This review may contain spoilers
Nice cast, promising plot... gone bad
I expected a lot from this series (and at first i enjoyed it) but the ending disappointed me so much: they were treating so many important topics and then everthing was ruined by: hole-plots; a bunch of situations happening without a reason and terrible behaviours!1) Thua's plot twist destroyed every interest i had in the 2nd couple: all the characters acted like he never did anything bad.
2) Outing is something i would never excuse, it's such a delicated topic, i hate how they handled it.
3) Dika's relationship with the Headmaster (or was it a teacher? idk) felt unnecessary.
4) The three protesting guys could leave the school if they did not like the rules, or the Headmaster could expell them.
5) They mentioned that behind Akk's behaviours (regarding the curse) stood the Headmaster but then - when all the situation with Dika came out - they seemed to forget it (the Headmaster did not even apologize, he resigned at least).
And i could continue... but i won't. I'll just remember this series as a good (but imperfect) bl.
Was this review helpful to you?
The friendship between Pat, Ae, & Chot.
The concept.
What I did not like:
The execution of the concept.
The slow paced often messy storyline.
The lack of chemistry between the leads.
The open ending for Jaab and Jane.
The open ending of Jeng’s parents attitude toward Jeng and Pat.
I feel like there was not a good balance between the work storyline and the romance storyline. I could hardly tell that it was even a romance drama until episode 9. There was hardly a relationship between Jeng and Pat, but then all of a sudden when they finally did get together they were like they had been in a relationship for years. It is almost hard to explain. The pacing just wasn’t right and the chemistry wasn’t there. And it definitely left some unanswered question. It’s like they tried to fit too much into one 12 episode drama.
I will not rewatch, but I do hope to see these actors in a better series later.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Worst... I haven't read novel or comic and watched anime before.
the main story was look interesting. But Unfortunately that the director ,screen writer and acting coach
they didn't make it well ,almost scenes were so bad.
Some didn't make sense at all ,
such as when the bad mother in law asked housekeeper to keep An Hao's pee for pregnant test ..
Seriously...how the housekeeper did it? Anhao didn't flush?
Or the producer shun said he can prove whose hairs by smelling??
So ridiculous!
I think they would do ss2
Please make it better! Do job harder !
Was this review helpful to you?
Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre
5 people found this review helpful
The best adaptation so far imho. The acting and casting are really good. Character arc is really good as well, you can tell how they have changed over time in the series but there are exceptional characters of course. Too much time is put into the time when they were kid, they could have cut some of it out and too many time they repeat the same line as well, it could be annoying to hear it over and over again. The fight scenes is good but there are times that they use too much slow motions and not so believable cgi that makes you "meh wth" but overall it's still good. Really watch worthy and enjoyable with a good plot!!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The acting defeats me.
It has an interesting story line, However, sometimes I can be quite particular about acting and acting could have turned me off from continuing or enjoying it.If I can give rating for different role, I will give Dylan Wang a 8 (he has improved in acting); A 3 for Esther Yu, I cannot feel her. Perhaps she is still new as an actress. She is like trying too hard with cuteness, innocence, crying and tears ...,or when she is switched to DongFang. As a result , I pretty much skipped most part of the show.
I think the only parts I enjoyed are some delightful scenes when the characters switched , This devil role fits well on Dylan Wang and the cuteness he tries to portray as her is more convincing.
Was this review helpful to you?
Frustratingly, the political plot is full of flaws: tedious, goes around in circles, cartoon villains, and full of nonsensical story. Just lots of evil, greedy one note characters that pop up again and again. But, the romance plot is so good, that I finished this drama anyways. In some ways, the political plot is so clearly bad that it's easy to skip through the political parts and just watch the romantic scenes.
This has everything you could want in a romance: a Romeo and Juliet forbidden romance, a man head over heals for a woman who is his equal, tons of rescuing and protectiveness, and putting each other first. It will go down as one of my favorite romantic couples, and this drama reminded me of Xu Kai's excellent acting and romance in Story of Yanxi Palace.
The production values and direction are also extremely good. The costumes are very original and beautifully designed. There's a lot of excellent choices with camera angles, and music. The action scenes are thrilling and don't use much CGI.
