Suspensefully Good
This series is finally finished and though I am not an advanced writer I just like to express thoughts of how I view a show so hopefully it can help someone else trying to decide.Cast:
Lee Yoo Ri (EunSoo) well known from her stellar acting in Father is Strange (great family drama if you haven't seen it) is the protagonist here. Her character here is really different from other one so its kind of hard to compare. My takeaway of common tropes in kdrama is the trance look/slow moving and it bugs me when it's overdone. Other than that she delivered well as a woman that is wronged. Yeon Jung Hoon (Kang Ji Min) as a loving father and persistent journalist is a polished actor and male lead. We can't stand most antagonists and you'll hate Lee Hwa (Kim Ho Ran) as the mother in law who is infuriatingly evil but man she is good. Go Na Hee (Woo Joo) is the little girl who is adorable and the heart of the storyline. The rest of the cast are excellent though if I could make adjustments, I would of given more family support scenes to Kwon Hwa Woon (Yeon Joon), the pro golfer, (EunSoo's childhood "brother") to add substance to her role of not having any family.
Storyline:
Maybe because I'm a fairly new "adoptee" of kdramas/asian dramas, I find this plot really compelling and interesting.....framed for murder, giving birth in jail, etc. I won't give more away. The thing is, the writer and production team did an excellent job weaving the story through from present to past and then gradually connecting the dots, keeping us in suspense but hungry for next and next. After all is done with the "who done it" and "why", in the heart of it is a beautiful love story of a man and a woman and a little girl. This is a well rounded great series (in my opinion) so if you are looking for your next drama binging, this is the one.
Overall: easily a 10 for me but I'm a novice..Let me know if you liked it afterwards. It might help me as an aspiring writer. Thanks.
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An excellent slice of life in a Chinese grassroots police station
This is a slice of life in a Chinese suburban police station, with trainees who need to be enlightened, and public as well. Some things here are a bit old-fashioned, like everyone taking part in the cleaning of the premises, but people have been used to it from when they were school kids, in many mostly rural places, so it is not unlikely. The Balihe police station in the drama functions as a complete work unit "danwei" which offers shelter and meals and more to the workers. It works together with the local community centers and governing bodies, to ensure peace and safety, i.e. "serving the people".But like in every country, police is both looked up to and feared, sometimes hated, so they are now also under the scrutiny of the smartphone wielding public who will take pictures to be exposed in social media, despite it being forbidden. Many things here are rather realistic, and could be somewhat comparable to police work anywhere, but it is just a drama, not a documentary , so there is some humor too.
The earliest type of movie from China in that vein that I saw, was Ning Ying's 1995 民警故事 (On The Beat) where "Under the tutelage of a tough colleague, a rookie cop yearns for excitement on the streets of Beijing." A very good but dark movie too. At the time, pet dogs were banned because of risk of rabies, and petty criminals and pickpockets like Jia Zhangke's 1997 小武 (Xiao Wu) were the main fare of urban police work, outside the flashy kung fu fight epics like Hong Kong movies 1985 Police Story, or closer to our times Andy Lau's 2002 action thriller 無間道 (Infernal Affairs).
In this “Ordinary Greatness” drama, aspiring policeman Li Dawei (played by ML Zhang Ruoyun) must have been influenced by such thrillers to choose that line of work, where much of the work could now just be the boring community monitoring and resolving conflicts, preferably before they flare up, like the complaint about the noisy neighbors (something that is near universal).
Young female aspirant Xia Jie (played by Bai Lu) had been overprotected by her still PTSD suffering mom, since her father died a hero, knifed in action. She hoped to become independent after Police academy. But she was also kept away from dangerous missions like arresting murderers, where her mentor, deputy chief Cheng Hao (played by Wang Tong Hui) continued the overprotection.
Rookie Zhao JiWei (played by Cao Lu) was chafing at the boredom of checking monitoring footage. Following his cheerful master Zhang Jijie (played by Li Xiao Chuan) did not bring much more than helping kids and pets, and interacting with residents of a new community of former rural villagers who had trouble adjusting to life in the city with its bans on using electric wires hanging from windows or setting up stalls to sell produce on the streets.
Polar opposite was Yang Shu (played by Xu KaiCheng) who was the odd one out of the four new recruits , with his Master's degree in law, from prestigious university Beida. He thought he was going to fit in when he saved a life together with his mentor Cao JianJun (played by Zhao Yang) but was disappointed when Chief Wang ShouYin (played by Wang JingChun) upbraided them for recklessly endangering their own lives.
