Beautiful, yet something is missing.
This is a beautifully shot series, with a color palette of contrasting but complimentary colors, which I took as a metaphor for the main characters - burnt orange and silver blue. Other people took these to represent chicken and midnight, but when you say it out loud if comes off a bit prosaic.The story is also well-written, with complex characters who actually have arcs (with one exception), which is a welcome change.
But there is something missing, and it's the main couple, who are miscast in this role. This is the problem with eternal ships. The magic is usually in their initial outing for which they were specifically cast and well-suited. When you just drop them in another story, the fit is usually not as good, and that's the case here. I don't buy into the "Earth is stiff" narrative - he's excellent and his acting is subtle and masculine - stoic and repressed with emotions displayed with subtlety. I think that's much harder than shouting and crying, but I recognize that's what BL audiences want and like.
But the problem is that Earth and Mix do not contrast in this at all. they are of similar age and disposition - laid back and reserved. Jim is supposed to be entering middle age - on what planet I don't know. I'm entering middle age (reality check: I'm there. F@#$.) and I'm blessed with my mother's good skin, but even at 40 I didn't have Earth's porcelain skin and zero body fat. It's ridiculous and takes you out of the story. He was 27 when this was filmed. Come on. An excellent fit for the role would have been Nike from 180 Degrees. Earth and Mix just don't have any chemistry in this. Their interaction was appropriate in the first couple of episodes - it's clear Jim was badly burned in a past relationship, and the final revelation of what happened is brilliant writing - unexpected and yet explained everything perfectly. But this wasn't a corrective to the stagnation and dullness of their relationship - and surprising lack of chemisty. Mix isn't bad at adoring stares, yet the fire is missing from his glances - it feels like acting. Contrast that with Fourth (covered below).
Average lifespan in Thailand: 77. Average lifespan of BL mothers: 35. It used to be 34, but this one made it all the way to 49 so she pulled up the average. Enough already. It wasn't necessary to the plot and it's getting to be a beyond tiresome cliche. There are two sources of drama in BL - jealousy, and dead parents. Let's move on, shall we? Also, what is it about Thai crowds that prevents them from doing anything helpful in a crisis? Are you trying to tell me nobody thought to call an ambulence? Come on.
Again we live in a homophobia-free universe - normally this isn't an issue for me in BL, which is escapist fantasy. But this strives toward realism, and there's no chance Heart's parents would have been OK with it, which is the one mar in the otherwise perfect side storyline.
So far this sounds like I hate the series, but there is an extremely powerful countervailing positive - the secondary couple, played by Fourth and Gemini (from My School President, although this was filmed first). These two are the exception to the shipping rule I posited above - I could watch them together for the rest of my life and die happy.
Fourth is so good that there is never once a false note from him. He is in every repsects a teenager, moody and alienated, rebelling against authority (in the form og his uncle Jim), and experiencing first love with the deaf and lonely boy Heart. This story is so beautiful and perfect that I don't think I spent any of of their entire story not at least on the verge of tears. Everything about their performances conveys their attraction to each other and their growing emotional tie - the way they lean into each other, the way they find ways to touch each other, the innocent yet heated glances - it's so f@#$ing perfect that it hurts. It's been so long for me, yet I was right back to that age, feeling it all again. Just absolute magic.
Khaotung puts in his best performance ever in this as chicken salesman Gaipa, whose relationship with his mother is lovely and wholly authentic. Mark Pakin puts in a wonderful performance as the rakish and sexy Saleng (the legs on this boy...) and Jack Kittisak is memorable as the unspeakably sexy Gong, Wen's friend.
So do I recommend this? Without hesitation. Jim & Wen are a 6, but Li Ming and Heart are a 15. If this had been their story, I would have rated this a hard 10 - but unfortunately, it's not their story.
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A promising drama about finding happiness and moving forward pulled back by awful tropes
Finding joys in life and learning to enjoy the many details in things is difficult, and that struggle is amazingly captured in this drama. Three siblings find themselves in a hopeless rut, commuting, working, and barely living. What ensues are antics, attempts, and pledges to live better, more fulfilling lives.Unfortunately, this drama is plagued by some of the most common tropes in Kdramas. A mysterious character (Mr. Gu) is actually running from mafia-themed problems. This kind of random action genre isn't needed in a drama like this, and is often jarring in terms of pacing and storytelling. Not every mysterious character needs a dramatic backstory like this, and in my opinion he would have been a better character without it.
