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A gangster looking man has a confrontation with a pretty college girl and her boyfriend, basically starts stalking her, sets up a situation where she's forced into his brothel as a sex slave and continues to watch her like a creeper.
This movie was good, don't get me wrong, but I'm left with lingering questions about Han Gi and Sun Hwa. It definitely leaves room for interpretation. It's a gritty movie portraying the dark world of sex slavery. Here's my main question after finishing the movie.....was it love or obsession? It's certainly nowhere near a conventional love and I wouldn't call this a love story by any means, but what were Han Gi's intentions? In his warped sense of thinking did he believe he loved Sun Hwa and wanted her to be near him, or was he just completely obsessed with her? How could he completely ruin her but at the same time be protective over her? I still haven't decided on the answer. And the same goes for Sun Hwa. Did she eventually develop some sort of genuine feelings for Han Gi or was it more like stockholm syndrome? I just don't know.
Overall I liked the movie. I would probably only rewatch this if someone else wanted me to watch it with them. It's not something you would just watch over and over. But for its subject matter, it was a really well made movie and the questions it leaves you with make it that much more intriguing I think. If you're not sure, just watch the trailer first. That sealed the deal for me.
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Very addicting suspense and powerful surprise
The cinematography is extremely brilliant in this one, the suspense and thrill is heavily packed right from the start, pacing is just perfect as it keeps getting more and more addicting while the truth uncovers one over another. The storyline is really well arranged even though it's quite a simple one, but the surprise factor is very strong towards the end, while glossing it with some comedy to keep it stylish. Although this is the first feature film that Kim Seonho acted as the main lead, his performance is so breathtaking, he's charismatic in action and his humor simply steals the show. Everyone else's characters were also thoughtfully designed, the fight is so intense for some very ironic reasons, while the characters strike out with the best they've got.Was this review helpful to you?
1This review may contain spoilers
Staying delulu is the solulu
That was an unforgettable journey for sure. Be it for interesting plot, great scenarios, entertaining main and endearing supporting characters, villains that are actually vile and will make your blood boil, beautiful set designs, fitting soundtrack… and the questionable ending - that one you will for sure never forget.The Spirealm is simply addicting. Bromance was romancing hard and let’s be real, many people started this show because of the censored BL aspect. The same way once the characters enter the first door they cannot escape, there was no turning back for me after the first episode - I was completely in love with the drama.
Ruan Lan Zhu has an extremely enticing charm about him - carefree and confident nature with glimpses of worry towards Ling Jiu Shi that grew stronger as the show progressed. You know there will be angst brewing from day one and you cannot wait for it. I loved how fake he was in the games, shamelessly switching his personality whenever needed. I loved how he slowly became friends with people around him, how he started to care about them and was willing to change his ways to help them. Well presented, not over the top character development. Xia Zhi Guang’s performance just made what was already a well written character shine even more. His expressive eyes stole my soul and turned my brain off. Him being the perfect man makes sense when you think about the fact he was… well, not real. I guess Jiu Shi’s perfect man is also my perfect man, we share the type in the delulu land.
While I liked Ling Jiu Shi a lot, I did find him far less interesting as an individual. I enjoyed his interaction with other characters a lot and he was obviously the force that changed everyone around him with his empathic and emotional side, but for some reason I felt like they accidentally made him too perfect - smart, brave, caring, with a new different perspective that is usually right, driven. The dude had no flaws. Even things that were supposed to technically be negative - at times too emotional and impulsive, were never truly bad. Sadly, Huang Jun Jie did not save the few lacking aspects with his acting. Some performances can elevate the character, here they chopped some of its charm. The emotional scenes were just not it - quite awkward.
Then we have a whole bunch of supporting characters I adored: Li Dong Yuan wholesome “playboy” with a golden heart, Tan Zao Zao bravest of them all, Xiao Ke surprised badass, Zhuang Ru Jiao loyal sunshine. Even though these characters show up just for a few episodes here and there, they did such a good job with presenting their unique personalities it was impossible for me not to get attached. I am surprised how much their deaths hit me.
What’s more to appreciate? The villains. The worst crime a drama can commit is making their villains bland - you gotta either hate to love them, or love to hate them. And I for sure loved to bitch about them while watching. The way I sometimes had to pause the episodes, because they annoyed me so much. The way I could not wait for their demise. And for all that I am grateful. They made the drama more dynamic and the stakes real. They weren’t useless and inferior to the main characters - the similar skill level actually made the watch that more entertaining.
