The story is just basically simple but enough to keep you interested and make your heart go doki-doki (flutter) with every cute scenes. I was actually envious of Mirei (or Misaki's character) for having the opportunity to live with the brothers, such a lucky situation, plus they adore her and almost fall for her.
Some may think that some of the acting or portrayal of the actors are way too exaggerated or over-the-top, but as a more jdrama fan (specially a live-action adaptation), I am more used to it, or just kinda expected that to happen, and for me, that adds more charm to the drama.
I think Yamazaki Kento's acting keeps on improving as he takes more roles nowadays. Shuhei Nomura, as Touma - the youngest one is my favorite character in this story. He is so free-spirited, playboy, and tactless, but somehow his words makes sense. And I love how he is so supportive of Misaki, even if he have a little crush on her.
Another reason to watch this drama is the food, specially those mouthwatering display of desserts!
Though as much as I wished that this drama have more episodes or at least reached until 12 episodes, I am satisfied how it went till the final end. It didn't left me feeling something missing, it just went how it should be. I only want it to last long because I still want to see them all together because I love how each of the actors played their characters, meaning they have a very good chemistry working together.
The soundtrack is also good. I haven't checked out the meaning of the lyrics, but it is nice to listen to.
I would watch it again, in fact I may be watching it this weekend. Please watch it too, and hope you enjoy!
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The storyline is fairly everyman. The story pretty much literally revolves around 4 men with unique personalities and lives mixing with each other. There isn't any mind-blowing plot or intricated scheming. There's nothing you "can't see coming." In some places, the story appears rushed and underdeveloped. However, the reason I gave the story aspect such a high rating was because this is definitely a character driven story and the characters are amazing. The characters come from different walks of life, with vastly different personalities, with vastly different goals, hidden agendas, open agendas and complicated psyches. It captures the nitty-gritties of relationships and love. The undercurrents in relationships that noone wants to talk about, the kind of stuff everybody wants to pretend doesn't exist and it captures every feeling beautifully.
Acting is spot-on. The cast is all eye-candy and handsome. There's plenty of gorgeous bodies and man on man action. ;) But, less superficially, I think the actors did well in capturing each character's individual charm, flaws and emotions. Jimmy's actor nailed the seemingly happy-go-lucky facade (with a sensitive and deeply emotional side). Yan Fei's actor nailed the stoic, in command and forward thinking marketing director who is very filial to his mother (yet he is insensitive and he is not loyal to his partner). Hai Qing is artistic and apparently highly talented, but he has a dark (easily angered, depressed, easily upset, possessive and jealous) side. Ping Jun is the simplest character - he's pretty much just a nice guy the whole time, to the end. (And he finished last, haha)
Music is lovely. Yeah. I'm going to be downloading the track. The music matches the theme/story so well.
Definitely a whole truckload of heartbreak, unfairness, conflicting character values. It's awfully realistic in that sense. Every character has needs that just aren't met. In that sense, I do think that Yan Fei and Hai Qing complete each other, but it's not going to be a healthy relationship because they're both emotionally and mentally unhealthy characters.
My biggest complain about this drama is the casting and the chemistry mismatch, actually. Tom (Wang Ting Yun) is drop dead gorgeous, but he's reserved/hesitant person/introspective in real life and he can't 100% pull off the dominant/aggressive character Yan Fei is supposed to be. Charles (Lin something) is an outgoing, aggressive-ish and intense personality in real life - great acting, but he isn't 100% pulling off the clingy/desperate-for-love energy Jimmy should have. Jimmy/Charles&Tom/YanFei has insane chemistry, but Tom/Yan Fei could not even remember Aric's (Hai Qing's actor) name and other than some courtesy fan service, would never touch Aric....this absolute lack of chemistry shows, okay? The YanFei/Jimmy scenes felt natural, romantic and sexy. The YanFei/HaiQing interactions... I can tell you guys don't dig each other.
But, for what it's worth, this is still one of the best BL shows out there due to all the stupid censoring that happens to mainland China ones.