However, the sisters' arcs are the bigger issue. How can two main female characters have their story arc be resolved by relying on a man in 2022? Yeom Mi Jeong finds solace in having Mr. Gu worship her, and slowly gains confidence from them being acquainted. Her older sister, Yeom Gi Jeong, is worried about finding a relationship, and how to deal with all the emotions she has when she eventually gets into one. Both sisters are built up by their relationships in the end, learning to take life one step at a time. But do we really need both of them to learn this by seeking a man? Yes, you will need to rely on others and their support to get you through tough times. No, you do not need to explicitly have a relationship with those people for that to happen. Frankly, it's just unacceptable for two female leads to still require romance arcs in 2022 to actually learn or do anything.
Overall, the drama is well-acted, and it's pacing is excellent but can be too slow for some. The inclusion of bad tropes though is a huge negative for what this drama could have been. The drama does not live up to the potential it has, and I think it would be more well-received if it kept with the slow-burn slice of life genre throughout the entire show.
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1Exquisite Costumes, Mouth-Watering Culinary, Cat Fights from Royal Harem to Royal Kitchen
Royal Feast is a story of Zhu Zhanji (Xu Kai), the Ming Dynasty Emperor Xuande (reigned 1425 to 1435) and his fictionalized romance with the woman he loves, who later becomes his empress, Empress Xiaogongzhang (Wu Jinyan) of the Sun clan, and (not shown in this drama) bares him his successor, Zhu Qizhen (Emperor Yingzong). Apart from the very authentic looking exquisite costumes of Ming Dynasty and mouth-watering culinary, the whole script is poor with very little substance and it is frustrating to watch. In fact while watching the emperors and their harem enjoy laboriously prepared culinary to fill their stomachs, I'm filled with a stomach full of “qi” (anger).More than 50% of the time is spent on food - cuisine preparation and presentation, food tasting, picky mouths, food wasting etc. Granted. The title of the drama is also named Royal Feast, so food is to be expected. But I've never expected to watch a drama that focuses so much on deliciously looking cuisines with tons of boring cat fights from the royal harem to the kitchen. Each episode, especially for the first 30 episodes, gives me a full stomach of fire. (I know I keep referring to my own stomach, well, you get what I mean.)
Here we have a prince who is groomed to be an emperor (Xu Kai) since he was born because his grandfather, the Emperor, favors him. He is powerful, and yet what he says doesn’t match with what he wants, especially when dealing with his relationship, be it with the woman he loves or with his friend and subordinates, and this has created a lot of misunderstandings that make him brood. Then we have a palace chef that turns empress who plays hard-to-catch with the broody prince all the time.
The plot is a mix of real and fictional events with real and fictional historical figures. Many of the fictional events are illogical with overdone plot twists. None of the characters are impressive and likable except only, perhaps for me, the eunuch, Chen Wu (Zhu Zhi Ling) who is a very small side character (you can see how poor the overall character development is for everyone).
By episode 29, the plot thickens slightly when Zhu Zhanji becomes the Emperor, and the romance improves after episode 33 when the main couple comes closer together, and there are fewer kitchen and food preparation scenes though many bad logics still remain. The whole drama doesn't show much what Zhu Zhanji has done politically and in running the country or defending his throne from his uncles, though briefly shown he does visit the farmers in plain clothes and puts down a revolt by one of his uncles.
Xu Kai’s acting is decent here. We know he broods because he shows it on his face and in his body language. But the female lead character is quite another thing. I really don’t like Wu Jinyan’s acting here. She looks pretentious and her acting is confusing. Maybe that's how her character is being written. There are so many ironies and inconsistencies with this character. She is initially the chosen one for Zhu Zhanji as his Empress. After years of grooming, she is being replaced by another girl who is said to be very auspicious. She is bitter, so she changes her name to Yao Zijin (Wu Jinyan) and enters the palace as a royal cook (what the heck for?). As a kitchen chef, Yao Zijin is kind and cheery, and yet at the same time, secretly schemy. How can a person be still cheery when a friend she trusts attempts to kill her? Seemingly innocent, she also schemes to plot against her main competitor in the kitchen. She says she doesn’t want to be married to Zhu Zhanji and wants to stay in the kitchen to do what she loves. Then, immediately, to attract the prince’s attention, she purposely falls in front of him (roll eyes). Time and time again, those who try to murder her escape with impunity and continue to live normal lives. And in the kitchen, when the emperors hate everyone’s cooking, she’s the one who always saves the day. There are always incidence happening at the elaborate royal feasts -- assassinations, poisoning, allergies, deaths etc. Yes, you get the gist, an utterly ridiculous script and terrible plotline. Oh, have I mentioned Wang Yizhe’s acting as You Yifan, head of the Imperial Guard? His portrayal is really poor – stiff and awkward, and constantly showing a sulky face doesn’t pass as a cold and bitter man as the character is supposed to possess.
