summerfancy
US
This review may contain spoilers
Compelling but LONG!
Ok, I ended up fast forwarding, 10-30 seconds at a time, through all 70 episodes because it was just too darn long and just too darn sad and depressing. However, I’m still giving it a 9.5 because 1) it was well filmed, despite an overload of flashbacks. How many times do we have to watch JS & LS's childhood, wonderful though it was? 2) it was well acted, except Wallace Chung doesn’t know how to portray a blind man. His eyes moved too much. Evan Lin in The Crush did a better job. And 3) the music was beautiful and wonderfully poignant. Nevertheless, I took off 1/2 star because I couldn't be completely satisfied with the ending because of Liang Sheng's sad loneliness. I could not enjoy Tian You's and Jiang Sheng's happiness because of Liang Sheng. If the director wanted me to be happy with the ending, then he/she shouldn't have shown me such a beautiful relationship between these two 'siblings'.
FL (Jiang Sheng) – she started out as a spunky, strong character but deteriorated into someone who seemed constantly depressed and confused. She was like the weather vane on the Cheng residence, swinging back and forth between TY and LS. She's also constantly in the hospital with various injuries. I don't know about you, but in my lifetime, I've only been in the hospital maybe a handful of times. It's so unrealistic that she should get into so many accidents...and survive them all. As mentioned, she seemed unable to make up her mind who she wanted to spend forever with – Tian You or her ‘brother’. Really, around midpoint, Jiang Sheng and Liang Sheng should have just said to hell with the Cheng family (give me the parting teacup, Grandpa!) and runaway together, going back to the simplicity of their earlier life. That’s the tragedy of this drama – this family destroyed their absolutely beautiful relationship. If left alone, they would have happily lived together as brother and sister forever. But I digress - back to FL. I liked Jiang Sheng (and this actress), but I wish she’d shown some of her earlier spunk and stopped letting everyone push her around from Grandpa to Weiyang to Tian You and Liang Sheng who embarked on the pathway of noble idiocy in nearly every 10 or so episodes. She’s constantly at everyone's mercy as they decide what’s best for her, plunging her into new misery. It was frustrating for me as a viewer because I never knew what she was thinking because she never stated her feelings out loud; she just went around looking pained and morose. Tell the Cheng family and Wieyang to go screw themselves, honey! Stop being nice!
Tian You (ML) - as I see it, he created this entire 70 episode ordeal by prying into his aunt's past so does he really deserve happiness in the end after he and his family destroy this beautiful relationship? Yeah, he's a sweet, caring guy, but he still started this whole mess. TY discovering his lost cousin (LS) caused Grandpa to go all tyrannical and separate LS from his sister. On the bright side, he did received his fair share of suffering. I think the most heart-breaking was when JS made him think she'd willingly aborted their child and then broke up with him. Later on, I didn't quite understand why he forced her to go to LS's bachelor party and then told her they would have nothing more to do with each other. And no, FL, it wasn't your fault he went blind. You didn't push him off the cliff; he freely chose to dive in after you. That's not your fault, so stop feeling guilty about it.
Liang Sheng - his sad, lonely character made my heart ache. Because of their beautiful childhood moments, he and Jiang Sheng just seemed like one of those couples that should be together forever, and my heart ached when FL was no longer at his side or treating him as warmly as before. As with FL, I had a difficult time reading him since he rarely told us what he was feeling or thinking. His video recordings to FL revealed the most, and I wanted to cry along with him. His biggest fault was his lack of firmness with Weiyang. He was far too passive with this nutcase, which almost caused him to be manipulated into a marriage with her. It was clear he didn't love her or want to marry her, but he allowed her to push him into an engagement.
Weiyang – a first class psycho chick who resorts to emotional blackmail to try and force LS to accept her in his life. I have no sympathy for people who threaten suicide to emotionally blackmail someone. I normally call her type of character a cupcake, but I came up with a new nickname just for her – dog poop – because she was like dog poop stuck to LS's shoe. He just couldn't get her off no matter how he scraped. Do women like her actually exist in real life? I hope not! Her obsession with this guy was insane (and no, I didn’t feel sorry for her when the director made us watch her boo-hooing. However, the scene of her dressed in red in an empty white banquet hall was visually arresting. She also had the best 'theme' song of all the music in the drama.). Just because you stalk a guy for years doesn't mean he's yours! It made me mad when her sister and Jiang Sheng tried to make him feel guilty for cancelling the wedding. He was not responsible for this girl's feelings. Yes, he should have never agreed to the marriage, giving dog poop hope, but still, he had a valid argument. We're all individuals, and he doesn't owe her his entire lifetime as compensation. If what the sister and FL said was true, nobody would have a right to break up with anyone without their consent.
