Reviews

I enjoyed this it. I probably shouldn't have, but I read some reviews before I finished watching it and it was kind of hard to not let it influence how critically I watched the last episodes. I am surprised at how strongly a lot of people dislike this drama. I guess this is one that you either like or really, really hate.

The main thing I really liked about this drama is that it perfectly captures the magic of falling in love with someone - when even the most mundane moments in everyday life feel more special and and exciting. You feel it when you watch this drama. The first half of the drama treats viewers to lots of happy romantic heartwarming scenes. There's nothing really dramatic or extraordinary about it. There's not a lot of setup. You just get to see lots of scenes of them being nice to each other and enjoying each others company and in lots of dramas those scenes are so rare because there is so much conflict and setup usually. It's the opposite of that in this drama.

The lead characters are just regular people - not perfect. (Though Jung Seon is an unrealistically nice boyfriend- which is probably one of the main reasons I enjoyed watching their romance so much.) Both have their issues and make mistakes. Hyun Soo is prickly and indecisive. Jung Seon has insecurities. They are making their way through life and career challenges - nothing over the top.

The downside may be that there isn't a whole lot of conflict. It's about finding love, then overcoming the obstacles of everyday life or personality conflicts that get in the way. A lot of the conflict falls into stereotypes. There is the rich CEO, the jealous friend and the disapproving parents that get thrown in there to mess with the couple. But these stereotypes are all given more of a normal realistic twist than in most dramas, so conflicts resolve in a low key fashion as most things do in real life. Many people might find that boring and anti-climactic.

For a relatively simple story, the drama is stretched out too long into 40 episodes when it probably could have been told better in half that amount. Many scenes especially in the last half of the drama felt kind of like filler. But having said all this I personally wasn't bored. I enjoyed all the simple happy scenes. There is a dreamy, soft-focus vibe that permeates the whole drama that I found pleasant and relaxing, like sitting quietly and sipping hot cocoa.

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This has all the elements for melodrama, from story to character graphs. The story, along with the poster image of the couple with the cute boy is what initially interested me in the drama.

The drama delivers on the story. The characters are interesting and even those we come to dislike are shown to have a different side to them.

Through most of the series, you feel sorry for the male lead, for what he goes through. But, in a gratifying sense, when he figures it all out, his reaction and the questions he asks are the very same ones that's been running in our mind until then.
The kid is very cute and has been used to obvious advantage throughout.

Another character that leaves an impression is that of Guang Xi's mother who is antagonistic from the beginning but gets a 180degree change in character later on.

The one problem I had with this drama is that I didn't like the character of the female lead for almost all of the drama. Most of the time, Mu Cheng acted like a damsel in distress, like she needed saving from someone or something. There was some level of sincerity to the character in the first part of the drama which is lost and I couldn't recover it in the latter half. I think all the lies and denial got to me.

The actors (save for the female lead for lack of expressions) are pretty good. The photogenic moments they show in the OST are beautiful but aren't really very significant moments in the drama itself.

The drama in all is very watchable for the situations and overall feel.

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First off, I'd like to just say that the summary does not do this drama justice. This isn't simply a cliché mystery drama the likes of all the rest. While the pacing is drawn out for the short 9 episodes, I never once felt like it was too slow or boring in any way.

Story:

I give the story a solid 8.5 or 9. It wasn't overly complex or mindblowing, however the writing was wonderful and full of emotion that most dramas neglect or don't bring out. I believe that the main focus in this show was to delve into the more psychological and highlight the relationships between people, and while yes there is some mystery, it wasn't very difficult to figure anything out. More important than solving the mystery was understanding why or what brought the people to this point. Especially important was the relationship between Sakaki and Torii--a friendship so beautiful I felt myself moved on several occasions, something very rare for me.

Acting:

The acting, in my opinion, was rather well done. While I've seen Inoue Masahiro before and therefore had a good idea of what to expect, I'd not had the experience of watching Akutsu Shintaro act before. I can definitely say I was impressed by how he portrayed Torii. The awkward movements, the interactions with Sakaki VS. everyone else, and his general appearance were all very believable and made me want to see even more from him.

Music:

It's difficult to say how good the music was based on the quality alone. However, it absolutely served its purpose. During the narrative scenes, it really increased the impact of the words and made me feel more strongly what was being said or spoken about. Instead of getting lost in the background or distracting from the beautiful script, it enhanced it. I really enjoyed it.

