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Well, in the end, I decided to take a chance and plunge straight into Brother #3 and see if I can somehow find my way and make sense of the situation. And I'm glad I did because I did not get too lost after all and was able to enjoy this show on its own - yippee! So, for those who are thinking of watching this without the benefit of watching the earlier 2 shows of the series, IT IS POSSIBLE. Just do a bit of reading of the synopsis of the first 2 brothers (so that you roughly know their names and their partners), and you'll be all ready to go!
BACKGROUND/ STORY
What I'm going to say here are NOT spoilers at all (because they are background info and also relate to the first 2 brother's stories and so if you've come after watching those, you won't be spoiled in the slightest), but for those jumping into this show without watching the first 2, this will help give some context.
Set in the 1950s, the 'Suparburoot Juthathep' ('Gentlemen of Juthathep') series comprises of 5 separate dramas (each about 10 or 11 episodes long), with each drama focusing on the romance of one out of the 5 brothers of the Juthatep family. Born into the title of 'Mom Ratchawongse', the 5 brothers are not only blue-bloods of their society but they are also blessed with good-looks, success in their individual careers, and an immense reservoir of funds (i.e. very very rich) courtesy of their prestigious lineage.
All 5 brothers lost their parents rather early in their lives and were brought up by their grandmothers. Grandma Aied is the matriarch of the family while Grandma Oon is her younger sister. Before their father had died, he had promised to have one of his sons marry one of the daughters of another noble family - the Taewaproms (3 daughters). Cue massive familial pressure on the 5 brothers! As of timeframe of this show, the first 2 brothers (Chai Yai, the eldest; and Chai Ruj, the second eldest) are already either engaged or married - but none of them to any of the Taewaprom girls. So, here is Khun Chai Puttipat (Chai Pat), son #3, under immense pressure from his grandmothers to fulfil his late father's promise.
This show, of course, showcases Chai Pat's own romance story and it comes as no surprise that it was going to be an interesting ride when his love interest is also not a Taewaprom girl, but actually a girl belonging to a lower class of society. The familial conflicts and class divide issues arising from this is probably already enough to fill the show but there is an added layer of drama because the girl - Krongkaew (aka Kaew) - had won the Miss Thailand beauty contest. This incites the interest of an old and lecherous but wealthy and powerful man who then tries to purchase her as a mistress. So, there is a morass of all sorts of issues and situations which the couple must navigate before they can get their happy ending.
Like any typical thai lakorn, this show is peppered with your typical nasty second female lead, vile antagonist and an assortment of over-the-top portrayal of side characters. However, I'm glad to say that despite all the complicated issues arising, the show doesn't really allow those issues to side-track our attention on the main couple too much. There are, in my opinion, a sufficiently good number of scenes of the couple, from their first meeting to their subsequent interactions which build on their budding interest in each other, which then blossom into love.
ACTING/ CAST
As with most Thai lakorns, the second female lead and the main antagonist will probably come across as pretty one-note i.e. hateful, annoying, despicable. You have to get used to it (if you're not), and move swiftly along. Having said that though, I do confess that they are not as overdone as some others which I've seen. Yes, they are pretty over-the-top, but I've seen a lot worse.
The 4 brothers of Chai Pat did have some screen-time, especially the 2 youngest and unmarried ones (Chai Lek and Chai Pee). I really liked the fact that the family dynamic amongst the 5 brothers were not ones full of envy, jealousy or dislike, but was in fact very warm, loving, supportive and even playful at times. So nice to see the brotherly camaraderie and unity on show here.
The 2 grandmothers: Grandma Aied was the epitome of a matriarch of a royal and noble family. She exuded class, poise and authority befitting her status. I liked that while she was keen to advance and fulfil the promise made by her late son, she was also the more reasonable and open-minded of the two. Grandma Oon, on the other hand, is one who is quick to judge, quick to be prejudiced, and quick to disdain, which at times really makes her quite dislikable.