Cannot believe Yan Ba Lang’s Clark Kenting with a beard/lack of beard actually worked and I did not recognize him - I will admit though, I completely lost my brain while watching. No idea what kind of weird subliminal interfering signals this drama was sending, but I was blind to everything and could predict nothing. I was clowning hard with how confused I was about the most basic and obvious things.
All these characters could shine thanks to the game settings and let me tell you, the stories presented in them were actually interesting! When I don’t mind bromance separating and having episodes of them not interacting at all - that’s when you know they were selling a good plot. My favorite door was probably the second door - The Apartment. It was just so weird and creepy - the image just made me feel uncomfortable and unnerved, but in the best way possible.
Honestly speaking though - all the doors were great. The unique stories presented with enough detail and world building you got immersed whenever you liked it or not. The presentation leaned towards dark fantasy rather than horror, but I don’t really mind. I feel like extremely explicit gore would actually be distracting.
And then we have to bromance ( that b is silent). I’m just going to ignore the fact Jiu Shi fell in love with an AI modeled to literally be his perfect man and this is a top level of delulu behavior I have ever seen. I still love these two. Truth to be told, Ruan Lan Zhu carried the romance for most of the show with his loving gaze and overprotective nature. For obvious reasons he could, should, and even had to focus on Ling Jiu Shi. While he might have been written to support Jiu Shi, it’s not the reason why he started, but the reason why he stayed that matters. And let me tell you - he stayed because he loved the boy. \
We also had one of the best love confessions in any (b)romance drama” "Don't worry. I'll protect you. I'll protect you forever. Until your life comes to an end, or my life comes to an end". So what he was saying was "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part" -low key wedding vows. Yes, the censorship made the production team be more “creative” with some scenes for example: ain’t no cheek stroking. Lan Zhu was just removing a car hair from Jiu Shi ‘s face - in the most tender and loving way ever, with eyes screaming worry and devotion.
The performances were mostly strong. Even the more questionable and wacky ones seemed to fit the given characters and scenarios (I am looking at you Zhang Ji Nan). Putting aside Xia Zhi Guang who obviously aced the role, my favorites were Liu Xiao Bei and Lu Meng Lin. I think they perfectly delivered the vulnerability of accepting their own death and it was heartbreaking to watch. As I already said, Huang Jun Jie did well for most of the show, but failed when it mattered. When the angst hit its tipping point and I kept being distracted by his delivery…
Now, let’s talk about the twist and the ending, because I don’t even know how I feel about it. I dislike it, but I cannot be mad about it.
Let’s start with the NPC twist. I almost had to take a break from the show when they revealed it. I did not predict it so I had smack in the face with that revelation hard. To my defense, I think I gave the drama too much credit to be a “decent” sci-fi, when it’s borderline fantasy, so the idea that an AI algorithm can interact with the real world, bleed etc. just never crossed my mind. Him not being real crossed my mind, but on a larger scale - nothing is real, which, depending on the interpretation, could be the case.
Anyway, him being this perfect makes sense when you get to that point of the story. I honestly think my negative reaction to that twist came from me focusing too much on the use of the NPC abbreviation. He is not your typical NPC, he is more of a conscious AI that in all aspects, cannot really be differentiated from humans. They basically made Lan Zhu Pinocchio. So while I hated it at first, the more I thought about it, the less bothered I became.
On the other hand, the longer I thought about the ending, the more annoyed I was. Personally I can see two different interpretations of the ending - either everything that happened in the game did not happen, and it was in fact the result of Jiu Shi’s coma or it all happened and the game can basically overwrite time and space, change the past, present and the future of the Earth and I don’t know what makes me more mad…
If we go with the first one, it’s a full on delulu clownery. What you are saying is - Jiu Shi got so immersed in the imaginary world his brain created, he dedicated his whole real life to create his fantasy world with his fake boyfriend where he can spend his second life. I’ve never seen a more romanticized version of pro virtual reality over real life in my whole life. Why does this interpretation make sense? When Jiu Shi woke up from the car accident, he saw all the players his brain created as people around him. It’s fair to assume he might have crossed paths with all of them one way or another in his daily life, without even consciously noticing them. It does not explain how he knew about the man living in Obsidian’s headquarters though. So while this theory seems fair at first, it fails at the end.
