Ohh it wasnt clear in my review? 😂 Yes, from the surface, it did look like an open ending which can be interpreted to what ever you want it to be.
But if you look at the script in details, its more towards the fact that it indeed happened as this drama that we watched is the last script that he wrote, which is the story about him and Liu Xia. Since it is his script, thats why it becomes a comic strip at the end since this is his script -- this drama that we watched as a whole is his script. But where his script inspiration comes to be? From his real life -- from his life experience with Liu Xia -- this is their story. Its a story (The school love story has penpal element as well), in a story (Twilight the drama that we watched), in a story (his real life story with Liu Xia). Do I make a sense? lol Thats why I said this script is very unique, its a circle.
On the surface, the ending of this drama can be interpreted with these two possible endings: 1) All things happened just like in the drama. or 2) It’s all a fraction of imagination in Shan Shan’s mind.
However, when you look at the drama as a whole, it pointed more towards the first ending especially when you take into consideration that this drama (Twilight) that we watched as a whole is the last script written by Shan Shan about his story with Liu Xia. This is foreshadow in his conversation with Jia Zhen and also the part during his hot pot date where Shan Shan told why he chose 'Twilight' as the title for his last script to Liu Xia -- because that part of the day is special to them and this is their story. Also, when they play the full second verse of the theme song before the ending credit, then you realized that the one sentence in the lyrics ‘YOU ARE THE ME who broke free from the shackles. Living the life of freedom, basking in the sunshine.’ is the actual message of this whole drama. The theme song is actually can be interpret into 2 meanings -– that the leads indeed healed each other’s hearts BUT when it comes to the outcome, it can only be achieved when the person itself wanted to change as well. The drama ended with Shan Shan telling Brother Kuan on the phone that he has 2 endings for the script that he wrote. At first, you can just pass it as something insignificant but then you realized how all this has been foreshowed since early in the drama. You have his school romance script with 2 endings. Then his crime script 'Pursuit' ended with a shot with no real hint who fire it which indicate that the good or bad guys could possibly won at the end. Then you have the last script ‘Twilight’ with 2 possible endings as well. This is to show that at the end, it all depends on your choice – on whether you want to choose light or darkness in your life.
And these 2 choices have been emphasis in many different scenes in the last 2 episodes of the drama as well: 1) How Mr. Cao told Coco that Shan Shan needs to settle his ‘brother’ matters on his own despite no matter how much they help him, he is the only one can make that decision for his life. 2) Lui Xia teacher saying that how Lui Xia going to overcome her PTSD is all depends on her on whether she wants to confront it or remains in the dark forever. 3) The slap Yuan Yuan gave to herself –- on how she is responsible for her own life and its finally the time for her to wake up from being a bystander and see Jia Zhen on who he truly is. 4) The inner thought of Jia Zhen when he read ‘Pursuit’ ending as in his version, he is the one who making the shot (bad guy won) and in the end, we can see which choice he chose to make as well.
This kind of ending is indeed rare and very creative, so when you understood the reasons behind it, then every little hints in the drama makes sense.
Just a heads up, keep watching till they finally revealed the full lyrics of the theme song. Thats the real message…
haha thanks! I'm a long time drama watcher so now while watching dramas, I'm more focus on the script and underlying clues rather than anything else. I knew most people just watch from the surface thats why good dramas like this is now at 7.4 which doesn't reflect the actual quality that the script possessed at all.
Just a heads up, keep watching till they finally revealed the full lyrics of the theme song. Thats the real message…
Yes, what I love about his dramas is that they usually with substance and depth. Its not merely just fluff but tell a legit stories. I have no idea whether he is lucky with his projects but he always chose good production thus watching his dramas are an actual joy.
Forever & Ever also has a lot of details in the script as well. Esp the silent love Zhousheng Chen showed Shi Yi that most of the times, Shi Yi didnt even know it. All of it are very subtle that you can literally pass it as unimportant until you look beyond it and notice the intention that the writer have for the character. Truly fantastic in every level.
Took a few days for me to write it since there are so many unique things about the script. And my review ended up so freaking long lol. I hope many people can see the script as it is intended to be. Fantastic writing without a doubt.
I would recommend K-movie Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned if you are interested with this kind of writing as well -- where the movie happened exactly like you watched it or when you see the details, its the opposite which will creep you out.
Just a heads up, keep watching till they finally revealed the full lyrics of the theme song. Thats the real message…
I just copy & paste from my review:
On the surface, the ending of this drama can be interpreted with these two possible endings: 1) All things happened just like in the drama. or 2) It’s all a fraction of imagination in Shan Shan’s mind.
