Once upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain
17 people found this review helpful
A drama that lightens up your day and absolutely deserves a 2nd chance!
Once upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain (let me shorten this to Lingjian) is a funny and lighthearted drama that will cheer you up in every possible way. At the same time, you will be seduced by the delicate balance between BG and BL romances between the characters. I can really recommend those in doubt to stick around a bit longer (after episode 12-13) to give it another chance. You will not regret it!I started Lingjian when it was airing around the end of 2019 because it had a high ranking. Similar to many others, my mind was full of "WTH is this?..." I found Sandrine Pinna's acting too exaggerated and the jokes very forced. I also could not stand the cheap-looking CGs and sets. So I put it on hold at around episode 12 and gave it a 6.5. The fact I did not entirely drop the ball is because I did not completely dislike it. Fast forward to early 2020, out of curiosity, I picked up the Legend and fell under the charm of Xu Kai. After also watching YanXi Place and Arsenal School of Military, in which Xu Kai showed utterly different sides of capabilities as actors, I just had to pick up Lingjian again. And I did not regret it. On the contrary, this has become one of my favorite c-dramas. I even watched it twice and I rarely do that with any dramas.
Let me start what I absolutely love about this drama: the courage to make a fool out of itself entirely. The origin of Lingjian is a very long but famous web novel that was adapted into a manga and an anime. The scriptwriters of the drama did their best to mimic the characteristics of the Shonen manga: serious and original main storyline but funny mixing with foolish connecting dialogues. The serious main story touches on relationships, love, family, friendships, loyalty, effort, immorality, and the constant fights between good and evil, questioning what considers as right and wrong in this world (sounds familiar?!). I have not seen many drama adaptations daring to mimic this style because of one simple reason: they are afraid to lose the audience by appearing to be too foolish. Real actors simply cannot make the same funny faces and turn themselves into walking emojis and animated characters! But the makers of Lingjian did it! They deliberately broke walls (e.g., Wang Lu mentions the names of Wei Ying Luo from Yanxi Palace or often declares he has the "protagonist aura"), incorporate parodies from other dramas/famous mangas (e.g., Naruto and Dragon Ball) and even Asian dramas (e.g., Meteor Garden and O2O) and request the actors to showcase the most improper expressions one can recall. Indeed, this is something you need to get used to. But once you do, you will start to adore this drama and be entertained through and through.
The other excellent watchpoint is the sweet combination of BG and BL romance. The brotherhood (BL) relationship between Wang Lu and Hai Yun Fan is something that did not exist in the original story but added by the makers. And they are so sweet. Their bond is very strong, and the two have the most beautiful moments together. I am amazed that some of the dialogues and scenes can even passed the Chinese censorship screening!
Many scenes made my BL-loving heart aching like crazy as there are some unexpected turns towards the end of the drama (I am not going to spoil more, but in my view, they even crossed the level of Untamed!)
Again, hats down to Xu Kai's over the top performance as Wang Lu! Unlike many other young actors, he showed he could step out of his comfort zone and display all types of expressions without any shame. But at the same time, his performance is to the points for all the serious scenes. In terms of the "wifey", I had to first grow into Zhu Yuan Bin's performance as HYF at the start. But as the show goes on, I liked him more and more. HYF has a charming personality but hides some darker obsessions within (does it remind you of someone?!). ZYB was able to show both sides convincingly. I will be looking forward to his future performances and his growth as an actor.
In terms of the GB romance, Wang Lu and Wan Wu's chemistry is not the strongest, but you can understand why and how they are falling for each other. Their romance is very subtle, and even towards the end, it is not very obvious whether there is a mutual feeling towards each other. Therefore this does not interfere with the BL aspect. I have to admit that I needed to get used to Sandrine Pinna's interpretation as WW (esp. the dubbing did not help!). But also here, you begin to like her after a while, and soon you cannot imagine someone else playing WW other than SP. She would just make expressions other pretty Chinese actress would not dare to do, and that is what makes out the charm of WW.
Finally, I would like to mention a few last arguments: the supporting characters are adorable. Wen Bao is absolutely my favorite here. I also really like Zhu Qin. The fighting scenes are surprisingly well made; combined with the FX, they mix well with the humorous side of the drama. The drama has a digestible of 37 episodes. Except for the first few episodes, there are limited fillers, and pacing is good. Finally, I like the ending! We know that many C-dramas have a lousy tail. Though many viewers complain about the open end, I find it just about right. It features a great and unexpected climax in the last few episodes and leaves us viewers wanting more. I really hope they are going to produce a second season! Otherwise, I am going to complain about the hell out of the studio!
