liteulkwin
GuLin's Heart
Li Chengyin is the character I’ve always wanted to see. He is a complex character living in a treacherous world. He has to use his cunning every single moment of every single day just to stay alive. Every mistake that made him appear soft brought danger to his doorstep, so can you blame him for the person he’s become? He’s so clever in the face of his enemies, but that becomes his downfall in the face of love. You love him and then you hate him and then you love him all over again.
Qu Xiaofeng is such a charming girl. She defies norms in costume/historical dramas wherein she IS the politically-favored wife, she doesn’t have to fight her way to the top of the harem, she has almost no trouble getting along with anyone in the palace, yet she’s put in this lonely predicament because of the narrative Li Chengyin fabricates in his best attempt to protect her. He tries so hard to protect her from everyone that he forgets to protect her from himself. The thing is— she doesn’t need to be sheltered; she’s brave, upstanding and receptive. His attempts to preserve her innocent spirit pushes them further away from each other.
While Chengyin lives in a world of darkness dealing with the demons surrounding them, Xiaofeng is the brightest light, his polar opposite. And that’s why they seem to never agree on anything. In another lifetime, their love could have been a romantic comedy; if he were just a regular tea merchant, they would have lived every single day together, trifling and loving. Their chemistry is undeniable. On top of that, the performance by Chen Xingxu and Peng Xiaoran breathes life into the characters from the novel. They convincingly portrayed every sweet moment and every heartbreak. I still feel strong sorrow for these characters as if they’re actual people I know.
The costumes and cinematography in the drama are so lovely, the characters are charming, the dubbing is really well done, the OST is unforgettable, and above all, the story is beautiful. This drama exceeded all of my expectations. If you’re interested in a tale that dares to straddle the line between love and hate and still manages to make it work, I implore you to give this drama a chance.
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The thing that sort of rubbed me the wrong way in this production was how they handled the female lead's physical transformation in order to fit in with society's standards of beauty and to make her feel more worthy of the male lead. I appreciate how she learned to go after her own goals and actually became respected for skills, but her physical transformation was just a bit much for me with everyone encouraging her to undergo certain changes and then praising her when she finally fit in. The changes ARE gradual and can realistically showcase things a girl does as she grows up, but it's the conversations around it that could have been more tactful. Not a fan, but didn't pull me entirely away from the story.
The cast was a bit young for my taste, but I think they did a fine job for this being so early on in their careers. It's rare that you get actors playing a character OLDER than their actual age. You follow these characters into their early adulthood, which is a span of about six years throughout the 36 episodes, but I still find that a lot of the thoughts and actions they have when they are around 22 years old is similar to their mindset when they were 16. There's not a whole lot of character development for anyone except the female lead, and everyone has retained that immaturity they had when they were in high school. I'm giving them a high score just because they are too stinking cute, and I love the different relationships within their group dynamic. I didn't dislike any of the supporting characters. The lighthearted feel of this drama luckily doesn't call for profound acting ability. They're actually more natural than I expected, but I overall just thought that either the actors were too young or the characters were situationally older than they should have been.
Overall, just an adorable feel-good drama, with some promising young and newer faces.
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Let's say it was worth watching but I'm not particularly attached.
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I normally rattle endlessly to describe dramas, but I’ll attempt keeping this as simple as possible because this story, too, is simply a love story. The English title they chose is so befitting. The meaning behind taking the oath of love with someone and persevering through life’s ups and downs … there’s no gimmick. No plot twist, no mystery, no unexpected. It’s truly just a story about love. If you're into stories driven by actionable plot, this may not be for you, and that's okay! The story is very everyday, very ordinary, very slice of life, but it brings so much joy with each moment we spend with Lin Zhi Xiao and Gu Wei.
I’m not going to lie that it was a slow burn for me. It took me a few episodes to really get it, just like gradually falling in love. I fell a little harder with each episode. When all the pieces clicked, I was hooked, and now I’ll never be the same person because I’ll always be missing this couple. Every episode outdid itself. I couldn’t believe there was more room to love this drama up until the very last ending sequence.
The chemistry is top tier. Yang Zi and Xiao Zhan put so much heart into bringing Lin Zhi Xiao and Gu Wei to life as naturally as possible. The subtle actions and micro expressions are insane! For the first time, I felt like a Chinese drama (known for extending episodes for viewership) was far too short. I need more time with them! Like, the rest of my life!
And this OST. THIS OST?! Every song will play at my wedding, judge me all you want. Every song is a love letter from the characters' perspectives, and it's just so beautiful c':
No production is without flaws. This one was in the supporting characters and their lack of presence. But listen….. for the love that I have for Xiao Xiao and Dr. Gu? I didn’t mind that the supporting characters lacked some development in favor of more time with the leads. As much as I love characters who stand on their own, this is just not enough to budge my rating. I love the leads that much. So grateful to have seen this. <3
Who’s starting the petition to cast Yang Zi and Xiao Zhan in another drama ASAP, and where do I sign my life for it? Help a girl out.
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This review may contain spoilers
I need a support group to get over this drama.Heavy Sweetness, Ash-Like Frost *so* easily became one of my personal all-time favorite dramas. I knew I was going to enjoy this ride as soon as I got through the beautiful opening sequence. Then the leads showed up and stole every bit of my heart. I've become a huge fan of Yang Zi after watching her portrayal of Jin Mi from who she is in the beginning of the drama to who she becomes at the end. It's so raw and dynamic, you really feel all of the emotions Jin Mi goes through in this story. I couldn’t imagine any other actress, Yang Zi was perfect for the role. Her chemistry with Deng Lun's Xu Feng is *off the charts*! There are so many details in their interactions i.e. the way she lights up when she sees him, his smiles when she isn't looking, they are the ultimate OTP from the get-go.
