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Lazy ending
This is usually my favorite kind of plot: a female lead transported into a novel or the past, so I was genuinely excited, especially since the male lead is quite talented. Unfortunately, while the story had potential, it was painfully slow. I kept watching, hoping it would pick up, but it never did. Nothing about the drama felt exciting, which is disappointing because this type of plot has huge potential to be genuinely funny...and it wasn’t.The ending didn’t help either. I could predict it from miles away, since this isn’t the first Chinese drama to use the “writing the story” loophole to get around the transmigration ban ( wink a dream within a dream which did this way better ). The conclusion felt extremely lazy : “how he comes into her world is a story for another time” just sounds like the writers didn’t know how to end their own script.
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Story: Right or Wrong gives us a lovely storyline that does not actually start with a love line but a main "get to know the life of the characters" plotline. Soon though, it picks up the pace and gives you a lot more than you expected. The story gives you some drama, a lot of funny remarks or conversations (at least I sometimes found them quite funny) but mostly it gives you loveliness...RoW is lovely from beginning to end and when you start you don't wanna stop because the characters grow on you rather quickly. Also it gives us a little unusual storyline for BL series and movies, so that's something new and fresh.
Cast: The cast was a little bit awkward at first but after getting to know the characters better, you start loving them and the awkwardness disappears. The acting is good enough, for me to forget that they are actors and for me to want to know what they will act in next. Also the cast managed to give their own flavour to the characters.
Music: The music was great. I love the ending song!!
Rewatch: Oh yes, definitely. Probably right now ^.^
Overall: Overall the story did not disappoint at all and was interesting and refreshing especially for a BL series. The characters were lovely, the cast did a great job, the music is noticeable and nice to listen to and I definitely love this as much as Obsessed. Well, the expectations for the rest of HIStory 2 are rising...
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The epilogue or continuation to ep 36 and the ending to the series.
If you have watched 36 eps of Word of Honor, then do watch this as it wraps up the series and answers the questions you may have after ep 36. This small episode shows what happened to Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu after we last saw them in the armory. We also get to see Gao Xiao Lian's family. A happy end to the series and for WKX and ZZS. Nice to see them be together and retire from jianghu to teach the future disciples of the rebuilt four season's manor.Ep 36 leaves off with Gao Xiao Lian calling everyone to a meal and here we see Deng Kuan (her husband) come to collect their son for the meal with mother. We see the disciple practicing 18 steps of Qiuming that only WKX knows so he is learning from WKX. ZZS turns up to instruct him and then WKX shows up to disagree with his teaching methods as he tends to do. Deng Kuan then whisks away his confused son, saying that the two of them have been fighting like this their entire lives and says that they are now immortals. In 36 we are shown that Chengling has rebuilt the manor near the ice mountains. So, all of them live nearby. Great that their family of three is still together.
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1Fake it till you make it.
Regeneration is an excellent short suspense thriller. The narrative opens with a reporter He Shan witnessing the kidnapping of her contact Fei Ke. In classic Christie style, five strangers including He Shan are summoned to an island mansion for the reading of Fei Ke's will. They are each asked to share their memories of Fei Ke before the will is read. As implied by the homonym of his name, Fei Ke was not who he appeared to be; he showed a different self to each of them. As they piece together their memories, a complex, disturbing and moving picture of Fei Ke emerges.Jing Boran delivers a compelling portrayal of Fei Ke as a charismatic, amoral "fake it till you make it" kind of character. I don't think any other actor could have evoked such complex and contradictory reactions. At many points in the narrative when I wanted to absolutely despise his Fei Ke, I found myself searching for excuses for him. Yet when I could have and should have empathized with him, I found myself judging him. All of the characters have many layers that peel off like an onion. Like Fei Ke, they all have at least one moment of hesitation before they almost willfully make a fatal, life changing decision that takes them down the path of no return. By the end of this web of lies, the only story that moved me was that of the two lovers star crossed who ended up as collateral damage. Everyone else reaped what they sowed; even Fei Ke who believed his own lies to the point he deceived himself more than anyone else.