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"Don't give up , don't become distant"
Overall this was a very good drama. It didn't have a complicated plot nor did it have villains. It had a very realistic ending, although it was a happy ending it showed that everyone's "happy ending" differs. I recommend watching it, it's a very light drama and every character has a good point about them but also bad ones, which makes the series more enjoyable.One of my favorite things a character said was what Hyun Seung said during episode 16, "But now i know I cant always win in love, even when I've given it my all."
Some spoilers about the episodes!!!!!
I started this series expecting nothing, especially since most of the comments were about how creepy Hyun Seung was, but after watching it, I don't regret picking this series up. Yes at the beginning Huyn Seung was a bit creepy and stalkerish, but let's be honest how many of us haven't acted at least a bit stalkerish towards someone we had a crush on. The way he broke the news to her was very crude, but after understanding her character better, I don't think she would have believed him if he didn't physically show her what was happening. He has also had a big character development since in the span of 8 episodes he went from stalkerish to knowing where the boundaries are. It's really nice seeing Yoon Song Ah slowly starting to fall for him.
Lee Jae Shin is a total jerk despite his past. Yes, he was unfortunate but he decided his own path. His excuse was that t was a plea disguised as an order. but he had a choice. He could have said "no" and he could have lost everything he had but he would have gained his freedom. His excuse was that he had no choice but I beg to differ, even when you're given an order there is always a choice, and it's up to you to decide what you want, and sadly he chooses his poison, which led to him losing Song Ah. It is even more repulsive to think about the fact that he was in a sense playing with both women, and that he planned to hide it from Song Ah.
At first, it thought Lee Hyo Joo was going to be the typical bratty spoiled rich girl, who was going to do everything in her power to destroy Song Ah after she had the tiniest doubt about her relationship with Jae Shin, yet during episode 8 she started to intrigue me.
EP011/12- I completely take back what I said about Hyo Joo, she is not stable. I don't if she expected Jae Ahin to drop to his knees and love her after she basically forced him to marry her by threatening him with her life. On the other hand, our main couple seems to be going strong. I loved all the small sweet moments. Also loved how Song Ah's team members stood by her side and stood up for her when the rumors were going around. I can't wait for Hyun Sung to meet his soon-to-be brother-in-law. I want to see their reactions since from what I see Hyun Sung doesn't know his sister is dating lee Jae Woon and Jae Won doesn't know Hyun Sun is his girlfriend's brother.
I also like how the ending of almost every episode is a heart-stopper, that leaves you wanting more.
13/14- For me these two episodes were depressing. I hate how they went towards the typical break-up before the ending episodes and then getting back together on the last one. I don't blame her for picking her dream job over her relationship after all they were both on different emotional levels in the relationship. Hyun Sung is obviously more emotionally invested since he was pinning over her for such a long time. The last scene on episode 14 where they were both on opposite sides and when he saw her he walked away broke my heart. I think he finally had the time to love himself more and out himself in the first place. It's obvious that for the next two episodes it's going to be her trying to get back together with him and they will probably get back together on the last episode if we are lucky they will get back together soon and if we are unlucky it will be typical they get together again on the last 10mn and it ends with a hug or kiss. On the other hand, jaewon and jiseung are so adorable together. I am glad they found each other. I felt so bad for the other sister though.
15/ Ok this episode was not that bad. I like that Jaewoon and Ji seung are getting married. I can tell the second sister and her husband will have us guessing until the end. The second leads seem more mature. Lee Hyo Joo also seemed like she learned how to draw the line and not depend on wanting a man to love her, seems like they will be back together. The only thing I disliked was again the whole breakup. It doesn't seem smart to add a breakup 2-3 episodes before the final one, it seems the last episode will just be song ah trying to win Huyn Seung over. And I get this was based on a webtoon but seriously the whole breakup is an overused cliche.
