Amy
This review may contain spoilers
I do want to put a disclaimer that you should probably watch the drama if you're that interested to form your own opinion. This is simply mine. *I was upset with the lack of quality as I noticed many errors throughout the drama itself. However, I do think its reasonable since it wasn't an extremely funded project (at least to my knowledge).*
To begin with, the story revolves around a lonely girl named Luo Zhi. LZ isn't really the most popular, but she begins to form a mysterious bond with a boy from her grade. Insert our other main lead, Sheng Huainan. He's highly liked by his classmates and is intrigued when he unknowingly meets LZ. Through this encounter, their entangled story begins and continues onto their college days. The drama follows their story more as they're in college, but it does reference their interactions during high school a lot and it supports the somewhat okay plot. I can't completely say that this plot was the best, but I've surely seen worse. It was more of the story that kept me going on this drama. LZ, as a girl who has liked a guy for so long, continues to face the highs and lows of it. More than that, she grows as a person who becomes independent yet still attached to her roots. Her story was the more satisfying parts of this drama as it shows a development in her for sure, but I still felt that the ending could've been more realistic in some sense. I'll discuss that later on. SH, a boy who goes from having it all to finally realizing the one thing he never knew he had is a character that is certainly complex but also flat in a way for me. His development is more of a plateau but it does have its spikes throughout the drama. I'm using plot as the direction of whoever directed / wrote the drama and story as the actual character's experience as the two seem different in comparison. Plot wise, it was lacking and stretched at most points but it wasn't entirely boring either. I think if you get invested into the characters, the plot can be forgiven slightly.
I think the chemistry was cute once it got going. Overall, I think LZ was SH were portrayed nicely but I do think the acting itself could've been better at some points. These are mostly the scenes were the tension is being built but it falls through due to dialogue / other reasons. I do like the cast overall since they fit the college look much more than if this story was in high school. The kissing was awkward but I do commend them for having a decent one at least once throughout the drama.
Music was nice, nothing too boring. It was replayed a lot though I guess due to the lack of a big soundtrack since I started to memorize the progression of certain background music. I did like the opening song as it was definitely my style for Chinese dramas to have as an OST. As for re watching, I would only focus on the main episodes where main story points are included. I wouldn't watch the whole thing over.
The best point of this drama is the story of Luo Zhi to me. It showed vulnerability and strength in her story and I liked it the most out of the drama's key points.
This has been Unrequited Love.
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This review may contain spoilers
Disclaimer: I'll try to put spoilers towards the end of this reviewAt first, I can tell you that if you're the person who liked Because of You (or Jang Bo Ri is Here, the Korean title) then you'll probably like this one. I'm usually fond of dramas revolving around these family trades like embroidery or in this case jewelry designing.
Overall, I think the story followed a good base for a drama. It has the biggest family drama I've seen with the bonus of twice the misunderstandings. Yu Zhi and Gao Jie meet in the jungle but their love story goes on for the whole 53 episodes on a roller coaster. From family drama and vicious love rivals, they face quite a lot. At one point, I'm pretty sure I broke down cause I didn't believe the stuff they went through...with half the drama to go. I do think the plot points are catered to mirror Because of You and those types of dramas with competition between the main and second lead the goes deep (like the generation before them deep) and it often has the final eggs in a basket thing where winner takes all at the end. Aside from Gao Jie and Gao Hui's messy relationship, we also dive into the relationship of their parents and other people involved with them. Mu Zi Yun, Gao Jie's aunt, is a key player in this drama as the advocate for "I did this for you but ended up hurting you in some shape" which I can understand actually. The character development is also noted for me cause it shows it in almost all the characters (which is another bonus of these types of dramas). I mainly say this for Yu Zhi cause there is a point in the drama where you can see that his character has come so far, especially for Gao Jie.
Acting wise, I think the chemistry was quite rocking between Yu Zhi and Gao Jie. I also loved seeing Melody Tang (she was in Fifteen Years of Migratory Birds, check it out!) as the second lead that rivals Gao Jie. She made me hate her character which is what I applaud honestly. Spectacular acting from Gao Jie's mom as her character suffers from amnesia throughout and its certain scenes which she portrays this that make you tear up.
