This story is supposedly based on a true story and can I just say this is a complete tear jerker. My friends kept pushing me into watching this and even though it's sad, I am so glad I decided to watch it.
This movie is just an amazing story about ones first love. It teases you with so much happiness and then just stabs you in the heart with sadness. I think it hurts a little more inside when you realize this based off true events.
I loved the cast. I really liked Miura and Yui together. There were those awkward acting scenes but I've grown used to them after watching so many dramas. But their chemistry was pretty good. I liked the supporting cast as well. Their characters were shown just enough and all blended well together.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone and if you are still iffy about watching this, just watch it..with a box of tissues of course
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This drama has everything you would expect from and Asian drama AND more. It's all i thought about for days, I literally dreamt of the characters when i slept.
The story, although it is appears to be a stereotypical 'good girl meets bad boy' theme, is actually far more deeper then that. The girl wasn't always so reserved, and the boy wasn't always such a womanizer. It really touches upon the consuming physiological problems that tragedy can create. Its normal to see the male lead 'change' throughout the drama and become a better person while falling in love with the female lead, but it is extremely rare to see both characters changing so much; together.
The acting was amazing. That's to be expected with Barbie and Vic. I laughed and i cried with these characters. I felt their heartbreak as much as my own.
Its the rare kind of drama that gets better with each passing episode, and at the end you just wish you could watch it all over again with new eyes.
I would recommend this to anyone.
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Music Lovers
Just finished the ending of this series on YouTube and I feel the urge to write a review. I’ve mixed feelings, because I’ve been hooked by every episode, but felt some irritation as well.Synopsis
All her life Yang Zhen Zhen (Janice Wu) wants to be a pop artist. She works as a jack-of-all-trades at a major music agency, in the after hours she puts all her energy in talent shows. She never wins, but she decides to aid her former contest opponent Yu Zi Rui (Niu Jun Feng) to become a star one day.
Zhen Zhen is friendly, optimistic, fighting for her beliefs. That’s why her boss entrusts her with the difficult task of being a personal assistant to c-pop artist Zheng Bai Xu (Huang Zitao). Bai Xu is the big star of his agency, but he’s pursued by media scandals due to his unpredictability and unrestrained actions. He gives Zhen Zhen a lot of head aches and anxiety. They bicker non-stop, but are in fact kindred spirits. They both like to live and fight for their music. Bai Xu wants to become his own singer-songwriter but his agency won’t let him, earning money from his career as it is. Question is: will they succeed in living their life the way they want to?
The Good
Don’t expect just another c-pop vehicle for ZTao, this drama has some good side stories, f.e. the relationship with his rich father and siblings, and there's a nice flow in the story telling.
If you’re a fan of Janice Wu, you won’t be disappointed. She really shines. Although her character should have clothing that is plain and simple, her styling is perfect, every episode another outfit. Also ZTao doesn’t look bad when he leaves the swimming pool, and together they have a lot of cute, sweet moments. The supporting cast delivers a good job as well, especially the ideal-son-in-law Niu Jun Feng who plays a darker sort of character for a change.
The Bad
It is almost symptomatic in Chinese series, but there it is…this drama fails to deliver a sound closure. Really, how difficult can it be to portray a struggling artist who becomes a succes in the end, in his own right, without the help of his rich father, or agency? I won’t give any spoilers, you’ll have to see this for yourself.
Another minor thing, the styling of the actors is great, but it pains me to see what they did to ZTao. His lipstick is thicker, pinker than anyone. Combined with his dramatic hair-do and eyeliner he looks more like a drag queen to me. The only time I could believe Zhen Zhen would fall in love with him, was at the pool and on the beach where he was filmed without the heavy makeup.
Thanks to Janice the chemistry with ZTao was on point, but it took a long time before they kissed, and when they did, it was an anti climax for me. Aigoo, I was waiting for a lingering kiss full of intense emotion, not a touch of the lips left in "pause" mode.
Verdict
Still I recommend this c-drama to all romcom/music/boss-secretary lovers. Leave your brain on the shelf and enjoy this classic story about the arrogant male and his female assistant who become of one mind completing each other.
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Low quality but fluffy
This story may seem like just another teen romance, Icicle knight in shining armour (School uniform) saves the bullied "damsel in distress". But it actually does have quite a bit more to offer and has s slightly different angle than the one we are used to seeing.Icicle ML seems to have spent 10 years completely lacking the ability to communicate when he now suddenly has to take it all at once and is therefore slightly obsessed, and oddly clingy... Hover he is very kind and we as viewers to ge too understand the reasoning behind it.
Weak ML is so weak it is almost made me wonder how he survived so far, he is however kind, forgiving and oddly enough the one character in this drama that is probably the most hard working self aware person in this drama,
The way they interact with each eother shows very clearly how people are different depending on the context they are in, and these two seem to bring out the best in each other, at least if you support clinging...
Non of them are the type to make you swoon but they do seem human , and seem to deal with their imperfections pretty well. Though I must add that the acting was far from perfect... it was still enjoyable and did not distract from the story.
The friendships in this drama are sweet and so are the parental relationships. There Drama has some tension ant there are definitely parts to make you nervous about their future parts that may raise your pulse and keep this from being too bland.
Deffenetly a decent watch, easy to bine and has lots of feel good fluff... soft clothing, soft filming, soft petals... soft cake... yep fluff all around...
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This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful xianxia drama that may have its flaws but overall is still worth the watch
Before I get into this, I would like to say that negative reviews have had no effect on me and I think Zhou Dong Yu looks the part.This story follows Shang Gu as she lives up to her role as the leader of the four immortals and takes responsibility for the realms.