My Verdict
At the beginning, many viewers claim Royal Feast is similar to the Korean drama, Jewel In the Palace (Dae Janggeum, 2003). Far from it. A bad script and shitty plot can hardly save a drama despite its exquisite costumes, culinary arts and big-name actors. In fact I continue watching because of Xu Kai and I like the concept of “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” which is quite elaborately displayed here, explaining how each cuisine is being made and its medicinal benefits for the body. Apart from these, there is very little meat, and I’m sorry for spoiling the soup.
The drama stops short before the Empress bares Zhu Zhanji his first son, and the Emperor’s untimely death at 38, so this may have saved a lot of broken hearts. Historically, Emperor Xuande (Zhu Zhanji) had many consorts and at least 10 died with him under the Ming’s royal house tradition when he died. He also didn’t dispose of his first Empress the way it is shown in the drama, and the revolt from his uncle is a joke here.
Overall, I am neutral on this drama. My score here is all awarded to the costumes, food and official sound tracks only, and zero to the story and the script.
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2-Storyline/Plot : Totally loved the story, it was well done plus the events passed by so smoothly without any blanks or slow moments.
The start was really awesome,I really enjoyed the hilarious moments at the beginning. The rest was good too although I still prefer the beginning of the drama.
3-Acting/Cast : Lee Da Hae has done her role in a perfect way; I haven't noticed any mistakes in her performance although her character fell into the usual dumb lead Korean female in some point but I really liked the way she lied; it was very believable and super hilarious.
Lee Dong Wook and Lee Jun Ki were my special eye candy in this drama, I am really sorry for saying this but when I see them on screen all I was thinking about were shallow feelings for those two actors looks so I really can't talk about their acting skills but I can say that they had usual characters as a lead male and a second lead male.
Other cast weren't that bad but they weren't that great either. However, I will say this: Park Si Yeon was really annoying as a character and as an actress.
4-Music : It was the same song played all along the drama but it was good enough to hear over and over again.
5-Rewatch value : I don't think that it could be fully rewatched but there's some moments that deserves repeating them.
6-The ending : A nice cute ending not that special but I totally loved the two guests who showed up in the last episode.
7-Overall : This is the type of drama that's highly recommended to romantic comedies lovers.
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Witty, Humorous, Philosophical, Fluffy Romance
For me, dining together with loved ones at home is my most enjoyable time of the day. This drama, Dine with Love, conveys the message that I most value. Home cooked meals need not be elaborate; a simple dish such as a tomato omelet, is suffice to whet appetite and satiate hungry stomachs. This drama emphasizes on the importance of sharing time as a family. What is better than sharing a meal?Chinese people like to ask each other casually when they meet, “Have you eaten?” That’s because meals are so important, particularly in the Chinese culture. Sharing a meal, one can discover the background of new friends, and have better understanding of the people around us. Like music and visual arts, culinary art is a means of communication of love and happiness.
With only 16 episodes, this drama is easy to watch. The plot is straight forward: girl meets nasty boss and falls in love with him. Nasty boss gets attracted to girl because of her talents and wisdom. Both characters have flaws and they grow together to become better persons.
Yu Hao (Gao Hanyu) is an entrepreneur and a slave driver. He is a workaholic and to him, every minute is precious, and he would not waste time doing unproductive things including cooking a meal, so he thinks. He is aloof, unfriendly and fires anyone outright who doesn’t meet up to his standard. Everyone is frightened of him and calls him a demon head. Comes Su Kelan (Jade Cheng) who is one of the workers in public relation. She uses her wit and plays along with Yu Hao’s logic and feeds him his own poison. After spending some time with him, Su Kelan realizes Yu Hao is actually a very sweet and kind person; just that he doesn’t know how to communicate without hurting people. She falls in love with him. And with Su Kelan, Yu Hao is amazed by her wisdom and talents and soon falls for her too.