In terms of music, I think it was quite catchy. I've also linked my favorite song from this drama, a song that I think really expresses the feelings well of the characters at certain points in the story.
< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaWN_tg78l0 >
Would I re-watch this drama? Maybe the key parts but definitely not the whole thing. As a 53 episode drama, it was dragging me at times but it was still overall watchable. Nothing too boring or spaced out. I think it's a drama where I'll refresh my memory on what happened rather than watch the whole thing.
This has been Nice to Meet You.
To conclude, I'll be adding some points that I wish was different. These are spoilers, so you've been warned!
- They kind of pushed this whole thing in a way that blames the aunt more than her husband (Yu Zhi's) dad which is what I hated. They do get closure but I wish it wasn't just so one-sided.
- Between Gao Jie and Gao Hui, I do wish Gao Hui showed more empathy earlier on instead of treading so selfishly, which she does get called out for. I mean she does realize her mistake which is what makes this ending similar to Because of You but I wish they showed more of her ending like what happened between her and Yu Zhi.
- There was thing time gap sort of that I think they could've added more shots of instead of dragging on the whole competition honestly.
This is just beef I had with the drama in my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.
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This review may contain spoilers
Welcome. It's a long ride ahead so buckle yourself in. (I finished this drama within the span of two days so let's get it out there shall we?)
To begin, I did watch the original, Jang Bo Ri, which is the Korean parent story of this drama a loooong time ago. I do think that most of the story was the same / similar but Because of You did have many differences in a way.
I do love me some Sun Yi and Deng Lun (who were both in Fifteen Years to Wait for Migratory Birds, check it out) so the chemistry between their characters was cute and funny. As Guo Guo aka Yi Bei grows up in the harsh hierarchy where her mother favors her evil sister, she's begins to find her passion in embroidery. Her evil sister, Yu Xin was just as compelling as the evil sister from Jang Bo Ri, which I always liked. Living in a small village and selling wontons isn't the dream life for Guo Guo, but her love interest aka Yun Kai keeps it fresh and upbeat. There are minor bumps that come from this initial meeting but endgame, we know all know they end up. It's also the little connections between each person in this drama that made it so interesting to watch. Even though this is technically my second time if we're counting Jang Bo Ri. Between her sister, her brother-in-law, and the whole wacky story going on between their families, it's a ride you don't wanna miss.
Now as stated, I am a HUGE Sun Yi fan after watching Fifteen Years. I also recently watched Sweet Dreams where Deng Lun plays opposite Dilraba Dilmurat (yes I know, Sweet Dreams came out after this one, I'm late), another good watch. Overall, I'm big fans of the main leads and I also became big fans of other actors in this drama. I really do applaud her aunt for acting her guts out, and for her biological mother to play the villain that you kind of eventually come to forgive in the end.
The soundtrack was quite catchy, especially the opening song, so I don't mind it. If anything it was a nice and basic OST that I think you should listen through at least once if you're the type to skip the openings (which I think most of us are).
I would totally rewatch this drama if I had the chance, even over Jang Bo Ri. I love Oh Yeon Seo but the Chinese remake seems to flow better and faster than the Korean one. It felt more continuous and less of filler content.
I do wish that the Chinese drama did one thing which is the ending, so SPOILER AHEAD.
The ending in Jang Bo Ri was completely different to the one they showed in Becasue of You. You find out that in the end, the evil sister is forever scarred due to her burns and returns to run the restaurant. She's living the life that her sister had to live which sucked. However, in this version, we really don't see what happens to her which is kind of what you want to see. The Korean ver. shows how she's "repenting" for what she's done more and this version kind of leaves her future hanging. That's really the only thing I didn't like in terms of the ending.
This has been Because of You.