The story starts out somewhat stereotypical: Shang Gu needs to get stronger so she trains under Bai Jue. However, the character development was nicely done in this: Shang Gu grows from a mischievous, useless goddess to a powerful, self-sacrificing leader. Bai Jue also begins to open up, and the chemistry between the two is adorable. Shang Gu is like a puppy dog of happiness whenever she's around Bai Jue! The plot also begins to pick up around 4 episodes too, and the story becomes very interesting.
The second life is also neat, but one of my only criticisms of the show comes here: Shang Gu(or Houchi in this life) becomes a bit wooden. Zhou Dong Yu still acts out Houchi like she was the strong female ruler she was, but after 30 episodes it starts to get a little stale and unbelievable. In Xianxia dramas (or any drama, really) I wish to see a lot of character development and growth. Shang Gu experienced emotional and physical growth, but I'm not sensing a lot of emotional growth from Houchi where it feels like there should be some. She still faces problems and reacts to things in exactly the same way for 20 episodes straight. I find it hard to believe that her personality will change drastically when she becomes Shang Gu again too. Despite this, I still enjoyed the second arc.
The third phase (starting from the return of Bai Jue) was both the best and the worst phase. It was the worst because in some places, there were some cheesy and unbelievable scenes, such as (no major spoilers) when everyone stood in a circle around Bai Jue and Jing Zhao and watched everything unfold without reacting. There were some pretty shocking things happening, so the vast majority just standing there like statues kind of took the emotional impact out of that moment for me. Another thing is Shang Gu interacting with Bai Jue during the period when they weren't on the best terms. They basically said the same things for three encounters. Xu Kai's acting saved the day because he has the best despairing gaze, but I feel like they needed to switch up their interactions a bit.
Now for the best parts (and these override the bad parts by miles ). I said above that I may not like Zhou Dong Yu's acting in the third arc, but I was pleasantly surprised. Her acting, like in the first arc, feels lively, spirited, and quick-witted. The second great thing is actually the villain's development. I want to give props to Jenny Zhang for portraying Wu Huan's character with such depth. Her desperation and resignation of fate led her to her actions, and I can even relate with her a bit. Her story was well written and her ending was justified. And that leads me to the third thing. Ancient Love Poetry has one of the best endings that I've seen. All the characters were written off nicely, everyone got what they deserved, and the ending was beautiful. Nothing felt rushed or unsatisfactory. The ending sealed the deal for this drama being a great drama overall.
About the main characters: I sometimes felt Zhou Dong Yu could've acted some parts with more emotion. She's awesome at the cheerful/intellectual/imposing scenes, but her sad scenes aren't totally there yet. Xu Kai is great; he goes from an emotionless True God to a hot-blooded immortal, and he's great at subtly showing his emotions in his third form. Like Zhou Dong Yu, his acting is also a bit wooden at times, but his emotional scenes hit me where it hurts. He's got some great acting abilities. Despite their individual acting, their chemistry was adorable. I also liked the fact that their relationship was not a stereotypical guy-is-the-best-at-everything relationship.
The side characters are a joy to watch in this show. I love them all, from the friends to the villains. They are multifaceted and compelling, and I'm as invested in their stories as I am in the main couples'. Wu Huan is a dislikeable but understandable villain, Yue Mi and Feng Ran are friends with interesting backstories, the other immortals are all people with flaws struggling to do their best, and the Demon Tribe is just another group with its own troubles and stories. Tian Qi is actually one of my favorite characters. They are part of what makes this show charming.
For the animation: the trailer was beyond beautiful, but making every little part look amazing is going to cost a lot of money, and this drama is already CGI heavy. However, this show is the best-edited among long-length xianxia dramas up to and during its air. It really is dazzling and gorgeous.
Overall, Ancient Love Poetry is definitely a drama worth watching, and despite my criticisms, the number of great scenes vastly outnumber them. Also, once you get deep into the story, you want to know what happens next!
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M A S T E R P I E C E
I find myself having a different taste than most users here on MDL so I would totally not recommend it if you can't handle slow type of movie especially this one which is 2 1/2 hours long. This movie also contains sex scenes so definitely not for everyone. People with attention span of a goldfish would hate this movie.Jongsu is an aspiring writer; he also works as a part time delivery man. One day while doing his delivery task he bumps into hae min, who is apparently his childhood friend. hae min said she is going to africa and ask jongsu to look after her cat. Hae min comes back along with mysterious guy named ben. One day ben and hae min visits jongsu, later on ben confessed to jongsu his secret hobby.
It is the definition of slow burn no pun intended, utilizing the time to explore the life of the lead character, his affection to Hae min, conflicts with his family and his view to korean society. The film is a character study and Jongsu is just our extension in the movie. The movie is very philosophical in which the central theme revolves around "little and great hunger"(what we want / what we need), it is also very metaphorical, simmering with ambiguity, it's the best example of less talk see it in action and it also loaded with symbolism throughout. Though being the film a slow burn and with its 2 1/2 hours running time, it is by no means a dull or boring movie. It is a hypnotic experience and throughout the movie you will use your brain a lot as mysteries after mysteries unfolds.
Cinematography is topnotch. It's beautifully shot, able to capture the eerie atmosphere on screen. I also love the shots at dawn, it's enigmatic yet mesmerizing. Music just makes this thriller movie 100x better. It is haunting, builds tension, underlines the mood and evokes characters emotion.
Acting is masterful, might be the best I've seen in years. Let's talk about the lead girl first. Jeon Jong Seo as a free spirited gypsy is just brilliant, the way she pantomime eating orange is very believable, the philosophical element of the movie plays here, that's why that scene is important in the movie. She also not just good looking but also has great screen presence. Yoo Ah In who played Jongsu is equally brilliant. The development of his character is handled really well especially during the later part when his character became obsessed. Steven Yeun is not just a guy from walking dead, the dude can really act. I love the way he made the character more mysterious through his facial expressions.
