Reviews

Watch it for your favorite actor / actress

This is the first review I've written because I find the high rating (7.9 currently) puzzling.
Compared to other dramas of similar rating, I must say this is not on the same level.

I'm fan of the leads, so I'm watching the drama because of them. Unlike other comments, I find the acting more than acceptable (but I haven't read the novel, so I can't say if the characterization matches that in the novel). They are cute individually, but I also agree the chemistry is lacking - despite the cinematographer's efforts into building romantic picturesque scene that's just classically gorgeous (particularly those scene in those last episodes - you know the ones. yum.)

Except those few scenes at the end, the special effect was also horrible in the sense that it pulls you out of the story. The "inner force" is all just fan and wind, and the power feels a bit hallow on screen. The line trap that's virtually invisible is thick as a rope at times, and can just be cut through or repositioned if you're a character that needs to stay alive. It is impossibly deadly if you're a bad guy. The green screen effect and prop so obvious that again it looks more like a school project than a professional production. The editing is choppy. The exact same line repeated in consecutive scenes (as if they filmed it, and didn't know how which they want to use and decided to include both).

The fights themselves are not the most interesting choreography I've seen, and we've all seen these actors execute better fight scenes in other dramas. Every c-drama fight is a dance, but it's like watching a professional dancer dance or watching an elementary school production. The steps are simple - suggestive of a fight more than seeing and feeling it. For a show billing itself as a wuxia, the "wu" (meaning fight) element is surprisingly weak. This got worse in later episodes, where they skip the fight entirely. There is a scene where the character picks up their knifes indicating they are going to fight. The next scene is the bad guy on the ground suggesting there was a fight and the bad guy lost... which leads us to the biggest problem of this story - the writing. The political dynamics both of the court and of the martial arts world were brushed over. It leaves the viewers feeling like all the fights were just random. You're barely invested in the fights. You know good guys will win and bad guys will lose.

The drama has never set any tangible goal for any character. Zhou Fei leaves home for the sake of leaving home - no goals to speak of. Xie Yun's goal is achieved by the end of the first episodes, the rest of the time he's just wanting to live his life. Now, wanting to live his life has been the plot of many leading man, if only there was someone who doesn't want him to do that. But in fact, everyone wants him to just live a normal life and do nothing. So, yeah, our leading man is someone who's entire arc rests on do nothing. One could then say his arc is to support Zhou Fei, but Zhou Fei's arc seems to be supporting Xie Yun. So, again, circling around nothing...

Side characters are largely one-dimensional, and again lacks purposes. So often, I feel like why is that character in that scene? She has no skills and therefore no reasons to join this "mission". Eventually I concluded the actress needs screen time. So, even though there is absolutely no reasons for character x or y to be there, the script put them there because that's where the action is. The acting for some were flat - furthering my feeling of "huh?"

Low music scores because as the show progress, I find the music montages as just a way to fill time. Later episode also had very modern sounding music that pulls me out. I thought I was watching a James Bond movie...

I'm writing this review because I use this site to evaluate what drama to watch - and 51 ep is not a small amount of time. So, if you are fan of the leads, go for it. The plot is simple enough that you can watch it easily in 2x without issues. Honestly, this is a fine show if it wasn't for higher expectations. Had this been a show with no names, no supposedly good source material, and released without fanfare, it would have been just another average c-drama in the sea of internet dramas with rushed script and low production. Some reviews say this is their favorite drama of 2021, I suspect it's only because we're in January...

Leia Mais

Overall, I like this drama. I don't understand why many people drop this drama or why they are giving it a bad review. I believe that this drama doesn't deserve such a low rating. The actors and actresses all did a wonderful job and the plot is pretty solid. The ending of the drama was definitely a twist, but it brings the story to a full circle.

It explains the true events of 500 years ago. It also explains the truth behind the Qi family curse. With the truth coming to light, we can see the reasoning behind Yi Mei's actions and Qi Yanran's actions. I'm not making excuses for them since I hated them throughout the entire drama, but it gave me a clear understanding of why they did what they did, especially Qi Yanran. I understand that they explained the twin theory earlier on, but after finding out the truth of the curse, it does explain why there is an "evil" twin and a "good" twin.