Putting safety first is a necessity : ordinary police are not armed forces in China. Except for special missions and special forces, which you'd rarely see on the streets, they are more like British "bobbies" who used to only wield a stick. Their main "weapon" used to be a talkie walkie, now it's a phone, and they wear a recording device if they are on medium risk missions. In fact, apart from traffic regulating police, and alcohol tests at certain well known road junctions, you don’t see many policemen patrolling in China. Perhaps they are understaffed (because this job does not bring the best income and less prestige than it used to, so it is not any longer a very attractive profession) like it’s hinted at, in the beginning of this drama ?
The drama did not showcase many flashy crime investigations, because that sort of things are not within the scope of work of grassroots police like the ones staffing Balihe station, but instead that of criminal police under another station, with which the local police have occasional cooperation. The main job for ordinary police is solving disputes and petty thefts, with the help of the public, in accordance to the policy of “Fengqiao experience for the New Era” (新时代”枫桥经验”)" i.e. "mobilizing the public – including through new digital tools. The Fengqiao experience is a system going back to 1960s Mao era "social and political governance that essentially directed the masses themselves at the local level to carry out the on-site “rectification” of so-called “reactionary elements” and ‘class enemies” in society, largely forgotten after 1980. It is named after Fengqiao Township (枫桥镇), which is today a part of the city of Zhuji in Zhejiang province. Although it seems unsuited to a contemporary China ostensibly ruled by law under the Constitution, the “Fengqiao experience” has made a prominent return under Xi Jinping in 2013, entering official language about rule of law and public security.
The use of such slogans as guidelines for work is showcased in the periodical meetings in the police station, with Chief Wang or Instructor Ye Wei (played by Qi Xiang aka Qi Huan). She is particularly subjected to stress, having to juggle her job and her duties as mom of an unruly kid with school summons to go discuss with the teachers, and elders with flagging health who sometimes need hospital care simultaneously. But she can count on the group's resilience and readiness to stand in for her in case of need.
The drama also focuses on the personal problems of the people working in the police Policemen need to take care of their children and of their elderly and ailing relatives too, and also pay special attention to former member’s families, like Xia Jie’s..
The four young recruits in the drama soon became friends and shared an apartment found by Li Dawei’s mom, close to the station, despite Zhao JiWei’s stinginess, due to his poor rural upbringing. But this apartment also proved useful as a haven for troubled Jia, the daughter of Dawei’s mentor policeman Chen.
Li Dawei’s mom, an exceptionally cheerful and practical woman, with a healthy relation with her son, was not very rich, having had to bring up her son alone, because his father absconded for ten years; so his sudden reappearance caused Dawei to be extremely angry, until he found out the real reason and accepted his father. Later, he showed his perseverance and astuteness in helping to solve two difficult cases, one about an internet scam targeting naïve persons to defraud them of their possessions, and another about a serial killer.
Controlling emotions is a necessity for policemen who are subjected to witnessing distressing situations and need to stay calm even when they are targeted by unreasonable citizens
Xia Jie was growing from a naïve and righteous person to a more careful officer, protecting her mom despite annoying interference with her work, such as having to cope with a crazy woman doctor who was suffocating her daughter even more than Xia Jie felt she was herself from overprotection. She chafed at the idea of being relegated to Household Registration duty until she found out that this sort of work is also quite interesting and can bring help to people.
We didn’t get to know tall and handsome Yang Shu’s family : he stayed discreet, but his mentor Cao JianJun had a troubled family, with a haughty and materialistic mother-in-law who keeps grating at his insignificance; this would eventually cause Cao JianJun to shine and to fall, after having reconciled with the young man whom he at first was jealous of. But he always strove to be a hero and will not disappoint.
Some episodes felt like a kaleidoscope and might get a bit tiresome for those tempted to binge watch the drama. It is better to watch this drama without too much haste. The story as a slice of life is interesting as it showcases the ebb and flow of work in the police station. My attention flagged a little in episode 23 after two days of almost nonstop watching. But episode 24 woke me up with the serious problems popping up, and cheerful Chief Wang, the universal troubleshooter, losing his smile. And I stayed till the end, admiring the excellent acting and the variety of trouble the team addressed, some serious ones too, that could be of concern for anyone anywhere, in our changing cities and internet age, while taking some notes about particular things of special interest.
Generally, the actors did an excellent job at showing their individuality, so we quickly got drawn into their family and work preoccupation : each one is different, and we soon felt drawn into this extended family of sorts that made the Balihe police station a “home” for the policemen. But even if Dawei seemed more than just friendly with Xia Jie in the later episodes, they had no time for romance. The focus was on duty, and loyalty to the people they were serving, and the end of the drama showed satisfactorily the honors gained by each in the station.
