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While the story is more of a "slow burn" in romance, the chemistry between the actors is STRONG and gives the film its intensity. The Holly Golightly-type heroine is slightly more vulnerable than you’d expect, which makes her more likable as you watch the film than maybe you would on paper. Definitely watch for Liu Ye’s discreet facial expressions of a reserved man who has fallen head-over-heels in love and desperately trying to hide it.
This film seems like two movies in one, but they both seem like such great stories, that you don't feel too much disconnect once the first set of plot points are completely abandoned. Very rewatchable.
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This review may contain spoilers
What I would change: The last four episodes (29 to 32)
It's a good story overall, and I've enjoyed it.My Review contains many spoilers: don't read if you haven't watched the series yet.
The last four episodes (29 to 32) could have been better scripted, as some plot choices feel weak; they don't have any purposes other than to add unnecessary twists & turns.
And the drama’s ending...
Instead of delivering a satisfying conclusion, it forces suspense with an ambiguous scene that lacks context or payoff. Rather than a clever twist, it comes across as empty and confusing. Most viewers, myself included, are left wondering what it was supposed to mean. If the goal was to create an open-ended mystery, it fails because it lacks substance, and instead of a thought-provoking conclusion, it feels like an unresolved, last-minute attempt to appear deep without any real meaning.
So let's start with what I would change to make this a better story!
Ep. 29 - 24:30 min
Why would the princess chose to kill herself? But most importantly, why would she chose to kill herself in such a way that not only endangers Shangguan Zhi but also wastes an opportunity to make her sacrifice meaningful? As someone raised in the palace, she should be resourceful and strategic enough to devise a last-minute plan.
Frankly, this plot twist is unnecessary and leads to even further unnecessary drama, thus it should be erased. Let's examine something else that could prevent her death:
Ep. 28 - 38:00 min
Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity not yet revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) at night time in an undisclosed location.
Ep. 30 - 5:30 min
Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) during daytime at the "Grand Commandant's Residence".
After comparing both meeting location, we can clearly see the same curtains and the same bookshelves in the background. Thus, we can deduce they meet in the same location.
We know Zhuo Lanjiang's motivations: to avenge his father. He's not there to stretch things nor investigate any further. This said, he had a very good opportunity to do this in Ep. 28's meeting. He could kill both at once swiftly at nighttime and try to escape alive.
But let's say for suspense sake he does not do it just yet. Plus, he gets to witness the presence of Mr. Chen (the organization's accountant who brought the ledgers with him) as he's being escorted to his new room. This opens the plot twist for him to look for those ledgers later which brings us at back at Ep. 29, right before the Princess death scene, the one we want to get rid of.
So here's what should happen:
(This removes all those scenes: princess's death, Shangguan Zhi going to jail, Pan Yue begging his father, Shangguan Zhi's trial + battle, them becoming fugitives, Zhuo LanJiang dying uselessly and in a very stupid way, etc.)
Ep. 29 - from 18:40 to 24:30 min
This is when the princess finds out her sister's husband (Jia Quan) is the great villain she and Pan Yue have been investigating. This triggers him threatening her. But frankly, why would he ask her to kill Shangguan Zhi? That's just plain not plausible considering his shrews character. If he wanted Shangguan Zhi dead, he could have had her dead 100 other ways anytime he wants.
In my opinion, once he made sure to make her understand that he can and will kill her and her sister (and make it look like an accident) if she tries to interfere, his most likely reaction would be to prohibit her to leave the residence and keep her under watch at all times until the completion of his "Grand Marshal" promotion ceremony to ensure she won't leak any information.
Next would come the scene from Ep. 30 - 5:30 min
Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) during daytime at the "Grand Commandant's Residence".
But this time, he kills both in stealth mode, then proceeds to look for the ledgers, finds them and escape successfully.
There should be a commotion once Jia Quan's death is being noticed. It should be speculated that it must be related to the assassin that tried to kill Pan Yue the other day. The Princess would later go search for the ledger where she found evidence of Jia Quan's name change, then make a plan to meet with Pan Yue in order to discuss their next move.
Meanwhile, Zhuo LanJiang gives the accounting ledgers to either Pan Yue or Shangguan Zhi (or both, wathever suits the plot), tells them he fulfilled his vengeance (the bad guy is dead) and he plans to head back home with his girlfriend and marry her.