My rating of this drama is actually 8/10. I did took two points off for the fact that they killed off so many people towards the end of the drama. I should have expected this, since it is always almost the endings for majority of dramas with this kind of storyline, but I was hoping that they will keep everyone safe and sound. We already knew going in that the battle was long with unforseen dangers, but I was still hanging onto a tiny sliver of hope that everyone will make it alive -- injured, but alive. And yet, there were so many deaths at the end.

Leia Mais

All style no substance.

I was really excited to watch this Republican period detective drama. Having enjoyed Hu Yitian and Zhang Yunlong's chemistry in My Roommate is A Detective, I couldn't wait to see them team up again in a similar setting. The adaptation of Agatha Christie's Poirot mysteries seemed like an added bonus. Sad to say, despite the visually sumptuous set and costumes, both the characters and cases are bland, uninspired and the pacing is very draggy.

While Situ Yan is the lead detective, he is not meant to be a literal adaptation of Hercule Poirot. Poirot with his known eccentricities including his fastidiousness and obsession with symmetry, is one of the the most distinctive, well dimensioned fictional detectives ever. He has a clear process and methodology that is based on human nature and psychology for solving the case. I would never cast Hu Yitian as Poirot and I am ok with the fact that Situ Yan is not Poirot. What I am not ok with is the colorless, cardboard characterisation of Situ Yan as simply a highly intelligent but rather lethargic lawyer with a strong sense of justice. Hu Yitian does his best with the role but he doesn't have much to work with. This is made worse by Luo Shaochuan, the money guy whose contribution to the crime solving aspects of the partnership is unclear. This character is so indifferently written it is not worthy of an actor of Zhang Yunlong's calibre. The two leads get little screen time together as they go down disparate paths in the investigations. Unlike their previous best loved collaboration, Zhou Mowan is more often Situ Yan's sidekick than Luo Shaochuan is. Thus we don't get to enjoy their banter and their incredible chemistry that builds up and fleshes out both characters as they work through the cases. While both female leads are well written and likeable, they crowd out the bromance.

When it comes to adapting these beloved Poirot classics, I am no die-hard Christie purist. I am receptive to and have seen good adaptations that take a fair amount of liberties with the original works. This can be successfully achieved because changes notwithstanding, the adaptation remains true to the essence of Christie; the psychology of the crime. This is where Checkmate fails to deliver. The supporting cast is very mediocre and lacks screen presence. Bland storytelling and poor pacing with unnecessary romantic digressions disrupts the build up in suspenseful tension into the final reveals. The cases must be evaluated convincingly from the point of view of each character, to assess their psychology as a sense of imminent peril escalates. Who was the victim? Why would someone want them dead? Who would cross that line and actually do the dastardly deed? This drama fails to make me feel invested in the human aspects - the victims and potential suspects; it fails to create a sense of urgency to solve the case or engender that mixture of sorrow, pity and revulsion for the perpetrator that is signature Christie.

The first case is Murder on the Orient Express, a well known case that has been adapted to death. While this version does not stand out, it stays close to the original and is fairly well done. Although Roger Ackroyd is also quite well done considering how difficult it is to adapt an unreliable narrator case into this format, from there, things start to go downhill. These cases are masterpieces; material changes should be weighed carefully and not made with the misguided idea that such impeccable Christie plots have scope for improvement or merely for the sake of delivering a surprise twist. Which is what they did to one of my personal favourites. They went for the plausible alternative solution which simply did not fit the human nature aspects of the case. And thus fails to deliver Christie's magic wow factor, the thrill and the chill and that sense of shock, sorrow and acceptance that it all made sense; that it is the best and only solution. It devolves further as cases are stitched together in a cut and paste fashion that is increasingly incoherent. The final case bears little resemblance to what I think must be the original. While it took no genius to spot the the final antagonists a mile away, their motives are uninteresting and unconvincing and the ending is frankly farcical.