16/ This episode was very nicely wrapped up. I would have wished to see Jaewoon and Ji Seung's wedding, also I'm glad jae won and Jae Shin kinda fixed their friendship. Jae Shin and Hyo Joo also had a very good ending. Apart from Jae woon and ji seung it was hinted during the last scene that Huyn Seung and song ah were going to get married, again I would have loved to see their wedding and the reaction of their co-workers to them getting back together. Song Ah mom also had a big character growth, at the beginning we saw how dependent she was but in this episode, we finally saw her being independent and enjoying time with her friends. The second sister broke my heart, but I'm glad her ex-husband finally started to accept himself.
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Short sweet and refreshing
This is one of those dramas that has every cliche that’s ever been in a drama. The male lead is a cold 30 year old rich CEO and the female lead is a very shy insecure virginal college student. All of the women want to be with the male lead. And of course all of the men want the female lead. So why am I giving it such a high rating? Why do I like it so much? It’s just so sweet fluffy and romantic. And I’ve never seen an Asian drama show so much skin in a drama. I mean it’s like a toned down version of “50 Shades of Grey.” I’m a sucker for a really romantic drama that has the romance heat up quickly. It’s just so rare and it’s soooo sweet. Very little angst and lots of sweet moments. I like how she’s always sitting on the floor curled up at his feet. And I like how he always runs up and gives her back hugs all the time. This is my go to drama after watching a really heavy angsty drama. It’s light sweet tone is really refreshing. And with only 10 episodes it’s a quick easy watch. It’s definitely not for everyone. But it’s my guilty pleasure.Was this review helpful to you?
I hope that this feeling might catch up with you
The plot was a very standard best friends to lovers kind of story. We follow two high school boys that have been friends since they were little, and how their relationship changes as one starts to struggle with his feelings. There are certain things that felt unrealistic and unnecessary. I am aware that the series was not really released internationally, and the subtitles are fan made, so that is not something that will affect my ratings regarding the series. It is a shame that this was not an international release though.I am not a fan of cinematography. Many scenes were too bright to the point of slightly blurring out the details and the faces. Some cuts between the scenes were also a bit confusing. There was also an overwhelming amount of slow-motion scenes. It just felt a bit excessive.
Ohara Yamato & Ashiya Kakeru: They have this black cat and golden retriever dynamics. Yamato is the calmer one, the more reserved and not so friendly one. Kakeru is the more outgoing one, the more approachable and more hyperactive one. They are quite different from one another, but they make it work. Yamato falls first, he has loved Kakeru for years, but has never dared to confess. He didn’t want to risk losing what the two had. But as Kakeru starts to show interest in dating, Yamato starts to struggle. I don’t think Kakeru is indifferent to Yamato either, I just think he wasn’t really considering that possibility until it hit him in the face. He was always convinced the two can be just friends, so even if there were any deeper feelings, he never admitted those to himself. The two actors had good enough chemistry, but I don’t think it was as sizzling in some other dramas I have seen.
As the title suggests, the main conflict of the story does resolve around miscommunication. The two boys are not able to express their real feelings due to fear and other factors. However, this does not mean that the characters don’t communicate well. I really enjoyed that Yamato, no matter how much he hated that, was always honest with people who confessed to him. He never led anyone on. And even when things started going south between Yamato and Kakeru and the two were forced to be honest, they were both able to express themselves.
I liked the side characters too. Especially Yamato’s sister and Hisaka Yui, their classmate. Both of them were very open-minded and accepting of the two. It also helped Yamato and Kakeru feel more comfortable and not like what they are feeling for each other is wrong and unacceptable. There will always be people who might not be very open minded, but there will also always be people who will accept you no matter who you love.
And bonus points for not making any potential female love interests into villains! That’s a plot twist I am happy we avoided.
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Huge failure in the writing
WHAT I LIKED:-Ra Ra : little princess lost in the world. She is naïve but optimistic and she would tell you bluntly what is ok and what is not. She has an adorable cheerful personality and she slowly shows a mature side of herself.
-Jun: a mysterious but kind guy who does his best to survive by himself but also to help everyone around him.