The plot pulled me in from the start and kept me wanting more with each reveal. However, at the point of reversal, changes were deliberately made to the original novel plot, likely to avoid book spoilers. I think this was big mistake. As a result, plot holes emerged and the final three episodes did not come together as well as they could have. In the novel, the group gathered because the main antagonist wished to make amends. That is simple, straightforward and easy to understand. In the drama, they gather as a result of a convoluted and rather far fetched revenge plot. Some of the character designs and motives were changed in to make this work. Some of it just didn't make sense as those parties could have achieved their objectives in more direct and effective ways. This is made worse by the melodramatic storm at the end where everyone does silly things for some cheap thrills.
Even though the ending was overly dramatic and could have been more tightly written it was dark and consequential. All things considered, this is a suspenseful and thought provoking watch with many unexpected twists and reversals. And If you need a shallow reason to watch it, Jing Boran looks yummy in every scene. My rating 8.0/10.0.
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As typical as this set up may sound, it's so well done and enjoyable to watch it doesn't matter. I've actually never seen a movie premise like this. Well that's not true. A few years back there was an American movie about a ghost writer helping an author to pen a book but it was done poorly and there is no comparison.
Remember that they are writing an adult comic. There are a lot of sexual references but it's done very tongue in cheek as the female writer is faking 99% of her sexual experience. Most of the graphic sexual images are in fact, in graphic (comic book) form.
Watching Jung Bae get wise to her act...I loved it! Dae Rim is such a character and Jung Bae finds her tough to take at first. But when he begins to draw...it's her face that appears on paper. As the two leads gravitate toward each other and their feelings grow...it's so cute!
Lee Sun Gyun and Choi Gang Hee make a great pair. Able to be comedic and have you believe when they are sincere.
I recommend this movie highly.
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Better than I expected
It is probably the most satisfying liveaction I’ve ever watched. I usually avoid Liveactions as 9 out of 10 LA are so poorly done, and cringey. Part of the reason why I enjoyed this chinese adaption is bc I didn’t read the original manga, but still as a normal sports drama, it exceeded my expectations.STORY
Brilliant!
Previously I watched Chinese adaptation of Prince of Tennis, which was just so-so imo, so I didn’t have high expectations for Hikaru, either. Besides, when I saw posters of Hikaru, they were like some trashy posters for typical bad dramas..
But then I saw so many positive reviews on Douban and here on MDL, so I gave it a try... I am surprised and got hooked. I went into this totally blind so everything was a surprise. I laughed watching those funny moments, and cried so hard while watching sad scenes.
ACTING
Splendid!
Most of them are new faces, I have seen ML in NiF 2 but I haven’t seen other main actors. Some supporting characters are from My Huckleberry Friends, so I am quite familiar with them.
All of them are brilliant. From main character like Shi Guang to minor character like Wu Di, all of them impressed me.
Director’s cameo as Lazy Monk was a pleasant surprise as well.
BROMANCE/FRIENDSHIP
Do you know what’s the best thing about this drama?
Of course, it is bromance and friendship.Friends motivating each other, helping each other out, and the best thing is bringing them out of their darkest moments.
Bromance? This is the best part of drama..
My favorite two characters are Chu Ying and Hong He. Ofc I loved Shi Guang.
MUSIC
I noticed that some songs are quite good, but I haven’t fully listened to them. But ending song was nice.
So here are some SPOILERS...( If you haven’t watched, pls don’t read)
I have some small complaints;
1.Hong He quitting Go?
It is a little disappointing, with many obstacles he has gone through to become a professional player. He just quitted like that? And from his dad’s expressions, I can tell that his dad wants him to continue playing..
It is quite a relief that Shi Guang said he will continue persuading Hong He
So the drama should have given a proper solution to Hong He’s problem before ending
2.Episode 34
I have already cried my eyes out in Ep 32 and 33, but Ep 34 was super hard to watch. Shi Guang was like I’ll forget everything about Go bc Chu Ying left.
I expected this but this arc was longer than I expected.
These problems are very small... so small that these didn’t change my opinion about this drama.
I would say it deserves high ratings and it is definitely worth watching.