Next, we should obviously see Zhuo LanJiang have some happy romantic reunion with Bai Xiao Sheng.
Then, the princess meeting with Pan Yue and Shangguan Zhi to decide what will be done.
From there, I don't have anything concrete in mind, but I guess the most obvious would be:
- The princess confess everything to her sister.
- The wedding between the princess and Pan Yue gets cancelled.
- The evidence against Jia Quan gets deposited to help close his death's investigation.
- Pan Yue and his father reconcile.
- Pan Yue will confess everything to Shangguan Zhi's brother as promised. She should also have a moment alone with her brother to settle things.
- Pan Yue gets back his Heyang's Magistrate position and finds a way to offer Zhuo LanJiang a good position too in managing the docks (or wathever else that fits his fancy in order to compensate him for shutting down his clan. Maybe letting him reopen his clan/private business?)
- Pan Yue and Shangguan Zhi get married in Heyang at the same time than Zhuo LanJiang and Bai Xiao Sheng (double wedding).
Oh, and another useless scene is this one:
Ep 29: 6 min
Pan Yue's brother revealing to a stanger that Shangguan Zhi is Yang Caiwei.
Only Pan Yue's father should know about this, and this information should not have been revealed to anyone else in the household.
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Not worth the watch even if your bored...
It was cute in the begining but became hard to finish towards the end, completing 30 minutes felt like 3 days.The fl is a statistic major who at some point in the drama gains knowledge about law for her part time job, so we can infer that shes booksmart. Despite these qualifications she makes descions as if she is operating with ZERO brain cells. The writers wrote her without common sense as it it wasnt in the dictionary. Her actions are really really really cringy.
The side couples were rushed towards the end and made no sense. It was as if the writers started bsing the plot just because they had to complete it somehow. All in all, a mess.
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Fun and Forgettable watch!!!
First things first... I'm an Indian and I should mention this because this review will be from that POV....Now , if you are someone who doesn't want to watch a movie without giving much thought to it then this is that perfect afternoon watch for you. Now coming to the,1. Story Plot : As given it is not something with that much depth and along the movie none of the characters have any major development and you can almost ignore the side characters because they are present there for some reason which you can very well avoid. You can avoid them just like the writers avoided a lot of serious stuffs in a comedic manner which by the way is not something you need to brush off. It was something that Thai industry does ignoring some major societal issues.
2. Setting : Apart from the actors and the prime location nothing is Thai but is it Indian ?! NO They took the Indian wedding theme and did research a lot I guess because you will feel that you are viewing an Indian Wedding (a blah one ofcourse). Also then somehow you will also get a touch of K-dramas because of its all cute scenes and expressions.
3. Acting: Bright is someone who knows what he is required to do and does the job accordingly , there is very little that he adds on his own but as he has his own charm , it does the job and I like him on screen coming to Bella , she was literally forced to speak English (I know she is Thai but half British) and if she can't speak English that we'll writers could have done something to it rather than just going with the flow of that very bad accent. Now Mahir and Anahita are a known name in Indian Television and they were pretty much on the same page as the story and everything given that they are Indian and they know what's next.
4. Music : Here! I loved that scene and also Anahita talked so much about it that at one point I was waiting for this scene. It was well executed with a pretty good dance to go along and also Bright danced to an Indian song ... I'm happy!
5. Climax : The chase scene was hilarious. No doubt that made me feel like okay this is an Indian comedy movie and it gave a nostalgia of 90s comedy movies . It was a fun watch.
OVERALL:
This was movie with a cliche plot but fun to watch. It's just that there's a very little meat to the bone . It's a good watch in a lazy afternoon where you can have a good laugh even thinking about your ex!
This is my personal view on this Indo-Thai take, please note that I'm Indian and I looked at this entire thing from that POV. If you are someone who is new to this entire setting them it will obviously blow your mind it's cute. Happy Watching!