- The great chemistry between Ra Ra and Jun
- Ha Young and Seung Gi : usual friends who become lovers. They are cute and friendly people
- The women at the hair saloon: crazy women but warm and funny people
- Grandpa: a kind person who helps them all openly and also secretly. I liked his background story
- The head of detective agency : the most fun of them all.
- Dr Cha : I really had a problem with him at first as he was weird with Ra Ra and tried to woo her. He became more likeable though.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
The writer managed to portray very endearing characters with their interactions describing a lot of love and care from one to the others. It made the general athmosphere nice, fun and heartwarming. But the problem is that the writer never knew where to head to. There is no clear plotline and it navigates from a situation to another situation which are either cute (grandpa story, Jae min's story) or confusing (Ra Ra's father's death, stalker story), or irritating (fake cancer, fake wedding) until the final episodes with silly useless revelations and a ridiculous ending.
The writer basically never managed to tell a story and was mostly leading on the audience to manipulate it and extort emotions from it. Lame.
MUSIC: It was ok
REWATCH: Why rewatch? Don't even watch.
OVERALL : 10 for the main characters. 2 for the story. Overall: 6. I clearly don't recommend this drama. It is a waste of time.
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Something good, something for the summertime
This was a beautiful show, sadly i feel it was overshadowed by more popular shows airing at the same day such atoats and wbl.The first 4 episodes were okay but nothing too exciting imo, i think towards the past 4 episodes the show started to set its foundation and it worked well in the end. Now that ending was skeptical cause that build up only for it to end because of a podcast was lazy writing but you gotta have something right. Actors were really good at their roles, i felt really emotional with both of them especially son oh and wow his dancing was great really wish he gets to shine more in bigger kdramas. Hong really did a good job too, his smile is so amazing omg i literally couldn't.
The one thing id say i didnt like about this show was the pacing was much more slower in the beginning than towards the end. But overall a really cute and good show i want to see more of them ik future k dramas.
7X KISSES PEOPLE LETS CELEBRATE THAT
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The family that slays together stays together!
House of Ninjas was an entertaining mix of action, humor, and conspiracies with a little romance thrown in for good measure. Three generations living in the same house can be a source of stress on any family, especially for one that has a dark secret.After a mishap on a mission six years before, a family of ninjas may live in the same house, but they are all going in their own direction. Dad Soichi runs the failing family sake brewery and wants his family to lead a normal life. Mom Yoko is a bored stay at home mom and shoplifts in her spare time. Daughter Nagi is frustrated and puts her own spin on theft. Like his dad, son Haru wants a normal life and spends his nights refilling vending machines and having dinner in the same place so that he can be near the young woman who has her daily meal there. Retired Grandma Ninja keeps an eye on everyone, especially the youngest, Riku. The ninja code puts a crimp in Haru's love life when he is reminded that he’s not allowed to date just anyone, especially a comely reporter. When a rival ninja family reappears, the family will have to pull together to help save the nation.
House of Ninjas had a good balance of humor, romance, and bloody fight scenes. The ninja battles were entertaining and well choreographed if you don’t look too closely. The grannie-on-grannie ninja action was a hoot. The characters could make some inexplicably poor decisions at times. Apparently, ninja families are bad at interpersonal communication. When the going got tough, the family did pull together and have each others’ backs-literally. Each of the actors portrayed their characters well, glum Haru, mischievous Nagi, inquisitive Riku, and two parents who got their groove back. Throw in a deranged cult leader who thought he was god and you have everything you need for a fun ninja, excuse me, shinobi ride.
If you’re looking for a completely serious and blood-soaked drama, this isn’t it. If you are looking for a funny satire of ninjas, this isn’t it. If you are looking for a full-blown romance, this isn’t it. If you are looking for a ninja drama with high stakes, some light and dark humor, family drama exasperated by the ninja code, and a nice little romance, this could be worth a try. I found it compelling and entertaining, with some flaws.