Onto the main leads:-
BELLA RANEE as Krongkaew, daughter of a janitor and a Miss Sri Siam. Good casting choice, in my opinion, because Bella is really believeable in her portrayal as a poor, humble but hard-working and principled person who is also beautiful enough to win a beauty pageant. There is an elegant nobleness in her posture and in her mien which lends much to the personality of her character here. Her smiles come across warm, and her dark doe-eyes are able to convey the feelings of sadness, anxiety, care and love wonderfully. There are quite a few key scenes where Kaew had to express her feelings with her eyes alone, and I thought Bella rose to the occasion incredibly.
JAMES JIRAYU as Khun Chai Puttipat, from the house of Juthatep and a brain surgeon. James looked a little bit too youthful here to be such an established brain surgeon but I suppose his spectacles helped to give him a more serious and professional look. But his youthful look has some advantages - they give him a more friendly and softer look so his scenes as a stern and strict doctor did not come across as too cold or unapproachable (which good doctors should not be). And they also made his loving gazes and warm smiles so much more mesmerising. James' eyes, are, to me, his greatest asset, really, because they are not only large enough that even the viewer feels as though they could drown in them, but they are also able to bring out some of his emotions and feelings onto the screen. For a debut series, I have to admit that I am pretty impressed with James' acting here.
Most importantly for me, James and Bella had good chemistry together which makes this couple come across as compatible and believable. I also felt that their on-screen characters as Chai Pat and Kaew matched each other well, personality and character-wise. They each complete one another in different ways. As a Chai Pat & Kaew couple, they both complement each other by filling a void, or adding colour to each other's lives, or teaching each other to grow and change for the better, through their different personalities. It does come across as a match between equals here - love it!
MUSIC
I love the 'Suparburoot Juthathep' theme song: "Rak Tae Yoo Neua Gaan Wayla". Each brother has a different version of it and I like all 5 different renditions.
Other than that, the theme songs for each of the leads are lovely - well, at least I liked it. I thought it told of the couple's situation and feelings, particularly Chai Pat's, spot on. Lends more depth to some of the scenes. Background music is rather old-school and fitting for the time period in which this series is set, so I thought it very appropriate and sets the mood and style of the show.
RE-WATCH VALUE
Since I like this couple and their interactions and development, this show is naturally re-watchable. But will probably skip on the extraneous scenes where neither are present. Overall, a true Cinderella-style romance with your sprinkling of drama.
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This series does not work...
I have hopes for all JBLs, but this one was a big disappointment. I don't care if the actors are straight, bi, gay, pan or whatever, but if you have intense material, you have to make sure they deliver. They did not. There are only dead-fish kisses, the nc-scenes are between akward and ridiculous. I doubt there was one queer person on the set. And of course they did have neither a workshop nor an intimacy coordinator.We are lucky to have a direct comparision with "Fake Fact Lips". When actors really get into their roles, they can deliver even without any workshop. For sure "Fake Fact Lips" has the better script, the bigger budget but for sure also the much better actors. It does not mean that the actors in Fukami are bad, it's just they can't handle the intimacy this script and their roles require and so this series is a fail.
All good intensions, all good acting inbetween can't make up for the lack of intimacy and emotions. The story itself is not bad per se, everyone will easily understand it, but it should be a BL and there is no vibe of it at all. Of course 13 minute episodes do not help either to form a emotional connection, but this productions lacks even that. So for a japanese production this was utterly disappointing and you should not waste your time with it.
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I should say I absolutely hate draggy dramas and out of the 5 dramas that I was watching at the sametime, this drama was the only one I didn't drop.
TBH, aside from the actors, I was kinda excited for the story because I found out King Jungjong (yeo woojin) was the same king in Jewel in the palace portrayed by Im Ho. The story is basically explaining the background of what happened in the first jewel in the palace episodes, minus the parts about the queen.
Story:
You'll find yourself getting excited every couple minutes and feeling the pain and happiness (even though it never lasts for long) with the characters. The plot is wrapped around the reality and the main couple's love story VERY WELL. They're so cute yet stubborn and immature at times. I absolutely loved the main 3 leads' characters and how they develop.
