2
13
3
virgievirgie
Lost in Dramaland
Great Bromance; Cliche Romance with Cheesy Lines
Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75
The decision to watch this controversial drama is because I am a big fan of Jing Chao (big crush on him since “Princess Silver”) and I just discovered Du Chun (“To Love”). I also want to find out if “Gentlemen of East 8th” really is as horrible as the Douban rating shows (currently at 2.1).
I can definitely see why many dislike this drama especially with the few questionable scenes of bra strap pulling and inappropriate hand position. I am not going to argue with someone who is really offended by this drama. My review and rating are entirely based on my enjoyment and I am not one that is very sensitive or easily offended.
What I Like:
Bromance - The friendship between the 4 male leads is without a doubt the best part of this drama. It’s easy to find a similar drama from a female perspective. But to find one that solely focuses on the bromance in a non-BL manner is harder. I enjoy seeing them bickering and fooling around, supporting each other through thick and thin. But I am especially impressed with scenes when the guys are arguing and being totally honest with each other, despite accusing others of wrongdoing. As viewers, you know they are going to be fine because you believe in their strong bond and loyalty. Even with some drunken unkind words, their friendship is strong enough to endure it and such honest conversations can only make their friendship stronger.
Acting - Excellent acting all around from the male leads and their leading ladies. The four male leads are veteran actors and have proven themselves that they can act. The drama does follow Zhang Han’s character, Tong Yu, more than the other three. Aside from being an excellent cold CEO in other dramas, Zhang Han is a lot more relaxed here with many scenes when he’s with his brothers, and especially with his son. I never knew I would see a playboy in Jing Chao. His roles are always so proper and charismatic. I am totally in love with a different Jing Chao. I just wish they would put less makeup on him. He looks so handsome in a modern drama, even more than in “City of Streamer”. A dorky Du Chun is interesting. I might have preferred him as the cool cop in “To Love” more. However, he does play an adorable and nerdy Chinese History Professor well. I’ve seen Huang You Ming in so many other dramas as a supporting role, and I am glad to see him in a main role. The ladies are great as well, especially Wang Xiao Chen. She is excellent as the smart and independent COO of a big company, spewing facts and strategies as the smartest person in the conference room. On the other hand, she becomes a vulnerable woman with a tragic past, longing for love and companionship.
Characters - I really like the four distinct personalities of the male leads. In the dessert competition, Li Jie Sen sums up each of the characteristics very nicely. Because they are so different and with different career paths, their dynamics and stories make this drama interesting.
Lu Yu Hao/Jin Gang - This little kid who plays the character of Jin Gang (Tong Yu’s son) is adorable! He is smart and cute, and says the best lines. He’s like the 5th bro in the group. This child actor also has great line delivery and I believe he uses his own voice and says all the lines himself. I love this father/son duo and they have amazing chemistry and a really fun relationship.
What I have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like:
Romance - I find the romance between Tong Yu and Xu Duo very interesting in the beginning. I love to see them compete professionally yet can’t help but be attracted to each other. I love their push-and-pull relationship and they have good chemistry. However, their romance is dragged out for way too long. The fake relationship is too cliche, in a not very good way. Once they get together, there aren’t enough cute and sweet scenes, and they become boring. The other 3 couples have way less screen time than the former couple. As much as I love Jing Chao, his character, Xiao Fei’s romance with Sheng Nan doesn't make a lot of sense. Not enough is shown during their time together to tell me that they are in love with each other, before or during their marriage. It’s really hard to picture a smart woman like Sheng Nan being so clueless in being a wife. People complain about how women are treated in this drama. I think I am going to complain about how Xiao Fei is being treated by his wife. Li Jie Sen and Yue Zi Qian could have a cute and adorable relationship, but it’s missing something. YZQ seems to be Jie Sen’s navigation system to help guide him through romance and professional life. Dorky professor Guo Chong and Ai Mi are an even odder pair. How did Guo Chong fall in love with Ai Mi? What’s the meaning with all the ‘looks’ he has towards Xu Duo?