Rewatch:

Maybe in future I will rewatch this, though I don't think the impact will be as strong the second time around. However, simply to see Sakaki and Torii together again, I think I would definitely come back to this someday.


Overall I highly recommend this to most viewers. If you are a big mystery buff, I don't think this will be the best drama for you (the mysteries themselves aren't all that complex), but if you want to watch something quick and simple that isn't about all the usual drama tropes with a decent psychological theme, I would highly encourage all to give it a try.

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Decent drama adaptation

> STORY
Given that the drama was set to have 10 episodes, I understand that there would be a lot to fit in if they were going to do an adaptation of a webtoon that has over 140 chapters. Still, I did hope that the changes they make would fit in such a way that the drama would make sense even for those who have not read the webtoon. In this case, well... Let's just say that the 'Sweet Home' drama adaptation is like a "longer movie adaptation" of the webtoon. I expected it to be very fast-paced all throughout, but I did find that there were times where it felt a bit slow.

The story, as they have changed it slightly, I felt was lacking and a bit all-over the place. Even when I knew that some bits were similar from the webtoon, I still couldn't help but feel a bit confused. First of all, why the hell are there so many surviving tenants in a 10 episode about humans being hunted by their desires? You would expect that with having too many characters to pay attention to that each of them has their own story to tell. But because of the episode limitation, a whole lot of the characters have not been to fleshed out -- even the supposed main characters themselves. If this was going to happen, I would much rather that they got rid of others quickly either by being consumed by their desires, killed by the other tenants, or eaten by the monsters. If this were a zombie movie where the bitten humans become zombies themselves right after, I wouldn't mind at all because we all know how that would go down.

My point is that the story is meant to be different in that the cause of the chaos in their world is psychological and emotional, which therefore means that having a deeper connection with the characters might weigh a lot more. (Because yes, we did get some background story and some struggle with some of the characters, but it still somewhat lacking in depth, in my opinion.) This is why I could not help but feel that the drama is a little confused about how it wants to be. Should it be like the other fast-paced zombie/monster pandemic stories? Or should it stay close to the webtoon's story? Or should it be like a mash of the two and a whole lot more? The addition of a new element in the story made it all the more confusing to me -- is the cause of this chaos biological? Psychological? Emotional? Evolutionary? Did someone plot this whole chaos? Was it an accident? Is this about weaponizations? Or what -- is this like COVID??? What is going?? In the end, they have chosen the option of having a possible second season to hopefully try and make sense of whatever happened this season.

> CAST (and MONSTERS)
The story aside, the actors did very well in portraying their roles. Even though the characterisation was lacking, it was still passable and the actors brought some life to their characters that would make you want to cheer for them. I actually thought that the makeup, special effects, and CGI weren't so bad for a drama that tries to bring life to monsters. Very good effort! If anyone is not a fan of horror, it would be best to skip those monster bits.

There was enough action in this 10-episode drama and while I was hoping for more monsters, what they have given us was enough. You wouldn't be disappointed in this aspect. I also liked the setting that they've chosen to be the Green Roof Apartments and the details that went into it; each apartment and their tenants have different stories after all. (This is why I was hoping that if they were to adapt this particular story that either 1. They spread it out in different seasons -- but given the costs for this to even be adapted, I highly doubt they'll go for this route. 2. They write it in such a way that makes sense for a 10-episode drama.)

> MUSIC
As for the music, I feel that they could have chosen better? I mean... I do not mind 'Warriors' by Imagine Dragons, but I just thought that they really had plenty of other songs to choose from? I don't know, I think it's just me. Other than that, the music sound effects and such were not too bad.

> Would I watch this again?
I wouldn't mind watching it again, it was a fun ride watching it the first time :)

> Would I recommend this drama to others?
Yes, especially if you like monsters and zombies films/dramas. Also the quality and acting in this drama is good! It would not disappoint you. (Unless of course, you are like me who is reading too much into trying to make sense of the story then... Well... It's up to you!)

