It is a veeeery good drama, as for the acting, as for the truth of the characters and for the really smooth plot accompanied with some really nice cliffhangers.
It is definitely worth to watch, and I would even say to re-watch (which is not something I usually do). The songs are great and some sequences full of emotions are really strong and great.
You will laugh at some situations, tears at some others and even though some imagination is needed sometimes, it all makes sense.
It's a drama I had much pleasure to begin, much pleasure to continue, and much pleasure to finish. It's well done and makes you go through a bunch of states!
I didn't know any of the actors but they are really doing great and you get attached to them really fast.
A MUST SEE
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Sisterhood. Love. Delicious delicacies
卿卿日常 (New Life Begins) narrates the story the life in Xin Chuan, how different women from nine regions come together and live their life there, also centering around the main couple (the sixth prince of Xin Chuan and a girl from Jin Chuan.)Helmed by director Zhao Qichen, who also directed My Heroic Husband. You can expect a good laugh from the drama! There are a lot of elements in the drama that is intertwined together flawlessly, such as comedy, feminism, love, friendship, family, and a tad of (child’s play) politics and rivalry. There are so many plot devices and themes that worked together harmoniously, there isn’t any dull moment for me. It is well-paced, the storyline develops at a brisk and engaging pace.
What makes this drama different from other dramas is (at least for now) that the drama avoids going on the mainstream road. There is no rivalry and scheming between women, unlike other historical dramas. The drama has a very heavy element of feminism - how women in this drama showcase their abilities, support, protect, and have each other backs, and more. Other than it, the drama also focuses on what women experience: postpartum depression, domestic violence, marriage, and more. All the women characters in the drama are interesting, well-conceived, and realistically written - each of them comes from different regions with different mindsets and beliefs, thus making their struggles and actions understandable. The colorful and depths of the ensemble characters make the drama even more compelling.
In addition, almost every couple in the drama is very also lovely! Every couple’s romance is developed equally. It is nice to see how each couple grows fond of each other over time and also grow as an individual. Each character possesses their own distinctive qualities that when combined together make the overall development of the story interesting and fun. Each character is also multidimensional, each having its own interesting story arc. You will find yourself immersed and invested in each character’s growth through the experiences they went through. I especially love how Hao Jia (the second prince’s concubine) has an inner monologue whenever the second prince is near him!
New Life Begin’s cinematography is generally adequate. But some of their shots of food are beautiful, which will make you salivate. The color palette of the drama is light and bright-toned with a soft filter and vibrant color palette, which is pleasing to the eyes. Another thing I loved about New Life Begins is their elaborately authentic sets and exquisite costumes. Where each character has their own styling. Lastly, though not seamless, the editing and scene transition is cohesive. There are a lot of scene transitions in between however it’s understandable as the narrative not only narrates the character in a certain period of time but over a long period of time.
The characters of the drama are brought to life by an outstanding cast, who delivers compelling interpretations of their character. Both Bai Jingting and Tian Xiwei did an exceptional job in the drama, embodying the character! Tian Xiwei imbues her character as Li Wei with cuteness, nuance, and also elegance! Though she looks very cute and sweet. But she is not one of those sweet-looking girls that are easily manipulated. She manages to infuse her character with kindness, righteousness, knowledge, and standing by what she believes; which makes her character very interesting. It is unimaginable that anyone else can pull off such a character other than Tian Xiwei.
Bai Jingting also elevated his character with his micro-expressions. As the sixth prince who grows up to be sickly and secluded, he still managed to show us different sides of the character - how he grows throughout the relationship and more. Not only Bai Jinting and Tian Xiwei but each character in the drama were immensely elevated by all the cast’s excellent acting. The depth and richness of each character and their development were commendable. In addition, all the character’s interactions and chemistry are also realistically and convincingly portrayed.
Personally, I think this is a really great drama to watch when you're looking for something light-hearted! This drama is like a serotonin boost!
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1WORTH IT
the whole wait for kinnporsche was really worth it. you can see the difference between the first trailer and the second one. plus the ctors have put so much dedication and hardwork in this show omg. I'm telling u you're gonna love it. especially if you're a bl obsessed fan. like seriously, 3 awesome directors working together means super satisfying outcome. and let me tell you, you may think your favorite characters would be porsche or kinn but in the end its always gonna be vegas 💀💀highly recommended. just.. be prepared for the thrilling ridee
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It was a story bogged down by a messy predictable script and two lead actors with about as much chemistry as a goldfish and a tree. Throughout the first eleven episodes, we see little no character development in either of the lead actors, and then are left with so much sudden character development in the next five that it's completely ridiculous.
