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The road to the Top of the mountain is a very lonely journey
First of all, “Stand by Me” is not a typical, cute and fluffy high school romance drama. It gives off a vibe similar to that of “The Bond”. The drama talks of life as a high schooler back in the 90s and how they endure hardships and challenges. All the main characters come from broken families and most have lower socio-economic status. There are definitely some fun and lighter moments, but for the most part, this is not a very happy drama. But it’s a great drama nonetheless, if you know what you are getting yourself into.There are many references to classic Chinese wuxia novels, Hong Kong dramas, movies, music and stars. If you are unfamiliar, you don’t miss much of the important plot. But if you are familiar (which I am), it feels very nostalgic in a good way. It’s similar to watching the very popular K-drama Reply 1988.
“Stand By Me” focuses on the journey of female lead Luo Qi Qi. We follow her from when she was an adorable and super smart young girl, living with her grandfather in the village. As she moved to the city to live with her parents, she was forced to grow up and it’s heartbreaking to see the outgoing and innocent young girl disappear. The drama spends the rest of the time telling the story of Qi Qi’s learning and discovering herself, identifying her goals and her dedication to achieving her dreams. Along the way, she met friends who supported her and encouraged her. But the road to the top of the mountain is a very lonely journey. Is she able to achieve her dreams with her friends?
A few quick bullet points on what I like:
1. Zhang Xi Wei who played the young Luo Qi Qi is fantastic.
2. I love the scenes of young Qi Qi and her grandfather. I wish I could see more flashbacks of them together.
3. Top notch acting by Zhao Jin Mai. She carries the show on her shoulder and runs with it.
4. The rest of the cast is just as good. I initially thought Wu Jia Kai (who played Zhang Jun) might be the weaker of the cast. But he grew on me and I think his acting improved throughout the drama.
5. I don’t question Bai Yu Fan’s acting, but I do question him playing a high schooler. He looks a little too old to be an 18 year old.
6. Love that the actors use their own voice. Big plus with live recording. This really adds to my viewing pleasure as there are many emotional scenes.
7. It’s nice to see a drama where the main characters are not geniuses or Mary Sues. They are all flawed and interesting.
8. It’s nice to see teachers who are decent and act like teachers.
9. It’s also nice to see parents who are real and not overly-bearing (just a little) or overly protective. They are not perfect, but the female lead’s mother actually communicates and wants to have honest conversations, after fiery emotions died down.
10. This drama is so real.
A few quick bullet points on what I have mixed feelings of:
1. This drama is so real. At times it was very difficult to watch, especially to binge. I do not recommend binge-watching this straight.
2. 30 episodes focusing primarily in high school is a little much. I lost focus and felt the pace slow down in the middle.
3. If Luo Qi Qi and Zhang Jun actually communicate honestly and openly, they would not have that many arguments. They make up and break up quite a bit (as friends).
4. I do hate Qi Qi a little bit sometimes for her stubborn and prideful personality. It’s OK to back down once in a while and be considerate of others’ feelings. She’s an interesting character. I love her and I hate her.
5. The drama can seem a little preachy.
6. Romance is light, even for a high school drama. So, don't go in looking for romance.
Overall, this is a great drama. I can see why it has a high Douban rating (currently at 8.3,) as the local Chinese audience can definitely relate to what the characters are going through. But I am not sure the international audience will feel the same way, esp. if they are looking for typical teen high school C-dramas. I recommend this drama to all for its excellent acting and realistic portrayal of life in the 90s as a Chinese high schooler. I definitely do not recommend binge-watching this in 3 days. I tried and was watching this along with “My Dearest” (K-drama), and the cruelty of reality and life's challenges really got to me and I was very stressed out.
Completed: 11/20/2023 - Review #378
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Lots of cute animation screen time - you either love it or hate it.
Completed - 6/15/2022 - 8.25I hesitated to watch "Yumi's Cells" when this drama first aired in 2021, as I wasn't sure if I would like all the animation. After finished watching the drama, I can say that I found them cute, but they took up a lot of screen time. I do understand that this drama is called "Yumi's Cells" and not "Yumi", but still.....
I find the animation cute and I love all the cells. I like their different personalities and they bring a lot of laughter to this drama, e.g. Naughty cell, Housekeeping cell and Hunger cell. However, it took me a while to get used to the back-and-forth transitions and the large amount of screen time. The frequent transitions to the animation disrupts the flow of the story and slows down the pacing, especially in the last few episodes. I got a little bored when the plot is not moving along and we got stuck in the same situation.
The acting is great. It's a fun character for Kim Go Eun to play and she was able to display a variety of emotions as Yumi. Ahn Bo Hyun finally gets a main role where he gets the girl. I also like his portrayal of Gu Woong. The rest of the cast is fine. Park Jin Young has a small role in season 1 and I don't think I see him enough to say that he's done a great job. He's pretty to look at but Ahn Bo Hyun has a hot body! (LOL) Ruby is a controversial character for me. I find her SUPER annoying 90% of the time but when she was teaching Yumi how to do 'aegyo', that was hilarious. I wish to see her more in season 2 but in a less annoying fashion.
The romance between Yumi and Woong was really cute in the beginning. Their personalities match and they do silly and adorkable things. Woong cares about Yumi and shows his affections through actions instead of empty words. The birthday episode really did show his affections, thus, prompted Yumi to ask that question. However, pride and the lack of communication get in the way. The damage is already done when Woong priorities changed. As much as I like Woong in the beginning episodes, I am very annoyed with his repeated lack of communication. You can still communicate with someone you care about without hurting your pride.
Since season 2 is currently airing, most people already know by now who Yumi ends up or not end up with. I would be very disappointed if I didn't know season 2 is coming, because season 1 did not end with Yumi feeling empowered and strong. I wish for her to realize that she could be happy without being in a relationship. She does not need to work like a dog to fill her life, like after her previous breakup. As the manager of the bulletin board said, there is no male lead and we don't need one.
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Trailblazing women Challenging Traditional roles in family and society
Completed - 12/14/2021Not a lot of talk about this feministic drama with a focus on women who don't want their lives dictated by men and society. This drama revolves around three main female characters who came from very different backgrounds, and have tremendous character growth throughout the drama. We learned of their journeys from being young and stubborn to achieving their own dreams. This is a very mellow drama and it took me a while to get invested. I wouldn't say the pacing is slow, but it feels like not much happened in the first 10-15 episodes... just very slice-of-life. The plot picked up afterwards and there are more actions and events that keep me more interested.