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It's a really good movie, but the movie was a bit depressing in the middle, but that's actually quite realistic in the world. Where there is not trust in both, the relationship won't maintain, relationship exist because of trust, "I believe in you", this is actually a powerful sentence that could made people a good day and feel not alone.Just some of my thoughts, people in old times might have more courage than most of the people now. Back then, like this movie, they actually quite hard to connect to each other so they will express the true feeling to the person to make sure they see them again. Unlike now, I know I will see the person through social media or reality every day so I hide my feeling and waiting for her to find it out...
It is really a beautiful movie with a perfect song list.
And I was waiting for the ending that Mi-Soo and Hyun-Woo open back the bakery...
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I came into this drama for the cast alone, but I got much more than I was expecting. If you are expecting a great romance, you may be disappointed. There are some romantic feelings, but it is not the main point. The quartet of flawed but likable individuals find friendship and support at a time when they all have a deep need for it. As a hardcore romantic, I thoroughly enjoyed the friendship and didn't feel any lack due to the barely there romance.
The best things about this drama:
1) the acting- the casting could not have been more perfect. Each actor seemed fitted to the role, bringing out the best in their character.
2) the characters- perfectly imperfect, and quirky. Their interactions with each other made each episode special.
3) the witty banter- I applaud the writer. So very clever. This truly made the drama a joy to watch.
4) the music- brilliant!
Quartet may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me, this is the best drama of the year.
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Hope I didn't give away too much here.
First of all, I wont call myself a saeguk fanatic, since I don't think I watch that much dramas of this genre, though I definitely do enjoy them and Korea's history.
Story:
Plot is interesting, satisfying amount of action and nerve-wrecking moments.
I definitely say that the content is like 80-90% political, with the remaining parts for romance, just to spice up and bring some colors to the political issues here.
I like how they focuses on the political history of Joseon with its neighboring countries instead of the usual domestic politics among the clans.
So I wont recommend it if you are looking for a more romantic saeguk drama like The Princess' Man or The Moon Embraces The Sun.
Acting/Cast:
I started this because of Seo In Guk, but that definitely isn't the main reason why i completed this.
- Seo In Guk
I do feel awkward at first seeing him acting in a historical drama, since this is his first.
I even thought that his voice isn't suited for a prince especially when he give out commands, which usually goes well with deeper voices.
But he improved over time, and before I knew it, I was too into his character, GwangHae, to even remember it's InGuk who's acting.
Definitely a good actor indeed.
- Shin Sung Rok
He's just PERFECT at playing the bad character. No words needed to describe it.
- Jo Yoon Hee
Not a fan of her acting. Keep feeling that there's something missing in the way she acts in some of her scenes.
- Others
I always feel that saeguk drama actors/actresses are the best. Most of them portray the characters clearly, which makes you hate or love them to the core.
Kim GyuRi's acting is worth mentioning, love the way she successfully acted the Kim GwiIn character that makes me dislike her, but at the same time feeling that she is pitiful and likable as well.
Music:
I'm addicted to it now, putting it on replay, so that should mean its nice ;)
I'm a huge ballad/emotional drama songs. They definitely have the good ones, the ones that when you listen to, you cant help but to replay scenes of the drama like an mv in your head. And it makes you emo afterwards (or maybe its just me XD)
Though I wish there are more songs instead of only 3 being repeated in 23 episodes.
Re-watch Value:
Since its hugely political, i don't think it is worth re-watching.
