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Completed
Angels Fall Sometimes
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 20, 2024
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Tearjerking, wholesome, and educational drama of the year.

Angels Fall Sometimes is a melodrama not for the faint of heart.
The plot is mainly focused on Lin Tuo, the male lead, who started this drama as a healthy, intelligent, young man. Until his mobility began to waiver each day and everyday.

He was diagnosed with an incurable disease.
Lin Tuo ( played by Lin Yi) if you watched 1 Litre of Tears back in the mid 2000s, this is somewhat familiar. Similar yet different diagnosis. Honestly, I have not watched Lin Yi's dramas since his first one, Put Your Head On My Shoulder. I must say this drama has showcased how much his acting has grown, it really tugged on my heart when he finally cried out and accepted his diagnosis. His struggles, and determination to try and be able-bodied instead of fully accepting himself was quite relatable and understanding. His will to live and or to just end it is incredibly heart retching. The amount of tissues you need for this drama is crazy honestly.

An Zhi Que (played by Landy Li) The biggest supporter of Lin Yi has to be his girlfriend, An Zhi Que. i LOVE HER PERSONALITY! She's not your typical modern, girl crushing on handsome male and giggly type of female lead. She's like, "You listen to me because this is better for your health, this is what I think is right and logical." Zhi Que aka Xiao Que basically talks like a mother sometimes even to her own father. The way she has to count to 3 to Lin Tuo's younger brother made me repeat the scene more than once. She doesn't play, she's very reasonable! It's not to the point of nagging but just enough to shut people up. You'll have to see for yourself because I love her character so much in this drama. Landy did an amazing job, her acting IMPROVED SO MUCH! Oh my god, I can tell she embodied her character very well, I've watched only two dramas of hers before and her acting never really stood out to me. Like it wasn't terrible nor was it good. In this drama, however, she's definitely done a great job embodying such a strong character.

This review can't leave out the best support character in the drama
Chen Guang Pu (Sun Tian Yu) He was one of the first to find out his best buddy, Lin Tuo, was incredibly ill. And my god, I was crying when he was crying because damn he can freaken cry. He was so heartbroken, and felt very helpless because he just thinks Lin Tuo is going to die and there's literally nothing he can do. However, he was able to help his friend in many otherways and that's a good example of what friends should be. I love him for sticking by Lin Tuo through thick and thin and not judge him or treat him any different! He's also very funny and..loud. LOL I think his sudden proposal with someone in this drama was out of no where. I did not see any romantic sparks, the scriptwriters should've left it as platonic friends.

My only gripe is He Xin Di as a character can be irritating throughout most of the drama because she's incessantly loud, and wants to get in your business type of character. Would not leave the guys alone when she was clearly not invited; and she assumes the worse in people. Did I mention she's a little controlling? She's basically a toxic character despite being a supportive friend of Zhi Que.


There's a lot more I want mention but I don't want this review to be too long or else I will end up spoiling everything. Needless to say this drama is only 24 episodes so if you enjoy watching anything related to medical diseases, crying(ahaha...), melodramatic genres, friendships, and family bonding dramas - I would recommend to try this. It's even better if you have a disease or medical condition of your own because you could definitely relate to Lin Tuo in many ways. I know I did for sure hence the bawling which btw disclaimer: I RARELY CRY WATCHING DRAMAS! BUT THIS DRAMA MADE ME CRY! :( It is about an incurable disease, which I'm sure a lot of people should know about by now because of a viral trend back in early 2010s or so. If not, please go watch it and learn about it!

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Completed
My Journey to You
2 people found this review helpful
Sep 16, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Non-traditional wuxia strikes again!

My Journey To You was an amazing drama to watch from beginning to end; There was suspense, thrill, hints of romance, and sibling bonds with a touch of comedy from a specific character I adore so much.
The cinematography was very movie-like and I don't think we see this in a lot of dramas. That's fine, it just sets this drama apart from others. The martial arts choreography was very AMAZING TO WATCH! I was floored, especially how Yun Wei Shan, the female lead, attacks her opponent so graciously.
Each and every character within this drama were multi-dimensional hence I was very touched by their back story. Each character had something they loved and lost at some point in their lives. Some other characters work hard to make their parents feel proud. It was quite relatable!
The acting was phenomenal especially from Esther Yu, who typically plays very naive, cheerful characters. Here she plays a demure, strong, protective spy, Yun Wei Shan. Despite her cold demeanor, she can be quite emotional, and vulnerable when Gong Zi yu (male lead - Zhang Ling He) shows how much he cares for her. Although Yun Wei Shan is a spy, she actually yearns to be freed from this lifestyle and Gong Ziyu tries his hardest to make it come true for her. As a character, I really enjoyed watching her use her brains - how quick witted she can be to get out of difficult situations - albeit it's not always going to work. As aforementioned, I really enjoyed watching her fight because it was very elegant and gracious, granted it seemed she wasn't as strong as she looked.

Moving on to Zhang Ling He who played Gong Ziyu. A young man known to be the crybaby and naive kid of the family because he doesn't want to take on the responsibility of being a Gong. Turns out he is quite the grown man we would expect from Gong family. Very observant, seems to have photographic memory, and quite intelligent in his own way as well. I know a lot of people disliked him for being oblivious to his surroundings but I'm sure we're all surprised because it was the total opposite.

The second female lead, Shang Guan Qian, is what you would call a scheming two face b*tch. Boy, she played her part extremely well! Someone needs to give Lu Yu Xiao an award for her acting! The way she played Shang Guan Qian makes you think TWICE about her intentions every single time! It's the way she acts with her voice and the micro expressions! AMAZING! Albeit, she can be quite nice when she needs to but only for a price.

Have I mentioned the amount of eye candies in this drama? There's a lot of handsome men and women in this drama, but mostly men. LOL Eyes candies are great but, "Can they act?" is the most important question. There's many handsome actors I can name off the top of my head who are just strictly handsome with no acting skills whatsoever. However, in My Journey To You, there is no black sheep.

Let's begin with Gong Shang Jue played by the actor, Ryan Cheng! This man is handsome, but he supports it with his acting very well. On the surface he is seen as very cold, hot tempered man. Known to be one of the best martial artist in the MJTY universe, even Wufeng is afraid of him, however he is quite the opposite of what he portrays. He has a very gentle, and caring side - truly loves and cares for his family. His backstory was very tragic but it didn't change him completely. He is very intelligent and capable of leading the Gong Family. I loved his micro expressions as well, you can tell when he's in disbelief, or suspicious of someone. And despite of his cold demeanor, his secretive smiles just makes my heart flutter.