I already mentioned a few improvement areas at the start, so I will not repeat them. Also, there are a few unlogical character development and storylining to create a dramatic effect. But ok... this happens so often in c-dramas that I start to ignore them.
All in all, this is an excellent drama that deserves a 2nd chance. In this time of global chaos and downturn, let Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain and its cast lighten up your day.
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I loved the family and work dynamic, and the acting was great. Felt very natural. There is not a single character to be disliked. I'm glad the cast was selected for this series, especially the actress who plays Hinako san.
Prepare your tissues if you're one to get emotional as there are some tough issues covered.
But, overall, time well spent. Totally worth checking out.
Note: although, my rating for the music and rewatch value are much lower compared to the scores for story and acting, my personal overall score for Neechan no Koibito would still be 10. It's just that good.
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no incest. dont worry.
i love the FL in other big dramas as supporting actress like Go Ahead, Royal Feast, As Beautiful As You. this is the first time i watch her as main lead (eventhough i know this drama is not her 1st time as main character). she nailed it. as expected.the ML is a great actor. i love his acting so much. but im not really familiar with him before. this is the first proper drama of him as main lead that i watch (only watch him in cuts and edits before)
the plot is good. the love game between the two is *chefkiss. but the family tree, i mean, familiES treeS are messed up. at first you are his son, suddenly you are not. she is your sibling, and later she is not.. but suddenly she is your sibling again (facepalm). the SFL is the half sibling, then she is suddenly not. the SML is half sibling of this and suddenly he is to that. so messed up lmao.
but dont worry, no incest in this drama. almost, but the plot twist said nope.
overall, rewatch worthy and recommended.
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Gritty short BL from Hong Kong - stick with it
This was short (1(named zero or 0) +5 episodes and most 14 minutes long) about 2 M/M relationships told through a straight couple.Hayden and Damien
Kelvin and Archie
I don't want to give too much away but there's dealing with grief, sexual non consent, being closeted etc all in these 6 episodes. the subject matters are heavy but the ending is hopeful so definitely worth the watch.
Grandma is my favourite character . The other female character my least favourite
I would have loved to have known what the post-it notes said but we can infer eventually
Definitely better as a binge watch as it takes a while to realise what's going on especially with the second couple. A treat in the last episode where we hear music used in a few BLs . Very cute. Can you spot where else it's been used ?
Enjoy!
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Is this worth the hype?
Story : It's really great, although another drama had the same concept but this is way better and refreshing, I didn't had much expectations from this drama but I'm glad that gave this a try. Acting/Cast: It's great in my opinion, many are criticising Kang Daniel for his acting or saying that it's unfair for the female lead as she is a experienced actor but I personally think both of them are doing great, Kang Daniel might be new in the acting industry but he did do justice to the character, his character is kinda serious also he had less screen time in the first few episodes but I think his character is developing, love the cast. Music : I loved the ost, I have nothing else to say. Rewatch Value : For me I can watch this as many times I possible can, It's great, no matter how manytimes I watch it, it's still refreshing, Love it. Overall : Great one, if you are not watching this drama then you are missing out big time. Highly recommend.Was this review helpful to you?
Everyone of us goes out everyday, carries the risk that we are unable to go back home. If you think of it that way, knowing you do not have much time left to live is a blessing, given you can overcome the fear of leaving your loved ones. Having a heavy philosophical content, the drama manages to deliver the growth of each characters and valuable lessons without preaching.
As everyone is connected, one's significant life event does not affect that person alone but everyone around them. The same thing happened to successful single mother Han Seung Hee. Her health situation urges her to reflect on her life and widen her social circle as she realises her old way of living cannot give her son another mother. As a consequences, She makes her choices that impacts all those around her. Whether her choices were right or wrong, I believe each one of us has their own judgements however it is undeniable that everything she did was out of love for her son. The most important thing is that she is a mother. She grows as a mother and everyone else also grows.
The beautiful thing about the drama is that it is realistic though the plot exaggerates at some parts to highlight the moral lessons to be learnt. Life goes on, everyone has to part and everything changes. That is the reality. As much as the story is about Han Seung Hee who is a dying mother, it is also about other people and how they prepare to move on with their life after she dies. I love the ending because it shows life continues and even though it may be incomplete, love and forgiveness fill up the space.
Overall the casts deliver solid and convincing acting, especially Song Yoon Ah. I truly lived in their world. Yoon Chang Young and Hong Jun Hyun did a great job as sons, gave audiences the alternatives and outcomes of different choices made by mothers. Other actors performed well though I believe there are room for improvements for supporting actors.