Perfectly crafted movie, you would feel the labor of love put by a director making movies like this. It's that type of movie that you would get something new every time you watch it. Definitely the best movie I've seen this year and the best korean film I've seen in a decade. This is a masterpiece.
If you enjoy the though provoking element and the whole ambiance in this movie I'm sure you would love to read some Haruki Murakami novels.
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
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This review may contain spoilers
A little too much chemistry and a little too much of my obsession towards this!!
Set against the backdrop of racecars, winding racetracks, and high-stakes competitions, this series gripped me from the first rev of the engine. I personally liked this premises and the way it's presented, even the whole Alpha X Alpha set up. The drama cranked up quite a bit in the later half of the series plus the stakes were really high and I won't say everything was executed perfectly but regardless I enjoyed watching this. I ain't an avid Omegaverse reader and I don't even know if this can be called Omegaverse but trust me even if you don't know a thing about Omegaverse you can just dive in, it's still interesting because even I just know a thing or two about it.Starting with Babe, I absolutely love him. Pavel nailed his role as Babe. Whether he's delivering a cutting remark or revealing a softer side, Pavel keeps you invested in Babe's journey. Babe is savage but the good kind of savage- if you know what I mean. He seems cold and rude but that's not all there is to him. There's a depth to his character and he is really charismatic. He is impulsive and he's been manipulated his whole life which describes why he can't trust other easily and he is one hell of a jealous type.
Then, we have Charlie, his cuteness blinds me. He is so freaking cute and it makes me want to protect him but then again it seemed like he had a hidden motive and I was scared. I was torn between wanting to trust Charlie and the nagging fear of a potential betrayal. Pooh did a really great job in portraying Charlie. And every time he was treated wrong I felt so freaking bad. I really really love him.
And then there's the chemistry between Charlie and Babe, which is nothing short of electric. They are all over each other. Their chemistry is seriously insane and what makes it more intriguing is their contrast personalities. I absolutely love them. Their papa mama talks were so cliche but damn they are absolutely adorable.
Then we have Alan, the garage and Hunter X owner, I like him so much especially his scenes with Jeff. Jeff is a cold on the outside but soft in the inside kind of genius kid and I absolutely adore his bond with Charlie. Also him and Alan are seriously adorable. Their interactions, subtle moves and glances towards each other, damn I love how their story was portrayed. I loved Charlie and Babe but I was dying to see Alan Jeff's scenes. They had really captured my mind as well as heart. From their very first scene, I found myself rooting for them and I was the happiest seeing their scenes.
Moving on to Way, he is Babe's best friend but he is in love with Babe and Babe doesn't know. All he is ever thinking is about Babe Babe and Babe. He might come off as nosy and sometimes annoying too but no doubt he is a good friend and I just wanted him to move on. I was genuinely rooting for Way and Pete and- urghh I don't want to spoil this. Watch it yourself to know. Also, North and Sonic, they are those likeable support leads who no one can hate and they are best friends but their equation didn't seem like that of just friends. I enjoyed their bond and them too.
A little bumpy ride but I would definitely recommend this!!!
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Great but never dares to go all the way
Okay so it leans into emotional realism more than flashy romance, centering on the quiet exhaustion that comes from work, expectations, and unresolved feelings.The series does a solid job portraying burnout not as a dramatic breakdown, but as a slow, heavy fatigue that affects relationships and self-worth, which makes the characters feel painfully relatable. While the pacing can feel slow at times, it fits the story’s reflective tone and allows the emotional moments to breathe. The chemistry is subtle rather than explosive, relying more on shared silences and small gestures than grand romantic scenes.
One thing that I don't get it like it wants to be brave. The show hints at bold ideas about modern labor, automation, and emotional detachment through tech, but it never really digs deep into the ethical or social weight of AI... it mostly stays symbolic rather than critical.. The show plays it safe by softening the consequences and resolving conflicts too neatly, which undercuts the rawness it’s aiming for. So while it looks courageous on the surface for tackling burnout and vulnerability, it doesn’t quite push far enough to be truly uncomfortable or transformative. It ends up feeling cautious rather than bold—well-intentioned, sincere, but ultimately not as daring as it pretends to be.
Anyway it is a thoughtful, mature show that may not be for viewers looking for high drama, but it resonates deeply if you appreciate introspective storytelling and emotionally grounded narratives.
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Li Chengyin is the character I’ve always wanted to see. He is a complex character living in a treacherous world. He has to use his cunning every single moment of every single day just to stay alive. Every mistake that made him appear soft brought danger to his doorstep, so can you blame him for the person he’s become? He’s so clever in the face of his enemies, but that becomes his downfall in the face of love. You love him and then you hate him and then you love him all over again.
Qu Xiaofeng is such a charming girl. She defies norms in costume/historical dramas wherein she IS the politically-favored wife, she doesn’t have to fight her way to the top of the harem, she has almost no trouble getting along with anyone in the palace, yet she’s put in this lonely predicament because of the narrative Li Chengyin fabricates in his best attempt to protect her. He tries so hard to protect her from everyone that he forgets to protect her from himself. The thing is— she doesn’t need to be sheltered; she’s brave, upstanding and receptive. His attempts to preserve her innocent spirit pushes them further away from each other.