Gong Yuan Zhi played by the actor Tian Jia Rui is the "younger brother" of Gong Shang Jue. He can be very cunning but unlike his brother, he is not trusting of others. His ability to create unique poisons makes him an asset of the Gong Family. A prodigy if you will. Although his personality seem to be cunning, and hateful of others -with good reason. He is an orphan. His history with Gong Shang Jue was a bit emotional to watch because Jue is someone he looks up and cares for deeply. He loves the attention he gets from his brother, it's rare to see brotherly bond like this in dramaland. I like it because it showcases what Yuan Zhi lacks prior to Jue and how much Jue means to him now and vice versa. Yes, I would love to slap the grin off his face sometimes but that just proves the actor did his part very well. Props to Jia Rui!

Young Master Yue played by the actor Zuo Ye, quite handsome and great acting as mature elder. Albeit, maybe too mature because it seems he aged 50 years after his backstory was revealed. :( Zuo also uses micro expressions, his tears were real and convincing. The way he speaks was filled with sorrow, it's difficult to explain without spoiling his plotline. Best to watch it with your own eyes!

Notable actors would be Gong Zi Shang played by Jolin Jin. Oh my lord, help me..girl gave me laughs for days with her exaggerated and dramatic acting. Lmao She was definitely the comedy relief within this serious, dark concept drama. I typically do not like overexaggerated acting but it grew on me in this drama - just a tiny bit. Gong Zi Shang is the way she is because of the lack of parental attention. Hence, she acts dramatically in front of others. When someone shows her care, she will care and side with them. I feel like she should've been with Xiao Hei, another mysterious character in the drama, because of how his energy matched so well with hers. They're both quite hilarious to watch! Then again, their backstory were quite similar and it's understandable why they got along so well. I wish Zi Shang knew how much he cared for her.. :( Justice for Xiao Hei!

Towards the last few episodes of wrapping up the drama, it felt like I was watching Twilight where everything was a lie. LOL But at the same time, a relief that the characters weren't as bad as they portrayed to be.
How was the ending of the drama? It was ambiguous. Hoping for season two because that was just a cliffhanger at this point. There's so many questions left unanswered.
I'm not disappointed entirely because wuxia are typically like this - albeit this isn't traditional wuxia but when you watch a lot of wuxia dramas - you shouldn't expect a happy ending. It can be an open ending, sad, or even ambiguous ending. And I'm glad it ending very enigmatically because there's a possibility of a season 2.

Might have to wait 3-4 years like I did with Joy of Life unfortunately. :( But overall, amazing drama definitely a must watch if you want some martial arts action, thrill and suspense!

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Completed
The Legend of Anle
5 people found this review helpful
Aug 6, 2023
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Amazing martial arts choreography, plot was disappointing.

The overall plot and progression of Legend of Anle was extremely slow, so slow that the scriptwriters love giving characters' repetitive lines for 23 episodes straight. The drama only gotten better at episode 29.

Anle is constantly reminding everyone that she's here for the Di family revenge and nothing else. Yet she also has an army of 30,000 soldiers used as dowry to marry the prince. Her plan from the get go is to entice the prince, but in reality to bring justice to her family. Don't get me wrong, I really love seeing Anle fight for her family and find justice with the people around her. It's was her goal from the get-go. We already knew that was her storyline. Anle is an independent woman, she's very intelligent and it seems to me she can hold her own without Hanye in her life. It would've been nice if this drama was not about romance. Dilireba acted great in this drama, it's not her best drama in terms of storyline and script but it's tolerable.

Hanye is a man of few words, and also focuses on this one line (not verbatim): "I will fulfil grandfather's edict of marrying Di Ziyuan." He says that nearly every single episode. We get it. He seems to be strategic in his own way, he does not share his inners thoughts in the first 23 episodes or so. He's a rule-abiding prince, doesn't matter if the love of his life tells him what he's doing is wrong for her and her massacred family, etc. It was annoying to watch him tell Anle or someone that what they're doing is wrong. She could've done everything on her own essentially, and she also has a princess for a best friend who could've helped her instead of Hanye. Gongjun's acting isn't the best. This was my first drama of his and he was very cringe to watch. His expressions are either too stiff or too awkward. There are plenty of characters of little words yet are able to convey their feelings through their eyes or expressions; Gongjun barely does that. He needs to work on improving his acting. Towards episode 29, Hanye as a character becomes more tolerable imo. He's done a lot for Anle and I forgave him for the bs he said to Anle before.

Moving on to Hanye's little sister. Anning, the general of Jing aka the elder princess of Jing. I think the scriptwriters dumbed her down immensely for someone who has "General" as her title alongside the title of "Princess." It made me very furious that she was toned down. She's a wonderful fighter, and I honestly thought she could've helped Anle a lot more than Hanye. She was a disappointing character. Despite of that, she has her pride, and she feels like she was at fault for the massacre of Di Family - she tends to drink a lot because of it. I just wish the writers didn't do her dirty. The actress of Anning did very well imo.

Luo Ming Xi is the "older brother" aka protector of Di Zi Yuan and also has a one-sided crush on Zi yuan. He's done his best to help Anle to find justice and revenge for her family and has been with her every step of the way. Would you say I have second-lead syndrome? Possibly yes. His character is quite patient and also more vicious than Anle is towards the Jing royal family. He would do anything to protect Anle from any more harm. Honestly, he deserves a medal. LOL Liu Yu Ning did the character justice, no awkward acting from my pov, I can tell how much he loves Anle even from his subtle actions or movements.

I want to put a spotlight on Linlang who was played by Wang Yitimg. Wang was the perfect role for this character, her martial arts choreography was beautiful and elegant! The perks of having a dancer background! Her character, Lin lang, is technicalyl a spy for Luo Ming Xi, his protector, his doctor, etc. lol She does everything! So watch out for her!! Her fighting scenes were badass.

Happy ending? Yes.
Would I watch again? No
Would I recommend it? 50/50. It depends if you like horrendous scriptwriting, and slow-burn romance. Even slow plot progression. Otherwise, you can basically skip to episode 23 or 29 for the good parts.

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Completed
Road Home
13 people found this review helpful
Mar 31, 2023
30 of 30 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 5.5
This review may contain spoilers

Healthy relationship, pure bliss, no hair pulling drama of the year.

Road Home is a second chance at love drama, it is mainly felt with intense chemistry between the two leads, There isn't much action initially, but it does get intense later on.
Personally, this drama was exciting to watch, however, there are moments where the scriptwriting felt off. It would seem like there should be more to say but it was just an awkward silence. However, give it a chance because Lu Chen played by Jing Boran is a man of very few words.

