want to see the actors in something else
Overall: the leads' excellent chemistry couldn't save Twins' poor writing. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3782/twins-2023-e01 ; re-aired on Lovemedia Thailand YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIFuZIdAgzTjbXN2ypTCNBGNY0PQQTgxG&si=TmjC1-YF7k_mWZTdWatch Suggestions (unless you enjoy slow pacing, stupid decision-making and poor communication)
- read the synopsis/watch the trailer and skip episodes 1-3
- episode 4 watch up to 10 minutes, then 29 and then at 36 minutes
- episode 5 start at 17 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 6 watch 18-20 and 23-24 minutes
- episode 7 start at 18 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 8 start at 10 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 9 watch 24-25 and 29-31 minutes
- episode 10 watch 15-30 minutes
- episode 11 watch 12:20-15:20 side couple
- episode 12 watch entire episode
Content Warnings: violence/fight/beaten up, manipulation, non con picture taking/sharing, cyberbullying
What I Liked
- a sports based BL
- good chemistry with the main couple
- a side couple grew on me
Room For Improvement
- needed the twins to be better differentiated similar to Not Me, even if one was dressed like the other, the voice and mannerism should have immediately signaled to the audience who it was, there were a few times I wasn't sure who was supposed to be who in a scene
- slow pacing, entire first episode was set up, watched most of the series on 2x speed
- Sprite needed to say something way earlier, his brother Zee was a nonredeemable jerk and all the characters shared 3 brain cells
- way too many side characters introduced quickly, took awhile to figure out who was who and then several plot threads weren't developed well
- toilet humor at the end of episode 3
- for one couple, the pursuer was a bit too aggressive and the pursuee was a bit too reluctant for too long
- choppy editing
- in episode 10 the fictional 'so drunk can't remember in the morning what happened but was an active participant during' cliche
- final episode rushed several character endings
- terrible characters that didn't get any consequences, just the "leave us alone/don't do this again or else...."
- plot holes/nonsense writing
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Thoughts left the room, all that is left is me simping for the oppa.
Not gonna lie, this show made me feel pathetic - reminded of my young teen self getting obsessed over the rich entitled oppas. It’s been ages since an oppa oppaing so hard evoked so many emotions in me. He served us nothing, but served so much. The never changing face, monotone line delivery, 2-dimensional writing spiced up with all the possible cliches - all that to deliver the truest oppa ever. How shallow of me to open the review with that statement.Surprisingly enough, no matter how ridiculous, unrealistic and over the top the drama might have been (which, by the way, were all the reasons I loved it so much), it actually had some thought-provoking scenes and moments. Social commentary dressed as fancy makjang? That might be an overstatement, but I’d be lying if I said it did not present even one aspect worth reflecting on. Basing your worth on your popularity, addiction to attention, seeing people around you as tools to be used and discarded when they stop being useful, how far can one go to achieve success, differences in how people perceive reality depending on their socioeconomic status and more. Bits and pieces of potential, all overshadowed by the entertainment.
And I’m not even mad about it. This is such a stress-reliever brainless entertainment I’m actually grateful it exists. Once you start watching, it’s hard to stop. There are awful and selfish characters to bitch about, a female lead that’s worth rooting for, a few characters you end up loving (even if the reasons are painfully shallow), twists and turns that come out of nowhere and make you question the reality that already makes no sense. And then there is the glamor and fashion that’s just so pretty you can’t turn your eyes away from it.
How’s the acting? On average mediocre. Some performances were good (looking at you Lee Chung Ah), some were fine (I love you Park Gyu Young, but not all of your scenes were to my liking), some were either barely existing or yet again typecasted (Kang Min Hyuk serving nothing but hot looks and Lee Dong Jeon playing the same character he did for the past few projects). Did it bother me? No. I have no idea why. I have no idea why all the things that usually make my blood boil just did not bother me here at all.
Overall, I finished the online exam in 15 minutes just so I can continue watching this drama as soon as possible - that will tell you how addicting it is. The pacing was fast, there was no time for chill and breaks, the characters were either unrealistically great or comically awful. Han Joon Kyung was the most oppa of all oppas. Whoever the casting director was - they need a raise.
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This review may contain spoilers
What’s with all the hate?!
Reading all the negative reviews I’m stunned!The message(s) this show sent were so clear, and quite simple to understand. Money will not buy happiness. Even after our main character survived the show, he was haunted by what happened to him. Begin only able to sleep and begin haunted by nightmares whenever he does, made it irrelevant if he had money or not. Because of the things he had to do for those numbers on his phone, he’s just as miserable. And the underlying message was said directly to us: life will go on. No matter what we go though, everything will continue as it used to.