This drama is so uneven it's hard to recommend. But, I must say I was deeply touched, and the romance will stick with me. It may be worth a try to see if this love story sticks with you.
Was this review helpful to you?
Great Sports/ Romantic Drama storyline
First of all I want to thank the Writers and Producers, for not making the typical Bad Boy or Rich pouting, demeaning to women, gets everything at the end of Storyline man. You also didn't make a mumbling, weak minded, you can jerk me around and I will not fight back FL. This Storyline has so much in it, if you don't pay attention you'll miss out.The way you see Duan Yu Cheng go from a sort of rich, cocky boy to a respectable young man. You can see how he was so sure of himself, to be unsure of a lot of things. You can see the struggle within himself. Luo Na playing his coach knows how talented he is and that he was to cocky. She knows at one time he must hit a wall. When he hits that wall it is a wake up call for him. He realized that there is someone out there better than him. The coach doesn't give up on him.
I just finished the Storyline. It is one of the best Chinese Romantic Dramas. Finally the right people got what they deserved. The scenery was fantastic. The chemistry among Cast members was fantastic. It was an easy Storyline to follow. Politic was bad all over the world. What happened to Duan Yu Cheng was totally a sham. Luo Na played a strong positive for female role. You can see those two go together and how devoted they were to each other.
I will watch it again. I recommend it.
Was this review helpful to you?
A miracolous story to warm and embrace our hearts!
When I first started this drama, I probably wasn't ready for it: I must admit I got stuck at ep.2 and couldn't go on - I could feel the great inner value of this title but I couldn't bring myself to face it. Then, months later when many things in my life drastically changed, I decided to start watching it again from scratch.And I'm so happy I did it: this drama is such an overwhelming experience, in a good and positive way!
The story is very simple yet layered, just like life really is: people with their own struggles who appear during the main lead everyday life, and he approaches them with such a pure attitude that they get sucked in his "enlightening" way of life.
The cast is GREAT: I would say Issei is one of the most talented actors out there nowadays, and he portrays Aikawa's role in a way that feels totally natural - never too forced, never too exaggerated, always on point and always fluid. I fell in love with his smiles and his facial expression during this series, he was amazing.
The support cast was great too, kudos to Eikura Nana, the students and the young Koichi.
The flow of events is smooth and maybe slow-paced, but somehow the great balance between fun, sweetness, nature, witty dialogues and "zen approach" just got me hooked. I bingewatched 10 episodes in basically one day: I laughed, cried, felt my heart softening and smiled deep from within... like it didn't happen in ages.
At the end of this everyday-life adventure, I was caught up in Aikawa's light: that kind of light that is never strong as the sun that blinds you but, instead, stands still on your path and guides you like the moon who embraces you.
In these days of solitude, isolation, confrontation with the hard parts of life, I think this drama was exactly what I was missing and looking for.
Was this review helpful to you?
And why?
Firstly, the story.
I've said this in a previous review, love triangles is really not my cup of tea. If i take the time to watch such an drama it must have something more going for it than just romance. The thing with My secret hotel was that by also having a murder case floating around, I believed that the romance would benefit from it and not just become battle of the idiots. Sadly that's not what happened. Instead everything became mush and meh. In the end the only reason for me watching it was two reasons alone. Who she would end up with, and that only because I loved one of them and hated the other. And the second reason being that I loved the romantic scenes between Sang Hyo and Hae Young and wanted to see this wonderful couple as much as possible.
Secondly, the cast.
I did love both Sang Hyo and Hae Young, both the actor and actress really did a good job from my point of view. And yes I know that everything surrounding this couple was rather mediocre and meh, but I still liked them both as a couple and by themselves. However I do find Hae Young more tolerable in the end. He is just adorable and funny in how much in love he is with his ex wifey. So really, I watched this show til the end mostly because of my love for him. When talking about the rest of the cast there's really not anything to say. The only other major character is Sung Gyoum and he for me is just in the way for the most parts. I really did not like his character. The actor is not horrible, that's not what I'm saying, It's really just that in any other series I would love to see him as the main love interest, but for this one, Not so much. The supporting cast is just not anything to sell. They're there and they do what they're suppose to do but not anything more. Tho shout out to Detective Kim, played by Ahn Kil Kang. He really is an awesome actor and I love to see him in just about any series.