15 February 2024
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This review may contain spoilers
My Day (2020): A Messy Yet Popular Pinoy BL Series
“My Day” isn’t for everyone. There are those who hate the series and there are those who like it. It was campy, it was farcical. Actually, it was a mess. And yet, because of the exciting chemistry between the lead actors and the exquisite kissing and making love scenes, “My Day” has become one of the most popular Filipino (Pinoy) boys’ love (BL) series worldwide.“My Day” had a formulaic plot/storyline revolving around the love story of Sky, a determined culinary arts intern and his demanding food company boss named Ace. The overused enemies to lovers trope, rich and poor/middle class characters falling in love with each other trope, and Freudian excuse trope were employed on this series. “My Day” tried to show how the two boys struggled with and triumphed over personal and relational challenges. Ace had his daddy and mommy issues while Sky had his gender identity and sexual orientation questions. But among the many problems of this series were depictions of crude characterizations and ludicrously improbable situations. There were stereotypical portrayals of a bitchy (ex-)girlfriend and comic relief effeminate gays. Other than the sexist explanation that she’s a bitch, no character background was provided to help explain Moira’s criminal behavior. As for the gays, the issue was that they were limited to being a comic relief without character depth. An example of an unconvincing situation was the entire dognapping fiasco which was ridiculous and silly. There were abrupt character changes and illogical character developments. These were especially true for Ace, Ace’s father, Sky’s bully classmates, Moira, etc. There were no proper build-ups. Relationship developments, including those of Ace and Sky, Ace and his father, Ace and his mother, Sky and his father, etc., were also rushed.
Screenplay had cringy, long, repetitive, and unrealistic lines. There were also some objectionable dialogues (e.g. Jelai flirting with Jam that bordered on sexual harassment, Jelai castigating Marianne for wearing short skirt, etc.). But I do commend “My Day” for showcasing Filipino languages other than the Filipino Tagalog language.
Acting was generally uneven. There were supporting cast members who were good but there were those who were horrendous. While there were scenes wherein Aki and Miko were ok, there were also scenes wherein they made unnatural vocal, physical, and emotional acting choices. They need to work on their vocal intonations and facial expressions. There were too much shouting and ugly crying. They were often betrayed by the lack of authentic emotions from their eyes. But since they’re still newbies in acting, these shortcomings were understandable. And besides, their exciting chemistry compensated for these weaknesses. They didn’t have good dramatic scenes together but they did have great romantic, sexy, and steamy scenes together. The kissing and making love scenes of these handsome lead actors were hot and sexy. I liked that they’re normalizing guys kissing and making love intensely and passionately in Pinoy BL series.
Budget-wise, “My Day” was almost akin to Filipino drama series (teleserye) and Thai BL series. A lot of expensive-looking set designs, numerous product placements, and the long list of people in the post-credits illustrated just how well-funded this series was. Production design was largely ok. Set designs during the premiere and Ace’s birthday were quite good. But there were also some missteps. The set designs for the supposedly prestigious international cake competition looked cheap. And production design during the finale was just average. Although simple techniques were used, cinematography was mostly decent. Editing was uneven. The soundtracks especially “Hindi Ako Bibitaw” (I Will Not Let Go) by Paul Ramirez were ok.
All in all, I would only recommend “My Day” to those who love exciting chemistry between the lead actors as well as exquisite kissing and making love scenes, who don’t mind if overall, the series is a (hot and sexy) mess.
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Never have I seen such a contrast between a form and substance of one movie. The substance – full of brutality, mindless violence and helplessness, against the form – breathtaking shots and subtle, soothing music (my discovery of the movie - Debussy’s Arabesque!), makes this movie really disturbing and unforgettable. This dissonance is sickening, but also brilliant and makes the film different from anything I’ve seen so far.
Another thing worth mentioning – chronology of All About Lily Chou Chou. At first, nothing makes absolutely no sense, we have no idea what is happening, not to mention why do all those things happen at all. It’s a commonly used trick, present in many other movies, but frequently it makes the viewer confused and utterly lost, without a chance to understand what the heck he just watched. In this case… you will feel the same. At first. But then, when you sit back and think once again about what you’ve just seen, you will most probably see a logic between all this madness. The transformation of Hoshino is shocking, but possible and that’s the most depressing thing about this movie.