Another criticism of this show that I’ve seen is that it’s „a cheap copy of squid game” which is just baffling to me. Squid game and The 8 game may tackle on the same issues on the surface but the way in which they do so is completely different. Squid game was fair, every player had the same ground-zero, it’s point was mainly the lengths people will go to in order to earn money (small squid game spoiler ahead) proven by how many players returned to the game. The 8 game on the other hand replicated the outside world with just 8 people, rigged from the start just as life is. By creating an ecosystem with a hierarchy we got sort of an „animal farm” scenario with everything returning to higher floors supremacy.
I do have my own criticisms of the show. However overall, for a tv show, this is brilliant. But again, looking at the reviews not everyone agrees with me. Not liking something is fine but the nonsense reasons I see are just insulting.
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I recommend this just because it's so entertaining to watch. I especially recommend it if one of your biases is featured in an episode and odds are they probably are because what a line-up!
Story-wise, I thought Ok Taec Yeon's was the funniest and the best. Kai's noona storyline was cute as well. Subjectively, I liked Ji Chang Wook's because I'm biased and it gave me 'Healer' vibes all over again.
Music is lighthearted and the theme song is sang by Ji Chang Wook!
Like I said earlier, it's a purely fun watch so don't expect great stories. After all, didn't we all come here to see our favorite biases? I know I did!
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a coming of age story with 3 protagonists
Overall: the first half of the series had me hooked as a romance/coming of age. However, the addition of a 3rd protagonist and the lack of romantic progression changed the focus of the story which I did not enjoy. I think I read the first volume of the manga a long time ago and I've seen the prior 2017 movie but I'm basing this review on the 2024 series' own merits. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4485/i-hear-the-sunspot-2024-e01 and iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/i-hear-the-sunspot-episode-1-2556woqrs6s?lang=en_usContent Warning: punch, grief/mental health struggles
Watch Suggestions (to focus on the m/m leads)
- watch episodes 1-6
- skip episode 7 (can watch the 40s recap the beginning of ep 8)
- start episode 8 at 14 minutes
- start episode 9 at 7 minutes
- in episode 10 skip 19:30- 21:40
- watch episode 11 beginning to 4:20 and 15 to the end
- watch episode 12 at 12 minutes to the end
What I Liked
- dynamic between the leads (in the beginning half, then they needed to communicate)
- acting
- representation with a character who has hearing loss, showing how even people who are trying to be kind can isolate a person
- generally not a fan of extended flashbacks but episode 2 and the beginning of episode 3 gave us critical background information to understanding the characters and I'm glad we had this towards the beginning of the series
- that Taichi sought communication in episodes 2 & 5
- sweet moments like fishing together
- production value (some really gorgeous shots in the beginning episodes that conveyed things by showing like opening the curtains or how the basketball court went dark and empty, also good shots in episode 11)
Room For Improvement
- started the series with a flash forward and also some of the ominous voice overs
- the camera blocked kiss, I don't care if that's how it was in the manga, we are at a different time and place from when the manga was written and I expected a non camera blocked kiss
- Taichi was written to seek communication but then was unbelievably dense and didn't communicate any more
- Maya's backstory was way too late and the way she was written did not evoke empathy, the writers did her character dirty
- too many flashbacks in episode 9
- anti climactic ending, the finale had a protagonist talking with other characters for the entire first half of the finale
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The cook, the eunuch and the chowhound - a crime solving menage a trois.
This comedic drama features a wildly imaginative yet oddly fitting crime fighting menage a trois comprising of a low (sixth) ranked magistrate (Tang Fan), a high-ranked embroidered guard (jingyi wei; Sui Zhou) and an influential eunuch (Wang Zhi) with the emperor's ear. Their paths intersect on cases with national security implications and while they have different agendas and masters, their synergistic and mutually beneficial collaborations blossom into friendship. The three main characters are well written - their bromance, hilarious antics and interactions are this drama's greatest strength.With an irrepressible grin and a wicked gleam in his eyes, Darren Chen really hams it up with his cheeky, flirtatious and sometimes deliberately irritating characterisation of the titular Tang Fan, an idealistic young magistrate who is more of a chowhound than a sleuthhound. The talented and willowy Tang Fan is a very pretty boy with delicate and vivacious features who embraces his feminine side with abandon and is passionate, emotional, naggy, petulant, petty and vengeful. This outrageously funny character writes erotic novels to supplement his puny income, lives to eat, seems extremely well acquainted with the how to but yet can't cook to save his life. He happily moves in with the gorgeously taciturn, moody, much more masculine and deadly Sui Zhou who steals Tang Fan's heart with his ability to cook a mean meal. There is enough in their interactions and suggestive domestic arrangement to get the BL fans all hot and bothered without running afoul of Chinese censorship. And then of course there is Wang Zhi, the most morally grey and dangerous of the three. He approaches relationships transaction ally - "you scratch my back I'll scratch yours" and is unambiguous about his first loyalty to king and country. Newcomer Liu Yaoyuan's portrayal of the ruthless, calculating and yet inexplicably likable Wang Zhi nicely rounds out this kinky threesome. Between them, they are able to marshal resources from the lowest to highest reaches of society to solve their cases.
