A masterfully crafted tragedy that will squeeze your tear ducts dry

What is war? I have never understood what war really was and what it can do to humanity until this 24-hr marathon. A tale told from the perspective of a very ordinary family, it detailed every phase that they went through during this difficult time and the bits and pieces of tragedy that slowly changed them.

Let me start with the heart and soul of the show, the person who left the deepest impression, the cause of my sobs and howls, the nation's brother-in-law, Jun Shan. The first time I met him, he was a shady and corrupt official who talked disrespectfully to elders which put him on my disdainful character list from the start. But over time, I saw how he truly cared and provided for his family, how deeply he loved his wife, and the efforts he did to secure a better life for his extended family. On that night when Changsha was ablaze yet, he kept saving people disregarding his own safety, I totally forgave him for being corrupt. Jun Shan was charming and had strong leadership skills. When he was deployed to the frontline, he skillfully defeated enemies one after the other with his quick wits, smarts and tricks. As he always says, he's very lucky because he can survive anything, and I had hoped for it as well. When tragedy befell his family because of petty jealousy, that was the first time I felt indescribable anguish. I bawled and roared and cursed at no one in particular for not even sparing a little child. That scene when he held his wife and said he did very bad things that's why his bad karma was received by his son made me hate on the gods who did such calculation. For protecting the people of Changsha, he fought day and night at the frontline, saving hundreds, thousands of lives. Was that not enough to balance the scale? I cried injustice. At that time, I was very sure that he would never be able to forgive himself in this lifetime, and that he would probably wish to die on the battlefield hoping to protect what he wasn't able to. And boy, I was right. He was valiant. He was brave. He was a hero. He was someone I have truly admired and respected. I will always miss the carefree smile on his face even when he was at death's door.

As for the rest of the characters, they didn't have much impact on me. I had a love-hate relationship with the family in the first few episodes of the show. I didn't like how the family spoiled the twins that they overlooked all the mischievous things they had done. Sure, they appeared to have been angry and tried to beat them, but they were all for shows, just trying to scare the children. The father was useless, as he's supposed to be the head of the family, yet it was Jun Shan who held them together. He disdained Jun Shan for being a dirty cop, yet he relied on him for everything. He prided himself on being an intellectual, but so what? Can that feed his family? I pretty much labeled him as a hypocrite. But, his last sacrifice for his loyalty to his morals and beliefs was moving and poignant. As an intellectual who loved operas, he used the most appropriate way to demonstrate that he too, can die for his country with no regrets, that he's not in any way inferior to the soldiers who died on the battlefield.

I don't want to say more for the rest of the characters because I felt they weren't as interesting as Jun Shan, nor have the most moving end like the father, so I'll skip those altogether. I don't understand why Battle of Changsha wasn't in any of the Chinese drama recommendations I have seen (and I have seen plenty). This was the most riveting historical show I have seen. It was full of tragedy, yet I could not look away. The reunion at the end and the fact that one family was intact after the war did not give any relief to the anguish I have gone through watching the entire show. I would watch this again, but I have to wait a few years at most when I have recovered from the loss of those people I have learned to love and considered my family.

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A story about making choices that will ultimately decide our happiness

From the very beginning, I was awed by the quality of the production. I couldn't help but compare to the trashy BL shows I have watched just to satisfy my guilty pleasure. This was clearly a show that tells us that the choices we make will determine our future...and our happiness. This show got me thinking of all the choices I have made so far that got me to where I am now...and evaluate if I am making the right choices at the moment. Sometimes, we are so caught up in becoming the kind of person the society wants us to be...that our parents, friends, and everyone around us expects us to be that we forget what living truly feels like. I was deeply moved by the message the show tried to convey. And I am somehow empowered by it.

As for other things, like Akira and Yuki, I have some grievances. Yuki was a darling. He was never afraid of his feelings and communicated what he wanted and that's a strong character. He loved Akira to his bones, so when Akira betrayed his love, I was heartbroken and angry for him. My thoughts while Akira was in the park with his monologue(at this point, I really cannot hold back my sobs that turned into wailing): It's so hard to hate you Akira, you pitiful soul. But when I think about Yuki, I felt so betrayed and heartbroken. Just because you lost to your insecurity, you sacrificed the person you loved and who loved you sincerely. That was just unfair and unforgivable.

We got a happy ending, but that wasn't the happy ending I was hoping for. I would have wished for Yuki to have found a person who can sincerely love and cherish him...openly. He deserve that kind of man. But I guess the show also wants to reiterate the importance of fate and second chances. It was because of fate that they first met, and fate that brought them back together.

Overall, it was a great mini series. I love the life lessons. And the OST. And the chemistry between our leads. Although their emotional scenes falls short of standard, the rest made up for it.

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I have 3 words in CAPITALS: MESSED-UP TRAGEDY

What started as a light and warmhearted youth drama spiraled into a traumatic tragedy. This tragedy came one after another without warning I was baffled and beyond horrified. At the time, I thought Xia Rui Ning will never get out of that hell. And she never did, no one could possibly do it. Although years later we see her as seemingly fine, she looked like a walking corpse. She was dead inside.

