is that? Are they planning another series to pick up that storyline? I don't know.

Rewatch Value

I've seen every episode, but I don't think I will watch this series again, unless somebody tells me there are scenes that point towards the Master of the Revenge Game. Really, this riddle is bugging me.

Overall

What I like about this drama is that human errors are easily forgiven or forgotten. Some boundaries get really tested, emotions get out of hand, but never too much, or too long. So, if you're a fan of light, slice-of-life drama and you don't have a problem with love triangles, you will be entertained.

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Epic Lovestory with Life Lessons

I never would have thought about binge-watching a wuxia drama without romance or kissing, but I finally did, and now I’m totally captivated.

This series is an adaptation from the Boys Love-novel “Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation/Mo Dao Zhushi". I recommend reading the novel as well to get a better insight in the characters of the male leads, their mutual love and inspiration. Moreover it leads to a better understanding of the messages in this story,

* There’s no good or evil, black or white.
* People who seem flawless can be wrong. Those who won’t follow the rules can be right.
* It doesn’t help to explain things, sometimes the world just needs a target.
* Stay true to your heart.

That is “The Untamed” in a nutshell, an epic lovestory with life lessons.

Synopsis
This is a fantasy story set in ancient China about two young martial heroes who are soul mates but completely opposite in character. In flashbacks we see them as antagonistic students attending the same class but very soon entangled in a bloody power struggle between the clans. One is the typically charming bad boy who can’t abide by the rules. Due to his impulsive actions, and his tendency to fight and save everyone, Wei Wuxian becomes an infamous demonologist.
The other, Lan Wangji, is the serene and shining example of wuxia manhood. He seems allergic to Wei Wuxian who gets him out of balance every time they meet, but he ends up completely lost and untamed himself, when Wei Wuxian tragically dies before his very eyes.
In retrospect Lan Wangji understands that his friend was right, and the others wrong, and he’s full of regrets.
For mysterious reasons Wei Wuxian's soul is invited into the body of another young man 16 years later and the friends get reunited. They join forces to solve the mystery behind the evil events in their past, uncovering a sinister conspiracy and stunning revelations about each other.

The Good
“The Untamed” creates a fantasy world with a beautiful scenery, soundtrack, strong plot and brilliant characters . Xiao Zhan is the perfect choice for the flippant, dark and passionate Wei Wuxian. The way he can smile, or cry in front of a camera is amazing. In the novel the character Lan Wangji is described as the typical Tsundere, impressive, large and powerfully built, so I was surprised to see young idol/dancer Wang Yibo getting the part, but he really rises above himself here. Although he has few lines in the script, his acting is very natural, with subtle micro-expressions, and beautiful chemistry with Xiao Zhan.

The Bad
It’s almost common in cdrama, needless repetitions, underdeveloped CGI, unsynchronized flute playing. It took me six episodes to get into the story, also it is difficult to get all the names and clans right. Unfortunately the last episode was filled with several flashbacks before the final scene got me by surprise. It's needless to say, I prefer the ending in the novel version.

Overall
However this is still an outstanding adaptation of the novel, even better at times if you look at the philosophy part. It left me full of emotions, ready to rewatch everything all over again. The leading couple made me laugh, cry, and support their love that is unspoken in the series, but oozing from the screen. WangXian4Ever!

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Politics is for crooks and liars

I stumbled on this movie on Viki and decided to watch it because of Kim Rae Won. He has proved to be a versatile actor who can play almost anything, from romcom to drama, from tragedy to thrillers, and I wasn't disappointed.

Long Live The King made me laugh out loud sometimes. The story is perhaps plain and simple about a gangster who starts running for local elections of the government, but it has a nice flow that I miss in many k-drama nowadays. Moreover it is rarely seen that both the casting and acting are on point, and I mean not only the main actors but also the supporting cast. The romance isn't boring either, although it is plain and simple from the start. It is the ardent, instant love for a petite female lawyer with balls that makes our hero set on changing his ways.

The outcome of this movie seems to be that politics is for crooks and liars only, as they are both adept at playing the game of power, but I wouldn't mind if people like Jang run the country. So, well done.