It was a fun rides with lessons to learn on the way. I recommend anyone who are looking for a slice a life kind of story. For people who are scared of the sadness, personally the reason I cried while watching was because it is touching, not because it is sad.
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Okay, admittedly I did go into this movie thinking that it was probably going to be a bit of a try hard movie and that the graphics wouldn't be that great – I’d just attempted watching Shark Boy and Lava Girl. But oh. How wrong I was.
After finishing to the end I could 86% believe that half of the monsters in this were real creatures, the special effects are sweet as pie. The smaller monsters were more realistic then the bigger ones, but even then they were cool! Heads up and applause to the graphics team cause you guys rock! I’m pretty sure the CGI was more realistic in this film then the stunts were... but then again they used the same kind of method they use in Wuxia films/dramas – lots of wires and stuff. Not that I’m complaining or that this wasn’t done well. I’m just not a massive fan of the unrealistic jumping. I’m writing about a film with monsters why am I complaining about unrealistic jumping omg *dies*
I feel that unlike a lot of monster and human movies this one is a little unique. As the previous reviewer said, the story plot is not the stereotypical story where the guy and the girl find a monster, rescue it and take it home to its mother. Not in the slightest. First of all the main female wants to sell the baby monster, bye bye small cute creature! Not to mention that this is a female lead with guts and point object to kill you with. I can not express how happy female leads in Asian films/dramas, who aren't pansies, make me feel. The role reversal of the leads was just perfect and slightly comedic, I love'd that they let the female have power over the male as it's not a common sight in Asian film. The idea that it's the guy who has to give birth and it's the woman who has to protect him and his child is the absolute bomb.
And then the monster child itself? I melted. I don't think it's legal to make a radish that cute... If any one can find a supply of these adorable monsters can you catch me one? I'm melting into a squishy goo just thinking about that little critter! Ahhhh!
In addition the sideline stories are also awesome, it's hard not to give these away sooo... the couple they meet in the inn are adorably stupid - the woman made my day. As well as the female leads rival monster hunter and his pursuit of the queens protectors. Ugh. It makes me so happy.
I don't know who the actors are so I feel like I can't compare them to previous roles or anything. However, whoever they were did pretty good jobs. Jing Boran was good at being pregnant and had a lot of comic relief. I think my only issue is that they sometimes seemed to forget that his character was meant to be disabled and use a leg brace thing... other then that he was pretty good. Bai Bai He, who was the female lead, was alright. Nothing really struck me as amazing about her acting but it wasn't bad. If that makes sense... However I think it may have been more to do with the scenes she was given then her acting skill. But I'm not sure, as I said I've not seen them act before.
The music was awesome~ From the ridiculous songs which the monsters sang to the actual soundtrack. I think that the music was just the icing on the cake. It made adorable perfect scenes even more perfect and adorable :3
This is definitely a film I recommend seeing! I don’t understand how there wasn't a bigger thing about this because it was pretty god damn awesome. The way it ended made me think that there could be a second film *crosses fingers*
So cute.
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This review may contain spoilers
the BEST cold duty bound high god male lead EVER!!!!!!
listen..... my xianxia hater street cred is going to be in a lot of trouble if they keep makin shows like this and canglanjue....another show that makes its mark with some fun and refreshing twists on tired old xianxia tropes! it's so fun that in the beginning I would say it felt very much like a parody. it's especially strong after shaodian youqin is unalived and yetan has to romance three completely different men who are all him. it's just SO fun and has such a sweet message too. generally the storytelling isn't anything reinventing the wheel, but it's quite consistent thematically and doesn't do anything too crazy. The last arc is definitely weakest and the most serious the show gets, which imo the plot dramatics just aren't done well and aren't particularly interesting
mainly i absolutely adore shaodian youqin and his relationship with yetan. even tho yetan is the main character i think youqin's character is the one that truly shines throughout the show and gets the most amount of love and character development from the writers. after all they literally put him through like 5 different character arcs as 5 different people and yet it's still all him!!!! like, wow, what a wonderful and fresh take on his character archetype!! i have HAD IT with the super powered, cold, unfeeling, 100% dedicated to his duty to the immortals war god/sect leader/crown prince who slowly warms up to innocent/kind/stupid fl but just Cant give up his duty because he is so Good and Filial and Just and can't put love above reasoning.... but it fills him with PAIN u see!!! he will take 50000 lighting bolts for his beloved but he won't tell her!!! and then he will still betray her so that he can fulfill his duty because he can't be w her!!! he is a MAN in PAIN... so beautiful... so cool... so tortured!!!🤮🤮🤮 and then the starry love comes around and is like, he is like that because he is Literally so abused and traumatized and he repressed all of his emotions and humanity in order to single mindedly devote himself to his suicide self sacrifice mission... it's not cool or good to be like that, it's literally BAD and INHUMAN. like the very first time we meet him, he's immediately shown to be awkward and rude, his cold proper stick in the mud ways are lame, rather than cool, and chen xingxu's actual voice is PERFECT for the role, thick and stuffy! the first arc is him learning to embrace his emotions and his fear, and he's rewarded because in this universe character growth actually correlates with a cultivation power up and the ability to then do the stupid fantasy thing. and then we MEET the parts of him that he repressed and they're all full and complete humans who are all flawed and deeply lovable. even though I missed the shards, esp xiao mei, it was such a joy to meet youqin 2.0- the sweet, fun and mischievous person he was always meant to be. they really had something to say, and it's directly opposed to what most xianxias have said. ugh the messaging is just truly so sweet and positive. i better literally never see a yehua or zhihua ever again because THIS is what you can do with the character type and now that we've done it we can never go back... give us more men who would actually turn their back on duty and responsibility to do the actual RIGHT thing and stand by their love!!!!!!
