odetodramas
The male main character Ning Wei Jin is a talented young surgeon, and although unexperienced with love, he is reliable, caring, and mature. I personally didn't swoon over him but he was excellent boyfriend material. I liked his relationship with his younger sister Ning Wei Xuan and his best friend Gao Ren.
The female main character Ding Ding pursues her dream of designing pet toys and I was rooting for her as she navigated the challenges of running her online shop and creating original designs. (If you love cats, you might like this drama because there's cat pillows, cat cartoons, a cat cafe, and a pet cat.) I loved her loyal, humorous best friend, Xiao Feng, who gave the BEST advice. You could always count on him to call her out on her behavior. Basically, anytime the ex-boyfriend came back into the storyline, it would cause an issue between the main leads, but they (mostly Ding Ding) never seemed to learn and grow from it. It seemed pretty hypocritical on Ding Ding's part given how she felt when she saw Ning Wei Jin with his close female friend.
Ning Wei Xuan is a really energetic, lighthearted character who relentlessly pursues her brother's best friend Gao Ren. Their scenes initially are so much fun - the highlight of the drama for me - and had me laughing out loud. However, there was a point when she really crossed the line and I no longer found her antics funny. I really wanted her to reflect over her actions and grow up a little. Also, while I loved Gao Ren, the introduction of the other doctor really showed how immature he was in comparison...
In conclusion, if you decide to give this drama a try and are tempted to drop it halfway through, I recommend dropping it.
Was this review helpful to you?
My favorite parts were Han Shang Yan's scenes with the K&K boys (97, Demo, and Grunt scenes have a lot of rewatch value, lol), Hu Yi Tian (omg that New Year's dinner scene), and his former Team Solo teammates (although there were way more flashbacks than I expected). I personally like Li Xian a lot and thought he played the character well. Han Shang Yan's not a cold person, he's just very serious and focused, and has grown used to being quite solitary.
As for Tong Nian... first of all, I'm not a huge Yang Zi fan so I was concerned before I started watching that I might not like this drama. However, she doesn't even get her own storyline aside from falling in love with Han Shang Yan. I'm actually kind of disappointed because there was a lot of potential with her online singing and her studies/projects, but it faded into the background. I don't like characters that are too naive and I hated the 'love at first sight' aspect, but I found her character tolerable just because there were so many other characters that I did like.
I loved Xiao Mi and Ya Ya (although her expressions were a tad over-exaggerated) and wished they had more scenes! Ai Qing aka Appledog was also a great character and I loved her short hair and fashionable outfits. All in all, a really fun watch.
EDIT: I've bumped up the music score because I really loved the opening song "A Nameless Person (无名之辈)" and Yang Zi's Milk Bread song is cute.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
I was initially concerned that it would be too sad/unbearable to watch given the title, but I was laughing so hard within the first couple episodes. This drama is set in college and explores not only unrequited love but missed opportunity, timing, regret, and second chances - but it's much more about the present and the future than being wrapped up in the past. It doesn't focus only on the main character's relationship and there are many storylines centering around other characters. There's a serious, reflective feeling to this drama that emanates from the main female character's maturity and self-awareness. I loved Luo Zhi so much - I'm not saying she's a perfect person (who's not flawed?) but I found her so relatable and admirable - and I loved her relationship with Sheng Huai Nan.
For me, I really like a strong cast of supporting characters and friendship is one of my favorite themes. I loved Luo Zhi's relationship with her roommate Bai Li, and Sheng Huai Nan's group of close friends, Zhang Min Rui. Although I didn't love every single storyline (Shui Jing's was my least favorite), I appreciate how it conveyed the complexity of feelings and relationships, and how things aren't black and white.
The episodes are about 30 minutes, which made it so easy for me to keep hitting 'next episode'. At 24 episodes of this length, I think it could have actually used a few more episodes to develop the final storylines more. But like I said, I loved this drama, would rewatch it (rare for me), and I think I'll look for the novel!
Was this review helpful to you?
The two leads play their characters with intensity and spot-on humor, and have excellent chemistry. The premise of this drama isn't anything new: the rebellious male lead is a contender for successor of his father's company, the female lead is hardworking, kindhearted, with an exuberant personality. (Give her a chance, in the first episode she does seem a little over-the-top.) For the supporting characters, the Li family and Si Yu's dad were great.
This drama includes shady characters, scheming, family turmoil, revenge, unrequited crushes, etc. I can enjoy these sort of ~dramatic~ storylines when they aren't too frustrating or ridiculous. Some aspects of the latter half had plot holes or lack of believability in certain settings, especially the hospital scenes, and there were an excessive number of flashback sequences. Unfortunately, character development in the latter half is pretty much cast aside, which was unfortunate since many characters had a lot of potential.
Was this review helpful to you?
Up until this point, I had thought this drama was enjoyable. I loved Chu Yan and his friendship with Xia Lin.
Was this review helpful to you?