This is a great story writing. The author explains how one can convey a different concept to someone who normally doesn’t see or accept the view because no one has ever convinced him/her. Time and time again, the author uses the analogy of a bitter gourd, which can be so bitter that not many people appreciate its value. However, with imagination, a good cook can turn the bitter gourds into various delicious and nutritious dishes. I love how Su Kelan gently nudges Yu Hao along and uses his logic in a different scenario to help him see the picture. The interaction is hilarious and adorable, and Yu Hao is sold every time; the bitter gourd in him slowly becomes less bitter and more tasty.
The first time I watched Gao Hanyu was in Love is Sweet. I found him more charismatic than the main lead, Luo Yunxi (sorry fans), in that drama. Gao Hanyu has a face that makes him look cold, serious and mean, fitting the Yu Hao character perfectly. Therefore, having such a face, it is difficult for viewers to associate him with blunders, and when it (blunder) happens, it makes him so adorable as he stumbles time and time again. Gao Hanyu’s acting is amazing and very believable. I cannot have enough of him on screen. Jade Cheng is soft and beautiful, and her acting is convincing as the gentle Su Kelan. She has incredible CP chemistry with Gao Hanyu.
There are two gorgeous side couples. One pair tries to get Su Kelan and Yu Hao together, and the other pair tries to split them up as they each has love interest with our main couple. The outcome is hilarious.
My Verdict
Watching this drama is like seeping a cup of hot afternoon tea, soothing and enjoyable. The story hits a note with me because it shares a very simple principle - life philosophy through food. What seemingly a very simple dish such as the tomato omelet, is also a dish that can help the dinners bring back memories of home and warmth. There is no one right way in making the omelet, but each recipe brings back the memories of belonging as taste is the unforgettable memory. Mealtime can help reconcile relationships, putting down the past and bringing forth the future. It is the most important time of the day when family members and friends get together after a whole day of work and school, and enjoy their food.
Apart from the food philosophy, this drama also tries to convey the message of different point of views. When a value seems insignificant to one person, it can be of utmost important to another, and vice versa. Yu Hao feels it is important for him to be successful in his business so that he can take care of his family. He finds it hard to understand why Su Kelan thinks differently. He finally realizes why his father had worked so hard and neglected him and his mother when he was little, and the tragedy. He doesn’t want to make the same mistake as his father did. Su Kelan thinks she has to be perfect and to shoulder all the burdens. She learns that shouldering all the burdens herself is not what people want of her; people want to share her burden and it’s fine if she’s not perfect.
Rewatch? Absolutely! There's a lot of simple recipes for ordinary home cooked meals. This time round (rewatching), I would note down all the recipes and their simple steps, together with the philosophy behind each dish. I want to be able to use the author’s words to explain to my family so that they would appreciate the food on the table.
A reword of Hippocrates’s words: "Let food be thy happy memories and happy memories be thy food"
A great watch! Don’t miss it!
Spoiler: For romance buff, the main couple does separate for about 2 years before they come back together again.
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Now, I know that right after the airing of the last 2 episodes (19 and 20; or just 10th) most people are not happy with how the series ended and I could agree on it for sure.STORY (?):
I'm one of those people who doesn't mind a sad ending if it fits the storyline (i.e. Trapped or Call me By Your Name) and it is a good ending even if sad. But my problem with MODC is that the ending just seems absurd and rushed like they wanted to make it different from other HIStories, in the end fucking up the whole ending. This story, in my opinion, really DID deserve a much happier ending than this one (perhaps that why at the start it was called "Miracle" could have been a happy one).
Yes I cried my eyes out and was so sad that I was not even able to enjoy Zhi Gang and Bo Xiang's happy ending. So it's a big minus :( I have the so called "second lead syndrome" and it did play a part here too but it was a rare case where I REALLY liked the main couple as well so how they ended their story really did sadden me.
Don't get me wrong though, as you can see, I have given this series a 10 in all categories because everything really was great except the ending. BUT BUT BUT!!!!! But even with an ending like this, there's still a lesson to learn and it explains the title too. We have to make every day count because we may never know what little thing may change our lives forever. We shouldn't waste time on arguing or being stubborn, we should just DO IT because what if there won't be an other chance later and we are just wasting the time that would could have had? This is what I actually do like about the ending and to give a 10 was my first instinct right after watching. I started to doubt it only after reading what other people have to say.
A lot of people are saying that they watch these type of dramas to escape the reality and there's nothing wrong with it but I just hate it when they use it as an excuse to hate on the show. I, on the other hand, try to find shows that DO represent reality cause it feels more believable and it doesn't give false hope for the future. There are 2 good sayings: " "Мечтать не вредно" (dreaming isn't unhealthy) and "Cerība ir muļķa pēdējais mierinājums" (hope is the idiots last solace). I stand by these 2 and that's why I like it when there is some reality( and the harsher one) in the series. Also the fact that there are so many people who just read the comments and automatically say that they won't be watching the ending is just sad. Who knows, maybe you'll like t in the end.
