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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In Need of Scissors

Watching Decreed By Fate is both a delight and relieve. Yay. Here's to Chinese historical romcom that has good script writing! No loop holes, dragging or missing scenes, just 16 episodes Korean style including the cliff hanger that will guarantee an audience for the next season.

Story
This series has classic tropes like the straightforward, feisty heroine and two cool, tall, good-looking guys who fall in love with her at first sight. There are some unexpected turns as well. I like the idea of a heroine who sets up a divorce agency right after her forced marriage. It felt good to watch her respect and defend freedom rights, to admire the beauty of people, male or female. The love triangle is not the usual battle of love where someone comes out in smiles and the other has to lick his wounds in private. This trope is used to explore the many faces of love, and its origins. In that respect it makes perfectly sense why the ML ends up with the girl.

Acting/Cast
Chen Fang Tong is a good choice for the role of Rong Er. She combines huge Bamby eyes with a sturdy character, sharp wit. I like her chemistry with both ML's. Li Jiu Lin is born to play the classic ML. Really, this actor has the perfect visual and physique. He's believably able to carry the heroine, better than some actors who border anorexia to keep their assignments with fashion labels. Kudos also for Wu Cheng Xu, Cheng Yu Feng and Jia Yi, I hope to see more of them in future series.

Music
There's some nice music that fits the atmosphere in the series. I downloaded the beginning- and ending tunes for memory keep sake.

Rewatch Value
As soon as I finished this series I wanted to watch it again. The falling in love process is both hilarious and romantic, also there were some clues that I missed before. The script is that inventful.

Overall
Are there any faults in this production? Not really imo. Just one thing stood out for me like a sore thumb, the stringy bangs of the general's wig. Jeez, they looked like mucus strands to me that made me run to my scissors to ease the kissing scene. Anyway, I really recommend this gem.

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Sexual Education & Product Placement

Always eager to watch romcom that test some boundaries I watched Love and Leashes until the very end. I saw the FL/ML frolicking on a comfy bed; she with Timotei wavy hair, he with a cutie pie smile on his face uttering "Saranghaeyo Ju-in", and I just sat there on my couch, thinking WHAT?!

Story
I THOUGHT I was going to see an office romcom with two colleagues exploring their sexual wishes, a BDSM version of the wonderful phonesex romcom Whatcha' Wearin? (2012). I expected they would use the Korean office hierarchy as the perfect breeding ground for humiliation kinks, but what I SAW was a sexual education class; a BDSM kiddy version with commercial incentives. This time no rings, shoes or designer bags, but collars, dildos, candles, leashes. I do admire the Korean business attitude, but really, I expected less toys, more arthouse, and creative kinkiness.

The Good
Love & Leashes isn't romcom, it's a warm and sweet opinion on sexual self-exploration. Ji-woo does research on the internet, and the audience looks over her shoulder. Kinks are explained in voice-overs, distinctions are made between D/S and SM play, we see the use of safe words, aftercare, and the whole shebang.

The Bad
What I personally wanted to see though, is the BDSM psychology. What makes it good to feel pain, why do people love to bound someone literally, is BDSM in our nature or is it nurture? There were some hints to the answers, but not much, and not really funny.

Overall
BDSM can be interpreted in romcom style, and there are good examples from more than 20 years ago. Try Pedro Almodóvar's "Tie me Up! Tie Me Down" (1989) with young Antonio Banderas; or Secretary (2002). The only newness I could find in Love and Leashes was that it is Korean, with product placements in style.

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Best Love, Best Kisses!

One of the big pros of Taiwanese Boys Love is that they aren't infected with messed-up plots or silly tropes due to censorship. You'll get romance right away, with pretty boys trying to hold on through thick and thin. "We Best Love" is no exception, except that some scenes affected me more than I anticipated.

Story
Fighting Mr Second picks up the story line right after the first series, Nr One For You. The ML has left the country to visit his family in America, but he didn't come back. He left no message, and the other ML was heart broken. Now, the one with the heartache has become the boss of a company his ex-boyfriend runs. They meet again, and the quitter gets literally slapped in the face. Question is: what happened long ago? It seems they still have feelings for each other, can hate turn into love again, will they succeed in rekindling their love?

Acting/Cast
Sam Lin shines as the male lead Gao Shi De, more or less a throwback to his role as Mu Liu Bing in Moon River (2015). Both men seem easy-going on the outside, but they are inwardly darker. They have no scruples when it comes to scheming their way to the heart of their beloved. They're also ruthless when they think it's the best strategy to close off their relationship. YU fits the bill as well, as Zhou Shu Yi, a maelstrom of apparent contradictions. He's fiercely loyal but it takes a lot of effort to gain his trust; he's prickly on the outside with a soft heart on the inside. In short, they're made for each other. The supporting cast is also good, but Fighting Mr Second is simply too short to give all of them the screen time they deserve.