As aforementioned, Lu Chen is your typical cool, handsome, popular, man of few words character. Like legitimate few words where Gui Xiao (Seven Tan) said he should speak more. LOL I guess you can say he's more reserved than outgoing. However, he's very emotional towards Gui Xiao and cherishes her even though they had broken up before the series began. His family background is not the best, as his mother divorced his abusive, alcoholic father once before. LC works as a police officer who is constantly away on missions, hence this has tarnished his relationship with Gui Xiao. As the drama begins, they begin to build their relationship with a more mature mindset. Acting-wise, this is my first drama of Jing Bo Ran, and I have heard of him a couple of times - I think he acts pretty okay. Comparing his real personality to the character, I think he did pretty well in portraying a reserved but strong commanding officer. Did I mention how hot he is? LOL

Gui Xiao played by Seven Tan, is a very strong, independent woman. She is no damsel in distress as she has said once before that she can live her life without Lu Chen. However, she will fight for her love no matter how difficult their situation is. Lu Chen is constantly on missions, so their relationship is somewhat like a long-distance type, he does come home though and it gets very cute. I think what makes their relationship so special compared to other dramas is how healthy it is. It teaches us that communication is very important in a relationship and understanding, and being mindful keeps the relationship going. Her family background is somewhat unfortunate as well because her parents divorced (not officially until the series began.)
Seven Tan is one of my favorite actresses, I will be honest this drama did not showcase her full capabilities - it seems a little off at times due to the script. Her acting will always be impeccable, however, I wish the script was a bit more smooth I suppose. It's a little inexplicable.

I feel like this drama would deter others because it doesn't have much "drama" or excitement like your typical Asian drama does. It feels more like a slice-of-life genre, focused on rebuilding a relationship and a proper family. However, I would suggest giving it a try. It depicts healthy relationships, and confidence and I think it's what people need if they don't know what a healthy relationship is supposed to be like.

Is there a third wheel? There was one who tried but to no avail. haha
The side characters were wonderful, GX and LC have amazing friends, basically like sisters and brothers, who support their relationship all the way. Giving wonderful advice when they need it.
I had watched a drama similar to this where the kid is extremely annoying, and the male lead became very difficult to watch so I had to drop it. Whereas in Road Home, the kid is tolerable and the male lead respects the female's boundaries.

The ending was satisfying as they finally held a wedding, and the final episode is just flashbacks.
The cinematography, and scenery of this drama were very beautiful, it makes me want to travel to the location someday.

I would recommend this drama if you just want to chill, not pull your hair out and enjoy a cute, slice-of-life, fluffy, romantic drama. Also if you don't mind a reserved, quiet male lead then definitely give it a go. It has several flashbacks to their high school days as well, and it is fun to see how it all began. The final episode shows us how they started to have feelings for one another, of course, they did explain what their past relationship was like throughout the drama, not just at the end.

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Completed
The Starry Love
3 people found this review helpful
Mar 11, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Forbidden love, strong-willed characters, amazing sisterly bond, what more can you ask for?

The Starry Love was a phenomenal xianxia with multiple twists and turns. The cherry on top is the strong sisterly bond between Qingkui and Yetan. Even if the world turned against them, they still have each other's back.

I went into his drama not knowing whether it will be this amazing because I had watched the main leads only once before - wasn't a huge fan of Landi's acting before but I must say she has improved a lot in The Starry Love! it was a huge rollercoaster of emotions honestly. Prepare your issues, prepare to laugh your ass off, enjoy the bond between the characters, and you might also want to stab some characters along the way.

The story revolves around fraternal twin sisters, the older twin Liguang Qingkui and the young twin, Liguang Yetan.
I don't want to spoil much, but do pay attention to the first few minutes of the first episode. It is very imperative to the last arc of the drama.
Liguang Yetan is a very outspoken, domineering female lead. She is also an aspiring Void Queen and ruler of the four realms. Or so we thought..
Yetan's (played by Landi) character development over the course of the drama has been poignant to watch. She went from being arrogant, and indifferent to others other than her sister and her childhood friends, to extremely caring and kind to those around her. I believe this is the influence of not only her sister but her love for Youqin. She grew up treated like a pariah, jinx, and evil being because of the royal officials' influence on her father due to the state world during her birth. Her father was always absent and indifferent towards her and it affected her personality greatly. Without her sister, she wouldn't even know how to care at all, but she truly cares for her sister and that's what I love about this drama. Typically dramas don't allow sisters to care about one another even if one screws up, but this shows unconditional love through and through. Landi's acting has greatly improved in this drama, I had previously watched another historical drama of hers and she was extremely cringey to watch there. However, it felt natural here- especially her cries, and heartbreaks really hit me.

Qingkui (He Xuan Lin) is the most caring, kind, and selfless character you would encounter in this drama. She cares deeply for her younger sister, and while everyone else hated Yetan, she was there for her no matter what. She's essentially Yetan's pillar. She would share her hobbies, books, and gifts with Yetan, Protect her even if Yetan was wrong, she would stand by her sister no matter what - after reprimanding Yetan of course. You would think Qingkui is a doormat due to her selfless nature, however, she's able to stand on her own, she's caring, protective and intelligent. She is not a damsel-in-distress, she is also very strong-willed like her sister. Despite the mix-up of carriages, she made a place for herself in the void realm and found her one true love. Qingkui is the definition of unconditional love because even if one of her loved ones made a mistake, she will forgive them. She believes they can do better and that belief inspires them to be better people. The acting by Xuan Lin is very natural, I haven't watched any of her other dramas before so I don't have much to say but she acted well overall!

Shao Dian YouQin (Chen XIng Xu ) was Initially a stoic, socially anxious empyrean but grew to show more emotions and love after a very important event happened. He was raised somewhat similarly to Yetan because his father expects him to have no emotions to prevent any distractions from protecting the world and becoming the heavenly ruler in the future. He volunteered to isolate himself in order to train a perfect celestial body. In doing so, he would be able to protect the world against the chaos, Guixu. Youqin is another character who defines unconditional love, he does protect the world but he also wants to protect Yetan against the world. He showed empathy and care for Yetan and it was just so sweet to watch! Especially when he learned of her past, and took a small revenge behind her back. I had watched a drama by Chen Xing Xu before, and he did act well there and it was the same here. His acting is quite versatile, I quite enjoyed watching him act like a primitive human. It was adorable. haha

Chao Feng (Luke Chen) was also raised somewhat similarly to Yetan - he had no fatherly love, and was a pariah because of his birth mother. With that in mind, he is still the third prince but is treated less than a prince. He initially fought really hard for the crown just to get respect and better treatment from his clan. He would do anything to get the crown even if that means hiding his motives from Qingkui. He was the reason for the carriage switch-up because Yetan witnessed what he did before the day of the marriage. However, despite that, he found care and love from QIngkui and eventually learned to deviate from the crown and would prefer to settle down peacefully. It was a difficult task as someone is always on his ass, trying to assassinate him. He, like Youqin, would do anything to protect Qingkui even if it means defying his father. Chao Feng was definitely not a good character initially but his character development definitely redeemed him. I like that he and Youqin banter with one another like brothers. It's quite fun to watch opposite realms interact like family. I have not seen any of his other dramas but I think Luke Chen did pretty well here needless to say. Although, in terms of crying, or sadness - I feel like he was missing a bit of emotion honestly but other than that his acting was pretty good.

