It Was Good, But Left Us Disappointed
I really like the story and the chemistry was very great especially with the second couple but I was disappointed when they left the romance of the lead couple until the last episode. The story between the leads was really good but for a short drama they forgot to give them time to really have a romance. There was so much of the push and pull game between them and I am shy, I do not know how it feels that left us with a dissatisfied feeling at the last episode. It was, "will finish it quick, we do not have to make any sense". The actors performance was really good. All 4 main actors did a great job in getting us involve in the story. The writer let us down. To bad a cute story.Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Successful Story of a Bright Girl
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The Sunset Boulevard
If you have elderly parents, grandparents or great grandparents, you sure can relate with the characters in this drama, each is realistically written with a story to tell. This is a story about a phase that all of us will eventually face one day, that is growing old. It’s frightening for many but inevitable, yet the drama has made it funny, blunting the pain of reality, at the same time, capturing all the details, good and bad, happy and sad, as we may eventually come to terms with when we grow old ourselves.Sunshine Home is a nursing home taking care of the elderly from all walks of life. Some are ill with dementia and disability, some don’t have children to take care of them, some don’t want to burden their loved ones, but all have a story to tell. This story is told from the perspective of Ye Xiao Mei (Wu Qian aka Janice Wu). How she has come to inherit the senior home from her grandmother is heart-wrenching. As a passionate manhua (comic) artist, Ye Xiao Mei is reluctant to get involved in her grandmother’s mission. However, she eventually comes to understand what that mission signifies and she knows she has the duty to continue her grandmother’s legacy. And life in the senior home has also become the inspiration of her manhua story.
Ye Xiao Mei is intelligent, independent and strong. When others have given up in dealing with certain recalcitrant elderly, Ye Xiao Mei always finds a way, especially with the help of Guo San Shuang (Bai Jing Ting). With her compassion and firmness, she defuses tense situations involving various players. She has no qualm in getting her hands dirty, helping the elderly in their daily needs, dealing with foul temper old men and picky old ladies, and calming anxious ones. Wu Qian (Janice Wu)’s portrayal is amazing. As an actor, she naturally possesses that firm, no-nonsense attitude with a calm hand that fits perfectly into the role of the director of a nursing home. She is so natural and authentic that I have enjoyed every moment of her performance.
Guo San Shuang (Bai Jing Ting) is originally a health supplement salesman who is desperate to meet sales quota, and has scammed the elderly whom he sells products to. His conscience calls, quits his sales job, comes to help Ye Xiao Mei and lives in the Sunshine Home. Guo San Shuang is cartoonish, to say the least. He is compassionate, intelligent with unlimited resources to solve all kinds of difficult problems for Ye Xiao Mei. His sincerity infuses with silliness melts all hearts.
Bai Jing Ting is such a versatile actor. From a wimpy kid (Ping Pong Life) to a police SWAT (You Are My Hero) to a salesman in this drama, he has it all. His acting is immaculate and convincing. Having an adolescent face with youthful energy, Bai Jing Ting’s Guo San Shuang is lovable and funny. He is comical most of the time with funny facial expressions, silly words and deeds, and he is unabashed. He provides the much needed humor that softens the cruel reality of life.
Ye Xiao Mei’s and Guo San Shuang’s romance is slow burning. In actual fact, there is hardly any visible romance at all, though Guo San Shuang is pretty blatant in counting himself as Ye Xiao Mei’s boyfriend and her family his. Though denying their special relationship openly, Ye Xiao Mei’s feeling for Guo San Shuang is undeniable too but she refuses to give him the joy in admitting she is his girlfriend. Therefore, in a way the romance is mutual but implicit, like couples getting to know each other so well that they don’t need to declare their love for each other anymore. They do things together all the time and they share everything. In time, they become part of each other. They know deep in their hearts, they have each other.
Throughout the drama, sharp tongues are thrown everywhere with piercing comments. The dialogues are hilarious, witty and unforgiving, and yet cute and endearing. The dynamics between the old and the young, friends and friends, are incredibly well written and executed. Being young like a grandson to all the residents here, under different circumstances, Guo San Shuang is often being addressed as “sun zi” which has a double meaning; one means grandson and the other is derogatory. It is this type of humor that makes viewers laugh out loud in the midst of chaos.
This drama boasts some very fine veteran actors. Their acting is natural and convincing as if they are the real characters themselves. Overall, the acting by the whole cast is amazing and believable.
Every character has flaws; some more so than others. How the dynamics between the characters play out help make them (the characters) alive, realistic and relatable. Learning and growing are not limited to the youngsters. Even the elderly continues to learn and grow and become better persons.
The sound track “Fearless” (Go Ahead) is played, appropriately depicting the inner voice of Ye Xiao Mei when she faces the biggest challenge of her life – succeeding her grandmother as the Director of Sunshine Home.
My Verdict
This drama boldly tells a story many shun – old age, dying and death. The writing is heart-wrenching and yet very funny. This is a very realistic story that all of us have to face one day and live through. The characters are real, with people from all walks of life, making a living with all kinds of trades – salesmen, debt collectors, scammers, etc. Some are decent people, some are despicable. The elderly is the group that is often forgotten by society. They are gullible and desperate, hence vulnerable, a perfect target for scammers which is highlighted here.
Though old and frail, at Sunshine Home, they are not lonely; they are being loved, cared for and cherished. This is their haven where they seek solace and maintain their dignity.
Life is bitter, and sweet, at the same time. All it takes is the perspective to have more of, or less of, either. Some of the characters here are positive and their lives tend to be sweeter, even when they meet challenges. Some are more negative, and they are bitter, draining themselves and the people around them. As old people were also once young like us, and we will grow old ourselves eventually, we need to be more compassionate towards them and empathize with them, and that's the message of this story.