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I liked Sword and Flower aka Blade and Petal, but it's not for everyone. Though the romantic couple were important, romance was not. The driving force in this drama is a combination of revenge, political intrigue, and of course backstabbing. All 3 were done well. There was much about the production including the sword fights that reminded me of a Spaghetti Western or Wuxia series. It was a very good production with few glaringly obvious contiunity problems. I appreciated the cinematography espcially the angles and shots in a few scenes, the staging, and the costuming. The cast is good and solid, Even No Min Woo's (who seriously needs to gain weight) overacting of the crazy was entertaining. I think the supports, especially Choi Min Soo, Kim Sang Ho, and Ohn Joo Wan carried the series. The ending was lacklustre and strange, but appropriate with the somewhat artsy vibe of the series. Admittedly, it should have been different, but I guess they wanted to pay hommage to Shakespeare.

What I didn't like was the romance. The leads weren't charasmatic and lacked chemistry. They both were much better in scenes with other actors. Together, they were annoying. Uhm Tae Woong is a much better actor than what he was in this. They introduced a couple of really great characters in the last few episodes that should have been introduced earlier. The series would have been the better for it. A few scenes could have been a little tighter and crisper.

All in all, I am glad I watched Blade & Petal. I was looking for revenge & fighting and I got it. I would rewatch scenes, but not the entire series. If you read a synopsis and thought it would follow the classic Romeo & Juliet path with romance seeping out of it's pores, go back and read it again because you missed something. If you appreciate a talented cast and good (not great but good) writing, and a production in it's totality, give it a whirl.

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I just finished writing another review where I wrote that there aren't many kdramas with strong female characters. Now I seem like a liar because this drama is yet another example of a kdrama with a strong female character. The character in this drama goes through so much yet she is never weak or defeated. The thing I love the most is she isn't dumb. She catches on to things and even though the things she finds out are heartbreaking and I am sure they are things she wishes didn't happen yet she doesn't let her emotions cloud her judgment. She stands up for herself and she doesn't let herself be a victim instead she owns up to her mistakes and she takes responsibility for them. She doesn't want people to see her as helpless yet she isn't afraid to ask for help even from someone she hates. Why? Because she has a goal and will do whatever it takes to reach that goal. I could continue my lovefest for this character but I will move on. Don't get me wrong though she isn't perfect and I didn't want to watch a drama with a sacrificing woman but the way the story develops and the characters grow make it worth it.The character development for all of these characters was great. No one ever changes so much that you are left wondering what happened. Everything is a process and a well done process at that. The actors were great and every week I was left waiting for the next week to come. Before the last episodes the writer of this drama said that the ending would be something totally unexpected and trust me it really was. I was always on here commenting after every episode and not one of us predicted that ending. Best kdrama of the year, sorry Master's Sun.

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A good drama to watch if you love dramas which are more realistic

This is not a drama where a prosecutor fights for justice or to clear someone's name. No prosecutor runs to catch a criminal or do some great investigation to solve an unsolved mysterious case. This is just an ordinary story where you can see daily lives of prosecutors working while glued to their desks. I loved this so much because it exactly did what it said in the synopsis. It was like peeking into a prosecutor office of a small town. And I loved how they kept everything within the office and didn't get into the personal life of the prosecutors and turning it as a family drama. The only problem I had with this series was that it was very episodic. Thankfully, they didn't take each case to solve per week like a detective series but showed various problems / cases of the prosecutors in each episode. I loved those non-elite team of department 1 and how Prosecutor Cha mingled with them. The comedy was not overly done which would have spoiled the entire show for me and I loved the flow of the drama which was slow but not draggy.

Things that I enjoyed:
1. Usually in these kind of dramas we always have an ML who is always right and wins all the time in an argument and FL who eventually learns from him. Here the scenarios were totally different. And I love how they portrayed Cha Myung Ju and Lee Sun Woong.
2. There's no unnecessary or forced romance between the leads just because they are leads.
3. Supporting actors were amazing and they made the drama much better
4. Love scenes between Jung Woo and Mi Ran were super cute though it was short.
5. Being a life genre drama I worried about some draggy melo parts but there were none. The comedy aspects of the drama (though it's very little) made the drama very refreshing.

Things that I didn't love:
1. I know it's not a thriller and didn't expect a fast paced story but sometimes the drama felt too slow
2. There isn't any structure that connects the whole story and it mostly felt episodic. So, as the drama progressed there were times that it felt aimless.
3. Could have given the supporting characters more time and explored them even more.
4. The power battle between the leads was entertaining at the beginning but felt annoying at some point.