yetan i think is done well too, and she has more of a classic hero arc, starting out othered and outcasted and learning to use that villain persona as a shield to protect herself, but learning the value of the world over time from care, love and friendship. i have quite some affection for her but everything kind of pales in comparison to youqin for me lol but she is also very sweet and her relationship w qingkui is very sweet and pure, though pretty much devoid of complexity. i think the choice to remove any ill feelings between the sisters to be understandable, since the show clearly wants to go against the typical jealous, scheming fighting betrayal shit which is admirable. however this relationship is supposed to be central to the show, and taking out any negativity doesn't mean it's a stronger or more well written relationship. if the writers were more skilled they would be able to add depth and dimension to their relationship without resorting to overused cheap tropes. qingkui and chaofeng as characters are also pretty mid for me, with pretty straight forward arcs and little depth. They were the most fun in the beginning when he was still deceiving her, but after a while their story really couldn't match up to the main couple's imo. which sucks because i think they have a lot of potential to tell a really good and interesting story! just very straightforward bad guy falls for good girl and stops being bad eventually.
many plot points are just pretty weak, ESPECIALLY yetan and her dad's relationship which is done SO poorly, and i thought they were doing p well w youqin and his dad until the Last episode when they decided to make him redeem himself even though he's the WORST meanwhile the actual hottest character in the show void tyrant had to DIE. not a fan of many choices honestly, many of the side characters are just complete blank slates, totally boring, and don't even get me started on the dongqiu plot.... it's so bad, handled horribly, suzhi is so poorly written.... like if they truly wanted to talk about genocide it wouldve been woven into the story and felt from beginning to end, but it's literally all shoehorned into the last 4 episodes. to me the true end of the show is after they leave the tianzhu and the couples and their friends all live together happily and chaofeng has an armed guard business. that's the end. everything after that i do not accept- not because it's sad, but because it was poorly written and added very little to the characters who had pretty much all completed their arcs already.
honestly pretty mid show in many ways but it is extraordinary for shaodian youqin and his storyline which is very fresh, fun, and sweet!
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Im Su Jung plays a harried and hopeless stage director who is unable to forget her first love. She even has a suitor wanting to marry her and she can't seal the deal. She hides behind her work as an excuse to avoid him and turn him down, driving her father crazy in the process.
I like the antagonistic relationship between the two leads after the story of "Finding Mr. Destiny" gets going. I like the flashback sequences. Both for how the memories are portrayed and the beautiful shots of India. This film has elements of the unexpected that keep it from being a typical, by rote, romantic comedy.
It's a sweet story. Light but not fluffy, well acted and a great ending too.
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Taken, Joseon Style
Hollywood has Taken with Liam Neeson. South Korea’s answer is Jang Hyuk’s The Swordsman, with a dash of Joseon thrown in the mix. And what a fantastic version this is.This sageuk is about Tae Yul, Joseon’s arguably greatest living swordsman, who was formerly part of the royal retinue as the personal bodyguard of the previous King, who was subsequently overthrown in a bloody coup. Fast forward many years later after the revolt, Tae Yul is now retired from guard duty with a serious sight impairment, living off-grid in the mountain wilderness as the guardian of a young teenage girl. This is set against the backdrop of power transitioning from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing forces in Imperial China. The arrival of Qing emissaries to coerce the Joseon administration into offering money and female slaves sourced from the local populace, including the daughters of the nobles, as tribute to the new dynasty causes much consternation and dissatisfaction among the nobility and royalty.
