eira
the chair i'm glued in, that sits in front of my desk uwu
This review may contain spoilers
Do not watch this drama thinking it will be like Prince of Lan Ling. That drama is focused on Lan Ling King himself while this drama is like part-fantasy of both kingdoms and who will conquer the world once they unlock the secret using the mirror and sword (forgot their names), and the female lead's love life.This drama started out quite interesting but after she met Lanling King, I think the plot became really repetitive. She became really indecisive between both men and went back and forth several times, which I thought was really unnecessary. They could have cut that down a bit so the drama wouldn't be so lengthy, too. Beware, this drama starts out *very* cliche and unrealistic. Just a warning, both love-lines are pretty cruel romances and the sweet moments don't last long.
As for the characters, you have the typical cold-hearted main male lead (Yu Wenyong) who slowly warms up and is very protective, and you have the typical kind second male lead (Lanling King) who's always there to save the day. The main female lead is also the typical girl who doesn't lose to anyone easily and plays around to annoy you. Yu Wenyong has quick character development, followed by the main female lead; however, I didn't see much development for Lanling King. Going on a tangent, I think Lanling King's role was poorly written in this drama because he's known for being smart and strategic, but here he seems to be weak in planning and always listens to whatever everyone else suggests. He doesn't have a stance and can't do anything on his own will.
The acting was alright overall. I think some crying scenes were a bit forced and cringe-worthy, but otherwise it was bearable. Nothing was super unnatural or out of frame. The music is very nice and suits the scenes. There's pretty much just the opening theme and ending theme; the former used more with Yu Wenyong and the latter used primarily with Lanling King--it's like their personal songs. Overall, I personally like Yu Wenyong more so if I were to rewatch, I would just skip to his scenes because it's really heartwarming to see a cold playboy turn into a loving and protective man.
TLDR; This drama is watchable but does get long and draggy in the middle. There were lots of unnecessary parts of the plot and cliches, but I think it is still a pretty good watch. This drama is definitely not for you if you want to see the female lead end up with one guy quick (because she's wishy-washy).
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Intriguing opener but terrible plot development
Mainly going to review the plot because the other components (acting/cast and music) were great.I really liked how the story was captivating from the start (different from typical C-drama openers) and there was always a new story or goal for at least one of the characters/pairs. However, the plot did dragged in the middle because there's a lot of couples and the drama goes into each couple's story at some point. Each character/couple's "story" refers to their romantic lives, family relationships, AND work/jobs, so you can probably see why this drama ends up at 50 episodes... They also introduced a few new minor characters in the middle, which gave a nice break from the main characters' endless stories but also meant there's someone else's story to follow now.
IMO, the drama would have been more interesting if they expanded on Mowgli's adapting to civilization and the FL helping him adjust because that was what intrigued me the most. And it's not that I didn't enjoy the other couples, but if they only focused on one or two primary couples like most dramas do, then the drama could have ended wonderfully at the typical 20 or so episodes. Also worth mentioning that the story went downhill in the end, everything became super unrealistic and the ending was just unsatisfactory and weird. There was a lot of potential with this novel story but it didn't turn out for me.
Overall, it was still a good watch to kill time, but not amazing enough to get you hooked and waiting anxiously for the next episodes to come out. If I rewatched, I'd probably watch the first half of the drama again and stop there.
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This review may contain spoilers
Boring plot with dull characters...
I really wanted to love this drama because I like the main actor and actress but it was a bit of a disappointment. The drama started off great and got me hooked immediately, with the two leads meeting because of a case. They begin to have feelings for each other and it’s pretty cute. However, problems arise because there’s an age gap (older ML) and once this happens, the story gets really boring. I actually dropped it halfway through (but picked it up again just to see the ending) because of the following:Xiao Lu (FL) is maybe mid twenties, so she’s still childish and immature, only knowing to cry and argue with people when they don’t support her. It was cute the first few times but then got really annoying because it happened every time and quite frequently. To make things worse, her story is so bland — she’s basically a recent graduate who’s trying to be a successful scriptwriter, there’s hardly anything to it.
On the other hand, you have the mature “Uncle” ML who is a policeman. You see him and his team solving a case in the very beginning to show him and Xiao Lu meeting but after that you hardly see him in action, he's usually with the team in the office just talking about stuff they need to do but is irrelevant to any case. I get that police aren't always just out in action and there's a lot of things they need to do in the office, but he seemed way too free for a police officer. When he and Xiao Lu were dating, if she asked him to do something or go somewhere, he’d be there or he’d go check up on her as if he had so much free time. Also, he’s a great cook so many times he’s shown cooking meals for her or they’re eating his home cooked breakfast/dinner; he might as well have been a chef. It’s just unrealistic and makes the drama even more drab.