However, when you look at the drama as a whole, it pointed more towards the first ending especially when you take into consideration that this drama that we watched as a whole is the last script written by Shan Shan about his story with Lui Xia. Also, when they play the full second verse of the theme song before the ending credit, then you realized that the one sentence in the lyrics ‘YOU ARE THE ME who broke free from the shackles. Living the life of freedom, basking in the sunshine.’ is the actual message of this whole drama. The theme song is actually can be interpret into 2 meanings -– that the leads indeed healed each other’s hearts BUT when it comes to the outcome, it can only be achieved when the person itself wanted to change as well. The drama ended with Shan Shan telling Brother Kuan on the phone that he has 2 endings for the script that he wrote. At first, you can just pass it as something insignificant but then you realized how all this has been foreshowed since early in the drama. You have his school romance script with 2 endings. Then his crime script 'Pursuit' ended with a shot with no real hint who fire it which indicate that the good or bad guys could possibly won at the end. Then you have the last script ‘Twilight’ with 2 possible endings as well. This is to show that at the end, it all depends on your choice – on whether you want to choose light or darkness in your life.
And these 2 choices have been emphasis in many different scenes in the last 2 episodes of the drama as well: 1) How Mr. Cao told Coco that Shan Shan needs to settle his ‘brother’ matters on his own despite no matter how much they help him, he is the only one can make that decision for his life. 2) Lui Xia teacher saying that how Lui Xia going to overcome her PTSD is all depends on her on whether she wants to confront it or remains in the dark forever. 3) The slap Yuan Yuan gave to herself –- on how she is responsible for her own life and its finally the time for her to wake up from being a bystander and see Jia Zhen on who he truly is. 4) The inner thought of Jia Zhen when he read ‘Pursuit’ ending as in his version, he is the one who making the shot (bad guy won) and in the end, we can see which choice he chose to make as well.
This kind of ending is indeed rare and very creative, so when you understood the reasons behind it, then every little hints in the drama makes sense.
Its actually one of the better scripts I've seen this year. Thought-provoking and full of details. Its especially more awesome if you can connect all the little details on the characters since they are layered and complex in their own ways -- even the bad guys.
Like for the main bad guy, the whole of the drama, we keep having this flashbacks on how awesome he is and how his teaching and words lead our ML into who he is now. But then, all over the drama, when the ML keeps reminding him on his advises, he will say 'I said that?' meaning he has forgotten he used to have those ideals and you can see how he derails slowly from that. Fantastic writing that focus a lot on details.
Just finished watching the 40th episode tonight. Fantastic from start to finish. Probably one of the most unique…
Just a heads up, keep watching till they finally revealed the full lyrics of the theme song. Thats the real message that the drama wants to deliver at the end. Brilliant and creative ending. I was taken back a bit when I finally get it lol. Now I understand why most of Shan Shan's script has 2 endings.
Just finished watching the 40th episode tonight. Fantastic from start to finish. Probably one of the most unique writing I have seen from modern Cdramas. I still cant gather my thoughts at the moment to articulate clearly -- will probably write a proper review tomorrow on why the script is really fantastic in term of creativity and depth. I wanted to give 9 initially, but I think this drama deserved 9.5 in the end.
The ML here has a different way of showing his affection towards FL, which made him so refreshingly new to watch,…
His silent love is the best thing about him. Most of the things he did for Shiyi, Shiyi didnt even know it. But he just did it out of love so it doesnt matter whether she knows it or not. Seriously, I have never seen this kind of love before. So, it was very refreshing to show how pure is his love towards her.
so just finished the first episode and I have seen quite a few things with Allen Ren but this is definitely a…
What I love about Ren Jialun is his drama choices as well as the variety of characters he chose to play. I like the fact that he is not typecasted despite his most famous roles are the cold and aloof types. I definitely recommend: * Forever & Ever - Shy and socially awkward professor * Love A Lifetime - Happy, bubbly & energetic sect leader * Destiny of White Snake - Snarky and sarcastic doctor * Never Say Goodbye - Smart & super fashionable😂 undercover agent * Blue Flame Assaults - Happy-go-lucky fireman
Have you seen DEPARTURES? I highly recommend it, along with Yamapi's FROM FIVE TO NINE.https://mydramalist.com/515-departureshttps://mydramalist.com/15460-5-ji-kara-9-ji-made
Yes, I have seen both years ago when they comes out. :D Departures was nominated for Oscar that year so I watch it since I was curious with the story. Plus, it has Ryoko Hirosue which I havent seen in anything for years at that time lol.
Just a disclaimer for anyone interested. This drama is more like slice of life rather than a romance drama. The leads' relationship is very healing and their sweet interactions are always the highlight of the episode as they had this tacit understanding like 'soulmate' kind of relationship -- where they found calmness & tranquility with each other. Like all shits are happening outside for them, then they come home, see each other and talking and feel happy with each other's company -- 'us against them' mentality so far.