I would recommend this drama if you like:
1) Women overcoming challenges in family and society
2) Smart women with high IQ and EQ
3) Learn about Chinese culture and the weaving and embroidery industries
4) Minimal, mature romances
5) Life of the common folks - not noble or royal families
Weaving/Embroidery - Though I don't know how accurate the depiction of the weaving industry and the techniques are, I do enjoy watching all the weaving scenes. The drama shows us the weaving process from start to finish - silkworms, to making silk, dyeing, drawing designs, weaving and the finished product. However, I would love to hear more of the "experts" explaining and/or critiquing, so that I can learn about why a certain product is better than the other. In the K-drama "Lovers in the Red Sky", I feel like I learn more about paintings from that show, than weaving from here. LITRK not only showed us beautiful paintings, but through competitions, I learned about the meaning and techniques. I wish "Marvelous Women" has a similar approach.
Female Leads - Our three main female leads come from different backgrounds, have different personalities, yet all try to challenge society's expectations of women. All three of them are smart, courageous and have very high EQs. They don't need to rely on men but use their intelligence and perseverance in making their own decisions and achieving their goals. I would not say they are all "likable" in the traditional sense. I don't think I like them as much as I have liked other strong female characters, but this might just be my personal taste.
Romance - If you are a romance junkie like me, you might be a little disappointed. We have sort of a love triangle in the beginning between two female leads and the male lead. I never find there's much chemistry between the three of them. Shen Cui Xi (played by Jiang Qin Qin) is older in age as an actress and character.
Visually, she does look older than her two love interests. Her forbidden romance with Wei Liang Gong (played by Mao Zi Jun) didn't feel right to me. Even though Wei Liang Gong is mature for his age, the age gap is too much for me to enjoy this romance, which is supposed to be a bittersweet. The romances are quite melodramatic and not passionate. I do applaud that the younger women learning how to make their own decisions about love and marriage.
Character Development - Not only our female leads learn and grow throughout the drama, all of the supporting characters do as well. As the story spans over 10 years (I think), you can see all of them started out making mistakes or questionable decisions, and learning/growing from them. None of the characters is perfect. They are flawed but that also make them real.
I thought I would like this drama more. I think in the end, I like "The Sword and Brocade" more. "Marvelous Women" does not have enough plot twists to keep me engaged, and I am missing good romantic chemistry.
Other Observations:
1) Love it when actors are using their own voices. Really makes the drama a lot of more enjoyable without annoying dubbing.
2) Very muted color tone in costumes and set designs. No bright colors.
3) Acting is great by all cast members
4) The drama could have been shorter (30-32 episodes) as I think a couple of the side plots could be eliminated
5) Two lovely theme songs and not overplayed.
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An Average Drama that is NOT a Must-Watch. Or watch for Xiao Zhan and Alen Fang
Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75A drama starring the mega heartthrob and superstar, Xiao Zhan, is not garnering a lot of attention (at least not on MDL feeds). This is quite surprising as “The Longest Promise” marks the return of Xiao Zhan in a period drama after his success in “The Untamed”. Is the female lead actress, Ren Min, to be blamed? Or her character? Or just the somewhat messy writing in the second half of the drama? Perhaps all of the above.
Zhu Yan (female lead)
I have seen my fair share of xianxias, and I don’t think Zu Yan is such an annoying character. Is she the best FL written? Of course not. However, I’ve seen much worse innocent, naive, pitchy voice female leads before. Zhu Yan though was innocent, she’s not naive and is quite smart in her own right. She might not always make the most thought-out decisions for half of the drama or follow repeated instructions, but she also is independent, courageous and reasonable. The hate on Ren Min is really uncalled for, as I actually think she did a pretty good job here.
Master/Disciple Relationship
This relationship is actually a lot more ‘tolerable’ as the leads met when they were children, then reunited by chance before they became master/disciple This makes the romance also more palatable as they already have very positive feelings and attraction towards each other before they enter into this ‘forbidden love’.
Main Romance
Viewers should be aware that the “slow burn romance” tag is no joke. This is one of the slowest romances in xianxia dramas. Do not expect cute and fluffy scenes between the leads. Their romance is slow, gradual and very quiet. Unfortunately, I don’t think the leads have a lot of chemistry. It’s very average. Even though Xiao Zhao looks great as the handsome Priest, he also looks a lot older than his 18-year old character. Ren Mi looks a lot younger and when they are together, they do not look like lovers. They look more like friends or siblings. The romance is not angsty enough, and not fluffy enough.
Supporting Romance
They could have been so much better. The shy prince and princess are really a cute couple. However, their scenes pop up here and there, and have no substance. Qing Gang and Bai Xue Lu fare a little better and have a more interesting relationship. Unfortunately, the initial setup of the romance is not done right, thus, making it difficult for me to believe Qing Gang’s strong and dedicated affection. The acting is great, but the writing of the plot is not. My dear merman’s story is probably the best out of all 3 supporting romances. I wish to see more scenes of him and his beloved.
Acting
Overall, I think the acting is great all around. Xiao Zhan is the main attraction and he does not disappoint. I think Ren Mi did fine as well and maybe a little better than expected. Alen Fang (merman), Wan Chu Ran (Princess Bai), Wang Zi Qi (General), Marcus Li (Chong Ming bird) and the rest of the younger and veteran cast all met my expectations. I don’t think there’s a weak link. Luckily, there aren't any annoying side characters as well.
Pacing/Writing/Editing
I was having an enjoyable time in the first half of the drama. The pace of the drama is average and decent. The stories of the disciples up the mountain are interesting. We also get to know each of the main characters pretty well. Fight scenes and action picked up in the second half, as well as politics. Unfortunately, despite the pace being faster due to the fight scenes, the writing also gets messier. The backstory of the Demon and Ice tribe is not well done. There’s more telling us what happened, instead of showing us what happened. Editing got choppy and scenes pop up here and there without continuity.
Production Value
I was quite impressed with the CGI Sand Monster in the first episode. I thought the drama opened with a BANG! However, then I realized CGI is inconsistent. There are fight scenes with great visual effects, and then there are scenes so obvious that you know the green screen is right there. The fight scenes and CGI are average and I do no like the slow mo action scenes. Xiao Zhan is the only one who uses his own voice for dubbing. I applaud his effort and maybe being in a play has helped Xiao Zhan build up confidence and experience. I think he did an OK job but it was definitely encouraging. Unfortunately, everyone else is dubbed by voice actors and there is no live recording at all. The sets are not bad and I do like the costumes and accessories. The music and songs are fine, but not memorable.