The second leads have more of a story but I just wasn’t into them. I don’t know if it’s a lack of chemistry or if it’s just because I really disliked the second FL (Xiao Lu’s best friend) but I typically skipped her scenes. She’s more mature than Xiao Lu but she’s a bit arrogant and just looks fake. Basically her personality was whatever imo.
It’s not until the last 10-ish episodes that there’s finally something interesting and unexpected going on, and "Uncle" is finally back in action solving a case with his team. If it weren’t for Guo Xiao Dong and Wu Jin Yan (main actor/actress), I probably wouldn’t be able to pick this drama back up and finish it. Overall, I gave it a 7/10, which might sound high for such a lacking plot, but the last few episodes got me hooked again and reminded me why I wanted to watch this drama in the first place. If the ending wasn't as intriguing, I'd probably rate a 6/10 if I'm being generous.
*TL;DR: The scriptwriters need to up their game big time, unfortunate waste of great actors. Just watch the beginning (~10-15 eps) and end (~10 eps) for the ML/FL's sweet scenes and the crime solving.
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Story -- The drama started out very interesting and probably the first 10 episodes I was sucked right in. It did start to get slow though, and at certain points I didn't even feel like watching anymore, but I pushed through! Later on it did get a lot better and I was super interested again, so you just have to be patient. In general, the plot is a bit like the typical periodical/historical Chinese dramas--there's always the kind-hearted female lead and the anti who wants to ruin everything and get revenge.
Acting/Cast -- I never doubt Ruby Lin's choice when she picks her own actors/actresses for the dramas. They always do a great job and bring the characters to life. Yuan Hong was a great choice for the main lead; I haven't really seen his previous works but this one was enough for me to recognize his great acting skills. Honestly, the only one I have to nitpick about is her eldest brother. His acting was really off-putting, like... I couldn't tell if his acting was just that bad or if his character was just so shitty?? (excuse my language).
Music -- there weren't really any OSTs in this one, I was surprised. There was really only the opening theme and ending theme, which were also used as insert songs. There were also variations of the song sang by other singers, but I prefer the original singers.
TLDR; This is a good watch overall, but the middle gets a bit slow and boring, just a warning! The acting is great, don't worry about it. Basically the drama just gets draggy in the middle and is a bit lengthy but it starts and ends great (which is a bonus because who likes to have terrible endings!!).
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1. A ton of cliche incidents mixed together.
That can be a BIG turn off for sure. For me, I was fine with it because I have a weird taste in drama plots, but for many that may be quite annoying. Mainly I just really liked the sweet moments they brought. It made it feel like the female lead was Cinderella and all her hard work finally paid off.
2. Weak character development.
While there are sweet moments and changes to the characters in the middle, it's not enough. The female lead is always so submissive and considerate for others instead of herself, the male lead is too self-absorbed and is so wishy-washy, and the second female lead is just ridiculous. She's practically crazy, I would say. The most hate-able character isn't the second female lead... honestly it's the male lead. You just want to jump into the scene(s) and strangle him -.-
3. Speechless ending.
No matter who you ship, this ending will NOT be satisfying. In the end you'll be like, wtf are you serious...?? Basically, you put in your heart while watching and it feels like the writers toyed with your emotions completely!
TLDR; Great acting, crazy plot, speechless ending. For most/average drama watchers, this drama is just all over the place and not worth their time, but if you are a sucker for cliches (and the sweet moments that come shortly after) and don't mind the craziness then by all means go for it.
I would rewatch this drama but only the sweet moments and the sad moments with superb acting. This drama is only good for if you're bored out of your mind, not if you're looking for a good watch.
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This is a typical wuxia story, at least for recent wuxias, with the main lead finding out he has powers and becomes the most wanted. I personally don't mind because I actually dig this kind of plot, but you might get tired if you've seen several wuxias of this kind of plot in a row. (Similar dramas include: Legend of Chusen, Legend of Zu, and many more...) The story drags a bit near the second half of the drama and before the ending, but it's bearable.
Here's the unbearable part: the main lead's stupidity level is off the charts annoying. He's quite stubborn and his actions are just childish because he doesn't think things through and only cares about his own feelings (which is understandable but overdone). He doesn't have enough character development (or at least it happens too slow) which is why you may end up hating the main lead and going for the second leads instead, or you'll just drop this drama. Honestly, if not for the minimal/slow character development and the annoying main character, I would rate this drama even higher. But without the second leads, this drama would be a waste of time.