Even though supposedly the king's character is one of the "villains" of the story, along with many other viewers i found myself in love with him. His character is shown in great depth and that's probably thanks to the superb acting of Lee Dong Gun. But I found the king's character becoming quite dramatic and slightly dislikable towards the end, which probably makes sense because the real King Yeonsangun was far worse. But even that didn't stop me from rooting for him.
The politics are really interesting as well and will keep you hooked along with the revenge and the cute love story.
Acting:
The cast were perfect. The adult and the child actors are absolutely gorgeous and their resemblance is crazy. Even their facial expressions are similar.
OH MY GOD. one word. Lee Donggun. He was soooo amazing. You could probably understand his whole life story and how hurt he is by his eyes and the way he talks. I absolutely loved every single moment he came on the screen.
Park minyoung was pretty amazing too and I should say her acting was way better than in sungkyunkwan scandal. somehow I noticed her facial expressions and reactions improving throughout the story as well!! I loved how playful and sensitive she could be at the same time even though that's very typical of all kdrama heroines.
I should say my favourite person was Yeon Woo Jin and he NEEDS to do more sageuk dramas. His charisma and the sadness and anger in his eyes kept me hooked and I'm pretty sure I never skipped a single scene he was in. He looked absolutely hot! Even better than in arang and the magistrate!!
Music: OST overall is quite emotional and cute but my favourite is the one sang by junggio and I still listen to it all the time. I really liked the song chaekyung always whistled to when she was younger, still can't find the song on the web though...
I should say the hanboks were slightly disappointing. For my the outfits are the best parts of period dramas but I just felt like the scenes would be more pleasant if Chaekyung's outfits were more colourful.
But overall, this drama is my favourite sageuk drama of the year. I feel like lately all dramas are more westernised and i still kinds prefer those 2005-2012 melodrama shows with great plots and unexpected twists. This drama took me back to those days and it was a good mix of a melodrama and a cute story. I definitely suggest everyone to watch it and I have no idea why it didn't have high ratings... :(
If given the chance I'd probably watch it maybe in a few months or even a year because I'll need some time to recover from it, but I'll miss yeo woojin and lee donggun in hanbok too much to not rewatch the show
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No place like home.
Based on an award winning novel, Northward is a heartwarming and realistic coming of age and cultural heritage story about a number of Jiangnan youths who grew up along the Grand Canal. The story opens with the lively and carefree young kids from Flower Street cavorting mischievously in the canal under the indulgent, watchful eyes of their community. One day, Granny Ma's exotic granddaughter Siyi, a solemn and lonely lost child, comes to live with her. The neighbourhood embraces her warmly and the kids rally around her protectively. The drama captures the communal spirit of the early 2000s, where the hard working families of Flower Street are by no means rich but by pooling their resources, they share each others burdens and navigate life's ups and downs together. All the child actors were superb and well cast. They made me invested in all of the characters from the get go; from the ringleader Wanghe, the steadfast Haikuo, the studious Chen Rui, the resentful Xingzhi and Huazi the tomboy with a heart of gold.Into their teen years, the realities of life and changing times intrude upon the idyllic times along the canal. The advent of superhighways and high speed trains make it more difficult for the citizens along the canal to make a living from the waterway. As their families struggle to make ends meet, the young friends vow to head north to Beijing for college with big, life changing dreams. Time moves too slowly for the young friends as they grapple with their parents’ financial and personal struggles—their strengths, weaknesses, and all-too-human imperfections. Life's challenges overwhelm the burgeoning attraction some of them start to feel for each other. In such a close-knit community, everyone is so closely tangled into everyone's lives that there are no real secrets between them. There is as much laughter as there are tears to go around as all too soon some of them discover that actions have consequences, some that are irreversible. This was by far the best arc as veteran actors including Hu Jun and Li Naiwen anchor immersive performances from the younger ensemble cast to authentically bring to life the joys, sufferings, regrets, and human failings of three generations of Flower Street.