So we are left with “the game is just all powerful”. This makes perfect sense when we take into consideration the original novel is in fantasy and not sci-fi genre. There are no real rules nor limits for fantasy, but there are rules and directions for sci-fi - that’s why it’s so hard to change a fantasy story into a logical sci-fi. Here they obviously failed. It just makes zero sense, and what’s worse - it was so fucking unnecessary. They could have had exactly the same ending of Jiu Shi dedicating his whole life to create The Spirealm and rebuild all his friends who became NPCs and Lan Zhu, after he passed the 11th door without going back into past, before he got into first door, making it car accident and all the players having different lives in this alternative reality. I kind of felt cheated and all the moving and heartbreaking deaths started to feel cheap. Clearly, I did not vibe with the ending…
I think I would rather like the drama ending on the 11th door farewell scene. Make it sad, bittersweet and impactful instead of over the top and illogical.
All that said, I still loved the show. It’s not a perfect drama, but it is perfect entertainment for me. I was thinking about Spirealm daily, wanting to watch the next episode. I skipped some precious hours of sleep for “just one more episode” and spammed friends with reactions and opinions. I’m planning to binge rewatch it soon, maybe even start right away. Once I was in and watched that one episode, there was no going back.
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The characters are consistent. I like how they are classified into certain types with certain typical character traits. The acting is really superb but the only one who disappointed me was Jung Chae Yeon. I understand her character was special but her acting was way too stiff.
I know that I will miss the characters of this drama the most. The show was not turbulent or dramatic and I will miss that calm atmosphere a lot. It was still interesting enough to watch episode by episode and I didn't really feel bored while watching.
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A love so pure, it burns throughout adulthood lasting a lifetime
Definitely not your average fluffy high school drama. It has mature themes and deep story-telling which got me hooked right from EP 1! I went in with zero expectations only to be left wanting more after completing the drama..it was that good and I barely even write reviews..I just couldn't pass on without writing one for this. It deserves a review for me.I watched the drama and just finished reading the manhwa. I liked both versions but I definitely have a soft spot for the drama one. The live adaptation was very well done and the story was executed nicely. I especially liked the fact that in the drama they touched on the letter that seme had left in the DVD and expanded on how uke wrote an entire novel as a response to seme's letter. And how uke's novel was then turned into a movie that seme wanted to make as his final project before graduation..it was heartwarming that they didn't forget to add it in the drama. In the manhwa..the letter was never mentioned again after uke had read it..and it was forgotten just like that..I thought it was quite a pity..
For reference, I am using the term "Uke (Minase/Jinhyuk) & Seme (Hirukawa/Heechan)" here as I'm talking about both versions of the webtoon and drama..so this helps avoid any confusion with the characters' names.
Another change was that the bullying wasn't included in the drama..which I felt was the right choice..instead they shifted the focus on seme's domestic violence issue that happened. The drama depicted real life struggles of DV..that was quite triggering but this also raised awareness about how common this problem is and how there's more to what meets the eyes; you never know when someone is being abused and they never ask for help..its a vicious cycle and hard to get out of unless you have someone you can rely on. The drama showed exactly that..the uke was a light to the seme during his most challenging time. I'm not saying the manhwa didn't show this either but just pointing out that the drama chose to focus on DV instead of the bullying.
We're introduced to the roles of aggressors, victims & bystanders and some might say that the bullying was important to depict this theme. However, omitting the bullying to represent these 3 roles with DV was enough in the drama. I felt that the director knew it didn't really need to have the bullying to portray these and that the domestic abuse was more than enough to show us the 3 roles. Aggressor being seme's father, Victim being the seme and Bystander being Minase; there were 2 scenes were uke was a bystander while witnessing the abuse. One was when he first found out about heechan getting beaten and 2nd was when they were watching the movie at seme's house and the father burst into the house and uke had to run away..he wanted to do something about it but didn't due to fear of all the complications that will arise once he called the police..him being interrogated..his parents having to be called in because what happened etc...So I feel that the director choosing to just have the domestic violence centered in the drama was enough to not only highlight the 3 roles we know of but to also raise awareness of an issue we've don't always see as "common" because bullying is something we always know that happens in school and the audience are more than familiar with it..However, DV is not always touched on.. because it's such a sensitive topic and triggering for others too. And like I mentioned there's more to what meets the eyes..because we don't always know when someone is being abused..it just goes unnoticed until someone discovers it..so I respect the director's decision and understand why he chose to focus on DV for the drama. It was quite a solid choice in my opinion.
