Nearly every episode flows perfectly and most left me in denial that I had to wait a week for the next set. However, that's the genius of the writer and, to her, I give props. This is the third drama/movie of hers that I've watched and I loved them all.
I have to put an entire paragraph here on the acting. I expected to see good acting from many of the cast members, most are very respected and experienced. What surprised me the most was the acting ability of Lee Jong Suk. I've recently watched School 2013 and knew the kid had talent, but I never would have guessed he was this good. He made me laugh at his goofiness, smile when he was happy, and just cry my eyes out when he hurt. No matter how well written a story may be, if you don't get the right actors, it will never work. This choice, for this role, could not have been any better. As much as his acting ability left me breathless, he wasn't the only standout. Several episodes I had to give the best acting award to Jung Woong In, Yoon Sang Hyun and Lee Da Hee. Both very experienced actors that pulled even more out of their bag of tricks in this drama. The versatility of all the main and supporting cast was excellent. FYI, Jung Woong In was made for evil roles! That man can be downright scary as hell.
I can tell you I will be watching this again and not only for the feel good moments. Just like owning your favorite books to re-read over and over, I'll be enjoying this drama for years to come.
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1A satisfying end... which is rare in the kdrama world as we're all familiar.
The first thing that needs to be applauded is the actors and their masterful acting. Without the acting the plot would've withered as another project with lost potential. They literally breathe the life, the fury, the glory into this drama.As a sequel, it is commendable that the show did not go overboard or underwhelm in any aspect. It was just enough to make you sigh a breath of satisfaction. Lives upto everything the first season built upto and the trailer predicted. No non-sensical plot points which were forced to make the story coherent. It was woven smoothly start to end. They delivered the dramatics perfectly. Their was no unnecessary romantic part which ruined the slow-burn. Despite all the first season's information, there were twists and turns and the thrill was maintained. If anything was over-done, one wouldn't really give this show much of a rewatch value. But the makers took their jobs seriously and made sure that people can come back to this and find hope in the victory of everything good.
People might argue about the amorality of the whole revenge plot itself, but we know that justice does not take place in our world very often, the world is very unfair, and people we know, people around us, and people like us may feel wronged everyday, but what we can take from this as a positive learning is that we all need to come together and help the Dong Eun's all around us by giving them support, and being a friend in their time of need. Of course is doesn't have to be an elaborate revenge plot, but even the smallest effort would go a long way. And at the end of the day what goes around comes around. So it is by each other's support that we move forward, otherwise we'll find ourselves stuck at a point in life which will sooner or later drive us crazy.
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Most Endearing Drama of All Time
This is one of the very few dramas that explores our human nature, our interpersonal relationship and its intricacies, in great depth. It is happy and enjoyable, and yet every episode makes me cry. I cry not because of any tragic events but because of the moments, the actions, the relationships and dialogues of the characters that are so moving, and they touch every chord in my heart. Right after I cry, I’m given a candy that makes me laugh out loud. The brilliant story telling has made this one of the best dramas I’ve ever watched.This is a story about family and what it takes to be a family – not wealth, not blood, not even just love alone. It takes, including love, patience, sharing, compassion, understanding, empathy, courage, among others, to build a truly tightly knitted family and home, going through life and living together. It is beautifully written and acted. The characters are realistic, relatable and inspiring. In the journey, the story explores compassion and indifference, self-esteem and fear, abandonment and adoption, cheerfulness and depression. It shows us the things we may have neglected in our own lives ourselves and things that we have taken for granted. It helps us see deeper into ourselves and reflect. It captures almost all human elements that we may have encountered, one way or another, in our own lives. We can definitely identify ourselves with at least one of the characters here.
Go Ahead is a story about a widower who single-handedly raises his own daughter and two other boys who are entrusted to him. All of them have one thing in common: they do not have mothers. The children grow up together; the boys become the big brothers for his daughter, pampering and protecting her. She is their sun and the center of their universe. Everything they do, they do it together, and they do it for her (with a lesser extent, for their adoptive father). Their relationship is heartwarming and enviable. Their love for each other is pure and not tainted by anything.