While Chengyin lives in a world of darkness dealing with the demons surrounding them, Xiaofeng is the brightest light, his polar opposite. And that’s why they seem to never agree on anything. In another lifetime, their love could have been a romantic comedy; if he were just a regular tea merchant, they would have lived every single day together, trifling and loving. Their chemistry is undeniable. On top of that, the performance by Chen Xingxu and Peng Xiaoran breathes life into the characters from the novel. They convincingly portrayed every sweet moment and every heartbreak. I still feel strong sorrow for these characters as if they’re actual people I know.
The costumes and cinematography in the drama are so lovely, the characters are charming, the dubbing is really well done, the OST is unforgettable, and above all, the story is beautiful. This drama exceeded all of my expectations. If you’re interested in a tale that dares to straddle the line between love and hate and still manages to make it work, I implore you to give this drama a chance.
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A highbrow production with broad appeal.
The Longest Day in Chang'an is an immersive, visually stunning, culturally authentic and thrilling journey back over 1000 years in time to Lantern Festival in Chang'an at the peak of the Tang Dynasty. This is a highbrow and very demanding drama that is immensely enjoyable even if taken simply at face value. The viewer gets to decide how much they wish to invest in it. The production basks in rich historical and cultural detail that marvels over the intellectual, political, legal, administrative, military, cultural and scientific sophistication of Chang'an and the Tang Dynasty more broadly. The faithfulness to historical accuracy and strong edu-drama aspect to this show has history buffs raving with ecstasy. As a layman, the finer nuances would be lost on me were it not for the many knowledgeable insights on this and other sites. That doesn't appeal to everyone and some have remarked on the frequent historical and cultural digressions that interrupt the story-line. My simple take is that "smart fillers" are better than the nonsensical fillers that other dramas spam us with.The absolutely stunning cinematography is the first and most consistent impression throughout - every frame is beautifully angled to create a visual, vibrant feast for the eyes. Even flames from explosions burst in an artistic pattern of controlled natural assymetry. The production is not shy about indulging in artistic license and is littered with lithe and gorgeously willowy Tang ladies with only one small section acknowledging more ingrained images of the classical, prosperously rotund Tang lady. A number of Chinese manhua worthy characters are almost casually dropped in among the otherwise characteristically Tang dynasty cast including Djimon Hounson's Gao Le, the menacing African slave-trader and lord of Changán's underworld; a deadly female assassin who is fanatically devoted to her radical master; and a wildly improbable Western Persian Prince priest with impressive kung fu and building leaping skills. At the end of the day, this is very much a work of fiction and suspension of disbelief will be required as the lead characters achieve superhuman physical feats and survive certain death. All of which make for gripping, visually compelling and heart stopping action scenes.
The drama is not an easy, light watch. The first season (24 episodes) opens with the intense urgency of a fast moving, action packed thriller as the two leads Zhang Xiaojing (Lei Jia Yun) and Li Bi's (Jackson Yi) race against time to foil a terrorist plot during the Lantern Festival. The constraint of the 24 hour timeline forces the narrative to alternate between the high speed chase, political machinations around a power struggle and flashbacks that set up the backstory; all threads which converge in the unraveling of the conspiracy. The many plot twists interact with an extensive cast of complex characters from various factions with unclear and/or malleable loyalties in the power struggle between Li Bi's patron the Crown Prince and his powerful rival the Right Chancellor. In short, there is already a lot to take in so the occasional non sequitur cultural or historical digression can come off as one thing too many.
It took me a long time to care for any of the main characters in this show. Even relatively "good" characters are flawed, primarily driven by self interests and had questionable loyalties and morals. It wasn't obvious that Li Bi' s cause, the Crown Prince was more worthy than the Right Chancellor. Zhao Xiaojing's dealings with Gao Le alienated me; especially when it appeared his real motive was to protect the reckless and misguided Wen Ran. That episode and short lived character stayed with me for a long time because it is the first of many times that bad things happen to good people. And that is how good people can end up doing bad things. Thus there are no outright good or bad characters in this show, they are all products of events beyond their control. Time and again the drama explores how circumstances can push any character to act against his innate nature and self interest. It is a very realistic portrayal of the complexity of human nature's capacity for both good and evil and was acted out compellingly by a truly superb cast. I started to understand the true spirit of the drama when the plight of the common man of the Peacekeeper Corps moved the phlegmatic Li Bi to tears and made him their reckless champion. The real "heroes" in this drama are the common people; that is why it intentionally neglects the main characters and does not attempt to make you root for them and does not care if they have a happy ending. It celebrates the hardships and unrecognized capabilities of the nameless, faceless, powerless, voiceless man - from the forgotten soldier that gives his life for king and country to the ordinary citizens of Chang'an. It wants you to see them, hear them and care about them.
Season 2 (episodes 25-48) was much more enjoyable for me as the intensity of the chase abates and the narrative focus really zeroes in on the power struggle and the unvieling of the conspiracy and ulitmate mastermind. Finally the lead characters are also allowed to shine and shine they did. Zhao Yi Wei's Long Bo was the most provocative and masterfully portrayed character in the drama. As his path converges with that of Zhao Xiaojing, we see the many parallels between the one who seeks vengence and the one who fights to keep dreams alive.
I was surprised by how much I fun I had unraveling the conspiracy. It was very well done and largely kept to the unspoken bargain of hiding enough clues in plain sight that I was able to figure much of it out on my own. The motives of the ultimate mastermind were not convincing. While I had my eye on him as a suspicous character early on, I assumed he was just a link in the chain but not "the guy". It was a stretch that was probably one plot twist too many. One of the other suspects may have been a more credible choice.
Of course it is a foregone conclusion that the emperor was the ultimate villian. While the power dynamics between a manipulative and insecure emperor and his most trusted advisor and his heir has been done before, it was still extremely very well done here. I was completely satisfied when the son takes a leaf out of his father's book in the ultimate act of emotional manipulation. Checkmate. This was the most satisfaction I got from the ending. The bigger question of whether good things happen to good people is left open.