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Acting: Everybody was important, the casting was amazing, I loved the good acting and the emotions, it can be heartbreaking and funny, with a lot of meaningful moments, and we see Hee Ae and Ah In before "secret love affair". Kim Hyang Gi was amazing, I can't imagine anyboydy that can portrait it like her
Music: it was fine I guess, don't expect a song, only instrumentals
Rewatch Value: It can be kind of heavy for some people but for me is perfect the way it is, it leaves you with a lot of questions about life in general, interesting
Overall: it was almost a perfect movie, perfect for a weekend
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A Romance Lover's Fantasy/Mystery Drama
First half - 9.0Second half - 8.0
If you are a romance lover 1st, and a mystery/fantasy drama lover 2nd, then you would enjoy this drama. But if you are looking for a serious, well-written mystery/fantasy drama, you might be disappointed. Since I am a romance lover, I really like “My Deepest Dream”. It has a surprisingly very well-written, well-acted romance main plot. Most mystery dramas would probably have the romance as a subplot, but in this drama, romance is front and center and integrates well with the mystery plot. I am also very happy with the pacing of the drama. It holds my attention very well and I was able to binge this pretty quickly.
What I Like:
1. Main Romance - The romance between Tan Jiao (FL) and Wu Yu (ML) is mature, sweet, memorable and beautiful. Their love is strong and honest, and endures challenges and craziness. Tian Jio and Wu Yu are fun and sweet together, and there’s plenty of skinship and great kisses. The development and progression of the romance feel natural. The chemistry between the leads is great and they are very supportive and understanding of each other. There are many romantic scenes, because Wu Yu is just so thoughtful and romantic: 1) Tan Jiao said she likes rainbows, and he creates a rainbow scene, 2) Tan Jiao sat on the cold floor and needed time alone, Wu Yu took his jacket off and let her sit on it, and also sat around the corner to give her space but keep her accompany, 3) buying breakfast, holding her hands, cooking for her, etc., 4) a very romantic scene in ep 29 to create a memory that may or may not last forever. You can probably tell I am in love with Wu Yu myself. 😍
2. Secondary Romance - Time and time again, Zhou Xiao Yu (2fL0 and Shen Shi Yan (2ML) fall in love at first sight when opposites attract. Their first encounter is always interesting and fun, and something to do with the law. It’s like the movie “50 First Dates”. And because of these accumulated short encounters, when we move towards the last ⅓ of the drama, their relationship is more memorable and heartbreaking. It’s a very interesting way to write about the development of a relationship due to the time traveling, but I quite like it.
3. Acting - I have always been a fan of Li Yi Tong and she never disappoints. She’s cute as a button, so acting as a sweet and cute FL is nothing new or challenging for her. But her emotional, crying and heartbreaking scenes are great and made me cry. After seeing Jin Han in “Jun Jiu Ling” I became a fan of his (I did forget all about him in “Princess Wei Young”). But he made such a good impression in “Jun Jiu Ling” that I want to see him again and he’s the perfect guy for this role. He has such great subtle expressions on his face that conveys his emotions so well without saying any words. I can tell from his face how he feels - pensive, shy, thoughtful, worried or jealous. The secondary leads and the rest of the supporting cast are also great, with a mix of veterans and the younger generation.
4. Timelines/Main Plot - This is quite an interesting way of executing time traveling and parallel universes. There are multiple timelines in this drama, so viewers have to pay close attention. Without spoiling too much, the timeline feels like you go one step forward, but two steps backwards. You start from the cruise, then head to the future, and then back to cruise, and head to the future again, but this time your future is actually going backwards. I am not explaining this well, but you gotta pay attention and watch it for yourself. This is not your usual time traveling and it’s quite fresh and interesting. I also like how each individual subplot and the supporting characters are also integrated back to the main plot. It makes the mini-mysteries less episodic but more like mini climaxes building up toward the big finish.
5. Friendship - Where can you find a BFF who believes you whenever you tell her your crazy story about time traveling EVERY SINGLE TIME? How about a cop friend who helps you with your investigation EVERY SINGLE TIME when you are giving him weird but real evidence that even the cops don’t know? That’s true friendship. Those who believe and stick by you and just because you are their friend.
6. OST - There are a few very lovely songs in this drama. My favorite is “Dark Clouds Meet the Bright Moon/乌云遇皎月” by Hu Xia/胡夏. It sounds so romantic yet mysterious. The rest of the songs complement the drama and certain scenes very well.
What I have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like:
1. Inconsistencies/Illogical incidents - The first half of the drama is a lot more well-written than the second half. I hardly noticed any illogical things and was going to give this a rare 9.0 rating if it continues to trend upward. Unfortunately, I start to notice more inconsistencies in the second half. The writing is not as tight. A few things I noticed:
If you are being attacked by birds in a warehouse, shouldn’t you want to get out as soon as possible, and not surround yourself with fire in order to scare the birds away?
♦︎ Hard to get concert tickets don’t seem to be a concern anymore when we need everyone to go spontaneously.
♦︎ Civilians participating in official police work/investigation/staking out is no big deal.
♦︎ I don’t think you can dissolve a pill in a bowl of hot soup without smashing it first.