Unless one don't mind listening to the usual long political conversations in saeguk dramas :P
For InGuk fans out there like me, maybe it wont be so bad to re-watch it just to stare at how hot he is as a prince~~
Hope this helps :)
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Idiosyncratic SK interpretation of a sequel to 'Sleeping Beauty' from the Prince´s perspective :-)
I would like to see the KDrama "Yong Pal" as an idiosyncratic South Korean interpretation of a sequel to 'Sleeping Beauty' in the modern zeitgeist, which is told from the point of view of the prince - what had actually happened after the two had celebrated their wedding at the time? ..."Yong Pal" gives its own makjang-infused answer several centuries after the Brothers Grimm :-)Obviously, the story also has a critical focus on recent health care topics. Basically, the Hanshin Hospital takes center stage. This belongs to a Jaebeol conglomerate. Yong Pal is employed here as a talented young intern. But Yong Pal also works illegally as a doctor. Provided the price is right, he treats those who need medical care below the official radar of the health care system. Yong Pal gets promoted as exclusive doctor for the discreet care of the VIPs, too. On the 12th floor, the very rich and most influential patients stay within a separate department of the Hanshin Hospital, where, in addition to plenty of luxury and discretion, only the best medical care is guaranteed. Towards the end, Yong Pal also works as a doctor in a simple, small, rural clinic. Thus, in the course of the KDrama the protagonist's field of activity (and challenges with ethics, or rather the lack of it) covers the broad spectrum and the current focal points of the topics in health care (i.e. in South Korea).
In the beginning, Yong Pal is clearly at the center of the story, captivating the audience. The focus shifts after he meets coma patient Han Yeo-jin and helps her to regain consciousness, strength and her rightful legacy as Jaebeol of the Hanshin Group. From then on, everything revolves more around Yeo-jin and her vendetta. This isn't less impressive, especially with Kim Tae-hee's intense acting. However it is different. The second part thus offers pure Korean-style Makjang: more drama is always possible. As a result, storytelling takes another lane. (Many viewers obviously don't seem to have been very happy with that. Makjang fans, however, will definitely get their money's worth.) The transition between the first and second parts is moderated by a transition, which is filled with the blossoming romance between the two protagonists. From then on, however, there is hardly any room for a love-life in the protagonist's bitter fight for inheritance and revenge, in which she is ready to take any means. (You may want to take that against the KDrama as well.)
All in all, "Yong Pal" is a moving story that is grippingly exciting at the beginning and furthermore tells of a makjang-charged revenge. Love story included. Due to the success of the series at the time of broadcasting, actually two more episodes were added.
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This review will probably be my longest up to date. Bear with me because I have to put this film in its right temporal and spatial frameworks before talking about the film itself. If you’re not interested in history, you can skip the first two paragraphs and get to the film’s specific review.
I am history lover so it’s a given that I studied Japanese history way before I started watching Japanese classics and that knowledge in history helped me a lot when I started exploring the golden Japanese cinema. Seppuku is set at the beginning of the Edo era (17th century), an age of peace that lasted for more than 250 years in Japan where the Samurai class gradually lost the “warrior” side of their positions since there weren’t any wars to fight. As Tokugawa (the general who established his shogunate in Edo) gained complete control over Japan; many Samurai who fought the Sekigahara battle and others were left without clans to serve and were called “Ronin” meaning masterless Samurai. They were usually viewed as bandits whether intentionally or unintentionally, they lived in poverty but they didn’t lose their “samurai nobility” that’s still a higher rank than the peasants’ class. They also never gave up on their honorable ethics and beliefs.
In that era, many Ronin’s started to visit clans to request a “Seppuku” in their clans’ yard, meaning a ritual suicide where the Samurai has to literally disembowel himself using his Shinto (the Samurai in that era has a long Sword Katana and a smaller one Shinto that he always carry around with him, they’re considered as big part of his Samurai honor). The Harakiri (ritual suicide) is in fact an honorable death for a Samurai so it was dishonorable for clans to reject such a noble request from Ronins but they also didn’t want to let them kill themselves on their property so they either hired them as their clans’ Samurai (but that didn’t happen a lot since it’s an era of peace so the clans didn’t need many Samurai considering the fact that there’s no war) or they just gave them money and sent them away. As other Ronin heard about the story, they started to frequently visit clans in order to request a Seppuku but they never actually meant to kill themselves, they just wanted to take the money and leave. And that’s what’s called “Harakiri fraud” which is a cowardly, shameful act from a Samurai even if he’s a Ronin.