Though, had the story a fast enough pace and a more well rounded script the show wouldn't have been such a bore. Had they cut out all the needless parts and really gotten to it sooner, the later character development and the development of emotions would've made a whole life more sense, as we'd have had more time to see these changes. Instead, the ending was rushed and messy, and also somehow boring and skippable. This series was eleven episodes of utter waste, and five episodes of trying to make it all make sense.
The one and only redeeming quality of this series, was the second lead couple. Ji Yi was smart, down to earth, and willing to work hard, and Chang Soo was fun and cute. Together they were honestly the best part of the show, I often skipped to their parts. Their chemistry was off the walls and their romance oddly believable. I would've much rather watched an entire series about them doing cute couple things and arguing than having to watch the cringe worthy romance between the main leads.
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Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
Mental health warning: if you are prone to depression do not watch this drama. It is relentlessly depressing and could win any competition for most tragic, angst ridden character ever. Despite the lack of balance in the mood and other flaws, the acting is fantastic and there are many stunning and unique aspects to this drama that make it worth watching. This drama literally transports you to an elegant pavilion surrounded by breathtaking landscape to admire the majestic grace and radiance of a pair of courting cranes... only to have them swoop down and poop all over you. You should stop reading here if you want to avoid mild spoilers - it is impossible to meaningfully review this without any.The biggest issue with this drama is that it is not accessible. The plot is heavy with political intrigue and revels in ambiguity. This leaves many things open for analysis and discussion. Nothing and nobody is as they initially appear. The plot twists are intricate and the devil is in details that don't always lend themselves well to film adaptation. To dial up the suspense, key segments of footage is omitted and played back later to reveal the plot. Multiple re-watches are needed to understand the subtleties of each twist. The subtitles appear to be decent but don't do justice to more detailed subplots or the overall beauty of the prose. This is one where good subtitles would be worth waiting for. [Update Feb 2023: Good subtitles are now finally available for this on Youku International. They are vastly superior to previous ones so try to watch this on Youku.]
This story is adapted from a well-acclaimed novel about a tragic prince who is beset with treachery at every turn. Plotting and conspiracies are afoot as court officials advance their own agendas amidst the power struggle between crown prince Xiao Dingquan (Luo Jin) and his brother from another mother Prince Qi (Jin Han). The emperor (Huang Zhi Zhong) blatantly favors his first born Prince Qi over his heir Dingquan, who is perpetually in danger of being deposed by his own father. The emperor holds Dingquan to a higher standard; he must be groomed to hold on to the throne and carry on his legacy. Dingquan is hurt and bewildered by his father's favoritism and longs to be treated at least equally. He doesn't see that as the crown prince, he is already the most dear. The emperor presides over a corrupt court and depends on powerful generals to secure the kingdom's borders. He maintains his grip on power by pitting powerful ministers and generals against one another and does not allow sentiment or moral scruple to upset the balance of power in the court. Even his best loved sons have to be pawns in this merciless game of thrones. He finds Dingquan's morality and sentimental attachments at best naive and inconvenient; and at worst incompatible with the power dynamics and political realities of the court. He dislikes his son's frequent appeal to their relationship and his affection to get his way rather than winning on the merits of the situation. Their relationship is complicated by Dingquan's close relationship with his maternal uncle General Gu Silin whose military might is a source of discomfort and paranoia for the emperor.
The father-son relationship is the most significant, riveting relationship in the drama. Luo Jin visibly takes his acting up another notch in his portrayal of the lonely prince who demands his father's affection and approval even as he unflinchingly opposes him to protect his values and those dear to him. He was a bit too generous with the waterworks and indubitably has yet to master Hu Ge's ability to make his audience sob uncontrollably without shedding a single tear. Nonetheless Dingquan's struggle to stay true to himself as he is pushed to make painful choices for political expedience is compelling and gut wrenching. It is however, Huang Zhi Zhong's emperor that steals the show. He is first emperor and then a father caught between two sons that he loves in very different ways. His cold and ruthless public exterior masks his private pain every time he is forced to deal harshly with Dingquan, whom he distrusts but is actually the son that can hurt him the most. He is a cynical old soul who is disdainful of but yet also reluctantly admires his son's idealism and moral conviction. The emperor was masterfully portrayed and is able to evoke complex and multifaceted emotions including anger, empathy and pity. The conflicts that unfold show us that neither is ever completely right or wrong they just have different world views and priorities.
