I know there are so many reviews out there already and I’m about a year late, but I still felt the need to write this review, even if nobody is going to see it. I think this will be a long review, but I hope it is worth your time.

I’ve watched so many romance dramas, and I will not lie when I say that they made me have some tad bit of hope in love. But this show hit me differently. I don’t exactly know why, but I think it is because it’s realistic and based off the author’s life experience that I’m compelled to see such beauty in it, that if such a love story exists, then there’s some hope in this world. This show didn’t only change my perspective on what romance is, but also made me appreciate the relationships with my family and friends. Without them, I think life would be much harder than it already is.

I want to bring the attention to our main couple’s relationship. Some may think it’s long and draggy and that the push and pull between the leads is frustrating, but I personally felt that it was the angst and the long period of not being able to be together that made the relationship so strong in the end. I would have have long condemned this if it were real life, I would have sniggered at someone’s inability to let go of the one they like and I would have laughed, because I would have believed it was mere foolery. Truthfully, there were only three reasons why I started on the show. One is because I am a sucker for push and pull relationships - for the right reasons, not the toxic ones. The second is because of the OST ‘我只喜欢你 (I Only Like You)’ by Hu Xia - I have been listening to it non-stop for months and even sang it at every single karaoke session I’ve gone for. The third is because I thought Zhang Yujian (Yan Mo) was cute.

But so many reasons - I don’t know where to start - made me finish the show in 3 short days. I particularly really loved our female lead Qiaoyi’s character. In her, I saw youth and naivety, but I also saw strength in forgiving and letting go. She is different from her brother Guanchao. He is a big flirt who is filled with the confidence that Qiaoyi lacks, but he also struggles with holding grudges from a traumatised childhood. While he is what she isn’t, she is also what he isn’t. Both brother and sister seek to bring out the best in each other, by being their strength in hard times. And this is something that truly touches me.

Yan Mo, our male lead, is cold, aloof, and doesn’t get along with anyone. He is independent, and has great confidence in his abilities and is strict in discipline. What I particularly liked seeing is that while Qiaoyi is the complete opposite of Yan Mo, she doesn’t exactly change his personality. Yes, he begins to become affectionate towards her, and cares for her all the time, but she doesn’t take away the traits of him that makes Yan Mo who he is. He still primarily remains strict and aloof, and I think that is what makes him charming. Qiaoyi doesn’t change Yan Mo, but she brings out the warmth in him, and becomes a beacon of support in crucial times. I hope I made sense here.

Family. Something that we have, but all too often we neglect and fail to appreciate. Qiaoyi and Guanchao’s mother and step-father are perhaps the cutest pair of parents I have ever seen. I especially loved the relationship that they had with their step-father. He is the most loving and supportive father that the twins can ever have, and he brings so much happiness to their mother. I think in that household, he is the shining light - so precious, so bright and so amazing. One of my favourite scenes was when their step-father told their mother that he wants to be the one to walk Qiaoyi down the aisle on her wedding day. Truly, it brought tears to my cold rotten self. Love that guy.

Okay I’m gonna stop here. I’m so overwhelmed writing this review. I feel like crying. Dammit just watch it. You will not regret it, I promise you.

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Truly don’t think this movie is worth the watch.

I’ve just finished this movie a second ago and I’m currently typing this review as the credits are rolling. There are so many flaws in this movie and these are flaws that don’t make the movie beautiful in any way. I’d advise you to watch another movie and just skip this one because you’re never getting back those 2 hours.

First, they could have really done a better job with the casting. Nothing’s wrong with the actors individually, but something was definitely wrong when you placed them both together. It took about 30 minutes for us to realise who was Lead 1 and Lead 2 (or more specifically, it was only when one of them grew their hair out that I realised it) because they literally looked the same and should’ve passed off as siblings instead. By the way, I am Chinese too and yes I find that they looked ALIKE.

Second, a lot of the scenes in the movie just didn’t really make sense. It felt like the director decided to just lump a few RANDOM scenes and make it into a movie. Some parts of the movie just... didn’t need to be there because it contributed to nothing. It just felt like an amateur had produced this movie and nobody’s questioning it. Most scenes weren’t even interesting and I felt that I had to force myself to sit through the whole thing.

Third, I guess this is just how teenage boys act, but half the time I’m just seeing angsty teenage boys screaming and yelling at each other. Like yeah I guess that’s reality but please don’t over add it into the show. It was so tiring to watch it.

Fourth, ending song was beautiful and I would’ve given it a 10/10.... only if they also didn’t mess up the rest of the soundtrack. Nothing wrong with the music, but something was real wrong with the way it was put into the show. Half the show was just intense classical music in the background to add on to the dramatic atmosphere of the show. What for?!?! It wasn’t even needed! Please do a better job and don’t overdo it.