If you are a Christie purist, I would say avoid this drama. You will feel they have desecrated some of the author's best works. If not, this is a watchable if unexceptional adaptation. The production values are quite good and the Republican period setting in Harbin has some novelty appeal even though the drama overall is all style no substance. This is a 7.0 for me but I would have rated it 7.5 if they didn't ruin Five Little Pigs and finish in such an absurd manner.

Leia Mais

All is good up to the last few episode / ending

Story :
I think the main story was good and it was really engaging, really like the part however when it comes to the ending, it became really shitty. I couldn't understand what was going on. It makes sense but doesn't make sense in the way that it just doesn't come together. It felt like they didn't had enough time or money to put in the effort. After ep 20, things start to go haywire imo.

CGI:
Despite it being a show where most of it is CGI, I think it is pretty good. The CGI don't seem too fake like other Chinese movies/dramas. It doesn't look like a 50cent CGI. Feels like a good $2 CGI.

Music :
No Much comment, think it is pretty good. I skipped the intro song and ending songs because it wasn't really that catchy but suits the mood. I binged watch every week once it is fresh out of the oven so I only listen to it once or twice per few ep.

Acting:
I don't know how others view their acting. The ML does has a pretty solid filmography so his acting is ok. The FL, many people complaint about her acting. I think there are quite a few moments where her expression do not tell me anything, particularly towards the ending but overall, I still can stand her and I think she is pretty good looking. The chemistry between them offset feels more real than the chemistry in the show. I felt that at the starting that there was no chemistry and I wanted to drop but I continued.

Ending:
I really cannot stress how this ending is like BOOM in your face. There is no real meaning I felt. It felt like I dropped into a pit and had no way of coming out. Will there be a second season?? Open ending?? I felt like the last 10 eps are kinda waste. of time.
There is no proper ending to the second male lead and the main male lead. The female lead also. Who the fk this master comes over "Hey , I am here to fetch you" Go where????? There is no proper explanation.


There are a lot of questions that I have in mind and I want to know:
1. Where is the FL's real home/ real past?
2. What happens to the ML and second ML now that this FL is going to leave?
3. How the hell did the two side characters (Xwien Ei, Jaoke) came back when they were gone during the fight?
4. What is the master's story? How did he went into that ring and the coming back out didn't really make big sense.

As you watch this show, please remove all your doubts from your head if not you will be like ????

Leia Mais

For a noir film, this is not as dark and complex or intriguing as I thought it would be. It can actually be a mainstream gangster/action movie. So on that score, it was a bit of a letdown for me if compared with say, Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai's noir films which truly fit that description.

Having said that, G 1970 is thoroughly watchable. In fact I watched it twice. The first time was a blur because there were so many characters, and to be honest, all the men, and there were plenty of them - gangsters and politicians - did sort of start to look like one another after a while which made it difficult to understand the plot and storyline, not to mention having to read the subtitles fast left me a bit confused.

But when i watched it a second time, I enjoyed it much more because the story and characters became clearer to me.The action/fighting scenes are very realistic and well executed; there is a lot of blood and gore. The pace of the movie is tight and well controlled although I think the editing did leave some parts a bit patchy and not as smooth and seamless as it could have been.

Kim Rae Won shines as a baddie but I think this has to do with his "bad boy" look in the first place which makes his character believable but KRW does play his character very effortlessly and it is testament to the good actor that he is. Jeong Jin Yeong who plays Jong Dae's adoptive father is also an excellent actor - very controlled in his acting yet conveying volumes - pain, regret; you really get that he wants to leave his gangster roots behind and live a simple life.