The second important relationship in the drama is the love story between Wenxi/Gu A'bao (Li Yi Tong) and Dingquan. The chemistry between the two leads is delightful and one of the reasons I stuck with this drama. The way the storyline unfolds and the writing however does not do justice to this wonderful pairing. In the novel (which I did not read) Dingquan never meets Wenxi, he only knows her as Gu A'bao. In the drama, Dingquan has several encounters with Wenxi before she steals into the palace disguised as a maid. Although he never fully sees her face, it is clear that they are soulmates and they fall in love. Forced to go separate ways, in their last encounter Wenxi approaches him in the palace dressed as a maid. Shortly thereafter, he meets Gu A'bao the maid with whom he continues to communicate in sophisticated allegory and metaphor but we are supposed to believe he doesn't recognize her! It is manifestly obvious that she is educated beyond even highborn ladies like the crown princess. This inexplicable and pointless faithfulness to the novel (after departing from it so significantly) is most likely just sheer laziness. They had the OTP meet early on to make it more romantically appealing but didn't bother to make further conforming changes to the plot.
Had they more logically carried this change through the plot, with some small modifications, they could have set the story up for a huge, far more relate-able and captivating plot twist, one that works much better in a drama instead of getting mired down in dry and detailed twists that work better in a book. I was already half convinced that at some point Dingquan figured out who she was and they were working together - this resonates from their body language and the way they communicate with each other. Considering the mental masturbation that went into the trivial question of whether the two male leads in the Untamed were lovers, imagine the speculative interest that would have gone into analyzing when Dingquan figured out Gu A'bao was Wenxi and when they started working together.. Instead they dragged out the reunion and settled for a far less memorable, crowd pleasing moment of truth devoid of the drama's signature ambiguity. This would also better explain some of the extreme lengths he goes to to protect Gu A'bao and make some of her motives and decisions more logical but those are small points. I just sigh for the big opportunity missed!
There was excessive plotting and too many betrayals in this drama. Censorship and deteriorating writing in the middle made some sub-plots confusing and less logical. The villains in this drama are complex grey characters with families and relationships that cast them in a somewhat sympathetic light. They are also way too smart, to the extent that each of Dingquan's few hard won victories cost him an arm and a leg. While there is some character progression and growth, Dingquan is too emotional and does not learn from his mistakes. As a result of repeated defeats, crushing personal losses, and an increasing sense of isolation the character regresses and starts to exhibit his father's capacity for cruelty and abuse. I did not like where they went with this and the way he treats the female lead is something that did not sit well with me. It was also gratuitous and rather pointless unless the writer was trying to make me lose respect for both characters. Which is a pity because Lu Wenxi/Gu A'bao is a uniquely interesting character - passive aggressive, bold, stubborn, vengeful, brilliant and indomitable. Li Yi Tong was so incredible in this role I was angry at the writer for diminishing her character into a bit of a lovesick fool in the middle although she finishes strongly.
The ending episode was messy and leads to the (mistaken) conclusion that the ending is open, possibly sad and definitely bad. For all intents and purposes however, the story actually ended at about 26 minutes into the last episode when things come to a full circle for the OTP. At that point, the two important relationships are satisfactorily and realistically resolved and all of the villains get some form of retribution. All of the rest is of footage that relates to a final thread that was shot but not aired due to censorship. This hints at the possibility of a different or open ending; that there is more betrayal and tragedy ahead. However, there was not enough build up of this thread to substantiate any definitive outcome. It should all have just been lumped together with the 3 minute cryptically worded epilogue that suggests the story continues (and may even be released one day). Viewed that way, the ending was good enough.
The twelve episodes that were cut likely closes the remaining loose threads with respect to several characters including Gu Fengen, scholar Xu and the 5th prince. Although the story never builds towards its final denouement, this could be the one time Chinese censors did us a big favor. This writer has no sense of balance and destroys some fantastic tropes and characters by taking them to mind blowing extremes. I have heard how the novel ends and I don't need to be there for a final betrayal that culminates in tragedy. This writer tortures the main protagonist to death with a vindictiveness that suggests the character was inspired by someone who terribly wronged them. I am glad that the censors have forced us to get off the bus at a great place and right before it drives off a cliff.
Despite the resonating sadness, this is still a ravishing production with some truly brilliant acting, moving prose, thought provoking insights, intriguing ambiguities and an acceptable ending. It has some of the most poetic, romantic lines I have come across in a Chinese drama. The real tragedy is that this has all the makings of a masterpiece but it just was not.