I’m just kinda speechless right now as to what have I just watched. Was pretty excited because it seemed like it would be promising but this movie really doesn’t deserve a good rating. Nothing was satisfying about the show (not in terms of ending but in terms of how everything was pieced together) and it’s one that will easily be erased from your memory.

Big question marks everywhere..........

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There’s so many things I want to talk about - it is too overwhelming! As a fan of the novel myself, I would say this show was definitely not a disappointment! But it was not something I was extremely satisfied with either. I’d like to first focus on the acting - Dilireba and Gao Weiguang nailed it. They reprised their roles so well; I can proclaim with conviction that no one other than the two of them are suited to play the roles of Bai Fengjiu and Donghua Dijun respectively. It was like they were born to do this. The chemistry between the two of them was flawless, interactions were extremely engaging - suddenly I don’t know whether it’s Donghua’s character in particular that made it so fun, or Fengjiu’s reactions to him, or was it their acting... but all in all, it’s something that brings colour to the screen and warmth to your hearts.

Other than the leads, I think generally everyone else was okay, not exactly super fantastic, but definitely watchable. However there were one or two minor characters who really bothered me with their acting - I shall not name, but it was very painful to watch them on screen, hence I brought the acting down to a 9.0.

For the story line, I actually really love it. Like all Chinese fantasy dramas, it is dramatic, and I’m a sucker for that. It generally followed the flow of the novel, so I’m pretty satisfied with that. Some minor details changed here and there, but don’t let it bother you. The story is actually rather intense, but there were many light-hearted moments too, so it balances out pretty well. Don’t worry! It’s not really a show that will drive you to the wall (like palace dramas haha), so just relax and enjoy everything.

The music was good. I personally enjoyed it. But you know, having heard TMOPB’s iconic ending song for so many times, I couldn’t help but expect an OST that would shake the charts. There wasn’t any that was up to that level unfortunately, but that’s alright! The music is still enjoyable nonetheless, shoutout to Zhang Bichen!

Now I’ll briefly talk about the production of the show. Like many others, I’ve watched TMPOB and I had high expectations for ELOD, since it was a so-called sequel to that. But I was disappointed with the production of the show. When I look back, everything felt rushed. It wasn’t the story that was rushed (ok other than the last few episodes which literally flew by so quick... they could’ve taken it slower!!!), it was the production value. Filming was quite sloppy - very often the camera was shaky. CGI was also awkward, but then again that’s Chinese fantasy dramas for you - we can’t expect Hollywood CGI or something. I guess this is actually a pretty minor point, but just wanted to point it out.

Overall, this show was definitely fun and didn’t disappoint me at all. Other than the production value, I think everything was amazing. Now would in watch this again? Definitely, but not all parts. I still go back occasionally to rewatch some cute scenes between the leads. It’s really enjoyable, I cannot help but want to watch it over and over again. I might be a little biased because I absolutely adore the DongFeng couple, but I really really hope I can convince you to give this show a shot.

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I haven't been able to complete a show in a long time, so having completed 2521, I've come to a realisation as to how special this experience has been and it's one that I will perhaps never forget.

I guess Korean dramas serve as an escape from the mundane routine-based lives we've always been living, so if we can't have an ideal story, then why not these shows paint the perfect endings for us then? ...Except that 2521 isn't your cliche Korean drama that follows the conventions of two leads ending up together. We're torn by the fact that Heedo and Yijin don't end up marrying each other and spending the rest of their lives together, but I think as viewers, we've always been too focused on what entails as a happy conclusion that we've compromised the experiences we've been blessed with along the way. This ends up momentarily blinding our judgement as to whether it's a good or a bad show.

The greatest blessing I've been able to take away from this series is watching the characters discover for themselves what they want in life. Life is unpredictable and at times, so cruel, demanding and even unforgiving. Very often we lose ourselves in the midst of our battles. Not everyone has the strength or the luck to see light at the end of the tunnel, but for Yijin, he's lucky to have found hope in Heedo. Through Heedo, he has gained the strength to recreate a future for himself that he once had seemingly lost, and now he's regained the ability to smile and laugh. And for Heedo, Yijin is someone who has helped to create a new world. A new world where she was able to draw her own paths, dictate her own life, and ultimately shine as a star athlete.

Watching Heedo and Yijin guide each other was perhaps the most beautiful takeaway from 2521. They have formed a love so deep that I doubt will ever dissipate, despite both having headed their own separate ways. 2521 has taught me that, well, perhaps you don't need romance to prove that your love is stronger than anything else. They may no longer be in love, but they've taught each other to find love and strength in other experiences. Isn't that just so worth everything we've experienced together with them? It would truly be a blessing of a lifetime to have had someone like that in life.