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When the episodic format was both the best and the worst part of the show.

This is a drama made for all the fans of friendship, bromance, male and female friendships, discussions on the topic of loss and how to deal with it, presented in an easy to digest manner. For all that love great acting and good on screen chemistry. Viewers who like to accompany the characters on their journey to figure out who they are, what they like, what they are good at and who and what they care about. Do you fit in the group? It’s more than likely you will enjoy it.

The best aspect of the drama was easily Tseng Jing Hua’s performance and Pu Yi Yong’s character. There is so much depth in that performance. The best part? The gaze. Depending on the situation Jing Hua was able to completely change the way he looked at people and things, and clearly show the viewers all the emotions the character was feeling. With all the hardships he had to go through after the coma and newly discovered "skills" - we were presented with a strong, but also vulnerable lead.

Yi Yong, Guang Yan and Chu Ying became one of the most entertaining trio I have watched this year. Distinctive personalities which at first seem not to mash up well, created a mix one cannot resist and ends up loving. Yi Yong being the most empathic, Guang Yan - smart and genuine, and Chu Ying driven and motivated, three characters perfectly fitting into a well known trope of “heart, brain and muscle”, but at the same time being more than the two-dimensional trope.

While the separate cases of the spirits and their stories were great and had surprisingly a lot of depth and detailed background, I cannot say the same about the overall arc and plot. And that was my biggest issue - I enjoyed the show when I was watching, but I did not feel the urgent need to check the new episodes as they aired.

Most of the longer plotlines were not elaborated and explored enough and the set up to the conclusion was weak. They dropped some information here and there, but they did not diversify the hints enough. You need to literally cut out and paint your own puzzle pieces to truly create a full picture in your head. There are a lot of great revelations in the last episode, but they would be far more impactful if they were spread in time a bit. Instead of dropping all that’s important in the last episode, how about showing bits and pieces in the earlier episodes? Sounds like a more engaging storytelling method.

Basically - they opened with a really elaborate set up for the characters and their backgrounds, then we get close to nothing for most of the show, just to be hit with a tsunami of information by the end…

As I said earlier, Tseng Jing Hua’s performance was one of the best aspects of the drama, but truth to be told, the whole cast did a phenomenal job. Big props to Jack Yao, who played my favorite spirit.

The production was amazing. Brilliant styling and design for all the spirits - all unique in their own way. Everything just created a cohesive and believable picture, which is honestly not that easy to do, when your show has so many fantasy elements.

All the calligraphy scenes? Pure perfection! From the acting of Tseng Jing Hua (again, how the character’s gaze changed each time he picked up the brush just gave me goosebumps), to the design of the whole process, up to the CGI and camera work!

Overall, great drama that slightly missed the target to be an unforgettable beautiful journey.

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A drama full of cliché elements done right!

Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi is an adaptation of the manga of the same name, which I haven't read, so my review is from the point of view of a person who is not comparing the drama to its original work.
What is the main trope involved you ask? Fake Marriage!
Do we have plenty of dramas in dramaland of the same trope? Yes! Definitely!
Even then, is this drama still worth watching? YES! ABSOLUTELY!

The drama can be categorized as a breezy watch, with all the cliché tropes present (fake marriage, first loves, rich man/(comparatively) poor woman etc.) but what really sets it apart is its acting and script. The actors succeeded in involving the audience (at least me) with their characters. I felt the emotions that they were feeling , especially the main leads, Ayaka's tears, Togo's micro-expressions added so much more depth to the emotions... I basically laughed with them, got embarrassed with them, felt sad for them etc. The chemistry of the main couple makes you root for them and the friendship and family moments are really heart-warming.
As is implied earlier, the story is pretty cliché but the script is well-written and really fun. I smiled through most of the episodes and waiting a week for the new episode was honestly a torture! The drama really puts your mind at ease as all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the episode (without a lot of thinking).
The drawback would be:
Was the last episode a little lackluster? Yes.
Was the last episode disappointing? To an extent, yes. It felt as if something was missing.
What about the last 15 minutes of the last episode? It kind of redeemed itself.
But was the last episode enough to destroy the enjoyment felt throughout the drama? NO! I am usually someone who lowers the rating significantly if the ending, in my pov, is messed up. That's because a bad ending makes the entire drama very insignificant and unmemorable to me. But even though Ousama's finale episode was a little disappointing, the good parts of the drama are so damn memorable that I probably won't be forgetting this drama anytime soon.
I am not usually a fan of rewatching shows, but I can definitely see myself coming back and rewatching the drama for Togo and Ayaka.