This is definitely the most epic, most idealistic, substantive and thought provoking drama of 2019. Its biggest flaw is that it is overly ambitious and tries to take on too many themes. That it came together so well is a feat in and of itself but as a result, it was not always easy to watch and certainly not something I wanted to dive right into after a hard day at the office. That said, I truly believe it is a must watch and may even be more enjoyable if taken more simplistically just for its stunning aesthetics, intrigue and action.
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Anyone who knows me, knows that I am particularly hard rater. (I have only ever given one perfect 10 out of over 150 dramas watched). However, this ALMOST made my second, as this drama was utter perfection until almost the very end. Dark, mature, suspenseful. This drama had me on the edge of my seat each episode and desperately awaiting each week’s new chapters. Besides the ending, I LOVED everything about the show: the acting, cinematography, soundtrack, writing, and wardrobe. Everything contributed to an amazing story that was unlike anything I’ve ever seen!!
In this drama, Kim Nam Joo blew me away!! She was unbelievable. However, I must say, EVERY SINGLE person in the cast did a fantastic job. This drama had characters that were so layered and complex, that could tell a story based solely on their eyes and facial expressions. There are so many aspects that I loved about this drama and its characters, as flawed as many of them were. One of the best things about this show, was that it was riveting from episode 1 to episode 16, no filler episodes, and filled with intelligent writing with twists and intrigue throughout. Its only downfall was the finale where it floundered what could have been an epic ending. It is not that it is unhappy or happy and I disliked their choice. Instead it was lacking, weak, and inconclusive.
Originally, I did not start this drama until episode 6 or 7 had already been aired, as I had doubts about whether this drama was for me. I love romantic comedies and have never heard of the leads. However, I am so glad that I tried it because it has now in my top 3 dramas of all time. DO NOT LET THE GENRE OR CAST SCARE YOU OFF--or the ending!!! This drama is definitely worth watching. Highly recommend. :)
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1Brilliant Scheming Drama Full of Smart Characters, Equally Matched in Term of Wits & Mind Games.
I always want Ren Jialun in heavy scheme political drama and I finally got my wish with Love of Nirvana. I love how clever and matched everyone is in this games of wit and how everyone literally aware of everyone's scheming and mind games. The steps are either 2 or 3 ahead and you only see it when it happens. Some of the chess moves are really unexpected, surprising and also served as plot twists. I usually can only guess the first step as the 2nd step usually comes later when you see the water repels on the course of the actions.THE PREMISE
At first, you need to understand the premise of this drama on how the ML and FL first met each other. The ML is from Yueluo, a slave nation while the FL is from Liang, the nation that enslaved his people -- so obviously, he only has contempt and hatred towards the Liang people. The point when you watch this drama is see the leads as enemies at war instead of love interest since that is what they truly are -- all they wanted to do is to kill each other, genuinely. The romance only come much later when they finally see each other for who they truly are -- which is the same kind of people of the opposite sites. They did not romanticize it at all which I appreciate. It supposed to be seen as torture and nothing else -- she is a Liang woman assisting a Liang official and mess up his missions again & again -- its as simple as that. If you can get over this part, then you gonna enjoy the ride since this drama is full of twist and surprises.
THE COMPLEX CHARACTERS
All the three leads are characters who is not only complex, but also full of layers with very clear motives. You are not supposed to judge them at first glance since they are all wearing masks intended to misled your first impressions. The 'mask' that Wei Zhou is wearing is a symbol not only used literally to hide his identity but as well as figuratively for the audiences not to judge him and perceived him on the surface -- the cruel assassin mask he put on during his missions, then another façade he is putting when he is in his official robes in front of everyone and his real face -- the look of sadness and helplessness like how everything inside of him is crumbing down when he put the names of his fallen people inside the box after failed missions. The same can be seen with Jiang Ci, our female lead -- on the front she is just this bubbly girl who smile a lot but she is actually one of the cleverest characters on the show. She knew she being used but regardless of that, she wont let anyone used her as can be seen in this drama -- Wei Zhou can used her as a pawn and looks where it got him. Same with Pei Yan trying to control her freedom -- and look how she ended up doing thing exactly where her heart tells her to. Same with Pei Yan -- do not be fooled with his nice and gentle demeanor as he is as manipulative and cunning. Under his good guy persona, he fools everyone to get what he wants. But at the same time, his concern towards Jiang Ci is genuine which add to the weird complexity of his character. Between his loyalty to his country and his filial piety towards his mother who raised him, its all adds up to make him the man that he is.
THE SMART & BRILLIANT SCRIPT FULL OF SYMBOLISMS, METAPHORS, ANALOGIES, HIDDEN MEANINGS, FORESHADOWINGS & THE USAGE OF UNIQUE & CREATIVE STORYTELLING
The scheming and mind games in Love of Nirvana is so well written as it involves really high level chess game moves from both sides. They are all shades of grey which makes everything even more interesting since they basically have no limit. How brilliant is the scheming? It even involves planting a wrong thoughts on innocent person to give misleading impressions towards the enemies. And the drama does a lot of ''show'' instead of ''tell'' so you have to be aware of every clues, smirk, moves and objects as they are used to show the characters motives and actions as well as their thoughts.