Set at the heart of the capital during the Chenghua reign of Ming Dynasty, the important characters and events of the period are nicely tied into the overall plot-lines. The surrounding characters were somewhat cliche but mostly well done from the "adopted daughter" Dong'er, the miracle doctor, the Oirats, Wang Zhi's beggar informants and the rare treat of a smart and hot emperor. The cases run the gamut from crimes of passion, corruption, larceny, terrorism and climaxes in a dangerous conspiracy reaching the highest ranks of government. Most surrounding characters including the villains have recurring roles in subsequent cases which gives them dimension and avoids the confusion of excessive character introductions with each new case. The cases shouldn't be taken too seriously; while they are fun and quite interesting, they are not that original or that difficult to solve and have some logic holes and are thus unlikely to satisfy a serious crime or mystery buff. The rhythm of the investigations frequently digress into inane and somewhat childish hit or miss comedic sketches that can go on for too long. There is a slight misogynist undertone to this drama - even the likable women have unflattering traits (stupid, noisy, whiny, irrational), or worse are power hungry, traitors, extremists or come to a bad end.
The tightly choreographed action scenes are signature Jackie Chan - lethal, gripping, high impact, extremely acrobatic and fluid poetry in motion. They are not excessive, do not drag on for too long and avoid the mid-combat slapstick moments he used to be so fond of; all good changes. The camerawork is stunning and very artistic, approaching movie quality. They obviously spared no expense with this and it shows.
For those who grew up on Jackie Chan, the Sleuth of Ming Dynasty is a fun romp down memory lane. There is a bit of the artistic Jackie Chan, the wacky whack-y Jackie Chan, the comedic Jackie Chan, the high testosterone Jackie Chan, the innovative Jackie Chan, the crass Jackie Chan and finally and pleasingly, the mature Jackie Chan. I outgrew his flicks ages ago - after awhile I found the hair rising stunts, high speed chases and exaggerated comedic routines repetitive, shallow and draining. So I am pleasantly surprised to see in this drama that maturity has toned down and balanced some (not all) of his more extreme inclinations while still remaining essentially Jackie Chan. It is also nice to see the uniquely Jackie Chan inspired Hong Kong wu da pan (武打片) sub-genre with its chauvinistic, contradictory, cynical, sarcastic yet sentimental and idealistic spirit has evolved for the better but is still innately the same.
This is highly entertaining and enjoyable if you don't look too hard at it or seek profound meaning. It is not always my sense of humor and the cases are solid but not exceptional so I rate it an 8.5 but I can see why others would call it a 9.0 or better.
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the best summer dramas with top notch acting. Despite the loopholes and divergences from the source material, the drama is worth watching thanks to the acting of two main leads especially Zhu Yi Long, who knows how to subtly convey the micro changes on his face and a great range of emotions. Moreover, its opening song is epic. Despite the fact that most people on youtube do not find the ending satisfactory, I believe it is good/satisfactory as it insinuates that love will go on even after death and for those who believe in reincarnation, it is a promising end. Was this review helpful to you?
Choices Make the Person
Story:A slice of life that did a remarkable job portraying how specific life choices molded people into who they become. They all didn’t start off as great or evil characters but because of the people they chose or the choices they made. I think the best part about this story was that it felt true to real world circumstances. The writers truly made you analyze every individual character and the choices they made. It wasn’t easy to just stamp good or bad on them because they didn’t make the choices because of ill intentions but because of human characteristics such as jealousy, sadness, etc. The storyline was cohesive and fluid and allowed us to understand where it went wrong or right for every character. Really a well written script!
Acting:
The actors in this drama did an exceptional job including the supporting cast members. There are 3 actors that were great and really showed their acting prowess - Xiao Zhan, Li Qin & Liu Ruilin. Xiao Zhan really impressed me with how much he improved and how well he was able to portray his character. The scenes where he was supposed to portray grief really hit hard. It wasn’t over the top but felt that he understood how his character would portray that specific emotion.
Would I Recommend:
Yes! I understand the time span of this drama might not be the most appealing and it even swayed me a little. I thought it would be a drama that I would come in for the male lead but not enjoy the story as much except for maybe certain parts. However, I was truly impressed by how much I enjoyed it and even rewatched episodes while waiting for new ones. So, if you could get past the 70s era than I think people can truly enjoy it because it really is a great slice of life drama with an incredibly written script.