EDIT: After writing this review I found out that the story might be a plagiarism of an older BL Japanese manga series so I really don't know what to say about why the scriptwriter chose to do something like that without mentioning it.
CAST:
I can only say way too many things about the cast so I'm not gonna rant. They all are great. The chemistry is magnificent. Overall a great cast.
MUSIC:
Now I have some good damn songs added to my playlist. As well as there was a sneaky appearance of a sad song from Trapped at the very end. Hit me pretty hard cause I just love that song.
RV:
I probably would but after some time. I would love to pay more attention to those "making it count" moments and not just the lust. But I do need some time to calm down after the ending though.
OVERALL: As always, HIStory is just great and even here I 100% enjoyed 90% of the whole show so I can't say that it's shit just because the ending was not what I wanted. This is more of a realistic one so be prepared.
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However, even though the story was good and very impressive, the drama had a slow start. It felt like it was dragging on for the first half. In the second half, fortunately, it picked up. The action scenes were more plenty and the plot thickened. Kudos for the ending as well, as it was bold to conclude things like this.
Moreover, the performances were excellent from all the actors and they were many many characters in this drama, so it was harder to pull off concistant performances from all of them. One thing that bothered me though, was the constant changing of the language of the dialogues throughout the drama. But that might not bother everyone.
Finally, the costumes and settings were really good and felt original and well made. Though the soundtrack wasn't that impressive, it suited the drama's mood well enough.
So, overall, 7 out of 10.
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Realistic Portrayal of Anti-Trafficking Cases; No Sugar-Coating. Good Drama with a Shoddy Ending.
Originally wanted to watch for Reba stepping out of her comfort zone of pretty and taking a gritty role and it paid off. Also knew the ML and several supporting characters. This series was a heavy one but it was a very real portrayal of anti-trafficking cases, zilch sugarcoating. A good drama but sadly with a shoddy ending.Pros: For the first time in a long time it was the storyline and plots that took center stage not the actors themselves. Yes, they were important but they took a more sideline role here. The families, victims, the stories or abduction, captivity, abuse, sometimes torture, sometimes being sold more than once, release and reunion with family, which many a time took decades as the victims they focused on were children and women. You saw the absolute destruction of families when it happened, how they treated the anti-trafficking cops with panic and then rage which was very sad to see but understandable on both sides; families were frantic while the cops could only work when and if they got clues. Those didn't magically fall from the sky.
The FL or DY has childhood trauma of her own as she watched her best friend get kidnapped when she was no more than 8 years old. 24 some odd years later she still hasn't been found. That was why she joined the police force and eventually after getting successfully kidnapped on purpose and rescued, she was promoted to director of the anti-trafficking division. She also reconnected successfully with the mom of her kidnapped best friend who ran a simple noodle shop that doubled as a place where people with missing loved ones could come, pin their photos and write loving messages on the walls, they were also a community that held meetings where they branched out new ideas. As each case came along both sets joined in sorrow and gave the division something to work with. Turned out that they were essentially taking down a massive trafficking organization from the runner ants to finally the big boss (Cripple) himself at the end. It was he that kidnapped LR or DY's best friend and he had done it himself as his first time doing this.
Many were rescued or saved throughout but not without misery and sorrow. You really sometimes cried for these victims. Some were saved quickly, others not until decades later, and some were brought back no longer living but their families were still able to say their proper goodbyes. ML was a very enigmatic character who I'll speak more about in the cons but he did have his unfortunate realization that he lost his father who drowned saving a young boy who grew up to work as one of the middlemen for this trafficking organization. It took him a while but he finally was able to come to terms with it and decide that he in fact belonged following in his father's footsteps as a cop in this particular department. Sadly, we lost one officer and an elder on duty and that was a heavy hit for the department and viewers.
DY definitely was the brains but the team came together as a whole. There wasn't a time where they just sat there twirling their thumbs. Meanwhile the focus on the families was the most important and how they coped or didn't; divorce and even suicide was attempted, thankfully thwarted. Mom of LR was such an important part of the story and really the first case; she was the rallying force behind all families in the show. And her case was the last one solved. Every family and character, protagonist or antagonist were well portrayed; I can't think of one that was extra or unnecessary. The stories varied and many things felt unreal like even deaf and mute women were not off the table or because in poorer villages it seemed like they didn't know buying a human being was illegal. OSTs, small amount of makeup on everyone leads included made it more real. The twists in the story sometimes were pretty wild.