The symbolisms used in this drama is really a lot. I love how they show Wei Zhou kept a white bird in a beautiful big cage as the bird represent himself -- the hidden identity of lavish lifestyle with richness and adoration but actually trapped and wanting to get the freedom and justice he longed for his people who being sold as slaves and prostitutes and they humiliation they faced under the Liang's tyranny. Also, the symbolism of Pei Yan repelling the water in a calm pond of fish is the literal things he did to his corrupt family members which turning their peaceful world upside down like he has the hands of God. Aside from that, the use of object to show intention of the character is done marvelously. In one of the scenes, they show Wei Zhou rejected Madam Ronggue's offer of collaboration with tea; 'The tea is quite nice, but it's not to my liking' then the camera proceed with the focus of Madam Ronggue pouring the tea anyway inside his empty cup after he leaves and said 'It's not up to him to decide.' -- thus we knew what is her next chess moves after that.
Also, I love the metaphor of the black orchid seed which being used and described by Jiang Ci -- again, figuratively and literally. The black orchid seed can't be washed no matter how you try to get rid of it which she used on Wei Zhou to track where he goes as evidence. Just like the seed of doubt she planted on Pei Yan or the Emperor (no matter how much Wei Zhou try to wash it later) and these doubts will kept on growing and will crack with times if they managed to read her letter.
Aside from that, the foreshadowing -- there are so much of it all over the drama. From the song lyrics (which has hints of the ending) to all the leads' conversations with each other like the conversation that Jiang Ci had with Pei Yan about the big responsibility or big picture and how admirable Pei Yan is for holding out to that one. No, it wasn't to show where love blooms between them but it is to give us the insight of what's inside her head -- the understanding and admiration she has towards people who fight for what is right which is what Wei Zhou is doing for his people. It wasn't the red flag where he torture her that made she fall for him, but she finally see him beyond the façade he put or the masks he wears -- he might fool other people like the sword dance he did in front of everyone but she truly see him as what he is beyond the act he put in front of her. I thought the directing is great for the particular scene and the point of turn where Jiang Ci finally see Wei Zhou in different light.
The drama also trust you as an audiences to remember the details and make the connections and compare on the actions and behaviors of the characters. For an example, the contrast of actions of the characters of the 2 male leads -- it is done so subtlety to show to the audiences the swift change in state of mind of Jiang Ci. For starter, we all know how free spirited is Jiang Ci -- while Pei Yan clipped her wings, Wei Zhou in the other hands lets her fly and spread her wings. Pei Yan will limit what Jiang Ci wants to do while Wei Zhou will praise her and ask her to show more of her skills and abilities. Also, when Jiang Ci wants to join any investigation, Pei Yan will stop and forbid her while Wei Zhou will open the door for her. And while doing good deeds to the poor people, Wei Zhou did it at the back without anyone knowing while Pei Yan doing it openly and get adored by everyone. Apart from that, when Jiang Ci gave them the food of the poor, Wei Zhou accept and eat it while Pei Yan left it untouched. This all have the same situation but produce different kind of results between these 2 characters. As to why this 2 gives a very different reactions to the same situation? It comes back to their childhood. While both of them are caged birds, Wei Zhou grew up in a loving family during his fundamental childhood development years where he is taught compassion, love and also understanding -- he only caught later and become slave after that. While Pei Yan grew up in a completely toxic environment the whole of his life which build this very obsessive traits inside of him. While Wei Zhou only become ruthless and unhinged when he's in a mask, he is become kinder to everyone once they are in his intimate circle just like what Jiang Ci has becomes. Thats why Jiang Ci is no longer afraid of him since she seen him without the 'mask'. While Pei Yan in the other hand become completely different when someone become closer to him -- he ended up becoming controlling and taking away their agency just like the 'love' he knew from his mother. Thus, this completely different results of the same situation from the two of them.
Also, the use of deceptive storytelling. The fun part of scheming drama is for you to guess the outcome and Love of Nirvana done this part really well. They will show misleading scenes but at the same time giving different clues so you can guess together with the main characters until the truth is revealed. A lot of plot twists are happened this way that totally caught you off guard but once you know it, it made complete sense and how those clues aligned like pieces of puzzles.
Aside from that, the use of poems to convey emotion are done brilliantly. The prime example of this is the Poem Banquet at the Eastern Palace. All of them are speaking in riddles with flowers as the topic but actually sending their personal message to Jiang Ci. And Jiang Ci, the clever girl that she is responding the opposite and burnt them with her replies. The whole scene is like a smart people conversation with each other -- poetic, seemed unharmed exchanged of literature piece to outsiders but laced with poisonous message to those people it directed to. Not to mention the conversations full of riddles. Like the conversation that Wei Zhou have with the Emperor. They are talking in metaphor but both understand each other clearly.
THE THEME OF REVENGE, FREEDOM, HOPE, PREJUDICE & FILIAL PIETY
From how restricting on 'freedom' did to people and the baggage they have to carry and live with -- which can be seen with Jiang Ci's characteristics (a free bird) and both of the MLs' characteristics (caged beautiful birds) and how they turn out to be. Also, the message of 'Hope' is all over the drama -- how the Liangjiu flowers has stopped blooming for 20 years due to the mass grave but has bloomed again. And also the theme of prejudice -- how Wei Zhou is also shedding his prejudice slowly towards the Liang people and also helped them fighting against their corrupt officials.
This drama also deals with really heavy themes, decisions and choices. And the complexity of it makes it a very good watch as they are not sugar-coating it. We see Pei Yan's dilemma when he wants to stop the case only at corruption only at Nanling. Did he made the right decision to cast aside the SA victims? Of course not. But if the case go beyond corruption only, his clan, hundred of people will be annihilated since rebellion is a huge crime. Do you hate him? Of course! But do you understand his reasons? Yes as well. This also can be seen when Wei Zhou has to make the hard decision of opening the city gate or let all the hostages die. Not to mention in the last arc where he need to chose his own wish or the safety of his people. All these difficult decision making are done carefully without taking lightly of subject matters.