Jin Mi’s naivety is not a new character trope, but it’s well done in a way that makes her uniquely endearing, not annoying. Even those who found her annoying will agree with me when I say we wish she could go back to the way she was by the end of the drama. Xu Feng doesn’t enjoy the same character development; in fact, I’d argue that he was pretty much set up to be an alpha male lead from the beginning. But what I love about him is that his strengths (i.e. his compassion) are also his weaknesses. The second male lead, Run Yu, also goes through dynamic character developments, and though I don’t agree with his choices, he’s a very interesting character you both wish to condemn and comfort simultaneously.
The team behind this drama did not gimp on effects. Though I can overlook bad CGI, it does take away from the drama. You don’t get awful CGI in this drama! The music is also so beautiful and haunting, I only wish that there were more OSTs! The overall plot is well-done and interesting, but I have to critique the way that the two main leads did not run the show in the latter half of the drama. It felt like they took to the backseat and there was a surge of side-stories, and though this did all contribute to the main plot, I thought that it could have been more concise, and that things could have been introduced in the first half to better flow into the second half instead of being introduced for the first time halfway through. The ending was both perfect but also left me wanting so, so much more at the same time, probably because I’m just too attached.
Regardless of it’s flaws, Xu Feng and Jin Mi’s love story resonated with me. I think xianxia fans will easily find something engaging within this, and those new to the xianxia genre, this could be your introduction! Other than fantasy elements, there’s comedy, romance, angst, family, friendship, drama—a little bit of everything for everyone!
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The premise was very simple and revolved around Ye Mu Xi and Liao Dan Yi’s rivalry as they collected friends for their student committee. Each episode had its own story that flowed into the next. It’s a youth drama, so it’s really about watching the characters enjoy their adolescence. You’re not going to get a big climax where protagonist battles antagonist.
The actors are still very young and just beginning their careers. To lead a small series like this, they did quite well. Eleanor Lee especially brought Mu Xi to life with her comedic expressions. Huang Jun Jie had a tougher job of playing a cold Dan Yi without making him stiff. Fortunately he got to play around with his character living in other people’s fantasies—p.s. the fantasies are a hilarious touch. I love the twists they take.
My favorite genre is romance, but they tell you from the beginning that this is not a love story. I actually really enjoyed the show with its lack thereof. You have to keep in mind that these characters are still very young and immature. I’m glad they didn’t try to push the romance.
Nevertheless, I’m crossing my fingers for more seasons where we watch our group of friends grow older and mature into that genre! (;
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The acting was mostly incredible. Both young and adult actors for the male lead were able to portray this impossible sadness through their eyes. Supporting actors did not underdeliver either. They allow me to overlook the female lead. I don't think it was her acting so much as the injustice to her character. Gil Nak Won is commendable for her positive outlook on life even though she's witnessed and experienced horrifying events, but other than that, she was just not that interesting. Almost every supporting character was more interesting.
It's been a long time since I've watched a drama without wanting to check the ending. It was definitely worth not doing so. While this isn't something I'd rewatch, I enjoyed every moment of the first run.
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This show was still so much fun to watch. I watched both seasons consecutively though, so by season 2, I started wishing there were more scenes with Mu Xi and Dan Yi together. The fun part of the show is watching them deal with problems together. Their dynamic as both friends and rivals is entertaining and is what kept me tuned in. Some episodes near the end, I had to watch in 2x speed. I liked the overall plot, the way they matured and understood each other in the end, but there was too much filler plot to get there. It's not that I think the other characters are unnecessary or uninteresting—I love all the kids—but wished that the sequence in which they told their stories were interlaced with more of the two leads. I was particularly tired of Xin Yi's fantasies. Why did Xin Yi get more romantic scenes with Dan Yi (albeit via her fantasies) than Mu Xi did anyway? Lol.
I'm complaining, but I did really enjoy The Big Boss. It might even become one of my favorite dramas. The strength of this drama is in the characters, not necessarily the plot. And there are many moments that are worth rewatching for the laughs. I still stand by what I said about season 1. This is a lighthearted youth comedy. It's good for when you're looking for something really easy to watch. I only wish there were more.
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Frankly, I thought the political drama aspect was sloppy, convenient when it needed to be, and difficult to engage with. It was a rollercoaster of uninteresting, then suddenly a little intriguing, but then ridiculous again. Instead, I enjoyed this drama solely as a comedy, and that was what kept me loving it through and through. The comedic elements were well done and shown through even some of its serious scenes. If anyone is losing interest, I would suggest trying to just accept it as the comedy that it is and hopefully you'll be able to enjoy it a whole lot more.
Needless to say, the acting is amazing. The actors suit their characters so well. I'm not crazy about the chemistry—or, dare I say it, lack thereof—but I think the actors embody their characters so well that I loved seeing them brought to life. I absolutely adore the main characters' relationship together, and you can actually see how they fall in love with each other instead of a sudden unexplained spark that you, as the viewer, just have to accept as true love.
All in all, a really lovely comedy. It was the drama I was most looking forward to watch every week from the few I was viewing at the same time. I HAD TO WATCH IT EVEN WHILE I WAS STUDYING, OKAY? I was pretty hooked. It might not seem like something you'd be interested in at first, but if you give a few episodes a chance and enjoy it for the comedy, I think you will find yourself falling in love with it too. It is an underrated and unexpected gem!
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