It is tougher to see Lee Min Ho as a gangster, but on the occasions when he is out for blood and you see the anger and raw emotions - that's when he really stands out. It helps that he is not an all out baddie; he did not start out as a gangster and his psyche is such that he would not have been one if circumstances and fate had not dealt him such a hand. So he can be excused for looking exceedingly handsome while wielding a knife. I think overall it was a major transformative role for him and he truly delivered. Aside from anger and ferocity which he conveyed well, he also spoke volumes with his eyes when channelling ambition, despair and emptiness. You have to watch his eyes; it's all in his eyes. All in a great performance for a breakout role such as this. In fact, after sharing his pain and loss as Jong Dae, I had to get a dose of fresh air and made my way to the Innisfree store downstairs to look at his standee (he's their global brand ambassador) - there he was standing, smiling, fresh faced and youthful, with his Kim Tan look and that was when the contrast of characters really hit me, it was like i was looking at 2 completely different people, and that was when I realised he had really managed to change his image for the movie and he had done it very successfully. Forgive me for rambling about Min Ho; I am a fan!

The last scene is very touching, heart wrenching and symbolic and very well done; a fitting end to a roller coaster movie. On the whole, kudos to Yoo Ha and the cast; it was quite a ride!

Leia Mais

Moments of brilliance, buried in mediocrity

I approached "Love in the Big City" both eager and guarded, as one who steps into a garden rumoured to bloom with rare flowers, dreading the thorns beneath. And indeed, my patience soon withered/waned under its oppressive sorrow and despair. A suffocating pall of misery clung to the gay characters. The very air seemed heavy and coagulated. And yet, I cannot, in good conscience, deny the actors their due. Their performances were of such distinction, such disciplined passion, that they elevated the poor script

Of those who graced the stage/screen, Nam Yoon Su did shine with a peculiar radiance. His readiness to partake, without the least restraint of feigned modesty or hesitation, in the delicate and tender manifestations of carnal affection between men, was an uprising against the profane doctrine of homophobia, gnawing ever at the fabric of society. Each kiss, each quivering proximity, was a venture into the "forbidden" and a courageous unveiling of a man's innermost self before another. Stunned I stood, for here were men, yielding mutually and entering the blessed harmony where desire is met with desire, or flame answers flame. Few were the sights that could rival the fair and beautiful scene

Having paid homage to the commendable virtues, I must, with sober and judicious mind, now dissect the manifold imperfections of "Love in the Big City." The narrative faltered at its threshold. Therein, a "straight" identifying woman, she whose eyes roved with lecherous and unbecoming intent on men, trespassed into the charged social space of a gay bar/club, a haven purposed for the free and boundless flowering of same-sex desire (31:07 of episode 1). This is no mere lapse in judgment, but a flagrant assault on the sanctity of single-sex spaces

What cause had the authors and producers for the unceremonious reference to HIV? HIV is not divine chastisement or a gay disease. The military doctor's diagnosis presumed a manner of transmission he himself deemed improbable. "Are you a top or a bottom? The truth is, the chances of spreading HIV to a sex partner are low" (39:50 of episode 5). Whence we may conclude that to afflict a gay character with the blight of HIV, while all else in his life proceeds unimpeded by the ravages of the disease, notwithstanding its low transmissibility or the accessibility of "curative" measures, is to commit an injustice altogether superficial, contrived to stir the blood of the audience and cast aspersion on the inclinations of gay men

Methinks it a wearying contrivance that "straight" identifying women are the sole passage through which the lives of gay men are revealed. A stranger to the sting of homophobia befriended a gay man and claimed the right to utter his sorrows. Is his voice feeble? Can it not speak for itself? Or is it that the ears of society are closed to the truth, unless it be spoken by one it takes to be "safe" and unthreatening to the established order? Be that as it may, the time is ripe for gay men and gay women to gather in brotherly and sisterly concord and recount the trials and joys of their lived experiences. They could find in one another a steadfast, compassionate friend

Evermore were the gay characters denied the solace of a blissful end. I marvel not. From the dawn of civilization, gay existence has been granted provisional legibility within the public sphere on condition that it be sentenced to a life of bitterness, celibacy, or exile. The possibility of societal tolerance rests on the disavowal of collective joy/happiness, the desexualization and deradicalization of same-sex physical intimacy, and the proscription of a viable, enduring future

There is an urgent need for narratives in which gay joy/happiness is the norm, however much they strain against the limits of the prevailing regime of plausibility. It is in their defiance of said plausibility that we can affirm the radical banality of gay flourishing, a mode of being so simple and unremarkable in its presence that it precedes the demand for justification