Cons: That ending made me pretty unhappy because DY and her friend's mom were the first case of this story and after everything they went through; the pain of 24 years of not knowing and than slowly inching closer, plus with the mom diagnosed with mid-stage Alzheimer's and starting to forget people and how she made her noodles causing one costumer to get sick because she put a cleaning solution in the noodles instead of what she thought was sugar. She even made the decision to go into a nursing home for proper care; so you would think once they found LR working in some field picking onions or greenery in some godforsaken village, they would have this amazing reunion; the three of them? Nope! DY called LR's name or nickname RanRan who picked up her head and smiled as she recognized the name and DY and than the camera panned away to a propaganda meeting where DY's division got an award and she made a speech where flashbacks of all the cases they solved and the families plus the officer they lost and her making some declaration about how they would keep working to bring more families back together. It was so unnecessary and made you feel cheated for the mom, DY, and LR! The entire show, there was barely any propaganda but now when it was the least needed, they packed it on and at the worst possible time. They could have had this wonderful reunion and than ended with a short ceremony in their office like they did the first time they got that award and then end out the show with flashbacks of everyone they saved with an OST. Why not? At least it would have done the three of them justice. This was just sad and inappropriate.
I had a problem with the ML; the man has virtually no expressions. He can be yelling or laughing and his face is frozen though his eyes do run around their sockets a lot. At first I thought when I saw him in Under the Skin that that's just his character but now I've noticed that nothing changes, even in real life when I saw him on an episode of Hi6. My assumption is that he's a high functioning autistic so these are the roles he takes. I do wish they had him practicing with the movement of his face more.
Felt the last few episodes were rushed as they were trying to get the rest of the rats caught in the net especially catching "Cripple" himself and his whole running for the border halfheartedly attempting to kidnap his supposed best friend's (whom he pushed off a building; dude lived, lord knows how) wife as he's obsessed with her, than holding her hostage at knifepoint and getting taken out by a SWAT sniper. Like what even? It was smooth going until those last few episodes, you could tell the pace picked up. It was still good up until this point and that BS ending.
Would I recommend it? Yes I would. Though the subject matter was heavy, it was also very hopeful. I'm proud of Reba here; she really played DY well and showed all of the proper emotions when needed. This was a realistic show and y'all should give it a shot.
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Touching, Humorous, Thought Provoking, Calming. Philosophical, Scenic, Idyllic
The Chinese title for “Meet Yourself” is “Going to a Place Where there is Wind”. Wind is a very important concept in the Chinese culture. It is the source of life, a flow of air and energy; without wind, a place is like a pool of dead water. This story is set in a fictional Shangri-la called Yun Miao Village, a sleepy hamlet. The drama is shot at Feng Yang Yi, an actual village near Dali in Yunan Province where many of the Bai people, one of the many minority ethnic groups, live.To my delight, the drama is directed, and screen written by the same director and screen writers for “Go Ahead” and “Find Yourself”. The first episode makes me cry, empathizing with the characters of their misfortune and loss, but this is not a heart-wrenching story. Indeed, it is a story about normal life of normal people with normal experiences, embellished with humor.
In today’s world, most working people are just like Xu Hongdou (Liu Yifei aka Crystal Liu), mindlessly working like a robot, in pursuit of materialistic rewards. Xu Hongdou wants to buy a car and an apartment in Beijing which is ever so unreachable with her paycheck. Just like most people would, a shattering life event can change the outlook of life for a person, and it does for Xu Hongdou in the untimely death her best friend, Chen Nanxing (Wu Qian aka Janice Wu); she’s abruptly awoken, finding herself lost. She begins to question the meaning of life and what she wants in life herself. She has no answers.
Xu Hongdou quits her job and leaves Beijing. She flies all the way to a tranquil and idyllic village in Yunan and rents a room for several months in a cozy cottage. There, she meets a struggling web novel writer, a failed entrepreneur, a fallen livestream singer and a down-and-out musician. All these people have come here to lick their wounds, to reflect and to recharge; each has a story. They become good friends, help, learn from each other and grow. But most of all, Xu Hongdou meets the man of her life, a successful investor who has returned to his village with a vision and a noble mission.