The narrative loses its early charm in the later Beijing arcs. The business plots are realistically written and reflect the intense competition and challenges faced by the food delivery and courier services in China. In pursuit of their dreams, the young friends discover there is no place like home. The denizens of the big city are harsh, duplicitous and calculating. They discover triumphs are hard won after many sacrifices, setbacks and betrayals and they can only have each others backs. Conflicts arise as they search for their own bottom lines in the ruthless battle for business survival. What I didn't like is that they remained such a clique that none of them really let anyone else into their lives. Even Haikuo never really tried to include his girlfriend in their closed circle. I'd have liked to see Wanghe have a real love rival and Huazi not be so absolute and single minded in her feelings. I also wish Huazi had made her health choices for herself and not because of anyone else. But my biggest criticism of the character stories has to do with how Siyi simply ghosted everyone. That was profoundly selfish and cruel in a way that destroyed her character for me. I was also a bit disappointed that the unresolved issues between Siyi and Wanghe and to some extent even Chen Rui were just swept under the rug. The ending was a little bit too good to be true but I loved all the characters so much that its not a real gripe.
All of the young actors deliver heartfelt performances with Li Wanda and Zhai Zilu best capturing that sense of adolescent turmoil and displacement. Even though they were still credible, both Ou Hao and Bai Lu struggled more with the teen years. Past thirty, it is incredibly difficult for actors to recapture that angsty uncertainty and unconscious radiance of youth. While the Beijing storyline falters in narrative cohesion, both Ou Hao and Bai Lu grow into their roles well as struggling young entrepreneurs so well that I understand the casting decision. I enjoyed watching Bai Lu take on this kind of tomboy role even though the braces and short hair did not make her look any less gorgeous. By design, Siyi was the most intriguing character in the story so I was disappointed by how Li Wanda's character got sidelined. All things considered a very enjoyable and moving slice of life story that I rate 8/10. The first half was notably stronger, tracking closer to an 8.5.
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isn't this just porn ?
A two hour long ugly porn movie? A badly directed, poorly edited, with shitty actors, even worse camera work and sent from hell script? Who wrote this and how is rehab going? What kind of drugs are they on? The dinamic between the best friends? The ex THAT GAVE HIM HIV popping out of noowhere, the rainbow flags that are EVERYWHERE, the weird ass gangbang at the begging? DID HE JUST TREAT THAT USED CONDOM LIKE ITS A SLIME TOY. Girl u r some rediculous whore, and no shit you would come crying back after.The problem is, not even the porn is good, in realty its SO BAD. The actors are not ugly but just not actors, just some random ass porn actors that noone knows about. No back ground music, we are jumping throu scenes like an amusment park ride that I would propably throw up after to the point where it makes zero sense. The actor pretending like he was writing on that computer was hillarious, the other dude pretending being on his phone too ?. Mad rediculous.
Also the fact that I had to watch it on a porn site was crazy. The ending? Kinda diserved honestly, thats what u get when u dont apriciate and just use others around u. The golden shower?? All this ass? I almost cried of how ugly this is. Also the movie was in 3-4 different languages???
.
Summing up, an awefull Berlin expirience.
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STORY
The story of this drama feels very realistic and unique. The cinematography was beautiful and I enjoyed the aesthetically pleasing scenes more than it's even possible. You could see that every character was actually very deeply developed and the creators really made an excellent work concentrating on small details. It was amazing how you could feel all the emotions coming from the characters and you could easily empathise with them. There weren't really any "good or bad" characters. They were only people struggling with life and their fears and it made an incredible impression on me. The connection was also definitely very strong between the main leads and not to mention the chemistry between them! Oh boy, my heart is thanks to this drama really heart-broken and overwhelmed at the same time.
ACTING/CAST
I have legitimately no words. The acting was incredible. I’m so proud of the whole cast for doing such a great job. The main leads really killed it. Lee Kang Doo portrayed by Lee Jun Ho is a character who I would protect at all costs. He suffered so much and I still can't believe that Lee Jun Ho was able to portray him so realistically. He didn't have to say anything and you could already feel the character's emotions through his eyes. The same goes for Won Jin Ah. She also did an incredible job and the fact that she's a starting actress, wow. Lastly, I have to mention the chemistry again. Their relationship was obviously very important in the storyline and I loved the story behind their connection. I couldn't be more satisfied with their passionate performances.