I think one of my favorite characters would be Man Man played by Wang Li Na, she's like the comedy relief in the drama, her expressions and sarcastic replies are hilarious. haha

How was the ending? It's a bittersweet ending. The last 10 episodes were a huge emotional ride, so prepare your tissues.

The Starry Love teaches you a myriad of things like don't judge someone by their appearance, don't judge people by their lack of education, and don't judge period. LOL, Another thing I learned is OPPOSITES ATTRACT IMMENSELY! Even if you don't have the same initial beliefs, there are some things you can compromise for the sake of love. You can also learn from one another despite different beliefs.
Again, I truly enjoyed watching this drama because of the comedy initially, the strong and unbreakable sisterly bond, the wonderful character developments, of course, the husbands' love and protectiveness for their wives. AND the friends and family who supported them, even the worse parent redeemed himself!


I would definitely recommend watching this if you like twists and turns, comedy, and historical fantasy dramas. There are definitely some characters that would pull your hair out, but other than that a phenomenal drama to watch!

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Completed
Never Grow Old
8 people found this review helpful
Jan 19, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers

Nostalgic and Slice of Life of the 90s

Never Grow Old aka Going to 18 aka Hello, Yesterday is a slice of life drama set in the 1990s, definitely gives a major nostalgic vibe for those who were born in the 90s or remember the late 90s.
The story is based on 6 close-knitted high school friends and their neighborhood bond.
It's mostly about them going to school, hanging out, eating, helping the neighborhood/families, and so on. If you watched When We Were Young (2018) then this is highly recommended!
Each of the main 6 youths have different personalities and is quite fun to watch them hang out together.

Gao Zhi Yuan (Guo Jun Chen) is very mellow, yet strict one out of the bunch. He's also considered to be the smartest one, tutors his friends a lot. Although he seems indifferent on the outside, he actually cares a lot for his friends.

Tan Xin(Ren Min) is a very loud, obnoxious girl but studies hard - not your typical dumb female albeit she does have trouble studying sometimes. She's compassionate, and empathetic but also has a short temper. haha There is something off about the way the actress acted out her lines at times, because it feels like she's just "reading" her lines instead of acting, it just didn't blend in with the others at times

Zhou Li Zhi (Annie Sun) considered to be very pretty, she seems to be quite daring, although hesitate initially, but she's willing to try new things that piques her interest. Tan Xin and Li Zhi are cousins, yet surprisingly are not rivals at all.

Chen Cheng (Zhang Zhi Hao) the second smartest of the group but I think he can come off as arrogant or too much confidence initially. He's just as loud as Tan Xin sometimes. However, he's an honest guy through and through and is willing to help a friend in need, will choose his friends over a girl. haha He's seems like a family guy, he's quite affectionate towards his sister and grandma.

Guo Fu Cheng (Li Xing Chen) First of all his name reminds me of the actual celebrity every single time he pops up. LOL I digress, his character is one of my favorites because his acting is so natural yet so hilarious. He's definitely the comedic relief in this drama. It's his expression that makes it so funny and I freaken loved it. haha

Ma XIao Yi (Jiang Guan Nan) his character came in later in the drama with a lot of misunderstandings. He seems tough and was mistaken as a big bully but in reality he's a softie who just wants genuine friends. I like his duality with Guo Fu Cheng cause they were funny together.

The cinematography reminds me of When We Were Young because they would edit a scene towards the end as if to expose someone's hidden tricks. haha Every episode has some kind of meaning which is quite a nice touch.


Is there romance in this drama? Not really per say, just crushes. There's a lot of subtle eye contact or peaking at someone, you just have to be aware of the characters' body lanague/facial expressions to notice it. Were there infuriating charaters? Definitely but that's to be expected from old school Chinese families and their expectation of a "son/daughter-in-law." Love triangles? Nope.
Would I recommend? Yes, definitely if you just want to chill and not pull your hair out.

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Completed
Lighter & Princess
38 people found this review helpful
by Hyukfied Finger Heart Award1
Nov 22, 2022
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

L&P DESERVES AN AWARD! MUST WATCH CDRAMA OF 2022!!!

I am not exaggerating, this drama is phenomenal, I highly recommend it if this is your first time watching cdramas!

The storyline begins in the present time which is actually a good attention grabber. It will make you wonder what happened, why and how did it come to this point. The drama will then take us back to the past where it all began, freshmen year of college. The concept of this drama is computer programming, and you really see them mostly focused on typing codes, and make programs, etc. Albeit, I'm not sure if the coding itself is real but I have not seen this kind of drama elsewhere which is quite unique.

What really makes this drama come to life and why its so popular is the acting, the chemistry, character development and the storyline.

Zhu Yun (Zhang Jing Yi) : Zhu Yun as a character is a book smart, follow the leader kind of gal in the beginning but eventually she will find her voice. She can get a little bossy, and sometimes I think she lets her emotions make the decision instead of thinking from a practical point of view. She's very passionate when she wants to prove she can do something, as well as very caring and understanding of her friends espeically towards Li Xun. Zhang Jing Yi played her part very well, nothing to outstanding and her acting is quite natural - like she truly is the character itself who's in love and willing to do anything for the love of her life. I have only seen one drama of hers so its difficult to judge if she improved or not - seems like the same to me.

Li Xun (Chen Fei Yu) : Li Xun is your typical rude, selfish, arrogant male lead who believes everyone sucks at computer programming compare to him. However, he's very misunderstood, he's more of a practical guy - he has more experience in the field thus he knows what is sellable or not. Many viewers, espeically if they don't understand mandarin, would think that he's always rude but most of his replies esp to Zhu Yun are quite funny or sarcastic - its unfortunate its not translated well into english. :( Li Xun may be your nerdy, introverted quiet kind of guy but towards Zhu Yun - he cares in a subtle way, and tend to keep a lot of things to himself which is a double edge sword. His character develops pretty nicely, he's not always like he was in the first few episodes. He learned to be apologetic and show remorse for what he has done. However, he still keep things to himself, and sometimes he believes its better to work alone than to bring people in to help him. Yeah, he definitely needs therapy to deal with the losses and feelings. Chen Fei Yu did an amazing job as Li Xun because his eyes does a lot of the acting when he doesn't talk, and it really sucks you in. I also only seen one other drama of his, but despite of that, there's a huge improvement in his acting!

There is a couple time skips and unfortunately we do not see much of the beginning relationship between the leads, but regardless, their relationship was very cute, fluffy, and natural - its like they're a real couple honestly. Amazing acting from both of them!
There's many other great actors in this drama but I have to highlight is Gao Jian Hong played by Zhao Zhi Wei. Without spoiling too much, his character is very competitive, and insecure in his computer programming skills. I did not like his character from the get-go, he seemed fake - a two-faced character. Other than that, you would have to watch and see why his acting was amazing.