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The true definition of a hidden gem
Oh. My. God. Where do I even start!? This was a ride I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish.This spine chilling and nail-biting thriller is fast-paced, addictive, dark, gory, and filled with revenge aka the best combination for a drama like this.
It's a very solid and well-made series, not a single episode is a filler, each scene and episode shocks you, it will infuriate you, upset you and satisfy you all at once.
At first, the synopsis didn’t really scream anything out to me and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but wow was I blown away... I liked seeing the perspectives of two interesting, mysterious people (one being a killer and the other a detective) with dark pasts. You’ll find yourself constantly questioning things and the plot will have you engaged the whole time.
It contains extreme bullying which I usually avoid as I find it upsetting and hard to watch, but I'm fond of how the scenes switch between flashbacks and present day, it balances out the disturbing vibe well and doesn't completely overwhelm you. Bullying isn't a new concept to base a drama around, however, this one was created in a fresh and unique way and was executed superbly. Also, I don’t condone any type of violence but I rooted for the killer.
The acting. It's outstanding in my books. The cast was picked perfectly. Kim Sung Gyu is so charming, every scene he appears in, he grabs my whole attention, from "Kingdom" to "One Ordinary Day" and now this... The younger cast deserves a shoutout because holy moly they can act (and their presence is very memorable)!! The pure fear, anger and detached feeling is well conveyed by the child cast to the adult cast. No character in TKOP is in the right, they have all done something bad, but you'll still have people to root for, even if it feels wrong at times.
To sum it up, this drama is INSANE. I can't believe people are sleeping on this, it deserves more recognition, so I highly recommend watching this if you like thrillers and the things I mentioned above, you won't be disappointed (or at least I hope not haha).
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Top Tier Chemistry
Anyone hesitant to watch this drama because of the "fake-sibling" tag, it's not like what you think. Let me help break it down; Shenyuan, played by Zhang Wang Yi is the illegitimate son of the Luo family. He never considered Yining, played by Ren Min as a sister or anyone in the Luo household "family" because of the negligence he faced. He is only kind to her because her mother was the only person that looked out for him when he was young. They both grew up separately and when Yining returned, he approached her with an intent motive. He finds out early on that she is not his "half-sibling". He later notice that he was beginning to look at her in a different way but remained respectful due to their "relationship status". Yining is also kind to him because she feels guilty about an accident that happened when they were young (that's the only memory she has of him). She also feels connected to him due to the similar unfair treatments they receive from their "father".Their relationship transition was respectfully well-written. ZWY and RM executed their roles well and their chemistry is top tier. Their characters are resourceful and complimentary. I love the dynamics between them and you'll find yourself wanting more of them. They're consistent, know what they want and get what they want.
Overall, this drama is very cliche but ZWY and RM did well on delivering it. They kept me engaged and this is the first time that I bough fast pass for a drama and it's worth it. I hope to see more of them together in future projects. I love their on and off screen interactions.
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This review may contain spoilers
Surprisingly Wholesome
This is the first review I've done, but I felt compelled because of how much I loved and adored this show.First off, this show is equally a comedy and a drama. There are puns, script-sequences (and dreams), and slapstick humor. But there's also murders, mysteries, and emotional angst. Additionally, there are hints at romance and feelings of that nature between the two leads, whose developing bond/trust carries the show in the latter half, but it is not acknowledged between the two or explored. And understandably so. I mean, he is a zombie. However, it does result in an open ending that's actually nice and hopeful. So if you're looking for romance, you may be satisfied enough; if you're not, there's nothing explicit to repel you.
On to the details. I went into this drama with low and uncertain expectations, and from episode 3 (3/12, or 5&6/24) onward it consistently surprised me. For the most part, the plot was unpredictable. If you watch a lot of shows in general then you can guess the parameters of what will or won't happen, but the situations the characters got in, the cases pursued, and the plot twists - especially those of the Santa Killer and the main zombie origins storylines - were well-paced and subtly foreshadowed. Few things happened completely out of the blue but few things were ridiculously obvious either. The limit of 12 hours for run-time helped keep the story concise and humming along.
The only times it dragged were episodes 1-2 and later 9-10. 1-2 were slow because they were used for set-up. However, the time spent establishing the many characters and more importantly how the zombie science/logic works built the foundation for the rest of the show. The audience isn't dropped in as much as some other shows and I actually appreciated that. I also can't recall any plots, arcs, or character quirks that suddenly disappeared by the finale or were left hanging unaddressed. There was even a call-back to Seon Ji's former PD in episode 11, which was nice. For episodes 9-10, which were heavier on the gimmicks than any of the others, the divergence to the brother-in-law's scripts was used as a comedy reprieve. I usually hate comedy in this slapstick style but I actually enjoyed these scenes! I don't know, they just worked! The show made fun of itself in these moments and you can tell the cast had a lot of fun on set.