A well written drama that deserves to be cherished. A great watch!
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A silent love amidst a turbulent time
Allen Ren and Bai Lu give us their best performances yet!Shiyi is subject to a political chess game when she is sent to be the disciple of the Jr. Nanchen Prince who is a threat to the throne of his nephew emperor. In her time with him, she grew into herself and fell in love with a great man.
Jr Nanchen Prince Zhousheng Chen is an unambitious but kind leader. Yes a leader. This is what he embodies to a T. I wrote somewhere else that if I was a subject at that time, I would want him to be my emperor but me as a viewer loves him so much and understands that being emperor would be a lonelier journey that the one he is currently experiencing. The Nanchen prince understand his duty, and loves his duty as well. He understands what his existence means for people (peace) but also what it means to the Palace (a threat) and he struggles to balance the two. With his sheer intellect and military power, he could be a force to be reckoned with but his weakness is his kindness. He wants peace and is willing to be the sacrificial lamb to make this happen.
Shiyi, in some ways, is like this as well. She understands her role more than anyone and I am happy with her characterization. Very often in dramas, the girl who supposedly should understand the duties she was born into, flouts her responsibility without caring about the consequences to others around her. But not Shiyi. She gets it and never once even complains about them. She is unhappy by her constraints but knows she must follow the rules for hers and her clans sake. Her strength becomes more apparent after she falls in love with the Nanchen Prince. She loves him but still understands her duty.
I saw someone mention that the feelings they have for one another is not exactly love and more of a familial bond and I want to agree but also disagree. Love, for me, is not deep enough to explain the feeling they have for one another. That might be because the word is so basic and I'm desensitized to it. But their feeling is deeper. What is love? You like the person that you want to stay near them, be with them and accompany them and that's what Shiyi feels for him. But if you asked Shiyi if she wants to marry the Nanchen Prince and have his kids, she would say yes as well. So its more than just a familial bond for her. Same for Nanchen. It might seem like he is too married to his responsibility but given a situation where her life was in danger, he would give up his life for her. They are often times one in thought, and seem to be so in tune with one another.
Their chemistry is palpable. Every look and action showed their feeling for one another. Its so well done that I could sense the moments it started to change from master-disciple relationship to romantic. That's how good their chemistry and synergy is. No one words are spoken at times but you feel the joy, sadness, elation and sorrow in their expressions. Like when Shiyi sees the Nanchen Prince again after he returns from battle. I'll give props to the Director for that moment as well. I could see how happy she was to see him again but I could also tell how glad he was to see she was doing well. That's why I'm not bothered that Allen Ren might not be comfortable doing kissing scenes. In fact, this drama I think does not require kissing. Its already complete.
On that note, I just want to commend Allen Ren's performance as the Jr. Nanchen Prince. He embodies a prince and every action of his tells me that he was born and raised a prince and is not just some actor who they put clothes on and was told to act. Every single action of his harkens back to the fact he is a noble character. His best performance yet and I look forward to more of his works.
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Spies and Assassins Amidst Perfidious Imperials.
This is not a simple love story but a dark complex world of court politics, power hungry Monarchs, treacherous relationship in imperial family amidst revenge, strategies and plots.
:::::::::::INTRODUCTION:::::::::::::
Since the fall of the previous dynasty there have been nearly a century of chaos, constant friction between Northern Province(Beipan) and Central Plains.
The nine kingdoms of Central Plains each hold their own territories but they have been in constant conflict for many years.
Among them, States of An and Wu are the most powerful. The Emperor of An - Li Zhun loves war and is greedy, he has annexed countless cities from neighbouring territories. The Sate of Wu is rich and people are strong. The Emperor of An covets States of Wu.
In the sixth year of Yongyou the Emperor of An launched a military campaign to seize the GOLD MINE in the West of Wu. The Emperor of Wu - Yang Xingyuan welcomed the battle South of (Tianmenguan) Tianmen Pass.
The army of Wu faced a major defeat at Tianmen Pass, they lost three cities(Xu, Cai and Jing). The Emperor of Wu believed in slander and underestimated the enemy. The Emperor of Wu has been captured and taken hostage by the State of An.
With the news of the Emperor's defeat, there is a major upheaval in the state of Wu and struggle for power has started. Prince Danyang the acting regent and brother of the emperor wants the throne, The Empress declares she is pregnant and may give birth to the future heir, The Prime Minister - Zhang Song doesn't care who sits on the throne as long as he can control them and retains his power.
Marquis Changqing of the State of An, Li Tongguang {Chang Hua Sen} sends a messenger on behalf of the State of An demanding a ransom of 100,000 teals of gold to be delivered by a person of The Imperial Prince Status in order to release the Emperor of Wu.
The ignored sheltered Princess Yang Ying {He Lan Dou} volunteers to go as The Imperial Prince Li, fourth son of the former Emperor Jin with the envoy in return of Money and Status conferred, that it would give her some independence upon returning back. She naively ignores the dangers of posing as a male prince, if discovered she is a fake, the consequences will be dire for her. Chief Clerk Du is the person responsible for negotiations, he is a loyal but inflexible person, later proves to be a knowledgeable and compassionate person.
The special team to join the delegation/envoy is formed of the few guards of The Heaven Path including Ding Hui and others as mentioned below:
1.Ning Yuanzhou(Hell path){Liu YuNing} : the former deputy chief of the Liudao Hall. His mind is full of brilliant strategies and unparalleled tactics. Now wants to lead a peaceful life away from court politics, agrees to join the convoy to protect princess Yang Ying and also to clear the good names of The Heaven Path men who were branded as traitors.