XianXia Tropes
It’s interesting how “The Longest Promise” does not have some common tropes, e.g. evil second female lead who won’t take no for an answer, super cold male lead (ML here is cool, but approachable and not overly rude and cold), or many love triangles/squares/pentagons. But then, in the second half of the drama, we have noble idiocy, common and predictable miscommunication, and a very xianxia ending.
Overall, “The Longest Promise” is a very average drama. It is not a must-watch but if you need to curb your thirst for Xiao Zhan, then it’s not bad. There are many better xianxias out there.
Other Random Observations:
1. There are some scenes that are very Harry-Potter and Lord-of-the-Ring like.
2. Chong Ming Bird is a good sidekick and provided a little comic relief (not much).
3. The kiss scenes are few and disappointing. Side-hugs appear uncomfortable and scripted/pose-like.
Completed: 8/1/2023 - Review #336
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Charismatic Dynamic Duo solving common folks problems.
Completed: 10/9/2022 - 8.25If I remember correctly, “Ishiko to Haneo: Sonna Koto de Uttaemasu?” is my first Japanese legal drama. I picked an easy and fun one to watch, which focuses on one case per episode. The cases here are all about the regular people. We can probably look around our own circles and find people who experience or know of someone who experiences similar legal issues. In that sense, this becomes an easy watch and most of the legal terms used can be understood by us regular folks without a legal background.
Even though the cases are simple, each has its own flavor and twists. I am not an expert in legal dramas, but I am always pleasantly surprised at the end of each episode when the truth is revealed. Sometimes the truth is heartbreaking, but oftentimes, it’s heartwarming. I am not usually a big fan of episodic dramas but this drama keeps me interested from start to finish.
The main attraction of this drama is our dynamic duo, Haneoka (ML/lawyer) and Ishida (FL/paralegal). I love their bantering and fun interactions. The chemistry is great and there’s good character development for both of them. They both appeared to be smart and capable, but deep down they are dealing with their own self-esteem issues. The way they work and complement each other is the best part of the show.
If you are a romance lover like me, you might be disappointed here. Yes, there is a side plot of romance, but it’s not really done very well. The ‘ship’ that I was rooting for didn’t set sail. I would say the romance is my biggest criticism of this drama. I would rather they take the whole romance plot out of the drama and just focus on the camaraderie and friendship of the three leads.
Acting is great all-around. I’ve seen all three leads in other dramas before and it’s nice to see them again in different roles. My last drama of Armura Kasamu (FL) was “Chugakusei Nikki” where she plays a high school teacher and is attracted to her student. These are two very different roles and she’s excellent in both. My last drama of Makamura Topoya (ML) was “Kono Koi Atatamemasu ka”, where he plays a cool CEO, very different than the flamboyant character in this drama. There are a few somewhat serious scenes in this drama and he did a fantastic job.
The regular supporting cast is small but mighty. It’s so good to watch a drama without any annoying characters. On another note, I don’t remember any songs from this drama. We also have some interesting fashion choices, especially the colorful shirts that ML wears in the beginning of the drama. You can see how his fashion sense changes as his character develops. FL has some nice outfits as well.
It seems like there will be a short spinoff season but the focus is on FL, the soba shop owner and the customers, and not the two MLs here. Speaking of the soba shop owner, what is up with the large quantity of food here? I’ve never seen such HUGE portions of food in a Japanese drama. Did you see the mountains of noodles and rice??
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Revenge + Obsession + Buckets of Blood + Found Family
Completed - 4/15/2022 - 8.75It's been a while since I last saw a drama with so much gore and blood. The last one was probably "Arthdal Chronicles". If you get squirmy with blood and violence, this might not be the right drama for you. However, if you can get past that, this is an exciting fantasy drama about reincarnation, revenge and freeing from a curse. Along the way, characters from different backgrounds and personalties came together to become a family.
This is a beautifully produced drama with great cinematography, action scenes, and incredible makeup. Not a small budget production. I don't think I have commented much on a drama's makeup before, but I got to give props to the makeup artists here. There's so much super-realistic blood all over the place, wounds of all shapes and sizes, protruding bone and slashes, and of course, facial makeup of our Bulgasals. Aesthetically, it just puts me in the right mindset to watch this drama. The OST is beautiful as well. Whenever the theme song is played, I feel all the emotions in the scenes, and the background music complements and sets the mood well.
I am quite familiar with the acting of the two female leads, having watch quite a few of their dramas, esp. Gong Seung Yeong ("Are You Human Too?", "Circle" & "Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency"). Kwong Na Ra ("Secret Royal Inspector" & "Suspicious Partner") and Gong Seung Yeon really look like sisters. Both have beautiful eyes that can convey emotions very well. On the other hand, this is my first drama of the two male leads, Lee Jin Wook and Lee Joon, and I am quite impressed with their acting. I think I am most impressed with Lee Joon, because his character just gives him so much more to work with. I love how his crazy personality matches all of his over-the-top outfits. Kim Wook Seok is adorable as the high schooler and his acting has improved tremendously since I last saw him in "Twenty-Twenty". The supporting cast is great as well with both veteran and child actors.
But the main attraction to this drama is its plot. Viewers need to be patient and pay attention in order to not get confused. Not everything is explained in the first few episodes. The history and entanglement between the characters are slowly revealed throughout the drama. You don't get the full story until the finale. I personally quite enjoy the storytelling as I try to piece together what's been revealed and guess what really happened many years ago. The pacing of the drama is pretty good (maybe just slowed down slightly in the middle) but I was focused and engaged throughout the drama. I would like to see more of the story told in historical times. And I would have liked for Dan Hwal to find out the reason for his family's death a little sooner. Because then, the found family and small romance can truly develop, and have more heartwarming scenes (that's just the romance-junkie in me talking). Dramas oftentimes do not finish strong, but I think "Bulgasal" has a strong and satisfactory finish. I was quite emotional in the last couple episodes. Ahh... I love the found family and wish them all have happily-ever endings.
This is by no means a perfect drama. I am still a little confused about Ok Eul Tae's obsession with Dan Hwal. Why was he so obsessed for so many years ago? It also seems like a very roundabout way to device a complicated plan to achieve his ultimate goal. When we finally get to the finale to find out what started all this mess, it was a little bit anti-climatic. I thought the origin of the curse and the entanglement would be a much bigger deal. The modern times monsters could be more terrifying and could be used more. And what happened to the fire inside the room with the well?