All hell breaks loose when the young girl under Tae Yul’s care gets abducted and enslaved by the Qing slavers. This is when the “Taken plot” takes over with Tae Yul taking on all the villains and finally the showdown with not one but two major boss-fights, in a bid to rescue the girl.
This is a high quality production that’s quite decent in every aspect - direction, screenplay, cinematography, choreography, editing, and artistic set design - with many familiar faces, beautiful scenery of the countryside as well as the authentic setting of the era. The main characters and the central plot are well written but the major focus of the show is undoubtedly the action. The sword fighting choreography is absolutely outstanding and the action sequences are stunning to behold. The art of swordsmanship shown here is top tier and surpasses many other South Korean productions. Breathtaking, bloody, artistic, even poetic. Seeing is believing.
The character of Tae Yul is marvelously brought to life by Jang Hyuk. The expression, body language, dialogue…it feels as though this role was made exclusively for him that no one else could possibly portray. A man of few words where action speaks the loudest, this is a seasoned warrior who lets his uniquely-bladed sword do the talking.
The primary antagonist is played by the Indonesian martial arts actor, Joe Taslim, who injects a measure of sophisticated charm into the villainous and slightly psychopathic Gurutai, leader of the Qing envoy and cousin to the new Qing Emperor. His athleticism and way with the sword is fully displayed in the epic final showdown of the movie.
The supporting cast is a familiar one, with veterans Jung Man Shik, Choi Jin Ho, and Jang Hyun Sung portraying the nobleman, former King and chief of the King’s guard respectively. Kim Hyun Soo portrays the young girl Tae Ok and her experience shines through having started her career as a child actress over a decade prior.
The only criticism that I would level at this production would be the length - 1 hour and 40 minutes. The plot did get somewhat convoluted with certain flashbacks and side plots that could have potentially been fleshed out more, if the film had been slightly longer. The average K-drama episode is over an hour long so as a film it should have been made into at least 2 hours. As it was, the pace did feel rushed during the final arc, the conclusion of the story.
Overall, The Swordsman is one of the best action sageuk produced in recent memory that will, and should, serve as a benchmark for similar action-oriented films in the future for top quality sword fighting and action choreography, in the South Korean film and drama industry.
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Acting/Cast: I thought everyone did a great job even the supporting character. In my opinion, there was no antagonist. Everyone did their role really well. I was able to relate to some of students and their struggle for school.
Music: The Ost was amazing! It suit the drama really well. Sometimes, I would search for the Ost and it would bring back so much memory.
Rewatch Value: I would watch it again if I have time. It was not boring at all and it was funny and cute at the same time.
Overall: I really enjoyed the the drama. I learned a lot from the drama and all the tips I have learn I am using it for school. This drama taught me that school is really important and that I have to study a lot if I want to be successful.
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This review may contain spoilers
NO Spoiler in this review What's not to like about it?! Nothing seriously..In my opinion it`s far and away from many ridiculous very cliche K-dramas that i have seen so far and one of so many reasons i liked this one a lot because it does not have the ridiculous BREAK UP WITH GIRL NO.1 GO BACK TO GIRL NO.2 Or Male/Female EX suddenly appears or returned back from America and again Break up/ reconcile Break up/ reconcile over and over and over again Until the show end.. Makes you feel Very frustrated. Thankfully This Drama was not like that, Not even close,i am not saying there is no cliche plot here No because there is but i won`t mention because it might spoil the show,why is it so hard to keep angst away from the main couple relationship with each other,This was the only drama i watch with 2 lead couple with stable relationship without stripping the show from enjoyment and excitement( Lee Tae Gon) and (Yoon Jung Hee) chemistry was just perfect,their relationship was built realistically from the first episode..Strangers to friends to very close friends to semi lovers to real lovers,They are mature and always Loyal and understanding of each other no matter what happens.why Not make all drama couples like that why!!!!
85 episodes is the longest K-drama i have ever watched and I thought I would be bored but i was not,In the middle of the series it gets more interesting and plot gets more exiting...Slow yes it is but still it kept me on the edge of my seat,felt like watching a thriller not romantic family drama.
I liked Lee Ja Kyung relationship with her Biological Mother Ji Young Sun and how her mother cared a lot for her when she found her, all of their scenes was sad and very heartwarming
There Is No evil/Bad Mother in law here if you read the plot summary you will understand why but Hey if you like these kind of things do not give up yet because there is still an annoying Evil/Bad Grandmother in law.