I thought I'd need to skim through the high school part, as I'm just too far removed from that time in my life to want to watch a drama about it, but there was some surprising depth there as the characters worked hard in their studies, figured out what they wanted to do in the future, faced bullying, and experienced first loves. The female lead Qiao Yi's (played by Janice Wu) childhood story/family history was especially heartbreaking and moving. Zhang Yu Jian playing a high school student seemed a little far-fetched to me, but I think he pulled it off decently. I laughed so hard every time his character, Yan Mo, smiled. The various relationships in the drama are so well-developed, and not only the romantic ones but Qiao Yi and her twin brother Guan Chao, Qiao and her best friend Wu Yi, Yan Mo and his 'uncle' Da Chuan.
There's only one slight thing that annoyed me, and it's that their separation could've been avoided, especially when Qiao Yi made a certain decision at one point. Why bother making such a halfhearted attempt??? It drove me crazy. Aside from that, Le Coup de Foudre is a really pleasant drama to watch.
P.S. The cloudy/hazy effect overlaid on some of the scenes was so annoying.
Was this review helpful to you?
I found Li Hui Zhen to be too cringey and almost unbearable to watch. She perpetually looked confused and sounded nervous. (I really want to like Dilraba Dilmurat's dramas but I haven't liked any of her roles - Sweet Dreams, Eternal Love, The Flame's Daughter.) I did like that Li Hui Zhen's manager(?) Zhu Ying was really nice and that Li Hui Zhen pursued her dream. Peter Sheng's acting was so unexpressive I felt like I was watching a block of wood. I loved his phone calls with his friend.
Vin Zhang was a scene stealer and I love him, and thank goodness he's playing the main role in his upcoming dramas. Sierra Li did such a good of a job playing Xia Qiao that I can't watch her in anything else without thinking of how much I disliked her in this drama. I have such a hard time with that storyline because I really like themes of friendship in dramas, and this sort of lie is difficult for me to forgive.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
*Spoilers are only in the last paragraph, regarding the ending*I enjoyed I Hear You up until episode 17, as a lighthearted drama without any elements that made me angry or annoyed (which feels pretty rare with Chinese modern dramas). I personally enjoy the 'pretend couple becomes real' trope. From episode 17 onward, I felt like the plot lost momentum and then finally, several elements of the final two episodes really bothered me.
Ye Shu Wei (Riley Wang) is a successful and talented violin maker who doesn't like other people, and he grows a lot throughout the show as he begins to care about Bei Er Duo (Zhao Lusi). Bei Er Duo is kind and determined; she has a dream of becoming a voice actress and her goal is to study abroad in Japan. I loved that she was always studying, working hard to improve herself, and wanted to rely on her talent not connections. Ye Shu Wei and Bei Er Duo slowly grow to care for each other, and since they are both inexperienced in love, they feel like an even-leveled match despite him being rich and successful. But to be honest, their relationship is pretty boring. There were some cute moments and some cringey moments but nothing memorable. I actually felt like Shu Wei put much more effort and heart into their relationship, in trying to understand her, encourage her, and prepare surprises for her. (But Riley Wang's stony-faced acting bored me.)
Shu Wei and Er Duo agreeing to be on a couples competition show seemed like a far-fetched premise but the characters Yu Sheng and Tang Li help make it a little believable since they are the producers(?) for the show. Tang Li's character arc is fantastic and is the one great thing in this show. I loved that she faced her feelings head on, stuck to her principles, and worked hard to find her own happiness. Her storyline wasn't what I expected, but she articulated it well when she explained her decisions to Er Duo. The maturity of her character was such a sharp contrast to Er Duo's childish behavior.
*SPOILERS BELOW*
As for the last two episodes... I hated the two phone calls that Er Duo receives. Why did other people feel like they had the right to blame Er Duo for Shu Wei's choices? I liked that Er Duo sat down with him at the beach and talked about it honestly but why did Shu Wei not respond? Even though Er Duo returned the ring, it felt so inconclusive. (Also, if he really wanted to give up violin making/didn't care about that major violin order, I can respect his choice.) The last straw for me was how Er Duo chose to separate from Shu Wei. They had checked in their luggage and he was being paged for the flight so it just made no sense on so many levels. At the very least she could have sent him a text message after clearing security. The last scene was so strange and inconclusive. I wish that instead she had said at the beach, hey don't come to Japan with me, don't give up your work and let's date long distance for now and see how it goes...
Was this review helpful to you?
The short episodes of this drama make it a quick, easy, and fun watch but - as you would expect - the storylines are absolutely ridiculous. Just the first episode will give you an idea of what the rest will be like. (Their argument is just...I caaaan't. But they're young so I guess I should forgive their lack of maturity??) There are many classic drama tropes and cliches (many Meteor Garden references) and the drama moves quickly, often nonsensically and sometimes with weird continuity between episodes. The villainous character is so ridiculous I just couldn't believe it. So yeah, in conclusion, I simultaneously enjoyed it and thought it was absolutely awful.