Objectively speaking, this might not be highly rated. But if I don't think too much and enjoy the ride, I quite like this drama, thus, a very generous 8.75 from me.
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This review may contain spoilers
Potential Trigger Warning (explained in first paragraph of review) - Excellent Acting all around
Completed - 2/12/2022Trigger Warning/Spoiler - I didn’t see this mentioned in the reviews/comments and tags, so I figured I’ll mention this. In the last episode of the drama, there was an incident of sexual harassment on the bus. This is a very small part of the show (maybe only 5 minutes), and nothing too explicit (moving close, touching). But just in case, I would like to inform those who could be affected. It made me a little uncomfortable as I experienced something similar many years ago when I was a high schooler. It just brought back some memories. I know many women (and men) experience such atrocity in their daily lives. However, if you are OK, I hope it doesn’t deter you from watching this amazing drama.
Now, moving on to the real review.
Plot - When I first read about this drama, one thing that concerned me was the repetitiveness of the plot due to the time loop. In “Reset”, I feel that it started out with two very strong episodes. However, I do feel some repetitiveness in the subsequent episodes. Luckily, once we learn more of the passengers’ stories and police investigations, the drama’s pace is better and everything becomes more exciting. I think the drama finishes really strong with amazing episodes 12-15 and gives us a very satisfactory ending. I think Ep 12 is the most exciting and my favorite.
Acting/Characters - Great acting all around, from our leads to the minor supporting characters. I’ve seen Bai Jin Ting (ML) in a few other dramas, and am glad to see him branch out to have a different role. Playing the character as Xiao He Yun, a game developer who wasn’t an instant hero. Bai Jin Ting was able to portray some real emotions as someone who was scared to learn of the time loop, and didn’t want to have anything to do with it. Throughout the drama, he slowly grows into the hero that he is. This is my first drama of Zhao Jin Mai (FL) and I like her acting as well. Playing Li Shi Qing, a college student who is caring and innocent, but has a sense of justice. She is more of an instant heroine, compared to Xiao He Yun. With different personalities, our leads complement each other well and each brings something different to the table when solving the mystery of time loop. “Reset” also has an excellent supporting cast of young and veteran actors. I especially enjoy the acting of Liu Yin Jun (as Detective Zhang Cheng), Huang Jue (as bus driver Wang Xing De) and Liu Dang (as Tao Ying Hong). Other passengers or police officers might not have as much screen time but you can still differentiate them from each other as they have such individual charisma and acting. Additionally, I am so glad to see two female police officers who are intelligent and calm, and one of them is the boss!
Production - This has to be the first C-drama that gives me the most realistic color of blood! I know it sounds crazy that I talk about this, but in so many dramas, the color of blood is just not right. It’s either too bright red, too liquidy, too thick or too dark. But in “Reset”, it’s realistic, and especially the realistic injuries of a burn victim. If you look closely at the wounds of one of the major characters after the explosion, you can see smoke coming out of the burnt clothes and wounds. Such details! There is nothing glamorous about this drama, so one can’t judge its production value on nice clothes or nice set design. But you can see the detail in each of the scenes and how real everything is. There’s nothing flimsy or cheap. On the other hand, since it’s a time loop, the production company can save money on a large wardrobe budget. The characters just wear the same clothes everyday!
OST - The background music complemented the scenes very well, and you feel that it’s not forcing you to feel a certain way. There aren’t many songs played in the drama, but when Zhou Shen’s hauntingly beautiful song, “My Only” comes up, you can’t help but feel all the emotions. One of my pet peeves is when music is too loud that it drowns the dialogs. I am glad that it didn’t happen here. The few songs played are nice and I only notice them more towards the last half of the drama.
Other Observations:
1. This is the fanciest Internet Bar/Cafe/Motel I’ve seen in a drama. I think I want to stay in a room like that than in any hotel room!
2. C-dramas really like lovers wearing color-matching outfits. We see that in the last episode - white shirts and blue jeans.
3. No annoying character in this drama! Yay!
4. Slight romance is the correct tag. I would have liked to see a little more glances/hints throughout the drama. I don’t need much, just a little. I feel that either you take out the romance completely, or give it a little more care.
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He meets and learns from you, or He kills and takes from you
It’s been a while since Yang Yang shows up on my screen and I miss this handsome guy. Of course, I have to check out “The Immortal Ascension” as he’s looking gorgeous and I am hungry for good wuxia with fight scenes. However, I was warned of 2 things about this drama - 1) CGI and 2) RomanceI would NOT recommend you watch this drama if you:
1. Can’t stand below-average CGI. Most newer xianxia has beautifully created cinematography with high definition and super colorful screens. If you are used to that and can’t lower your expectations, then don’t watch this drama. Aside from a few excellent battles, it’s pretty bad, especially when the characters are ‘flying’.
2 Only want a good romance storyline because all the unrequited love plotlines in this drama suck!! I personally do not like any of the female characters who have a crush on ML. Their stories are unimportant and repetitive, and one of them is super annoying. The one I was rooting for ended up having the least amount of screen time and acted like a lovesick girl when she’s supposed to be this badass goddess.
3. Only want to watch this because of the cast not named Yang Yang. This is Han Li’s (ML) story and the focus is on him. Everyone else is in a supporting or guest role, and that includes Gina Jin and Wang Duo. If you are not a fan of Yang Yang, skip this drama. If you only want to watch Wang Duo and Gina Jin only, skip this drama.
However I WOULD recommend you to watch this drama if you:
1. Are a fan of Yang Yang. Not only does he look great, he also plays the character very well. I didn’t watch the donghua but from the comments I read, Yang Yang is well-casted. I also really like Han Li as a character. He’s not your typical green/red/gray flag. He’s just a normal guy who wants to focus on cultivation and keeps to himself. He doesn’t care to socialize with friends or chase after girls, but is also not rude or mean. He’s smart, resourceful, calm and calculating, and doesn’t act like he’s a hero thinking he can save the world. Yang Yang did really well portraying this character. I do not think he is such a bad actor, and it’s not his fault when the director wants to point the camera at him to make him look good.
2. Are hungry for some good fight scenes, especially in xianxia. I would say "The Immortal Ascension” is a combo wuxia/xianxia drama. I was impressed with some of the duels and fight scenes when weapons and close combat action happens. The fight choreography was great and exciting. It’s not like a regular xianxia where the actors just stand there, move their fingers and arms, and let the computer graphics do the work for them. Actors actually fight here! The best fight with great CGI was the cave battle in episode 19. Then the big fights in episodes 24-25 aren’t bad, but not as good as the other ones.