I cannot begin to imagine what could she have been feeling stepping into the Ye mansion. For years, she has been haunted by guilt, slowly killing bits of her until there's nothing left.

And not to mention Ye Miao. The woman he loved was saved by the person he loved most, and who loved him most at the cost of his life. Although his words were harsh to XRN, in his heart, he never blamed her...for if he was in his brother's place at that time, he would have done the same thing.

Their love was doomed from that point. But they never stopped loving each other, especially Ye Miao.

I don't know if I should root for their love or wish they should let go and find their own peace. I was not prepared for the sudden turn of events so it left my heart heavy after finishing the show.

I am glad XRN found out she was not the cause of her mother's death, otherwise, there really would be no chance for her to be happy in this lifetime.

Anyway, I started watching this show because of Fan Zhi Xin (huge crush on him). I'm glad I did because it might be one of his early works, but he did exceptionally well.

I hope to see more of his lead roles in the future.

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Raw and real it’s terrifying!

There might be some spoilers, but mostly, just saying what’s on my heart at the moment.

Every time I finish a movie, there’s a certain feeling of satisfaction or disappointment. Some I finish in tears, but even then, I felt it's just right to end that way. Others, I end up getting disappointed to the point of cursing - demanding for my 2 hrs of wasted time to be given back. But mostly, I end up watching movies I felt very contented with.

Parasite though, it gave me a heavy heart... sitting and watching there for over two hours - how the lives of a family got ruined more than it already was. I don’t blame people for associating the movie with ‘Hell Joseon’ because it certainly was a depiction of it. And let’s face it, it’s not only happening in Korea, but the rest of the world. How the rich get to keep their riches, and the poor keep getting pushed to the edge (if you know what I mean).

Kiwoo’s letter at the end, knowing it was all just wishful thinking and would never come true (based on the theme of the story and well, let’s just say LIFE), only added to my already depressed mood following the tragedy that was called ‘the birthday party’.

Let’s not even get started in talking about justice for Mr. Park and how unfairly he was stabbed in the back (don’t take it literally because you know, he was stabbed in front) but anyway, that’s not my point. My point is, the Park family was nothing but nice. They’re rich, but they treated their workers with humanity. And just because a poor man couldn’t take an insult, he lost his mind and killed a person for it. Is that how cheap life is now? A life for pride? And he was even absolved from persecution because, well, HE FREAKIN' FLED! Can you believe what kind of person he is? I just kept repeating a sentence after this scene - 어이가 없네 (eoiga eobsne)!!!!

It was like a domino of misfortune. The head of the family who was supposed to be the pillar and supposed to protect his family failed at his duty miserably. Not only one, but four innocent lives were sacrificed for nothing. And in the end, nothing has changed.

So, am I recommending this movie? Definitely a yes. It is an eye-opener if you are in your corner refusing to admit the cruelty of life called REALITY. But for those who insist on only seeing fluffy things, skip it.

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The show that exhibited great potential, unfortunately it fell short to expectations

The show started out great, unfortunately, it didn't last till the end which is such a shame because the show had a lot of potential. It had all the things it need. Fresh and gripping plot that had a dash of fantasy, mystery, romance, friendship, and thrill, plus a great cast. I loved the music and the cliffhangers that made my hairs stood. But past 15ish episode, my interest waned. The writing got sloppy and was all over the place. I think they put a lot of backstory that didn't add any importance to the overall story. If they had to put more of a backstory, I would have preferred to have been the life of Helan and each of Huiyan's incarnations in all the different lifetimes they spent together. After all, this was a story about Helan trying to save Huiyan. They made it look like Pipi was just Pipi and not Huiyan at all. I would have wanted to see Pipi realizing and accepting that she is one and the same to all of her past incarnations. That would have a more dramatic approach. But nope, the show never explained everything. A romance-centered drama turned into a lot of angst and vengeance. Such a shame, truly a shame. If they concentrated on the show's main strength which is the chemistry of both leads, the relationships of the characters, then added a little of mystery, then it probably turned out better.

As for the characters, I've really never liked both Helan and Pipi. Helan was just too one dimensional. And Pipi doesn't have any personality at all. But they have great chemistry and I can't deny that Johnny is such a great actor. I loved the two sidekicks more and their comedic banter, and their complicated yet full of warmth relationship with Xiao Ju. Their scene when they both tried to make Xiao Ju choose was poignant and full of heart. It's not about whom Xiao Ju loved more, it was more than just the romance between a man and a woman. Both of the men became her family. How could she choose between them? And so, I fully support their relationship. They loved each other equally and that made it specially beautiful.

The end of Qian Hua and Zhao Song was too pitiful as well. It actually had more impact than any other emotional scene between the leads. The fact that Qian Hua fell in love with Zhao Song but still chose to help Helan was proof of her honesty, morals and devotion. And the fact that Zhao Song hurt Qian Hua despite being in love with her marked his total descent into darkness. They both ended tragically because they have chosen to. For Qian Hua, it was to save Zhao Song. For Zhao Song, it was to redeem himself and finally be together with his beloved, even if that meant death.