Was this review helpful to you?
I felt compelled to skip ahead because I felt ambivalent towards the main characters and wasn't sold on their relationship/chemistry. Fan Shu Chen felt a little too self-righteous, and Lin Zi Yu felt a little too pitiful/sad. I'm not saying that Lin Zi Yu was a pushover - she definitely stood up for herself and others! Of what I saw, I didn't feel there was *unnecessary or ridiculous* drama, conflicts, or misunderstandings. (But it could have happened in the 17 episodes I skipped.)
The other reasons I skipped the middle portion involve the rivalry between the two public relations firms that is one of the central storylines, as well as a villainous character whose storyline I wish had gone in a different direction. There were some plot developments that felt clunky or contrived.
That being said, I really liked the friendship between the male lead and his three best friends. They each had storylines relating to their careers and relationships, and were genuinely loyal and supportive of each other. I would consider going back and skimming through the episodes for the storylines of the two female friends.
Was this review helpful to you?
Somewhere around episode 20, it started to feel like nothing was happening (and the episodes, at least on Viki, were noticeably shorter). The political scenes bored me, but I did love Pei Zhao and the two princesses, as they added some much-needed lightheartedness. Gu Jian's character seemed pretty unnecessary.
I almost dropped the drama but I was actually looking forward to the tragic ending so I made myself pick it back up. I wish that the final storyline had began sooner in the drama, as it was a really interesting turn of events that could have been developed more. The tragic moment... I'm saddened that it ended that way. Did it have to? I'm still torn about it.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
I hadn't seen a drama with Song Joong Ki before, but he played the charming and brave Yoo Shi Jin so perfectly. I am officially a huge fan of him now. The friendship between Yoo Shi Jin and Seo Dae Yeong is so precious and funny and I wish they had more scenes together. For the romance in this drama, I am not a big fan of Song Hye Kyo and I didn't care for her character Dr. Kang Mo Yeon. I only rooted for her and Yoo Shi Jin because I loved the latter so much. BUT I did adore Kim Ji Won as Yoon Myung Ju and I was constantly waiting for more scenes with her and Seo Dae Yeong.
For both of the romance storylines, the story was pretty repetitive and the drama only feels so fast-paced because of all the action. It was sometimes too fast-paced with one disaster following another way too quickly and then being resolved just as quickly. It's unfortunate that many of Yoon Myung Ju and Seo Dae Yeong's most interesting moments were in the flashbacks but I am grateful for those. There are definitely moments that seemed so unrealistic, especially in some of the medical scenes.
The supporting cast was pretty strong. I loved Private Kim Gi Bum and Dr. Kang Mo Yeon's Urk team. I'm a fan of SHINee and I was impressed by Onew's performance as well as the depth of his character's storyline. Dr. Song and Ha Ja Ae were so cute.
The ending was super bizarre though and the last story arc felt so rushed so that was disappointing, but there are still enough moments that I loved for this to leave a good impression on me.
Was this review helpful to you?
I can't stand how the male lead, Wei Qing, continuously manipulates the female lead. His actions are indefensible and go too far, again and again, but I continued on because the female lead, Zhou Shi, has a backbone. She calls him out on it and those scenes were very satisfying. She is gullible and not the brightest, but she stands up for herself and sticks to her principles. But then he toys with her again. I find him to be very condescending, and as their relationship changes throughout the drama, including an employer-employee relationship, there is always a power imbalance with him having the upper hand. She even says this at one point - but waaay too late in the drama for it to be developed upon. Even near the end, he has his assistant lie to her! Also, she is an art student but for most of the drama I felt like I didn't know what her own goals were.
The conflict with the male lead's mother felt too contrived. Her words were so harsh and every time they show the flashbacks I cringed. It's not that I don't believe a mother can hate her own son, but I just never felt like I understood it. There are also scenes that are completely nonsensical - for example, when the Wei Qing's uncle invites all his ex-girlfriends to the fancy business event. And it seemed like they didn't know how to fill the episodes at the end and decided to totally change Zhang Shuai's character to add an obstacle?? There were also certain storylines that were underdeveloped or just abruptly ended.
On a positive note, I liked the friendship between Zhou Shi, Fei Fei, and Qiu Jing. They are very different individuals but genuinely supportive of each other. Fei Fei and Qiu Jing gave Zhou Shi good advice and were honest with their concerns. Ming Cheng was also rather condescending to Zhou Shi (or maybe just treated her like a little sister), but I do like Qiu Jing and Ming Cheng's pairing. I didn't really care for the Fei Fei and Ning Fei pairing because, either because of his casting or wardrobe, he came across as a helpless, sheltered child too much.
Regarding the OST, upon further consideration, I do like the songs, it's just that I didn't like the drama so I don't think of the songs particularly fondly.
Was this review helpful to you?