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I’ve been a huge fan of its anime adaptation and was initially hesitant about watching the live adaptation because I always thought live adaptations of any anime and manga were all bad but boy I was wrong. Nodame Cantabile the drama series is splendid and simply a joy to watch. One of the best things I enjoyed about the drama is how it really closely followed the flow of the anime/manga, which is something you don’t really see these days in many live adaptations of books, comics or games etc. Staying close to the original flow of events, each scene wasn’t forcibly dragged to make the show longer and nothing unnecessary or unoriginal was added to the show. Everything was just right and because of that, I was extremely drawn into the series and gave it my fullest attention.

As someone who is relatively new to Japanese dramas, it took me awhile to really get used to the exaggerated comedy in Nodame Cantabile that Japanese people seemed to enjoy. Such comedy is not for everyone and it may seem like a throw off to many who are used to more realistic shows, but an episode or two in may be able to warm you up for the rest of the series, so hang in there first!

I’m not a fan of classical music actually and just like Mine from the show, I actually prefer rock, but not once was I bored throughout the series (as well as the anime). In fact, it opened my world a little and I was able to actually appreciate classical pieces that I once found boring. I even have a Spotify playlist of all the pieces played in the show that I occasionally listen to!

This is a show from the 2000s and you can’t expect the best production quality. I’m quite a picky person when it comes to how well the show is produced but the thing is... Nodame Cantabile is so amazing that I totally didn’t care. Please give it a chance, before you decide to drop it.

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I genuinely think of myself to be a little stingy when it comes to rating dramas. No matter how much I like it, if something small throws me off, I might just cap my ratings at 9.5, but for Hospital Playlist, I didn’t hesitate when I rated it 10/10. There is something about this show that makes you happy. During and after your experience, the happiness sticks with you for awhile. It’s been a day since I’ve finished it and I’m feeling very happy. I do hope the happiness sticks with me for a very long time.

Fundamentally, it’s a show about friendship that continues strong after two decades, but it also encapsulates the tough work those in the medical field have to go through daily as well as the pain of the patients and their family members when they have to face a difficult obstacle in their lives, which is to battle an illness. I have watched just a few Korean medical dramas, but because of the genre difference, I was for the first time in Hospital Playlist, rewarded with the opportunity to see for myself just how tough their job is, which other medical dramas seemed to fail to strike it in me. Doctors don’t just study for years and then land themselves in a supposedly good paying job. They don’t just sit there and prescribe each passing patient a random medicine and call it a day. For me, that’s what I’ve always known, but I’ve never really thought much of it and just brushed it off. But Hospital Playlist has excellently portrayed the hectic life of the medical field that made me reconsider my so-called apparent appreciation for those in the medical field. Watching them drop everything they’re doing — be it any meal they’re eating or any destination they’re travelling to — and without hesitation return back to the hospital was something very commendable, because I couldn’t imagine how many times they had to do it and how many plans they had to forgo just for perhaps the smallest malfunction that may not even require immediate attention. But then they would, with patience, return back to their personal lives like it wasn’t anything big. This was what I was rewarded with — the deepest gratitude I could ever have for you doctors, surgeons, nurses, etc. I truly cannot imagine the countless amount of sacrifices made and I’m forever grateful for it.

Of course, this whole fat paragraph I had just written wouldn’t be possible for the actors who have excellently portrayed their respective characters. Our main 5 was amazing and I don’t think anyone else could have played their roles better than they themselves. Fun fact: many of the casts are also theatre actors, and for Jeon Mido who plays Songhwa (one of the main 5), it’s her very first major television role other than 1 or 2 super minor ones and she seriously slayed it! I also want to commend the side characters who did an equally fantastic job. There were many touching moments in the show that rendered me a few drops of tears, but there was one particular scene that truly broke me. It was when Cho Yihyun who plays a female medical student Jang Yunbok, tells Songhwa ‘I miss my mother so much’ and then breaks down in her arms. I wasn’t awe-struck by her acting initially because her roles didn’t seem to have any proper room to truly showcase her skills, but that one line brought out some kind of pain in me I didn’t think I would have had. In that split-second, I suddenly missed my mother more than ever, even though she was just in the room next door sleeping. What I wanted to say is...every actor in Hospital Playlist is deserving of a proper recognition because they have successfully brought the script to life, in a very interesting and enjoyable way, and that’s what makes the show a success.

Hospital Playlist isn’t just a television series. It’s an eye-opener to the daily struggles of different parties, it’s a recipe to everlasting friendship and it’s a form of enlightenment to you, that there is beauty in this world, in small ways that has the potential to amount to a lot when you slowly build it up.

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