2.Qian Zhao(Heaven Path) {Wang Yi Zhe}used to be a former member of Heaven path was transferred to Yulin Army by special order due to his meritorious service. He is now the commandant of Yulin Army. Is very good at medicines and life saving skills. He is versatile. He appears stoic but is most invested in clearing the names of fallen soldiers of The Heaven path especially Chai Ming.
3.Yu Shisan (Asura Path) {Alen Fang}: former commandant of Asura path,who had been imprisoned for abduction of minister Liu's daughter, he seems frivolous and a person only interested in pursuit of pleasure and beauty but is the most emotional, caring member of the group.
4.Yuan Lu {Chen Youwei}, the greatest genius of hungry ghost path whose martial arts skill is average but is great in building mechanical devices useful is spying and warfare. Due to a congenital illness, it is predicted that he will have a short life. He believes in living his life in a carefree manner without worrying about his sickness.
5.Sun Lang {Li Huan} of Human Path is great at defense. A person with tough exterior but abundant love for furry creatures like rabbits, dogs and cats.
**6.Ren Ruyi/Ren Xin{Liu Shishi} - former top assassin of State of An, now a discarded piece on the chessboard, considered dead and believed to be a traitor of Scarlet Guards. She was directly promoted to Purple Emissary from a mere guard, later his Majesty personally named her Left Emissary of the headquarters. She is trying to find the killer of Empress Zhaojie of the State of An of whose assassination Ruyi was accused of 5 years ago. Ren Ruyi joins this delegation group to teach Princess Yang Ying all about the State of An in exchange for Ning Yuanzhou's help to find the real assassin of Empress Zhaojie and on a personal level to conceive a baby with him.
Along the way the group has to face many obstacles & treacheries. Their bonds are tested and new alliances are formed. The weak people have to become strong and The Strong people find others on whom they can lean on. New promises are made and some promises are broken.
**************************************************
::::::::::::::Review:::::::::::::::
Each person going on this journey is on a QUEST. This is a journey of finding love, getting exoneration for the fallen comrades of Heaven Path of Liudao Hall who are accused of betrayal, hope for a better future and most importantly discovering Self-worth and Self-love.
This series seems so much different than others because all flawed characters are learning to embrace the reality and their shortcomings, all the while striving to live their life to it's fullest potential.
As per my perception, the story can be divided into three major storylines, the main love story, growth & development of Ren Ruyi's disciples and Internal Political struggle within the Sate of An and state of Wu.
The main love story of Ning Yuanzhou(Liu Yu Ning) and Ren Ruyi (Liu Shi Shi) is handled in a very mature manner. Both the protagonists' age in the series is about 30 years and they have been in a prominent position in their respective Spy organization for a very long time and are now tired as well as disillusioned by power hungry Emperors' using their organizations' members as disposable pawns in their political ambition. They find solace and companionship in each other. In spite of their contradictory future plans they respect the other's choice, endeavouring to find a common ground acceptable to both. Their love story is a perfect standard of mutual love and respect in a healthy relationship. Other minor love stories are also quite engaging, there is brief connection between Yang Ying and Yuan Lu; Chu Yue and Yu Shisan.
The other major story arc is the growth and development of two disciples of Ren Ruyi, A shrinking violet, Princess Yang Ying who had initially agreed to be the head of this rescue envoy to free The Emperor of Wu for some wealth and recognition in the court, during the journey under the tutelage of Ruyi gains confidence in her ability, discovers her self-esteem and wants power and glory instead of being happy with her previous mundane existence. Even though she realises the path to acquire glory and fame is fraught with dangers, she chooses to go out with a bang not a whimper if and when her death comes. First disciple, of Ren Ruyi was Li Tongguang. The story also focuses on his rise to power, surrounded by ambitious, duplicitous royals. Li Tongguang is depicted as a peace loving person wanting stability for the country, also is more efficient and capable than the two royal princes.There is brief sub-plot of Li Tongguang transferring his gratitude and affection for Ren Ruyi into obsession to possess. However Ren Ruyi wishes both her disciples' success and happiness like a true mentor.
Final and the most interesting aspect of this story for me was the jostling for power and the depiction of ruthless power hungry Emperors. The Emperor of Wu whose reckless personal expedition ended in the loss of three cities of State of Wu. Due to Emperor's gullibility a hundred thousand people died in the war. The original journey was undertaken to pay the ransom for the Emperor of Wu, however none of the teams members are keen on The Emperor returning back to the power the only thing that is keeping them in the righteous path of saving their Emperor is their honour and hope for the Emperor to exonerate their fallen companions of Liudao Hall. The Emperor of Wu is a selfish, greedy, tantrum throwing grown adult without any sense of responsibility. If the Emperor of Wu would be out of the way; the current acting Regent, Prince Danyang Or the Grand Secretary, Zhang Song would be better ruler for the state. On the other hand there is The Emperor of An who is scheming, plotting, manipulate individual whose soul is as dark as Erebus. He colluded with the Beipan people that led to the heart break of Empress Zhoajie who chose death in face of betrayal from her loved ones. The Emperor of An is a devious ruler who knows his two sons are incompetent and continuously balances power in his court to maintain his position. The only capable person to take on the future leadership is Li Tongguan but the Emperor keeps his ambitions in check by limiting his authority. Both the State of An and Sate of Wu would benefit from change in leadership.