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A Jade Drama with a Dent
Love Like White Jade (白玉思无瑕) is a drama produced by MangoTV. Love Like White Jade is a historical romcom drama mixed with some elements of mystery. The story narrative mainly revolves around Jiang Baiyu (played by 张耀 – Zhang Yao ) who puts on a façade of being a playboy, however behind he disguises himself as the hero Shen Qingli to find the murderer of his father 7 years ago. The female lead is Shui Wuxia (played by万鹏 – Wan Peng), Shui Wuxia is a maid from Langya Hall, Wuxia is an excellent maid in every aspect. “Maids” from Langya Hall tasks is to help young childe to excel in their studies, basically being a secretary/ assistant, instead of being a “maid” who cleans and cook. From then one the narrative unfolds, with them falling in love, developing friendship, and finding the truth behind 7 years ago.Plot: The drama plot is straightforward and uncomplicated which makes viewers understand it easily; it does not have frequent flashbacks. The pacing of this drama is excellent at the beginning ¾ of the drama. On the ¾ of the drama, the story unfolds casually and not rushed. The element of romance, comedy, friendship is blended seamlessly, even though the mystery genre is weak. There is not enough building and logic on the mystery/ criminal cases, the mystery story filler also has plenty of plot holes; which resulted in a weak ending. The ending lacked climax and intensity, as the truth was uncovered in the most ridiculous manner and the antagonist was finished so easily.
There are 3 couples in this drama, and I like how all couples supported each other no matter what. And there is tremendous character growth in each person and couple, they grow together to become a better person. Moreover, there are no excessive misunderstandings between the couples. Misunderstandings are solved in a mature way, and the other 2 couple's love and chemistry are also very strong. Also, what I like about this drama, is that the Jiang brothers did not scheme each other, instead, they had each other backs. The friendship part in this drama is not really that deep, but when one of them is in trouble, all of them had their backs. That is probably what I liked; it was realistic. Every one of them had their own life and routine rather than sticking with each other 24/7, but when any critical moment comes, they are there. And I can also sense a little feminism in this drama, which I LOVE!!
Cinematography and CGI: This drama cinematography is just like another idol drama cinematography, with excessive lighting, close-up shots, quick transitions, and a bright color scheme. There is nothing particularly commendable about the cinematography. The martial arts scene in the drama is decent for a low-budget drama, it is not too sloppy but it is not commendable too. There are some fighting scenes and qinggong (light skills) in the drama that I find kinda funny (where Qingli and Wuxia fly after throwing money on the streets). For the fighting scenes, it was okay, the choreographed actions are mediocre. Moving on, the CGI in this drama is bad but okay at the same time. As this is a low-budget drama, you shouldn’t expect grandiose CGI, choreographed sequence, etc. The CGI was bad, like for example the scene where Qingli and Wuxia met at the roof, the CGI was like from an animation movie. But with the combination of Qingli and Wuxia outfit color scheme, it did not become bad, it becomes bearable yet funny at the same time.
Acting: Zhang Yao and Wan Peng’s acting is commendable!! Zhang Yao manages to show the 2 sides of Jiang Baiyu, the playboy and Shen Qingli, the marvelous hero. Wan Peng also did a good job in portraying her role. The secondary actor and actresses also did a good job, even though some of their actings were awkward, it was still bearable. Not so bad, to the point that you cannot continue to watch.
There is nothing particular to be remembered about the music, the music fits in the scenario well, but it is not memorable. The only unique thing about the music is the opening music. The opening music is really upbeat and modern, unlike other historical dramas. Probably by hearing the opening music, you can guess what the genre of the drama is and where it is going to.
In conclusion, Love Like White Jade is a good drama to watch when you are looking for something light-hearted that makes you smile from time to time. Watching this drama does not require 100% concentration, you can watch this drama while doing other activities. As for the setbacks, the setbacks in the drama are not really visible and give off a big impact on the drama if you do not pay attention to it. Overall, it is a GOOD WATCH!!
P.s. Jiang Baiyu/ Shen Qingli's voice dubber in this drama feels so similar to Zhang Yao’s character in Love in Between, which is another plus point for me!!
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So freaking worth the hype!
OMG I just finished this drama and I'm so in love. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call a love story.It's quite rare to find so many good things in a drama, but this one is truly a gem. They did a great job not only turnig a "complicate/confusing" plot into an interesting one, but also wrapping all the loose ends with a pretty cute bow.