The history stops there although the clan that’s mentioned in this film (The Iyi clan) is a real clan that’s known as a very important figure in modern Japanese history. Now, let’s talk about the film itself; one clan (the Iyi clan) decided to stop these Harakiri frauds and made the Samurai who asked to commit seppuku kill himself so that other Ronin won’t dare show up in front of their clan. That’s how the story starts but through flashbacks, we get the overall story of that man, where he came from and why he came. His circumstances, his situation and his life were all told using flashbacks that were amazingly illustrated in order to produce spectacular turns of events.
Seppuku is a human Samurai film that deals with old Japanese codes of honor and ethical Samurai principles. Kobayashi wanted to introduce a somewhat anti-samurai film that deals with the shortcomings of some Samurai beliefs by using quotes such as “After all, this thing we call samurai honor is ultimately nothing but a façade” (said by Tsugumo Hanshiro) but then he comes back to insist on the codes of dignity. Unlike many Kurosawa films’ I saw where he always idolizes the Samurai figure. Don’t get me wrong, Kurosawa’s films are my favorites but what I meant to say is that Kobayashi and Kurosawa’s adaptations of Samurai stories are quite different even if they’re comparable, to each his own genius ideas of making masterpieces.
The film contained the sword fighting but it wasn’t the main focus of this film. The developments were surprising and quite intriguing to follow; in this film you get a taste of suspense, psychology, action, tragedy, revenge and even family. Although the film insists on the Samurai element more than anything else, it also focuses on family relationships, interactions and sacrifices as well as human and more specifically Samurai emotions.
If I keep talking then I won’t stop praising this film’s screenwriting by Shinobu Hashimoto and the original novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi. I appreciated every angle of the story and the way it revealed facts at the most unexpected time. This is not a film that’s set to kill a Samurai through a ritual suicide or show the audience how a Samurai disembowel himself; it’s a film that describes the human emotions and feelings behind that act. However, I do understand if some people found the development a bit slow. As for me, my eyes were glued to the big screen the whole time without a single move or sound. Yes, it had that kind of impact on me.
The acting, oh my! what on earth can I say about that acting? I am not biased or someone who talks with full subjectivity so when I say that Nakadai was marvelous in this, I am not talking with a fangirl’s emotions, I am speaking with full objectivity about a Japanese legend. For me or anyone who knows classic Japan, Nakadai Tatsuya is a legendary star in the Japanese cinema and one hell of a charismatic astounding actor who can grab your intention in a split of a second. Like many of his other roles, Nakadai was amazing in this; his portrayal of Tsugumo Hanshiro’s character was flawless. Enough said or I won’t stop talking about that man’s incredible acting skills.
Other actors were also amazing; I was moved by their acting skills. It’s the golden Japanese era of cinema so it’s a given that only high-class acting exists. The characters were very well written and their relationships were fascinating to follow, I was moved by many characters’ developments in Seppuku.
Now let me talk about that breathtaking cinematography. I like to focus on cinematography while watching films and even though this was produced in 1962 (black and white); I was charmed by the back sceneries and great settings. Kobayachi did an awesome job with those mesmerizing takes that I will never forget.
I have to mention the soundtrack which I believe it’s the best music composure I ever heard in any Japanese classic.
Watch this if:
-You like Japanese classics or want to discover them.
-You enjoy Samurai films but keep in mind that this isn’t an action film.
-You love films with human stories.
-You like Masaki Kobayashi because this is his finest work.
-You like Nakadai Tatsuya because this is one of his best performances.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike Japanese classics.
-You dislike Samurai films.
To end my super long review, I will mention that Harakiri is a crafted masterpiece by Kobayashi and an eternal gem of the Japanese classic cinema that’s bound to take you through a great journey of amazing events and astonishing acting skills.
I will leave you with two quotes by Tsugumo Hanshiro:
“What befalls others today may be your own fate tomorrow.”
“The suspicious mind conjures its own demons.”
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Casino-gangster-crime atmosphere with an exotic ambiance. International style. Takes its time.
"Big Bet" was inspired by the legendary persona of a South Korean casino manager who made it to the top of the multi-billion dollar casino world in the Philippines... until he was framed for murder."Big Bet" is another KDrama that has been divided into two halves in streaming provider style. (Unfortunately, this is kind of becoming the new KDrama fad and I'm already bored to express my anger about it.)