MUSIC
I always forget to notice music in dramas but this was so painful to watch that I heard the music in my ears louder than ever. The songs definitely made a big impact on the scenes and also on my weak heart.
OVERALL
Honestly, I don’t have all the proper words to fully describe my thoughts about this drama. It was so tragically sad and realistic and I’m so amazed by this. I’m amazed about the plot, about the cast, about everything. How I said before, the acting was in my point of view incredible and the characters made the plot even more unique. Even though I emotionally suffered so much, I'd love to rewatch this when I get the chance to.
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Its hard to write a review without giving away too much. To anyone who is debating on watching this movie. Just watch it. Its worth every minute.
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I don’t watch family dramas because they’re not my cup of tea but this year I came to watch two family dramas at the same time; this one and ‘I Summon You Gold!’ because of a long story that I won’t trouble your ears (or more specifically your eyes) with.
So what is this about? It’s one of those lengthy Kdramas produced in a non-stop way every year. It has all the elements that a family drama should have such as familial struggles, birth secrets and old respectable figures. There are also light romantic stories that owned about half the drama.
If I had to state the facts, I would say that this drama’s screenwriters weren’t good enough to make the drama interesting until the very last end. It’s a given that Korean family dramas drag and contain many filler episodes but despite that fact, the drama was deliciously entertaining until the 39 or the 40th episode when the writers tried to get smart by adding some twists to the storyline, but guess what? It was an epic failure because… hello!! Family dramas don’t need stupid twists to be good; it needs a complete control of the run time by using the family theme. Furthermore, the screenwriters conducted a mess by cutting off characters without a previous notice or a proper explanation. They also threw meaningless hints and rushed things out at the end; okay, I won’t make them bear all the blame for the last part since it’s not their fault that the drama was cut short to 48 episodes instead of 50 but still, they could’ve made a proper ending considering the fact that this is a long drama.
The cast was reasonably fitting and well chosen. There were some really good actors in here but I can’t say the same about characters since some of them felt all over the place at times. However, the characters’ development was remarkably magnificent.
Now, if I have to state my subject point of view, I would say that this drama was enjoyable overall even with its shortcomings. And that’s coming from a person who doesn’t (as never) watch long family dramas.
In conclusion, I won’t advice anyone to watch this or not because that’s up to you to decide. Just keep in mind that this is a long family drama with notable screenwriting issues that needs a strong commitment and a long breath to finish, but it also has a nice set of cast and it can be somewhat pleasant to watch.
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A good drama gone terribly wrong
This drama is something i had pretty good expectations for but unfortunately it failed to deliver. I don't know how i can possibly rate the show when the second lead couple was much more interesting than the main couple.When i started this show i thought it was so cute, Academic rivals are definitely something you are likely to experience in school and the idea of meeting your academic rival after many years , as well as the fact that they were both facing struggles of different kinds were also quite amusing to me. I personally really resonated with the fl because a lot of parents tell you to work hard and "everything will work out" but that is not always the case. The ml (although not as relatable) also received very less attention and the only time his parents paid any attention to him was when he got into trouble. Now ill go in depth about the pros and the cons.
Cons:
1) the drama started out strong but i don't know exactly when but i started getting bored of the romance between the leads, I feel like it would have made much more sense if they both just remained friends because the romance was so unnecessary
2) the mystery behind the issue with the ml's medical mishap was way too complicated, i would have preferred if they just kept one suspect from the beginning and limited the mystery to max 8 episodes
3) the comedy was at most times - just cringe, I dont know if it was the acting, the writing or the directing but the comedy was extremely cringe at certain moments
4) I like park hung sik's acting but for this show it was a bit much, I feel like if the actor looks fake while doing a scene it prevents viewers from immersing themself into the show
5) The misunderstandings were drawn out, i feel like the characters did not age a day (mentally) after high school, i feel like they honestly retain the same level of maturity which shows no character development over time
Pros:
1) First and foremost my high rating for the acting goes mostly for the second leads, their acting was so much more realistic and their situations were also much more relatable, The idea of being single parents to kids of the opposite gender (single mom with son and single dad with daughter) while having hectic jobs as medical professionals and having to navigate life with teenagers was also executed well. After a certain point i was watching the show for them.