Overall..because of how they managed to tie all this up all nicely in the drama..I fell for the live adaptation and it'll have a special place in my heart. They really did an amazing job following the manhwa closely for the drama..I have no complaints whatsoever because the special episode that we got was basically the side stories after the manhwa had ended. They gave us the whole complete package. The casting was perfect. The acting was great, especially Minase's crying scenes and the chemistry between the two of them was just overflowing from my screen..the tension was unreal..everything again just felt natural..not cheesy nor cringe. Also the longing and yearning..it was so much more in depth..its no wonder people said they bawled their eyes out watching the drama..including myself of course. Definitely a great Japanese bl story, and I'm usually very picky with bl but this one definitely deserves all the attention it was getting. I can see why it was worth the hype.
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It could´ve been so much better!
Ok, I´ve finished watching it. I doubted before I started to watch because of all the posts about the bad editing, which is absolutely awful. Too many fundamental scenes were cut and made my heart ache because this drama had a great production and the plot had many great highlights to explore.What was missing:
- The first kiss of the MC in episode 6 when ML was drunk
- Also at the end of episode 6 when ML proposes ingame and FL asks to the FL how she wants to be called (Wife, darling, honey etc) and she says if he agrees to have a real relationship she will pick one.
- Confession in episode 16... Come on!!! WTF??? how do you miss that???!!!
- When ML discovers his boss is FL´s older brother.
What could have been better:
- If the writers wanted a "love triangle" for the FL, then director/production please cast someone that could´ve been seen as an opponent to BWJ, not an actor close to an uncle. Or if you wanted an older suitor, please mind you are filming an Idol Drama and cast someone aesthetically coordinated with the rest of the cast.
- ML´s grandpa was adorable, he could have had a couple of scenes more sprinkled in the last episodes.
- Writers: did you try to make a SC with Lu Guang Han & Gu Qiao Bei a bromance, a BL, a mentor/disciple or a dage/didi relationship? Because you hinted all that and finally we didn´t have either. I think could have been better if you didn't force a girlfriend for LGH in the last episode and just leave it open for viewers to interpret.
- Please send a red fat envelope to "S**ting Stars" because the hidden top actress/absent mother and the assistant/mean top actor we´ve seen it last year and better done.
- First drama I´ve watched with Bi Wen Jun and Zhang Xue Ying and for me, she ATED IT. Cute without being dumb or sickly sweet, quite natural. BWJ flunked the first half for me because his "tsundere" was lacking personality. Few actors can pull a tsundere without being confused with a brick. Park Seo Joon in "What´s wrong with Secretary Kim?" set the bar too high for me and quite difficult to reach for the majority of idol actors. The second half when he starts to pursue the FL more out in the open and he warms up is where he starts to shine. When he ends up as a cute henpecked boyfriend in the last couple of episodes he takes the crown.
- Regarding what is missing in edition, is not the first time government makes cuts in dramas, but is the first time the production didn't fix it properly. I don't remember any other drama where the editing was so lame that made the plot lose sense at some point. Oh... I forgot "She and her Perfect Roommate".... sorry "Husband". After all the cut scenes between YM and XK we went from a chocolate cake in the trailers to a pudding when it was released, but at least the plot made sense.
Is it worth watching?
The production and the game scenes were on point. Red carpets and awards ceremonies were also great. The ending was one of the most satisfactory for me in the recent same niche rom-coms.
The chemistry between the leads was good and ended even better. The the dage/meme relationship was insanely well done and fun to watch. Is one of the highlights of the drama.
The conflicts were solved quickly and the evil-doers got the reward they deserved.
If the writers polished the script and the editing was done better after the government review, this drama could have been easily a "Love O2O" 2.0. Had the storyline, the actors and the production to reach the same level or top it. BWJ is not yet at Yang Yang´s level, but his FL was far better than Zheng Shuang, at least for me. So that makes the MCs even.
If the viewer is warned about the missing scenes and wants to watch a good quality production rom-com, worth the try if there isn't another drama on queue.
Rewatch Value:
Yes, I probably will rewatch it. I don't know yet if it is because I really enjoyed the good points listed above or because my brain is still trying to put all the pieces together.