Oh yes, and I'll say it in advance: if you're interested in the series because of Son Suk-ku, you'll have to stick with it for quite a few episodes - he doesn't appear until the end of the first season...
The Disney production deliberately presents itself internationally. Nevertheless, one gets some atmospheric, socio-historical milieu impressions from South Korea - especially from the 1970s and 1980s, because the story is repeatedly enriched by flashbacks. (In fact, the first season is almost one great flashback - with flashbacks within that flashback, so to speak.) While the first season is designed primarily as a character study of Cha Mu-sik, the second season arguably has the real crime thriller behind it. Topic: Murdered South Koreans in the Philippines and the associated dynamic between the South Korean-born, now renowned casino manager, who has now become a murder suspect, and the investigator Oh Seung-Hoon, who was sent to the Philippines from South Korea. So the actual "big bet" only really becomes an issue in the second season.
So what does the first season have to offer?
Plenty of impressions of Mu-sik's childhood days, youth (wonderful: Lee Kyu-hyung as a youthful Mu-sik - although eventually Lee Kyu-hyung has meanwhile left his youth behind him...) and of his first professional steps into Casino world as young adult. The protagonist has his own charm and amazing talents and so we experience Mu-sik, although he radiates some sort of unapproachable aura, as an authentic and fascinating man with plenty of heart and mind, with a quick grasp, good intuition, radical consequence and entrepreneurial charisma.
"Big Bet" is a Korean-American production. It is international in its self-image and presents itself as such. It is made by men and it is about men. About smoking men. Sweating men in suits. Men with tattoos, too. The man with the most screen time is “Oldboy” Choi Min-sik (from the acclaimed 2003 K-Movie). He plays his role effortlessly as a 30-year-old and almost 60-year-old alike (thanks to modern filming and image processing technology). For "Big Bet" he is back in top form after a decade-long break. All in all, in this KDrama we slide into a (conservative) world of men and gangsters. Their wives, if there are any, are at home with children and really don't know anything about anything. Exceptions are the wealthy, and due to her wealth influential CEO Ko (with a rather quick appearance but comparatively lasting impression: Lee Hye-young) and the young, by Korean standards sexually quite explicit, self-determined hotel employee Kim So-jung.
In the flashbacks, as I mentioned before, there is South Korea at times. Nonetheless, "Big Bet" is principally based in the Philippines. Filming there took about 3 months. This promises exotic local hue, although the focus is on the casino and hotel world - which in turn could somehow be anywhere. No expenses were spared with the casting either. Even the supporting roles were selected with care.
In short: "Big Bet" (Season 1) is a solid and ambitious character study of Mu-sik. His Story is told in a sophisticated way and staged well worth seeing. However, the series isn't really a KDrama-like KDrama. Anyone who likes a casino-gangster-crime atmosphere with an exotic ambiance will get their money's worth here. However, the story takes it´s time. It remains to be seen what the second half will come up with. I certainly have high expectation that "Big Bet" will even improve, now that Oh Seung-Hoon intrudes into Mu-sik's world with his investigations and thus will add further dynamic.
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Palácio Yanxi: As Aventuras da Princesa
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Why only 6 episodes?? TT^TT
When I open netflix this morning after sessions of insomnia, I was shocked to find Yanxi Palace on my screen. I was so happy, I thought the original Yanxi Palace has been available on netflix as I rewatch that series quite often. Looking it closer, eh it has additional title; Princess Adventures.So it's about Imperial Princess Zhaohua! We all know from the original drama, we didn't get to see Wei Yingluo and Emperor's two adorable daughters, so maybe this series was making up for it. I was elated and happy.
The story introduces Zhaohua as a strong-headed character. She's the most favored princess in the kingdom, loved by her aniang, ahma, and taihou. She has coming of age and ready to marry. She already has this fiance, a Mongolian qinwang who has betrothed to her for five years and stayed within the Palace to familiarize with her.