TL;DR I have, after deliberation, settled on a score of 6.5/10

Leia Mais

A Lighthearted Sweet Drama

You should definitely watch this drama if you crave a lighthearted sweet drama without stupid misunderstandings. This drama mainly focuses on the main leads, and not so much on the second leads, but the second leads still get a reasonable amount of screen time (the right amount in my opinion). Also, the chemistry between the main leads are just... AMAZING. There's not a lot of kiss scenes (since Allen Ren is married) and this drama shows that even without many kiss scenes, the drama can still be as sweet as any other dramas. The reason why I gave it a 9.5/10 instead of 10/10 was because the ending seemed really rushed and a lot of parts were missing or cut out. So, the beginning and the middle of this drama is definitely a 10/10 for me.

I usually don't really mention music since it's not TOO important, but here I have to say something about it...
There's about 100 different pieces of music used in this drama (it's an exaggeration but still) and most of them are really... weird. Not only that, but the most of the music comes in during very awkward places that doesn't seem that appropriate for that specific piece of music. Also, sometimes it's unnecessarily loud. Nevertheless, I really enjoy the music "Exchange" sang by my favorite singer Zhou Shen, and you'll hear it a lot throughout the drama lol. But as I mentioned earlier, music isn't that important in a drama so it did not affect the overall score of this drama :)

Leia Mais

TL;DR? If you don't have anything better to watch, give this a shot.

Not having been a huge fan of Taecyeon in Dream High, I watched this drama strictly for the plot. It sounds neat: A girl who discovers she can see ghosts after a 6 year coma and a guy who helps her solve her ghostly mysteries. I'm not saying the plot line should win a Pullitzer or anything, but it does sound entertaining! Unfortunately, this drama squandered all of that fun potential on pseudo plot twists and mediocre romance.

It's never a good sign when you root more for the lead character to be with a ghost than you do the actual male love interest. Surprisingly, this isn't even Taecyeon's fault! I was really impressed with how much he had improved from Dream High, and I really did love his character. Cha Gun Woo is an all-around good guy, willing to help out our heroine even when he isn't sure if he believes her. But even though he was doing all the right things, there was just no chemistry between him and Yang Shi On.

Yang Shi On's character was, for the most part, fairly likable. It was hard not to feel for her when she was so obviously lost and confused, trying to pick up the pieces after a 6 year absence from the world.

Kim Jae Wook was easily the star of the drama, which is interesting considering that for the majority of it, he didn't have any lines. But the way he watched over Shi On and loved her so much, even after so long was just heartrending.

The villains were disappointing, never evil enough to really be interesting, nor frightening. I can't even count the number of times that Gun Woo and Shi On were able to outmaneuver huge groups of men. If two people, with one of them having just come out of a coma, can beat 20+ gangsters, you are obviously not hiring gangsters from the right place.

Other than convoluted plot lines and a sad attempt at emotional terrorism in an effort to make you connect with the characters, this show isn't wholly irredeemable. It's short episodes ensure that you don't feel too bored throughout, and for the most part the ghost's problems were fairly interesting. All in all, not a complete waste of time.

Leia Mais

A new favorite in the making

Original review (first 2 episodes):
It's been quite a while since a drama had me hooked in the first five minutes. But from the opening scene of My Perfect Stranger I loved the music, the atmosphere, the cinematography, everything, and by the end of episode 2 I was not let down. The pace so far has been fantastic and there hasn't been a single moment I was bored. The acting from our main leads is stellar, be it in emotional scenes or quieter moments. They make these wild circumstances feel plausible simply by the realism of their reactions. As far as the story, this drama had me at time travel. I've often wished for more Korean dramas with this premise because it's a theme I've loved ever since I can remember and I'm really enjoying the execution here.