Li Haichao (Tu Song Yan), an owner of a small noodle shop, has a very different view in parenting. He is very open minded and compassionate. He teaches the children to critical think for themselves, and how to stand up when fallen. His love is unconditional and his favorite thing to do is to cook meals for his 3 children. Tu Song Yan’s acting is one of the best – natural, believable and lovable. He has a calm and compassionate demeanor that would attract anyone, never assuming nor judgmental. He’s one of the most loved characters in the story.
Li Jianjian (Tan Song Yun aka Seven Tan) is a tomboy who enjoys the love and pampering from her 2 adopted brothers, growing up and doing everything together with them including sleeping on the same bed. Li Jianjian, like her father Li Haichao, is kind, tactful and compassionate with a sharp wit and mouth. The period of them living together as teenagers attending high school is perhaps my fondest moments watching this drama. Tan Song Yun’s acting renders me speechless. She is so versatile that she can take on any roles and ace them. At her actual age of 30, she is so convincing, transforming into an innocent 15 year-old teenager and then growing up into a 25 year-old sculptor. Tan Song Yun’s acting simply awes the viewers.
Ling Xiao (Song Weilong) is a deeply broken and tormented boy who goes through unthinkable tragedies and sadness. The only times he beams up and smiles are when he sees Li Jianjian, that's when the sun comes out, everything seems to become normal again. Ling Xiao is a neighbor living with a divorced father above Li Jianjian’s apartment. Song Weilong always has that look of sadness with a heavy burden locked between his brows. With few words, he gives the feeling that he has thousands words that are hidden and cannot be spoken. Song Weilong fits the Ling Xiao character to perfection. Every sad gaze from him conveys those unspoken words and sadness, and digs deep into the viewers’ hearts.
He Ziqiu (Zhang Xincheng aka Steven Zhang) starts calling Li Haichao “father” when he first meets him because he (He Ziqiu) thinks his single mother is going to marry him (Li Haichao). The marriage falls through and He Ziqiu is left in the rural area with no proper education and no prospect of a better life. He’s unofficially adopted by Li Haichao with the consent of Ziqiu’s relatives. Being abandoned, He Ziqiu always has a hole in his heart, and he has always wanted a complete family. At the same time, he’s been taught by his adoptive father to maintain a positive view as everything is a blessing in disguise. This attitude has made him resilient and optimistic. Zhang Xincheng has the look of a person who would take anything that’s thrown to him and he’s the person who gets ignored all the time. Zhang Xincheng has given one of his most impressive performance in this drama, making his character well-loved and jerk tears from all viewers.
Chen Ting (Ling Xiao’s mother) is perhaps the most abhorred mother. As much as I’m tormented by her, I sympathize with her because I have seen many such characters like her in my life, carrying a dark disease that is too stigmatized for anyone to talk about. Mingyue’s mother is a typical Asian Tiger mother and many viewers may carry some or all of her traits; she can be us without us even realizing it ourselves. I see myself in many of the characters at different stages of my life; all my flaws are portrayed vividly in them. It’s disheartening to see that many parents are abusive in certain ways, physically or mentally, just like how the drama is depicting. Such abuses are unfortunately widespread, in particular, in the developed world.
Most parents love their children. But love can be enlightening (as in Li Haichao with his children) or suffocating (as in Ling Xiao with his mother, Qi Mingyue with her mother, Tan Can with her mother) or even painful (as in He Ziqiu with his mother). This is a very precious human drama and the writers have not dragged on any misunderstanding for long; everything is resolved rather quickly without giving viewers the frustration. Funny moments are injected brilliantly throughout the story to subdue the pains that some of the characters are suffering from.
All the other cast members are equally fabulous in their respective performances, especially the child actors who play the juveniles Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu. Their acting is so natural, lovable and believable. The children capture the viewers’ hearts from the start of the first episode. All the main characters are well developed and three dimensional, including some of the supporting characters who seem to be just a part of our own lives.
Many viewers begin to dislike the drama when the platonic relationship turns romantic. For me, I love the romance and have been waiting for it because the writers have hinted this (the romance) right from the beginning, expressed in many subtle actions, dialogues and moments. Some viewers even totally drop the drama when they perceive a love triangle. And for me, I was pretty clear that there's none because, again through various hints dropped by the writers that the other relationship is plain platonic. I hope new viewers are more prepared and not being influenced by some negative remarks.