3. Enjoy the cultivation journey of the main character. Even though the drama has the typical good sects vs evil sects, the focus is on Han Li’s humble beginnings to achieving immortality. And this is more than just his quest to fight, fight and fight. I read some commenters mentioning Harry Potter and I can’t un-see those comments and some similarities. During Han Li’s ascension, he had to learn more than just to fight. He learns from his first master about medicine and herbs, then continues to educate himself of spells, potions and different artifacts to increase his ability since he was born not having the best ‘genetics’. As I watch this journey, it feels like he’s Harry Potter and taking different classes at Hogwarts. Oh wait, there’s also the ‘Sorting Hat’ and shopping at ‘Diagon Alley' and meeting different characters. Let’s not forget a competition of the 7 different sects, just like the Triwizard Tournament (+ Hunger Games) of the 3 magical schools! Now, don’t you want to watch “The Immortal Ascension” just to see if I was right? LOL
I read that the drama was cut short, thus, it only has 30 episodes for season 1. I enjoyed Han Li’s journey very much for the first 20-25 episodes, despite crappy CGI and green screens. But the last arc about the battle of the sects was rushed and edited weirdly/choppily. I was disappointed that the drama did not really show any big battles between the good and bad guys. The ending was OK, but it was not as exciting as I had hoped for.
“The Immortal Ascension” obviously has a small budget. Did they spend all the money on both actor and director, Yang Yang? How can you cast Yang Yang in a drama with such crappy CGI? Did the drama spend the rest of the money on the 3 excellent battles where it needs to generate lots of graphics for the lights, spells, artifacts, and fights?
Overall, I had a good time watching this drama but I wish I had liked the last 5 episodes as much as the earlier ones. The OST is eclectic with memorable songs. Hopefully we don’t have to wait for too long for season 2 and to also have Yang Yang back as the male lead. Otherwise, I am going to skip it, just like I didn’t watch “Ever Night” when Arthur Chen wasn’t in season 2 anymore.
Completed: 8/12/2025 Review #612
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A rare drama that starts and finishes strong, led by a smart power couple
“Blossom” is actually not on my radar until everyone starts raving about it as the last black horse of 2024. Therefore, I joined the hype as I heard it has the recipe for success: Good Plot + Good Romance. So, is it worth the hype? Mostly, yes. I might not be as in love with it as many others. Surprisingly, the romance is the minor let down.Despite its boring and cookie-cutter drama title, “Blossom” is a pretty well-acted and well-written mid-budget drama. It doesn’t feature top idol actors or big name actors. Instead, two supporting role veterans, Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui, are given the spotlight. I’m happy to say that they did not disappoint when given the opportunity. I just finished watching Li Yun Rui in his other main role in “Go Back Lover”, and I’m glad he’s given a much better script here (just sad that he's dubbed).
I enjoyed Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui’s scenes together in the first half of the drama (before their marriage). The drama started with a bang with exciting introductions of characters and a first episode that sucks you in. I enjoyed the first 10 episodes tremendously. Our main leads grew up to be upstanding individuals even though they had a rough and tragic childhood. They go from enemies-to-comrades-to-lovers in an organic and well-developed way. I enjoy how they try to outsmart each other and also work together.
Even though I do enjoy the mature romance, I was expecting more. It’s either because I had high expectations or I’m just not feeling the sizzling chemistry. Oh, I love the loving and longing looks ML has for FL. Li Yun Rui never disappoints in that regard. It’s just I was expecting sizzling hot chemistry. Instead, I was given a more mature, slow-burn and feeling of ‘content’, not enough cute scenes. All of this is good too, just not what i expected, thus, a minor disappointment. But our leads are the dream power couple. When they are together, no one is smarter than them. In fact, they can be viewed as too perfectly intelligent that you know nothing will go wrong, and they always have a plan B or plan C.
The pace of the middle episodes is a little slower after the initial excitement. This could be a breather or calm before the political storm. The family drama is nothing new and you’ve seen that in so many other historical dramas. I feel that the marriage subplots of who is going to marry who lasted too long. I got a little bored, especially when FL’s sister isn’t such an interesting character.
What comes as a personal surprise is how much I enjoy the political plot in the last 10 episodes. Because we saw what happened in the first episode, it kept me guessing what was going to happen in the end. Will the fate of all individuals be different? Is history going to repeat itself? How are the leads going to survive despite being the top enemies of everyone? I also get to see Ji Yong (Xia Zhi Guang) more in the latter episodes. He’s so mysterious and charismatic. Xia Zhi Guang has such screen presence and great subtle acting that I didn’t know I would miss him on my screen until he shows up again. I was also happy to see that ML’s brother is more than a one-dimensional character and like some of his conflicted scenes.
I would recommend “Blossom” as it’s a pretty well-rounded drama, and a rare one that starts and finishes strong. The acting is good, especially for the veteran supporting cast. There are some minor plotholes that I have to ignore with my rational brain, but not serious enough for me to call them out as a disappointment. I might be just a tad disappointed in the romance of the leads (surprisingly), but I still enjoy watching a mature, supportive, power couple with honest communication and no misunderstanding.
Completed: 12/24/2024 - Review #529
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Don't miss out on this excellently written, acted and paced slice-of-life Family Drama!!
If you love “The Bond”, you will love “Romance in the Alley”. Both dramas are directed by the same person, and you can see a lot of similarities between the two. The drama title is a little misleading as romance is just a very teeny tiny part of this drama. Family is what it’s about. This is a well-written, well-acted, well-paced slice-of-life family drama that even someone like me who prefers plot-driven dramas, falls in love with “Romance in the Alley”. It reminds me of a hybrid of “The Bond” + “Go Ahead”. In fact, it’s actually a little easier to watch than “The Bond” as it doesn’t have characters that make my blood boil.Family
This drama focuses on two families who live next to each other in the same alley. If you ever want a BFF or a good neighbor, look no further than the Zhuang and Lin families. We follow the lives of the adults, working hard to provide for their children. All they want is for their children to go to a good school, graduate and find a good job, have their own family and buy their own houses. A stable and happy life is what they want. However, you will find that each family takes a very different approach in supporting (or not supporting) their children. Their approach puts pressure on their children in not disappointing their parents and shouldering the responsibility of taking care of their siblings, parents or any family member. As I follow the lives of these children and watch them grow up to have their own families, I feel like a proud parent myself watching them from the 1st episode to the 40th episode.