And can we talk about the foreshadowing in ML's script characters? It is actually clues to us, the audiences on…
True, the fact that she know yet refusing to tell him really makes me mad. Esp in the scene where the brother asked Shan Shan to continue writing 'Pursuit' which probably will land him in legal trouble as the film company has paid for the 6 episodes already and own copyright of it. Plus, she is also keeping secret on the payment as well. I'm truly disappointed with her.
What I find interesting is that the brother betrayal is seen at first as early as episode 2 when he even refuse to tell Shan Shan about the new car purchase. Then the 'acting' mad in a manipulation attempt to make him finish the script. Then rewarding him with lots of stuffs once he done the script. All of this can be passed as something quite normal but this is actually seed of red flags of a toxic relationship. Then add the sprinkles of how people keep commenting 'Is he always treat you like this?' 'Why are you taking this job?' 'Did you brother always do this to you?' to show to us how everyone can see how wrong it is but Shan Shan, just passed it as something normal since he is used to this small abuses.
Then you have Yuan Yuan who at first mad but enable the 'betrayal' to the point that she just keeping quiet -- to show to us that being a 'bystander' and just watching the events unfold is wrong as well. This kind of toxic relationship did not happen in just love relationship but as well between friends and I'm happy that they chose to write it this way instead of it between the main couple in this story.
The details in the script is amazing -- the way the characters were written and how they progressed are amazing so far. Remember the scene where Shan Shan watched a movie and Liu Xia said it is ok to raise the sound even more? And he said he already did when you barely can hear the sound. Only a person who has been hurt will act as guarded like that. Or the scenes where the Grandma gives him the chicken soup and she offered him a drumstick as add on but he just said no need as he is too happy just receiving the soup only? Now all these scenes makes more sense. Or the fact, all Kuan Ge did is feed him and offer him a small kindness but he went all up and beyond to write him a script for free with no credit. This guy just wants to be loved and appreciated. Taking all the small kindness he received at heart and gives more in return. The abandonment issues that he suffers truly made him as People Pleaser and as guarded to everyone despite the bright out-going personality that he has on the outside. All these cracks in his personality are excellent, subtle and were revealed slowly as the drama progressed -- all these little details.
2 
4 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
5 
But if you look at the script in details, its more towards the fact that it indeed happened as this drama that we watched is the last script that he wrote, which is the story about him and Liu Xia. Since it is his script, thats why it becomes a comic strip at the end since this is his script -- this drama that we watched as a whole is his script. But where his script inspiration comes to be? From his real life -- from his life experience with Liu Xia -- this is their story. Its a story (The school love story has penpal element as well), in a story (Twilight the drama that we watched), in a story (his real life story with Liu Xia). Do I make a sense? lol Thats why I said this script is very unique, its a circle.
On the surface, the ending of this drama can be interpreted with these two possible endings:
1) All things happened just like in the drama.
or
2) It’s all a fraction of imagination in Shan Shan’s mind.
However, when you look at the drama as a whole, it pointed more towards the first ending especially when you take into consideration that this drama (Twilight) that we watched as a whole is the last script written by Shan Shan about his story with Liu Xia. This is foreshadow in his conversation with Jia Zhen and also the part during his hot pot date where Shan Shan told why he chose 'Twilight' as the title for his last script to Liu Xia -- because that part of the day is special to them and this is their story. Also, when they play the full second verse of the theme song before the ending credit, then you realized that the one sentence in the lyrics ‘YOU ARE THE ME who broke free from the shackles. Living the life of freedom, basking in the sunshine.’ is the actual message of this whole drama. The theme song is actually can be interpret into 2 meanings -– that the leads indeed healed each other’s hearts BUT when it comes to the outcome, it can only be achieved when the person itself wanted to change as well. The drama ended with Shan Shan telling Brother Kuan on the phone that he has 2 endings for the script that he wrote. At first, you can just pass it as something insignificant but then you realized how all this has been foreshowed since early in the drama. You have his school romance script with 2 endings. Then his crime script 'Pursuit' ended with a shot with no real hint who fire it which indicate that the good or bad guys could possibly won at the end. Then you have the last script ‘Twilight’ with 2 possible endings as well. This is to show that at the end, it all depends on your choice – on whether you want to choose light or darkness in your life.
And these 2 choices have been emphasis in many different scenes in the last 2 episodes of the drama as well:
1) How Mr. Cao told Coco that Shan Shan needs to settle his ‘brother’ matters on his own despite no matter how much they help him, he is the only one can make that decision for his life.
2) Lui Xia teacher saying that how Lui Xia going to overcome her PTSD is all depends on her on whether she wants to confront it or remains in the dark forever.
3) The slap Yuan Yuan gave to herself –- on how she is responsible for her own life and its finally the time for her to wake up from being a bystander and see Jia Zhen on who he truly is.