Will the Central Plains get a stable ruler? Will the whole team survive the journey and live to tell the tale?...... That is for the viewers to find out. (If anyone is interested in end spoilers, see my post for episode 35 to 40summary and key points written as comment to THIS review)
Overall: A solid series with a good cast of actors, a minor criticism that I have is for the series is the unexplored direction of both the spy organizations. They were outlined in such detail that I was looking forward to their operations. However the spy organizations faded in the background giving way to the political intrigue.
**************************************************
:::TWO spy organizations of States of An and Wu:::
FIRST SPY ORGANIZATION:
SCARLET (Vermilion) GUARDS of State of An
The recruited white sparrow members are controlled by the organization through poison, the members have to take an antidote every six months so escaping is not easy. The Scarlet Guards are called by their code names instead of their real names. Their structure seems more Hierarchical Organisational. Their tasks and roles are not quite clear.
_____________________
Hierarchical Structure
*Commander Deng Hui(ep 9)
*Left Emissary - (Ren Ruyi/Ren Xin), Chen Gui(ep4)
*Right Emissary- Jia Ling(ep9)
*Scarlet Emissary
*Red Emissary - Zhu Ji( Jia Ling's trusted) (ep9)
*Purple Emissary - Yue Sanniang (ep1 to 4)
* Flying Flower Formation - assassins (ep 20), According to Liu Li their south west position is the weakest.
*White sparrow(Baique) - adept at seduction and investigation. Ling Long (ep1) , Ren Ruyi/Ren Xin
*Shadow Scouts -
______________________
Organisational Structure(Branches/Departments)
*Head quarter
*Yuheng Branch to investigate police officers and Yue Sanniang's death (ep9)
*Kaiyang Branch (ep 4) sends messages through pigeons. (Has a secret chamber.)
*Tianji Branch (ep3) -
*Guideyuan Branch (ep 22) to carry out the order of murdering Ruyi and to inform Wu's delegation gas arrived in Guideyuan.
*Wu Capital Branch- (ep22) Guideyuan Branch received a message, Ruyi was a traitor from Wu Capital Branch.
1.Jumen and Lianzhen department - investigation of Wu delegation's background. (ep9)
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SECOND SPY ORGANIZATION:
Six Daoists, LIUDAO HALL - Wudu Six Hall(Six Realms Hall) of State of Wu
It was created by Taizu, it specializes in investigation and espionage. A total of SIX factions are there, THREE considered Good/Virtue Paths, their members called calvaries and THREE Evil Paths, their members called Scouts (chazi) .
:::::Good/Virtue Paths:::::
* Heaven(God) Path ; in charge of protecting Royal family.
* Human Path; monitors officials at all levels.
*Asura (Demigod) Path; engages in bribery and seduction.
:::::::Evil Paths::::::
* (The Way of Aguis) The Hungry Ghost Path ; creates mechanisms
* Animal Path; specialises in espionage.
* Hell Path; is known for assassination. {Ning Yuanzhou has turned this into an intelligence gathering unit, Palace of Hell(Senluo Hall).}
PS: If interested in more details, check out below mentioned posts:
1.Adding general information about the State of An political Scenario as a comment to this review.
2.Also included in the comment section of this review are the Clickable links to SOME of my comments for this drama, if anyone is interested they can read those as well.
3.For End spoilers of episodes 35 to 40, see the comment to THIS review.
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A Must-Watch Drama That Redefines C-Drama Storytelling
As a fan of this director’s mini-dramas and familiar with the leads, I had this show vaguely on my radar, but wow—what a ride! This drama breaks away from tradition and delivers everything I’ve ever wished for in a C-drama. From the exquisite directing to the engaging characters, it’s a masterpiece through and through.
Directing and Cinematography:
The directing is stunning, with shots crafted with clear intention. There’s an artistry in how unspoken emotions are conveyed visually, creating a narrative that feels almost poetic. Every frame tells a story, and the attention to detail elevates the entire viewing experience, no additional voice narrating is necessary.
The Plot:
We start with a bold twist—our leads are at the end of their lives, poisoned and let down by the world. They connect on a profound, kindred level, only to die together. And then, just when you think it’s over, the story rewinds. The female lead wakes up in her childhood body, armed with memories of her past life. This familiar premise is brought to life in a refreshing way.
From the very first episode, you’re hooked. Unlike many dramas that rush through backstory in a few minutes, this one dedicates almost an entire episode to immersing us in the leads’ tragic past. By the time their deaths hit, you’re already emotionally invested. This makes their “redo” all the more meaningful—you want them to rewrite their fates.
The Characters:
-The Male Lead: He’s a brilliantly written character— just irresistible. Unlike the FL he did not keep his memories from his past life. A badass fighter unafraid to make difficult choices, he’s captivating from start to finish. Watching him fall in love with the FL and become a devoted husband was pure joy.
-The Female Lead: She’s smart, strategic, and compassionate—a true standout. It’s no wonder the ML (and others) are drawn to her. She is a badass queen!
Their chemistry is electric, and their relationship is everything I’ve ever wanted in a drama. They get married out of love (not duty!) in the middle of the series, and their relationship is free of miscommunication or unnecessary drama. They’re a true power couple and absolute #CoupleGoals.
-Ji Yong (3rd Favorite Character): A complex and fascinating character, Ji Yong is cunning, intelligent, and emotionally detached—but not evil. His ambition is understandable, and despite (appearing) to be on the opposite side of our leads, he’s impossible for me to hate. Knowing he gets a second chance also with his memories intact makes his journey even more compelling. Also, when his true intentions were revealed it made him the most interesting character in the show for me.
Palace Politics and Villains:
Though I’m not usually a fan of palace politics, the intrigue here kept me hooked. The villains are as twisted as they come, showcasing the theme, “No one can mess up your life like your family.” It’s painfully relatable and well-executed. Also, the showdown in ep.31 in the court kept me at the edge of my seat. And the finale is everything I expected it to be.