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To me, I personally enjoyed the storyline of Switched beyond what I thought. When I first saw the preview of the drama, I was immediately interested on how they story would progress from the switch. The switch I'm referring to is the one between Umine and Ayumi. To Umine, Ayumi has everything that she's ever wanted to have, the perfect life in her eyes. With that in mind, she comes up with the plan to switch bodies with Ayumi, and she succeeds. The storyline follows Umine as she lives in Ayumi's body and how Ayumi adjusts to the sudden change in her life from the switch. This is the part where you add the high school love interest, or shall I say interests. Kaga and Koushirou are Ayumi's friends yet it's Umine in her body now. All throughout the story, you empathize with all four of the main characters in some way. The reason why the storyline of Switched connected with me so much is because I feel like at one point in your life, you do wish to be someone else. However, the story shows that the inside does matter, even taking appearances in. It depicts this beautiful story that connects the characters in a way they'd never thought possible. I do think it's truly one of the most eye opening dramas I've watched in a while in terms of the moral of the story. The outside doesn't always matter as long as you're still you.
(I really wanna say more but I don't think spoiling the entire plot is fair. Therefore, check it out.)
The acting is beyond amazing in this drama. I didn't really have any expectations on the quality of the acting but it truly knocked me off of my feet. Imagine playing two completely different characters or portraying a whole different personality. I really must applaud the two main girls of the story, Kiyohara Kaya and Tomita Miu. I think it's only appropriate to compliment their male counterparts for a well-done performance also as I was also a victim to the charming Kamiyama Tomohiro and Shigeoka Daiki. They all are beyond amazing in Switched and I couldn't be more impressed with their acting.
I usually don't have much to say for music and this drama isn't much different. It has a catchy opening song that I found myself humming to often times but it's also not the worst music in my opinion. Of course, my taste in music varies from yours so I do suggest you give it a listen.
As always, I highly suggest that you deduct your own opinions by watching this drama yourself. I will say that it's pretty dang good as far as dramas go and it's surely worth rewatching. The actors/actresses, the storyline, and the overall tone and moral of Switched is what makes you fall in love with it, inside and out. Again, this is based off of my opinions from watching the drama and not everyone will like it as much as me, but you'll never know until you watch it.
This has been Switched.
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As Lin chases the popular guy of her school, fate brings her to Tsu, the "bad gangster" of the movie. The first thing that really caught my eye was how the whole story connected between the lines as the plot progressed. Lin is nothing special in her eyes, but to Tsu, she's the girl he'd thought he'd never want to be with. As they both chase the popular kids, they also find themselves forming a bong between each other. It does hit some heartbreak worthy notes, especially as the story wraps up, but I think it really paints this beautiful picture of unexpected love. They both started out fighting for their crushes without realizing how much they got to know each other throughout. It's a romance that you see a thousand times in movies, but this one is just special. It's not every movie where you feel the emotions (at least for me) you feel while watching this one. Although it has its cliches, there's also a subtle touch that makes it different.
I loved the cast of this drama, mainly the "younger" versions as they're portrayed more than the older ones. I do think the choice to use two sets of actors for the same characters worked out in terms of realistic aging. I also enjoyed how each actor executed the role, especially the main leads. Their acting was pretty good in my opinion, but then again, I'm no professional in terms of criticism. I just enjoyed their acting.
The music, as always, is good. It's not the worst songs I've heard but nothing worthy of adding to my music library. This is just me though and my music tastes.
Would I watch this cheesy movie again? Over and over. It's too beautiful to watch once in my opinion, and properly portrays the feeling of love in a new way. A love that lasts years.
I wouldn't force you to watch this movie but I highly suggest it for the romance movie goers. It's simple, sweet, and surpasses any expectations I had going into it.
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I can't say I didn't love the actors, cause I did. Both of the main leads portrayed their roles beyond what I originally expected while going into this movie, as did many of the side characters. Their acting greatly contributes to how you perceive the story and just makes you fall in love with it even more. I mean, Miura Haruma flashing his "Kazehaya smile" is one of the reasons I fell in love with his role and his acting.
The music was more of background noise to me as I was so focused on the story itself but it was still pleasant. It goes pretty standard in terms of music in Japanese movies. That's just based on what I consider as nothing memorable but nothing horrible. Of course, my music tastes differ so you never know.
From Me To You is a movie I would watch over and over. It's got that stroke of something that just draws you in, at least it did for me.
To end, as always, I implore you to watch this movie for yourself and make your own conclusions. I will say that if we were to go off of lists on movies revolving youth, romance, and friendship, "From Me To You" it would be this movie.