But despite this, there so many silver linings in the drama -- like the Lingjiu flowers that blooms again at Yueluo. Or the friendship that Jiang Ci form with all the Yueluo people -- at first they hate her but then they ended up really adore and love her. The hope of message is everywhere. Wei Zhou once told Jiang Ci that she cant change people -- him or anyone else. But we see how untrue is that. The irony of that statement and how its killing him later to make that difficult decision to deceive her. The drama deals with lots of heavy stuffs. It certainly not for everyone but it made sense, you understand the characters and why they are making those choices.
THE ROMANCE
While the romance is really slow burn, the progress of the 2 main leads' relationship was done delicately. Ren Jialun has amazing amazing chemistry with Li Landi. Lots of their scenes together involves staring into each other but instead of it being awkward, all those scenes glows beautifully. I love how she touched him with his childhood swing and tease him with it or how he drew on her face to cheer her up or just their interactions with each other -- it was really wholesome and sweet.
And I love the scene where Wei Zhou is having a nightmare and Jiang Ci pet his hands to calm him down. He was so restrained even when he's in his private time -- he just grip his blanket tightly and still suppressing whatever things that haunt him in his sleep. Then you realized that Wei Zhou as a character is actually very restrained even in his crazy and unhinged phase -- he could make a new wound on Jiang Ci everytime he faces her but instead, he just poking her wound instead to remind her. I love the consistencies in the writing and you can see how its all adds up to the layers of his character.
Also, the depiction on how Wei Zhou slowly wear himself down around Jiang Ci is a joy to see. In the straining of his shoulder scene where she is putting medicine on him, the stare that he gave her is the confident stare -- like he had her on the palm of his hands. But later, all those confident stares are gone -- when she falls down on him or when he saw her washing his face and neck or when he found her hugging him in his sleep, it was 'Oh noes, I'm in deep trouble!' face since now it is him who is at her disposal.
On top of that, I love how even when they are at their angsty part of the relationship but the show still managed to make it healing as well. There is thorn, but there is hope as well. Just like when Wei Zhou was given the poisonous flowers by Jiang Ci, but he gave her back small red flowers that she placed on his hair at Yueluo to show that all flowers will bloom again just like their love. I love how this small red flowers are used as their language of love towards each other as he used the same red flowers later to tell her that he will protect her. I really love all this hidden message that we can get from the subtle storytelling.
Aside from that, I love how many of their scenes together conveyed so many things despite many thing are left unspoken. For an example the scene where Wei Zhou fainted after the war and woke up on the bed and Jiang Ci is feeding him the orange. The way the Director focus on his trembling hands and the way Jiang Ci cries silently beside him -- it is to show that she knew he was poisoned but she didn't say anything since she knew he doesn't want her to know. And him looking guilty but also chose to stay silent since if they actually say it out loud -- it will be too unfair, thus not saying anything at all is the kinder way for them to cope with the tragedy. I'm so marveled at how the writer, director and both Ren Jialun and Li Landi conveyed that scene -- it made the scene more heartbreaking and devastating somehow.
CONCLUSION
The drama is so well written with lots of heavy themes and they were handled brilliantly. I love how it did not shy away to show how all these characters are making really hard decisions and they are not sugar coating or give them the easy way out. And all the scheming and mind games are top level but most of all, the amazing script! The conversations full of riddles, the use of symbolisms, metaphors, analogies, foreshadowing and deceptive storytelling made it such a fun ride.
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This review may contain spoilers
Please forgive me if this review's going to be a little unconventional, I'm in no mood for serious considerations on a drama that doesn't take itself too seriously. The followings are random conversations between me and my watching partner, aka my husband (H). Try to imagine us as the two old men at the end of The Muppet Show.H: Why the heck is he (Seung Gi) pining for that almost sister of his when he can have the prettier and much nicer one (Suzy)?
Me: He thinks she's a boy.
H: Rrrrrright. And the winner of Genius of the Year is…
[Kang Chi finds out Yeo Wol's a girl in a slightly unorthodox way]
H: Ok, I take back everything I've said before: the guy IS a genius!!!!
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
[scene: Kang Chi and Yeo Wol are staring into each other's eyes]
H: Whoa, he's finally going to kiss the girl
Me: Hmm, I wouldn't be that optimistic.
H: Trust me, he has that glint in his eyes. He's going to kiss her, I tell you!
Music: "Saranghaee, saranghaeeeeeeeeee, SARANGHAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…"
[more staring followed by sudden wrist grabbing]
H: Finally…
[off they go eating]
*collective and colourful grunts from the audience*
Me: He clearly hasn't taken after his father
H: Yeah, daddy knew his business. Save the girl, hide the girl, kiss the girl, ta-da… a BABY!
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
[the monk urges Kang Chi to flee for the nth time]
Me: Is that monk ever going to give a valuable advice? Nobody listens to him anyway.
H: Ikr? That monk is as useful as a concrete parachute (he used a different simile, but it can't be repeated here)
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
H: His eyes turned green! What do you think, is he going to morph into Perry Parky now?
Me: Sure, Perry Park would bomb them all, but if you want him to kiss the girl, Shin Se Gi's definitely the one to morph into.
H: Shin Se Gi had red eyes and eyeliner.
Me: True. Like daddy gumiho, now that I think of it.
H: Daddy again. Are we sure Kang Chi's not the monk's child?
(references to Kill Me, Heal Me are sort of involuntary. I hereby decline every responsibility)
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Me: What do you think is that Gu Book about?
H: A kissing manual?
Me: A recipe for Kimchi, more likely.