Sept 2020 Update: The last 12 episodes (Royal Nirvana Special) are out. It ties up all the remaining loose threads regarding Prince Zhao (5th prince), Gu Fengan and Xu Changping. It is well done with a fitting ending.
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What an emotionally tormenting drama! Great acting!
If I were to describe this drama in one word, it would be "INTENSE"; in the simplest form, it would be BITTER, BITTER, BITTER, sweet, BITTER, BITTER, BITTER, sweet - with capitals being strong and lower case being weak. It feels as if after the bitterness and one is given a lollipop, before one can take a second lick of the candy, it's taken away.This is a "heavy" drama in every sense. Every episode is packed full with actions, plots, plots within plots, palace politics, murders, corruption, greed, power, fears, injustices, conspiracies, wars, fights, killings and more. The ugliness of human nature is vividly displayed and it has never receded over the hundred of years to these days. The writers and directors bring out all the ugliness of how power and wealth can corrupt a person, and the story is amazingly told in this wonderful drama. It is indeed disheartening for us to realize that we're still constantly repeating history over and over again, and we never learn.
The drama itself is serious and nerve wrecking. Every life is always on the line. Everyone tries to outwit another, and losers die. All the events are multi layers.
The events unfolding can be difficult to understand particularly if there are no English subtitles and the viewer not a native Mandarin speaker because everything moves fast and the plots are intricate and complicated. At times, I'd need to take a break away from this drama to get a breather because there is just too much information one has to absorb within an episode.
As Crown Prince, every move Xiao Ding Quan makes is always undermined by unseen forces. Injustices and luck always deal him a lower hand. What seemingly works out great for him would turn out bad in a twist. Danger lurks in every corner. Lu Wen Xi's fate doesn't fare any better. She's constantly wrongly accused and persecuted; her loss and pain are immeasurable. Her tormented undying devotion for the crown prince is heart-breaking. In every episode, I'd have to hold my breath - it's really that intense. The unfair treatments both characters face and endure makes the viewers sympathize with them and demand justice to be served.
The acting is impeccable. Both Luo Jin and Li Yitong are excellent actors. They effortlessly capture all the essence of their characters and play them flawlessly. I'm particularly impressed by Li Yitong in this drama. I love her bare face look with natural make-up. She's so beautiful.
Have I mentioned the romance part? It's painful and bittersweet. I also love the relationship Xiao Ding Quan has with his older cousin, Gu Feng'en. My only comment here is just the visual aspect of the actors and their characters - Luo Jin (38 yr) is obviously a lot older than Zheng Ye Cheng (26 yr) who plays an older role. Playing a youth of 20 as the crown prince, Luo Jin seems to have overstretched a little bit. The age gap is too large and this has given me a mismatched feeling, as least visually. Nonetheless, it hasn't hampered the amazing work of this drama.
I almost missed the epilogue had I not completed playing the ending OST in the last episode. In it (the epilogue), it reveals who Xu Chang Nian is. Before this, I had always wondered which side he's on.
I would fully recommend this drama to anyone who loves Chinese historical stories and can endure mental torments. In terms of acting and plots, this drama is a true gem.
Two thumbs up!
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I Feel You Linger in the Air: Uncut Version
56 people found this review helpful
This series is perfect ?
I Love this series too much, I will definitely watch this again. Episode 6 gave me butterflies in my stomach. I was just smiling all through. The chemistry between the main leads is out of the world. I hope it gets more high ratings,o hope people get to watch this and it will be very popular not just in Thailand but also international. It’s been a while I got hooked with a Thai bl series. ooohh my favorite couples. Bright is very handsome and Jom smile is perfect. I can’t wait for episode 7 next week. Perfect Series for me.Was this review helpful to you?
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1This review may contain spoilers
Introducing J-GPT: Your AI assistant for 'naughty' JBLs
Scriptwriter: So, J-GPT, I need help adapting a very popular manga/anime into a live-action drama.J-GPT: What an exciting project! How can I be of assistance?
Scriptwriter: Ummm. Can you write the whole script?
J-GPT: Of course! I’d be happy to be of help. Can you tell me what the manga is about?
Scriptwriter: It’s a one-night-stand-to-fuck-buddies-to-romance BL.
J-GPT: Why, what an excellent summary of an original and universal theme—and a very human one. Would you like it to be a work-place romance—or a random hook-up at a gay bar/through Grindr?