And the love rival in this one is just about the most stupid and ridiculous I've ever seen in drama thus far. She really doesn't feel like a rival at all because she's just hanging on him and never really has a shot in being the next love. The show would have been saved so much BS if she'd been dropped and thrown away away.
The music would have been able to save the show a little, but the problem is that it didn't really do its job in expressing all the emotions in the scenes and I felt that it always where the same song playing in the background and even that song was not the most perfect. It was not bad persay but not the greatest either.
Yes again the rewatch is not high and yes it's mostly because of the whole love triangle thing but this time its more than that. I totally love the couple, and I nearly fell in love with Hae Young (Whom I am I kidding, I totally did) but imagining myself sitting thru this whole show all over again just feels like an impossibility, maybe that's just my current feeling and sure I do hope I get the feeling to see this show again, but for now I'll just stay satisfied over the fact that I even finished it the first time.
Overall and lastly, the show is not horrible. But it's not great either. I know there exists good love triangles out there, but this one really is not the best of them. Its mediocre. I truly wish that I would be able to recommend it to everyone, but however much I fell in love, I can't. I was able to watch it because I was sold on the idea to see Hae Young for 16 whole episodes but I also know that not everyone works like me. Even I felt tired as hell when episode 14 came along. My last words for this one is, give it a shot maybe it really works for you. But don't have to high hopes about it, because the the risk of becoming disappointed is greater than you think.
Happy watching!
Mivaaa
Was this review helpful to you?
The chemistry and vibe all throughout the episodes was something I don't see much in melodramas now a days. Having my favorite actress coupled off with Jo In Sung, what else could I ask for? Jo In Sung's character also took me to a different level because I kept asking myself while watching him on screen - how could a conman be so damn good looking?!? Setting his good looks aside though, his acting was seriously effective that every time he cries, starts to cry or even tries not cry... it tugs on my heart and I start crying along. (This is how much this drama affected me.) I don't want to forget to mention that the supporting characters did make an impact in the over all feel of this drama, without them the drama would have been dull and focused on 2 people who are both lost in their own pitiful world without any support from other people. So yes, the supporting casts were vital in the story line making things more colorful for the main characters.
Initially, prior to watching this drama, I already had an idea where this show was heading towards since I've already seen the movie, however I just wasn't expecting that ending. That final episode sort of gave me ambivalent thoughts about this series. I was thinking if I should be giving it a 7 for the story line because it sort of deviated from the original or should I give it an 8 because at least it made me wrong on my predictions and didn't let me have that bitter sweet after taste I usually have in melodramas. I decided on 8 then, because it left me in lighter mood than I have expected. The music was vaguely familiar too, it feels like I have heard it's music score similarly to the drama "Secret Garden" I'm just not up to researching if the artist and music coordinator are the same. Nonetheless, it was good music and gave me last song syndromes right after every episode.
Over all this drama was a good watch. The main characters were beautiful, the story was twisted-sad, music was at its best and cinematography was breathe taking. I'll be highly recommending this drama for those who are looking for something in the melodrama department.
Was this review helpful to you?
Story: (8/10)
The story is based on reality and it is mostly very good, but personally I would cut out about 10-20 episodes of material and storyline that feel like "fillers". Overall though the story is entertaining and nice, but it might cause impatient viewers to skip some parts.
Acting/Cast: (7/10)
For me the biggest problem with this drama is the mild chemistry between the main actors. They seem like good friends instead of passionate lovers. The main actors are both charismatic and do their jobs well, but it all seems a bit shallow. I have my suspicions that some important scenes might have been cut out since some Chinese series have had the same fate with more risqué scenes. Overall the acting is very good, but at least I did not really care about what happened to any of the characters and I didn't cry at any point in the drama (I almost always do :D).
Music: (6/10)
The music was pretty good at points and one of the vocal ballads, but there were quite a few low quality filler songs that really dragged the overall experience down.