Monologues/Cheesy lines - There are many monologues in this drama from all characters. In a way, I like storytelling from different perspectives. However, some of these monologues are very preachy and cringey. They seem to want to tell a story, tell me the meaning of life, tell me how to live my life and then show me how they can profess their love. There are many quotes from poems, books, history, etc. in this drama as well. In a way, I can understand since we have a Professor as a lead. But the amount is too much. I feel like the drama is trying too hard to seem ‘cultured’ and is trying to force feed me and show me how intelligent they are. Zhang Han, is this the best you could come up with after writing this script for 10 years?
Those questionable scenes - True, pulling the bra strap to prevent from falling and the hand position are not the best ideas and should not have passed review. I couldn’t say if Zhang Han intentionally places his hand on Wang Xiao Chen’s chest/breasts during that one scene. I feel that with the way he tries to move her to his lap, it is quite possible that it’s just an accident. HOWEVER, if it is, the scene should have been re-shot upon review. Having said that, I have seen many other dramas with back hug scenes and I think the position of the arms might have touched the actress’ chest as well.
Pacing - This does not have to be a 40-ep drama, I would say 36 max. If they want so many episodes, I would have liked to see a better distribution of screen time between the four male leads and their romances. Maybe then, those three other romances would be more believable.
Other Random Observations:
1. Zhang Han cries a lot in this drama. Not anything particularly tragic, he just gets emotional quite a lot in a modern drama.
2. A lot of tech talk and some propaganda of the Chinese tech industries.
3. Wang Xiao Chen/Xu Duo never takes off her makeup, even if she’s lying in a hospital bed.
4. Zhang Ya Mei looks the prettiest in the last scene - her crazy hair throughout the drama is not a pretty sight to me.
5. Because of the unpopularity of this drama, I couldn’t find the OST on Spotify. I quite like the title theme song sung by all four male leads.
Overall, I have a decent time watching this drama. I would not recommend this if you are really sensitive to claims that this drama is sexist and mistreats women. If you are not too sensitive about such issues, and are looking for a romance-centered drama about mature couples and strong male friendship, this could be an option.
Completed: 5/20/2023 - Review #309
The decision to watch this controversial drama is because I am a big fan of Jing Chao (big crush on him since “Princess Silver”) and I just discovered Du Chun (“To Love”). I also want to find out if “Gentlemen of East 8th” really is as horrible as the Douban rating shows (currently at 2.1).
I can definitely see why many dislike this drama especially with the few questionable scenes of bra strap pulling and inappropriate hand position. I am not going to argue with someone who is really offended by this drama. My review and rating are entirely based on my enjoyment and I am not one that is very sensitive or easily offended.
What I Like:
Bromance - The friendship between the 4 male leads is without a doubt the best part of this drama. It’s easy to find a similar drama from a female perspective. But to find one that solely focuses on the bromance in a non-BL manner is harder. I enjoy seeing them bickering and fooling around, supporting each other through thick and thin. But I am especially impressed with scenes when the guys are arguing and being totally honest with each other, despite accusing others of wrongdoing. As viewers, you know they are going to be fine because you believe in their strong bond and loyalty. Even with some drunken unkind words, their friendship is strong enough to endure it and such honest conversations can only make their friendship stronger.
Acting - Excellent acting all around from the male leads and their leading ladies. The four male leads are veteran actors and have proven themselves that they can act. The drama does follow Zhang Han’s character, Tong Yu, more than the other three. Aside from being an excellent cold CEO in other dramas, Zhang Han is a lot more relaxed here with many scenes when he’s with his brothers, and especially with his son. I never knew I would see a playboy in Jing Chao. His roles are always so proper and charismatic. I am totally in love with a different Jing Chao. I just wish they would put less makeup on him. He looks so handsome in a modern drama, even more than in “City of Streamer”. A dorky Du Chun is interesting. I might have preferred him as the cool cop in “To Love” more. However, he does play an adorable and nerdy Chinese History Professor well. I’ve seen Huang You Ming in so many other dramas as a supporting role, and I am glad to see him in a main role. The ladies are great as well, especially Wang Xiao Chen. She is excellent as the smart and independent COO of a big company, spewing facts and strategies as the smartest person in the conference room. On the other hand, she becomes a vulnerable woman with a tragic past, longing for love and companionship.