Even if I think All About Lily Chou Chou is groundbreaking, it’s not a masterpiece for me. Why? Sometimes I had the feeling that this mentioned opposition between the beauty of the form and brutality of the characters was too overbearing. Also, this movie was dangerously close to being draggy, nearly two hours and a half with so little dialogue and so much pain can be really tiring.
To sum it all up – this movie is not for everyone. If you’re not scared of this eerie, weird atmosphere of some Japanese movies, try All About Lily Chou Chou, most probably you won’t be disappointed. If you’re more of a traditional watcher, who prefers movies with a solid plot and conventional characters, do not press play - but definitely go listen to Debussy, his music is just brilliant.
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This review may contain spoilers
There is a reason why the tragedy tag is there. The setting of this movie itself is during war, in a war camp where all sort of people is there. The good and the bad people, the honest and the one with ulterior motives. The story itself is unique to me. Usually, movies in a war setting are heavy on tactical or political but Swing Kids focuses mainly on tap dance. When I watched the trailer, it got myself thinking too how did this one ended up as musical movie? The music was necessary to accompany the tap dance. I don’t really know much about American music during war times but it is pleasant to hear. The movie focuses on the hero, Kisoo and how he fell in love with tap dance. How tap dance changed his life, the consequences he got when he accepted his love for tap dance from his fellow countrymen and enemies, and the dream he wanted with his talent. It was a beautiful journey to watch his character development. The other characters are necessary for this development, one leads to the other, and another, until they completed each other. And these characters will be tested on their ideology and loyalty; either to be freed physically or to be freed mentally.
Do Kyungsoo is so incredible in this movie. The way he talked in North Korean accent, the way he potrayed as a bully and the most important is the way he tapped dance. It was so beautiful to watch his character. The second lead for me is the character Jackson. The actor, Jared Grimes, is really into his character, I am so impressed. Jackson is the person that introduced tap dance to Kisoo. The relationship between them is so beautiful, it transgressed language, skin colors and ideology. Park Hye Soo’s English is wonderful and she certainly can tap dance; while Oh Jung Se and Kim Minho completed the comic relief in this movie.
The movie started with a good humor here and there, and later it changed into a serious tone due to a major event in the movie. But the beauty of tap dance is featured in the movie from the beginning until the end. The director is clever to use music as the momentum, mostly the pacing of the shoe’s tap itself, and there are some scenes I literally held out my breath, the tap dances in this movie are that good.
I would love to rewatch it again in the future. This movie is certainly different from the others. Recommended.
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1Sweet and Understated
STORY:Though this drama doesn't really bring anything new to the table in terms of story, it has a sweet, understated vibe to it that made for an enjoyable watch. And while it premiered in 2021, I felt like I was watching something from five or six years ago, but the warm feelings of nostalgia were nice and comforting. Second Chance brings not the annoying ex-girlfriends, obnoxious fujoshis, and slapstick sound effects that seem to inundate more recent Thai BLs and instead takes us back to that feeling of discovering one's self and one's first love in the midst of emerging adulthood.
There are three main stories here: Paper and Tong Fah, Chris and Jeno, and Near and M, with the main focus being on the first two. I do think the writers were ambitious in attempting to deliver so many plots given the number of episodes, and, as much as I adore Near and the actor who plays him, I agree with others who said that his and M's storyline could have been left out due to the miniscule amount of screen time and development, in favor of advancing the other couples' plot lines. But that said, although some parts of this drama felt rushed and/or underdeveloped (and at times I felt like I had missed something), there wasn't a lot of filler fluff, and I do think the writers tried to devote every minute they could to advancing something, for which I'm appreciative.
I also just need to point out that the scene in episode three where Tong Fah and Paper are dancing in one of their bedrooms is one the best I've seen in a BL. So raw and vulnerable—got me all in the feels—and I applaud the actors in evoking those emotions.