The main leads have OUT OF THIS WORLD chemistry, I mean, the PDA was heavy and they were on FIRE. It was honestly one of the most risqué scenes I've seen in a asian dramas. It also had a great amount of skinship to satisfy your romantic naughty heart (it does feel like you are reading those books with "weirdly" enticing covers of half naked man).
So we have an amazing cast and I was not disappointed by them, either the main or the secondary leads.
Vivian Sung did a great job with the Female Lead. She was independent, so funny and had an awesome guilty pleasure (I mean, who has never fantasized about a domineering, handsome CEO? ;) ) and her friendship with her BFF was so relatable that I missed hanging out with mine in this quarantine. I have not seen any other work from her, but now I sure will.
I'm overly suspicious to talk about Marcus Chang (I'm a fan, the man can act, sing, dance...), but he was so good doing both characters!! He was a classic domineering sexy beast of a CEO, with a soft heart and in dire need of the right one (oh be still my heart).
Well nothing is perfect, so the drama did have some flaws. We do get annoying characters, I mean He Tianxing had the worst family in "real" life, and he doesn't have a normal reaction to them (I mean they treat him horribly and he kind of let it all go, and I'm like: - Dude, get a spine and kick the toxic people out of your life!"). And the "real life" part of the drama was the boring part, BUT I promise you, all the other parts are so worthy!
All in all it was a beautiful romance and definitely a great watch (specially now that you don't have to wait a whole week for the next episode).
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When you look at the story, It's simply about daily life of doctors and different kinds of cases to confront with, but it's actually much more than that. It's about accepting the challenges that life brings you every day - win over and you'll become much more skilled doctor and a way better person than you were before. Doctors can change the lives of patients, but patients' stories can change the lives of doctors as well. You can feel their stories and realize how valuable your life is. Sometimes you'll tear up, sometimes you'll laugh, naturally some stories are better than others, but every story, every episode has it's own meaning.
We have four young people in this drama, each of them with a totally different personality, using their own, different ways to reach the top of their medical careers. We also have the senior doctors with their own stories, experiences and hardships to go through. I really liked how they chose the patients - almost every patient had a story to help our heroes to get over their fears or troubles.
Actors did an amazing job portraying their roles and for Yamapi's fans - i have to say - this was one of the best roles he ever played, if not even the best, but that's my personal opinion after all. Girls were also fantastic.
As for music, I'm giving it 10, since i feel like it was suitable and i don't think it was the big factor in this drama. I would watch it even without music.
Be patient if you don't understand some medical terms, it's not that important for the story but believe me, you'll get to learn them quickly. Anyway, if you're not expecting fairytales, I'm sure you'll like this drama. It's pure reality.
And at the end, I'd like to explain why I gave it 9 and not 10. Actually, it's simple - only because I liked the second season more. It gave me the stronger impression although both have the same meaning.
Enjoy watching it!
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Exceeds (my) expectations at least
Strengths: The development of Solo and Guitar's relationship is nice as they each face different challenges in life; the cinematography and music complement the story well. The story of Kao and Phu is also cute.Weaknesses: The series could have done with less fluff at the start and given more time for resolution in the last part; the addition of a practically redundant set of characters (Khim, Khem, Perth and Petch) that challenges even the editors who have done a rather good job with the editing overall.
Overall: I like this quite a lot though it has several weaknesses.
I have not read or heard of the novel prior to watching the first episode, but my expectation after watching the first episode was that it would be a sweet and lighthearted BL, full of fluff but still cute enough to satisfy a BL fan. For a few episodes, this seems to be where the series is headed. However, the story of Solo and Gui also takes a more serious turn later, which is both a good and a bad thing.
One problem is that the earlier episodes with more fluff could have been condensed and the story with the slightly more serious turn from the point Gui's foster mother falls sick and passes away could have been given more space for development. A BL with a simpler story would simply end with Solo and Gui becoming officially together after some episodes of childish jealousy on Solo's part. However, it is interesting how Solo and Gui stand by each other through more difficult moments in life and how their relationship is strengthened as a result. The story does turn out to be rather moving without causing one to cru.