Neighbors & Friends
Friendship in the alley is complicated. I bet many Chinese viewers resonate with all the complicated dynamics and relationships in this drama. One day, you support and help each other. Next day you scheme and try to take advantage of others. When there’s a common enemy (system change, rules change or company complaint), they band together and fight together. At the end of the day, you are still friends and neighbors, trying to live the best life you can. The dialogs are so well-written: heartfelt speeches, subtle digs here and there, sarcastic and condescending remarks. All of that gives the drama so much flavor.
Character development
As I said, I feel like a proud momma watching the three main children grow up. Tu Nan (the older brother) is a top student who is mature and responsible. Dong Zhe is the mischievous kid who is a little smartass with a good heart but lazy. Lastly, we have sweet and quiet Xiao Ting, the little sister who is perceptive and sweet. Watching the three of them grow up into responsible, mature adults without losing their tight bond is lovely to see. I was especially proud of Xiao Ting for growing up to be a more courageous, independent and sensible woman, who is not afraid to speak up and protect those she loves. Aside from the three main kids, you will follow the lives of other children growing up in the alley. Some you will love, some you will hate. But each one is a product of their family and upbringing. You might not like them, but you understand where they are coming from and empathize with them.
Sismance
The friendship between the two mothers, Huang Ling and Song Ying is the best thing about this drama. These two women are so different from each other: upbringing, marital relationship, personality, family lives, and child-rearing philosophy. Yet, they complement each other so well and support each other in their own way. They accept each other’s flaws, defend each other and unconditionally step up to help each other.
Acting
I applaud the casting director for doing an amazing job. From the youngest child actor, to the oldest veteran, there is no weak link. There are many child actors and actresses in this drama, and each one of them performs so well, especially those three who play the naughty little Dong Zhe. Many of them are actually experienced actors who started acting at a very young age. Before watching, I was hesitant about Fan Cheng Cheng’s performance. But I’m glad to report that he did a pretty good job as well, so much better than when I last saw him in “Once and Forever”, also with Guan Xiao Tong. In that drama, Fan Cheng Cheng is definitely the weakest link. His chemistry with Guan Xiao Tong as siblings here is so much better than when they played lovers in “Once and Forever”. Wang An Yu made me fall in love with him. He is so good in looking smitten and in love, just like in “Forever Love”. Guan Xiao Tong and Lu Yu Xiao are talented and beautiful. Of course, the veterans are amazing. I bet they help keep the younger ones on their toes, as they have many scenes together and the young ones can’t slack off.
Pacing
Slice-of-life dramas are a hit-or-miss for me. I prefer plot-driven dramas rather than character-driven ones as I often find the pace to be slow. But not “Romance in the Alley”. This drama is well-paced with enough to keep invested and interested. The writing does an excellent job in making me smile, laugh, cry, and shake my head in disgust throughout the whole drama.
Minor Criticisms
As much as I love this drama, “Romance in the Alley” isn’t without fault. There are two main areas that I would have liked to see better writing - the passage of time and romance. Because this drama spans a long period of time, about 20 years. The drama doesn’t always tell you what year it is. Viewers have to pay attention to changing lifestyles or the addition of new household appliances starting from TV, fridge, home telephone, microwave, etc. Because it’s sometimes hard to tell time. For example, I would see one scene when the parents are disapproving of their children’s decision (a BIG decision) and then the next scene, the conflict is resolved and it’s not a big deal anymore. Or in one scene Tu Nan and Li Jia would be arguing about their relationship, and then time passed and they openly spoke about it, as if the previous conclusion of their relationship didn’t matter anymore. Regarding the romance criticism, I would have loved to see Xiao Ting and Dong Zhe’s transition from friends to lovers more clearly. The realization of feelings and subtle confession were so short that in a blink of an eye, you could have missed it. I miss the early days of their courting/dating.
With a Douban rating of 8.2 at the time of this review, I can totally see how Chinese viewers resonate to the family values and struggles, and a trip down memory lane with change of times in this drama. International viewers might not agree with the values and decisions made, but that should not stop anyone from appreciating an excellently written and acted drama. “Romance in the Alley” will make you smile and laugh, cry and frown. It has put me through an emotional rollercoaster. I cried so hard when the Lin family moved away from Suzhou and when the two mothers' tight friendship was put to the test because of their children. If you read all the way to the end of this long review, I wish you would give this drama a chance.
Completed: 12/1/2024 - Review #523
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You either Love or Hate this drama - I love it and I hope you do as well
Completed: 9/19/2022I have not seen the Korean version so I am just reviewing this on its own. I can see how “Discovery of Romance” can get both positive and negative reviews. The whole premise of the story is about a love triangle: an ex-boyfriend comes back into the female lead’s life and stirs up all types of emotions and troubles. If you do not like love triangles, this is definitely not the drama for you.
I can also see how many might drop this drama within the first few episodes. I was somewhat caught off guard as well, as I wasn’t expecting it to be a comedy. There are many silly and comedic moments in the first 8-10 episodes, and mainly due to Qin Jun Jie’s character, the ex-boyfriend. Our three main leads are not super lovable characters either. They are flawed and the initial comedy doesn’t paint a great picture on them, well, maybe except the perfect boyfriend. However, if you are able to stay a little longer and keep watching, you will see that this is a drama about healing, closures, rediscovering yourself, following your dreams, personal growth and how complicated feelings could be in real life. Feelings are not always black and white, and being wishy washy about feelings and decisions is actually the most realistic part of a relationship, especially a love triangle.
I stuck around because I am a fan of Janice Wu and Qin Jun Jie. I haven’t seen Janice Wu in a drama for quite some time and still remember how much I liked her in “Le Coup de Foudre” and also as the sassy actress BFF in “You are my Glory”. I became a fan of Qin Jun Jie after watching him in “Listening Snow Tower” (love him but not the drama) and also in “Noble Aspirations”. I’ve never seen him in a modern drama so I am looking forward to this. I am so glad I stuck around because they are both awesome. The chemistry between the two is amazing. The argument and bickering are fun, but the emotional scenes are just something else. Even when they’re just calmly talking about business and designs, I can feel their chemistry slowly sizzling in the background. They are the main reason why I watched, did not drop and gave “Discovery of Romance'' a good rating.
I really like how we learn of ML and FL history by seeing how differently they remember events of the past. ML only has the happy memories and thus wants to get back with FL. On the other hand, FL only has negative memories and wants nothing to do with ML. The storytelling is interesting to me. With the flashbacks, we see a younger and more innocent version of the couple. It’s like both Janice Wu and Qin Jun Jie are playing multiple roles.