Anyway, like I said, the story had a lot of potential, but prepared to be disappointed if it falls short on your expectations towards the end.

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Hilarious antics, heartwarming relationships, romance, investigation, intrigue and conspiracy

It was an enjoyable ride. This is a show that sometimes defies logic, but it's actually more realistic compared to other historical dramas out there. So here's my thoughts (contains heavy spoilers).

Story/Plot. The story begins with our bright and sunny FL, San Qi (SQ), who was decreed by the Lord (I guess this is equivalent to Emperor?) to marry the young Lord (Crown Prince?). But SQ had a childhood sweetheart whom she promised to marry, so while en route to the capital for her wedding, she escaped and met a bride, Jin Xin who didn't want to get married as well. As fate would have it, the man JX was supposed to marry is the son of the Northern magistrate, whom SQ believed was her childhood sweetheart. And so, she volunteered to be the substitute bride. And that's how our adorable couple began their marriage life and basically the soul of the story. However, this is not only just a romance-driven story, it also contains investigation and conspiracy. 1/3 of the story is more of the adorable childish banter between our couple. 2/3 is about solving crimes. The rest was the unfolding of the conspiracy involving the royal family. So basically, the plot is all over the place, however, it was actually contained and executed well. The drive of the villains for doing evil things were always one dimensional, so there is nothing to say there. Even the big villain is the same, so it's a little disappointing. But like I said, if I compare to other dramas, this is so much better.

Acting/Characters. Not excellent, but great. Everyone did their best, and even the emotional scenes of both FL and ML were believable. There weren't any over the top acting as well, except when needed. I loved the supporting characters, my favorite being the ML's dad. He's funny af. Also, I loved seeing their father and son interaction. They make me giggle every-time they act out something. Also, Jinyan was also cool. She's a woman who wanted freedom. Being confined in the palace all her life, she is thirsty of adventure. ML is a happy-go-lucky youth that didn't have any character development all throughout the show, but he's funny. Well, not just him, everyone didn't have any character development, so yeah. But then again, like I said, this is a drama not to be taken at face value. Just enjoy the funny moments.

There were so much to say because a lot of things happened, but I won't narrate the entire story, otherwise, what would be the point? What I can say is, give this show a chance.

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One of 2020's best mystery dramas

This was a very interesting watch. The suspense and mystery kept going and didn't die down like most of other mystery-based shows. The length of the show is just right too. There are no draggy moments and each episode was filled with action and second guessing. Towards the end of the show when Mr. Bai had that monologue of 'some secrets are better kept hidden in death', I already knew who Jian Bu Zhi was. This just got more interesting when it was revealed at the end. What's in store for season 2? Will past events continue to haunt our ML? I'm sure it will. The more important question is how will he face the past, especially if everything he knew about himself were all lies? Also, I feel really sad for Mingyue and Zhao Wo Huan. They deserved a happy ending. It's true, MY wasn't Zhan Shi Qi. She's a child of the killing sect. But still, she is also a person, and she is entitled to make her own decisions. She chose to go back to her world, because unlike ZSQ, she has real responsibilities. I want to know what will become of them in the next season.

I want to say more about the...

Acting. They're all pretty good. The main leads and supporting roles all acted pretty great. Facial expressions were all on point and there wasn't any over-the-top performances.

Dubbing. You know, there are great shows but with terrible dubbing and that makes the viewing experience become terrible as well (yes, I'm looking at you, General and I). But this show was really great, I haven't seen any flaw in the dubbing. I loved all the VAs.

Wuxia. It was OK.Although it wasn't the best, it was passable and it was actually better than most wuxia shows. The fighting scenes weren't exaggerated and there weren't many slow motions.

Music. Oh the music is perfection. The opening music is very fitting, very suspenseful. The ending song, See You by Liu Qin pierced though my very soul. It's now on repeat in my playlist.

Direction. I haven't seen anything that I can point out as a flaw. I think it was directed meticulously, and I'm sure they also put in a lot of effort in the post production to make it perfect.

Cinematography. There weren't any breathtaking scenes of landscapes and nature, but the filming locations weren't all that bad as well.

Overall, I truly enjoyed watching this show and I'm extremely excited for what's next. I hope I won't wait long.

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This show is at the top of my favorite list

I have watched everything that writer LWJ and director SWH created and I have become a fan since the Reply series. I have trusted their work because everything they created so far were all masterpieces. And so, even before Hospital Playlist started airing, I knew it would be a great show--and I wasn't a bit disappointed.

I won't comment on the obvious, because the writing and directing was undoubtedly top quality. I would want to commend the ensemble cast who did excellent work in making the characters alive. They felt like real people and their friendship and human interaction were so life-like. Every scene touched me. Every micro expression tells a story. Every band practice inspired me. Every karaoke moment reminded me of my friends.

This is a story about friendship and the road to life. It tells me that at 40, I can still make life-changing decisions and it's still not too late to find love.

I have so much love for this show. So much respect to the production team who gave us a show worth watching.

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