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The plot is something that will surely stab your heart a few times and twist it in a full circle. As Kira navigates the reality of his situation, he finds himself befriending the "odd" girl of his class, Ninon. The two protagonists lead the viewers through their woes and their relationship. A rollercoaster of emotions, a few tears, and a lot of cliche romance puzzle pieces and you get the story of Today's Kira-kun. This is just the surface that is developed throughout the movie, and most likely embedding itself in a place in your heart.
Overall, I think the actors/actresses did an amazing job of portraying their respectful characters. I especially enjoyed the rawness of Nakagawa Taishi's acting that's paired with the portrayal of Ninon by Iitoyo Marie. The characters such as Kira's best friend, Yabe, act as a pillar that support the story between the two main leads.
SIDE NOTE: In case you haven't also checked out the actors, their appearing in another drama together (with Nakagawa Taishi being the main lead and Iitoyo Marie appearing as a supporting role) which is the sequel to Hana Yori Dango. Hana Nochi Hare: HanaDan Next Season is also another drama I would recommend to those who like romance genre.
As usual, I find myself simply liking the music in movies/dramas. Although there's nothing download worthy in my fair opinion, there's also nothing horrible. I recommend giving it a listen still (as everyone has a different taste).
To conclude this review, I am most definitely going to re-watch this movie in the future. It hits the heart where it needs to which is what I find refreshing about Japanese movies, they wrangle the viewer into the story.
If you're into the rom-com genre and want to check off a Japanese movie from whatever list you may have, watch Today's Kira-kun. Either way, I recommend it to anyone who is into this kind of genre.
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My Huckleberry Friends, the second time you get to re-live the life of Zhen Hua in a way with a fresh new set of characters and stories. Yu Zhou Zhou and Lin Yang are this season's Yu Huai and Geng Geng. However, their stories aren't the same. Yu Zhou Zhou, the studious girl who has faced woe after woe is accompanied by Lin Yang who clearly shows his crush for her throughout the entire story. The concept of overlapping the two stories was performed more flawlessly than I had expected which is something I admired and hoped the writers / directors would include - after all, this is just a different story at the same time as With You.
(With You was also a spectacular drama - highly recommend it.)
Zhou Zhou and Lin Yang are accompanied by a group of friends that shape their high school years and go through the struggles of being a teenager in high school. I also applaud My Huckleberry Friends for putting together a seamless plot in my personal opinion, especially one that includes such a huge sense of reality of the challenges teenagers face. My Huckleberry Friends keeps the humor, attraction, and light vibe of With You but with a different taste in how it's executed and the story development. You don't have to necessarily watch With You to watch My Huckleberry Friends, but they're both amazing dramas that I recommend. What's there to like about this drama? Almost everything. It's realistic in the problems that life throws at you, the definition of friendship, and how love can play such a role in your life, even if you don't have the same type of love everyone else does. Personally, I enjoyed the ending to My Huckleberry Friends more than I did with With You, but only slightly. The ending to this drama has more clarity than With You did.
What I don't like as much: ( ! S P O I L E R S ! ) ( Possible for both With You & My Huckleberry Friends)
- The side characters had the similar plot in a sense. In With You, it was Jian Dan and Han Xu. The victims in My Huckleberry Friends were Xiang Qian and Tian Guo. They're both the side characters that have feelings with each other yet end up with the persevering other side lead, who's usually a friend of the main lead some how.
- I know it's not AS big of a deal, but I think if they added even the slightest cameo of characters from With You, it would've been more realistic that the two stories were connected.
- The story, and this is for both dramas, doesn't really show what happens during the 10 years. I mean, it's 10 freaking years. A lot of stuff goes down in 10 years, for both dramas, yet we don't really get any information (or glimpses).
Just watch My Huckleberry Friends, it's worth it. And if you don't believe me, watch it yourself.
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This review may contain spoilers
Goodbye My Princess was truly a drama that captivates you from the moment you start watching it, here's why. My review will be more in depth and may contain spoilers throughout but I will try to avoid them until the very end of this review.