If you start watching the series be careful, the Character here sure imagine a lot of things some of it funny some is sad some is bad some is good some overly ridiculous,don`t be fooled multiple times like i did and confuse reality as imaginary and Vice versa,I hated this Thing at first but then i discovered it`s the reason why i was able to predict what will happen next only a few times but later i tried but failed and i like that.
It was an amazing drama ,cried a river at a lot of scenes while watching it ,felt compassion with Characters who did not even deserve it. Enjoyed it to the max,it received high rating but it`s underrated on this site only 35 users here watched it till now..many people ignore long dramas but if you`re looking for realistic,very romantic family melodrama with many interesting characters and mature lead couple who trust each others and don't make stupid childish decisions or bicker and misunderstand each other over stupid matters.. then You should definitely give this one a try.
Characters:
(Lee Tae Gon)
Male lead,I liked his acting some of The romantic-cute scenes with the female lead was supposed to be awkward but thanks to their chemistry and his natural acting it was not..could not keep my eyes of them the whole series.. They become one of my all time favorite couple in K-drama.
his like the female lead fortunately he is mature he treat and respect his stepmother like his real mother,he is a bit more childish than Lee Ja Kyung
(Yoon Jung Hee)
while watching The first episode i thought she is a weak female lead but I was wrong despite being an orphan with a tiresome life with a greedy Foster mother,Living with Family who are not related to her at all and jealous second female lead (Wang Bit Na) who always disrespect her, she was hardworking, smart, strong ,determinant with her decisions,acts like a grown up women,very cute and she can be bitchy too slaps and drags people and Threat and Says NO when she wants to.
(Han Hye Sook)
Lee Ja Kyung Biological Mother and Gu Wang Mo Stepmother...Now This is the Character who in my opinion hold the whole plot in her hand,without her there will be No (Dear Heaven) I do not want to write much about her because it will spoil the enjoyment of the show.
(Jo Yeon Woo)
The second male lead,This actor`s Fans might be disappointed to be honest he is not really a main character and his role was not very important here he got few screen time through all 85 episodes,probably even less than other Supporting cast.
(Wang Bit Na)
The second Female lead has a naive and weak personality but her bitchy and arrogant attitude toward the female lead or anyone who she thinks out of her league covers that for her,I disliked her most of the show,she is in love with Gu Wang Mo and tries her best to earn his stepmother`s approval to be his Girlfriend/wife ...Yeah Keep trying Girl.
(Kang Ji Sub)
The second female lead`s Brother,his acting is great he takes the role of a feminine young man,he is the joke of the series..his portrayal of feminine man was natural he did not over do it.i thought he is like that in real life at first but it turned out it was just his role,he is hilarious and funny.
(Yoon Jung Hee),(Lee Tae Gon),(Han Hye Sook),(Jung Hye Sun) and (Ban Hyo Jung) Those 5 are the most important Characters in the drama.
The Ending:
Great Ending ,NO one want to watch 85 episodes drama just to end it with stupid open or tragic ending.
Sorry for my English
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2019 vs 2021
This review will be more of a comparison of the 2019 vs. 2021 version. There are going to be quite some biased comments as I enjoyed the 2019 version and I have already reviewed the 2019 ver based on the plot/generics itself. So, I didn't want to have to say the same things. I have not read the novel, but I probably will one of these days in my downtime. I tried to condense the review as much as possible; it was hard, as I made a lot of notes while I was watching. However, that doesn't mean I dislike this version any less as the storyline is still the same, and the characters were still true to how they were in the 2019 version. I did watch the last two episodes RAW, so I may have missed important dialogue as most of it was Luo Zhi narrating.STORY
I want to say that if you don't like watching storylines/characters with the following, this drama isn't for you:
- unrequited love
- girls getting treated like crap in a relationship
- girls giving their all to someone who doesn't care for them
- dragging storyline due to constant misunderstandings
Those may throw you off to want to watch it, but there's something about unrequited love that makes people intrigued. It's probably because we all have had an unrequited love in some way or another. The unrequited love storyline gets exhausting because, for once, the title is true to the storyline. The female lead has been in love with our male lead for over ten years and continues to love him. She gets hurt by him but still foolishly loves him. It's this never-ending loop, but it somehow keeps drawing me to see how their story will turn out.