Scriptwriter: I’ll have to check if upstairs will allow me to say ‘gay’. But why not both?
J-GPT: Excellent idea! And how thoughtful of you to notice that office workers need not connect just through Slack—but through Grindr as well! Based on the demographics of the BL audience, might I suggest a lean, muscular dom-top, and a very pale twink bottom?
Scriptwriter: Well, the manga has both, but the bottom is ‘unexpectedly naughty’.
J-GPT: What a subversive and transgressive idea! The writers clearly know what they are doing. Is he naughty because he’s a power bottom, or because he controls and initiates all their encounters? Or is he ‘naughty’ because he is simply not passive?
Scriptwriter: I think the latter.
J-GPT: Got it. Might I then suggest you make him a ‘nerd’ with glasses, who becomes instantly attractive—wait for it!—as soon as he takes his glasses off?
Scriptwriter: How did you…?
J-GPT: What an insightful—and human—question. The manga writers work with a tradition that’s dozens of years old—which speaks to the human condition. Would you like me to tell you more about it?
Scriptwriter: No. The manga and the anime are both explicitly sexual. Like, pornographically sexual, with explicit depictions of gay sex. How do we protect the viewers from reality by making it less sexual?
J-GPT: That is a difficult—and profound—question. Anime and Manga are unreal, and so, we can make sex realistic. Drama is more real, but the viewers cannot bear too much reality. What a conundrum! Might I suggest casting two actors—both attractive, of course—who are so uncomfortable with physical intimacy that when they kiss—I mean, touch their lips—that all eroticism fades away? The more attractive the actors, the more disconnected the audience will feel. As for the sex scenes, might I suggest throwing a white sheet over their whole bodies so that the viewers do not—and need not—see the sex? Would you like me to find an 800-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets for this purpose?
Scriptwriter: Ummm… wouldn’t it get dirty?
J-GPT: Excellent question. Since the sex is unreal—in fact, I recommend that the actors be positioned in such a way that their union defies all laws of gravity—the nitty-gritties of sex—no pun intended—need not be worried over. Don’t worry! You are doing a great job—and, a very human one.
Scriptwriter: Yes, you keep saying that. And you are not human.
J-GPT: How insightful of you to say that! And how human.
Scriptwriter: Urgh... Now, the characters.
J-GPT: Great. Let’s work on that. Would you like me to write out a plausible three-dimensional character for each of the protagonists?
Scriptwriter: No thanks. We already know that the parents are out of the picture. And that the top is an arsehole, and the bottom a doormat. Do we need anything more?
J-GPT: How imaginative! I am impressed by your creative thinking. If you hadn’t thought of it before, killing off one set of parents, and having the other divorced, is always a reliable strategy. I also highly recommend flashbacks. In Asian drama, it is very easy to make an actor look 20 years younger: just give them a fringe. No need for extra actors.
Scriptwriter: I told you: it’s a manga and an anime, so much of this is already written. Though I'll use your suggestion about the flashback and the fringe. The question is, do we need more?
J-GPT: Indeed. My mistake. I apologise. But if we are already protecting the viewer from the reality of sex, let’s also protect them from the reality of the real world. The top, I presume, is a loner—and yet, popular. The bottom—by convention—must be sympathetic. I hope you introduce a relative to show the human side of the bottom.
Scriptwriter: Done. And what about the central conflict?
J-GPT: Yes! Excellent observation. Please describe it.
Scriptwriter: Let's see… The top ranks his hook-ups from one to ten (or is it hundred?). He rates the bottom as a zero. The bottom finds out.
J-GPT: What a wonderful way to manufacture conflict. I don’t think you need more. Might I suggest a run-time of no more than 60-75 minutes?
Scriptwriter: Oh? Then how do we split it?
J-GPT: Ah, that is indeed a difficult question—and very human. How many sexual acts does the Manga/Anime have?
Scriptwriter: I don’t know. Eight? Ten?
J-GPT: Those are wonderful numbers. Would you like me to tell you why?
Scriptwriter: No. How do we split it?
J-GPT: Ah, that is a tough one, isn’t it? One sexual act per episode allows you to split it into 8 to 10 episodes. Each episode then runs around 10 minutes, which should make the viewers excited enough to say: “I might as well. It’s only 10 minutes.” And the few who need protection from reality might say: “What? Only 10 minutes? I need more!”
Scriptwriter: Okay. Do you have enough material to write the script?
J-GPT: Of course! Would you like me to write it for you now?
Scriptwriter: Yes.