All the characters had their own charm, too. There were the bumbling neighboring detectives that like someone said look like they've come out of the '80s, the female lead's quirky family, the small-town style and good-natured police station, and the leads themselves. The male lead starts out as a shell of a person motivated to return to being human, find himself, and fill in his memories. The answers he finds genuinely made me cry. But it's the journey with Seon Ji at his side and everyone else comprising this found-family trope that really helps him find peace with himself, zombie and/or human. Also, some comments disparaged the female lead for her reckless behavior. This proved to be very much part of her character arc and the actress did a great job with that, I think. Seon Ji could actually be quite clever. She was just most motivated by her passion for justice, and that's not bad, because she did get better at pausing to think and she did learn how to channel it better by the end.
In the finale, the male lead thinks about the humans and zombies he's seen and uses the word 'humane', and I think that's what the heart of this story came down to. The question posed from the very beginning was: what's the difference between a zombie and a human? A question with an obvious answer, right? But the male lead hates himself and is constantly fighting to repress his hunger for humans. His hesitancy to kill, even for the safety of others, is actually a detriment several times. He starts off actually scared of humans, then learns it's more nuanced than that. There's many good - and many evil. It's all about how humane a person is - who a person is, not what - that matters. Maybe I'm thinking too deeply about this silly show, but it's because of this and the consistent use of the found-family trope that I called this show surprisingly wholesome. It's a zombie show, but it's not just a zombie show.
As said, the ending offers hope and wraps up almost all the threads nicely. Some are left open intentionally I think for a second season, judging by the post-credits scene, while others were left open only because they weren't explicitly spelled out, though the future for the characters was obvious. I usually have a complaint here or there by the end but honestly I can't think of anything. I enjoyed the whole ride.
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
Woahhhh I'm literally so attached , they just broke the cute-o-meter ( a cheek pinch or ...) .....
I'm literally so done with this level of sweetness , Opps ! there's a lot of ants around me .Let's start with the very first episode :
Honestly, it was very boring ( just talking about the first episode ) , Well somehow I
lost my interest in it after I watched it cause dao was so damn rude and the ghosts were so annoying , literally how can you let your future husband sleep in a bathtub ?????
I just felt like I'm so done with itt (no hopes) and almost missed all the episodes till ep 5 . I saw a reel about Arthit in love and danggggg I was suddenly so excited and decided to watch it even if I was bored .
Well I kinda liked the 2nd ep cause things were so much better between my sweethearts , not just that gotta learn about dao's powerss that's unique uk ...
After they solved that murder case I was so glad when dao finally agreed to help Arthit , I found it quite interesting cuzzz that little guy was opening up ..
Some parts were funny , I just had to control my laughter with people around .
~ The best thing was the relationship between Direk and Arthit so chaotic and narakkk
•I've to give them the best paaa son duoo awardd fr 🤟🏻
•North's my boyyy I like his reactions mann , funniest guyy ever and waitt don't forget about his overprotective lover .
Wait a minute :::: Where are you going it's just the trailer.
So noww whattt from where should I start !?
Okkkayyy , it was so adorable when dao cried for thit , listen to his voice awwww .
Arthit look at this guy he fell for dao just like that , suddenly caring bout him thinking about him , most funniest decision getting over himmm loll . Can you see how mad he is bout his first love . I literally love to see thit in love the most .
So concerned , so obsessed with dao I can't believe that thit used to hate him naaahhh ...
He turned into a lover boyy isn't it ?
The journey FROM Dao's guard dog TO Dao's puppy .
Those scenes were so sweet : Dao patting thit's head , pinching his cheeks , I wanted to scream out louddd
I was so hot after the car kiss part I can't stop blushing even when I'm just thinking .
I remember : Don't you think Arthit is so aggressively impressive , he was so stunned by just looking at dao wearing shorts , I don't actually like that part cuz I wanted him to respect dao as he looked so uncomfortable
but thit's face was to weirdly funny too .
I honestly like the calm ( outside ) , flirty and gentle Arthit more than the agressive one .
The fight part ep 7 after car race made me even more and more curious about the last episode , I was waiting for the whole time.
Honestly , I changed my mind it's not boring but unpredictably accurate . Believe me just go through the first ep and you're going to love the next episodes for sure remember don't bail after the first one like me , I'm regretting. .