The Beautiful Happy Ending:
What truly cemented this drama as a favourite was the beautiful and uplifting ending. Despite the bleakness of their situation and the overwhelming odds against them, our leads stand together against the world, showing how love can transcend hate and bring light even in the darkest times. Their unwavering commitment to each other and their shared goal of a better future made the finale deeply satisfying. It’s rare to see such an authentic portrayal of love’s power, and it left me with a sense of hope and joy that I’ll carry with me for a long time.
Final Thoughts:
This drama came out of nowhere and completely swept me off my feet. The beautifully crafted story, unforgettable characters, and emotionally resonant themes make it my favorite drama of 2024. If you’re looking for a C-drama that delivers heart, depth, and an unforgettable journey, this is it.
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It's not easy to love this, but its harder to not love this.
Its always the way the characters look at each other, the look of love in eyes that makes one fall in love with the characters. It's same here too, its just that she falls in love with a bad bad guy and you kinda end up falling in love with them. I was stunned, moved and touched by the way their relationship molded over time. The script doesn't offer you with much shocking plot twists but does give slow burn twists that you would have expected for a long time but it still make you feel shocked when you see it. The aspect of finding someone you feel like you belong with though you shouldn't - that drives the movie. The gore killings, yah can weird you out. The slow burn sexual connection and emotions are put out in an excellent way by the actors.The script and the acting makes it feel so raw, the essence of the movie.
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it sucks
read the original novel or even the webtoon. don't watch this shit. make it flop let the director suffer for even trying to ruin it for the people who love orv.dokja is a victim of bullying and violence and yet they painted him as a bully and a fucking murderer? seriously? if you didnt have time to read the novel then you should've just not made the damn movie. why is gilyoung a fucking toddler? why is jihye a grown as woman? why do they have guns? removing the abuse dokja faced, the pain he has suffered through just to cater to incels. removing SA faced by heewon, domestic violence faced by dokja and his mother and the whole coin farming part really tells us about your misogynist mindset. take this la and shove it up your ass you misogynist motherfucker.
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The best word to describe this drama is: BORING. The main characters are written to be super quirky and especially at the beginning there are a lot of weird situations for the sake of creating comedy and showing their quirkiness. This kinda works at first (there was a time, like 2 months ago, when I was actually excited for the upcoming episodes) but as episodes went by everything became so dull, plain...boring. I can't exactly pinpoint what doesn't work for the main characters: poorly executed clichés? lack of character development? romantic chemistry where?, but something went reaaaaally wrong and I ended up skipping their parts in favor of the secondary characters, who surprisingly had much interesting storylines and relationships.
I'm not saying this is the worst thing I've ever seen, but it's frustrating looking back after investing 16 hours of my time and seeing that I could have watched something else instead. Oh, they also used Despacito as background music in several occasions and that was the last straw for me.
(lol no I'm kidding the characters were worse than despacito but really?? in 2019??)
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Okay, this show does a really terrible job of explaining itself so imma clear it up for those who have watched it and are confused or those that haven't and are interested in doing so. I'm not sure if the issue lies in the translation or in the writing itself, but either way, I gotchu:Convoluted explanation:
Qing Chen utilizes a set of nine stones to reset the universe after the love of her life nearly comes to a fatal end. However, doing so is not without consequence. Firstly, no one will remember her, nor can she reveal her identity. Secondly, she'll only have a predetermined amount of time before the flower of life wilts, which loses a petal whenever the major players in that timeline die and/or as time passes. And thirdly, if she doesn't recollect the scattered stones before her time is up, her existence will be wiped from the history of the universe and everything she has done up until that point will be nullified.
Simple explanation:
The basic premise of this show is that a girl (Qing Chen) goes a year into the past to change the fate of the love of her life. It obviously can't be that easy because the writers have another 45-ish episodes to write, so there are rules: she only has roughly 6 months to recollect the scattered stones that acted as her time machine and return to the future. If she fails, she disappears from the universe (including people's memories) and, as mentioned above, everything she has done up until that point will be nullified.
(If you haven't watched it yet, stop reading now if you want to avoid spoilers)
So what does she do? She devotes all of her efforts to saving Ling, her true love, and basically blows off searching for the stones because... Selflessness?? I guess?? Honestly, when it comes to dramas like these, the overall consensus is that any "genius" character is just a brilliant fool... Mostly for plot convenience. When the writers need them to pull some miraculously impossible solution out of their ass, they do, and when the writers need them to play dumb and overlook something blatantly obvious, they do. And that about perfectly sums up Qing Chen. She's a brilliant fool and victim of cheap plot manipulation.
She SHOULD be concerned about finding the stones. She SHOULD value her life. Why? Because if she doesn't find the stones, or if she dies, everything she went through to save Ling will go to waste— he'll still die at the hands of his power-hungry brother from before she went back in time, she just won't exist to witness it. It basically invalidates everything she is putting herself through; it's like devoting tons of time and effort into a video game with the intention to just delete the save file halfway. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
There are so many plot holes, so many I've lost count. They pulled a J.K. Rowling "Prisoner of Azkaban" so many times. What do I mean by that? Well, the whole premise of "Prisoner of Azkaban" is that Harry and Hermione fuck with time to fix a bunch of shit, but that mechanic is never visited again in the subsequent books because... Well, because it was hellish to write about so J.K. Rowling just casually opted out. Plus, it would've destroyed her tragic plans for the the story (since everything could be fixed by time travel), making it boring, repetitive, and predictable. TL;DR? "Lost Love in Times," like "Prisoner of Azkaban," is another example of— say it with me now— PLOT CONVENIENCE.