Now that I've warned you enough about the main character, go watch this drama for the sweet moments for both the main and second leads!! The sweet moments balance out the main character's annoyingness for sure.
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Unlike many other disappointing TW to Kdrama remakes, this one was amazing! I could see and feel the chemistry between the two leads and the feels were definitely there when needed. Each expression made was on point, especially at the heartfelt scenes. I've never seen either of the leads' works before, but they did a great job with their roles and I fell in love with both of them by the end! The plot is typical and VERY cliche but it has a nice twist to it. The pace was quite nice, maybe a little draggy in the end but not too bad. The first half hits hard for sure.
As for the music, Ailee did amazing. Her voice just makes you want to cry even more when you hit the sad scenes! I personally prefer the sadder songs for any drama OST, so I guess I'm biased already. The other songs didn't click with me as much but they still did what they had to: make you cry in a sad scene or get you hyped up in a cute/happy scene. I didn't really like the English song though...
Bottom line is: this drama is refreshing for a cheesy, cliche rom-com. I don't see a need to compare two dramas that were released in completely different years. Yes, the original was stupendous, but there is no reason to be closed-minded and not give the remake a try!
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Their chemistry was very apparent and it just makes you want to keep watching them. Another big plus is that the second leads were not annoying jerks at all. They're nice and understanding and are not the clingy type who want revenge after they've been let go. While the plot does have the typical cliches with one of the leads getting cancer AND losing his memory, it wasn't bad at all. Be mindful that this drama was from 2009 and there weren't as many dramas with amnesia in it, so it was very interesting at the time. Maybe if you were to watch it now (after seeing so many dramas with amnesia in it) you'll be like "ugh another one of those" but just throw that thought away and give this drama a try!
Anyhow, It gets a little draggy when they meet again before he regains his memory, but it wasn't to the point where you'd want to drop this drama. Other than that, the pace was fast! The ending could have been better but it wasn't like a super rushed ending that makes you feel like it was a pointless episode.
Autumn's Concerto was probably one of the few that I seriously could not wait for the next episode and each day went by so slowly! I'm still rewatching it a million times in 2016 as this is one of my go-to's when I have absolutely nothing to watch/do. Honestly, I do agree that most TW dramas are slow, draggy, and don't have much of a plot. However, II'd say it's one of the best Taiwanese dramas that have been produced and released so far. This is a must watch TW drama!
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You may have heard that the second lead love interests are detestable and make you want to drop the drama, THIS IS TRUE. In the earlier episodes (ep 12-17 to be exact), you’ll want to rip your hair out. Personally, I’m used to seeing 2FLs who won’t take no for an answer and can’t back down so I could handle Qiao Hui Xin (2FL), but the 2ML Yun Si was completely unbearable. I tried so hard to refrain from skipping his scenes just to watch the story but MAN this guy needs help. You learn his story and can understand his predicament later but still, the guy needs to chill.
In my opinion, these second leads were mostly vexing in the first part of the drama but after a while they started to “grow” on me in a sense that I no longer hated them or got tired of seeing them, but actually felt bad for them and empathized with them. It’s like watching teenagers who really want something and will work hard to get it, maybe even use improper tactics to do so, but then everything is in vain. All they wanted was love, was it so hard to ask for? Yes. Fate toyed with them and put them through hell… But I really liked the way the characters “changed” or at least you got to see their feelings change in response to the situation, especially the second leads. They don’t just end as irritating characters, they have something more to them. Maybe what they’re doing right now is what they need, but after they calm down they’ll realize it goes against their original goal or feelings.
This drama is basically just a big fight for love; you see how people react when they have to marry someone they don’t want to marry, how people react when they can or can’t be with their loved one, what people will do for their loved one, etc… the list goes on. Some end up fortunate but some get the short end of the stick. Plot wise, I found it a little more simple than I expected and would have liked, but it’s okay. If you’ve watched The Eternal Love and Princess Silver, this drama is kind of like their baby, if they were to have one lol. You have rom-com components and loving couple of The Eternal Love, but the plot and character relationships/dynamics of Princess Silver.
Even if you can’t stand the main plot, you should really watch just for the sweet fluff between ML/FL. The way they react, the things they say, their STEAMY KISSES, and how could I forget sleepwalking Li Qian LOL. Is there a such thing as too MUCH kissing? Maybe XD. It’s seriously worth it even to just watch their scenes throughout. As for the acting, all of them were new to me but I think they did pretty great, especially the actress for Qiao Hui Xin and Li Xun's actors. Great portrayal of the inner turmoil and desire!