*** Overly recommended by me it's even more beautiful than whatever I just wrote about...
I'm not so good at expressing , but from my opinion I quite like the way I express myself by writing , please don't mind me ...
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A Fateful Mix Up
She's the daughter of a street artist and is forced to marry a bandit. Another is the daughter of a prince and is arranged to marry a general. The brides are switched, all because of the misread of a simple character, resulting in the commoner marrying the general and the royal princess waiting to marry the bandit. It is this seemingly simple play of words/characters that has attracted my attention and drawn me into the story.On that fateful day while waiting to be married off, both Xiao Wanzi (Li Gengxi aka Teresa Li) and Lu Yingyao (Sun Anke) are in their respective rooms in a motel until chaos strikes. In confusion, they run back into the wrong rooms because they misread the characters 竹 ("zhu") and 林 ("lin") which may look rather similar in certain calligraphy style. From there, they are sent to the wrong households as the wrong brides, and their fates totally change.
At the general's mansion, very soon Mei Shiqing (Huang Junjie) realizes Xiao Wanzi is an imposter. Nothing like a supposedly well-groomed princess, Xiao Wanzi is crass, has a common look and an illiterate. However, she is streetwise, honest, compassionate and upstanding as she protects others with her own life, and this is enough for Mei Shiqing to fall in love with her. He also has a secret identity as Ye Ling Xia that Xiao Wanzi idolizes. Like Batman, Ye Ling Xia helps the poor and weak. Numerous times, she comes forward to help him fend off the enemies, though he doesn't really need her help because he's a skilled martial artist and a superhero. But her selfless acts impress and attract him.
As Xiao Wanzi, Li Gengxi is very convincing with a lot of animated expressions, after all she uses to perform on the street and needs her vivacity for her acts. Many viewers find her not attractive enough, but for me, she fits the role well because Xiao Wanzi is supposed to be a very common looking girl with no sophistication.
Huang Junjie is very good looking and he looks extremely well as a wordless cold character. However, he still hasn’t grasped how to play such a stern character fully; frowning doesn't make him look serious but makes him look constipated. The only moments I find his acting perfect are when he tells people to “get out” in a stern voice, expressionless, and when he dresses as the superhero character with a mask.
I love the second couple here in particular Lu Yingyao who is well read, gentle and kind without the spoilt princess temperament. And she falls in love with the adopted son of the bandit, Xiao Bao (Ding Jiawen) who has a good heart. Under her coaxing, Xiao Bao eventually abandons his life as a bandit.
What seemingly two mismatched pairs become best of friends and love each other with no judgement of their respective backgrounds. Hanging around the mix up identities lurks something nefarious – smuggle, money laundering and conspiracy. The supervillain is not revealed until the final episode.
The Chinese title, “huā hǎo yuè yòu yuan” (the flowers are good and the moon is round), gives hints of the ending of the story. There are some pretty good OSTs here that I have enjoyed very much.
My Verdict
Though the storyline is not new, and can be tropey at times with predictable outcome, this is still rather a fun watch with a superhero protagonist, an animated first female lead, an intelligent lovable second female lead, an antagonist turns protagonist, and a hidden supervillain. The comedy is cute and sweet. For romance buffs, the two couples have never been separated since they first meet, and there are no misunderstandings that are not resolved quickly. There could be flaws here and there but the writing and editing are decent. Overall, it’s quite an enjoyable drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
OVERRATED and TOXIC
First of all, when I first started watching this bl I immediately loved and adored it. This was due to my idiotic self for not realizing the many flaws and problems this drama has that is hidden under many unnecessary steamy scenes and way too cheesy lines.I know that a lot of people love this show because of the actors, and because of their chemistry on-screen and off-screen, but that does not excuse the fact that this drama has a ton of glaring problems.
1. ROMANTICIZING SEXUAL ASSAULT
This is very clearly shown in the first few episodes if the drama. When Type was asleep, Tharn would always kiss him. There was even one time when Type got drunk, then Tharn gave him HICKEYS. How do people not see that behavior disgusting? Keep in mind that at the time both of them were not friends, and Type clearly did not like Tharn at all. Tharn kissed and gave hickeys to Type WITHOUT HIS CONSENT. This us borderline sexual assault/molestation. What's worse is, they didn't even address this issue in the following episodes, like its a "cute" or normal thing to do to someone.
2. TYPE'S TOXIC BEHAVIOR
People like to defend Type's toxic actions because he has "anger issues" or because he had a traumatic experience in the past. While I agree that Type's trauma and issues should not be overlooked, it does not excuse the fact that he slapped, hit, punch, and kick Tharn many, many times, and he did not even bother to apologize to him after. Another thing that people overlooked is how horribly he treated the girl he "dated". Just because you love someone else, does not excuse the fact that she deserved an explanation as to why he led her on, and why he ghosted her.