Conclusion: DEFINITELY WORTH WATCHING!
(Just because I liked it, doesn't mean you will too. But I can say with confidence, that its a drama worth giving a chance!)

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You either Love or Hate this drama - I love it and I hope you do as well

Completed: 9/19/2022

I 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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This show was recommended to me by a Japanese friend. Reading the synopsis and her summary of it, it seemed like an entertaining and funny love story. And that was what it was.

One of the aspects that stood out in this show was the acting. Ayase Haruka was fantastic and played her role extremely well. She played a modest and anxious woman who didn't know anything of love. She played the character so that she didn't seem anti-social or obnoxious. From her hurried walk and cute smile to the way she fixed her glasses constantly, the role just fit. The other actors were also very good in this respect, but indeed if I were to especially mention another actor, it would be Tamaki Hiroshi. That man can do anything and have me rooting for him - fantastic role, though it was minor.
The other aspect would be the humour. It's been a while since I've genuinely thought a Japanese drama to be funny, but this one had some especially hilarious scenes and it really brought up the mood when things were getting too serious.

The let-down was more or less the story. At times, it was boring, at other times it was over-the-top. Excessive crying, sudden changes with no warning, plenty of monologues. Also, some of the characters were left very (unfortunately) undeveloped. Asao-san (Tamaki Hiroshi) was a prime example - meant to be the third entry into the so-called 'love triangle' - but really wasn't. He didn't pose any threat whatsoever to the relationship and all in all, was actually a more or less useless character. Another example would be Ooshiro-san (Ryuusuke). He was an interesting character but wasn't focused on at all, which was a pity.

I have watched other romance-comedies with an older female lead and a younger male lead (Last Cinderella, Kimi wa Petto) and this really didn't do the theme justice. Having the sole problem in the relationship being age difference (and the ramifications of that), it wasn't really enough. The age problem was handled fairly well, but I've seen it done better.

Overall it wasn't too bad of a watch, but there were definitely some disappointing parts and I personally would not recommend it to someone else.

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Aside from amnesia, the story of mistaken exchange babies is perhaps one of the most used in drama history especially HERE WHERE I LIVE (PHILIPPINES). So it is mind-boggling how the director makes it FRESH if this was done by some Filipino director there will be lots of crying families cursing each other children became delinquent etc. etc.

The movie is slow, but it is so realistic that you feel you're not watching a movie. I love how the family handles the situation and how the parents realize about themselves when they exchange the child.

IF you don't like a slow artsy movie then it's not for you.
IF you want something different then it's for you.
IF you want to relax and stop thinking about your daily work then it's for you

I don't cry in this movie..this is NOT a tearjerker movie...but the effect will last long.

The scene when a father was holding a camera and browsing at the pictures taken by his 6 yr old former son is what HITS me.

[ koreeda style is this......he will make you walk calmly slowly THEN a f*cking truck
came and hit you in the end, the damage will stay with you for months ].


Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/

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2.5
This was just a seriously bad drama that I watched regardless, cringing all the way through. :/ What can I say...Statutory holiday and pouring outside? One more drama to add to MDL? ....
Maybe Yang Jin Sung did it as a favor? Though she wasn't good here either. How could she be? The male lead definitely needs an acting mentor/coach (he's an ex-boy band member) and the writing/plot? - The leads fiance dies, then he finds her doppelganger and she...Holy smokes! It's what she does and how she/the writing explains away her decision, that I find horrid. Let's see: make-up, lighting, acting, plot..poor, poor, poor and lame. Go on and see for yourself. That's what I always do.
You may disagree with me but I doubt it.

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Emotional drama that uses historical facts as a framework

Before I present a rounded reality check, I want to talk about my basic impressions.