Ren Di played by Jenny Zheng: From the beginning of the drama, the way Jenny acted as Ren Di seem so incredibly natural as if she played herself. I just wanted to point that out, the outfits, and her personality fits the actress so well - its very natural and I hope she gets a main role. She honestly compliments well with Chen Fei Yu - the tall couple. hahaa Okay but in reailty, the characters have no romantic interest to one another.

In terms of love triangle, there is one, however it will not make you pull your hairs out so its not a big deal.
Music is amazing, the settings are amazing esp when the main leads got together - the background, the cinematography was beautiful.

Definitely highly recommend this drama if you enjoy watching dramas in a college setting, slow burn but realistic and natural romance, computer programming, games, the dreaded angst, friendship, and betrayals.

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Completed
Love Like the Galaxy: Part 1
21 people found this review helpful
Jul 21, 2022
27 of 27 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

BEST DRAMA OF THE YEAR?! MUST WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T STARTED!

Love Like A Galaxy is like a drink of coffee or tea in the morning, something you need to start your day. It can be quite addicting to watch!
This family-centered drama is highly recommended for everyone because its humorous, relatable in certain ways, even the banter between female characters are fun to watch! It feels as if you're part of the family, watching Niao Niao develop into more understanding and mature character as the story continues on.

Niao Niao aka Cheng Shao Sheng is the youngest of her family, illiterate due to not being raised well by her aunt and grandmother while her parents were away at war. I persoanlly like her personality, despite not being educated academically or in mannerisms, she has a strong, willful, curious and carefree personality. She says what's on her mind, is quite street smart which is something you need to survive in that time. She will fight back if someone hurts her in any way. This quality trait gained a few admirers. She's definitely one of my favorite characters in this drama. Acting wise, very natural and definitely cemented my love for Zhao Lusi as an actress!

Ling Bu Yi is one of the strongest and youngest military general in this drama. He has connections with the emperor who treats him like a son. Its quite endearing. His entrance is always dramatic which adds some flair to the scenes. haha He says that if he lays his eyes on someone he fell in love with, he will treasure and cherish her forever. That person is obviously Niao Niao. He's always there to rescue her, protect her from harm and evildoers. However, he has a revenge story that he's constantly looking into, getting his hands bloodied for the emperor or for himself. In a way, he has a cold heart for criminals, and his, suppoesdly, parents, Fear not, his heart is giggly and warm for Niao Niao despite the ice prince demeanor. He gives no shits to people who hurt NN or is obviously trying to take advantage of him or use him. And I love it! xD In terms of acting, Lu Wei did a great job because characters like Ling Bu Yi is known to be stoic, and indifferent but how far do you have to go to keep up the stoic expression? It gets exhausting after a while. The way Lu Wei acted as the cold general is quite different, he gives the character subtle expressions, it tells the audience he's not stone cold either. I suppose I like the subtley of the warmth Lu Wei gave to Ling Bu yI .

Other character(s) I enjoyed watching is Wan Qiqi. She's my favorite support character, the actress, Zhang Yue, played her character so well!! I cannot give her enough praise! Wan Qiqi is Niao Niao's good, or possibly best friend at this point. Their fathers are close hence these two became friends as well. Wan is that friend who stands up for you if some bish is bullying you, its quite fun to watch! This is why I think the female banter in this drama is enjoyable because Wan is able to argue with a sharp tongue. Niao Niao is able to defend herself as well but Wan is more passionate in defending her bestie. Roasting her enemies just by talking back, its hilarious! Her expressions are fun to watch as well! Its so natural, you'd forget she's acting. haha The subtlety of her expressions is quite comedic espeically when Wan doesn't take notice of Niao Niao's second older brother. hahaha I really enjoy her character! I hope to see a happy ending for her!
The emporer is another note worthy support character because he would did anything for Ling Bu Yi, plus the fact that the biggest shipper of Niao Niao and Ling Bu YI, its fun to watch him give leeway to NN because he adores her for LBY. All because LBY has fallen in love with NN. haha

The rest of the cast are amazing actresses and actors, not one person is out of place in this drama and I love it so much. Especially, when there's subtle moments of parent & Niao Niao having similar traits, its funny. Albeit, her mother isn't the best mother because she clearly isn't fond of Niao Niao's mannerism and behavior.

I gave this drama a 9.5 because the music didn't stand out to me, but regardless 10/10 drama would highly recommend if you like historical settings of China, female bickerings, schemings, smart female lead, slow burn romance but the rest of the cast will make you enjoy the progress regardless.

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Completed
Legacy
9 people found this review helpful
Jun 24, 2022
45 of 45 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

Sisterhoood of the 1920s

Legacy focuses on a wealthy, business oriened family in the 1920s with emphasis on the three sisters: Zhong Ling, Zhong Yu and Zhong Xiu. They also have a brother, Zhong Jie who isn't involved in the family business to pursue his dreams.

In the beginning of the drama, there's a lot of arguing, and disagreements among the sisters especially between Zhong Yu (middle sis) and the youngest, Zhong Xiu. Their personalities clash a lot, but eventually they grew to love one another.
The story essentially follows the family through 20 years and their struggles with love, betrayal, family, the Japanese army, politicians, and war.

Zhong Ling played by Qin Lan is the oldest of the siblings, she's typically the mediate between Zhong Yu and Zhong Ling, always there to stop the fight, lecture them and give logical reasons. She's very soft-spoken, poise but fear not she's also headstrong and knows when to take action against the family enemies. I also love it when she stood up for herself against *spoiler* her controlling, and abusive husband(not physically abusive towards her, more like verbal because he shouts so much, threatens to kill people, etc.) But eventually,the love story between them became pretty sweet to me as he learned to control himself and he's a sucker for his wife - it was so cute when he was trying to get her to forgive and accept him. She's a great cook, and that's her main weapon in this series. Zhong Ling is definitely one of my favorite characters in this show. This is the second drama I watched of Qin Lan, so I'm not sure if her acting is great because she played a similar character in Yan Xi Palance. Difference is Zhong Ling is more strong, outspoken, demanding when she needs to be. Therefore, acting from Qin Lan is a pass for me~

Zhong Yu played by Wu Jin Yan. Zhong Yu is similar to an anti-hero because you wouldn't like her personality at all - at least I didn't initially. It was so offputting because she was very bossy, bratty, gets her way, very spoiled, and whatnot. In a sense, she has a temper of a child as well. haha However, she's also very smart in the business world, she knows how to negotiate and persuade others. She does have a soft spot and willing to give other chances and help those she cares about.The one who eventually tamed down her personality and made her grow up is Tang Feng Wu played by Hangeng. Their relationship is kind of ridiculous because she's always mad at him or someone lmao - sometimes playfully and he would always try to pacify her. Its an on and off relationship. As for Wu Jin Yan's acting, it feels unnatural at times - sometimes her facial expressions doesn't make sense in certain situations. Either way, it was alright.