3. HORRIBLE CHARACTERS/ CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Both of the main characters are extremely one dimensional, and do not have proper character development at all. Are you saying that Type, a man who was sexually assaulted by a man in the past, and who is struggling with trauma, can just ask another man that he doesn't know or like that much for sex to "get it over with"? I don't think so. Trauma CANNOT be solved in just one day, and it cannot just disappear just because a person is in love. The way the show dealt with his trauma is AWFUL and DISGUSTING. The show just basically swept his trauma under the rug, and they did not show Type battling and conquering his trauma and issues. The message that they are basically saying is that your deep-rooted trauma and issues can just be solved in a day, and will just disappear once you find a person to date.
For Tharn, I already talked about his DISGUSTING sexual assault that was never addressed by the show, so I'm not gonna repeat myself again. I might just be nit piking by saying this but I absolutely despise how everything he says to Type is so incredibly cheesy and unrealistic that it makes me die inside from cringe. Its not cute. Its unrealistic, and nobody in their right minds would ever talk like that all the time. Another one of my problems about his character is that it was never shown hoe he fell so deeply in love with Type. All that we were told is that Tharn finds him attractive. That's all. How did he fall in love with him? Why did he fall in love him even though Type was a complete asshole to him? It's a complete mystery to the viewers. After the first time they slept together, they were immediately so lovey-dovey.
4. HORRIBLE ANTAGONIST
Another thing about the show that fans love so much is the antagonist. I totally agree that the actor who played Lhong is decent, but his character, obviously, is not. I don't understand why the show wants us to empathize or feel sorry for him. Did they forget that he singlehandedly destroyed his best friend's relationships? Did they forget that he paid men to RAPE a boy? Did they forget that he tried to MURDER Type? But because he was a victim of unrequited love, I supposed his actions were justifiable, right? Right? As if.
In summary, this show is bad because it romanticizes and normalizes sexual assault/molestation and toxic behavior in relationships, it handles mental issues and trauma horribly, has underdeveloped and one-dimensional characters, has borderline cringe-worthy dialogue, and has a confusing, lackluster, horrendous plot.
Just because this show is popular, does not mean that it is good. This show has so many glaring problems that fans choose to ignore, and I absolutely hate it. I absolutely despise the normalization of certain toxic attitudes prevalent in bl shows, and I really hope it changes.
My favorite thing about this show is the music. I love the OST and I think Mew is a talented singer.
My favorite character in this show is Type's soccer ball, because I felt the same way while watching the show. Kicked around and played with.
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Despicable Me.
This sublime wuxia revolves around two atypical protagonists and their scorching, profound connection. A bold BL adaption that makes no attempt to suggest the relationship is just a bromance, the love story is so charismatically portrayed that it will captivate even mainstream viewers. Both protagonists are morally ambiguous and flawed characters with their own code of conduct. They fall far short of conventional da xia/大侠 or martial heroes but still manage to beguile us into caring and rooting for them.What elevates this drama is the scriptwriting , the writer put her heart into this and while I cannot compare it with the book, I couldn't be more satisfied with the drama's storytelling. Important plot and character points are planned and planted well in advance and the story unfolds in a way that pulls us into various the plot threads and the partial reveals. Many questions, including when Zhou Zishu recognizes Wen Kexing; are never clearly answered but can be surmised upon re-watch from hints in the dialogue and the characters' subsequent actions. The playful, flirtatious dialogue heavily laced with double entendre and layers of meaning with its facile parlance of idioms and ancient parables has won widespread praise from educators and broad audiences, inspiring young adults to dust off their classical texts with renewed enthusiasm. This winsome first work of a young scriptwriter sets a high bar for historical dramas going forward and puts the often lazy and tired works of more experienced writers to shame.
At surface, the backdrop and many characters are classic wuxia themes and anachronisms - various jianghu sects are vying to recover five shards of liulijia, a glazed artefact that can unlock a hidden repository of the most elite martial arts and miraculous medical manuscripts. Sound familiar? Its been done many times. But it scarcely matters because the two main protagonists, Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing immediately sweep us away with their outrageous, titillating courtship. Gong Jun's shamelessly flirtatious Wen Kexing, is the most predatory, lecherous, and utterly delicious display of physical attraction I have seen since John Malkovich's iconic Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons. I am quite certain most of Zhang Zehan's eye rolls were not acting and I just love his improvised comment - even my fart smells good! Both actors deliver immersive resonating performances - Gong Jun with a wild vengeful ferocity behind flashes of vulnerability and Zhang Zhehan with a subtle nuanced complexity that hints at a multitude of emotions within micro expressions. Classic wuxia themes and archetypes are woven into an addictive tale of friendship, love, betrayal, loyalty, ambition, sacrifice and of course revenge.