Characters - I really like the four distinct personalities of the male leads. In the dessert competition, Li Jie Sen sums up each of the characteristics very nicely. Because they are so different and with different career paths, their dynamics and stories make this drama interesting.
Lu Yu Hao/Jin Gang - This little kid who plays the character of Jin Gang (Tong Yu’s son) is adorable! He is smart and cute, and says the best lines. He’s like the 5th bro in the group. This child actor also has great line delivery and I believe he uses his own voice and says all the lines himself. I love this father/son duo and they have amazing chemistry and a really fun relationship.
What I have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like:
Romance - I find the romance between Tong Yu and Xu Duo very interesting in the beginning. I love to see them compete professionally yet can’t help but be attracted to each other. I love their push-and-pull relationship and they have good chemistry. However, their romance is dragged out for way too long. The fake relationship is too cliche, in a not very good way. Once they get together, there aren’t enough cute and sweet scenes, and they become boring. The other 3 couples have way less screen time than the former couple. As much as I love Jing Chao, his character, Xiao Fei’s romance with Sheng Nan doesn't make a lot of sense. Not enough is shown during their time together to tell me that they are in love with each other, before or during their marriage. It’s really hard to picture a smart woman like Sheng Nan being so clueless in being a wife. People complain about how women are treated in this drama. I think I am going to complain about how Xiao Fei is being treated by his wife. Li Jie Sen and Yue Zi Qian could have a cute and adorable relationship, but it’s missing something. YZQ seems to be Jie Sen’s navigation system to help guide him through romance and professional life. Dorky professor Guo Chong and Ai Mi are an even odder pair. How did Guo Chong fall in love with Ai Mi? What’s the meaning with all the ‘looks’ he has towards Xu Duo?
Monologues/Cheesy lines - There are many monologues in this drama from all characters. In a way, I like storytelling from different perspectives. However, some of these monologues are very preachy and cringey. They seem to want to tell a story, tell me the meaning of life, tell me how to live my life and then show me how they can profess their love. There are many quotes from poems, books, history, etc. in this drama as well. In a way, I can understand since we have a Professor as a lead. But the amount is too much. I feel like the drama is trying too hard to seem ‘cultured’ and is trying to force feed me and show me how intelligent they are. Zhang Han, is this the best you could come up with after writing this script for 10 years?
Those questionable scenes - True, pulling the bra strap to prevent from falling and the hand position are not the best ideas and should not have passed review. I couldn’t say if Zhang Han intentionally places his hand on Wang Xiao Chen’s chest/breasts during that one scene. I feel that with the way he tries to move her to his lap, it is quite possible that it’s just an accident. HOWEVER, if it is, the scene should have been re-shot upon review. Having said that, I have seen many other dramas with back hug scenes and I think the position of the arms might have touched the actress’ chest as well.
Pacing - This does not have to be a 40-ep drama, I would say 36 max. If they want so many episodes, I would have liked to see a better distribution of screen time between the four male leads and their romances. Maybe then, those three other romances would be more believable.
Other Random Observations:
1. Zhang Han cries a lot in this drama. Not anything particularly tragic, he just gets emotional quite a lot in a modern drama.
2. A lot of tech talk and some propaganda of the Chinese tech industries.
3. Wang Xiao Chen/Xu Duo never takes off her makeup, even if she’s lying in a hospital bed.
4. Zhang Ya Mei looks the prettiest in the last scene - her crazy hair throughout the drama is not a pretty sight to me.
5. Because of the unpopularity of this drama, I couldn’t find the OST on Spotify. I quite like the title theme song sung by all four male leads.
Overall, I have a decent time watching this drama. I would not recommend this if you are really sensitive to claims that this drama is sexist and mistreats women. If you are not too sensitive about such issues, and are looking for a romance-centered drama about mature couples and strong male friendship, this could be an option.
Completed: 5/20/2023 - Review #309
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