♦︎ All of a sudden everyone seems to understand and believe time traveling in the last couple episodes. No one questions during the villain showdown?
♦︎ Seeing the future is one thing, understanding the power to control is a whole other story (trying to be vague and not spoil anything here).
2. Villain - Guessing the identity of the villain isn’t that difficult especially after you watch ⅔ of the drama. However, I find it hard to believe the reason why the villain did what they did. I was hoping for something more exciting? It seems somewhat weak to me.
3. Poor CGI and production value - It’s pretty clear that this is not a big budget production. The CGI is not well done here, so don’t expect much. The scenes when the leads are traveling through time are especially laughable. I also find all the scenes on the cruise to be very fake. I guess it really gives off a different dimension feel due to its fakeness. LOL. I don’t think they need to hire foreigners to be cruise members. It’s way too pretentious. They are dubbed in Chinese anyway.
4. How it all happened - It might be just me not understanding the science behind the time traveling. The drama tries to give a scientific explanation towards the end, but I might have to re-watch the last couple episodes with English subtitles to understand better the English terminology instead of Chinese. It might not be the drama’s fault but it’s just me, or not (?). I understand the ending and am satisfied how it ends, especially when it comes to the two romantic pairs.
Other Random Observations:
1. I wish more people would appreciate Jin Han’s rugged, mature handsomeness. He’s a great actor as well but is not getting much attention due to his unconventional and non-idol look.
2. Some people might find some romance scenes and lines cringey - but I love them!
3. But I do wish they have minimized the number of slow mo romance scenes, esp. Since this is not a rom-com.
4. Smart female leads - both are brave, intelligent and go-getters.
5. Love FL’s mother especially when she’s trying to teach FL how to court ML.
Completed: 10/22/2022
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Please Don't Watch This With Expectations Of a Grand Romance
I started watching this drama without having read any comments or reviews. I learned that lesson about short web-series after I passed on a lot of good shows that have unfortunately low ratings and a terrible comment section. I've discovered that it's better to check the tags and then walk in blindly without other viewers opinions marring your own perception.The poster image for this drama is deceptive. On MDL the image is bright and bubblegum colored with smiling faces and a quirky undertone. On Viki the drama link image is a girl with a notebook with 4 very attractive guys lined up in front of her, also in bright and cheery colors. These insinuate a happy and cute rom-com is waiting for you, maybe with a lot of heart-fluttering reverse-harem moments. But if you look a little deeper into the information provided by MDL, you'll notice the second tag is TRAUMA. This drama is basically a character study of a flawed girl that has felt unloved her whole life and the lengths she will go to feel loved and "whole". The relationships with these men, while starting out fluffy, quickly deteriorate into pain due to the circumstances of the notebook. Some are even abusive and toxic. This is all part of the journey the FL takes to achieve self-discovery, and find out that relying on others to provide love when she has none herself is going to be a never-ending circle of regret and pain.
The actors in this drama did an exceptional job of either making me love them or hate them. The FL was flawed and likely was hard to understand by viewers that haven't experienced that feeling of being lonely and unlovable. Her desperation to feel whole by receiving love from another person is relatable, and I found myself viewing her actions as understandable. The actress did a good job of providing emotional balance and I found myself rooting for her. The ML appears perfect but was also flawed in his own ways. He was impatient and jealous, which he vented on the FL often, but was unwilling to confess his feelings to provide context to why he was so upset with her on so many occasions, which lead her into deeper feelings of isolation. The ML's acting was great for a rookie. You could feel his anger, hurt, panic, and love without him saying a word. The SFL was surprising, for the first half of the series she presented without nuance or depth, but in the second half the actress proves that appearances can be deceiving and becomes almost an entirely new person. As for the supporting male leads, they all did a fantastic job of either making me love them or hate them... or love them THEN hate them.
Overall, this drama has a re-watch value that is pretty low, but it's worth watching once if you're in the mood for something a little deeper than a fluffy reverse-harem. Jump into it without expectations and you will enjoy where the story takes you a lot more than if you have a preconceived notion about how it should play out. It's a little dark, a little traumatic, a little emotional, with moments of sunshine and rainbows and fireworks mixed in, just like real life.
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The story was planned out very well, and it kept me on the edge of my seat whenever something unexpected happen, which happened a fair bit (but in a good way!) The story is just so emotional and beautiful that I couldn’t help shedding a few tears (just kidding A LOT of tears!) it’s one of those drama’s that would be great to binge watch, it was honestly so hard to wait a whole week for then new episodes! Also at times its really funny (the chemistry between Lee Sung Min and Lee Jun Ho) and just the themes of family, life and romance, it really has something for everyone.