The official sound tracks are some of the best, with touching lyrics speaking out the words of our hearts - for parent and for child alike. The voice which sings the sound track “Fearless” sounds like the voice of Ling Xiao, singing his despairs and agony, and the soundtrack “I Will Be Here” expresses the hidden voice of a parent. All the songs make me cry.
Time passes us quickly. We grow up, become parents, and grow old, and the circle of life continues. This drama touches our soul, for all cultures and walks of life.
This is one of my all-time favorites and is a must-watch. Two thumbs up!
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1Regret Can Lead To Happiness and Be a Fuel To Your Life
What a treat this show was to watch!Imagine having someone who watches out for you and helps you find your joy for life again and encourages you that you can do all that you set your mind to no matter what the age. That's what Togawa is to Nozue. The fact that Togawa actually learned his words of wisdom and his ways of life from Nozue (who has over the years lost touch with himself) years prior and the fact that it is Nozue helping him with his "anti-aging" and reiterating what Togawa already knows deep in his heart but has forgotten is so precious to me. It's like coming full circle.
So many people in this world like Nozue get to a certain age where they feel like it is too late to do what they want with their lives and this show essentially reminds you that is never too late to pursue what you want to do, try something new, and have some fun while you are at it.
But, the fact that a romance aspect is added onto this beautiful life lesson that is presented throughout the series, makes the show all the more worthwhile. Togawa has liked Nozue for so long and seeing their relationship finally start to blossom made my heart flutter ten times over. Those two are so freakin cute together and they understand and complete one another and it’s nice to know that they have each other to experience all that life has to offer together moving forward.
I also love the fact that it followed the manga closely and didn't sway too much since the original material is already so well fleshed out and they translated it to screen very well.
With just 5 short episodes, this show manages to tell a fulfilling story with memorable characters, beautiful cinematography, and a magnificent score to go along. Japanese BL's always hit different for me and this one definitely is one of my favorites that I have seen!
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Beautiful QUEER REPRESENTATION
I know a lot of ppl didn't understand Shun's personality but I can relate to him so much.. the anxiety and the walls he has built up is so relatable to so many ppl who have dealt with trauma and abandonment issues.I hope more countries do real shows like this again with real people in the community.. this was so needed in these times and I hope we get more seasons in the future.
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This review may contain spoilers
It is so hard for me to say goodbye to Touch Your Heart and I can't help but being emotional right now. I was looking forward to every Wednesday and Thursday because I knew that for one hour straight, I would be the happiest person in this world.TYH doesn't have an original plot, let's be all honest here. A ''cold-hearted'' man falling in love with his secretary, it's is very common, especially for comantic comedies. But as people say, don't judge a book by its cover. Because although the plot seems to be very cliché, it has well-developed story, stong characters, perfect cast and OST which makes it one of the best rom-coms I've ever seen.
I will start with the fact that the first episode is very misleading and it shows very typical characters. Lawyer Kwon Jung Rok -- our main lead appears to be a rude, arrogant, cold-hearted man who only cares about his job. He doesn't pay attention to the people around him and often ignores them. Oh Yeon Soo is a popular actress (not for her acting though), she seems to be very clumsy, foolish and kind of self-centered. And, of course, we have many supporing characters that will probably be the most boring part. The first episode (or maybe the first two) didn't leave a good impression on me. I usually don't like this kind of characters and I thought I will be watching WWWSK season 2. But little did i know back then that Touch Your Heart will become one of my favourite dramas ever!
I believe that what was shown in the first two episodes was on purpose, the writers just wanted to fool us. In episodes 3 and 4, we can already see the development of the characters - Yoon Seo becomes more confident and more responsible, because she realises how important her job is. Althought she struggles a lot, her passion never leaves her and that's the most lovable thing about her character. It is also shown how responisble job Jung Rok has and how busy he actually is which to some extent justifies his cold behaviour towards everyone. Plus he is kind of an introvert one, he doesn't feel comfortable around people and prefers to be alone.
All that development we can already see in the first few episodes. After that, the relationship between Jung Rok and Yoon Seo slowly grows. They start being more comfortable with each other and eventually they fall in love in such an innocnet way. The awkwardness of falling in love, the heart fluttering moments, the jealousy, the hesitation are all here. And the thing I absolutely loved about Jung Rok and Yoon Seo's relationship is that they are always honest with each other. You know, the most annoying thing in some dramas is when someone decides to hide the truth or lies and then let the drama begin, blah blah. There's no such a thing in Touch Your Heart... Or at least it didn't ruin the drama.