The way the relationship develops is a pleasant surprise. However, while I appreciate the way the story moves on the the problems experienced by the couple, the final episode leaves me feeling ambiguous. Perhaps Solo is really being unrealistic in thinking that he can run away with Gui (given that his sole source of money is his father), but I also admire his determined rebellion against his father (which Gui chides him for). In fact, Gui's willingness to make a bet of sorts with Solo's father and arranged fiancee to leave Solo isn't that great a thing either--why should he willingly break up with Solo if he fails his internship?
Of course, it turns out that Solo's father isn't as cold as he appears to be (an overly convenient means of resolving the crisis quickly in the last episode). Neither does he really disapprove of Gui. But it remains that he can and will break up Solo and Gui if he really wants to. The same father has someone stalk his son and report to him everything the son does. Yet, Solo's father is supposed to really love his son. This vision of familial love offered seems to me rather disturbing.
The execution of the final part of the series regarding Solo's father and Gui's internship can possibly have more finesse. Although the series has more than just hinted at the problem that Solo's father would present, his return to Thailand seems timed to suit the structure of the story than anything else. In short, the problem isn't so much a weak story but weak storytelling skills. By the end of Episode 11, we can anticipate how the crisis involving Solo's father is going to be quite suddenly resolved in the final episode. To be fair, it didn't feel all that rushed when I was watching it. Nevertheless, everything just gets resolved too conveniently--instead of solving a problem, it turns out that the problem has never been much of a problem to begin with.
Where storytelling is concerned, the story of the second couple, Kao and Phu seems better, but the story may seem a little hackneyed at first, with Kao being the persistent guy who goes after and melts a seemingly cold Phu. Nevertheless, there is much to love about Kao--he may be persistent and borderline stalkerish, but he doesn't really go overboard. The actor has brought the character to life, especially with a nice scene in Episode 11 where Kao sees Phu before the latter leaves for England: beneath the bunny make-up, we can see that his smile isn't fake or false but a sincere attempt to look happy while saying goodbye, and it isn't exaggerated when he is unable to sustain the smile and starts crying.
Perhaps the biggest weakness of the series is the inclusion of the siblings Khim and Khem and their relationships with the doctors Petch and Perth. While their part of the plot isn't bad as a story, which are better intertwined. Khim is the only tenuous connection with the BL couples as she happens to be Gui's colleague in a cafe. Because the focus isn't on the siblings and doctors, events in their parts of the series happen abruptly and with insufficient attention. Just look at what is going on and we can see that there is potential for a separate series:
1. Perth has a secret crush on Petch
2. Petch has a crush on Khim
3. Khim has a serious illness
4. Khim is a fujoshi/yaoi fan, and Petch feigns romantic interest in men to motivate her so that she has something to live for (OK, that sounds weird)
5. Not knowing that Perth has a crush on him, Petch tries to fake dates with him to give Khim fodder for her fujoshi imagination
6. Perth is upset when he finds out; he refuses to help Petch
7. Khim's brother, Khem, mistakenly thinks that Petch likes him and falls in love with Petch
8. Petch kisses Khim, Khem sees it and almost falls out with his sister.
9. Petch and Khim end up together
10. Maybe Perth and Khem too...?
Couldn't the same space have been used for Solo/Gui and Kao/Phu instead? The effect would have been better--I wish there had been more exposition on the backgrounds on Solo and Gui in the first few episodes (e.g. Gui's relationship with his foster mother, Gui's struggles as a student who has to work, Solo's loneliness and tensions with his father).
Despite some obvious flaws, Oxygen isn't really awful at all. The cinematography and editing manage to conceal and even make up for some of its flaws. To its credit, it doesn't seem as disjointed as a series like Kiss Me Again (a series with a BL couple). I also love Solo and Gui as a couple. The way they care for and respect each other is quite unusual in BLs, which often rely on a more conventionally masculine guy protecting a weaker one or being the center of attraction. The series also has a lot of cuteness (human puppies and bunnies) mixed with more serious events that make the love between the couples more touching.
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I laughed, I raged, I fell inlove, I cried, and bawled some more
From start to finish, there was no boring moment. This is the first Cdrama I watched in 2023 that I didn't speed through. I went through their journey all the way to end, that's why I was so invested on every character. They gave me so much joy and respect.Their ending was tragic, and I myself am devastated, yet it was something I am able to accept. They gave their all for loyalty. Not to the throne, but to the people they love and wish to protect.