Rewatch value: (5/10)
I can't really see myself watching this again any time soon. There were no extremely noteworthy scenes in the drama and since it is low-paced and long I can think of many series I would rather watch than this one.
Overall: (7.5/10)
My review might seem pretty harsh, but the fact is that I really emphasize CHEMISTRY above everything else. In this drama it could be due to the editing or directing of the series, but something is lacking between the main actors. The visual effects are much better than in usual Chinese period dramas; the war scenes look massive and convincing, the clothing and make up is really well done and I really appreciate that the female lead is not a generic beauty (she looks very unique). Maybe my problems is that this series really drew me in at the beginning, but in the end I feel let down.
Was this review helpful to you?
But clearly I need to have more faith in the people who brought us the gem that is Nirvana In Fire, because Ode to Joy totally blew my mind. Although I grew up here in the States, I have cousins and a lot of acquaintances in China who are in their mid 20s to early 30s, and I know just how hard it is as a young adult in modern China, especially in a big city like Shanghai. The salary that most people get - even in smaller cities - is nowhere proportional to the cost of living (especially for housing), so if you don't have family who can give you that extra allowance every month, it's basically next to impossible to make it in the big city. Forget about the hu kou issue for a second - having a car and a house is now considered the minimum standard in a partner these days, and since young adults usually don't have the money to buy those themselves, it's on the parents to provide. And if you happen to be from the country, or if you have a family who is dependent on you as the bread winner...
Ode to Joy did such an awesome job in taking a group of five unique characters and plopping them in the middle of Shanghai. They captured the struggles and obstacles of the women perfectly (the subtle social commentary was absolutely amazing and so well done in a country where dramas usually tend to act as propaganda for the government). Also - can we get a shout of joy for a great, women-centric drama? If I had one major criticism of this production team, it would be that they've done a pretty lousy job of developing good female characters (the NiF girls were strong and powerful, but way underutilized), but they've corrected that in such a major way with Ode to Joy.
The five women aren't perfect at all - and honestly, there is no miracle where at the end of the drama they've done a complete 180 - they are actually still very much the same women they were at the beginning, but they've learned a lot of hard lessons along the way, and have been influenced greatly by each other. It's a beautiful thing to watch - very rarely do you get such good character development in any drama, and across the board at that! The characters always stay true to themselves - there is nothing contrived - it all feels so organic, both in how their own characters develop, and how their friendship evolves.
Liu Tao's character was probably the hardest to relate to - a brilliant and successful but aloof businesswoman with an unknown backstory - but kudos to Liu Tao's natural warmth and exuberance that shone through to give her character some needed depth. I saw a lot of people complain about Wang Zi Wen's rich girl character but it was her that made this story so refreshing for me - a fu er dai with street smarts is such a joy to watch, especially since she still worked so hard to achieve what she wanted. She used people, sure, but she was usually transparent with her machinations, and she also had a heart of gold. And I thought Wang Zi Wen was great in her portrayal.
Yang Zi was adorable as the happy-go-lucky and simple Ying Ying, and while Qiao Xin was borderline unwatchable in her brief scenes in NiF, I did like her here as the studious Guan Guan (and resident worrywart). In a weird way, she also annoyed me the most, if only because I identified the most with her character and it was jarring seeing her flaws (which I share in spades) dissected and probed.
But Jiang Xin to me was the standout of the group performance-wise (no surprise - she made an absolutely evil character in the Legend of Zhen Huan sympathetic), and it was also her character that spoke the most to me. The situation that she faced with her family is very much a real one in China today (and real life is often worse), and it isn't one that has a real solution, because despite everything, family is family. She came across as such a wise and confident character at first, and little by little, her armor is chipped away, and the vulnerability lying within just breaks your heart.
Also - the Where's Waldo game with cameos from cast members of other Shanying productions was hilarious and so much fun (I will say I had to cheat at times where I could recognize the face but couldn't remember the role that the actor previously played).
I loved how the characters played off of each other and the writing was so smart and well thought out. The story did lag at times, but it's slice-of-life - it's bound to at times, and that's perfectly acceptable. There were times where I was annoyed with each of the characters in turn, but it just showed that they were being very human with their thoughts and decisions, and it often led to a very real life lesson.