Then again, they must've done something right since I did watch it until the end, which is rare for me these days. I gotta give it to China— they've got political turmoil and domestic upheaval down to a science. If you can keep track of all the characters and side stories, you won't be disappointed by the amount of detail that goes into the corrupt and ceaseless competition for power. WITH THAT BEING SAID...
What a cheap excuse of an ending. It's the epitome of "oh shit, we wrote ourselves into a corner and the characters don't have their happy ending. Whelp... SCREW IT. FAN SERVICE TIMEEEE."
Don't get me wrong, I love me a happily ever after, but I'd rather a tragic ending that makes sense than a forced and poorly executed happy ending. Period.
*deep breath*
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The Nine-Tailed Fox Tale With A Romantic Twist…
Admittedly whilst the quality of these fantasy dramas are often variable upon screenwriting ,‘ My Roommate Is A Gumiho’ surprisingly hits most of the marks by portraying well-rounded characters, strong chemistry between the main leads and an intriguing premise which felt enjoyable and surprisingly heartfelt for viewers.
Taken from the eponymous webcomic and adapted by screenwriters Baek Sun Woo and Choi Bo Rim , " My Roommate Is A Gumiho” revolves around Shin Woo Yeo( Jung Ki Yong)- an ancient nine-tailed fox ( Gumiho) who yearns to be human. Woo Yeo must turn his fox bead marble blue before reaching his 999th year, otherwise he will never be able to attain this possibility of becoming mortal . However, nothing ever runs smoothly for supernatural beings in K-dramas. When young and feisty university student Lee Dam (Hyeri) swallows his bead, Woo Yeo soon finds himself battling between his desires and a new obstacle of affections for Lee Dam…
Starting off his performance on a slightly lacklustre note, Jang Ki Young soon proved his talents to animate the sagacious and mysterious onscreen persona as Shin Woo Yeo to life through his surprisingly heart-rendering scenes of Woo Yeo’s complex past and sweet interactions with Lee Dam.
It is surprising how underrated Lee Hyeri’s acting talents are by truly delivering a resonant performance as headstrong Lee Dam. Lee Dam ( as a character) is arguably an evidently "down-to-earth heroine" than a lot of K-drama female leads out there- deadpan expressions, shamelessly honest comments and straightforward priorities ( not least the fact that she was more worried about not being able to eat fried chicken again with the bead) helping to epitomise this.
However to be more brutally honest with Lee Dam’s characterisation, it was evident to see some nuanced problems here also. This didn’t mean her sentience as a character was non-existent. Early on in the series, Lee Dam established she was no pushover when calling out the sexist remarks of second male lead Gye Sun Woo ( Bae In Hyuk)’s friendship group upon her body. She comments defiantly that she is a human being; ” not an object" in a moment which truly brought forward the taboo issue of misogyny in South-Korea . ( Kudos as well for screenwriters Baek Sun Woo and Choi Bo Rim for having addressed this issues overtly than burying them under the carpet also.)
In addition to this the screenwriters also used the opportunity to explore more with her interactions outside of romances alone, with her two best friends; Do Jae Jin( Kim Do Wan) and Choi Soo Kyung( Park Kyung Hye) . The " best friends" archetype in K-dramas is often used to present “animosity”( either through love triangles, lies or relationships) or as “unnecessary” ( they are used to fill-in time or for comical relief). At times, the duo were manipulated into both roles in order to heighten drama, however, they was something oddly sweet here ; they genuinely cared about Lee Dam.
However, the biggest problem occurred sometimes in between this development of " comical" and " serious" Lee Dam scenes, there was a opportunity to use this time to sketch-out more about Lee Dam’s sense of identity . Admittedly , this also fuelled more tedious interactions between our main leads in the beginning as we had little to truly grasp ( as viewers) about their characters.
Arguably, however, it this was necessary to foreground who are characters were as individuals and to get to know one another first. This seemed to remain evident in later episodes with a more fortified pairing feeling refreshing, gradual and healthy-both for the characters, and the logic of the plot without having to define Woo Yeo merely as the ‘ supernatural and inhuman’ character of the series for angst and tension. Although some viewers have risen red flags about the “ improper” relationship between Woo Yeo and Lee Dam’s addressed name to him ( “ Elder/ Sir”) in Korean, there was undeniably something well-matched about the chemistry between these two characters. The storyline could’ve presented Woo Yeo as a “ callous” or “ disruptive” towards Lee Dam, but the male lead was fairly respectful towards our female lead and likewise with Lee Dam towards Woo Yeo. Their relationship was undeniably slow-burning but built upon gradual mutual respect and symbiotic feelings, rather than the stereotypical causes which often reduced the main pairing in fantasy dramas being there “ for the sake of plot”.
The supporting leads were in a similar boat. Second female lead Yang Hye Sun ( Kang Ha Na) was an absolute delight with her wholesome friendship with our male main lead . There was initial fear that perhaps Hye Sun would go down the stereotypical ” female animosity” route due to her close-knit relationship with Woo Yeo ( due to her established " vixen-style and mischievous ”personality). However, thankfully the show allowed Hye Sun to steer clear of this route. Instead Hye Sun is paired together with an unusual side character which you won’t see coming . Now, without spoilers ( to either the drama or the webtoon), there is a particular reason why the storyline paired these two polar opposites together, however, first-time viewers will possibly feel disconcerted with this pairing choice due to the more ” comical" approach taken on at first. (Although admittedly there are some surprisingly heartfelt moments between these two also.)