2) I feel like the mental health aspect was demonstrated pretty well, the idea of parents always pushing you to be successful and how success does not equal happiness was a strong message.
3) Park shin hye definitely improved her kissing skills, she looked like she was being assaulted in majority of the dramas but she definitely fixed it this time round
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So I've always wondered what makes Jun Pyo click so much. I mean, there are tons of other arrogant chaebols in various dramas that are tamed by Plain Janes. But with Jun Pyo, it's like a whole new level of excitement. I have concluded that it's the childish sincerity. Jun Pyo is a bully but when he's sincere, he just moves you, you know. He has his childish and bully ways but his heart is at the right place. And yes, Lee Min Ho is freaking hot and works those curls charmingly ;)
Coming to other characters. Geum Jandi is disliked by a lot of people. You just have to turn-on the viki comments and (BAM!) you're showered with all the abusive words in the world, directed towards Geum Jandi. But I love her! Yes she's not the typical K-drama lead girl with her long hair and honey voice. She's a total tom boy who takes no bullshit from anyone, yet she's a sweet and simple girl and pretty likeable.
Coming to Jihoo. I know lots of people got their hearts broken Ji Hoo didn't get the girl (and maybe that made people hate Geum Jandi more when she refused his confession). I felt sorry for Ji Hoo too. He had the sweetest smile that could make anyone melt and I shipped him with Geum Jan Di faintly. I think I would've shipped him harder with her if Jun Pyo wasn't so awesome. But Ji Hoo's character was great.
The rest of the characters were great too. The acting is BIG 10 for me, especially because of the lead pair. I know majority of people prefer Lee Min Ho in City Hunter over this drama, but if you ask me, I love his acting more in Boys Over Flowers.
The music is sooo good. This was the drama that introduced me to the world of kpop through Shinee's song "Stand By Me". "Lucky", "Yearning of the Heart", "Paradise" and "Because I'm stupid" are really great songs too and overall this drama has a brilliant OST. Definitely on my top 10.
My rewatch value for this show is a solid 10 because I don't even remember the number of times I have rewtached it (lol). Love it. One of my favorites.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Don't hate me for being critical & cynical and not giving this a 10
Completed - 8/29/2022 - 8.25 ratingI enjoyed “Love Between Fairy and Devil” but maybe not as much as most of the audience. I’ve watched my fair share of xianxia dramas and usually I am not a big fan of the cute and bubbly lead. I don't dislike the Little Orchid and am OK with her voice. I am just indifferent. It's Esther Yu's real voice so I am fine with it, as I am a strong proponent of actors using their real voices. The heart-breaking romance did not move me as much as I wanted. The lighthearted tone of the first 18-20 episodes took me a while to get used it. I might just be a cynical old lady that takes a little more effort to move me., especially after finishing "Love Like the Galaxy" not too long ago. Please do not hate me for not giving a perfect rating. There are plenty of things I like about this drama as well.
What I Like:
1. Anti-Hero Male Lead - Just like many others, I am a fan of our anti-hero, Dong Fang Qing Cang (DFQC). Most xianxia heroes are either gods or princes, and rarely do we have someone from the devil side as a male lead. Dylan Wang did a fantastic job in portraying the ruthless and heartless devil, and was able to switch gears during the body swap. You can see from his big eyes how his emotions change from ruthless to adorably pouty. Most anti-hero and gray characters in C-dramas are second male leads, so it’s nice to see a change here. I’ve also enjoyed his transformation from beginning to the end. I do have a minor criticism about our male lead below.
2. Lack of these xianxia tropes + fun new things:
♦︎ No annoying female characters who were obsessed with their unrequited love and became scheming bitches. I am so glad Dan Yin remains a good person from start to finish.
♦︎ No misunderstandings/scheming - xianxia dramas frequently have annoying plot lines created just to break the leads apart. And these misunderstandings are usually caused by jealous men and women. I am glad we don’t really have that here.
