odetodramas
As for Lu Ji Ming, his character is so overly rude and unpleasant in the beginning that it's took some time to root for the blossoming feelings between him and Ning Meng. Thankfully, this drama is not centered around a romance between them, and he experiences a lot of growth as well. His friend Ceng Yu Hang brings a lot of humor to the drama and made me laugh out loud several times. I'm also so glad they didn't make Xu Si Tian one of those annoying second leads who won't give up on the male lead. Very pleasantly surprised by her character!
Not quite sure I'd rewatch this but I enjoyed it.
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But about Doo Shik and Hye Jin: yes, I know Hye Jin is a prickly sort of character who seems superficial on the outside but is very warm-hearted inside. However, I couldn't help but wonder what if Doo Shik hadn't graduated from such a prestigious university?! Would she have changed her mind so quickly? This drama definitely saves its most dramatic, emotional storyline for the last few episodes... and yet the moment that brought tears to my eyes was actually because of a supporting character.
The cast was excellent and I really thought Kim Seon Ho shined as Doo Shik. One last thing though.. it really makes me roll my eyes when there is an overabundance of moments where it turns out the characters had met in the past. Please.
P.S. I love DOS and their song. Where is the full version!!
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I love that Ding Xian and Zhou Si Yue are deskmates who, after getting off to a slightly prickly start, soon become close friends who care about each other. Although Zhou Si Yue is a genius, he is not the cold type, and Ding Xian isn't hopeless at school. She's actually smart, studies hard, and very determined to prove herself. Thankfully, this isn't the kind of drama where the girl pines after the guy for 95% of the drama! During their high school years, this drama does a great job of balancing the stress of school and the impending gaokao and the growing friendship between Ding Xian and Zhou Si Yue. There are some frustrating moments, but it's due to relatable insecurities and especially Ding Xian's personality. She herself admits to these weaknesses at one point, and it's definitely difficult to change a habit. There is a brief angsty period in their college years but they both needed to grow. I saw some comments about how nice it was to see Zhou Si Yue crying on screen and showing vulnerability, and I totally agree! It felt realistic to see these moments shown.
Ding Xian and Zhou Si Yue's friends were lovely characters, especially Song Zi Qi and Kong Sha Di from their high school years. Their tight-knit group was so cute. This drama doesn't have any annoying villains - there are a few characters that are somewhat villains but they only have a few scenes so it's not stressful! I initially really liked Su Bo Cong's character but was disappointed with the direction the writers took later on.
Overall, I enjoyed this a lot. 24 episodes was perfect. I'll especially be keeping an eye out for more of Chen Zhe Yuan's dramas.
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The romance between the main character Tang Ming Xuan and Mo Fei is very satisfying. There were a lot of sweet moments so you won't be suffering for 40+ episodes to finally see them together. They support each other's careers, they work through normal relationship issues, and they're unfazed by others who try to stand between them. Sure, there's some jealousy but they don't go down the "I'm not good enough for you" route or the self-sacrificing "I should leave because it's better for you" route. Zhang Han and Xu Lu had such great chemistry that I don't think I can watch Xu Lu paired with Lin Yi in her new drama. *However* Xu Lu does play the character with a pouty feel/speaks with an overly cutesy voice (I don't know how else to describe this) and if you can't stand it, then you won't enjoy this drama.
Although this drama uses a lot of common tropes, it uses them in a reasonable way that isn't over-the-top. Scheming and angst are pretty low. Fang Xiao Yu's actions did annoy me because they crossed the line (why does Hong Yao refuse to play a character that I like?!) but that made it easier for me to not have second lead syndrome. If there's one unbearable character, it's Bai Xiaoman and I skimmed through her scenes.
I did love many of the side characters. First of all, Ming Xuan's assistant Yang Guang had all the best lines. He was so funny and observant as he helped Ming Xuan with his love life in little ways. Lin Xin Zhe played this character so well. Second, the younger siblings Mo Fan and Lu Zhu were so fun. Lu Zhu could've easily been one of those annoying spoiled younger siblings from a rich family but she was so likable and genuinely made an effort to improve. (Although she's Ming Xuan's cousin, she's grown up as a sister to him.) I do wish Duoduo had been a more rational character, or at least have shown some growth in her actions. She was always so impulsive and Cheng Yang was so patient.
Overall, this exceeded my expectations and was an enjoyable to watch if you like this sort of premise! Of the dramas with similar premises, I'd recommend this one.
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Let me explain: the premise is great--the story centers around three women who work at two rival search portal sites. There's a mix of friendship and hostility, and I loved seeing these relationships evolve throughout the drama. The ethical issues that arise relating to search portal sites are really interesting. The characters feel pretty authentic, and visually, this drama is very pretty. I love the OST and MAMAMOO's "WOW" is so catchy that I had to download it after watching this.
However! In the middle, the pacing dragged. I'd be fairly bored for about 50 minutes... but then there'd be 10 minutes that were SO GOOD and I'd be interested again. The storyline between Bae Ta Mi and her love interest felt realistic with its push-and-pull but also sooo frustrating/painful to watch.