I will not change my perfect score because of the last 6 episodes...because the last 6 episodes were one of the greatest performances of the entire series. It was action-filled and gut-wrenching. I could hear my heart shattering into gazillion smithereens by first strike starting at Ep.35. By fifth strike with Yuanzhou gege, my whole body is numb, tears frozen.
The last 6 episodes were a show of acting prowess from everyone, excellent cinematography, perfectly choreographed war scene, and amazing directing. I would like to thank everyone from the cast to the production team who made this awesome show.
My thoughts about the cast...
Ruyi was the first who captivated me. She is beautiful, scheming, and ruthless, a woman who knows exactly what she wants. You can see her change her perspective on some things as the show progresses. She will come to understand and realize that her initial goals might not be what she truly wants.
Ning Yuan Zhou, oh, that scene at his residence when he stabbed that thoughtless guy and his face covered in blood...for some reason (which is disturbing...a bit?) it looked hot! (Maybe I need some help). But anyway, moving forward, NYZ is a character who is warmhearted to the people close to him and ruthless to everyone else. In a way, he is very similar to Ruyi, the difference is, he actually has people he considers his own, while Ruyi is truly a lone wolf. Thank you Liu Yuning for bringing Ning Yuanzhou to life and giving it soul. Your Ning Yuanzhou will forever be in my heart. A character I truly admire and respect.
Yang Ying was a character you'll probably think is a bit annoying at first because of her naive thoughts, yet she will be the one person who you will come to love at the end. Yang Ying has one of the best character developments I've seen in dramaland. From an innocent and naive princess to embracing everything Ruyi and Ning Yuanzhou taught her. He Lan Dou is such an exceptional young actress. I look forward to her future roles.
Yu Shi San, the person who can make everyone laugh however dire the situation is, a man who seems to be always unserious, but you know you can count on him on crucial moments. I love all his comedic antics.
Yuan Lu is their maknae, the little brother they all want to protect...in the end, it was him who protected them...sob...sob...
Qian Zhao, a man of very little words. He had his own reason for joining the delegation, a deeply hidden revenge plan...yet he gave his life protecting the man he vowed to kill. I bawled at this scene...
Sun Lang, the seemingly clueless brother. He is not much seen as the others, but together with the team, he is also not overshadowed.
My two cents on LTG, such a character wasted.. Maybe they should have cast a better actor, or better gave the character more depth.
With the exception of that one character, everyone is perfect for their roles.
I will probably rewatch this after sometime...or just a compilation of the sweet moments between RY and NYZ,
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There were times I wanted to gouge out my eyes!
Positives:Kim Jung Hyun as Kokdu: I love him as an actor. He's got a somewhat rugged look about him. He's not a "pretty boy", and he's very expressive. He's an actor that is able to do broad comedy with flair and believability and then cut your heart out in his serious scenes, with tears running down his cheeks. It gets me every time.
Cha Chung Hwa as Gak Shin: She's a very interesting actress. She has the ability to look totally different, based on the part she is playing. She can appear older sometimes, younger at others. Her character was funny, quirky, and I loved how she took Gye Jeol under her wing, walking the line between here and the afterlife.
Kim In Kwon as Ok Shin: This might sound strange, but I love his face, it's big and round with lots of surface area for the great expressions he conveys. Ok Shin was a good character, and I really enjoyed his story line with Gak Shin.
Cinematography and locales: Beautiful! The church was lovely, Kokdu's house was awesome, and the lighthouse area was just beautiful. I loved the color palette they used for filming and the soft filtering they did with the camera work.
There was a happy ending, which kept me from throwing something at my tv after wasting my time watching this.
That's pretty much it. Now, on the other side of the coin, the negatives for me were:
Im Soo Hyang: I don't care for her AT ALL. Personally, I don't think she could act her way out of a paper bag. She has a totally flat affect, and her eyes are always open really wide like she's wandering around in a constant state of surprise. I've seen her in other things and haven't cared for her. Remember, just my opinion, but I had to fast forward through a lot of it, especially her, because it was so bad. Add her bad acting to the awful character she was portraying, and it was a train wreck. She was supposedly a doctor, but every time anyone had a medical emergency, she did absolutely nothing. I didn't buy her as a doctor for that reason, as well as the fact that she was whiny, immature, clingy and spent most of the drama sobbing. Was that so it looked like she was displaying some emotion? I don't know, but her character was awful, from beginning to end.