There are many frustrating decisions made by the three leads. How I want to scream and shake some sense into them. When you watch this, either you hate them or you try to understand where they’re coming from. This continues to be that fine line of liking and disliking a drama. The drama also switches from a rom-com happy and silly tone, to a more melodramatic tone in the last ⅓ of the drama. I personally enjoy the more emotional scenes and the process of the former couple coming to realize that their relationship really has ended, and ML finally found closure. We also follow the perfect boyfriend’s journey of accepting his past and loving himself.
This might not be a perfect drama but I really like it a lot.
Other Random Observations:
1. FL has such a cool relationship with her mother. We need more mother characters like her in C-dramaland.
2. I appreciate natural kisses - no fan service, but happens when it’s appropriate in a normal, loving, mature relationship.
3. A surprise cameo in the last episode. I’ve never seen this actor in a modern look as well.
4. Finally brought back some humor in the last episode.
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Frustrating watch with a lot of Bitterness and only a drop of Sweetness
Subjective Gut Rating: 6.75Wow.. this is a frustrating watch. It’s called “Bittersweet Love” but it’s full of bitterness with only a drop of sweetness. I don't even know why I did not drop this drama. It’s like I was hate-watching it. The episodes are around 30-35 minutes, so they are not too long that I can’t tolerate.
When you read the synopsis, the drama sounds quite interesting, but also feels like the plot of a vertical drama. Nonetheless, Xiao Fan is forced to marry into the rich and powerful Bei family and ends up being the secret lover of his brother-in-law. Sounds fun right? Wait till you get to know these characters.
First of all, our lead main character, Lu Xiao Fan. He’s the biggest damsel-in-distress, pushover and doormat. You see where this is going, right? He’s so frustrating to watch that I just want to slap him and wake him up. Grow a backbone already! I can’t spend 8 episodes seeing him moping around with the same sorry and weepy face. Yes, he is unloved by his family, and was forced into a very difficult situation. But still, the writing could have been better to show some progression and growth in his character. But no, he’s frustrating all the way until the end when he magically becomes the smartest guy out there.
The other male lead, Bei Lu Qing, is the rich and cool guy on the block. He’s rich, powerful and intelligent. He is always scheming and many steps ahead of everyone. He’s hot too, but he’s just as frustrating. The narrator doesn’t go into Lu Qing’s inner thoughts and there are no inner dialogs. Therefore, all we see is him trying to do little things behind-the-scenes for Xiao Fan, and never verbalizing it. It’s not like he’s so shy that he can’t speak up. He just chose not to. The drama could have spent a little more time on his struggles on dating a guy and the control his family had on him. That would have given us some plot. But it’s just a casual afterthought. This paints a bad light on him, as he just seems uncaring and emotionless.
The lead’s main relationship is based on miscommunication, or no communication, and lust. Why Lu Qing fell for a weepy boy like Xiao Fan is beyond me. Is it because he’s cute? Is it because he just wants to have an urge to protect a sad puppy? On the other hand, does Xiao Fan even like Lu Qing? Is it just a reaction to someone who threw him a bone and showered him with just a little attention? Are they just obsessed with each other but there’s no love in their relationship? I don’t mind having all these questions in the first half of the drama, but eventually, by ep 12, I should know, right? Did I miss it? When they are lusting over each other, the sexual tension was good. Their kisses aren’t bad either, but could go a little further.
Additionally, there are so many irritating, annoying and hateful characters in this drama. My friend commented “Bittersweet Love” is like a Chinese lakorn. She’s so right. This drama is full of evil family members. Xiao Fan’s family treats him like dirt and only uses him for their own benefit. Sure, most poor families in China are like that. It’s how real life forces you to make those decisions, but that doesn’t make the drama enjoyable.
I enjoy a dark and angsty drama with a toxic romance. I thought this would deliver as it has an interesting premise. But the writing is lacking. I never read the novel but I felt that the novel must have dived into many of my questions and criticisms and give a better description.
I see many highly rated reviews for “Bittersweet Love” and unfortunately, mine is not one of them. Maybe it’s just a ‘me’ problem that this drama just doesn’t do it for me. Maybe I am not analyzing this drama correctly and am being superficial. Whatever it is, this can either be a frustrating watch or a very enjoyable dark and angsty one for you.
Drama Completed: 8/16/2026 Review #713
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Lighthearted fun with a well-casted ML to cast a spell on you
First of all, I just have to say Matsumoto Leo is so well-casted as the male lead, Hikaru. He’s so beautiful with long hair and make up, and all the stylish outfits. Yet, also so handsome with his short and slightly gelled up hair. This drama would not be the same without him. He carries the show on his shoulders!It did take me a little bit to get used to Haruka as our female lead. This is totally a ‘me’ problem because I always have this problem with Japanese bubbly and innocent characters. But she grew on me and I like her more and more, especially when her overdramatic antics died down a little.
“Cinderella Closet” is primarily about Haruka’s character development. With the help of Hikaru’s magic, Haruka learns to love herself more and build self-confidence. Of course, she also looks prettier and prettier as the drama goes. Despite this, I still feel that her change is jumpstarted by the desire to look good for a guy. First, it’s to go on a date with Kurotaki. Towards the end, it’s wanting to stand alongside Hikaru, to work as hard as he does, and not be left behind. There was a quick moment of finding her passion but that was only boiled down to a quick conversation with Kurotaki. Yes, Hikaru grew from a girl who has no friends and doesn’t look ‘pretty’, to someone who has become more confident and found love and friends. I just wish the journey relies on guys a little less.
Having said all that, this is a lovely drama with very sweet and supportive characters. The leads have great chemistry and I loved the scenes of them together especially in the early episodes. Hikaru is straightforward and honest with his comments. His honesty contrasts Hikaru’s nervous energy but nonetheless, she’s a very honest person herself. It was also interesting to see the contrast in how parents deal with Hikaru’s cross-dressing. I wish the drama had explored that a little bit more as well.
“Cinderella Closet” is a light-hearted and sweet drama of exploration and loving oneself. It’s also about accepting those who are different from you, and to look past what’s on the outside. I initially thought the cross-dressing bit might create a little more tension but this drama is way too positive to dive deep into that.
Completed: 10/4/2025 Review #631
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Weirdly interesting and fun 1st half but poor writing in the 2nd half.