Disclaimer: I almost NEVER wait for dramas since I prefer bingeing them or waiting until they have more episodes but I didn't miss a week of this drama (even during my midterms) cause it's so constantly moving. There was never a dull moment. I also cried a whole bucket of tears from this drama but that's expected if you can take away hints about the story. If not, I recommend tissues if you find yourself spontaneously crying from dramas.
Xiao Feng, our leading lady is the 9th Princess of a rival nation to Li Cheng Yin's, the prince of his nation as well. It's odd because they weren't originally even paired up from the start, but it's their story that invokes so many emotions throughout this drama. The story line is essentially split into two parts (the details of which I will spare but it is a sort of warning) between the two main leads. It's interesting since the only other time I've encountered this was Untouchable Lovers. As a historical drama, it's got your main ingredients: drama within the palace, love rivals, revenge plots and plain old scheming. It's all of these elements that Xiao Feng and Li Cheng Yin have to face in the midst of their relationship. In that sense, you get the equation for your typical historical drama. However, Goodbye My Princess wasn't a typical drama to me at least. I think that's due to the two settings within the drama, kind of two separate lives that are connected by their involuntary fate with each other. Xiao Feng and Li Cheng Yin just have this destiny to them that you want to see completely, you just crave their ending more than anything because it's so well-developed. I won't spoil or talk about specifics or the whole plot, but I think it's something you have to experience yourself. I for one was enchanted by the writing, cinematography and story. (Also, the side characters are important for sure in their developments as characters but I think the focus of their story is the main dish for sure. Shoutout to Gu Jian who almost gave me 2nd lead syndrome)
Aside from story, I do have to give props to the acting. It was beyond amazing the chemistry you see between Cheng Xing Wu (Li Cheng Yin) and Peng Xiao Ran (Xiao Feng) through the whole drama. They captivated that feeling of love, the kind that makes you want to watch the drama more, through their looks and superb acting. I was also enamored by the acting of Najima, who played A'Du, the closest friend of Xiao Feng (almost sisters to be honest). Her acting was quite impressive to me between the way that she doesn't even need to really talk to convey her acting. It was a splendid cast, and even though she's not listed at the moment of this review, the actress for SeSe (who I believe is Xia Wa) played a perfect love rival to Xiao Feng.
Now as many of you may be familiar with, we have the OSTs. The songs that we either skip after hearing it once or listen to it every time it's played. I do find the opening song for the drama to be compelling almost, it really sets the mood of the drama, especially the initial setting of it. I did happen to hear the version that was sang by the main leads (the one in the drama is sung by another duo) and it just made me fall in love with this drama more. I recommend you listen to it if you like the ballad type OSTs and are the person to check them out.
Would I re-watch this drama? Definitely. I would focus on more parts than others but I do think it's worth the re-watch. I can totally see myself getting into my feels even after watching it for a second time.
Between us, it's Scarlet Heart Ryeo level for me. It may be a drama some people hate / like but it's a sure as hell amazing Korean historical drama and it's what got me into historical ones so check it out if you haven't. IU plays the main role amazingly.
This has been Goodbye My Princess. If this review doesn't make you slightly want to watch it, I implore you to watch at least the first few episodes to make a judgement call.
(Also, I know there were videos that I saw briefly about other endings but I do think it's better to watch those post the 52 episodes.)
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This review may contain spoilers
Love Alarm is a hit or miss from its characters to its story line. To begin with, the story between our three leads, Jo Jo, Sun Oh, and Hye Young is a point of conflict for many people who watch this drama. Jo Jo, a girl who is actually dating someone, is being chased by childhood besties Sun Oh and Hye Young. I personally found that the story was sweet, filled with tons of cheese and cute scenes. The relationship built between Jo Jo is also reflective of her personal story. As someone who had a troubling past and upbringing, she's constantly burdening herself while playing it off around others. She's a Cinderella in some ways, in the sense that her family isn't the best and that she meets her prince charming one day. Although the story line of Love Alarm seems basic and cute on the surface, it dives deep into the actual consequences of what an app like Love Alarm would do to a person. It intertwines a story of love with the shadow of darkness to what it means to ring, or not ring someone's Love Alarm. The time progression is steady, with some points being rushed but I could understand that due to the constraint of so little episodes to develop it all. Even with their near hour length, Love Alarm is face paced in some ways also, constantly keeping the story going. Although I don't like filler, I don't like rushing so it was conflicting for me. The key point is the split between their high school-days, and the time skip which happens 4 years later on. The gap shows the personal growth of all three of our main characters, from their highs to their all time lows. It's what also keeps you on the edge of your seat as it also ends on a cliffhanger.