Almost all 40 episodes of the story have taken place in the little Yun Miao village and its surroundings such as the ancient old city and Erhai (a giant lake that is called a sea). Some impatient viewers may find it slow and boring, but the overall plot is about life, and how to look at life philosophically, and how our characters grow against all odds. It is more like a travel journal, documenting all the people Xu Hongdou meets, all the things she eats, does and sees, including the birth of a colt from start to finish. It focuses on the village, the inhabitants’ traditions, culture, and family relationships. Most of the elderly women don in traditional costumes, some sell their handicrafts and food products in the marketplace.
The romance is mature and slow burning, not unlike how real people would have experienced. Xie Zhiyao (Li Xian) doesn’t confess his love for Xu Hongdou until Episode 26 and tells her to go have a life she is searching for by letting her return to Beijing. That confession is moving. Their official romance starts only in Episode 31 when they kiss, and for the rest of the drama, they are like bee and honey, sweet and lovely. The director and screenwriters have given the romance buffs some very heartwarming loving scenes of the lovebirds till the end - almost 9 episodes of solid sweet romance.
Liu Yifei is amazing as Xu Hongdou. She is beautiful, elegant and natural with no visible makeup. She speaks softly, gently and poetically. Li Xian’s performance is just as good as the handsome, affable and warmhearted Xie Zhiyao. The whole cast is wonderful with very convincing performances by the older actors as grannies, and the juvenile actors as village kids. Like Wu Qian, Zeng Shunxi’s appearance as a lowkey bookstore investor/strategist is very brief. There are no nasty characters, no ex-boyfriends nor ex-girlfriends, and no love triangles. The settings are idyllic and comforting, rich with heritage and culture of a minority group. The efforts to bring prosperity to the village and at the same time, balancing conservation and preservation of the traditional way of life of the inhabitants, are challenging and inspiring.
The official soundtracks are lovely, consisting of several English songs, most accompanied by acoustic instruments. A few of the songs used are from the previous drama Go Ahead. I particularly love the lullaby which is repeatedly played and sung throughout the drama; it is endearing and gives a sense of nostalgia and homeliness.
My Verdict
If you love China and its beautiful people, you'll love this drama. If you love travel and to live an idyllic lifestyle, you will love this drama. If you have fallen and are hurting, you would love this rejuvenating story and its background setting. If you're an urbanite and would like to get away from your dreary life as an armchair traveler, this is your drama. If you're a dreamer and love a layback lifestyle that allows you to dream your dreams away, you’ll find inspirations here. If you're none of the above, simply just want an authentic beautiful drama to watch, you'd love this drama.
Some critics find this drama a promotional tourism project. Indeed, after the airing of the drama, tourism picks up by almost 2,000% in the once sleepy Shangri-la. Visitors jam the few cafes and restaurants, and walk the historical Tea Horse Ancient Path (茶马古道). Many take pictures with the cottage Xu Hongdou once stayed. That said, I have enjoyed the great breath-taking views and the message of the drama.
As it goes, “Time never stops, happiness is never limited. Sometimes there are dark clouds, but there is always wind.”
Realistic! Beautiful. Great watch! Highly recommended!
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This review may contain spoilers
Honest Review to Rise Above the Angry Chatter
I got very frustrated with MyDramaList and the reviews/comments on this show because it seems *very* one-sided, so allow me to include my own opinion of the show. I hope this is helpful for those like me who are looking for actual reviews and not angry, short tirades.**First Impressions of the ML & FL
ML - Actor: Shawn Dou (insert major heart eyes here, because WOW)- Xia Bei Chen - He's charismatic, charming, beautiful, and immature. I can tell his arc will include a lot of growth, and I'm excited about it. He is the spoiled son of a father in high power, and he lost his mother at a young age which, I feel, has both scarred him and impeded his emotional maturity. He has chemistry with his FL in a childish, teasing-bullying way (like kids in a playground), and I can sense a long journey for them both as they mature and experience hardships individually and together.
**FL- Actress: Chen Du Jing- Lin Hang Jing- She's aloof, mysterious, headstrong, and has a low tolerance for Xia Bei Chen's bullshit. I LOVE that; I think it's very complimentary to their dynamic because he needs someone who won't take his bratty attitude and who will also elevate him as he gets his act together. They fit well because I can see how they'll bring out each other's best traits together. I see a lot of hate toward her character, and I'm immensely curious if I'll eventually board the hate train. So far, I like them as individuals and their chemistry as a future couple. As of right now, she's dealing with an impetuous child (Bei Chen) who keeps bullying her to like him while she spends her energy writing articles about abandoned children needing homes. I'd be irritated too.