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The Will To Move Forward

This melodrama a.k.a. "Rain or Shine" has good reviews, but I waited a long time before seeing it, because I usually like tv shows that cheer me up after working hours. Now I'm glad I did it. Just Between Lovers is heavy stuff, but also a touching story about a tragic event, its devastating impact on everybody involved, and the will to move forward.

Summary
The drama begins with the quarreling teenager Ha Moon Soo. Her mother wants her to babysit her younger sister. Moon Soo has other plans for the day, she likes to meet her boyfriend at the local shopping mall. Moon Soo decides to bring her sister along, leaving her at the escalators, speeding towards her date meanwhile observed, and secretly admired by another schoolboy, the 15 year old Lee Gang Doo.
Suddenly, the whole shopping mall collapses due to a construction failure, taking the life of 48 people, including Ha Moon Soo’s sister and boyfriend.
Moon Soo and Gang Doo both survive the catastrophe, but their life and dreams are shattered. She is living with guilt towards her parents who aren’t able to cope with their grief. Moon Soo’s mother is a drunk, her father abandons them. Gang Doo spends his days as a lone wolf, fighting through physical and emotional pain, struggling to support his sister and pay back a hefty debt.
Ten years later they meet again as they both work for the same company led by the off spring of the managers who were once responsible for the disastrous shopping mall. Everybody wants to atone for the past by planning a better construction this time at the accident site. Will they be able to move forward and embrace the future?

The Good
This drama is unique, unlike any other k-drama I’ve seen. The male lead isn’t the usual rich, nasty tempered, or cold man. He is very intense, a tragic anti hero, disturbed by heavy melancholy. The female lead isn’t the typical poor, bubbly girl. She’s a total introvert. Perhaps she was once a sassy teenager, now she’s a Plain Jane suffering from parentification.
It’s wonderful to see how damaged people manage to develop feelings, let alone romantic feelings for each other. The romance and human relationships are so beautiful in this drama.
Every character is well written, not good, not bad, with uncertainties and flaws. The story is based on a real disaster in 1995 when the Sampoong Departmental Store in Seoul collapsed, killing 501 people, but the focus is on the aftermath, and the will to move on.

The Bad
Some storylines minimize the huge impact of the first episodes, making it less realistic. The story arc of Moon Soo's parents is very depressing, if not dull. They don't show any character development.
Gang Doo encounters every problem possible, this was really too much for me to behold, but his mental illness, a Post Traumatic Syndrome, is downsized like he has the flew, simply cured by a cuddle from Moon Soo.

Verdict
All in all this drama is superb and a MUST SEE. The casting is perfect, the chemistry on point. Kudos for Lee Jun Ho’s screen appeal. I fell for his character, not only as a romantic interest, but also as a lonely boy who takes life lessons from an old medicine woman played by veteran actress Na Moon Hee. I loved their interaction.
All actors did a good job. They gave the story an authentic feel. The beautiful cinematography and soundtrack added to the look and feel of a high budget movie. So if you're ready for some heartfelt sorrow besides intense romance, this is for you.

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A Twisted Cinderella Story

I decided to take a break from c-k-drama to watch the Japanese series Coffee & Vanilla. First I was admiring how this live action version matched the manga, but soon I felt myself looking at downtuned scenes from movies like 9 1/2 weeks (1986), Wild Orchid (1989), Sleeping With The Enemy (1991).

Plot
Coffee & Vanilla has the same plot as these other western movies, a shallow twisted Cinderella story that is meant to glue the emotional, intimate scenes together. There is this naïve girl from the country, without an impressive resume or pedigree, who doesn't realize how pretty she is. She gets discovered by a mundane rich guy, full of tricks, but tired from his own lifestyle. Without breaking a sweat he conquers her, takes her in, starts to cuddle and experiment with her, apparently enjoying her freshness, but after a while even this dum girl feels there's something really weird going on. Her Prince acts strange, at times he's alienated from her, showing signs from some psychic disorder or traumatic event in earlier life. The outside world doesn't seem to matter to both of them. No questions or background stories are asked, parents, family, and friends are strangely unimportant. In stead of that, the outside world gets more hostile for this girl. She starts to feel like a helpless chick, a burden to people around her. Main question is, has Cinderella found her Prince Charming, or not?