I REALLY recommend this drama, it was pulled off exceptionally well. I really liked the music, especially If You Love Again and More Than A Memory, every time I heard the first note of More Than A Memory like man the feels ;-;
It has to be one of the best drama’s I’ve ever watched, and I’m honestly so sad it’s come to an end! I would definitely re watch this drama in the future however, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did! <3
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This is not your typical c-drama but for a shorter production quite lovely and entertaining
Childhood friends share fate and a secret, but their beloved fathers get murdered, and the kids separated. On top of it the boy gets stuck in the vengeance mode (don't expect blood thirsty brute though) and the girl lost her memory (do expect a ditzy one here). They meet 10 years later but on the opposite sides of law and yet get pulled into the vortex of events that draw them closer and more reliant on their past, characters and sense of duty. The romance blossoms early on by chance and due to the ever-present drugs in this drama, but it's fun to watch the subtle dance of attraction between the leads and secondary characters, most of which were written well and acted accordingly. As some people noted, the ending is an OE, sort of like what we had in The Untamed, but it was rather unexpected and to be honest, I would have been fine without this potentially happy ending. Even the death of the secondary character at the end served an important role, therefore I am not criticizing the script writer for it. So, if you are looking for the typical drama, don't get your shorts tied in the knot-this is artistically inclined and visually-auditory pleasant one to savor rather than speed through.I liked everything about this production: starting with how there were no introductions at the beginning, but BAM! dropping us in the middle of an event that was self-explanatory and laden with tension. I loved the OST, that was mostly instrumental with a few fantastic songs sung by female, male and a duet, creating not only a background but mood and character of the story telling. The plot was good, although not inventive, and kept me interested, and had enough turns to dispel any misguided guesses on who the main culprit was and why. We get some bread crumbs here and there but vague enough to keep making mistakes. Also, for the die-hard fans of the Confucian tradition - you will not get filial piety here in the end and (surprise, surprise) rather clear message on what really matters to us when we take a harder look at our life's purpose. The ML played very well, I also thought that FL was good. Two SMLs were very entertaining and showed good range of skills - from body use to facial and voice. The aspect of miracle drug was used without exaggeration as a vehicle of uncovering true face/motivation of various characters. Fight scenes were solid with a new trick: climbing walls with a flip! Even if some things did not make sense (blood transfusion, etc.) the whole point is above the question "was it realistic?". If you want documentary, then switch genre. This was believable to the extent of being a love story.
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Power of Kindness and Connections!
We’ve seen many times how one life touches so many, and how one act of kindness can be like a pebble dropped into a pond. Its ripples stretching all the way across. People should never underestimate what one act of kindness can do for someone. We never know if a smile, a kind word, or act might will have an effect that we can’t possibly predict or fathom.Life is about connections. Connecting with ourselves as well as connecting with others. Chihiro is a former sex worker who now works at a small bento shop in a seaside town. Initially, a person may scoff at her former life as a sex worker and judge her as someone of little/no value. Ah! How often do we judge a book by its cover? The film invites us to understand how a connection and a small act of kindness can help someone in need, while also learning how to dispel our own judgments about people.
The film opens with Chihiro paying attention to and playing with a cat. Initially, one might wonder why this is such a compelling scene. Because more often than not, how a person treats animals is often an insight into how a person treats people. Chihiro greets the customers warmly, and we can see her warmth is genuine. It isn’t fake or an attempt to win anyone over. It’s simply how she interacts with others.
Throughout the course of the film, we find Chihiro helping a variety of people. An old, homeless man down by the waterfront. She brings him a meal, gives him some company as they eat, and even invites him into her home so that he can have a bath. And sadly, when she’s looking for him in order to bring him another meal, she finds that he has died behind a small fence, and she takes the time to give him a proper burial in the middle of the night.
Chihiro also befriends a couple of high school girls who see themselves as outcasts within their own families. Chihiro treats them with kindness, accepting them fully as they are. Kuniko is one of these girls who’s basically told what to do in a family home with little warmth. When she’s given a meal by a single mother—as a means of gratitude for helping her son—Kuniko breaks down in tears, overwhelmed that she’s found more warmth from this stranger than she’s possibly received in her own home.
Chihiro also has to deal with the same, single mother who is outraged that Chihiro has been feeding and spending time with her son, Makoto, a lonely boy who has to spend much of his time fending for himself because his mother works. When the boy gets an idea from a TV commercial to buy flowers for his mother, the mother wrongly accuses of Chihiro of being behind it. After having the flowers thrown in her face, Chihiro calmly hands the flowers back, telling the mother that she will be making a huge mistake if she doesn’t accept the flowers and to see her son for what he is: a kind but lonely little boy who simply wants to show his mother how much he loves her.
Lastly, Chihiro also interacts with a woman in a hospital who has recently lost her eyesight. Little does the woman know that Chihiro is the woman she’d briefly had an encounter with, it becomes apparent that the woman is more of a mother to Chihiro than Chihiro’s own.