♦︎ Hanging out inside a painting is fun and creative.
♦︎ For once our main leads are not going through trials in the mortal realm themselves.
3. Costumes and Accessories - Beautiful costumes for both male and female characters. I really like the hairstyles of the male leads, with simple hair accessories (except those flimsy looking war gears which really don’t seem to be made for battles). Our Little Orchid looks beautiful in all of her dresses no matter where she is. I was particularly interested in the wedding fans. I've rarely seen such beautiful and intricate ones with golden accessories adorned on them. Most of the time, they are just beautiful patterns or colors.
4. Overall Acting - I’ve already mentioned that I really enjoy Dylan Wang’s acting. I didn’t watch “Miss the Dragon” so I don’t know how bad he was, but I’ve seen “The Rational Life” and he did fine. But in this drama, his character allows him to showcase his acting skills. I’ve seen a few Esther Yu’s dramas in the past and she is also playing the cute and bubbly roles. I think she met my expectations but not amazing. With the body swap, you could clearly see Dylan Wang did a much better job. Esther’s gazes were not sharp and stern enough. She tried to look serious but it’s not coming off right. Zhang Ling He has come a long way since his first drama, “Maiden Holmes”. This is my fourth drama of his and it’s his best acting yet. Playing two very different characters in this drama provided him the best opportunity to show us how much he has grown. He’s not amazing yet, but he’s going in the right direction. I've been a fan of Xu Hai Qiao since I first saw him in “Lost Love in Times” and he played Rong Hao admirably, especially his sad and emotional scenes. At least I pity him here instead of hating him in “A Dream of Splendor”. The rest of the supporting cast did a decent job. I would not say the veterans outshine the younger generation in this drama. I think Dylan Wang is the brightest star in the drama.
5. OST - I like the songs in this drama and also the background music. 诀爱 by 詹雯婷 is my favorite song.
What I have mixed feelings or don’t like:
1. Male Leads in Love - As much as I love DFQC, I miss his ruthlessness in the later episodes. I have a similar criticism in other dramas. Once you are in love, you seem to lose yourself and become a lovesick puppy and forget who you were in the past. I believe you could be totally in love, yet still don’t lose your former self. Unfortunately, I think both DFQC and Chang Heng fell short in this area.
2. CGI - There are many praises about how beautiful this drama is and we can see the numerous screenshots on the Feeds during the airing of this drama. And I agree that there are many scenery shots that are beautiful and very fairytale-like. However, I also feel that these shots are overused and after a while, the whole drama seems so ‘fake’ because it’s full of green screen scenes. I also find the final battle has the weakest CGI of the whole drama. On the other hand, I really enjoy the CGI in individual fight scenes, e.g. DFQC vs Chang Heng and DFQC saving the Little Orchid and battling the gods. Those were some of the best special effects I've seen used in battle scenes. It rivals my love of the purple CGI in “Ancient Love Poetry”.
3. Cannot avoid some common xianxia tropes - love obsession that started all evil deeds, the story is always about the aftermath of a war thousands of years ago, noble idiocy and sacrifices, Gods always seem to be more evil than the Devils, Love triangles/squares/pentagons, etc.
4. Secondary characters and plots are underdeveloped - Possibly because this is a shorter drama, I feel that the secondary romance between Shang Que and Jie Li is under-developed and quite boring. They could have been an interesting opposites-attract duo, but unfortunately I find Jie Li to be the most annoying character in this drama. Similarly, the truth and reunion between Jie Li and her family are very anti-climatic. Reuniting with her family was so brief that it only serves to move along Rong Hao’s story. I also want to know more of Rong Hao's story with the Goddess of War aside from the same few flashback scenes.
5. Pacing - As a short xianxia drama, the pace is fast. I don’t think you will hear complaints about a slow start. However, I still think the drama focuses too long in the initial 18-20 episodes in the Heavenly Realm and ran out of time in the last few episodes. Those early episodes were not my personal favorites. I didn’t start really liking the drama until they started the mortal realm, and then the story moves along more interestingly for me. However, the ending felt rushed and…predictable?