Kim So Hyun has never disappointed me personally, and I loved her as Jo Jo in this drama. She always gets the main parts of the character and as Jo Jo, she knew how to convey the turning points of Jo Jo's story. This was my first drama with Song Kang and Jung Ga Ram but I equally enjoyed their performances as the charismatic yet cold Sun Oh, and the shy and awkward Hye Young. Shin Seung Oh, who also played a 2nd lead character, is from A-TEEN, the web drama which you should also check out. Lee Se Jin from PDX101 was also cute as a little cameo in this film, so support our future acting boy.
The music was gentle and soft, but also strong in the message that went along with the mood of the scene. I personally saved the soundtrack off of Spotify because I loved it so much so give it a listen if you're interested.
I would definitely watch Love Alarm again, even if it meant going through that roller coaster of emotions. For me, Love Alarm is a ringing that resonates beyond words.
This has been, Love Alarm.
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Holy lord this story does not disappoint. I didn't watch the original Japanese version but boy was this version a ride. It kept you on your toes every step of the story between the mysterious plot of mysterious murder, Moo Young's past, the blooming relationship between Moo Young and Jin Kang and even the brotherly protection that Jin Gook has over his little sister. Not to mention how the whole plot just made you want to watch more (I finished this drama roughly within a day...). The connection between Moo Young and Jin Kang is more than what meets the eye and the layers underneath it all really make you go crazy on how you missed it. The little details that reveal themselves through multiple characters are nicely fit into each piece of the story. There's also the dark undertone of the story as the murder case is opened wide and everyone is in the crosshairs of Jin Gook's side investigation, Moo Young included. You also see this brotherly and sisterly love that Jin Kang and Jin Gook share and how their relationship has been over the years. The appearance of Moo Young is truly what changes their lives, whether it be by chance or not. It's a crazy thriller that non-stop makes you wonder what will happen next. The drama does have it sweet small filler moments but barely anything that a whole episode worth, the main story is always the focus as it should be. I don't think it's even possible to go into depth with the story without spoiling it, so I won't. (You'll understand if you watch it)
I was so hyped to see Seo In Guk acting again. I had always loved his characters as he just fits into the acting world to me. I mean, he perfected the role of Moo Young so well that I almost forgot it was a drama (plus his voice is so nice, check out his music). Not to mention how well he got the dark side of Moo Young's character, which I respect him for even more. I had never seen a drama with Jung So Min, but I was also quite impressed with her performance of her character as Jin Kang and I will surely be keeping my eye out for her now that I've seen how well she can act. I tried keeping my expectations low for the drama since I didn't want to get too invested but I couldn't help it with the cast. I mean Park Sung Woong as the brother was phenomenal. His character was intense yet overprotective, but he showed it flawlessly, even in some scenes where he didn't even talk.
Now music wise I was thoroughly enjoying it throughout the drama. The songs that I liked the most were Star by Seo In Guk and Jung So Min themselves & Lost by An Ji Yeon. It really hit the heart feels right at the crucial moments and you can't help but feel more emotion in the scenes where the music does play. They're definitely on my playlist now but I suggest that you listen to it yourself to see how you like it.
Overall, I would watch this drama over and over again just to remind myself of the crazy ride it was. It's a drama that I honestly don't want to forget the main details of, which is a short list of dramas for me (with the others being Scarlet Heart Ryeo, A Korean Odyssey, and Strong Woman Do Bong Soon).
This has been "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes".
(I did like the title, Hundred Million Stars From The Sky a little bit more but it seems most people know it as the one mentioned above.)