Chihiro is like a breath of fresh air, a gentle rain, a beam of sunshine as we quickly discover how she interacts and touches the lives of the various souls around her. Nothing about her is superficial or fake. She’s asked by her friend and former co-worker in the sex trade why she’s never fallen in love. It becomes apparent that Chihiro does not find romantic relationships appealing, largely due to their selfishness and propensity to strip a person of their freedom to be who they are.
Kasumi Arimura is a true delight in this film, and she shines brightly on the screen as she invites the viewer to look past her past. A person isn’t necessarily their job. How they treat others and interact with them counts the most. And like a passing rain—seeing that her job is done—she moves on to the next town, the next job, spreading her joy for life to everyone she meets. She takes pride in small moments of sitting on the dock in the sun or standing barefoot in the water.
I also found it interesting when I looked it up that Chihiro means, “A thousand questions.” This name is appropriate as one might have a thousand questions about her, but find that much like the wind, she can’t be pinned down to one thing or perhaps even grasped. Everyone could use a “Chihiro” in their life, and hopefully, everyone can try just a bit harder to be a Chihiro for others.
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Shrimpie, you can now rest in peace
I started tgis expecting a fun Republican era mystery with some Lost Tomb lore and somehow ended up emotionally destroyed by Zhang Haixia😭Watching him go from this smart, sarcastic accountant constantly bickering with haiyan to someone willing to give up everything just so his partner in crime could live was painful enough, but the show somehow made it worse.
He doesn't get a heroic ending,he doesn't get peace,he comes back broken, traumatized, stripped of his own will, turned into a weapon while Haiyan desperately tries to save him as everything crashes down around them, it was just tragedy after tragedy.
And Ding Yuxi absolutely wrecked me throughout the serie especially larest episodes, the emptiness in his eyes, the way you could feel Haixia disappearing piece by piece... I genuinely wasn't prepared for that Shrimpie deserved happiness and instead got endless suffering. I'm sick, devastated, and probably not recovering from this anytime soon 😭💔
Haiyan trying his best to save him and save tgeir mentor was heartbreaking, he was grieving his only family while they were dying infront of him slowly, his guilt run deep, he killed his shrimpie and left living with this reality.
When it come to overall storytelling, they cut a lot and added some side stories that i didnt care about, we deserved the scenes that were deleted, anyway this was a ride, recommended
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♡ Who wrote this sweet and hilarious script?! ♡
Story (10/10):It was funny and cute how Meng Meng was trying to find her heroine. During her journey, she met Murong Chen and decided to get Xue Tan Hua (a magical flower) for their own purposes. After that, she encountered the cool and charming hero, Yun Ya, who she fell in love with and eventually changed her objective. Yun Ya unknowingly rescued her especially when she was in danger every time even though she did not call for him. Not realizing they were actually the same person, she escaped the palace to avoid her engagement and continued her journey in the Jiang Hu (martial arts) world together with her friends as they developed strong friendship. Meanwhile, she learnt many things, when you love someone, you are willing to be there for him and help him without anything in return. She also learnt that when you truly love each other, you don't make sacrifices. The sweet romance begins between Murong Chen and Meng Meng as they experience many obstacles but still believing in each other and together, they overcome each mission along the way.
Acting/Cast (10/10):
All the casts did a fantastic job in their roles, like you can really see their effort and the comedy they put in this historical romantic drama. June Wu portrayed two roles differently, like I could not tell it was same person in a way that they had totally different personalities. I hope June Wu will have more main roles in the future!!♡ Lai Mei Yun played Meng Meng as a cute and funny character which she did a great job, the way she express herself, the humor she brings, I really enjoy it. Hu Wei as well as Wen Zhu did a splendid job too, we have one cute and strong couple here! Haha it was pretty obvious that Xiao Ai and Chang Kong like each other, so I can say the actors themselves (Tan Qin Xuan and Qu Tian Rui) did a good job, thank you to all the casts from My Queen for their hard work!♡
Music (10/10):
I love the opening ost 弱水三千 (Ruò shuǐ sānqiān) sang by our male lead, June Wu, he really has a beautiful and nice voice. I didn't really skip either the opening ost or ending ost 江湖策马 (Jiānghú cè mǎ) during the entire 24 episodes since the songs catch my attention so I'll give the music a 10/10 hehe :)
Rewatch Value (10/10):
The comedy is hilarious so I wouldn't mind re-watching all those cute and funny scenes again to make my day especially after a tired day or maybe after a heartbreaking show XD
Overall (10/10):
If you're looking for a sweet, fluffy, cute and romantic comedy drama, I highly recommend My Queen :D Hey, it's really a great drama, I was looking forward to every Friday and Saturday so I could watch My Queen, it was not easy waiting, I was anticipating every moment of My Queen and hoping each episode didn't end fast. Let's enjoy this lovely drama together! :)
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Middle: 6.5/10
End: 9/10
Ahh 17 weeks and its over! *sad face* Refresh Man was the first Taiwanese drama I watched, and I’ve got to say, I loved every moment of it! (except for the one episode per week, it was terrible!!) The story was pretty standard, nothing overly excitable but it was still delivered very well and captured my interest majority of the time. The middle did drag in my opinion, maybe just after that half way mark but the story picked up towards the end, and it was very suspenseful and left me wondering what was going to happen next! Aaron Yan (so charming ;-;) and Joanne Tseng have great chemistry, the friendship and romance between the two is very cute, overall they played their roles very well, and I look forward to watching more dramas by the two in the future! The rest of the cast also did a solid job, Lene Lai was brilliant, she was probably my favourite character! Refresh Man shows determination and hard work through the characters and their roles, and if you’re new to Taiwanese dramas like I was definitely give this a try, or if you just love romance and business-like themes I hope you will enjoy Refresh Man as much as I did!