Since the original Yanxi Palace, I was full with the expectations of intrigue, politics, and heavy plot, therefore to start with some engagement story at the beginning was quite upsetting for me. Moreover, Zhaohua's character was very different than the cool-headed and calculating Yingluo. But since I'm curious and just wished to see more of Emperor and Yingluo's interactions, I continue.
The story was simple, with enough twists and strong plot for a short, side story of 6-episodes drama. It's actually quite brilliant and well-managed. The cinematography, costume, make-up, color tone (some people hate the color tone of this drama but I love the aesthetics of it and how it's affected the expression and mood tone of the plot) all are very good production, the same quality as the first.
The acting, especially Zhao Hua's was exceptionally good. Her expressions were amazing, convincing the person she had inside her.
I didn't notice there were only 6 episodes, I thought the rest just hasn't been uploaded, but then I realized they only introduce a handful characters throughout the story except the ones we've had from the original cast.
In the end, all characters didn't disappoint and deliver all the expectations I carried from the original Yanxi Palace. For those of you who haven't watch it, go watch the parent series! They provide you with a lot of satisfying b*tchslapping.
I didn't give them a high score on the music because they use the same one from the original series, so just re-production.
I desperately want more TT^TT I especially like the qinwang.
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From Threads of Lies Comes an Entangled Web of Love
Unexpected Falling definitely lives up to its namesake; I unexpectedly fell hard for its gorgeous cinematography, delicious angst and pacing, and the frustrating yet heady chemistry between Peng Guanying and Cai Wenjing in their second work together after The Confidence (2020). This is a super slow-burn romance, which is mostly about the mystery behind the FL's deceased husband. It's not an intense thriller with bloody crimes; instead the story mostly revolves around large business dealings (i.e. stock trading and manipulation), and the gradual romance between two people who start off as enemies, become reluctant friends, and end as passionate lovers.I'd highly recommend having a watch for these reasons:
♡ A Chemistry and Romance that Simmers: For those of you who love pining, angst, and seeing our characters slowly fall for each other even knowing they shouldn’t, this drama is chock-full of all of these tropes. Unexpected Falling does an amazing job at showing the gradual change in two people who initially suspect each other, but then slowly begin inviting each other into their lives. This is not a fluffy, sweet, and rosy-tinged romance; instead it is one about two older characters who have undergone trauma, hardships, and have their own regrets and limitations. After the exhausting and tiring experiences in their life, they come together finding solace and comfort in each other. I loved how the drama slowly peels away the layers of our characters; while at first you think Zhenzhen has a very negative personality, and Guo Jun is extremely arrogant and domineering, you slowly realize these are only the surface impressions of our leads who are very flawed characters.
♡ Beautiful Cinematography and Poetic Lines: This drama uses a lot of darker colours and tones, and has a very melancholy atmosphere and feeling across the entirety of the story. I loved the attention to details made through its filmography; for example, certain camera angles are used in order to make you suspect the identities of characters, and also create narrative tension throughout the series. There are also other hints, including character habits (e.g. the drinking of water, the wearing of glasses, certain repeated dialogues, etc.) that are consistent with certain plot reveals throughout the drama. Most of all, I loved how the drama uses a lot of domestic scenes (e.g. taking your lover’s coat, cooking a meal, tying one’s hair) between our main leads that show how much they want to be close to each other yet at the same time must restrain themselves. This is a drama that doesn’t tell things through dialogue; instead it’s one where the visual language — from gazes, expressions, and lots of staring — are used to communicate to the viewer instead.
♡ Refreshing, Adult Characters: Similar to the calm atmosphere and the moody colour palette of the drama, our main characters are very mature and complex personalities. Ruan Zhenzhen is one of my favourite female leads of all time, because of how few Chinese drama FLs are extremely reserved and introverted. She is not a happy or upbeat character, but instead is someone who has few friends, ruminates a lot and experiences depressive episodes, and often keeps to herself. She is hard to get close to and distrusts people easily, but only because of the excessive lengths she goes to when protecting and caring for the people who she loves most. On the other hand, Peng Guanying does an amazing job showing the expressions, struggle, and guilt that he faces as Guo Jun. Not only does he have incredible charisma and presence, but you start off suspecting him and even disliking him, before falling in love for how swoony and protective he is towards Zhenzhen. Both of them play very realistic characters and personalities, and it's quite a nice breather from the recent wave of youth and campus romances.