The Good
I guess the central theme of this drama is self confidence. The story shows that it is better not to trust easily, but when you really love someone you can break a curse with nothing but your courage and steadfastness. Both elements are nice to know, and reassuring.

The Bad
Too bad I couldn't feel a spark of eroticism between the leading couple. A romance can be based on instant attraction and passion, but their story didn't convince me. The casual remarks of the male lead that he already knew her, wanted her, prepared even a house for her, was creepy to say the least. I know there are many people on this forum who think otherwise, but I've really had my fill of male obsessiveness, or males saying Kawai all the time. If someone would pat my head like the male lead did to others...I would pinch his face real hard.

Verdict
So, can you spend your time with this series? Yes you can, it's just not my cup of tea.

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Evil is just the Absence of Good

Sometimes I really need some hardcore romance besides the rom-coms I usually watch with their tongue-in-cheek love. This is one of those moments, and I am really satisfied with The Legends. This series has it all, outstanding headstrong characters, their own private history, High Fantasy, the Great Battle between Good & Evil, and last but not least the beautiful chemistry between the main couple, that starts unconsciously, shy, sweet and fizzes on the screen at times.

Summary
This drama has been adapted from a popular novel about divine sects who fight for the power in the pugilistic world.
The main story is about Lu Zhao Yao. Her grandfather’s sect is responsible for the guarding of the demon king’s son. This mystic person, later called Li Chen Lan, is unkept, covered with magic runes on his face. He lives chained, hidden and abandoned in the mountain because of his incredible evil powers he hasn’t mastered yet. No one is allowed to see him.
One time Zhao Yao meets, and saves, the good looking Luo Ming Xuan, the divine leader of the immortal ten sects. He becomes her shining example in life. She adores him and promises to live and fight for the good cause, using her powers to protect the defenseless.
Later she’s really shocked to find out Luo Ming Xuan is behind the nearing execution of the demon king’s son. True to her word she comes to the rescue of the demon king’s son, because he is defenseless and hasn’t done anything wrong (yet). So after a huge fight, that kills her own grandfather, she instantly becomes the arch enemy of the whole Good Sect Alliance, swearing she will be evil henceforth, if those hypocritical leaders call themselves good.
She hides away in the mountains, together with the very shy demon king’s son who adores her from now on, giving him the nicknames Mo Qing/Little Monkey-Monster.
They set up their own sect, the Wanlu sect, that leans towards unconventional sorcery and devilry to make it possible for common people to live a happy life without the bigotry of the so-called Good Sects. An all consuming war is the result, with many events that lead to wrong assumptions about love, good and evil for everyone involved.

The Good
One of the big cons of this series is the achievement of the cast. Not only the main actors, but also the other actors act very naturally with the exception of Zhang Xin. She plays the role of the lively Lu Shi Qi who has a crush on the aloof, holy Qin Qian Xian (Li Zi Feng) tending too much towards the archetype frolic Chinese girl, but I forgive her because she’s a funny sidekick.
Bai Lu shines as the kick ass heroine with all her moods and flaws. Never did she outplay her co actor Xu Kai. He skillfully navigates between the shyness and anger of his character Mo Qing/Li Chen Lan who sees Zhao Yao as the anchor and moral compass of his life.
I also liked the music and the scenery of hidden places like the snowy mountain, and the Feng Shui hideout of the main couple.

The Bad
I wonder how great Chinese drama truly can be, this series in particular, if the makers could change their style of writing and editing. Can somebody please explain what is wrong with the Chinese filming industry? I know there's censure, but the novels are okay, why don't they use the original storylines for a change? Honestly, the Chinese filming industry could use the Hollywood Closure as a model. Whether the ending is good or bad, I don't care... as long as there's a sound and fulfilling ending.

The Verdict
Sorry for my rant, but my frustration runs deep. In short: the end of this series isn’t as good as its beginning. Nevertheless I strongly recommend The Legends. This series has many interesting characters, an interesting Yin &Yang theory about the concept of Good & Evil, and heart fluttering moments. Enjoy!