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The story revolves around two leads that are destined to be with each other before they were even born, which is what I found interesting when I initially read the synopsis for the drama. Shao Xi is a tomboy-ish tough girl that's raised in what she considers to be an abnormal family with her mother and father. Li Zheng is a closed off personality that lost both of his parents through a car accident, and lives with his Uncle. When they end up living together, there's this beginning in their relationship that just makes you want to watch more of. The joke on their name, the history between both of their parents, and the eventual bond between the two of them adds to narrative, something I personally enjoyed. The drama focuses more on the one-sided love, it shows the struggles that they face, the cliche misunderstandings, and the growth of both of their characters. I found Li Zheng's growth to show a newer side of the male lead, as he gains the color in his world that he lost after the death of his parents through his relationship with Shao Xi. Of course, there's also the real side of life that the drama shows, which adds the angst to the story on how you could probably (or maybe not) relate to woes the characters face. (I still think that you're able to relate to at least one of the characters, as they're all so diverse in their stories and personalities)
Now, acting? I absolutely loved the main couple. To me, their chemistry seemed just enough where it didn't push the over-the-top need to force anything. It's not perfect at times but it's got a lot of depth to it. I initially had doubts when I first watched the drama but the acting was nothing but on par throughout most of it. The other characters, such as Shao Xi's friends, Jin Li, and Angelina were all good in their respective roles also. Shao Xi and Li Zheng do look kind of older for their age in my personal opinion, but it's less relevant as the story progresses.
I have to say though, this drama did have a lot of my newfound favorite songs to listen to. From the beginning track sang by Prince Chiu himself to Tseng Joanne's beautiful song, I fell in love with a lot of songs in this drama (I also find it highly impressive that both of them can sing). The song that I found was honorable to mention was "Close To You" by Karen Lin (a cover of the original version sang by the Carpenters). Of course, I loved all of the others sounds featured.
S/N: If you do want to check them out, they're all on Spotify (or YouTube if Spotify isn't available in your country).
Funnily enough, in terms of rewatch value, I've already watched this drama numerous times. I never see myself as a person to rewatch a drama as I think it denotes the initial feelings I felt while watching it, but with this drama in particular, I still feel the same way I did when I first watched it. It's not boring (probably will though once I watch it 100 times) but it does take away the surprises I had while watching it the first time, which is reasonable.
To end off this review, I think it's clear how much of an amazing drama this is. The story is love at first sight, which is probably how I would describe the relationship between Shao Xi and Li Zheng. Even so, I recommend it so highly since it's THAT good to me. If you don't believe me, you can always find out for yourself.
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This review may contain spoilers
To begin, the story is quite cute and funny as the main characters spiral into this story. For Qing Qing, she's stuck in this alternate persona that parallels her actual life by dressing herself to be ugly. With that, I kind of have always hated that girls are suddenly unattractive because they have glasses, curly hair and freckles, but I do like that the Situ Feng falls in love with that version of her anyways. Although the story was mainly about the two, Qing Qing and Situ Feng, I also fell in love with the stories of the side characters, especially in this drama. As the story progresses, you feel angst, joy, and a little bud in your heart from this story. Its surely one that I won't easily forget but it does have the regular cliches that every drama has. For example, there's another girl/guy who presents a conflict in the relationship of the main characters, or something as pursing their career. Nonetheless, it's quite unique in its quirks and nuances.Onto the cast, I FELT the chemistry in this drama. Not only through the main leads but also through the side characters. Overall, I'm in love with this cast. I felt that Sun Yi Ning and Guo Fiction portrayed their roles well and did a good job all in all. They had the little clicks throughout the drama that really sold it for me but it's not super sparky chemistry that I've seen in other dramas. I did overall like the tone for the cast and how they portrayed their characters, regardless of whether I liked the character itself.
I will admit that the music popped out to me in this drama mainly cause they built on the concept that the main lead was a singer after all. It did have a few catchy songs that I think are worth the stream (this is based on my taste in music so I would say give it a try just to see).
Would I re-watch this drama? Probably. I feel like I would for sure watch the heart clenching parts and the scenes that I think you just have to watch again but probably not the whole 30 episodes. I finished the drama pretty quickly but for me, finding the spare time was hard and this is more of a lighter drama than those where I've watch 50 episodes and up.
To end, this drama will make you fall in love with the drama itself. This has been Accidentally in Love.
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