The Good
There are two times that Fighting Mr Second reaches the top of BL productions. Watch the emotional drunk scene with Gao Shi De in episode 2 and you know what I mean. It has one of the best kissing scenes and camera angles I've ever seen in chinese series. Second, is the love that is shown between two guys who have contrasting mental disorders.

The Bad
The relationship between Yu Zhen Xuan and Pei Shou Yi feels forced though, because a BL format of 6 episodes can't pay tribute to their characters and the complications of their love life. They deserve a series of their own.

Overall
Still I was hooked by the story, got the feels to the level of "I'm not crying, you're crying". So watch it, if you're a sucker for romance. Nothing better than watching people falling in love (again), regardless of their gender, or mental health for that matter.

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Gourmet & Tang can Tango!

This speedy historical romcom attracted my attention with favorite tropes like time travel, body swap, food, unlikely romance. Soon I was drawn into the story.

Story

In the first episode we meet a modern plus size heroine, Xiao Xiao, who curses the social norm to be lean and mean; she loves her food and longs to live in a tv drama set in the Tang Dynasty, where voluptuous women seemed to be the rage. One day she chokes on her food and her soul is swapped with a girl in the Tang Dynasty, Yuan Wan' er, making her wish come true.
At first Xiao Xiao is delighted, but soon trouble is ahead. Wan'er isn't voluptuous at all, even ugly in the eyes of people from her era. Her older sister, a big dominating woman who manages a tavern and a slender husband, positively hates her; Wan'er seems to be engaged herself to a good-looking fiancé, Bai Yi Ming, but he's angry too, demanding the return of his bride price; and her brother-in-law is worried about some object she seems to have stolen from him. Xiao Xiao realizes there's work to be done. She puts all her positive energy into her new ancient life. Will she succeed in getting her memory back, giving people the things they want, while enjoying her stay with cooking, eating and real life drama adventures?

Acting/Cast

The whole cast seems to enjoy this production, and it pays off. All actors have good chemistry; the result is very agreeable, light-hearted comedy in an un-Chinese fast pace. I only knew Li Zixuan as Wang Yibo's heartthrob, but she deserves making a name for herself. She's perfect for the role of Wan'er that demands a quick silver attitude, light footing and cutie-pie insta-pouts in close-up camera. Liu Run Nan nails it as her grumpy fiancé who knowingly lets himself led by the nose, because he's already head over heels for her. The scenes between the older sister and her husband are a story on their own, just watch episode 13 to know what I mean. In short, I laughed out loud, a lot.

Music

The OST is easy to the ear, following the pace of the series.

Rewatch Value

The choice for 10 minute episodes is a risky one. I wonder if people stay tuned if they aren’t paying for a streaming service. This influences the rewatch value as well.

Overall

Gourmet in Tang Dynasty has an interesting theme that pays homage to the ideal of enjoying food and accepting whatever body size. It's a modern day dilemma. On one hand, there's the abundance of deli food, but on the other hand, there's this development of body ideals over time; and we all know, It Takes Two To Tango.

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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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Opposites Attract

This web series can be seen on YouTube; it's like you watch your favorite childhood book online.

Story

A Chinese Ronja Robbersdaughter is captured by a general who offers her an escape route if she serves as a substitute for the missing bride of his son. The original bride was carefully chosen to avoid palace intrigue; that's why the bandit girl must keep up appearances for a longer period of time, in case some murder attempts will follow. Afterwards she may proceed her life elsewhere. She agrees under condition her bandit brothers will be released; one giant brother stays to accompany her as her handmaiden. The illustrious duo enters the general's house hold, stirring up trouble for his two sons, their friends, acquaintances, and servants.

Acting/Cast

Though this series isn't meant to win prizes, the casting is actually good; I loved the pairing of Yakisa who plays the lean and mean tomboy Bai Yun Feng and Gao Zi Tian as the scholarly second son, who loves to recite poems but falls for his practical bride as soon as he laid eyes on her. Even the giant bandit brother did a good job; I almost forgot he wasn't meant to play a travesty role like John Travolta in Hairspray.

The Good

Besides the odd leading couple who give us some cute and hot moments during the series, there are other interesting characters. For instance the eldest son and his wife, the female childhood friend of the male lead who wants him for herself, and her wise father who sees his daughter for who she is, trying to guide her within ethical boundaries we seldom see in Chinese period pieces.