Besides Yoon Seo and Jung Rok, there are three more couples in TYH. My favourite one of them is Yoon Hyuk and Moon Hee, they were so funny. I didn't pay attention to Se Won and Yeo Reum, but that was because YR doesn't have much screen time although she is a main character. I loved Se Won and his bromance with Jung Rok though.
Touch Your Heart is a law drama or at least that's what the genres say. But the plot is not focused on the law part, don't expect many intense trials or something. There is one big case that was pulled off very well and some small ones that were enjoyable to watch.
The only thing I disliked is the fact that the writers chose to use one trope that is very common for korean dramas, but I hate it so much. Although it was carried off quite well, it was so out of place or at least that's how I felt about it. But this doesn't really change my opinion about the drama.
The cast was amazing, I don't really have something to tell here. I was so happy to see Yoo In Na and Lee Dong Wook together again, their chemistry was amazing! I know I might be a bit too greedy now, but I want to see them again! Lee Sang Woo also impressed me.
The OST... Oh my, everything about the OST songs was perfect. The artists, the melodies, the lyrics, everything.
This review is getting too long but I tried my best to give a brief explanation about the plot while expressing my thoughts. I have some more things to say, but I will stop here. Overall, Touch Your Heart is a drama that makes you happy. It makes you forget about your stressful life and your problems. It's definitely one of my favourite shows this year and it will hold a special place in my heart forever. I recommend it to everyone, you never know what you'll like. Enjoy your watch!
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This is usually referred to as a romantic comedy, but the definition is not really accurate. It is romantic inasmuch as it deals with love, but it's neither cute nor lacy/flowery/traditionally romantic. And although it has numerous comedic situations and dialogues, it touches serious issues, leaving their final verdict suspended, making the viewer be the judge.
The cast is brilliant. Every character comes to life and has a wonderful screen presence. None is either completely good or bad, though. They're over the top, at times obnoxious, often surreal, always human. And because the game they are involved with requires them to interact with one another in turn, each time a different side to each character is unveiled.
It's an adult drama. Not because it shows anything improper, but because it deals with adult feelings, failures, expectations and needs.
The music serves its purpose brilliantly, moving at the same rhythm with the plot.
Definitely a must see, in my book.
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If it's not broken why change it?
Is my first time doing a review, also English is not my first language but i hope whoever reads it understand my points.I think most people that read the webtoon would agree that while the casting and acting of all characters was close to perfection, but the changes done to the characters narrative were really bad, the comic was Hyun's fight between his inner demons and his love for his friends and the growth of all of them while being in the end of the world, while in this adaptation i didn't feel most of Hyun struggle nor his triumph against his own mind, his relationship with most characters felt like something was missing and the changes to some of the characters felt pointless, if you are gonna change them is to make them better, but aside of a couple characters, almost everyone changed for the worst.
If this was a completely original drama it would have been a lot more enjoyable, but being an adaptation it was impossible for me to not compare them both, it felt worse than the original story.
Don't get me wrong, i still enjoyed it and think it was a good drama so i still recommend people to watch it, but you should keep in mind that if you got the time maybe reading the original comic will give you a better product.
P.S: Also I'm really annoyed about the overuse of Warriors, who the hell thought it was a song appropriate for the scenes it played?, it ruined my immersion in key scenes.
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Formulaic and Fun Fluff
In decades of television watching, I haven't met a contract relationship drama that I find completely unbearable. (A Business Proposal did test my resolve) Despite the fact that the C drama production line churns them out as if entire livelihoods depend on them, I always manage to find one to suit the mood I'm in. It's no different in this case.I'm a sucker for contract marriage tropes in the same way people hanker for Korean fried chicken. It's moreish, a guilty pleasure and we know exactly what's on offer. No more, no less. In other words, it's unabashedly a tropefest... with a vengeance. Too much can undoubtedly lead to indigestion. Hence things play out very much by the numbers: sign the contract, cohabitate, misunderstandings, feelings develop, obstacles from within and without, last-minute separation and then the happily-ever-after.