The storylines: Too many! There was so much going on. They could have cut back on the multiplicity of story lines and given us some more depth of character. I fast forwarded, a lot, and I still felt like it would never be over.
Chemistry: The brother and his girlfriend - The brother was so cute, and I enjoyed his story line, and I liked the wedding, but not much chemistry between him and his girlfriend. But you will never go amiss with a man that can cook. Which brings me to the ML and FL - I wasn't feeling ANY chemistry between these two. The kisses were not the typical open-eyed, arms at the sides kisses, which I appreciated, but I just didn't buy them as a couple. Wait, I could buy them as a friend couple, but not as a romantic couple.
So, I would say that I you have a lot of patience/tolerance and are wondering if you should watch this, you could give it a try. These opinions are just mine, but there is no way I would recommend that anyone watch this.
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heartwarming
The drama follows Qing Ye and Xing Wu from their high school years into adulthood, allowing viewers to witness not only the evolution of their relationship but also their personal growth. Rather than focusing solely on romance, the story explores dreams, family struggles, friendships, and the difficult process of discovering who you want to become.What Dazzling offers is a warm, heartfelt, and refreshing journey filled with growth, friendship, first love, and the feeling of finding your place in the world.
Without a doubt, my favorite aspect of the series was Zhazhating. More than just a setting, the town becomes the soul of the drama. Its streets, its people, and its strong sense of community create an atmosphere that feels incredibly authentic and comforting. The coastal scenery and small-town charm give the drama a unique identity and contribute greatly to its nostalgic and healing atmosphere.
The romance itself is sweet and easy to root for. Qing Ye and Xing Wu complement each other beautifully, and their relationship develops naturally over time. I particularly appreciated that the drama allows them to influence each other's lives in meaningful ways. Their story is not built on endless misunderstandings or unnecessary drama, but on mutual support and shared experiences. Guan Xiaotong and Li Yunrui also have a very comfortable chemistry that makes the romance feel genuine and effortless.
What surprised me most was how relaxing the drama felt. There is a lightness to Dazzling that makes it incredibly easy to watch. It captures the emotions of youth, summer, and small-town life without becoming overly sentimental. The story has a gentle pace that allows viewers to simply enjoy spending time with the characters and their world.
That said, I do think the final part of the drama was weaker than the rest. Some developments felt rushed, and a few storylines could have benefited from more time and attention before reaching their conclusion. After such a carefully built journey, the ending occasionally seemed eager to tie everything together too quickly. However, while I was not completely satisfied with every narrative choice near the end, I still found the conclusion emotionally satisfying and consistent with the overall tone of the drama.
Overall, the charm of Zhazhating, the warmth of its people, and the gradual growth of the characters created a world that was easy to become attached to. It felt like spending time in a place you wouldn't mind visiting again.
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But if you're watching this for the story, the development of the characters, and for the medical story itself, you would be fine watching this.
Some may find this drama boring, maybe I am just used to watching Japanese drama that I am certainly not really expecting too many romantic moments, plus this is a supposedly slice-of-life / medical drama, so I can say I enjoy it as much...
I like Kimura's character here as Dr. Okita. He went from an ordinary doctor of Danjo Hospital, and went abroad to further his skills and went back for a mission to operate the director of Danjo. I like how he always look so relax for a doctor.
One of my favorites characters is Dr. Igawa, he is so bubbly and adorable. The way sometimes he deals with situations like he is totally clueless or can't read the atmosphere, but when a situation needs to be more serious or requires a sensitive moment especially when calling out for Okita's behavior, he gives him a scolding.
I used to work in a hospital, but not on the Medical Department, but somehow watching this drama makes me want to be one. I can't guarantee accuracy of the terms and medical procedures here, but it feels great and amazes me watching it.
Also I love how the friendship of Okita & Masao showed in the end. They may have some rivalry in the romance side, but their friendship and the way they cared for Mifuyu prevailed in the end.
The only thing I wished for this drama is that I hope there more episodes, or at least a side-story for the other characters.
For rewatch value, I might pick it up again sometime.
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