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Completed
Song of the Moon
14 people found this review helpful
by eker96
Jan 30, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 6
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Deep calling into the deep: Powerful production with strongly influential effect

This work will meet you at the level of your knowledge and understanding of creation, kingdoms, both visible and invisible realms and may (if you allow) bring a deep message.

This is my first review - watched this one month ago - around New Year and was absolutely impressed. I started recently watching China drama productions, and watched a lot - day and night, but for the fitst time I encounter something like this.

Song of the Moon is probably the first of the genre Fantasy, but it was made and presented in a highly realistic scope than almost all I watched before -and I watched a lot. This is due to the quality of production, the phenomenal visual effects and picture resolutions, which installs the impression that the invisible realms are, as real as the visible, and more than that.

The story develops with quite a good intensive temps - once you start it, you get fascinated and so captured that you simply cannot stop watching it.

It tackles important issues and may not be equally undersood by all views depending on viewers' views and believes.
Song of the Moon is a non-religios, non denominational, highly beautiful art production that infuses positive emotions and will boost your energy level, yet it may not be everybody's perception.
For example, I come from Christian background and many of the Bible scriptures may not be easy to understand in the nowadays western people. The core of Christanity is a new person, being a 100 % man and a 100 % God, who knew no sin but took the responsibility for all mankinds' transgrassions. Watching this wonderful production, I have been visualising truths and virtues that are rare to see in the "mortal" world.
or visualize verses like - "Deep calling into the deep, with the roar of your thunderstorms'. So real.

Watching it, paramount questions come out of the series like that of love, trust and relationships, as well as the choices we make, and many questions are springing out while watching it but down are some examples:

How can you love, and protect all the mankind, if your heart cannot contain love for a single person? How can you take care of all the Universe, if you cannot take care of one human being, where love is prohibited?

Regarding relationships, interestingly Song of the Moon raises the theme of a lifetime relationship. Now, being immortals, this life-time relationship turns into an ethernal relationship, the relationship a man chooses to enter into with the living God.
The other point regarding relationships - well. I have met certain comments that Song of the Moon did not have a strong romance line. Maybe, because this has not been the producer's focus - I would say it's more the relationship, that the romance.

Regarding the cast - what can I say - this is my fist time watching all of them actors, and if they have succeeded to make a fantacy production look more realistic than non-fantacy productions, then cogratulations - they have all done a very good job.

I have also read a comment that the ML actor is being underestimated. Well, those who humble themselves, will be promoted.

I have been re-watching the episodes following 21 and really very good acting, moreover he is playing several charaters and cases of one interwening into the other.

Actually, a month after watching it, it is exactly Vin Zhangs' moments from this drama that come to my mind, like the the Immortal responding to peoples' prayer with "Granted" "Granted."

Last thing to note is the overall positive message that Song of the Moon brings. This is for me a rear find amongst China TV productions. Out of the many I saw I can say in terms of influence on the viewer, only the Long Ballade can be mentioned, which is an overall fascinating production, as well, with many merits, when Song of the Moon gives even a deeper message, and is a newer production.

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Completed
A Romance of the Little Forest
11 people found this review helpful
by eker96
Feb 4, 2023
35 of 35 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 3.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 3.0

Just one bird does not bring the spring (and another Cinderella tale).

I have recently watched Song of the Moon, an equisite production in all apects, starring Zhang Binbin . Having come accross online recommendation of this romcom with the same actor, I started this one.

The first thing was the opening OST which I liked a lot and two female characters carrying a sophisticated dialogue over lipstics. This is probably planned as a comedy of situation beginning but eventually at the start of the drama there was some suspense/through back scenes, causing an impression that something has been cut from the episode and did not constitute a smooth intro to the story line.

Anyway, I did give them a chance but having completed the show I can conclude that just one bird does not bring the spring. I got convinced in the acting skills of Zhang Binbin, he is obviously serious and deep, portrays layers of emotions and showed a gradual and realistic development of his character.
But just an excellent actor does not make an excellent production.

The storyline - in essence, un underlying Cinderella story. I am new to C-drama, but was impessed how many CEOs and Emperrors in C-dramas on Youtube have their main occupation chasing after women. Just to leave the unbiased viewer at a loss how did Chinese economy and history manage to go so well. In Romance of the Little Forrest, the situation is by far better - the mail protagonist is an outstanding university professor with strong dedication and discipline, very hard working with his studies, scientific and field research, as well as collaborating with other scientists (inclusive international) and lecturing students, This character was quite convincingly portrayed by Zhang Binbin.

If you ask me, the script writers did not necessarily need to make him the first born son of super rich family. It could have been left with the phsychoanalysis ML used to help the FL recover her empotional trauma, as well as the support of her family and friends, which is that really cures and helps, and truely a luxury not everyone has in his life, but it may be that the audience loves Cinderella storylines, again and again.

Not sure of the focus distribution regarding the main FL character. This is, in essence, a very complex and difficult role and should have been either handled differently, or given more screen time to develop it.

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Completed
My Uncanny Destiny
9 people found this review helpful
by eker96
Mar 20, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 9.5

Best C-Romcom so far, true comedy

This was a great find. I am new in C-drama and tried to find a comedy, or romcom, but usually funny moments got mixed with other storylines as a rule. I was told that comedies are not a typical genre in c-drama so My Uncanny Destiny could be seen as something new and it could in total be called a romcom.
It is lighter compared to othe c-drama I came upon, both the ML and FL are really good comedy actors. By far not every actor can make the viewers laugh.
This is also the first c-drama I just did not wish to end - it was so enjoyable to watch them.
Regarding the storyline - typically - it is not the storyline that is of top importance for a comedy in the first place. It is really the script and acting that matters.