Our second male lead Gye Sun Woo ( Bae In Hyuk) was a little bit of a curve ball. Bae In Hyuk was undeniably delightful as our main lead. However although the series did attempt to present Sun Woo as the “ forlorn lover with unrequited feelings” towards Lee Dam, lacking character growth and missed opportunities to use Sun Woo’s egotism in order to explore more about his backstory, truly derived from the screenwriters’ intended desire of presenting him as this sentient individual rather than merely a story writing trope.
On a more positive note the ending was fairly well-matched for the series and did leave a sense of completion towards the overall events of the drama.
So aside from the seeming abundance of high ratings for this series giving it “10/10”, is “ My Roommate Is A Gumiho” actually that good? Well, the drama undeniably has its flaws in parts. Whilst it hits the mark with good acting, prominent messages and brilliant relationship chemistry between our leads, the fresh spins upon tropes are sometimes mismatched against more tiresome cliches particularly with later storyline developments, slower pacing in parts and evidently the character development of Sun Woo. On the other hand, “ My Roommate Is A Gumiho” was an entertaining watch with chemistry which sparked alive onscreen and will definitely win the heart of any avid romance fan.
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Ok wow. Black is a conundrum with equal parts things to love and equal parts things to hate. It is excellent at times but tragically bad at others and after you’re done with it, you’ll find yourself fully understanding where both the highly positive and negative views are coming from. Your final rating will simply depend on the aspect you choose to focus on. So here’s the spoiler-free break down of the good and bad that comes with the show:The Bad:-
Bad Acting and Annoying ASF Characters:
1) Our Female Lead:Kang Ha Ram was your everyday damsel in distress/dumb but kind/self-sacrificing/self-blaming/bumbling-fumbling idiotic heroine who should’ve been as unmemorable as they come. And she really was that way as long as Go Ah Ra didn’t attempt to “act” but then somebody gave her the awful idea that she should “try and make an effort” and that’s when things went sour for me. Her acting was so monotonous and try-hard that at times I too wanted to stab my eyes with a metallic chopstick. Just at the slightest inclination of danger, she started this weird hyperventilating/gasping/whimpering regime and trust me, nobody wants to hear that kind of constant panting in the ear in, what is supposed to be, an emotionally intense scene. Simply put, it made me feel violence.
2) Kim Won Hae:Ladies and Gents, let me introduce you to the supporting ahjussi version of Lee Jong Suk (minus the looks ofc) He has the classic “same character, different drama” thing going on and that’s why what was supposed to be the role of a quirky and passionate police officer soon turned into the “same ol’ bs” for me. It didn’t help that I had watched two of his dramas (WYWS/CHIEF KIM) back to back (in which I really liked him) before Black and his acting chops (or lack thereof) were quite apparent to me .
3)The Second Male/Female Lead:The second female lead was a slightly updated version of Kang Ha Ram. Atleast, she had some reason for her constant hyperventilation. The poor woman was literally used as a plot device for the show (with zero character development) and spent the entirety of the drama getting abused/hit/humiliated/kidnapped and you know the routine…The second male lead was the male equivalent of the female and second female lead combined so you know there’ wasn’t much hope to begin with. There was equally bad acting done by all three of them to wrap their disastrously written characters with a sparkly bow on top.
4) Side Characters:There are a lot of side characters with straight up cringey acting which made me question my own existence. Like why? Their roles weren’t even hard. It was like watching a bad rehearsal instead of the actual thing.
-Pacing and Plot Development:
Black’s pacing is admittedly very messy. The drama starts being all over the place, it’s draggy and confusing and you almost want to drop it but then episode 5 kicks in. And somehow it turns from “meh” to “holy shit that’s awesome”. And then just when you’re ready to give it a 10, the drama reaches the 12th episode mark and things start to go downhill. The last couple of episodes were probably some of the most badly executed/poorly written/sappy and disappointing episodes I’ve had the displeasure of witnessing in a drama. The ending was also done in poor taste. Some of the reveals could’ve been brilliant but the show failed to pull it off, so much so, that when everything finally hit the fan, I was almost yawning like “So this what was all the hype was about?” Not impressed.
-Bullshit-O-Meter on Level 100:
Honestly, if you’re watching the show objectively you’ll find a lot of loopholes and things that don’t add up. Some scenes were flat-out ridiculous and laughably unbelievable. There’s a level of “illogical” I can put up with under the label of fantasy but when you just start bullshitting your way through things, just to wrap it all up, I’m sorry but I’m not buying. The amount of convenient plot devices in the last coupla episodes were tragic and the poor props used by the production team just made things more tacky.
The Good:-
Well Done Anti-Hero/Male Lead:
I simply adored Grim Reaper 444/Black. He was the life of the show and could often be seen carrying it on his sexy back. I actually think Song Seung Hoon pulled it all off quite brilliantly. I loved the way he went from this cold/blunt/almost selfish jerk to this kind hearted man. I loved everything about him- his hilarious antics, his cute attempts to adjust to the human world, the way the actor delivered his dialogues and his poignant expressions that actually made you “feel” so much for him. He pulled both his roles as the “clumsy police officer” and “the stoic Grim Reaper” perfectly. Even though his character took some hits because of the bad writing towards the end, they weren’t nearly big enough to downplay all his awesomeness. Plus those black suits were mighty good to him. I couldn’t get enough.
-Suspense/Mystery:
Even though the ending reveals and the wrap-up could’ve been much much better, the journey towards the revelations was excellent. There were some genuine thrilling moments and the show executed the suspense marvellously. I was dying to know what was going to happen at times and was clueless about how it was all going to end (except one of the big reveals that I had figured out quite early in the show). The way some things connected to each other in some of the individual cases had me gripping the edge of my old rusty futon. As a hardcore fan of the mystery genre, I really appreciated some of the twists and turns the story took. After a very long time, I had myself a show where I was genuinely interested in knowing the results. I was badly anticipating the “wow-wow-superwow moments” and even though the results disappointed me, I’d never for a moment take back the beautiful process.