Moving on to the youngest, Zhong Xiu played by Zhang Nan, this is the second drama I watched of hers. She did a great job acting as the youngest child, its a total different personality from the another drama I watched where she acted as a queen. Zhong Xiu is very outspoken, and likes to confront people when things are bothering her which sometimes gets her in trouble. As aforementioned, Zhong Yu and her clash a lot because both of them tend to say what's on their mind. haha Relationship wise, she was suppose to be married to someone but he chose someone else eventually. Then came a friend's cousin, which started out as a wholesome friendship then grew into love. Zhong Xiu learned how to use a gun from this guy and it proved to be quite useful for the plot.
On another note, I was confused initially so to prevent anyone else from feeling the same way regarding the mother in the drama- Hwang Ying Ru is the biological mom of Zhong Xiu and her older brother, Zhong Jie. Stepmother to ZhongYu and Zhong Ling but not your typical evil stepmother, she's actually really nice and treats them as her own.

The ending was underwhelming, there were happy endings and sad endings for some characters.

The cinematography of Legacy was great, it reminded me of Japanese asadoras and how it follows a life time of family. Would I recommend this drama? If you like republican era, war, policitics, sure. Love, friendship, three strong-willed female leads, definitely. If you like a family focused drama, definitely watch it. Is it an amazing drama? No, its still good nonetheless.

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Completed
Tomorrow
22 people found this review helpful
May 18, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 10

Another day to keep fighting is essentially the moral of Tomorrow.

Tomorrow is highly recommended because it touches upon topics SK should really learn from - in fact - the entire world.
It is a fictional, fantasy drama, therefore the characters or props does not despict reality. However, each episode's plot does represent reality to a certain extent. Its main focus is essentially about depression and its level of negative energy.
The main characters of Tomorrow are a team built in the after life- to save people on the brink of suicide. Its very heartwarming, and poignant. Some of the episodes may even relate with you, at least for me it did. It can be heartwrenching, so prepare some tissues please. Romance is not the main focus, its mostly about mental health and its why I highly recommend it cause its a deep drama. A remarkable drama that deserves high ratings, albeit it can be cringey not going to lie. Regardless, please do not hate on this drama over a fictional name/bday. Just watch it and you won't regret it.

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Completed
F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers
11 people found this review helpful
Apr 10, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

One of my top favorites of F4 versions

At least for me, it shot to the top pretty quick.
I'm not going into details of the plot we already know about for approximately 20 years or so. I'll just write my opinions and thoughts on it.
Disclaimer: I'm a stubborn bias for the original drama version, Meteor Garden 2001, because it was my childhood and I was a huge fan of F4 aka JVKV. Henceforth, I would always compare any version to the original with bias views. Nothing would ever replace that top spot for me.
I would say Thailand version officially tied for second along with Japanese version.
Why? Thailand version took a slight turn with the modern twist - cyberbullying and all the social media obsession gossip, cancelling, etc. Ofc, the physical bullying is worse and wrong as well. Definitely showcases how toxic people can get no matter what age we're in.
Other than that, I feel this F4 was openly loving towards one another - MJ literally says "we love you, that's why we support no matter what." It feels liike you don't see that often in dramas for men, at least, to be affectionate towards their friends. Male or female, or whatever gender, friends are kind of like relationships where you show case your love for one another platonically. I really appreciate this show for showcasing that. The connection between the boys were definitely strong! In terms of F4 ranks, they're my second favorite honestly.
As for the acting, they're not the best actors or actresses, it's passable. Then again they're new just like most F4 shows it seems. The side characters like the mom, sister, and fiance were actually good actresses - seemed realistic to me. I notice Gorya screams a lot, and if I were to compare it with Shancai(MG 2001), she wasn't screaming that much, she was stern with her voice, and strong. Gorya's screaming got a bit too much towards the end, I didn't realize how much she was screaming when she's mad, but I suppose that's normal at least to those who give in to their emotions. Unable to control it through the way they talk. Regardless, would I recommend this show? Yes, definitely because its quite heartwarming. I even cried through some of the episodes, it was quite relatable with my emotions and what I've been through. I really enjoyed the drama and would recommend to anyone. Albeit, do not expect a lot of romance, its like a teen show.

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Completed
The Bond
10 people found this review helpful
Sep 8, 2021
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

MUST WATCH FAMILY DRAMA OF THE YEAR!

The is an incredible family drama of 2021, I highly highly recommend it if you need a break from romantic, comedy dramas. Get some tissues and popcorn and enjoy the ride through the different eras while watching the kids grow up.

STORY 10/10 -
The Bond opening begins in the 1960s and ends around the mid 2000s.It follows 5 Qiao siblings, specially the 4 eldest siblings because they grew up together. Their father is selfish, he barely helped in raising the kids, therefore the eldest took the responsibility to raise his siblings well.

THE ACTING : 10/10 even the child actors did a PHENOMENAL job.

Qiao Yi Cheng played by Bai Yu - as aforementioned, he took the responsibility to be the father figure of his siblings as their own father is a selfish prick. He's very strict, but caring and loving towards his siblings. He would do anything for his siblings even they did something terrible. His back must be heavy from carrying so much weight of his siblings, it breaks my heart. >< He doesn't like asking for help, and seeing that pain especially in the child actor's face - really breaks you. Even as Bai Yu plays, he did an amazing job as well. As for his personality, he seems like an awkward person when he's outside of his family. I don't think its weird, because everyone has different sides they show to their family and strangers. His character was heartbreaking to watch because of how much pressure he puts on himself, he didn't change much into adulthood because of this. In a way, he's selfless but also selfish for not accepting the reality of the need to be helped. I think it took a while for him to finally accept it and change.

Qiao Er Qiang (Zhang Wan Yi)- As a child, he was a troublemaker for his brother. He didn't like studying, he kept skipping classes, he tried to help his brother - made more troubles instead. haha But you can see as a child, he cares for his siblings a lot, despite not showing as much as Yi Cheng. He has a scandalous love story but he's stubborn and fought for his love. The actor, Zhang Wan Yi, portrayed Er Qiang as a gentle brother, innocent- puppy eyes, and soft spoken brother. However, he's like a middle child who doesn't like getting into arguments or gossips andjust does his own thing in the background. He's always there for his sibling as especially the youngest sister - they have a nice bond - you can already tell they have that strong bond especially when they were kids.

Qiao San Li (Mao Xiao Tong) - San li is somewhat a splitting personality of Yi Cheng, the eldest. She's responsible, she's caring, well spoken and knows what she wants. As a child, something happened and it gave her PTSD. Eventually, as an adult you can see her break out of it and become the strong woman she is. Her love story was very touching, although rocky moments but otherwise I really like how she fought for herself and for her partner. I didn't realize Mao Xiao Tong was the actress until later, she did a great job, too. Nothing but good compliments for her. haha

QIao Si Mei (Song Zu Er) - QIAO SI MEI! Gave me the most headache like she did for Yi Cheng, hahahaa Her personality is very extroverted, she's talkative, and doesn't know when to stop. She's basically the comedic character in this drama, I love her but there are times when she does gives me headaches. She's a troublemaker like her second oldest brother. haha Her love story was ...lets just say odd. Lightning fast as well, and a ton of heart breaks. Prepare tissues but also prepare some heart medicine cause damn her relationship got me extremely frustrated. At the same time, if you put yourself in her shoes, you would know that there are people who are like this.. and its definitely difficult to break free.>< Because Si mei has such a strong personality, she's quite stubborn in doing what she wants. Eventually she grew to be responsible, her character development was interesting to watch.