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How do I even put this into words? Though just missing the mark of perfection, "Go Back Couple" is quite the emotional ride and one that I can't stop thinking about.
At its core, this is such a simple drama, but its execution is breathtaking. This tells the story of deep emotions and complex relationships under the guise of a lighthearted romcom. Everything about its surface will have you believing that this is a refreshing watch to relax yourself, but once you set foot into the first episode, you will realize: you have made a horrible, beautiful mistake.
I’m a crybaby. Over the years, my tear ducts have truly widened the scope as to what can get them going. Even so, nothing could have prepared me for this drama. “Go Back Couple” had me bawling every episode. Yes: every. Single. Episode. My tissue box is a bit tired. The emotional impact of this plot hits like a cement truck and results from the writers’ decision to focus not on the couple’s romance, but on the leads as individual people who harbor their own struggles. Those struggles then translate into their relationship. As we see them learn how to cope, their reconnection is natural and more satisfying.
The plot is not overly convoluted or “smart,” which occasionally causes it to slip whenever it tries to introduce bigger conflicts; but ultimately the lack of plot twists is what gives it its beauty. The simplicity but poignancy of our leads’ interactions, along with all the characters around them, increases how much we as viewers can empathize with them. There’s none of that theatric suspense that has become the trend in so many dramas: just humans dealing with incredibly human problems. Sometimes I forget that a time slip isn’t exactly normal; it weaves so well into, but doesn’t completely overpower, the story.
The cast plays a huge part in all of this success. Because the plot relies entirely on the personalities of its characters, there is no room for error on the side of the actors—and there are no errors made. Jang Na Ra is always spot-on when it comes to her roles, especially in scenes that are emotionally heavy. As soon as she hits the switch for the crying, it’s almost impossible to not follow along. Son Ho Jun is a new name to me, but he could be Ban Do in real life and I wouldn’t question it. These two together are as great as they are as individuals. All the side characters and so-called “secondary leads" are also incredibly important in their own ways. None of them are “there” for the sake of diluting the plot and dragging out time. They each bear their own hardships in ways that pry at our hearts and help the lead couple along their journey.
Everything about “Go Back Couple” feels priceless to me. There are so many little moments that are heartwarming yet claw at your innards. It’s one of those shows that has something incredibly personal to say to you, regardless of what stage of your life you’re currently in. That’s such a difficult trait to come by in any type of media these days, and that alone makes this drama worth watching.
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Simply because it's a musical film since I like musicals and rock was my favorite music genre at some point therefore I watched this film.
2) Storyline/Plot:
I haven't seen the anime so I didn't know the story beforehand.
Generally, it was pretty good and most of all interesting.
Positive points:
*Rock bands and guitar love; those facts were appealing enough.
*The relationships in the film were captivating since they enrolled too many great feelings.
*Compititions and races to prove oneself ability and passion for music (rock music to be more specific) was a great theme to follow.
*The story's development was smooth: not too fastforward and not too slow.
*Considering the fact that this was a musical film, the music rocked, even those who don't like rock would enjoy it while people who are into rock would love the guitar playing.
Negative points:
*There weren't a lot of concentration on the love story, it was verylight (I like light love stories but this one was ridiculously light).
*Other than that, everything was set up in an acceptable way.
Story: 8/10
3) Acting/Cast:
*Mizushima Hiro: I liked his character and the way he played guitar plus the acting was really convincing.
*Satoh Takeru: I'm not too familiar with this actor but I believe that he did a pretty good job especially when it comes to passion for music.
*The cast was nicely chosen and the acting was good.
*I loved the relationships between the cast specially Beck band's members; it was cool to watch them play, fight, laugh and everything else they've done because every scnene they had together was a simple masterpiece.