MUSIC
Almost all of the songs are good to throw onto my playlist. I enjoyed the opening song and think it's quite catchy (in my playlist and stuck in my head). However, I feel like the music and editing within the drama weren't great for me. There were times where I felt like the music overpowered the voiceovers/dialogue. Other times, I felt like the music wasn't fitting to the mood of the scene. Especially when they play the opening song, the music sounds upbeat (even though the lyrics are about unrequited love). It just makes it seem less serious/more of this high school crush where we're supposed to feel bubbly. But this isn't supposed to be the case for this drama. We are supposed to feel the anguish of unrequited love that Luo Zhi feels.
One thing I dislike is dramas dragging out scenes with no dialogue and the song playing. I don't mind it, but it feels like we're listening to the whole song, and I always skip it. This drama had a good amount of those (in the beginning and end). The only scene that was correct, in my opinion, was later in the show, somewhere after episode 30, where Luo Zhi was napping in the library and Huainan was staring at her.
RE-WATCH VALUE
I wouldn't re-watch this drama or version in particular. So far, I have enjoyed all adaptations, though. There were some instances where I feel like this version was dragged out, and there weren't particular scenes that stood out to me about memorable. I am waiting for the movie version and probably will watch it when it has subtitles and is available to watch.
=================OVERALL/2019 COMPARISON (major spoilers) ================
WHAT I LIKED - I knew from the get-go that there should be more depth to the supporting characters and story than the 2019 version, with this ver being 38 episodes. I'll mention the things I appreciated in the 2021 version of Unrequited Love.
1. I appreciated more depth to Ge Bi and Baili's story, especially Ge Bi's character. Ge Bi's character still stood true to how he was in the 2019 version; however, he had more conscious in this version. We can tell how this drama was directed that Ge Bi actually somewhat cared for Baili and didn't just see her go through everything for him but not appreciate it. We see some regret in Ge Bi and him missing her, even if it was selfishly.
2. This version of Huainan was a more likable male lead because there was more depth to him. We see more of his backstory and his feelings, so we could empathize with him more. For example, we see his thought process so we understand why he would ignore her. The writers literally made a whole debate competition on love and selfishness with his stance to explain why he initially felt off about Luo Zhi. In contrast, the 2019 ver focused more on Luo Zhi and her feelings rather than Huainan.
3. What this version does right is that we see them build their connection. It feels a lot stronger this time around. For example, the mutual connection they had with their conversations/texts, without Luo Zhi having to lie/pretend. It was satisfying to see them build their connection with nerdy texts and audio conversations. Which made sense to these two characters as they're supposed to be top students.
4. Huainan's family situation didn't involve an outdated family revenge trope. The writers decided to get rid of that, and it flows a lot better in that aspect. Huainan was more mature in the situation, though I still believed he could have given Luo Zhi a better closure. There was less drama involved after Huainan left school, and that was much appreciated after all that has happened in the drama.
WHAT I DISLIKED - Some of the following things made the drama feel less serious and more like an idol drama. These new additions/changes feel even more like most of the other typical modern-day young adult dramas out there.
1. I'm not too fond of the daydream parts that keep getting thrown in. It makes it less serious. I would much rather prefer a voiceover of Luo Zhi saying what she should have done/her self-conflicting thoughts. This didn't last long, as it was more towards the first half of the drama/before she got acquainted with him. Those long gazes with the theme song getting played make me skip them. It's probably because her gaze doesn't read longing to me. It looks like she's just staring off into the distance.
2. I liked that the aunt only showed up to help Huainan because Luo Zhi begged her to in the 2019 ver. In this version, the aunt felt bad for Luo Zhi's puppy love and came to explain to Huainan. She even acted as a middleman between the two. This is fine, but I think little moments like the 2019 version made it feel a lot more impactful.
3. MOST IMPORTANT! The impactful windowpane scene was relatively lackluster in the 2021 version. They had one conversation, and that was it. While in the 2019 version, it was a build-up of conversations that led to Huainan feeling a connection to Luo Zhi.
4. So, in episode 30, they are still at a point of having misunderstandings. This was one of the things I disliked the most about this version. Sure, more episodes allow more depth in other aspects, but in the wrong area at the same time. I enjoyed seeing an expansion of the supporting character's stories and their character progression, but seeing the main characters not progress in their relationship is so hard to sit through. With this many episodes, it didn't have a better closure either.
5. Luo Zhi in the 2021 ver came off quite selfish to me. While she knew that Gu Zhi Ye was not a good guy, she didn't try to stop Baili or Gu Zhi Ye. In the other ver, she confronted him after she confirmed that Gu Zhi Ye was up to no good. In this version, she knew right from the beginning that Gu Zhi Ye was sleazy and fishy, but she didn't help Baili.