I think I over-hyped this drama (lol) but I would highly recommend this drama even though it makes your emotions go all over the place, sometimes makes your blood boil, and sometimes makes you wonder why you’re still watching or what you’re still expecting. Sure, it might just feel like a typical drama with a fight for romance, but if you empathize with the characters and think about how you might act in their position, you might find it more enjoyable. Would rewatch all the way through, even through those unbearable scenes, because I like the way the characters are written and shown. Hope you all give this a shot!
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I have to say that I *am* biased towards this drama because it was my very first drama ever. I think I'm judging more from an old point of view (since I watched this when it came out in 2006) rather than a modern POV. This was another one of the few dramas that made me so excited and I couldn't wait for the next disc! Yes, disc, because I watched it while it was coming out and back then we used to watch on DVD LOL.
STORY -- I really liked the plot because it was different from typical romance dramas. I feel like back then there were more creative stories for TW dramas, but now 80% of them all follow the typical love story. This is a more comical version, but I don't remember what the jdrama version was like so I can't say much for a comparison. The pace is pretty good and the story moves on to a new topic every few episodes. I love the character development for everyone and all of the supporting roles are very fun to watch! There's a bit story for the second leads, too, so it's not just focused on the main two.
ACTING -- I know a lot of people either love or hate Ella because her personality is so wild/exaggerated, but I personally thought she was perfect for this role. I can't imagine anyone else who would play it any better. Her exaggeration and super extroverted personality was obviously incorporated into the role, which is one of the reasons you'll either love or hate her acting. I found it very fun, honestly, because not many dramas have such a crazy character haha. Now, Wu Zun ahh my bias (fangirls). His acting might have been a little awkward at some parts but it's no biggie. For most of these actors, this drama was one of the first or earlier works so their acting may not be A+; cut them some slack :)
MUSIC -- Okay I really loved their songs, like all of them. Quite rare for me to like all of the OSTs in a drama, but I really did like them! I tend to prefer sad OSTs but all of these are upbeat and happy, and I seriously just replay them on loop. Very nostalgic!! This drama led me to fall in love with Fahrenheit and S.H.E., hardcore!
Anyways, I think if you were to watch this back then when dramas weren't as popular, this would have been the bomb (which is why I love it so much). But if you watch it now after seeing so many creative and interesting plots, this may not get as high ratings. So advice to someone who plans to give this a try: please be open-minded and remember that this was 10 years ago when dramas were just starting to become a popular thing. This is a great drama to rewatch in the summer because it's so fun and refreshing!
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The verdict: highly do not recommend.
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The story not only focuses on Kam Chai but also his family as well and that's also another reason the drama was a great watch. His mom sure is a character and her interactions with Kam Chai's wife are hilarious. Everyone has their own morals and ways of doing things so you see a lot of differences between the "good" and the "bad." Some people are completely against each other while others are just middlemen trying to mediate situations on both sides. Acting was on point with many of the old/popular actors and actresses lined up, so nothing to worry about there. All in all, I really liked the moral of the story - - people can change and the good always trumps over the bad; don't judge people by their cover because they can change, etc. There's just many parts of the story that are great life lessons.
The only thing is you might need to wait until ep 2-3 before the story gets anywhere (if I remember correctly). Definitely recommend though!
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It's not that the drama was terrible, just that the way the series of events unfolded could have been written way better and more realistically. I can understand the misunderstandings placed along the way because of how long it took to find his old memories (relatively realistic pace I guess?), but the way the characters handled it was just hard to watch. If you're interested in this plot, just don't hold high expectations. It was overall an enjoyable watch and I *was* pretty addicted until the last 5 ish episodes.
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The plot is straightforward and basically revolves around ML and FL solving one case. More of the time is spent on the three housewives' families and ML/FL's lives and issues (so four couples/families) rather than that single case itself, which I didn't mind because it's rom-com, not mystery/thriller. You get to see ML and FL learn to deal with each other since they're temporarily living together and you also get to see them form real relationships with the housewives and their families. I think the main reason the plot sucked me in so much is that there isn't really a love triangle for the main chars and any potential love interests for either main lead is brief. There aren't really any of the typical misunderstandings and breakups or second lead syndrome either! Everything is just super straightforward, minimal twists, and a satisfying ending :)
Currently rewatching for the 3rd or 4th time as I type this review, so you can see how much I like it. I ship them so much, and the main actor and actress got married irl :D I do recommend if you want a simple but straightforward and romantic drama. One of my favorite HK dramas that isn't police/crime story.
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