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GMMTV you are my #1 enemy
I really enjoyed this series so much at the start but as it went on, Lune and Star did so many things that really annoyed me and it just continued getting worse throughout the series. No matter how likable the side characters are, if the main characters are just simply annoying it makes it difficult to watch the series.I'll start with the things I enjoyed first. White & Ivy were such easy characters to root for, individually and together. I started this series because I really like Lookjun so ofc I had to tune in (esp because she's playing a bi character). But I was surprised that I was shipping White and Ivy the most out of every character. Maybe it's because they were both hurt by the same person so seeing them comfort each other was very nice. I also think Lookjun and Dunk played off of each other very well (honestly the whole cast did), and this was some of the best acting I've seen from Dunk. I was disappointed that they teased that they would get together but just ended it off on "we can't date, we are better off as friends."
As the series went on I realized that both Lune and Star really need to mature and become better people. Not even when it comes to their relationship but when it comes to their friendships. The way they treated White and Ivy threw me off, not even just because those two were my favs. They wouldn't have told Ivy about their relationship if she didn't find out on their own and then the way they treated White was just horrible. I don't know if I could have accepted their apology as easy as he did, which just shows how good of a person he is. Also the way Star just completely stopped Ivy from confessing to her was just really odd.
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Just a quick take on this HELLO AGAIN...
It's a satisfying watch, it makes you cry, sympathise, it makes you laugh, it gives you goosebumps....
The acting was pretty good... you almost can feel them...the kisses were on point (I've developed an obssession with kissing scenes...)
Its just one of those dramas you don't regret watching...even if you think some of it is cheesy...
I loved the banter between the leads... it was funny and well somewhat irritating....but all in all great..
Communication is the key.
I just liked it..
So have a go and decide for yourselves!!!
Xoxo
Uni
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the main leads are great, so much so that the 2nd leads just annoyed me. Why were we spending screen time on them when we could have been watching Win and Wan Neung? Their chemistry was amazing. Wan Wan is a truely diabolical villian, even if he is a caricarture and very static. there are some really great supporting actors who did fantastic things with poorly written roles. Lukpit and Tom were really no more than the animal side kicks from a Disney movie, there to show us how we should feel and make us laugh a bit. the actors brought a lot to their respective roles even if the characters did tend to disappear for long stretches only reappearing to make story telling easier.
the only song that sticks out is what i think is the OTP's theme, it's song by a woman and it's lovely with just enough pep to make it stick in your head in a good way.
i will totally rewatch this. maybe tomorrow. it's one of only a handful of thai dramas i've watched and i hear it's actually quite a bit different than your standard Lakorn. if Thailand keeps making such delightful rom coms i will definitely watch.
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A cut above.
This is a wonderfully produced drama that deserves a lot more attention. It is a riveting tale of sibling rivalry that spans a time of rapid change and turbulence in modern Chinese history. Jiang Mosheng and Lu Yuanzhi are both adopted and apprenticed by Master Su Jingan of Sancai (Triple Cut) House, couturier of the Qing Imperial Court. Sancai House routinely outshines other rival houses in the workmanship, symbolism and design of the intricate ornamentation of the Dowager Empress' court robes, allegedly due to their seamless stitch, a tradecraft that is passed down from one generation to another. Master Su's most bitter rival is his former fellow apprentice, Master Bai Henian of Sihe House.Jiang Mosheng is the older, steady, responsible brother and heir apparent, whose great talent is meaningfully enhanced by his passion and dedication. Lu Yuanzhi is the hot headed, audacious and visionary brother; a rare talent whose brilliance is nothing short of genius. His recklessness however lands him in serious trouble. To save him, Mosheng cuts ties with Sancai House, defects to Sihe House and accepts Master Bai as his foster father. This sets the brothers down a complicated path of reluctant rivalry, conflicting loyalties, mutual friendships, convenient alliances, mistrust, betrayal and forgiveness. The most prominent feature of this drama is the Abel and Cain relationship between the brothers and it is well written, consistent and riveting. Both of them are flawed characters and neither is completely blameless for how things play out between them. Although Yuanzhi learns to rein in his recklessness and temper as he matures, it still manages to get the better of him. His culpability over Mosheng's sacrifice constantly lingers in the air between them. Even though he can be such an ass, I have to sympathise with Mosheng's battle with his own worst instincts in the shadow of someone who is perpetually a cut above. Both Zhang Haowei and Hong Yao delivered excellent, empathetic performances, alternately frustrating, enraging and beguiling me at all the right moments.