6. Luo Zhi's "restart" from Huainan was lackluster in this one. She cuts her hair and then ignored Huainan… meh. It felt like any other time they had a misunderstanding. Then she was purposely ignoring him to tease him as suggested by the guy who looks like their professor. Does anyone remember from the 2019 ver where she allowed the security to take Huainan away as the thief? That was memorable.
7. The supporting characters that are pursuing Huainan are more aggressive in this one. Probably for more drama, but I don't enjoy that aspect of it. That means the drama will get dragged out/shifts the attention away from the main issue. For example, Zheng Wenrui was really obnoxious in this version. She threw herself onto Huainan and was LOUD. I didn't understand why they made her character like this in this version.
WHAT I MISSED FROM 2019 VER
1. I enjoyed Baili's character in the 2019 version. I thought I would like the Baili in this version more, but so far, I don't. I actually disliked how much she clung to Ge Bi even though he straight up told her to back off. It didn't make me feel hurt for her; it made me feel quite annoyed since it was him continually telling her that it was over. In the 2019 ver, Baili had a bit more self-respect. She knew when to back off when she wasn't needed, which made us feel the pain of her unrequited love story. Like Luo Zhi, the 2019 Baili, silently did things for Ge Bi. The 2019 version did justice to Baili by really trying to make her move away from Ge Bi.
2. The moods of these two dramas are REALLY different. The 2019 version was about a girl who would silently do everything for a boy. She silently loves him and silently decided to let go of him until they fatefully met again. We felt her pain of him not knowing who she is because they showed us all the things she did for him... SILENTLY. And she continues to do things for him in college. That is why we understood why she felt hurt when she was so close to him yet so far. It was easy to empathize with her.
This version of Luo Zhi felt a bit more immature and lacked the same feeling that I enjoyed from the 2019 version. While this is probably truer to how a young adult would act, we didn't feel the same pain from this Luo Zhi. Without seeing what she has done for Huainan, it didn't feel as genuine? (not sure if that's the right word to use) It felt like it lacked why she was so hurt on why he should know/remember her. Like she cried right on the spot after reading Huainan's text and other times as well. This Luo Zhi would be upset and couldn't mask herself well in front of Ming Rui. So far, we're trying to build their love story on the fact that he was a boy from her childhood.
In the 2019 version, we know that they somehow know each other from their childhood, even though it wasn't well written. But the main part was during high school, where the bulk of Luo Zhi's unrequited love started and it was so well done as we get flashbacks to all of the things that she has done for him. So, we understand why Luo Zhi is so hurt/upset at Huainan. The 2019 Luo Zhi has already been disappointed so many times before that she could just back up silently again.
For the 2019 version, we were able to see a glimpse of characters moving on or doing things, mainly through leads and especially through Luo Zhi's interaction with them. For me, that was all it needed to get the right closure for most of the characters and see how Luo Zhi grows as a person. Luo Zhi seems like a love expert to everyone except for her situation. Her aloof character and personality were felt through her interaction with the supporting characters. Even though she came off as aloof, we know that she has a warm heart because she is always helping someone else out. She usually speaks her mind and never hesitates. Her aura felt a lot more mature than her actual age.
3. Another thing I missed was the roommate bond they had in the 2019 ver. It felt more genuine and real than this one. Huainan came off as this god that was on a pedestal and his roommates were literally using him as a study tool in the 2021 version. Also, I missed the silly Ming Rui and his friendship with Luo Zhi. Apart from Ming Rui falling for Luo Zhi later, they were good friends who confided in each other. This one lacked the interactions between Ming Rui and Luo Zhi. Like, we barely see scenes of them together. :'( Ming Rui even told Luo Zhi that he did everything for her because of Huainan. It made me sad that their friendship didn't seem genuine/as close.
4. Gu Zhi Ye came across as someone more genuine in the 2019 ver, even though we found out that he was using her.
5. The beauty of Luo Zhi writing, "Luo Zhi loves Shen Huainan and no one knows about it" was that it was her little secret before college. She wrote it before going to college as a last reminder. It was her finally being able to show it to the world without really telling anyone. Luo Zhi wrote it in college in this version, and Huainan discovered her engraving (coincidently right by his favorite spot). She even attempted to hide it behind the bushes.
6. One nice touch to the 2019 ver was their dorm walls and how it had pictures and posters of what each character likes. Luo Zhi had anime, Huainan had basketball, and Baili had popular stars on hers. This version was just super bright and pink in the girl's dorm.
If you made it to the end, thank you for reading! If you watched both versions, let me know what you thought of each one! I know comparing both may sound negative but I actually enjoyed it enough to watch to the end!
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