The overall tone is lighter than I expected and it's great. It sets it apart from quite a few other dramas I've seen involving crime/murder and makes for what is, in my opinion, an easier and more pleasant watch. The humor is clever and genuinely funny without being flat out comedy. Honestly, I would find it a little difficult to name the exact genre of this drama because it truly has its own unique feel, which I personally love. I can't wait to see how the plot develops, as well as the relationship between Yoon Young and Hae Joon. I already sense some chemistry there and I hope that if there is in fact romance in this show that it's not rushed or forced. I would totally dig a low key slow burn between them. The OST is the cherry on top, both with the instrumental soundtrack and the 80s songs interspersed. All in all, if the drama keeps this up, I may have a new favorite on my hands.

Update (completed):
Let me start by saying that most of my feelings from my original review remained true until the end of My Perfect Stranger. The family relationships remained strong and beautiful throughout and my love for the main couple only grew. It's been a while since I was graced with a such a subtle, unproblematic, and yet adorable romance in a drama, and my only complaint is that I wanted more of them. For the most part, the drama managed to maintain the pace and feelings of suspense for me. That being said, after a while I began to realize that no matter who the culprit was, I probably would not feel shocked when their identity was revealed. Why? Because I had already spent hours considering every single person in the entire cast. Any one of them could be the culprit, it seemed, and I started to feel that none of them would surprise me. Sadly, I think that turned out to be true. The reveal simply did not pack the punch I was expecting from such an intense drama, and that was possibly the most disappointing part for me. I couldn't fully appreciate the climax because I was waiting for a second identity reveal that would REALLY shock me and prove the first one just a fakeout. Needless to say, that didn't come.

I've heard some mixed things about this drama and I know some people felt it became too contrived or went downhill. Personally, I don't know how contrived it was, but I enjoyed it beginning to end largely because I could almost always follow the plot. It felt like the writer prized the story more than shock value, and the same cannot be said of many in its genre. It is worth mentioning that I don't usually watch dramas as they air and it's possible I couldn't appreciate some of its flaws simply because I couldn't remember them lol. I do think it took a bit of a plunge into darkness later in the drama and that grew a little tiresome for me, but it did manage to bring back some of the humor and heartwarming elements again.

I have a few other gripes here and there, but in the end, I let them go because I think that overall, the drama did what it set out to do. It told a nostalgic time travel story that was both emotionally intense and heartwarming, and is ultimately about second chances. It wasn't afraid to delve into deep tragedy and heartbreak, which made the victories and happy moments that much sweeter. We got rare focus on family relationships and friendships, beautiful arcs both in the characters and relationships, and an extremely satisfying ending that left me smiling and feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside. I definitely recommend this one, flaws and all.

Leia Mais

Refreshing modern female oriented drama

When casting is top notch & the story is not filled with over toxic characters, it's enjoyable to watch.

The story starts off with everyone captivated by Rose's beauty. Beauty is not just standard Chinese beauty but also the energy, 气质 she exhibits. Picking Cristal Liu is perfect for the role. She has that artsy, sophisticated 气质 and she looks young enough to play college age to 30's mom age.
She comes from a healthy family with loving parents with an overprotective brother. There isn't the idea of girls are any less valuable than boys hence she grew up free pursuing what she wants rather than what her parents want for her. She's smart, sassy, confident but also with many imperfections. She's not afraid to take chances on love and in life.

Ep 1-12 1st love. She's impulsive and the relationship progressed fast without deeper understanding. Break ups, fights, yelling feeling semi toxic as they find out more about each other. Very relatable to many people's 1st relationships.
Ep 13-28 Mr. Wrong Husband. She wanted someone stable and settled with the obvious wrong choice, but the series got draggy that I almost dropped the series. The best part was the divorce where she wrote to her daughter: "Divorce in my view only represent an end in a relationship and not a life failure."
Ep 28-35 Mr. Soulmate. At this point she regained her career and she's on a happier path. They have undeniable chemistry and connect on that artistic level.
Ep 36-38 Younger crush, not enough to make an impact.