Cast: 8.5/10
Acting: 9.5/10
4) The ending:
I was really waiting for the ending because there was a specific scene that I wanted to know but unfortunatly they kept me in the dark about something I really wanted to hear at the end of the film but that doesn't mean it was a bad ending; it was a cool normal musical film's ending.
The ending: 7/10
5)My impression (How did it affect me):
*It made my night and it was fun to watch.
*Since it's a rock musical film, I knew that I would like it and that's exatly what happened.
*Even though it was a little long, I don't believe I got bored at the middle or so, it was smooth to watch.
*I enjoyed the music since it gave me back some old rock memories that I thought I lost.
My impression: 8.5/10.
6) Overall:
*If you like musicals then you really need to watch this (especially if you're Rock music lover).
*If you're looking for romance then don't expect much from this.
*If You're not J-rock or any type of Rock lover then you wouldn't appreciate this.
Overall: 8.5/10.
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This review may contain spoilers
A comedy parody of the BL tropes but with a twist!
I tried not to include spoilers but if I did sorry.So when this manga series got announced as a drama I was very suprised yet exicted to see the outcome. The manga is pretty much a gag parody making fun out of all of the BL manga tropes so how would it translate into live action.
Postives
The direction, production and casting for side couples and extra casting is A++++. Director Miki Koichiro (of pornographer fame) has bought this BL world to life. The side couples and even the god damn extras are like in a real life version of a BL manga. I just love watching all the extras and side couples interacting in this world.
This drama is god damn funny, the manga made me laugh but the over the top acting from the main character mob is funny. He makes these faces like he's a villian trying to be straight.
Negative
While most fans will REALLY LIKE the ending, a manga reader like me has slightly mixed feelings towards it and I hate cliffhangers.
One thing I'll say that I have mixed feelings is that ending. I may understand that the drama version of mob is more weak willed to be more nicer and less cold then the manga version. But the ending pretty much changed the whole meaning of the title
But on the other hand the big plot twist for the drama is heart warming and it will please the BL drama viewers
IF the producers want to do a sequal/follow up then I am all in for it but maybe change the title.
But I hate that cliffhanger! I think fans will agree this with at least.
Overall
If BL drama fans want to take a break from emo/sad BL and want to laugh from the BL tropes they often see in these dramas. There's eye candy of so many guys loving other guys. It's god damn funny to boot with a ending that most fans will love. It really needs a follow up/sequal because a cliffhanger ending is bad.
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This review may contain spoilers
Rebirth, Romance & a Hint of Existential Crisis
Ok y’all, this one’s… tough to review. Full disclosure: I pressed play purely for Quan Yi Lun, because my man has been stealing scenes (and my heart) ever since Blossom and Moonlight Mystique. The man’s got main lead energy, and I was ready to witness the glow-up era he rightfully deserves.Now, Echoes of the Self is sitting right there in my love/hate zone. You know that feeling when all the ingredients are right but somehow the cake still tastes like “hmm”? Yeah. That’s this drama for me.
🌸 What I liked (aka the reasons I didn’t rage-quit)
- Fresh spin on the rebirth trope — loved the concept of this a lot.
- Visually blessed cast. I mean… Quan Yi Lun. Enough said.
- Leads’ chemistry — starts off awkward like two coworkers forced to slow dance at the office party, but gradually evolves into genuine sparks.
- Crown Prince redemption arc — I live for a “former murderer turned ally” storyline. Therapy works, apparently.
⚠️ What made me yell at the screen (lovingly)
- Performances that lack dimension — the acting isn’t bad, but it often feels like something vital got lost between “action” and “cut.” It’s visually appealing yet emotionally hollow, like a beautifully wrapped gift box filled with air.
- Direction that forgot its own depth — the story wants to be textured and moving, but the execution feels oddly flat. Perhaps a symptom of its short runtime, perhaps a lack of directorial conviction.
- The rebirth logic gone astray — the FL’s “reborn self” spends the entire time trying to change fate yet barely acknowledges her younger self, effectively undoing the emotional purpose of her journey. The ML, meanwhile, seems mildly allergic to the concept of temporal continuity — sir, that is your wife, just… younger. Let’s connect the dots and don't treat her like the plague...
- The villain — underwhelming doesn’t even begin to describe it. That man got more screentime than emotional depth.
🌀 The Ending
Will it annoy people? Probably.
Did it annoy me? Not really — it’s a happy-ish ending, which in C-drama land is already a win.
💭 Final Verdict
8/10 — Cozy, romantic, and conceptually strong, but emotionally… echoing a bit too softly.
If you want something light, watchable, and sprinkled with a few swoon-worthy moments, go for it. Just don’t expect a masterpiece, but that is solely my own take on this and most probably because I had much higher expectations....
And Quan Yi Lun, if you’re reading this (you’re not, but still): you carried. As always. 🫶
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