For this reason, my review is structured as follows:
I. Basis of Interest
II. Expectations
III. Brief synopsis
IV. Impressions
V. Fiction vs. reality
VI. Conclusion

I. Basis of Interest
The drama caught my interest because of two basic factors. First, because of my professional background, I find it exciting to observe how countries deal with their own history in entertainment formats. Especially with a country like China, which is significantly characterized by censorship from the CCP, my own curiosity in terms of historical reappraisal is very high. For this reason, I particularly watch productions from all kinds of countries about the war past, since the genre itself is characterized by an emphasized patriotism and reveals the character of coming to terms with the past.
Secondly, since I would describe myself as a fan of the actor Hu Yi Tian, this production offered me the opportunity to combine my professional interest with my hobby.

II. Expectations
To be honest, I started the Drama with few expectations. Especially after I read some devastating comments on MDL. However, I gave little importance to "the drama promotes communism" (it's a Chinese drama produced for the chinese market, what do you expect?) and "Hu Yi Tian is a bad actor" (I see it differently, but tastes differ). Other comments accusing it of falsifying history made me fear the worst. However, since in my opinion every country has the right to tell its own story, I prepared myself to watch the drama critically. Now, before the unimaginative accusation of being a fangirl comes up again, I'll just say this: even if I'm a fan of an actor, that doesn't mean I like all of his work. However, it encourages me to give a project a chance and make a fair judgment.

III. Brief synopsis
The fictional drama fundamentally focuses on the years between 1937 and 1945, a point in time that not only encompasses the Second Sino-Japanese War aka Asian-pacific war, but is set directly between the 1st and 2nd phases of the Chinese Civil War. The plot focuses on three academic families from two generations and the experiences of fighter pilots. While the academics resist the Japanese assimilation policy to rewrite Chinese history with science, the soldiers experience the war from the air and through the decisions of the Kuomintang national government. The drama thus tells a story of escape, resistance, personal fates, political changes and the trauma of war through a small group of people. They also fall in love, but this is not the focus of the drama. While the characters' experiences are fictional, the series uses scientifically proven historical events as the framework of the narrative. Due to the chronological placement in the area of tension between nationalists and communists, this conflict is directly addressed and provides an answer to the question of why communism was able to grow in China in the first place.

IV. Impressions
The script surprised me in a positive way. The diverse characters are written very entertainingly and make empathizing very easy. I liked all the love stories and the friendships very much. While I'm used to getting a lot of filler episodes in Chinese dramas, I didn't get that impression here. The show kept me very entertained from start to finish. Surprisingly, I found the idea of using Chinese history with the Wu Ding bone to be very appealing on a linguistic level. The physics professor was just entertaining and offered a lot of humor. Being less of a fan of pronounced patriotic attitudes, I was surprised by the comprehensibility of the soldiers' decisions. In addition, I was very enthusiastic about the settings and the music, which completely catapulted me into the action of the drama. Since the series takes many historical facts as background, I always checked the actual scientifically proven background when I had my own uncertainties and therefore took my time watching. Overall, I was very surprised that the Japanese were not drawn more negatively due to the extremely negative occupation past. The theme of communism and nationalism was recurring and only made sense. It would have been odd not to mention this, as it is a defining element of this time. However, as a viewer, I had less the impression that I was to be convinced of the political system than to learn about Chinese history from the Chinese perspective and to learn about its roots. To be honest, after all the negative comments, I was extremely pleasantly surprised at how closely the drama adheres to real facts that are also accepted in Western science. I had absolutely not expected that. But more about that in the next point. One must not forget that the drama was produced as an entertainment element and not as a documentary! Moreover, the series does not offer more or less propaganda than contemporary Chinese series. The only difference is that communism is the theme of the story and does not come through the back door as in fantastic dramas or dramas set in the present. If this bothers you, you should stay away from Chinese dramas completely.
As for the casting, I thought it was very successful from young to old. Although I watched the series as a Hu Yi Tian fan, I have to admit that he could have been a bit more on point in (1) moments where he has to show weakness and (2) clearly emotional moments. Since he is very tall and slim, he seemed very stiff in the uniform. However, nothing has changed in my fan position. I actually think it's very good that he's trying out new genres and growing from them.

V. Fiction vs. Reality
Given that the core of the review is focused on a drama and not a scholarly treatise, I will only address the basic topics that are relevant to the era. If anyone is interested in scientific papers about it, feel free to write to me and I'll give you links for further reading.