Qiao Qi Qi (Zhou Yi Ran) - The youngest of the family, there's not much an impression from him because he didn't really grow up with the others. However, he does have a impact in certain ways. He's pretty shy, introverted, doesn't speak much. However, despite his lack of experience in the real world and knowledge, he was able to become responsible and I really liked how his character developed through the decades.

Qiao Zu Wang the father (Liu Jun) - THE MOST SELFISH, ANGER INDUCING FATHER IN THE ENTIRE DRAMA UNIVERSE! He was selfish in the 60s and well into the mid 2000s. But I have to say the actor, Liu Jun, did an amazing job in getting the audience frustrated and hating him throughout the drama. hahaha There were definitely moments where he tried to bea good father but failed. Only towards the end di he really think of them selflessly. Sometimes he speaks logically other times, its just his old traditional - stubbornness talking.

There were many time skips in this drama, you'll see the kids as babies and the next, they would be kids

Don't expect the romance to be all fluff like romance dramas. For each sibling, their love story has some rough patches. Basically, in terms of romance in this drama, I find it more realistic than any other romance drama. I know a lot of people may deter away from the siblings' partners but please keep in mind, romance isn't the main focus of the drama. However, the drama did very well in portraying what a relationship would go through: Divorces, cheating, stupid fights, arguments, pain, terrible partners, lies, or miscommunication, etc.

While watching this drama, you really need to understand from the character's pov and why they're acting the way they are. Remember that there are definitely people in this world who are like these characters. The supporting actors and actresses did a wonderful job as well especially Jeremy Qin who played Wang Yi Ding he's my favorite supporting character, haha

The Bond is a 10/10 for me, I enjoyed every bit of it. Highly recommend, would definitely re-watch again.

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Completed
Stand by Me
2 people found this review helpful
Sep 2, 2021
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

Keeps you on your toes!



From the very first episode, it was extremely confusing initially, but it makes you want to understand more. My curiosity grew each episode to the point I wonder which character is trustworthy and which is not.

Needless to say, the drama kept me on my toes, it is definitely like a chess game. Every single character is involved in each scheme. Whether good or bad, betrayals by blood, trust, friendship; even as a viewer you can't really trust anyone.

Each character/actor/actress was amazing in this drama!

This was my first Cheng Yi drama, he plays Qi Yan.
Let me just begin by saying, he is an AMAZING actor, I was blown away by the way he acts in subtlety. Not many actors can act the way he does. They can get away just acting cold, emotionless but that's just boring to me. That's not acting to me, Cheng Yi was able to use his facial muscles and give such minuscule expressions - the pain, hurt, happiness, sadness - in subtle ways that I'm basically his fan now. Haahha Moving on, Qi Yan as a character was interesting. At first I didn't know which side he stood, he basically put a lot pressure on himself, refusing to believe anyone because everyone just wants to betray one another except for Cheng Ruo Yu. She is the only person he trusts in the end, therefore he has tried many times to save her despite him being in danger. Its clear he cares for people he loves, even if they do not have good intentions he still cares and that's very kind of him. He's been used like a puppet, but eventually grow to become a true king.

Chen Ruo Yu played by Zhang Yu Xi - her acting didn't bother me much, there are definitely parts where I felt it wasn't natural "acting" but otherwise I'm pretty satisfied with the way she acted here. The character she plays is basically like a passive character, she does not exactly take sides unless she was betrayed. She was appointed the Sword holder of the King, basically a body guard with top martial art skills. However, she doesn't kill unless that is the last option.. Also another selfless character, being used by certain people in this drama. She doesn't really remember her childhood with her sister until the last couple of episodes. She's a fast learner for sure. very good in knowing what to do in a quick, unpredictable situations.

Qiu Yan Zhi - one of my favorite characters in this drama cause of how intelligent and calculating she is. She's basically living a double life, the adopted daughter of the antagonist. But also spoiler alert sister of Chen Ruo Yu. At first she was just a confusing character because I couldn't tell whether she was a friend or foe towards Chen Ruo Yu, But in the end we found out her real motive was to avenger her grandfather & family. Everything she learned from the antagonist is used against him. There were definitely sorrowful sacrifices she had to make but in the end, she was able to fulfill her own wishes. Her relationship with Chen Ruo Yu was quite interesting because of the way she acts towards the aforementioned character. She's really nice towards CRY, always coming to her rescue along with the king. At first she says she does it for herself, but in reality she did it to protect the one she loves.

The actor playin Qiu Zhi Liang, Mickey He, was great, he just looks 100% crazy every single time he's on, sometimes I wonder if his expression was sarcastic or not. Its quite funny if you don't take him seriously. lol His character is very powerful for a eunuch because of the military soldiers he possesses and he's able control the king like a puppet. Amazing job for an antagonist honestly.

As you watch the drama, there's more antagonists unfolding, especially the characters you didn't expect to become a villain. In the end, this drama is like a strategy game - everyone trying to kill one another, usurp the throne, etc.
There's no love triangle in this drama, which is a plus. But the main characters goes through a plethora of mountains to be together.

The end was ..bittersweet. Definitely recommend if you like strategic historical dramas that keeps you on your toes.

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Completed
Go Ahead
7 people found this review helpful
Sep 2, 2020
46 of 46 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Wholesome slice of life, truly recommend!

I do not normally review dramas until it's finished but this is an exception. if you're still hesitating, I suggest to go for it. Go Ahead is a slice of life, WHOLESOME cdrama of 2020. It's quite relatable especially if you're adopted, or had parents divorced or controlling parents, etc. Maybe you're able to relate to some extent. I personally enjoy it a lot!! The main focus is about family love and how the kids' feel with the lack of love or understanding from their parents.

The story revolves around 3 characters and the people around them: Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao and He Zi Qiu.

Li Jian Jian is the female lead with a strong and outgoing personality. Her mother passed away a year(?) before the drama began. Therefore, her dad became the loving, doting father who raised her very well. Of course, Jianjian was pretty lonely and wanted a sibling - an older brother. This is where Ling Xiao comes in as the neighbor Despite her mother passed away, she still of course misses her but Jian Jian doesn't let that bring her down because of her family. ^_^ She cherishes her brothers dearly, until a certain point where it got weird for her. But other than that, all was resolved and they're still as close as ever. :) As the audience, some may not accept the love between Jian Jian and Lin Xiang or Ziqiu but in a sense you can tell who loves her more than just family - its the subtle differences!