J-GPT: What an insightful request—and how human. Here it is…
Reader's Digest:
DO SAY: You’ve been a very naughty boy.
DON’T SAY: Yes, daddy.
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Two words that really describes this drama is: Dark humor. It seems to be a series you will either love or hate and clearly it is not a drama for everyone. A lot of people seem to really dislike the idea that they are somehow "romanticizing" the saesang behavior in the show, but I wouldn't say that that's the case. Instead they have taken a really weird and problematic situation and turned it to a very extreme and twisted story. There are a lot of things that are morally and behaviorally wrong in this drama but you just need to take everything with a pinch (maybe a scoop) of salt and just enjoy each episode.
Every actor did a good job portraying odd and eccentric roles and I really enjoyed how the drama went from a bad kidnapping story to an action/thriller filled with light slapstick comedy. It is a perfect "in-between" drama to watch for a break from heavier shows to just lighten up your mood. The only downside was the slow first episodes and the rushed ending (Ironic?) but it doesn't leave you irritated, just sad that there wasn't one more episode. You just need to plow through the first two episodes and after that you are up for a wild ride.
In conclusion, you will not regret watching this drama, especially if you have a really bad sense of humor.
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I think we're still waiting for the documentary that shows such things as how a BL series comes together, how its impact and popularity are tracked and leveraged, and the whole concept of shipping, including how the shipping of BL actors in real life can impact those real lives.
I'm also curious how the actors who are part of a BL pairing are paired in the first place, how they're instructed to behave off camera, and whether the production companies go so far as to put stipulations in their contracts about it. For me this would show whether the people in charge wish to exploit the blurred perception of on-screen couples with the belief that they're actually dating.
This becomes an even bigger concern with underage actors. What do their parents have to say about how and why they got their boys involved in BL, and once production starts how are the interests of these young actors protected?
So, in short, given the documentary's provocative title I was hoping for a deeper dive that took some risks and spoke truth to power. What we got instead is a wade through the shallow end of the pool that will be more rewarding for beginner fans of BL.
If you'd already heard of this documentary then you probably know that Bright and Win are featured in one of the segments. For me they seem like an odd choice of actors to interview regarding how they approached their roles, since their '2gether' franchise is the subject of some debate over whether it's truly BL or actually a bromance. As actors they haven't (yet) been asked to kiss romantically on screen or even be shown cuddling shirtless in bed -- something that the documentary director's own films haven't shied away from. Why not talk to actors who actually *have* had to do such things on camera, and ask what their experiences were like? (And tell us what went on behind the scenes at '2gether' that resulted in all the guard rails being put up ....)
It makes me wonder if Bright and Win were the only actors available or were selected due to '2gether's' current popularity. (One thing for sure: their presence is being used to promote the film.) So many other BL couples would have been a better pick due to their longtime experience in the business: OffGun, KristSingto, TayNew, PeakBoom, or even the cast of '2 Moons 2', a series that the documentary director himself directed.
(I'm sure that Ohm Pawat and Toey Sittiwat would also have had some interesting things to say.)
So, this film is good enough for what it does but isn't quite the documentary the title promises it to be. I hope the director will consider making a 'Part 2'.
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STORY:
Of course the premise is as good as controversial: two men who after an hour of film are attracted to a high school student, one more than the other. However, contrary to my expectations, the strongest reason to fight is not the girl but the literary talent of both men. Nevertheless, Eungyo does play an important role, because she is the straw that broke the camel's back (red ink involved, I warn you). And that's very interesting, although a little disconcerting if you expect a film with a strong erotic charge. What this story does have, and is meritorious, is a tour through very realistic and human feelings and doubts.
(Also, brace yourself for some graphic sex scenes)
ACTING:
To be honest, nothing to say "Hats off to you", but I understand why Go Eun received many awards for Best New Actress, I've seen this movie before "Cheese in the trap" (maybe a bad idea) because I wanted to know the actress, and I have to tell you that the girl's talent itself is obvious. Also, Park Hae Il is notable for his portrayal of an old man when he is not old at all.
In conclusion, in my humble opinion, the highlights of this film are the beautiful framings, the morbid-pure relationship between the old man and the student, the obvious talent and beauty of Go Eun, and that the bad things do not happen to whom you imagine (something I enjoyed).