How the design of the cheongsam or qipao evolves to reflect the changing attitudes of times is the main, fascinating centrepiece of the drama. While not in the same league as the more modern and sophisticated qipaos of Wong Kar Wai's iconic In The Mood for Love, all of the outfits from the Qing court robes to the Western flapper dresses are simply gorgeous and I truly enjoyed the mini history of Chinese costume. How the female characters are dressed is also symbolic of who they are - Yaoyao is a remnant of the past at sharp contrast with Lijun, the ultimate, progressive modern woman. Kang Ning sits in the middle - she embraces change in a way that marries it with tradition; and thus she is truly Yuanzhi's muse. True to character, both Kang Ning and Lijun have a very refreshing attitude towards relationships and love that I truly enjoy and they fight to write their own stories even when events conspire against them. The only character I didn't like is Yaoyao who is your typical c-drama archetype but she is written that way as a foil for the other two. There are enough dimensional, grey and consequential characters in this drama that I am very satisfied with the character aspects of it. Most of these key roles are performed by veteran actors whose acting often surpasses the quality of the dialogue. I laughed my head off at the dynamics between Lijun, Feiyu and her father.
This is largely a character driven drama where the main characters have to cope with the changing times as they transition from the Qing era to the Republican era and Japanese incursion. While the pace is fast with many exciting and unexpected turns along the way, not all of the sub plots and arcs are consistently well written. Some of the stressing events that the main characters face are a bit contrived, can be lazily written and at times defy logic. But between excellent acting and all the interesting character developments, I found the plot holes quite easy to forgive. I do appreciate how all of the characters go through rough times, experience loss, how actions have consequences and justice is often blind. The villains are decent but less interesting than the characters themselves, some of whom are quite grey if not outright vile.
I am happy to recommend this as a very enjoyable watch with some good fresh takes on old tropes. Overall for me this is an 8.0.
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harmless first love
At first I didn’t think this would really be that good, and it’s not amazing or anything.. but man.. the chemistry in this makes it so good and makes it A LOT better than other BL’s today. The leads actually have chemistry and play off saboteur, they aren’t afraid to get close to each other. I’m so glad that I am not baited with them. This show is a lot better than people give it credit forThe editing of the first episode can be confusing, but I’m pretty good at finding things out so I am good with that. I honestly really like the editing, it’s not too campy and it has a balance with its tender moments and easy going moments. So the confession scene was chronologically at the end of the episode and then they got together, that’s all good there. If you end up being confused by it then that would only frustrate me if you say the drama is bad because of it. I will say it a million times, I rate dramas with what the drama is trying to accomplish in mind. This is a high school romance, and it has a lot of things that make it interesting so the rating is higher than the others here.
Amagi is so likeable. He is by far the cutest BL character I’ve seen, even more than Aoki in Keith Hatsukoi (which says a lot). He is just genuinely a fun loving character and is an optimist. Takara on the other hand I didn’t think I’d like, and to the shows credit they are supposed to be opposites. At the end I came to understand his character and overall the both of theirs. They are opposites, foils to each other. Amagi keep inside his social boundary and isn’t ‘popular’, he is optimistic and not afraid to share his feelings. Takara is the extrovert but to me they switch with that, as Takara is put in the role of being popular but keeps to himself inside of his circle where Amagi talks to his friends more and seems to have more fun. Takara keeps his feelings back because he doesn’t want to overwhelm others. They really are opposites and I like how the dialouge showcased that.
This show is so much better than people are saying it is. You have to take in what’s there, face value it seems less than it is. But for the story it’s telling it does it so so well, and it doesn’t waste time. Now for the chemistry, I am wonderfully surprised here. Both of the leads are natural with each other and I swear, when I say them holding hands I really thought they were a real couple in real like. Again I didn’t think I’d buy into it, I thought that the confession scene was too dramatic- but looking back onto everything as a whole their storyline is going very nicely. Takara was the one to be down bad first and I LOVE that, I really thought that was a nice plot twist and getting through the first episode it made it better and better. I
Finishing up the show was very enjoyable. Don’t expect a heavy plot, this show is full of sweet moments. The fact that the leads get together early on is great to see. You can see their relationship for the duration of the show. I do see people complaining about how it seems to not do anything, but there is a genre for that. This show is a slice of life and goes about their days as a couple together, it’s not outstanding and doesn’t overstep its boundaries. No- it isn’t perfect, but it is fun and sweet.