Also, Cha Hyun was my favorite character but Song Ga Kyung ended up having the most interesting character arc. Anyhow, despite how long this took me to watch, I will remember it fondly.
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Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and Ziqiu's bond is sweet and moving. Normally I'm eager for the characters to age up, but the childhood and high school episodes are so impactful and well-paced. I love Jianjian's silliness, her love of sweets, and her career as an artist! It's so rare to see a main character who is happily living as an artist. Despite her silliness she's not naive, she's used to diffusing tension and easing pain with humor, and she's a loyal friend who stands up to bullies. I'm a big fan of Tan Songyun, and even more so after this drama, because she excelled at both the humor and the emotional moments. Everyone's favorite character is Jianjian's dad, Li Haichao, who is a big-hearted softie, possibly the most patient, supportive, and understanding parent I've ever seen in a c-drama. Ling Xiao and Ziqiu both suffer from emotional trauma (it'll break your heart), but are able to find joy and love from growing up with Jianjian and her dad. Song Weilong and Steven Zhang both played their roles so well. (I've seen other dramas in which they played the leads, but they had me totally absorbed in their characters here.) I loved the supporting characters, too: Jianjian's friends, Ziqiu's friend, Jianjian's colleague.
Before I started this drama, I was worried about a love triangle, but I was relieved—although there are some unrequited feelings and some misplaced feelings, there's nothing truly frustrating here. The characters are human, so of course there are some emotional outbursts and awkwardness, but everyone reflects over their feelings and actions and faces them maturely. (Definitely no annoying I-won't-give-up/evil-schemer second leads here!) There isn't a strong focus on the romance, but I appreciate that they talked about mental health. I actually would've liked to see more of that storyline, to dig deeper into their relationship. (I am being intentionally vague so as not to spoil who the relationship is between, but I personally think it is pretty obvious from early on in the show.)
The most frustrating aspect of this show? The moms. It's the moms either abandon their children or are too controlling or are never satisfied. This is such a stark contrast to Li Haichao, who, like I said before, is so kind and supportive. Ling Xiao's dad is a workaholic who isn't around but he's upbeat when he's around, so it gets downplayed. (I am skeptical about him unable to take ANY time off during those nine years.) Fortunately, I did feel like some nuance with the moms was explored towards the end. One of the moms has a really heartbreaking character arc and I would've loved to see more of her scenes at the end. There's also a storyline towards the end about another mom that offers a layered, thoughtful reflection. But there's one mom who is truly self-centered and emotionally manipulative, and she was allowed to continue with her behavior for far too long. I can absolutely believe that there are people like her in the world, but it's tough to watch and I dreaded her scenes.
Although this drama is more slice-of-life and relatable, the pivotal moments are really dramatic. A lot occurs in rapid succession and it truly felt like an emotional rollercoaster during those episodes—but Jianjian, Ziqiu, and Ling Xiao are so likable and relatable that I felt invested in their lives. Despite some flaws and missed opportunities (if only there were MORE episodes), I truly loved this show, the cast, characters, and the melancholy but soothing OST.
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My Girl is funny, cute, generally not frustrating, and there are great friendships and side couples as well. Yes, the premise is really far-fetched and the female lead's disorder being described as PTSD seems inaccurate. Meng Hui, the female lead, has a second personality that is triggered by emotional distress, and these episodes conclude only when her goal is fulfilled. What this sets up is the opportunity for a bold, fearless Meng Hui to emerge, and this version of Meng Hui was so fun to watch. Lia Jia Qi really shines in this role, and it wasn't until I looked her up afterwards that I realized she played Xiao You in the 2018 Meteor Garden remake! Anyways, if you can suspend your disbelief and accept the premise, this drama is really fun and enjoyable.
As for the male lead, Zhao Yi Qin has had a stream of dramas come out recently but this is the only one I've seen. His character, Shen Yi, is extremely stingy, which is really funny to watch, but he's also consumed by guilt. A major part of his storyline is unraveling that guilt and it's a bumpy road. I was definitely yelling at the screen at some of his actions, and at around episode 17 this storyline gets really messy. I wish it had been resolved with more honest conversations.
I loved Fan Zhi Xin as Sui An, Shen Yi's best friend. He starred in Mountains and Ocean and had a supporting role in Eternal Love of Dream, and I definitely want to see more of him! His friendship with Shen Yi was one of my favorite aspects of the drama, and it has its own complications. I was glad this drama didn't go the love triangle route and that he had his own romance storyline, but I thought it was underdeveloped. I didn't feel like I saw the connection and feelings forming from his side. Pu Tao (who was great in last year's lackluster Fall in Love) was also great as Meng Hui's friend Ah Tao, except that as a therapist, I thought she should've been helping Meng Hui face and resolve her issues to stop the episodes from occurring. I loved that Ah Tao is confident and fierce, and that she falls for a soft boy, but I hated that the ending implied that as their relationship develops, their dynamic needs to change???