The Bad

The downside of smooth story telling is that the end comes too soon. It's okay to leave out some dirty plotting, and the usual do-you-love-me-or-not-scenes, but one more episode could have been better, just to explain how the generals family and formerly bandits will cooperate in future times.

Overall

Still, Hold On, My Lady is a fast pacing piece with good vibrations within 4 episodes. It shows that opposites attract and holding on is all you have to do.

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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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My Little Sadness

When I saw the hash tags of My Little Happiness I was sold immediately. Childhood friends, height difference, fated love, count me in! Alas, after the first 10 episodes my endorphins started to decrease, reaching an all time low at episode 20, making this My Little Sadness.

Story

Favorite tropes are one thing, a sound story, and fleshed-out characters another. In my opinion the female lead character, Cong Rong, is messed up. They've made her so childish, and stubborn in the wrong way, she's more adult in her youth than in the present time. How can she be honest, and strong in her childhood, and a little liar in her twenties? First against her mom, second, against her own feelings, third, against Wen Shao Qing who loves her. I couldn't relate to her character at all when she acted jealous, and pushed him away to another girl, like he's some kind of chocolate box.
Also the male lead is inconsistent. Wen Shao Qing seems to be a character with a strong sense of purpose. In stead, he waits way too long to tell the truth, and he uses petty tricks to reign in Cong Rong. What kept me hooked however was the subplot with the secondary couple. Their story made me angry, but in an empathic way.


Acting Cast

Kudos to the cast. My Little Happiness is watchable thanks to them. I love the flirting scenes with Fair Xing and Daddi Tang, he surely can act up on his name, in a sensual way. I felt myself drawn to the character of Huang U.Lin. It's no surprise Leon Li plays her love interest since he has proven his worth as the grumpy, suspicious general in the Legend of Hao Lan. Even Deng Xin is as good as it gets. She made me think of Wang Yibo, a calm face with subtle micro expressions.

Music

I can't remember the theme of this series, only piano music at the background and crescendos in line with the dramatics, nothing spectacular. Perhaps this could have been different if I felt moved by the story.

Verdict

My Little Happiness gets points thanks to the actors. If you like homely scenes with people kissing while doing the dishes, or fighting and getting back together, you probably like this series.

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Hong Kong Action & Mainland Fantasy

A Chinese Odyssey Part 3 is an odd joint (ad) venture of the typically Hong Kong action movie and the traditional fantasy drama of China Mainland. This third part of the saga feels like sitting in a roller coaster, the scenes are fast and furious, perhaps difficult to follow if you didn't see the previous Odyssey parts, or if you aren't familiar with Chinese myths.

Story
This movie is actually a revised version of the traditional Monkey King story, starting with fairy Zixia (Tiffany Tang) who uses Pandora's Box to look into the future. She sees a war between mankind and the gods. Desperate to prevent this from happening, she travels back in time, also hoping to try and stop Joker, the current human form of the Monkey King (Han Geng) from falling for her and to push him towards his supposed true love Bai Jingjing (Karen Mok). Things don’t work out according to plan, with the Longevity Monk (Wu Jing) needing protection and various secrets and complicated relationships coming to light. Main question is, will her plan work out for the best in the end?

Acting/cast
Chinese Odyssey #3 has an all-star cast, so the acting is quite good. Moreover, among the support cast is pop idol Wang Yi Bo. He plays Red Kid, the son of the Bull Demon King. This divine youth flies through the air with his feet on spinning-tops, dashing fire red snot from his nose to his enemies. Something new in comparison to the super farts from the Monkey King.

Rewatch value & Verdict
Among the Chinese sense of humor are a lot references to American pop & Hollywood movies (f.e. Michael Jackson & Avatar puns). Some of these jokes work, others don’t, but it gave me good vibes. So I think I will rewatch this movie, and if you didn't see it, just give it a try.

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Fei Legend, Flat Lemonade?

When I read about the making of Legend of Fei I felt like a child waiting for its X-mas present to unbox. Just imagine! Our present darlings of c-drama put together, the product teams of Princess Agents and Boss & Me, BTS with carefully orchestrated choreographies, a story based on a Priest novel, how good is that! Once served, this exciting cocktail appears to be a flat lemonade, and I know, tastes differ. That's why I'm trying to explain my reasons in this review.