Right out of the romance playbook is the grumpy but ridiculously good-looking CEO who is being pestered by his doting grandmother who uses her ailing health to force him into finding a bride ASAP. Being the good grandson that he is, (and he's probably sick of the nagging too) he complies and settles on He Jinxi who forces her twin sister Su Yanxi to take her place to fulfil the contract. In predictable fashion, the nicer younger sister enters the Gu household and very quickly the tsundere CEO, Gu Xicheng falls for her winsome ways affecting an indifference he doesn't feel. Soon he's pleading for her to stay and indeed who can resist those puppy dog eyes? She succumbs to the wooing but suffers pangs of guilt from time to time for the deception, dreading the day that he will have to be told about her real name. Meanwhile he romances her like there's no tomorrow proving that there's a beating heart 'neath the harsh exterior. Moreover, like all tsunderes that have come beforehand, he is a man living with trauma and abandonment issues.
It's everything we've seen before but of course this is a 24 episode C drama and obstacles to happiness must come into it sooner or later. Rivals enter and wreak havoc. One being Nangong Liuli, who has the oddest idea that Gu Xicheng used to be in love her ie. the clingy type who is an utter disgrace to womanhood with her antics. In no time she turns into an emotional basket case when she can't take "no" for an answer. Then there's Fu Boye, a childhood friend of Su Yanxi. He too may or may not have special feelings for Su Yanxi aka He Jinxi. His fixation with Xixi comes across as rude but it can't be disputed that it keeps Gu Xicheng on his toes.
The show makes no claim to originality but gets plenty of mileage (as one might expect) from having attractive actors at the helm. Luo Zheng certainly looks the part and easily slips into the one-woman-only man role with ease. I liked his chemistry with Lin Xiyi who plays the woman he falls for. He doesn't have to extraordinarily good here (and he's not) but he does enough to convince me that he's in love with Xixi. Besides I watch these things mostly to see the male lead fall for his fated love and I wasn't disappointed. Lin Xiyi is the good-hearted Xixi whose good naturedness is calculated to thaw the CEO faster than the speed of sound. When she's not romancing him, she's doing cosmetics livestreaming with her bestie Lu Anan (Li Xinran) who doubles up as love interest for Xicheng's PA and brother-in-arms, Situ Shuo (Wang Xudong).
There's a nice bit of fan servicing or should I say lip servicing from Episode 16 onwards. Or episodes 16-20 more precisely. That's before the axe falls and the evil twin returns to the plot with her menacing best. It does get nasty and predictably all skeletons come tumbling out of the cupboard one at a time at the writer's whim. It is around this period that Xixi becomes a constant source of frustration and sets up a very unnecessary last minute separation. It's her opportunity to take control of the narrative but no, she doesn't even follow her own advice. It's tiring to watch because Xicheng (who is no fool) is practically begging her to tell him why she's moody and moping when the evil twin tries to drive a wedge between the leads.
In the end, this is harmless fluff. No thinking is required and none is recommended. Just sit back, relax, count the tropes and enjoy the nuttiness.
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Comfort
First of all, I really do hope more people discover this drama, it's just too good to ignore. The perfect healing and comfort drama. Also it's storyline and how each character was thoughtfully written were beautifully done, especially the development of the female lead and the male lead. I looked forward to every new episodes every week. Towards the end it did get a little sad and dark, but nonetheless it wasn't too rushed and the ending wrapped up nicely. There was truly never a single dull moment. 'Summer Strike' is also not your simple slice of life drama, but a deep meaningful insight of life having the blanket of comfort over it.Was this review helpful to you?
The drama is definitely an eye opener. There are a lot of shocking moments in this drama where you go my dear god would people actually do that! They're appalling but it really gives you perspective on how seriously politics was taken back then. Also it gives great insight into the slave class and how they were treated in Korea. The drama does a great job of bringing light to that. On top of that the writers did an excellent job of weaving in romance where possible among the tragedies and mysteries of the palace.