ACTING/CAST:
The cast overall did a nice job portraying their characters, some better than others, but none were terrible. Each character was charming in his or her own way. Even the antagonist was devilishly alluring and made me really intrigued to know his (and Jeno's) backstory. The actors had good chemistry with one another, both as friends and love interests, and there was a natural ease about their interactions with one another.
OVERALL:
Do I recommend? Yes, totally. It's short and sweet and hearkens back to the BL days of old which was (perhaps surprisingly) a nice break from the more loud and chaotic Thai BLs we've been seeing lately. This gives me vibes of Love Sick and I Told Sunset About You (note, for the latter, I said vibes, not production quality, so don't compare it on that end lol), and if you're a fan of those and the feelings they give you, I think you might like Second Chance.
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I have to admit 39 episodes are somewhat of a challenge. But after ep1 the director made very efficient use of cliffhangers. Hence, you'll just watch on and on and the 39 episodes just fly by!
Story: A beautiful Chinese time traveller story. Qing Chuan gets zapped back to the Qing dynasty. And we follow her meet the great Emperor and his numerous sons. The story is full of love, hate, revenge, intrigue!
While the emperor's sons struggle for favour in court and for the position of crowned prince Qing Chuan is right in the middle of it all.
I loved how all the Princes were portrayed with different characteristics, worries, goals, dreams, faults. Over the course of 39 episodes there was room enough to develop every character. And while we start out hating some and liking others, the story convincingly takes us to other perspectives, different problems and we may just change our minds about some of them or at least find it harder to judge them in terms of black and white.
The actors were doing a great job. Every single one of them did a brilliant job. Yang Mi (Qing Chuan) was probably my favourite character. She was able to portray Qing Chuan so well with all her different facets.
Feng William and He Mickey were just unbelievable. Playing the two may male leads (8th and 4th prince) they excelled at playing intrigue, ambition, hate, cruelty, love, cold heartedness, softheartedness ... the whole range really.
But the Royal Consorts, Princes, Ministers, Eunuchs, Palace maids ... deserve merit as well. This drama was huge. Not just cast wise. But also as far as locations and sets were concerned and the costumes were so detailed and beautiful. The directors and producers put a lot of effort into this drama and the result truly reflects the passion they must have had making this series.
Sometimes the scipt was just a bit lengthy. And the intrigue was getting slightly out of control. In some episodes you can really feel the artificiality of the script. With the Qing Chuan Doppelgaenger, I really feel that was not a necessary episode.
Anyhow I thought all the tiny side stories of some characters were well interwoven with the plot and made the whole drama richer and more complete.
This was my first Chinese historical drama and I had to get used to the difference after being used to historical k dramas. All in all I think i like chinese traditional clothes better than the korean but that hair ornamentation... phew must have been really heavy. I also liked that the females here were all far away from being silly, naive and spoiled. They were all very believable characters.
A must watch for every one who enjoys historical dramas!!!
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The story itself is a very light hearted typical romantic comedy. It has the seemingly cold guy and a bubbly girl. I definitely had my differences with the female lead. She has a habit of lying and turning bystanders against whoever she is targeting (let's be real, most of the time it's the male lead). I found that incredibly annoying and unlikable, but perhaps that is why she is the "fox" in the title. That does stop after about the first ten or so episodes so she has grown on me since then. There isn't really a major over-arching plot, and as of yet, since it is the incomplete story, there hasn't been a climax. The only things that really propel the story forward are the relationship between the female lead and the male lead and the "love square" that they're involved in.
As I mentioned before, the female lead began as very unlikable to me, but the actress portrayed that role quite well. I felt that the male lead however, could be a bit more expressive. I understand that his role is supposed to be cold and stoic, but his expressions could use a little more emotion.
The music wasn't very memorable, but it wasn't unpleasant.
This drama isn't anything special or new, but it is an enjoyable watch. It's a good light hearted show to watch especially as a break between some heavier dramas.
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