Other Random Observations:
♦︎ When you are so powerful, I think you could have saved your girl from drowning just by a snap of your fingers, without kissing. Fan service!
♦︎ Had to fast forward the scene when the Little Orchid was crawling in the sand. It took too long. LOL
♦︎ Why do these gods and devils need to give piggy back rides when they can teleport?
♦︎ I need better kisses. They are really not as passionate as I want them to be, especially the ones in the last couple episodes. Some kisses felt like they are just there to please fans of these idol actors. *I’m going to hide now*
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Should You Watch This Drama? Yes and Here's Why!
First off can I just say I absolutely loveeee the theme song and intro!! I love the cast; it was well put together. As I just randomly browsed through KissAsian, the cover catched my eye. I also found a new k-pop idol to get attached to, Daniel Kang who plays a main character, Wi Seung Hyun. I personally loved his character from the first episode. And the fact that his face card is a solid 1000000 is amazingg. You know what's funny, I was actually watching A Piece of Your Mind before I stopped and started watching Rookie Cops. Chae Soo Bin plays the main role in both dramas. Her character in Rookie Cops is one of a strong, hardheaded person that will stand without wavering when she is giving her opinion about something. From the four episodes watched I can tell that her character will only develop even more, and I can't wait to see! The side characters are everything and very funny! I highly recommend watching this drama even though it's ongoing! I'm sure it's not a drama with disappointment ahead. I'm really looking forward to February 9 for episode 5 & 6!! EEKK! Be sure to watch!!:)xo,
nicki.
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Why is the Chinese drama Only For Love the most sensual romance journey of the year?
I don’t know what everyone else is watching, but it is not Only for Love, considering their scoring. Dylan Wang and Bai Lu are giving masterpiece performances in this intelligently written cat and mouse game of love.He works 24/7 growing his business, and has become quite successful, as he distances himself from the old money of his father. She is a financial and business reporter, only after the true story of his financial wisdom. The way she hooks him is a masterclass of what women do best.
Out of nowhere during her interview with him for her magazine, she begins to flirt with him. He is totally caught off guard, but recovers very quickly. The last thing he needs is to be diverted mentally from his business, away from his quest to make money. He is super intelligent, with great business acumen. He sees it coming and he knows how to avoid this flirtatious trap. What is working in her favor is that she is really knocked off her feet by him, but in the front of her mind, he is just a romance challenge to conquer. She is equally as intelligent, graduating from University with a double degree. It is just a game, she tells herself.
Only for Love is so sensual. The viewer anticipates each move of the other in this game of avoidance and entrapment, and the teasing games between the two is what draws you right in like foreplay.
Only For Love needs set-up time to allow this drama to smolder. Please don’t be impatient with this cat and mouse game.
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A Dream Come True: Big and Park Deliver Magic in “Me and Who”
Wow, the first few episodes are absolutely amazing!Did not expect to see Keng and Namping cameo from Khemjira in episode 1! Mandee Work, you’ve done it again, combining two excellent BLs airing at the moment: Me and Who and Khemjira.
I loved Big and Park in Monster Next Door, and they look even better here. The story brings a refreshing new genre with a non-university theme, and Park’s black hair looks so much more natural and fitting than his blonde hair in his previous role.
This series is fantastic, so fun and engaging. Poor Phopthorn works at a convenience store, and suddenly his soul transfers into the body of Apo, a billionaire with a handsome fiancé, Suriya (Big), who has the power to read minds. Imagine being poor all your life and then waking up as a billionaire with a hot, tall, and handsome fiancé, talk about a dream come true. The fake marriage between the meticulous Suriya and the high-spirited, chaotic Apo begins, creating the perfect mix of chaos, charm, and chemistry.
Every detail is beautifully crafted, from the elegant costumes and stunning mansion to the music and smooth cinematography. And can we talk about that random giraffe walking past Apo’s room? If this isn’t rich, then what is?
Big and Park’s chemistry is undeniable once again, and the balance of romance, comedy, and drama is spot on. Their dynamic is electric, full of tension, humor, and sweet chaos that keeps you glued to the screen.
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