Story
Legend of Fei (2020) is based on the novel Bandits by Priest. The main characters are Zhou Fei (Zanilia Zhao) the granddaughter of a national hero turned into a bandit for the greater good, and young carefree martial arts hero Xie Yun (Wang Yibo) They find themselves confronted with trouble and decide to work together. During their many adventures they discover some secrets and the true identity of Xie Yun.

To adept a novel to the screen it is necessary to cut some parts and leave out the rest. Unfortunately, this choice wasn’t made. Comedy, romance, action, drama, all of it went back and forth, on and off, slowing the pacing of the story to the very closure. Much greater stress should be laid on the story of the main characters. It didn't happen. In her social media account, Zanilia Zhao likens this production to a Big Mac that turned out to be a flat hamburger. All I know is, this is a Priest novel, and all we get to see is a narrative for children.

Actors
Zanilia Zhao (Zhou Fei) is still a shining star. Male lead Wang Yibo does his very best, eager to prove his actor skills after his rise to fame as Lan Wangji in The Untamed. Unfortunately, WYB has to cope with two major set backs. One, he looks like a boy still wet behind his ears besides Zanilia Zhao. Two, his character Xie Yun is reminiscent of the flippant Wei Ying, his love interest in The Untamed, making it all too clear that Wei Ying was a much better, fleshed-out character than Xie Yun, accentuating the greatness of The Untamed versus the inferior LOF.

Production
Sometimes, a lesser story can be neutralized by the quality of the production. Unfortunately, Legend of Fei is very uneven, just like its pacing.

Verdict
Some episodes are good with beautiful landscapes, choreographies, close-ups, romantic gestures, but soon this feeling evaporates with the bad dubbing, childlike dialogues, cheap looking attributes and so forth. So, I don’t think this series will become my favorite. If you’re a die-hard fan of WYB or ZZ however, you probably end up watching Legend of Fei anyway. So perhaps this is the only purpose of the series. Its reason of being.

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The Height Difference Champions League

Watching Professional Single is a guilty pleasure for people like me with a "height difference kink". I wish I could say extremely tall men like to date extra short women, but I'm afraid it's the other way around. Females have a thing for tall males, they stand out in the crowd, like a billboard for power and protection.

Enter Ireine Song and Aaron Deng and you're basically watching The Height Difference Champions League. They are beautiful, natural actors. It's a pleasure to watch those two in action, both in comedy and romance scenes.

Story
The focus on first love is both the strength and weakness of this series. Forget family drama, crimes, misdemeanors or other story arcs. The many clichés can also be annoying. I felt some irritation when I watched the heroine stumbling for the nth time into the arms of her lover. Why oh why can't it be him doing the stumbling for a change?

Acting/Cast
The entire cast is good. They are the same age as students in real life, and their acting is on point.

Rewatch Value
Like I said, the story isn't very original, but it has a nice flow in story telling. The Darcy and Elizabeth trope is strong in this one. I also laughed out loud sometimes, so I will definitely rewatch this series.

Overall
If you are a sucker for old fashioned romcom and campus life, this is for you. There are plenty of times to think, but also times to feel. This is one of those moments. Enjoy.

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Romantic Comedy of Errors

From the very first episode I got drawn into this sweeping romance of a general's daughter and a young king in a fantasy realm of ancient China. The story begins with a young girl running away from home, because she wants to evade a forced marriage into the royal family. Her older sister swaps places with her, eager to marry one of the royal princes, but she gets married to the reigning prince in stead. The girl feels sorry for her sister, tries to rescue her, and meets her sister's husband under disguise, on the road. Without knowing each other's identity, the couple falls in love and a comedy of errors unfold.

Story

The first episodes were really entertaining, romantic and funny. Midway the pacing went downhill by too many side stories, but in the end everything got wrapped up nicely with a sound closure.

Cast

The leading couple was good looking and adorable, they made it worthwhile to watch the series till the end, although the moments of their yes-or-no kisses were milked to the hilt. Also, how many times do I have to watch the classic female clutch falling into the arms of the ML? I'm still waiting for a reversed version! That's why I liked the side story about the willful, foreign princess who has to marry the young king, but falls for his introvert guard in stead.

Music

The background music blended well with the story, with dreamy music at the night market in the beginning, and dramatic piano during the emotional scenes.

Rewatch value

If you're into romantic clichés you definitely want to rewatch this series, it's a real treat with cross dressing, stumbling girls, possessive males, the wrist grab, extended close ups of lovers staring into each others eyes, a love triangle, drunkenness, sickness, raining scenes, the back hug, piggy ride, you name it.

Overall

So if you are in the mood for classic fluff, beautiful faces and a love-against-will-story, you'll love this series.

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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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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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