Historical background
In 1930, the Central Plains War broke out across China, involving regional commanders who had fought in alliance with the Kuomintang during the Northern Expedition, and the Nanjing government under Chiang. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) previously fought openly against the Nanjing government after the Shanghai massacre of 1927, and they continued to expand during this civil war. The Kuomintang government in Nanjing decided to focus their efforts on suppressing the Chinese Communists through the Encirclement Campaigns, following the policy of "first internal pacification, then external resistance".
The Second Sino-Japanese War refers to the all-out war waged by the Japanese in China, which began on July 7, 1937 and lasted until September 9, 1945. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, U.S. entry into the war, it was a stage of the Asian-Pacific War and thus part of World War II.

Fiction
All experiences of the characters are fictional. The greatest creative freedom is given to the selflessness of the soldiers. In the post-war analysis, scholars agree that the Chinese armed forces during the war were said to have not only weak combat morale, but also significantly weakened due to the corrupt government that hindered any organization. Thus, the airmen of the drama are not representative of the spirit of the times! In fairness, this situation is actually addressed in the form of a word fight in the series, even if it is only a subordinate clause. As for the scientific theme in the form of archaeologists and linguists, I cannot make a statement. However, there has been resistance to the Japanese assimilation policy in all Japanese-occupied countries. The question is to what degree this was actually successful.
The individual fates of the characters and their personal character developments as well as political perspectives are representative of the zeitgeist of a limited group. (Keyword: preparation for the second phase of the Chinese civil war)

Reality
The drama directly addresses crucial stages of war. The Mukden Incident. The Nanjing Massacre. The Battle of Shanghai and much more. It is not so much the case that the characters are always on the spot, but more learned from the newspapers or from people they know. While all the characters are constantly moving through the country, the historical events give the narrative a chronological framework.
Because of the timing between the first two phases of the Chinese civil war, the following elements are correctly addressed:
- weak, corrupt national government (Kuomintang)
- secret organization of communists at the rural level
- the government's failure to act in the face of the Japanese invasion (failure to declare war, recall of combat units, government's proportional cooperation with Japan, leaving the population alone despite military force, weak government, etc.)
- strengthened resistance and growth of communist ideology within the people in response to the weak government (of course, there were Chinese resistance movements during the war - even if they were not nearly as successful as they wanted to be - and later led directly to civil war immediately after the Second Sino-Japanese War)
- the attitude of the nationalist government to prefer the fight against communists instead of fighting against the Japanese (in the drama, the official armistice between communists and nationalists between 1937 and 1945 is clearly addressed, but also said that the nationalists did not adhere to it - sad fact)
- the support of both the American and British governments is mentioned again and again
- the poor equipment of the Chinese combat troops and the lack of coordination even after official entry into the war is a decisive factor for the growth of communist conviction within patriotic-minded individuals
- the drama does not say at any point that the war was won by the Chinese resistance alone. In fact, it reports on the successes of the Allies and limits the resistance issue to the threat to the small group in view of the Wu Ding bone evaluation.
- in the end, the drama emphasizes that due to the experiences of war, communist ideology was also spread through universities and the communists won the civil war
- in some places the >white terror< is mentioned, which later also became decisive for the history of Taiwan and which since the Taiwanese democratization and reform belongs to the successfully overcome, dark past (at this point I would like to take the opportunity to emphasize how much respect I have for taiwanese development)
- a lot of patriotism and nationalism (resistance = communist attitude)
Thus it can be said that the drama makes use of basic historical facts and processes them superficially. As is typical of the war genre, there is a lot of pathos and love of the fatherland presented. However, this is an element that can be found in worldwide productions about one's own history. The drama will convince you less of the fact that communism is good. In fact, it shows you more how communism was able to gain power.
At this point, it should be emphasized once again that it is a fictional drama and serves the entertainment. If something seems strange to you, I can only encourage you to look critically and check facts.

VI. Conclusion
I liked the drama very much. It knows how to entertain at every point and offers an emotional portrait of people in times of war. Although the tension between communists and nationalists is a recurring theme, it does not dominate the drama. In addition, nationalists are not portrayed as mere villains, but as people with their own beliefs and values. In addition, I found it interesting that survival guilt is also addressed and is often neglected. The insight is definitely exciting and thrilling with you. If you take a critical look at the drama and are open to a fictional show that presents you with limited facets of war, then I can only encourage you to give the drama a chance. In my opinion, it is worth watching.

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