Ling Xiao's family was pretty rough, his sister passed away not long ago and his mother blamed him for it. She has anger issues, always yelling everyday with his dad so Ling Xiao just sits outside on the staircase. Eventually, he was convinced to join Jian jian and her dad for dinner. That's where the closeness between the two began. His parents eventually filed for divorced and his mother left. Somewhere in the future, you can tell Ling Xiao's mother was a nightmare to Ling Xiao and he never really liked being with her but he can't really say it. Ling Xiao's mother, from my pov, is a two-faced, selfish mom who thinks she can just come into his life and control who he's with and who he belongs to like an object. She disrespects the people who raised and genuinely loves Ling Xiao, which is unacceptable in my opinion.

Zi Qiu also have issues of his own, his mother was having trouble (later on in the show she explains what really happened) and eventually had to leave him with Jian Jian and her dad to take care of. Jian Jian didn't like him, she didn't want him as a brother but eventually they grew close like siblings. Zi Qiu is a character who felt like he was abandoned by everyone and that no one wants him. The only people who never left was Jian Jian and her dad hence he thought by marriage they would become a real family. But in his heart, all he wanted was love and family and especially for his mother to acknowledge him. His biological father was a rich, arrogant, and selfish father who thinks he can just come in and buy his son away from his adoptive family. *rolls eyes* Ziqiu's family story is quite heartbreaking but its not always in the dark. :')

The three became a family with Li Ba and Ling Ba, a loving family. It teaches you that anyone can be family, not just related by blood. We're able to to see them grow up, have each others' backs, care for one another and just bond together as family. It's very wholesome, and makes you smile every time. :')

Qi Ming Yue aka Yue Liang is Jian Jian's best friend, she's not going to be your typical love rival in the drama but it can just a little bit irritating at one point. She also have mother issues of her own because her mom is very controlling and Yue Liang just feels extremely stressed over it. Even her father is being controlled by her mother, its just another form of a selfish mother. Overall, she's a very nice friend to have for Jian Jian, she's more reserved than Jian Jian, but the two bond well together.

Tang Can is another close friend of Jian Jian's. She was initially very arrogant but eventually we know the real her. Tang Can is quite out-spoken and outgoing but she deals with her own issues alone. Her mother is usually embarrassed of Tang Can because Tang Can doesn't have a stable job, and its something Tang Can is embarrassed of herself. But she is able to overcome this and do what she wants to do.

Overall, this drama teaches you a lot about family life whether biological or not. There's different kinds of mothers and fathers. It also focuses on friendship, love, and unrequited love. Its a wholesome drama, and I really recommend to new cdrama fans. Just be prepared to cuss at Ling Xiao's mom and prepare tissues for Ziqiu's story. ^_^

HAPPY ENDING FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND LOVING FAMILY! :')

The acting is no joke, superb and natural. Everyone did amazing! The music is great as well! Tan Song Yun sings the OST "Like A Breeze." ^_^
I can definitely rewatch this again!! I IMPLORE YOU TO WATCH IT!

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Completed
Cross Fire
4 people found this review helpful
Aug 18, 2020
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

BEST E-SPORTS DRAMA! RECOMMEND!!!!

This drama is one of my favorites of 2020!! The focus is mostly on e-sports to be specific the FPS game, Crossfire. It focuses on two separate timelines and two male leads. No, it is not boy love, but it is bromance.
Crossfire is not your typical e-sports/game romance drama, it goes deeper than that which is why I love this drama so much! It understands what a gamer goes through or why they choose this path as a professional career. If you're a gamer then you would enjoy this tremendously! If not, I warn you if you're not use to FPS games, you may or may not get motion sickness or may not like the editing at all. The editing of the camera in-game makes it seem like the audience is also "playing" the game with the characters.
CrossFire is set in two different time lines due to a glitch on both male leads' game: 2008 with Xiaofeng (Luhan) where e-sports was just starting and not recognized as a professional career. This is where Xiao Feng struggle with keeping his parents proud by working in your typical office company or doing what he loves. Gamers were looked down upon, however Xiaofeng didn't care and wanted to do what he loves. There was a quote that I really love from XIaofeng where he said he didn't steal or hurt anyone, all he wanted to do was play games, what's wrong with that? Honestly, I can resonate with that as gaming is not always bad, it can be therapeutic. Hence another reason why I like this drama, it showcases how much gaming can mean to people of all ages.
In 2019 is where e-sports is widely recognized and fancier than Xiao Feng's era. We have Xiao Bei who is the leader of the team, Continue. He originally wanted to continue his brother's last project of winning championships. However, it eventually became his own goal as well. Xiao Bei was paralyzed due to an accident in the past but no matter what happens he would still play games. His struggle was different from Xiao Feng's because his father didn't want him to play and he's also paralyzed from the waist down. Xiao Feng's father is a police who originally supported his boys in playing games until the accident and he refuse to let Xiao Bei continue playing. Until he notices how happy Xiao Bei was and that was all that mattered to him.
Both Xiao Feng and Xiao Bei's lives intertwined in reality when an accident happened while Xiao Bei was young kid. Both leads communicate through the game to either meet or fix history. In some ways, history was changed. Later on, both leads meet in real time and work together towards both the world championship competition and a murder case.

There is not many eye candies in this drama, which shouldn't take away from the drama because all the actors and actresses did an amazing job! Pan Mei Ye who plays Su Jia Ying (S+1 in Xiao Bei's team) and Dai Lu Wa (Chu Ge) respectively wow'd me. Both their characters is different from another drama I watched before and they really showcased their abilities here! :) Ofc, Luhan and Wu Lei improved a lot as well! Overall, no complaints on the acting in this drama!! ^_^

However, I do dislike..or rather loathe a character and that's Xu Wei. The best friend of Xiao Feng, honestly he's the worse antagonist ever. I can only say that he betrayed his best friend and that did not sit well with me. His ending did not do it justice at all, I wished for him to rot in prison. >.> Of course, this was not the only friendship betrayals, however the others were resolved between the members. Xu Wei on the other hand, god I wish he would rot. =.=

The romance in this drama is obviously not the main focus, however there is some kissing and relationship problems here and there. Both female leads are not your typical females, they are strong in their own ways. Especially Chu Ge, she may be cold on the outside but she cares for those around her. It wasn't easy for her to open up to people but eventually she did because of Xiao Bei. An Ran, on the other hand, though she's more of an awkward female lead, she was there for Xiao Feng through his tough times and tried to mitigate problems between the teammates as best as she could.

Friendship is the key in this drama because it revolves around friends, fights, betrayals, bonding, and working together towards one goal. Its heartwarming yet can hurt one another.

If you like e-sports, playing or watching games, less romance, more bromance and friendships then you would like Crossfire. Furthermore, if you want to dive deeper into what this drama have to offer on life experiences, and life in general then I would definitely recommend CrossFire. ^_^

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