Han Hyo Joo does an excellent job of portraying the righteous, just and beautiful Dong Yi who captures many a man's heart while she's on the quest for justice. Ji Jin Hee IS EXCELLENT. I don't know how else to say it. I'm actually a Bae Soo Bin fan so for Ji Jin Hee to steal the light from him in the drama was a pretty big deal for me. He's an excellent king! Very unlike the other kings I've seen in dramas who are portrayed very seriously and he makes it very easy to like him as a leader. Lee So Yeon is a scary woman...honestly her eyes scare me, she truly is the perfect choice for the seductress Lady Jang. Bae Soo Bin is sweet but not quite the main focus so I'll refrain from commenting on how awesome he looks with a beard.
The music behind the scenes is great and it suits the drama perfectly. Sometimes there's some pieces that when you know they come up something bad is going to happen and so I just started hating those ones but thats the only negative thing I can really say about that. Jang Nara is a great song.
And over all! It is honestly one of the best dramas I've ever seen.
Yes you should see it. Absolutely. You'd be a fool not to :) Even with it's 60 hour length!
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The movie opens up with this declaration, uttered in background narration by the main character while he's scorned and targeted by a players-filled basketball court. And it isn't only the rival team watching him with contempt: his own teammates are shouting the loudest.
"This is my love story", repeats Sugihara while he escapes from the police or is beaten by his father.
The contrast between the narration and the scene shown on screen gives us the key to the reading of the whole film, which is about finding ones place between love and hate, belonging and distancing, caring and detachment.
It's the story of a young man who has to show the world he doesn't give a dime while inside he's yearning for a sense of belonging.
GO is a wonderfully dramatic movie, one that deals with a cruel reality of discrimination. It's the journey of a guy who struggles to find his place on the planet. But don't be fooled by the surface: the director highlights the Japanese prejudices and the Korean stubborn obtuseness in equal measure. To each their own share.
And in the middle of this, there's Sugihara, who looks like a Japanese, talks like a Japanese, was born in Japan and is not recognized as one. His part is superbly acted: Yosuke Kubozuka is so convincing one can't help falling for him despite his murderous glances and his rebellious spirit.
So how is this a love story?
It is such on multiple levels: there's love for the friends, love for a father shown with fists, love for a country - or 2 - and love for a girl.
The music fits the pace beautifully, never overpowering the scenes.
Overall an emotion-filled movie, superb in acting, direction, plot and photography.
To be avoided if you're looking for a light watch. A must if you like thought-provoking films.
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Well yes and no at the same time.
The plot and story is clichè. We have already seen rich man poor woman stories, ML having some dark and traumatic past, everyone falling for the female lead. STOP. It's only until here that it's clichè. The drama actually presents these typical plots in refreshing ways. There is so much more story than just the plot and layer by layer the story unfolds.
-The drama has nice comedy (believe me I don't laugh easily)
-A puppy romance (ML here is not your cold rich male lead giving our girl a hard time but a cute puppy like boy who is so happy that he found her from the very start and he cherishes her!) ML is like a kid and responsible at the same time.
-Female lead is independent. Even after she has people to depend on she never tries to burden them nor she is a saint. She is someone who follows her dream.
-Side characters are as interesting as the main characters and there are no real evil people. The drama has captured the highs and lows of people and shows mistakes, misunderstandings, misconceptions, remorse and reflection.
-The show revolves around the entertainment industry so it becomes more interesting how it portrays the lives of people in the entertainment business.
-As far as acting is concerned I think all of them did justice to their characters. It was nice to see them play it.
-The chemistry between the leads is so beautiful and cute. You will definitely enjoy it plus no unecessary drama before confession.
-Music is good and suits the moments.
The drama is definitely a good watch on a day you want to relax and take a break from everything.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy the drama! Happy watching!
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I must note that while there is a loveline in the story, I think it's horribly written, so if the family angle doesn't capture you, I don't recommend watching this for romance, because the romance nearly ruined the drama for me. Although it doesn't show up much (comes in around episode 8?), so I guess regardless, one shouldn't watch this for romance.
Hu Ge as Ming Tai is probably what draws most people to this drama. His character here is a spoilt 20 something who would have spent his days horsing around with his friends, picking up girls if he didn't meet Wang Tian Feng. He's immature, impulsive and thinks he knows the best, he does have some sort of character development but not by much. Don't get me wrong, he's very likable, his interaction with his sister, Ming Jing is adorable, and he does look very cool in various outfits; but he's fairly simple compared to other characters.