While a bit heavy on the slow motion, the fight scenes are stunningly choreographed and delivers enough hairy, scary, dicey, slicey moments to have me at the edge of my seat. I was stunned by the raw ferocious rage and naked hatred that spilled out of Gu Xiang in the epic finale. The bloodthirsty, brutally lethal and absolutely berserk final mortal battle where the master of the Ghost Valley emits rage with the wild light of cruel insanity flashing in his eyes is without doubt the highlight of the action. This of course excludes Lao Wen and Ah Xu's exuberant fight scenes because everybody knows its really a mating dance where they are actually just ogling at each other. The story is well paced with a good balance of mystery, action and and ends spectacularly with enough twists, surprises and a breathless cruelty that pays homage to the true spirit of the genre. If I have to find fault, there are too many sects and side characters that don't advance the plot. The relationship between Zhao Jing and Scorpion King also feels off in a creepy way and even though the role is very well acted, Scorpion King's motives are not well developed. In general the villains feel rather two dimensional but perhaps this is unavoidable given how grey and complex both protagonists are.
Even though this is hands down one of the best wuxias I have seen in years, this is more of a character drama in the sense that the core characters are what really brings this story life in a differentiated way. I am going to discuss them in greater detail in the following paragraphs. Be warned there are mild spoilers so you may want to stop reading here and revisit after completing.
*Be warned - mild spoilers ahead!*
The narrator Zhou Zishu is a dark character and while he is not a villain, he is amoral and thus the story is told via the lens of a world view that is defined by personal loyalties and relationships rather than some over arching sense of morality. In Zhang Zhehan's own words, Zhou Zishu has thousands of layers and is thus the most fascinating and difficult character to both write and to portray. In this both writer and actor delivered brilliantly in striking that perfect balance of revealing not too much but just enough to create an enigmatic character with insidious lingering impact. Zishu is a cynical and disillusioned cold hearted assassin who is only bound to and motivated by his word of honor - yes for once we have an aptly titled c-drama. He doesn't blame Jin wang for his fall from grace nor does he try to avenge his fallen sect brothers because like himself, they all must live and die by their oath, their word of honor. By the time he encounters Zhang Chengling and Wen Kexing, he is resigned to his self inflicted fate and means to spend his remaining days wandering the world drinking himself into oblivion. He epitomizes despicable me, stricken by self loathing for his weaknesses, for his failings that led to the deaths of his sect brothers and Four Seasons Manor's downfall.
Zishu is pulled back into the world of the living by his promise to see Chengling to safety - his intent is to do no more than that and is indifferent to the boy's pleas to accept him as his disciple. Although he was attracted to Kexing, he dismisses his outrageous overtures and distrusts him but lets him stick around to keep an eye on him. It is only after Kexing hallucinates and calls him Zhou Zishu that his attitude changes. That must be when he suspects who Kexing is and for the first time, sees a path towards keeping his promise to his shifu by resurrecting Four Seasons Manor and thus he accepts Chengling as his disciple. But he is really only putting his affairs in order so to speak. Even though he acknowledges Kexing as his soul mate, he does not deem himself worthy of a long and happy life.
Wen Kexing on the other hand is innately a good person, who is driven by hate and vengeance into doing some terrible things. Unlike Zishu, he still longs to be a good person and deep down still believes he is indeed a good person. While Gong Jun brings the many facets of Wen Kexing from the terrifying to the vulnerable alive vividly with his expressive eyes, the character itself is a more easily understandable, angsty, revenge driven wuxia archetype. Zishu is a much darker character than Kexing and he does not save or redeem Kexing, it is actually the other way around. Although Kexing at surface gets more screen time, as the narrator that always seems to know more than he reveals, Zishu is omnipresent and invites the most mind share. As they change each other and extend their found family to include Chengling, Gu Xiang, Cao Weining and even the irascible and hilarious Ye Bai Yi, Zishu subtly comes to embrace life again.
This drama peaks spectacularly in the gorgeously shot penultimate episode that has everything - clever final reveals, plot twists, shocking, shattering losses, violent clashes and epic showdowns. I screamed, I jumped up and down, I cried, I couldn't believe my eyes! This is the way a drama should end, at its peak. Yes, there are small loose threads but overall, I am very happy with the ending. True, the final afterthought episode is a bit of a non sequitur but everything else was so spectacular I am willing to not look that hard at it. This is by far the best wuxia I have seen in many, many years and I can happily call this a perfect 9.5.
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