Wei Lei was the best surprise of this drama. I appreciate that she wasn't a one-dimensional villain and leave it at that to not spoil anything! Also, I liked seeing Yi's company's employees and it was great that they were a variety of ages.
Lastly, I love the ending song 极星 (My Polar Star) by 陈雪燃 Chen Xue Ran! I thought his voice sounded familiar, and realized that he sang the opening song of Go Go Squid, 无名之辈 (Nameless Generation).
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And of course, the romance is heart-aching. If you love stories about fate and soulmates, then don’t miss out on this drama.
Also, two months after watching this, the songs are still stuck in my head. The soundtrack is *so good*.
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Season one is the strongest of the three seasons. The premise is mysterious, and Bai Jin Xi and Han Chen initially have an entertaining rivalry and it's clear from the start that there's chemistry between the two of them. Xiao Zhuan, Leng Mian, and Lao Dao are fun, likable supporting characters that offer a lot of humor to a show that centers around some very dark and disturbing crimes.
It's towards the end of season one that the show began to lose my interest with its increasingly convoluted, baffling plot. I just felt like this show asked for too much suspension of disbelief. (And Han Chen's lines made me roll my eyes.) I do know this is a Ding Mo novel adaptation, and I did like both Love Me If You Dare and When a Snail Falls in Love - I recommend both of those instead of Memory Lost.
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Wan Peng and Hsu Thassapak were so great as the leads and had a lot of chemistry. I thought Wan Peng really pulled off the clueless boy-crazy alien without being annoying. (Maybe a hint of cringeyness at times, but overall I thought she was endearing.) They had plenty of cute moments and kissing scenes, and I laughed so hard when Xiao Qi kept trying to touch his chest. I really loved that this story wasn't instalove for her (just instalust, lol), and she approached everything with a positive attitude. I loved the talking turtle.
If you watched the web drama Fall in Love from this summer, you'll recognize Wang You Jun as Fang Lie, Fang Leng's brother. (I felt like his acting improved here.) His friendship with Xiao Qi offered a lot of fun, playful scenes and I enjoyed the moments between the two brothers as well. I also liked Fang Leng's doctor and assistant, and the "villains" in this drama were very good and provided solid obstacles for our leads.
However, the storyline was a little uneven at times. During episodes 9-13 it felt like the plot was going in circles. While I really loved the two leads and their relationship, I just didn't feel the emotional impact in the last 8ish episodes. Sometimes a moment would occur between them and I would forget how they reached that point. In the last three episodes (26-28), certain storylines seemed to just be set aside and although they were definitely intended to be emotional, I just didn't feel it. But I think the writer(s) did their best to provide a satisfying ending! 28 episodes was a good number, and there are definitely scenes I'd rewatch.
By the way, the behind the scenes clips on YouTube are really fun to watch! It seems like they had a lot of fun filming.
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The plot was fine until the last ~10 episodes where things became convoluted. I also admittedly skimmed through a lot of the emperor and harem parts, and some of the various princes' scenes, because clearly I was here for the romance. Aside from the lead couple, I enjoyed Ning Jing and Tang Li's storyline - maybe she was a little over-the-top at times but they were a funny and cute pair. I loved Xi Feng, because I can never resist a loyal right-hand man. I didn't care for Qi Shao either way, but I disliked him in the end when he tried to make Yun Xi's choice for her.
Speaking of the ending, I have to say that I prefer the epilogue episode 50 version of the ending. I find the actual ending too contrived. Still, overall I loved this drama and I couldn't stop watching it!
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If you're looking for a fun and sweet modern drama then Sweet Dreams is worth a shot. It starts off a little cringey and I had to skip through the dreams, but a few episodes in the dreams become more entertaining. This drama made me laugh out loud constantly. I like Deng Lun and Dilreba a lot individually, and I found them to be a good pairing and they both have a sweet/cute look that fit the drama perfectly. I absolutely loved Bao Ni and Chen Mo, the loyal friends. The breakout star in this drama was Chen Yi Long as Mo Nan (also, those cheekbones!!) and I hope to see him in more dramas and as the lead.
However, in terms of the plot, Sweet Dreams takes a turn for the worse from episode 33 onwards - the entire last third. It falls into a mess of cliches and repetitive storylines, and revelations that could have strengthened the plot felt poorly utilized. The final episode was especially disappointing, and I just can't understand why the writers chose to end it like that. There are two characters who ally together towards the end and I wish that would have happened sooner so their relationship could have been developed more.
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I like Zhao Li Ying a lot and recommend her drama The Story of Ming Lan instead. I thought Kim Han/Han Jin was awful as the male lead and will probably stay away from any dramas where he's the lead.
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Also, I have to say how impressed I was by Hwang In Yeop, who I had never seen before. He pulled off humor, attitude, and pain so well, and really made you love his character Seo Jun.
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