While “I am Nobody” was airing, I read good things about it. Little did I know I’ve stumbled onto one of the wackiest C-dramas I’ve ever watched. I really did not have much expectations and I never read the comics. I’ve seen some live action Japanese adaptations of anime and manga, and am not always a big fan of the comedy. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the first half of the drama, despite its weird comedy. But, I was also disappointed in the second half when the writing got sloppy and they seemed to run out of money.What I Enjoy:
1. Bao Bao - One of my favorite characters in the drama and also in all of C-drama comedies. She is hilarious!!! Wang Ying Lu did a fantastic job portraying the emotionless, naive, crazy, violent and just pure wacky character. I look forward to funny things that come out of her mouth and how she reacts to different situations.
2. Peng Yu Chang - This is my first time watching him and I’m surprised to find out that he’s been in the industry for quite some time. His acting is probably the best of the bunch amongst the younger cast members of the drama. He really does stand out in his portrayal of the protagonist, Zhang Chu Lan. The success of the show rests on his shoulders and he does an admirable job.
3. Veteran Supporting Cast - “I am Nobody” is one of those dramas where the more experienced, veteran actors really outshine the younger generation. There are so many great actors, especially Old Taoist Lao Tian Shi/Zhang Zhi Wei, Grandpa Zhang Huai Yi, Taoist Tian Jin Zhong and Elder Lu Jin. I’ve enjoyed every single one of their scenes, serious, emotional and comedic ones.
4. Action Scenes - There are some pretty great fight scenes in the first half of the drama and during the competition. This is also one of the reasons I want to watch this drama as early comments praised some of its fight scenes. There are quite a few memorable fights during the competition.
5. Comedy - I normally don’t quite over-the-top comedy and shy away from pure comedies. But I thoroughly enjoy all the jokes, second-hand embarrassment, especially when the jokes happen with the veterans. Their deadpan expression while speaking some of these funny lines, make the scenes even more funny. BaoBao’s Sichuan accent also adds to her strange but unique personality.
What I have Mixed Feelings about or Don’t Like:
1. Second Half - I did not read the comics, so I am not sure if the drama follows the plot faithfully or loosely. However, I was very disappointed that after the competition, I did not see more camaraderie between the younger main cast and/or their adventures in continuing the quest to find out about the truth. Instead, we got an unimportant detour of Wang Ye’s family story and barely got Zhang Chu Lan, Wang Ye, Feng Bao Bao and Zhu Ge Qing back together. Zhang Lin Yu got his own side plot of accepting himself and continuation of the ill-developed romance. We spent so much time in Lao Tian Shi’s ‘revenge’ and another character’s search for their sister. I am not saying these side plots are not important to the development of the main plot, but screentime is not distributed appropriately. Maybe the drama should not have focused so many episodes on the competition, so it leaves enough time to develop all the other subplots afterwards. But then, the competition episodes are the most fun! If you spend so much time for viewers to get to know the main characters, then give me more of them together!
2. Inconsistent acting - This drama has a very big supporting cast of young actors and actresses. Some of them I’ve seen in other dramas and they did fine. But aside from Peng Yu Chang and Wang Ying Lu, the others don’t really stand out or exceed my expectations. I’m glad Neo Hou is not in another cold-on-the-outside role (can’t say the same for Bi Wen Jun) and he definitely acts better when he’s given more. Even so, he has room for improvement. A few other minor supporting actors are below average. No one is horrible, just inconsistent.
3. CGI - I wonder if the drama spends all their money on the special effects in the first half of the drama. Maybe the competition episodes use up all their budget, because in the second half, there are some pretty bad special effects. You can tell the green screen is right behind the actors.
4. Words Disappear - This is very personal and might only bother me. The drama did not give me a chance to fully read all the Chinese characters/sentences on the screen. And this happens not just once or twice. Instead of using a narrator to give an update or epilogue of what happened, the drama flashes these words on the screen so quickly. I tried to pause and read, but that gets annoying and doesn’t always work. I guess I should have turned on English subtitles, because I can read English a lot faster than Chinese.
5. Product Placement - It’s been a while since I watched a C-drama with so much in-your-face product placements. It was funny when they worked it into the advertising of the event, but after a while, these products are just everywhere. I thought I would only come across this level of product placement in a Thai BL.
Overall, this is an interesting drama and I had a pretty good time for most part. But this is definitely not for everyone and I can see many get put off by its humor. I would have given the first half an 8.5 and the second half 7.5 for a lower budget drama. So, an average of 8.0 would be my final rating. I am not sure if season 2 is going to happen, but I don’t think I’ll watch it. I am quite disappointed in the second half and really wish the writing is better.
Other Random Observations:
1. There are times I got confused if I am watching a wuxia drama (historical) or a modern drama.
2. This drama has a very eclectic soundtrack.
3. Peng Yu Chang/Zhang Chu Lan cries a lot!
4. Neo Hou looks so pretty! He can pass for a pretty girl with a nice, long ponytail.
5. So many characters and their signature moves that I get confused sometimes.
Completed: 9/26/2023 - Review #359
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Short but doesn't seem cheap - Enough to tell a decent revenge story with good leads chemistry
Director Zhi Zhu, male lead Jin Chao and female lead Qi Xia Xia came together again after their first project, “Zhang Gong Zhu Zai Shang/长公主在上” for a new short drama called “Dong Lan Xue/东栏雪”. I rated ZGZZ pretty low due to its cheap budget production which affected my viewing pleasure. However, “Dong Lan Xue” does not suffer from the same criticism. This 2-min per episode short drama has a pretty decent production value, on par with other longer web dramas such as “The Killer is Also Romantic”. This drama does not scream ‘cheap’.The pacing of the drama is great and tells a decent story of revenge from start to finish in about an hour. The leads have pretty good chemistry. The acting is not bad, especially for the female lead Qi Xia Xia. She looks gorgeous, just like when she was in ZGZZ. I like her styling, especially her gorgeous costumes.
The action scenes also look surprisingly good. I wasn’t expecting the quality of an excellent wuxia drama, but at least there’s no slow-motion fighting or twirling. The drama doesn’t shy away from bloodshed and torture. I was actually quite surprised they came up with a way to torture FL without letting her run away. They did kind of blur the wounds, as I can understand it could be quite disturbing.
If you don’t have a lot of time and want a quick drama, this is pretty good. Short dramas like these are created for those who commute to work on public transportation and have time to kill or, need a quick drama fix.
Completed: 5/14/2023 - Review #306
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