Bei Xiaowu/Ke Xiaorou – thank the scriptwriting gods for these two characters! They saved Liang Sheng from marrying WY! That alone gave purpose to their existence! FL was not being a good sister by keeping WY's involvement in her miscarriage a secret from LS. You don't stand by and let your brother marry a crazy woman. I wasn't interested at all in Bei Xiaowu's relationship with the motorcycle chick and fast forwarded through it.
Tianen – can someone just put a knife in this weasel’s heart? And no, his wheelchair does not give him the right to be messed up in the head. Get him and dog poop matching straight jackets. Ok, I'm sorry, the moment he bite my hand, I'd be telling him and Tian You to get the hell out of my life, if I were FL. Yet she continues to allow herself to be sucked into the Cheng family (although Grandpa seems to think she's the one holding onto his family - no, it's your grandsons, you old goat!). I guess the Cheng family was dog poop on her shoe! Yeah, the weasel gets redeemed in the end, but I still hated him.
Grandpa – this old geezer just needed to croak. This is the 21st century. Business alliances should be made in board rooms, not by marrying off your offspring to rich men’s bratty daughters. And apparently, in Grandpa's mind, disabled people can't run a company successfully. But, hey, if don't want an arranged marriage, just cut your leg off and you'll be disqualified. The discrimination against disabled people in this drama was outrageous. Even Lin Jing's mom implied her daughter couldn't be happy with the weasel because he couldn't walk. But he's rich, mom, so how exactly will your daughter suffer because of the legs?
Ok, maybe I'm crazy but I liked Liang Sheng's real dad. Yeah, he was sort of shady, but he had no problem with LS marrying Jiang Sheng and even worked to make it a reality. He was one of those free-thinking parents, which is unusual in Asian dramas.
Lin Jing – I loved this character. She was a down to earth, non-annoying bestie. I just wish they've gotten her a better love interest than the weasel, not because of his legs but because he was a first class jerk and psycho. Unlike FL, she spoke her mind, and she gave FL good, reasonable advice.
Here’s an epilogue for all of you that - like me - felt sorry for Liang Sheng: After ten years of 'blissful' marriage, TY gets run over by a car (because, as we all know by watching Asian dramas, cars are running people over every day). LS, who has remained single (he’s the type that only loves once in a lifetime) comforts JS and with TY no longer confusing her, FL gets over the ‘brother’ thing and accepts him as a man and her 2nd husband. Or, for those of you who can’t get over the brother thing, they live the rest of their lives as brother and sister, sharing the same home, totally devoted to one another as they were before the Cheng family wreaked havoc.
FL (Jiang Sheng) – she started out as a spunky, strong character but deteriorated into someone who seemed constantly depressed and confused. She was like the weather vane on the Cheng residence, swinging back and forth between TY and LS. She's also constantly in the hospital with various injuries. I don't know about you, but in my lifetime, I've only been in the hospital maybe a handful of times. It's so unrealistic that she should get into so many accidents...and survive them all. As mentioned, she seemed unable to make up her mind who she wanted to spend forever with – Tian You or her ‘brother’. Really, around midpoint, Jiang Sheng and Liang Sheng should have just said to hell with the Cheng family (give me the parting teacup, Grandpa!) and runaway together, going back to the simplicity of their earlier life. That’s the tragedy of this drama – this family destroyed their absolutely beautiful relationship. If left alone, they would have happily lived together as brother and sister forever. But I digress - back to FL. I liked Jiang Sheng (and this actress), but I wish she’d shown some of her earlier spunk and stopped letting everyone push her around from Grandpa to Weiyang to Tian You and Liang Sheng who embarked on the pathway of noble idiocy in nearly every 10 or so episodes. She’s constantly at everyone's mercy as they decide what’s best for her, plunging her into new misery. It was frustrating for me as a viewer because I never knew what she was thinking because she never stated her feelings out loud; she just went around looking pained and morose. Tell the Cheng family and Wieyang to go screw themselves, honey! Stop being nice!
Tian You (ML) - as I see it, he created this entire 70 episode ordeal by prying into his aunt's past so does he really deserve happiness in the end after he and his family destroy this beautiful relationship? Yeah, he's a sweet, caring guy, but he still started this whole mess. TY discovering his lost cousin (LS) caused Grandpa to go all tyrannical and separate LS from his sister. On the bright side, he did received his fair share of suffering. I think the most heart-breaking was when JS made him think she'd willingly aborted their child and then broke up with him. Later on, I didn't quite understand why he forced her to go to LS's bachelor party and then told her they would have nothing more to do with each other. And no, FL, it wasn't your fault he went blind. You didn't push him off the cliff; he freely chose to dive in after you. That's not your fault, so stop feeling guilty about it.