Jin Dong as Ming Lou is the other main character in this drama. It's him that I love despite this drama's many many faults. He's spectacularly layered as a double agent and he oozes charm. He is basically living in a web of lies and setting up more lies. To convince the audience that he's a double agent, he'd have to have microexpression or looks or something to show that he's not really working for the puppet government. On the other hand, these can't be too obvious or they would easily be caught by characters in the drama and he'd be expose. To begin with, his loyalty was already questionable, it's just he's one of the very few people who can do this and who are willing to.
Even though it wasn't meant to, his relationship with Wang Man Chun is the only romance that interested me in this drama. They were once an item, but Ming Jing broke them up (for reasons that you'll find out). It's almost the plot of Romeo and Juliet except they both changed and have adopted vastly different ideals. His relationship with Ming Cheng, Ah Cheng, is even more fun. I'm struggling to find words to describe it, it's almost mentor-like, since Min Lou is older and more experienced; it's also a schemer/executioner relationship on top of sibling affection and friendship. Regardless, it's a relationship with 100% trust in each other, and this is rather difficult to have in a spy drama.
Wang Kai as Ming Cheng, or Ah Cheng. To the outside world, he's an assistant, almost like a very competent butler. He's actually very much part of the family though. Like Ming Lou, he bears a lot of pressure working for the puppet government, but he wears even more masks because of his peculiar position in the Ming family. Liu Min Tao as Ming Jing, probably the most clueless one in the family, but she's a very capable lady who managed their family business since she was 17. She's graceful and fiercely protective of Ming Tai because he's the youngest and she felt more like a parent than a sister to him.
There are many many characters that I love, like the ruthless Wang Man Chun (played by the gorgeous Wang Ou, I need more drama with you in it please), the adorable Liang Zhong Chun who just want to live his life peacefully in times of turmoil even though his position really wouldn't have let him. The strict and almost cruel teacher, Wang Tian Feng, or the frail looking but actually fierce as hell Yu Man Li (Song Yi! you don't even have a profile on here ;A; <3), I should probably stop before I list all of the characters.
So, how's the story? I like the premise and I really do love the family angle. It's refreshing and their interactions are a lot of fun. The action scenes are pretty well done, even if sometimes, it seems things are done for the sake of looking cool. The schemes near the end seems confusing and might need rewatching, but I don't recommend looking too closely to it. Since all kinds of question and plot hole will pop up. I just accepted what the drama told me and called it a day.
Now I need to complain about my biggest gripes with this show, setting aside plot holes and unrealistic action scenes. Its goddamn stupid romance. I repeat, if there's ever a cut without the romance (if you can understand Mandarin, I recommend bilibili), watch that version instead because it's so so so much better.
I actually didn't have a lot of problems with the love interest to begin with, aside from its cliche situation and cliche lines, it's disappointing that we don't see anything new, but it make sense for the character (wealthy young man). I just can't deal with it when love interest nearly ruin an operation, putting everyone in danger because...because...I don't even know, some kind of upstanding morals? That's not the first nor the last time a character does stupid thing in a drama but it still infuriates me. Not sure if it infuriates me more because I ship some other ship that won't happen.
I never quite bought the love between the two characters and that's weird because I bought the friendship, the familial relationship and even bygone romance, but when it comes to the very visible ongoing romance, I never cared about. I have no idea is it the chemistry or is it the actress' acting ability (because I haven't seen her in anything else).
Side note, I must bring up the fact she was injured during the course of filming and therefore had to use a lot of doubles (5 different people I think?), close up shots while she was clearly in pain. I really respect that she tried her best to film despite being in severe pain and not wanting to delay filming or straight up change actress. But a lot of c-netizens are wondering maybe the drama would have been better if she was swapped out. She had fair amount of scenes but latter parts had to be re-written, her close up shots/acting were terrible and in the end the product was subpar.
Anyways, I've rambled long enough. My 8 honest goes to all the characters I loved in this drama, the amazing Jin Dong and spectacular team behind this drama, it sure has been a ride. Now I'm off to catch up 20 years of c-drama. WHY MUST YOU BE SO LONG c-drama.
This is my first review so if you have any constructive criticism or want to flail about dramas with me, feel free to message/comment.
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