"Saranghaee, saranghaeeeeeeeeee, SARANGHAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…"
°°°°°°°°°°°°
[Kang Chi, his face half covered with a scarf, is surrounded by his comrades, all demanding to know who he is]
Me: Are we the only ones who would recognize him from a 10-km distance? I mean, the clothes, the hairdo, the bracelet…
H: I know. Perhaps they think it's the head Gisaeng incognito. After all, they share 1 neuron among the 20 of them.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Me: LOL, now that thug thinks his dongsaeng Kang Chi's gay. A gay gumiho is an interesting take of the trope
H: So he too thinks Yeo Wol is a boy? This drama should be called "The Goofy Family Book"
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
H: Ha, now he's really going to kiss the girl!
Me: You may be right this time. The moment is perfect and the song is clearly suggesting romance.
[7 and a half minutes later, the scene is still frozen like it was 7 and a half minutes before]
Me [making coffee]: Are their heads a little closer now?
H: Hmmm, I'm not sure. 2 cm closer, maybe?
Me: All right, I'm making sandwiches. And please mute that misleading Saranghae song before I explode.
°°°°°°°°°°°
To give this review some semblance of usefulness, let me conclude by saying this is a highly entertaining drama, with a good, rounded-up plot, lots of fun – although laughter is often involuntarily induced - a Seung Gi who never fails to put me in a good mood by simply existing, a lovable Suzy, a despicable villain with a certain, almost compelling elegance, good romance and a fairy-tale feel that won't let you down. Recommended to everyone looking for a light watch with glints of unexpected depth and an awesome finale . If you have a watching partner to frolic with, so much the better.
P.S. Allow me a tiny spoiler: the kiss does come, after all, much to the joy of the two Muppet Old Men.
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I Love My President Though He's A Psycho
125 people found this review helpful
I briefly considered giving this a 10 (like another review for this drama) simply because I just could not believe that the writer would, with their hand over their heart, believe this steaming pile of dog shit masquerading as a script could actually be halfway-decent enough to be shown to the world. But that would mean the rating for this drama would increase, which would be false advertising. So hence, here is my very honest and slightly disgruntled review (after all, I wasted a good day watching all 10 episodes. A day I will never get back.)
This show is low budget, but that's okay. Low budget shows can also be great (read: Go Princess Go) or at the very least, watchable (read: Master Devil Do Not Kiss Me). Here, on the other hand, it was like the producers didn't even have enough to hire actors. Hell, my aunt who stays at home and reads to her 12 cats can probably act better. For example, when the male lead was talking about his 'Paranoid Personality Disorder' (does this even exist?), he put on this facial expression that really, really wanted to be tortured, but sort of fell in the ballpark of constipated. I think that if the producers spent less on all the fancy sets and locations, they could've afforded some decent actors, but hey, who cares about actors anyway.
I still can't believe this story is what it is. It gives me hope that if crap like THIS can get produced, then anything I end up writing will have the producers queuing in front of my house.
It starts off with our bug-eyed, small faced heroine (whose face kinda creeped me out with its very apparent plasticky-ness) being kidnapped and tied to a chair with a cheap-looking alien brain-sucking device on her head- or so you'd think (muwahaha the budget strikes again!) Its actually a lie detector. We see a bunch of science-y looking scientists (because lab coats, duh) ask her where she hid the baby. Female lead gets confused and vehemently denies ever being pregnant. Lie detector says she's lying, and the scientists keep asking her where she hid the baby. The heroine faints. Fast forward a bit, and we see our hero, looking all serious and hero-like while having a face that is 3 shades lighter than his neck (good make up artists cost money). Now, even HE asks her about the baby- his baby, apparently- and absolutely refuses to accept that they never had sex in the first place, because according to him, they both were drunk at a party she was waitressing at when they had it. While a normal person would accept that an ordinary woman would know if she ever pushed out a baby, this guy was somehow convinced that our female lead birthed a human without her knowledge.
Once this idiocy got over, the male lead had no reason to keep her at his mansion, but ya' know, he still did because he is 'ohmagerd obsezzed!!!' The female lead eventually stayed because Stockholm Syndrome.
Okay, I'll stop there. Not only because I was getting more and more annoyed as I typed, but the review was also suffering (if it hasn't already suffered enough.)
Tl;dr- The actors can't act, the writer can't write, the directors can't direct and the producers can't produce.
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Like a mucus bath.
Don't be fooled by this drama's engaging start - a hint of intrigue, the promise of adventure, a powerful secret weapon, political conspiracies aplenty and a heart stopping romance between a intrepid princess and a valiant guard. After about a dozen thrilling episodes this drama turns so icky that it feels like a mucus bath.Instead of the incomprehensible Rebirth For You, this drama's real title should be The Story of Miaorong. Because over 30 super long episodes (50+ minutes), practically all of the screen time is hijacked by the deranged machinations of the female and male love rejects' pathetic, slimy and absurd schemes. Every time you are about to jump ship out of frustration, they will throw some sugar at you with some sweet scenes between Bao Ning and Li Qian but make no mistake, the very boring actress that plays Miaorong gets MOST of the screentime. The final insult to the injury is this smart couple becomes stupid and their devotion and absolute faith in each other devolves into angsty and immature misunderstandings toward the end. The promising plot threads and interesting antagonists are left largely under exploited while the writers strive to bore us to death with every silly, malicious cat fight and scorned lover trope ever conceived of. This is a total waste of both Ju Jingyi and Zeng Shunxi's acting talent and is little more than a shameless exercise in letting second rate actors get too much exposure.
If you are die hard fans, watch about the first twelve episodes and the last one or two. All the rest can be skipped but my overall recommendation is to save some brain cells and not watch this at all. This is my shortest review ever to avoid wasting any more time on this abomination. Rating 3.5/10.0.
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