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Not too bad a series but some sub-plots are quite ridiculous
2 out of 5 reviewers on Douban gave “Weaving a Tale of Love” (WToL) rating 1 out of 5. That is harsh because essentially nearly half of the reviewers felt that this show is absolute trash. However, during its TV run, this series is ranked 3rd among the TV viewers behind only Douluo Continent and Fighting Youth. Granted, Hunan TV always attract higher viewership but that shows this historical costume drama has its share of fanbase, and those who enjoy this drama despite all the negative reviews and disjointed logic and common-sense in its plots and storyline.How did I get into this c-drama. I was searching for a 2nd c-drama to fill-up the gap left by Douluo Continent, and checked out all the newly premiered costume c-dramas. Dropped Blessed Girl, the Rebel Princess, The Wolf, and A Girl Like Me after a few episodes. This series intrigued me, and kept me watching the next episodes. It is entertaining even though at times, some plots could be downright idiotic. More later on this.
Now, to the positives. Beautiful costumes, props, settings, and color-palette. Watching this c-drama, you can’t but admire the color palette that stimulates you visual enjoyment. It is bright, vibrant, and very discerning and easy on the eyes. The color-palette and visual stimulation was much better than that in Douluo Continent. Incidentally, I was re-watching Nirvana in Fire at the same time and could not help but notice the huge gap between 2015 production and WToL. While Nirvana in Fire is better than WToL in almost all aspects, it pales in comparison in color hue and palette post production aspect. The costume is simple yet beautiful especially on the Female Lead. Then again anything would look good on Gulinazha whether she is dressed as a female or crossed-dressed as a very effeminate young physician. The series setting is also beautiful, even though it was filmed primarily at Hengdian World Studio. At least the Director/Producer did not use the shot of the Qin Shi Huang palace as the backdrop for this drama as this is set during the Tang Dynasty. Nevertheless, it is refreshing to see lesser known buildings at Hengdian WS because they are just as beautiful as the main attractions of Imperial Palace, Forbidden City, Palace of Ming & Qing Dynasties, the capitol of Song Dynasty – Bianliang, etc.
The only CGI in this drama was the opening overhead shot showing the capital, but it looks kind of fake especially those city folks roaming the streets. This shot was replayed time and time again throughout the 40-episode series. On the action front, there are not much fighting scenes in this series because the storyline is geared more towards revenge and palace politics rather than wuxia and adventures in the jianghu.
I especially enjoyed the closing track by Zhou Shen – Moon Legend. This is a guy with a girl’s voice. There are just a few c-dramas which I really enjoyed the sound tracks like Chi Sheng Wei Ni in the Heavenly Sword & Dragon Slaying Sabre, Yisheng Deng Ni in Bloody Romance or Mo Wang in Ever Night 2. But the rendering of Moon Legend By Zhou Shen is hauntingly beautiful. When you like the song, ultimately you will love the series as well.
Now to the negatives. While the story line is generally your typical palace politics coupled with revenge and past injustice subplots, some of the story details are just plaindumb. This is probably why many viewers gave it a bad review. Some of the “idiot sub-plots” are :-
- Nobody knew that the FL was a girl even though while cross-dressing, she looked more beautiful than 99% of women on this planet;
- Despite the need to remain low-profile, the FL time and again showed her embroidering skill to the public which linked her to her disgraced mother;
- Despite jumping off the cliff into bottomless void to survive an assassination attempt, the two fellas entered the palace hours later without as much as a scratch;
- Having a Mei Chang Su like character in Concubine Wu assisting the Crown Prince at every opportunity against 14th Prince scheming and dealing;
- FL surviving an attempted fatal poisoning in jail because the guard was too hungry, and could not take his hands off free food;
- ML saved FL from death by hanging by shooting on the rope. FL would have been dead if the ML was a second late and the assassin conveniently left his badge for ease of identification;
- The Emperor easily believing in a quack who predicted Concubine Wu would be a female emperor of the Tang Dynasty after 3 generations;
- Crown Prince bringing a hired help in the form of a single person knowing that the 14th Prince would try to assassinate him;
And the list goes on and on and on…..
I had seen Guli Nazha in previous c-drama, so her acting has never been an issue – she is a terrific and talented actress. However, for some reasons, her acting here is a bit out of place especially when she is portraying an innocent and naïve FL.
Nevertheless, despite many shortcoming of this series, I managed to complete all 40 episodes. 7.0/10.0 score from me.
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