The guys definitely took a backseat here, and none of the love lines are permanent (yet), and I loved the way they were used - none of them were princes, but they all helped with the maturation of one of the women in some way. Xiao Xiao (Wang Zi Wen) and her doctor boyfriend (Wang Kai) was a great portrayal of the modern young couple, and I can't wait to see how their relationship develops (or fails) in Season 2 because they still have a mountain of differences to wade through. (They are also so freaking cute - I kind of want to watch When A Snail Loves now just for them). Also - can we please get a show with LIu Tao and Jin Dong in a real love line?
It really isn't easy to tell the story of everyday people to an audience who is jaded and often unsatisfied with the way life is portrayed in dramas, but somehow, Ode to Joy does the impossible and delivers a show that will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you wish that you had that kind of sisterhood in your life. I wouldn't say that the show revolves around friendship, because there is still a lot of friction and misunderstanding even three quarters of the way through between some of the women, and a lot of the lessons that they learn is actually on an individual level, but it's still an integral part of the show.
Props again to the production team who have now proved they can tackle any genre and take it to the next level - I can't wait to see what Season 2 has in store for us!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
confusing with cliche plot points
Overall: this is a lower budget production that once again would have benefited from a narrower plot (i.e. no love triangle) due to its short runtime. Watched on YouTube.Content Warnings: smack on the head, blackmail
What I Liked
- the intro animation sequence that went into the live action
- I like the original focus on Judo (but that vanished unfortunately)
Room For Improvement
- confusing/choppy, especially in the first episode scenes just cut to something else and I was confused who the characters were
- too broad of a plot, they should have just focused on two judo players
- cliche things that I hate: love triangle, miscommunication/lack of communication, long time gap (6 years!), open ending, gay for you trope
- camera trick to not show the kiss well
Was this review helpful to you?
Acting/casting: Tor who plays Gym for this series did a superb job. He was so amazing. It's so unreal just how dedicated he is in order to give us a realistic performance of someone who is autistic. I felt like I was really watching someone's real life and this wasn't just some drama. If I had to compliment only one thing then I would say it's Tor's eyes. He wasn't acting as Gym, he IS Gym. His eyes spoke as Gym. They say the eyes are windows to the soul and Tor's eyes is the reason I believe that might just be true because he's so good at using his eyes to convey emotional turmoil as Gym. Sky who plays Dong also did an amazing job. He really portrayed the internal conflict well and you can really feel his anger, his saddness. As a viewer, I can really empathize with his feelings and I can't help but feel anger for his situation. The mom's characters were also good, although Gym's mom's role wasn't very active in the series, She kind is part the background. Suquan who plays Dong's mom really looked like a mom to both the main characters. Overall, the actors played their roles very realistically. Everything was just the right amount of acting. Not exaggerated, not under. Just right. Chef's kiss.
Ping and Fuaiz who play the child version of Gym and Dong were pretty good as well. They're kids so I don't have much to say about them. Like they've still got years to become better.
A separate paragraph for Belle who plays Noi. This character might be my only slight dislike about the story. It's nothing major. I just don't find the acting that great. She's not that expressive, in opinion, and seemed like she's always lost. I don't know if her character was supposed to look lost but that's how I felt when I saw her. The character Noi played a huge role in the story and I appreciate her for being part of the story, but her character alone felt like the odd one out in this story. Maybe it's just me.
Rewatch value: Yes. There is no score because the answer is yes.
Overall: Yes. Just yes.
Was this review helpful to you?
The plot twist by the end made sense, but also came out of nowhere since it was not really set up throughout the film - it was the ending that simply felt flat.
When I watch movies like that I always wonder, how did this cast end up here? These are not unknown actors who have to take any project thrown at them. What made them think these were roles worth taking? How can one see a script to a mediocre movie like that and gladly be part of it?
There were a few aesthetic shots, but overall, the movie did not really offer much to be praised.
Was this review helpful to you?
Recent Discussions
-
-
Characters Study and Characters In a Nutshell6 minutes ago -
Love You Forever, Xiang Liu.33 minutes ago -
Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance40 minutes ago -
Lovely Runner OR Hidden Love??53 minutes ago