What's enjoyable:
1. Good female supporting characters small or big parts. Even in the beginning a woman blaming her breakup on Rose, acting all crazy, Rose said "You are smart and beautiful, why waste more time on an underserving guy?" There was no female bashing over love interest like in other dramas.
2. Rose's Loving parents. Positive supportive parenting & nonjudgmental. "Life is only few decades long. If Happier times > sad times, then life is worth it."
3. Modern topics: Career women/Married, unmarried, divorced/Single parenting/Multiple loves, realistic that love moves on (None of that drama love trope of 30-year-old never been kissed, waiting to be reunited from their 1st unrequited love from 10 years ago because they met at 5 or something)

What could've been better:
1. WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY less episodes on boring husband choice
2. Use those extra episodes on Soulmate

Leia Mais

When I say that this drama is a health hazard, I am not exaggerating. I started it feeling quite cocky. I was sure I wouldn’t be as affected or emotionally invested as most of the people who watched it. 15 minutes into the show and I already knew I was wrong big time. It seemed as if a ball of dread had permanently lodged itself at the base of my throat. Halfway in and I was clenching my fists in trepidation and finally as the credits rolled, so did my big fat tears. From then on to the last episode, my eyes didn’t find a dry moment. After I was done watching, my peepers were positively swollen, my head hurt from continuously staring at the screen, I felt nauseous because of sitting in the same position all day and I had to stretch out my entire body that felt sore.
In short: This drama will bring about a physical reaction in you and you still won’t regret watching it one bit. You can quote me on that.

I think the title of this show pretty much tells its entire story. “Mother”. The amount of importance this word holds. The responsibility, love and sacrifice that comes with it. How some women can never be worthy to embrace it while some own it and wear it as a second skin. This show highlights how much a mother’s actions can define a child’s life. How sensitive the stage of childhood is and ultimately, how family can transcend blood.

I haven’t watched the original so I can’t make comparisons but judging this drama on its own standing, I will say it was one of the most beautifully written, directed and acted pieces of production I have ever seen. No amount of praise is enough for the actors. I am not a fan of Lee Bo Young but she embodied her character perfectly here. Lee Hye Young, my favorite veteran actress once again brought forth a character I will forever remember and treasure and finally, the star of the show: 7 year old Heo Yool. I am still speechless at how a child so young could execute such a difficult character with such mastery and that also in her first role ever. I am going to follow her career throughout her life and I’m positive that she’s going to take the world by a storm and I can only hope she wasn’t scarred by playing the widely complex role of Kim Hye Na.

The drama comes with excellent dialogue and symbolism. It is also morbidly suspenseful, as in you desperately want to know what happens next but are afraid to find out at the same time. I really don’t have anything to complain about and the only reason I took one star back was because so many emotionally powerful things kept happening throughout the show that by the last two episodes, I was just spent and exhausted and my capacity to react had vanished which is why I watched the end with a sort of indifference.

However, I will say that even though the process is painful the drama ends with a sweet relief that we all earnestly wished for.

A must-watch.

Leia Mais

This drama made me started to ask myself will I be the same person in the future ? or will the years change me ? .

I really loved this drama , it was so realistic & it is not just a youthful romance but also a slice of life drama without the heaviness that we usually find in this kind of genre . And is not like the normal romance stories where they love each other > break up cause of a 3rd party > end up together .. the end !!
Like the couple as it was stated in the summary they were separated for years , so they experienced different things & they became older , there is so much to think of & not just LOVE so that’s why I loved the story line .. the couple even if they are still in love with each other they have doubts in their relationship .

The concept of the drama is for mature audience ... you can see the lovey dovey type of romance in the past scenes but I wont consider it as the genre of drama .

Fan Kris is so cute ,  I am in love with his eyes they 're so beautiful , I liked his acting he portrayed the character well ..
As for the Leads as a couple they were cute but actually for me I loved the ( Zhu Xuan x Yuan Lang ) couple more they were more interesting and fun to watch .

The cinematography is so amazing ! I liked how they made the transition from the present to the past vise versa , it was so smooth that sometime got me confused  .

The OST was perfect it suited the drama mood .

The ending also got me confused at first but I loved it , I find the whole production is well executed ..