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Revenge can be sweet

With all those heavy-weight dramas I sometimes ache for a cute and sweet story. That’s why this web drama felt good to me. The title was confusing at first, because I thought this would be some version of Death Note, but it turned out to be about daily school issues like bullying, the rich & poor gap, the beauties & ugly ducklings, first love & teachers, family & friends. The male leads were eye candy, there’s a cameo of ASTRO and the female lead became more daring and lovelier each episode, although she was shy and passive at first.

Summary
There are two storylines in this short web drama. First a love story that made me think of another web drama called Queen of the Ring (2017). The male lead is a pretty boy, tall, and with the looks of a model. The female lead is a little plain Jane but sweet and adorable, so that she catches the eye of another boy as well. He’s the best friend of her brother and a famous idol to boot, only he didn’t get the chance to show his feelings yet.
Second there’s a fantasy story about a mobile app called Revenge Note that suddenly pops up in the phone of the female lead. It creates the opportunity to note the name of someone who is bullying her. When she does, bad things start to happen to that person. She discovers that her life can be sweet that way, but it also gets more complicated, and who’s helping her anyway? This remains a mystery to her, and to us.

The Good
The mix of school life and fantasy is well done. Further I liked the character development of the female lead. Usually the female lead is instrumental to the happiness of the male lead. Not in this series. Here it’s the other way around.

The Bad
Like I said the male lead was pretty to look at, but he remained rather flat and unknown. We don't learn much about his family or background. Also this series is really short. There's also a loop hole in the story of the Revenge Note.

The Verdict
Still I would recommend this series. Just watch it for yourself and stay tuned for the sequel in 2018 in order to find out who made this mysterious Revenge Note after all.

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Chinese Steampunk

Watching Arsenal Military Academy is a feast for your eyes. The cinematography, action scenes, film sets and costumes are on point. I wasn't eager to watch this drama, because I thought it would be too nationalistic, but fortunately, that wasn't the case.

Story

True to its title this series tells the adventures of young cadets who are training, bonding, finding their life purpose. Some interesting characters are introduced in several subplots. There's this girl (Bai Lu) who's grieving about her deceased brother. She decides to impersonate him at the academy. There are two young celebs, a rich heir (Xu Kai) and an actress (Wu Jia Yi) who both take too many risks just to escape their pampered life. The rich boy enlists himself for the academy. Among their high society friends are two brothers, who are leading a business imperium together, but also get more involved in the resistance against Japanese aggression. The younger brother (Toby Lee) goes to the Academy to sharpen his war skills. There he gets a surprise visit from a Sino-Japanese girl he knew from high school. She went to live abroad, but somehow she has returned for mysterious reasons.

Their story is set at the time of the Sino-Japanese aggression, but it all seems more like a fantasy tale, full of glamour, action and music. Characters get away with cross dressing, stunt riding on motor cycles, single handed shoot outs with complete combat armies, escapes from Japanese police cells in just a few minutes. It's all very entertaining.

Cast

This time, the second leads steal the show in stead of the leading couple that made me watch this drama in the first place. Bai Lu and Xu Kai are legendary together in The Legends (2019) but don't expect a rerun of their chemistry here. However, as stand-alone character they are both attractive. Xu Kai is tall, sexy and cute as ever. Bai Lu is even better as a male cadet than as a girl. The best romance scene goes to Hong Yao as the eldest Shen brother who deeply loves Qu Man Ting ( Wu Jia Yi) He's able to recognize this seemingly superficial actress as a strong and capable partner in life, long before she knows it herself. Toby Lee has the role of the younger Shen brother, a lone wolf full of dark brooding energy. It fits him like a glove.

Production

The fight scenes and special effects are well done. The soundtrack is nice and pays tribute to the story except for the modern intro-theme. Also there are a lot of details that can't be seen in one glance, so I will rewatch this series.

Overall

This drama has tags for friendship, teamwork, and romance but these aren't the main themes. Arsenal Military Academy is Chinese steampunk at its best, with action, intelligent characters, and glamour, all-in-one.

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