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Completed
Warm Love
6 people found this review helpful
by eker96
Sep 13, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Impressed by the actor(s)

My first comment will be that this is an understandable internationally drama, to an extend that was pleasure watching, as oppose to other dramas on youtube where either due to translation or else were struggle to watch.
First drama I come to with actor Zhai Tian Lin and quite impressed with his ability to realistically portray a business person behaviour. As well, very good chemistry with FL actress Jiang Kai Tong.
Regarding the plot - first of all, let me say - it is understandable - there are many other dramas where a foreigner would struggle to understand what the authors of the drama wanted to say - this is not the case with Warm Love. However, the later series seem to be written by a different skipt writer, as too much dragging, repetition of past scenes and characters talking outloud their thoughts. This may be done in order to enhance clarity and the viewers do not wonder what is going on.
Second on the plot - (and I am new in watching Asia dramas), but would say there are many productions that expolit the Cindrella storyline, and most I came upon are completely unrealistic - like Emperors and CEOs doing nothing all day long but chasing after women. So much so that you wonder how did China manage to achieve its historic and current economic achievements with its men being so. Well, this is not the case with Warm Love either. The ML character is quite realistically developed and balanced with a focus on his work/family members/emotions/work/business relations/. In this aspect, it could be noted that we have a much closer to reality story line.
Music is fine, costumes (this is not a costume drama but dressings were pretty well selected - ) - like the little sister character development was emphasized by going from excentric to more classic dress outfit. Same actually with other characters in the drams - so the person that selected the outfits did a good job to emphasize characters, character developments, emotions.
Overall, this was a pleasant experience coming up upon this drama. The main female character brings a positive vibe by being very positive, optimistic and up-to earth. The drama also shows the opposite - the distruction caused by wrong mindsets/ambitions.
Finally - MDL lists there are 37 episodes of this drama - but translated there exist 29. Please notify in comments if the remaining 8 are just not translated or what is the case.





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Completed
All of Her
4 people found this review helpful
by eker96
Feb 15, 2024
26 of 26 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.5
This review may contain spoilers

A suspense drama, also no director name.

Probably the first series from China cinematography I come upon from the genre "suspense movie". Here no information of who the director is, and in suspense movies, the Director is a figure of prime importance.
So out of that, is the genre not popular in China?
Not that the movie is bad, but the tags in MyDramaList have mislead me, I would not have watched it, if I knew it was suspense.
Regarding the production - there are triller elements, there are crimes - and investigations.
Also, the ratings ctriteria that MyDramaList provided do not include aspects of assessing of the cinematography and the contribution of Director.
Regarding the plot - the FL marries the CEO of a company with the main purpose to get access to the company archives in order to obtain information regarding the past, involving one of her parents. We do not get assurance that she married out of love or that she developed unconditional love for her husband during the timeframe of the series.
The drama ends with the FL leaving her husband with a wish to have someone in the world that would love him unconditionally.
In the very end, her husband is taken to the scenery where they first met. Someone comes behind him taking a picture - he turns and smiles. This gives the viewer a hope for this unconditional love - whether the FL or not is just another suspense.



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Completed
Shining Just for You
3 people found this review helpful
by eker96
28 days ago
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Drama with a mainly positive tone

Just finished this drama and would like to leave a review. I liked the idea, kind of different than other C-dramas plots. The tone which is set by creators is a positive one, as well. This way, it also differs from other dramas massively fighting for revenge.
Genre is fantasy mixed with costume and wuxia. Can well be classified as romance with comedy elements, phischological (FL falls in heavy obsession for a some episodes), political, military stategies, occult.
The drama has attracted seasoned actors and actresses that have done a very good jobs portraying complex layers in their charachters.
I read that this drama has been cut by editors. Well, can you agree with me that 25 episodes are better for the audience compared to 65, for example? As written in the Bible: "When words are many, transgression is not lacking".
I also read that the deleted parts refer to FL hating ML for the end of her best friend Princess Rui. However, from the final version, Princes Rui's death was not caused by the Emperor, so it may be the FL BayLu's perception of the situation.
In this, revenge would be out of the logic of the story tale and would appear as something just to cause additional tension between the main leads and to be a reason of dragging of the story forever.
Apart from the occult scenes, it can be said that this drama employs beautiful scenes, costumes, scenery. The drama has attracted very beautiful/handsome actors and actresses acting in the series. The chemistry between the main leads is undesputable. Feng Shao Feng and Peng Xiao Ran have really presented a very realistic couple inter-actions. One more thing I would like to note regarding Peng Xiao Ran. This is the second drama I watch with this actress and cannot skip saying she is very suitable in roles of a noble girl from nomadic tribes. She also looks beautiful on a horse-back and the tribal costume fits her very well. Also, her appeareance and constumes bring to me certain resemblence with Eva Green from the epic Sir Ridley Scott's movie Kingdom of Heaven https://screenrant.com/eva-green-kingdom-of-heaven-directors-cut-improves-character/

The quality of SJFY production is mainly good.
Though The Director of SJFY may not have done the best job - or can it be that production was started by one Director and finished by a different person with completely different idea of the overall story.

Overall, it can be true that the drama is underrated. There is something I do not understand - what is the reason behind the so many episodes in the c-dramas? Are actors and all production staff paid for quantity or for quality? Please comment if you know, as in my view this concise version can actually be better than something draggy.




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