4) The inner thought of Jia Zhen when he read ‘Pursuit’ ending as in his version, he is the one who making the shot (bad guy won) and in the end, we can see which choice he chose to make as well.
This kind of ending is indeed rare and very creative, so when you understood the reasons behind it, then every little hints in the drama makes sense.
Forever & Ever also has a lot of details in the script as well. Esp the silent love Zhousheng Chen showed Shi Yi that most of the times, Shi Yi didnt even know it. All of it are very subtle that you can literally pass it as unimportant until you look beyond it and notice the intention that the writer have for the character. Truly fantastic in every level.
I would recommend K-movie Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned if you are interested with this kind of writing as well -- where the movie happened exactly like you watched it or when you see the details, its the opposite which will creep you out.
On the surface, the ending of this drama can be interpreted with these two possible endings:
1) All things happened just like in the drama.
or
2) It’s all a fraction of imagination in Shan Shan’s mind.
However, when you look at the drama as a whole, it pointed more towards the first ending especially when you take into consideration that this drama that we watched as a whole is the last script written by Shan Shan about his story with Lui Xia. Also, when they play the full second verse of the theme song before the ending credit, then you realized that the one sentence in the lyrics ‘YOU ARE THE ME who broke free from the shackles. Living the life of freedom, basking in the sunshine.’ is the actual message of this whole drama. The theme song is actually can be interpret into 2 meanings -– that the leads indeed healed each other’s hearts BUT when it comes to the outcome, it can only be achieved when the person itself wanted to change as well. The drama ended with Shan Shan telling Brother Kuan on the phone that he has 2 endings for the script that he wrote. At first, you can just pass it as something insignificant but then you realized how all this has been foreshowed since early in the drama. You have his school romance script with 2 endings. Then his crime script 'Pursuit' ended with a shot with no real hint who fire it which indicate that the good or bad guys could possibly won at the end. Then you have the last script ‘Twilight’ with 2 possible endings as well. This is to show that at the end, it all depends on your choice – on whether you want to choose light or darkness in your life.
And these 2 choices have been emphasis in many different scenes in the last 2 episodes of the drama as well:
1) How Mr. Cao told Coco that Shan Shan needs to settle his ‘brother’ matters on his own despite no matter how much they help him, he is the only one can make that decision for his life.
2) Lui Xia teacher saying that how Lui Xia going to overcome her PTSD is all depends on her on whether she wants to confront it or remains in the dark forever.
3) The slap Yuan Yuan gave to herself –- on how she is responsible for her own life and its finally the time for her to wake up from being a bystander and see Jia Zhen on who he truly is.
4) The inner thought of Jia Zhen when he read ‘Pursuit’ ending as in his version, he is the one who making the shot (bad guy won) and in the end, we can see which choice he chose to make as well.
This kind of ending is indeed rare and very creative, so when you understood the reasons behind it, then every little hints in the drama makes sense.
Like for the main bad guy, the whole of the drama, we keep having this flashbacks on how awesome he is and how his teaching and words lead our ML into who he is now. But then, all over the drama, when the ML keeps reminding him on his advises, he will say 'I said that?' meaning he has forgotten he used to have those ideals and you can see how he derails slowly from that. Fantastic writing that focus a lot on details.
* Forever & Ever - Shy and socially awkward professor
* Love A Lifetime - Happy, bubbly & energetic sect leader
* Destiny of White Snake - Snarky and sarcastic doctor
* Never Say Goodbye - Smart & super fashionable😂 undercover agent
* Blue Flame Assaults - Happy-go-lucky fireman
Just a disclaimer for anyone interested. This drama is more like slice of life rather than a romance drama. The leads' relationship is very healing and their sweet interactions are always the highlight of the episode as they had this tacit understanding like 'soulmate' kind of relationship -- where they found calmness & tranquility with each other. Like all shits are happening outside for them, then they come home, see each other and talking and feel happy with each other's company -- 'us against them' mentality so far.
What I find interesting is that the brother betrayal is seen at first as early as episode 2 when he even refuse to tell Shan Shan about the new car purchase. Then the 'acting' mad in a manipulation attempt to make him finish the script. Then rewarding him with lots of stuffs once he done the script. All of this can be passed as something quite normal but this is actually seed of red flags of a toxic relationship. Then add the sprinkles of how people keep commenting 'Is he always treat you like this?' 'Why are you taking this job?' 'Did you brother always do this to you?' to show to us how everyone can see how wrong it is but Shan Shan, just passed it as something normal since he is used to this small abuses.
Then you have Yuan Yuan who at first mad but enable the 'betrayal' to the point that she just keeping quiet -- to show to us that being a 'bystander' and just watching the events unfold is wrong as well. This kind of toxic relationship did not happen in just love relationship but as well between friends and I'm happy that they chose to write it this way instead of it between the main couple in this story.