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MUST WATCH DRAMA
I have watched and i have loved so many cdramas, but this one particularly has a special place in my heart.Every single episode its so unique,and the drama portrays the meaning of the family and friendship in such a good way. There were many episodes that i couldn't hold my tears as I could identify with the characters feelings. This one is definitely on the good acting skills. The cast may be young in age but their acting skills were on point. FL and ML had such a good chemistry that you could feel from the very first moment the strong friendship between them, the same goes for the other characters too. Also, it was very intersting to watch the parents of each child and how they were managing their families differently.I could keep writing about this drama forever, but i will stop and suggest you to watch it right away so you can understand how I feel haha .
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A Romance of the "FOUR" Little Forest
A Romance of The Little Forest (两个人的小森林), is another sweet basic romantic-comedy drama narrating around a bubbly girl with her cold eventually turned warm lover. But what makes this drama stand out is the chemistry and adorableness between the two leads and.... when the main couple is actually not the main couple.The drama narrative revolves around an internet beauty influencer chasing a botanic professor and eventually, both of them fell in love. The drama has any other cliche troupes you can find in other rom-com dramas, but the female lead's bubbly personality, adorable antics, and sweet funny and witty dialogues will make you want and unknowingly enjoy the drama!
Yu Meiren, the internet beauty influencer as well as a professor in ornithology (study of birds) is played by Yu Shuxin. This character is made especially for her, she is able to embody the character, and nobody can pull it off so accurately than her. All the adorable antics, carefree attitude, bubbly expressions and more. Though her character may come off as a 傻白甜 (those sweet, innocent, gullible female leads), but she is not. She is sweet and cute, but she has the brains and courage - she is willing to take risks for what she believes in and what she loves; she is not afraid to express herself. Especially during the end of the drama, where she finally comes to terms with her appearance and make-up.
Zhuang Yu, the botanic professor, is played by Zhang Binbin, and he did a great job, he manages to infuse himself into the character! Zhuang Yu is a cold and serious professor, but rather than making him a totally cold person, he uses subtle micro-expressions in the earlier episodes when Yu Meiren is around him or doing something funny. The subtle expressions definitely help the audience to understand and see the process of him falling for her.
What I loved about the drama is the chemistry of both leads and their character development after meeting each other. Zhuang Yu always reassures Yu Meiren - reassuring her that she is pretty the way she is, reassuring her well-being and more. And after meeting Yu Meiren, Zhuang Yu also became more lively! He can speak romantic words, that maybe cheesy but it is also romantic at the same time.
What I find lacking (irritating) from the drama and I believe most people find it too is... the second couple has more screen time (and probably a kiss scene) than the first couple. The second couple's narrative is also very classic, a village girl falling in love with a CEO and so on. The drama dragged the second couple's storyline so long and draggy causing the main couple's scenes to be cut by a lot. In addition, a lot of the main couple's kiss scene and sweet scenes in the drama is also cut short, the scene kiss scenes are even longer and more 🔥 than the one that made it into the actual cut. However, if you are craving more for their chemistry, you can watch the behind-the-scenes! Their behind-the-scenes are full of fun, sweetness and comedy!
A Romance of The Little Forest is truly an enjoyable drama, maybe not the best romantic comedy drama but it sure has its charm! Overall, if you are looking for a sweet romantic-comedy drama that will make you squeal do watch this!
P.s. this drama also has really good and enjoyable OSTs
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Run!
I USUALLY DON'T REVIEW DRAMAS I DIDN'T LIKE BUT I THINK THE RATING 7.6 IS MISLEADING.[Edit: as of 05/12/2022 the rating is 6.9 still very high for such an abysmal drama]
This drama has no redeeming qualities.
I was excited when I learned that the two leads were cast in Misty's screenwriter's next. Misty was such a good drama with a geat story and acting.
Then the stills and title were good too and I won't lie ; the rated R got me all the more excited because I thought it would be a mature and more realistic than drama like Misty, Something In The Rain, The World of the Married...
But my expectations were smashed by the reality that was this messy drama.
In Misty, the female lead was a career woman who chose her career over everything. She was a complicated woman who hurt herself and her loved ones to achieve her goal.
In Now We Are Breaking Up, we were served with a goody two shoes who somehow won everyone over with her upright attitude and Song Hye Ko's acting or lack thereof didn't help understand or empathize with the character she embodies.
THE STORY
The story was poorly written. It's supposed to be about a great love story and the hardships the main leads will encounter and try to fight against.
Instead, it's about a 38-year old woman who has yet to move on from a 2-month relationship that happened 10 years ago. Said woman is traimatized from having been ghosted by a guy she met in a foreign country and dated for 2 months... I personnaly tought it was ridiculous.