Leia Mais

This movie is typical romantic comedy. And yet at the same time it's not. I picked it up because of the leads whom I really love and I kinda liked the plot. I was expecting something fluffy, cute and already seen but honestly it was different. The core and essence of this movie is actually quite different than all the other romcoms I've seen.
Yes the main plot is about one couple who were together for so long that their relationship started to fall apart and at one moment the girl comes in possession of magical chocolate that brings her mind when she was 17 to 28 years old herself in the present time. And going like that back and forth she begins to realize her life, her mistakes, she starts to find her old self again and learns what was it that she lost along the way till this day. Whole movie is funny and very sweet, it brings many memories of our own past and it definitely makes you connect with the main girl. She is one beautiful woman who for the man she loves gave up her dreams, her own desires and her own self, she thought that acting that way will bring her marriage and happiness. And that's when Little Liang comes to the light, she awakes in Liang that young spirit, she brings her back her love for painting and drawing, she makes her feel alive and full of life again, to be more brave and relaxed, simply she makes her to learn to love herself and do what she really loves. And that was the strongest part of this movie, the main focus is only on her and her two personalities- young 17 years old Liang and unsatisfied lost 28 years old one. The way they start to interact with each other, in the beginning their bickering, misunderstandings, to the part where they finally accept and learn all the lessons becoming one. The guys were pretty good although I couldn't feel the chemistry with her boyfriend and I find that part of the movie weak- it simply wasn't explained how they feel in love with each other and till the end I think they weren't suited for each other. My heart has won the second lead or should I say the guy with whom Little Liang fell in love with. He was a typical rebel, riding a bike with living his life to the fullest but the one who awoke in her passion and love, they were totally great together. And when you add that Darren Wang was that second guy, well then it's logical that I rooted for him. ;)

The choice of the actors was also good, Ni Ni is one gorgeous goddess and she looks more beautiful by each day. She could really pass as a high school girl. Her acting was very believable and although she is older than Darren, their chemistry was so damn real and fantastic. Wallace as the lead guy was okay but in his typical wooden serious cool style and although in some other projects of his I liked him, here he definitely wasn't my choice nor the right choice for her. Despite that, it doesn't matter in the end because the main thing wasn't in men and relationships, it was in her, her mind and her heart.

" I'm proud of us"- this sentence simply engraved in my heart, the moment she said it, the way how two of them were portrayed and what they said to each other, it was very touching and realistic. As long as we have our own selves, as long as we think with our hearts and do the things we desire, as long as we don't lose ourselves along the way of growing up, we can make it, only then we can be truly happy, making our dreams come true and our lives into the life worth living for. This is the best message one movie can teach us. Despite that we may already know all that, still it means and makes us smile. It made me smile and I fully recommend it for watching.

Leia Mais

This was the first family drama and also the longest drama that I have ever watched. It was extremely popular in Korea so I decided to watch it and I'm so glad I did. This is one of my favorite dramas of the year and one of the best I have seen overall. The story focuses on newly married couple Bang Gwi Nam (Terry) and Cha Yoon Hee. After moving into a new apartment they discover that Terry's biological parents live across the hall. This is bad news for Yoon Hee because she purposely married the adopted Terry so she wouldn't want to deal with in-laws. The drama follows them as they try to juggle their married life, work and getting to know Terry's new family. Terry's parents, uncles and wives, three sisters and Yoon Hee's family are also given their own unique story lines.

There are many characters in this drama and tons of different story lines. Although there is a lot going on the story never really drags like some 16-20 episode dramas do. It's always interesting and something is always happening to hold your attention.

The acting was great from the whole cast. If I had to pick a favorite from the entire drama it would be Lee Hee Joon as Chun Jae Yong. He was amazing in this and stood out among the talented cast. He made me laugh and cry, not to mention his fantastic chemistry with Jo Yoon Hee.

The music was good and fit the drama nicely. I really liked the use of American pop when the scene took place in a restaurant or coffee house.

I loved this drama but due to the number of episodes and the monster that is my plan to watch list, I don't see myself re-watching it anytime soon.

Overall this is a great drama and definitely worth watching.

Leia Mais