♡ Interesting Background Plot and Relationships: One thing this drama also demonstrates is relationships, especially with families, friends, and the people who are in your life. There are a lot of characters who become hateful and despicable after Zhenzhen’s husband’s death, for reasons including money, jealousy, and bitterness. There are also others who go above and beyond to show their loyalty and support for Zhenzhen through her pain. Moreover, there is also a central mystery revolving around the financial world; although I didn’t find this as interesting, I appreciated how the drama used all of its characters to show the complicated and tangled relationships surrounding their crimes.
However, there are also some things you might not like about the drama:
♥ The Road to Happiness is Bumpy with Plot Holes: Honestly, much of the angst between characters would have broken down if Zhenzhen simply did a Baidu search about some people’s identities in the beginning. I was much more forgiving of this because I was really here to watch the chemistry between the main characters, but a lot of things are pretty inconsistent. For example, inevitably given the way Gao Jun was trailing after Zhenzhen the whole drama it’s a miracle that nothing serious happened to the both of them within the first ten episodes. I think you definitely need some suspension of disbelief, because honestly the investigations and proceedings of legal cases in this show (while not unrealistic) seem to be a bit sloppy given how smart the criminals are supposed to be.
♥ This is a Relationship and Family Drama, Not Really a Crime One: I don’t think this drama does thriller or tension in plot really well because it tends to lean in towards the slow-burn approach, and there were a lot of things they could have done to make the drama more intense (i.e. giving the sense that lives were really at risk, that someone may have the possibility of being hurt, etc.) At the same time, I realize that this wasn’t the goal of the drama. This isn’t really a drama that is about hunting down financial crimes, but it is really about Zhenzhen’s growth and her navigation of the mystery itself. That being said, those who don’t like slower-paced dramas, or who prefer intense shows with lots of action (there’s honestly not much of that in here) should probably stay away from this one.
♥ A Long and Winded Slow-Burn: This is not a fast-paced drama, despite the fact that there are mysteries that need to be unraveled and crimes that are uncovered. We don’t even get to an actual relationship and more discoveries about the main underlying conflict until episodes in the 30's. You will absolutely need to be patient when watching this show; and I think if you aren’t invested in the relationship between the main characters you may end up feeling bored. There is definitely suspense and tension, but it is drawn out and comes to a slow-burning fire in the culmination of the drama. At its best, this is really a drama that focuses on the process and journey rather than the outcome; at its worst, others may consider there to be lots of filler moments (about relationships) that take away from the crime (the financial and business aspects).
♥ Some Acting Issues: Cai Wenjing is quite bubbly in real life, while Peng Guanying is very good-natured and quite extroverted in interviews. I think both of them did a good job acting as characters that were very complicated and multi-faceted, but sometimes it was clear that some of the supporting cast had more acting depth. In particular, for scenes where the FL is attacked by others or becomes surprised, Cai Wenjing's expressions were sometimes a little out of place or slightly awkward. On the other hand, Peng Guanying sometimes came off as being a little stiff in scenes with anger or frustration. However, these are relatively minor aspects to pick on, as overall I cannot really think of a better casting choice for these characters, and I really enjoyed watching them together once again.
I'd highly recommend this drama for those who want a more mature, adult watch about older lead characters, those who like darker romances (i.e. a "villain" ML even though he is actually kind inside), and a very devoted ML who initially distrusts the FL and then grows to fall in love with her loyalty and kindness to the people around her. It’s not for everyone, given the fact that it seems to market itself as a series about criminal cases and a shady death, but is actually about the relationships that Ruan Zhenzhen builds through her experience with this situation. If you go in with lowered expectations and are a fan of romances between two people marred by the passing of life experiences, then you’ll find this a suspenseful watch with a main couple that leaves you breathless at how beautiful and encompassing their love for each other is.
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