-The Middle:
For me the middle of the show (ep 5-11) was definitely the best of it. There were some legit interesting cases that our main guys took over. The show pulled off the darkness and violence of every crime quite nicely and ended up being fairly impactful. In this phase of the show I was sure I was going to give it a solid 10; for the execution of these episodic stories was far better than the over-arching plot.
-Black’s two “Reaper Best Friends”:
Jo Jae Yun is my favorite supporting actor and I’ve loved him in all his roles. Joseon along with our adorable Rapper brought some much needed comedic relief and warmth to the show. Their interactions with Black made my day.
-The Killers:
A few of the killers/criminals in the show were just the right flavor of creeptastic.*Scarface, I’m looking at you.” This did wonders for the psychological aspect of the drama. You get a glimpse of how horrible some humans can be and it is ugly. I loved it.
-OST:
The OST was very appropriate and the soft vocals gave a very melancholic feel that was just right for the show. The instrumentals helped too.
-Leo:
Lmao ok so he was actually quite irrelevant and one-dimensional but still oh so cute. I’m a girl. I have two eyes and two ovaries. I liked what I saw.
So anyway, that’s about it folks. That’s all you need to know about Black. Do I recommend it? Actually, yes.
If you can look over some things/don’t mind one and a half hour episodes/ are a fan of mystery and crime, then definitely give it a go. Chances are you will really enjoy, if not most, then at least some of it. Do I think it deserves to be one of the very top rated shows? Personally, no. Not by a long shot.
Best of luck!
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For starters, I am a very big lover of this manga. It isn't exactly a very smart story but what drove the entire plot of the manga had been random cuteness and a swooning chemistry between the leads. While the lead actors here are cute they fail to make me love them and rather came off as annoying. I don't know how old both actors are but I'm gonna be harsh and say they did a terrible job of their characters.
Shuusei and Aoi were unrecognizable to me as characters by the end of the film. With a story that originally hardly had any depth, the script of the film makes it shallower (as if that's even possible). Yes, the sudden romantic moments are cute but before you reach half of the film- you feel like you're watching a couple of teenagers' random romantic moments put together. The characters don't make sense and the flow of the story is practically non-existent.
I understand that not all movies have the same budget but for this the acting really ruined everything and not the lack of glamour. The humour, romance and story- everything failed me. Yet for some very odd reason I didn't hate the movie. There was something addictive about it that made me kept going. I couldn't wait to get to know what happened next nor could I wait for it to end. It was like a tug-of-war happening within me as a viewer.
One of the bright sides of the movie was the presence of Kiriyama Renn. Even his barely-there presence left more of an impact on me than the other actors could do. It was rather a waste of this otherwise talented man.
This is a harsh review and my ratings are all low and yet the overall score is fine. That's because I couldn't hate it being a fan of the manga nor could I hate the cliches in the film. As a one-time watch it hurts nobody but does stand as very forgettable in the long run.
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The Dark Lord, Ye Tianzi, was filmed in the burning summer of 2017, extending into the cool and rainy fall. Adapted from a historical novel by Yueguan, the story was transformed into a heart-stirring tornado on screen by the same author.During the dynasty of Ming, Guizhou Province in the southwestern corner of China was ruled under a tribal system. The rulers in the system were hereditary, and also formally appointed by the royal court. The protagonist, Ye Xiaotian, was originally head of a prison following his father’s foot step. Due to a financial drought in the family, he decided to take a trip of more than a thousand miles to Guizhou to deliver a will of an executed official under his watch, with a promised pay. The moment he stepped out of the capital, the moment he reached the landscape of Guizhou…are the moments that changed his life. The rainy season of Guizhou did not start pouring abruptly, but it gradually turned into a thunderstorm. The storm was so brutal that Ye Xiaotian’s life was barely spared each time. One could also say that he outplayed all his competitors by his wit, his persistence, and most importantly, by his love for Xia Yingying.
The story is not your usual story about power struggles and undying love. Ye Xiaotian is also not a prince, but a nameless prison head giving up his job to earn quick cash. But after watching the whole series, you will come to understand that the story is about those encounters, the rite of passage. Beautiful or cruel, they change you, shape you, lift you up to another stage of life with no point of return.
The series is not only equipped with the wonderful cast, delicate and sometimes massive props, but also fast-pacing plots and funny lines which drive you right through Ye Xiaotian’s journey.
Xu Haiqiao has done a fascinating job in portraying the protagonist, injecting emotional energy into his performance and into the minds of the audience. The emotions will be so real that they explode in your heart.
Song Zu’er played the beautiful and innocent Xia Yingying. She is the sweetheart of Ye Xiaotian, also the sweetheart of the whole series.
Liu Guanlin played the arch-enemy of Ye Xiaotian this time. The life transformation also happened on him drastically.
There are also so many veteran actors and actresses, who are, just like what Haiqiao has commented, looking exactly the way their characters should look like.
The journey of Ye Xiaotian in Guizhou has long been over, but his adventure in Guizhou will not be stopped when the tornado is still elevating its capacity. The series comes to an interim, and one can expect even more intensive plots ahead. But Ye Xiaotian won’t stop his steps even when the tornado is over. When he looked back through the opaque veils of rain of Guizhou, how he started the trip and ended up doing everything just to marry Yingying. Like our lives, they just move on. While we will always remember how we came to be who we are, sometimes we just don’t understand why.
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