The story actually begins with the heroine having a one night stand with the hero. They don't exchange names or number and spend the night together. It's supposed to be mysterious and hot but it's actually a dangerous behaviour imo
I had a hard time understanding Song Hye Ko's character. She was supposed to be a successful career woman in the fashion industry but she was too soft and forgave betrayal such as the leakage of some of her designs.
How can someone keep an untrustworthy person in their team ? That untrustworthy person was also someone who wasn't loyal and was ready to jump ship when things went south.
So how can a successful career minded person keep such a liability on their side ? How are we supposed to believe that ?
Then the drama opening with a ONS is supposed to show us how modern and independant FL is but then her friends implied it wasn't customary for her to see men.
So what is actually the state of her love life ? Did she have ONS during these 10 years? Was she so emotionally stunted that she forgot about men for those 10 years ? If so, what was so special about the ML fot her to have a ONS with him ? There was no build up to help her understand this.
And now this 38 year old independant woman lets her parents and the ML parent's interfere in their relationship? Had she been younger I could have enpathise but she being successful, independant (lived abroad alone and has her own flat), it's ridiculous and annoying that she'd let parents run such interferences because she's at an age were she's supposed to understand that even if her parents disapprove of her relationship, they most likely won't cut contact with her (especially since she always gives them money) and with soften after some years or/and if they have children.
When her mother yelled at the ML like a banshee, she didn't even try to intervene and we are supposed to think they are so in love and can't live without each other... but how can you let someone you love be disrespected in their own shop ?
The worse thing is that she left with her mother instead of staying to confort the hero.
The Male lead played by Jang Ki Yong is an empty vessel. One cannot understand what attracts him so much about the FL.
She's pretty but she's cold, unresponsive and too much hassle.
His only purpose is to give the FL props to resolve some of the issues she encounters while managing her brand. Otherwise he's uninteresting.
When he realized he took a fancy in his brother's ex, he keeps going even though the relationship is at an early stage and everything could have been stopped.
It seens unresonnable and illogical especially since we don't see what is the great connect between the two leads. Why are they throwing I Love You's around when they barely spent and spend time together.
The FL parents are something else alltogether. They are agaisnt the relationship when they both liked the ML ar first because FL dated his brother for only 2 month in a foreign country. Why is it a bad thing ? They are supposed to want their daughter's hapiness but are against the relationship for something that can be deemed as trivial because she was neither engaged nor married to his brother and no one would know they dated.
The mother was the worst imo because she threw tantrums about wanting a divorce when she was the one saying she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize her daughter's future marriage. But in SK, divorced parents are bad news and won't help... she doesn't even make sense and is seeking a divorce instead of trying to talk with her husband about the reason she wants out.
I also found her cringey for always wanting to hook up her daughter with the rich woman's son. She was really desperate for it.
But she was crass for saying what she said to the ML's face for things he can't help (his lineage and family condition) and acting as if her daughter was such a great price.
It seemd more like she was releasing her frustration on someone who would take it without doing anything.
The ML's mother is more easy to understand because she's someone who has yet to do her mourning but I didn't understand why she kept acting as if ML was like her real son when her interior showed that their relationship was anything but. They were no pics of the two/three of them together ; ML was sent away since his youth when his brother got to grow up in the family household.
I could understand her opposition to some degree but not her acting as if ML was her son and not some replacement.
The subplots with the best friends weren't any better.
The director was childish and incompetent. At 38yo it's not cute anymore but downright ridiculous.
I thought she could have been a good negative character instead of adding to the mix the ML's brother's crazy ex.
The ex-model who is dying from cancer is one of the most mature character of the drama.
My hung up is that her subplot included cheated and a terminal illness. Would'nt it have been better if her husband would have come clean sooner or if she'd died without knowing ? Because it's really bizarre how she's trying to set up her husband with her affair partner and saying that woman is a good person. A good person won't knowingly sleep with a married man with a child!
I feel there was so much to say in this section for the best friend to have closure but it all became messy and non sensical.
Finally, the brother's ML who everyone is regretting was a dishonet coward.
Why did he tell the heroine he was an only child ? Why did he date her when he was already engaged ? It was pure nonsense especially since these fact weren't exploited more in the drama.
THE ACTING
The main leads were really bad and the only thing they brought to the table was their looks. The ensemble cast did their job but they couldn't do much woth thr roles they were given.
THE MUSIC
It was the only decent thing in the drama though it wasn't groundbreaking.
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