Liang Sheng - his sad, lonely character made my heart ache. Because of their beautiful childhood moments, he and Jiang Sheng just seemed like one of those couples that should be together forever, and my heart ached when FL was no longer at his side or treating him as warmly as before. As with FL, I had a difficult time reading him since he rarely told us what he was feeling or thinking. His video recordings to FL revealed the most, and I wanted to cry along with him. His biggest fault was his lack of firmness with Weiyang. He was far too passive with this nutcase, which almost caused him to be manipulated into a marriage with her. It was clear he didn't love her or want to marry her, but he allowed her to push him into an engagement.
Weiyang – a first class psycho chick who resorts to emotional blackmail to try and force LS to accept her in his life. I have no sympathy for people who threaten suicide to emotionally blackmail someone. I normally call her type of character a cupcake, but I came up with a new nickname just for her – dog poop – because she was like dog poop stuck to LS's shoe. He just couldn't get her off no matter how he scraped. Do women like her actually exist in real life? I hope not! Her obsession with this guy was insane (and no, I didn’t feel sorry for her when the director made us watch her boo-hooing. However, the scene of her dressed in red in an empty white banquet hall was visually arresting. She also had the best 'theme' song of all the music in the drama.). Just because you stalk a guy for years doesn't mean he's yours! It made me mad when her sister and Jiang Sheng tried to make him feel guilty for cancelling the wedding. He was not responsible for this girl's feelings. Yes, he should have never agreed to the marriage, giving dog poop hope, but still, he had a valid argument. We're all individuals, and he doesn't owe her his entire lifetime as compensation. If what the sister and FL said was true, nobody would have a right to break up with anyone without their consent.
Bei Xiaowu/Ke Xiaorou – thank the scriptwriting gods for these two characters! They saved Liang Sheng from marrying WY! That alone gave purpose to their existence! FL was not being a good sister by keeping WY's involvement in her miscarriage a secret from LS. You don't stand by and let your brother marry a crazy woman. I wasn't interested at all in Bei Xiaowu's relationship with the motorcycle chick and fast forwarded through it.
Tianen – can someone just put a knife in this weasel’s heart? And no, his wheelchair does not give him the right to be messed up in the head. Get him and dog poop matching straight jackets. Ok, I'm sorry, the moment he bite my hand, I'd be telling him and Tian You to get the hell out of my life, if I were FL. Yet she continues to allow herself to be sucked into the Cheng family (although Grandpa seems to think she's the one holding onto his family - no, it's your grandsons, you old goat!). I guess the Cheng family was dog poop on her shoe! Yeah, the weasel gets redeemed in the end, but I still hated him.
Grandpa – this old geezer just needed to croak. This is the 21st century. Business alliances should be made in board rooms, not by marrying off your offspring to rich men’s bratty daughters. And apparently, in Grandpa's mind, disabled people can't run a company successfully. But, hey, if don't want an arranged marriage, just cut your leg off and you'll be disqualified. The discrimination against disabled people in this drama was outrageous. Even Lin Jing's mom implied her daughter couldn't be happy with the weasel because he couldn't walk. But he's rich, mom, so how exactly will your daughter suffer because of the legs?
Ok, maybe I'm crazy but I liked Liang Sheng's real dad. Yeah, he was sort of shady, but he had no problem with LS marrying Jiang Sheng and even worked to make it a reality. He was one of those free-thinking parents, which is unusual in Asian dramas.
Lin Jing – I loved this character. She was a down to earth, non-annoying bestie. I just wish they've gotten her a better love interest than the weasel, not because of his legs but because he was a first class jerk and psycho. Unlike FL, she spoke her mind, and she gave FL good, reasonable advice.
Here’s an epilogue for all of you that - like me - felt sorry for Liang Sheng: After ten years of 'blissful' marriage, TY gets run over by a car (because, as we all know by watching Asian dramas, cars are running people over every day). LS, who has remained single (he’s the type that only loves once in a lifetime) comforts JS and with TY no longer confusing her, FL gets over the ‘brother’ thing and accepts him as a man and her 2nd husband. Or, for those of you who can’t get over the brother thing, they live the rest of their lives as brother and sister, sharing the same home, totally devoted to one another as they were before the Cheng family wreaked havoc.
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