"But let me ask you, do you even have a dream for your life, society, country, loved ones, or even just for yourself? That's why I said I look down on you."
**Plot: It's very engaging so far. I can sense A N G S T in the future, and I'm ready for it.
**Episode 1:
The episode has a disjointed first half where it's clear (at least to me) that the editors aren't sure how they want to leave their first impressions, so both the music and the scenes start and end a bit jarringly, and it pulls me out of the scene a few times. Set design, costumes, and Shawn Dou's visuals kept me pulled in, though, and I'm glad because the episode finds its footing in the 2nd half of the episode, and I found myself easily engaged.
***Episode 6 Update:
The plot has been interesting so far, and I like the dynamics between the ML and FL. A few episodes ago, a moment in the garden was a clear turning point for the ML in his feelings toward HangJing. However, she is still very much locked in the mindset that BeiChen is just a pompous bully who meddles in her life when he doesn't get his way, so I totally understand why she's standoffish and suspicious of him when he does something noble. How would she know? Only we, as the viewers, understand his mind clearly. Still, when ***SPOILER** his friends take it upon themselves to have her kidnapped, and he's disciplined for it, she defends him; then later, when their group is attacked, her first instinct is to block him from harm, and I can see her eyes softening toward him. There is a much slower but still obvious transition happening for her as well. His friends are dumb and make it difficult for BeiChen to come off likable when they often do fairly despicable things to manipulate HangJing into doing his bidding. She's obviously assuming BeiChen is the reason behind it all, so I'd be irritated too. Despite that, they meet up anyway (she was coerced, and he was tricked) for the first time in a solo outing at the Lantern Festival and have the *cutest* time together. Their chemistry is really fun to watch here, and the lighting makes them both look so beautiful.
***Episode 14 Update:
I love the father/son relationship. It's complex, full of unspoken words, and it's undoubtedly full of love. As imperfect as he is, I think his father really cherishes BeiChen. There has been a time jump of several years, and I like the maturity BeiChen has gained while still being his usual silly self at home. I still have no problem sensing the chemistry between him and HangJing. She admires him and finds him attractive; it's easy to see in her lingering expressions and body language. If anyone is threatened by her relationship with Zi Zheng, I find that pretty ridiculous. He's been kind toward her from the start and has been working with her at the newspaper these years Beichen has been gone. As far as I can tell, she doesn't reciprocate Zi Zheng's feelings (at least not on the same level) and is only reciprocating his kindness. Relax, y'all. I find both the plot and the revolving changes within BeiChen and Hang Jing to be very interesting.
***Episode 20 Update:
The series has had a few major developments in its storyline from each major aspect. The ML/FL doesn't have any shortage of misunderstandings between them. Any forward momentum in their relationship has required some kind of misunderstanding/fight to occur first, and it can be frustrating for anyone watching who can't see the forest for the trees. I think, on a very basic level, the initial misunderstandings occurred because the ML is insecure and emotionally immature within their relationship when conflict arises, and the FL is too passive and prideful (what a terrible combo) to admit her faults or address the misunderstanding. These misunderstandings then spiral into stretches of time where they'll avoid each other and avoid any solution. For example, their argument over the kite in her room could have been quickly smashed had she insisted on explaining her side instead of angrily clamming up and letting him walkout. It's an interesting parallel to watch with Beichen since he holds such a respectable, high position within the military that requires him to see the bigger picture and know how to strategize properly, but when it comes to love, he's still very immature and hotheaded. I'm glad both sides have revealed true feelings, and they understand there is true love and care there. We've also been introduced to the secondary foil (the first being Zi Zheng), the MLs childhood friend (who's also deeply in love with him and wholly toxic as a character), so we'll get more misunderstandings and unnecessary fighting in the future. Still, I'm enjoying this series.
***Finish. Overall final thought:
* This series isn't nearly as bad as some of these commentators make it out to be.
* Shawn Dou as Bei Chen isn't just a delicious snack, he's a whole meal. Not just visually, but as a very impressive and emotive actor. I only wish we could have heard this real (very attractive) voice instead of the dub, especially for his more emotional scenes since I believe there is nuance lost when a voice is dubbed over.
* Chen Du Ling as Hang Jing *really isn't as bad as everyone makes her out to be*. Throughout the misunderstandings, I never suspected that she didn't love Bei Chen. Did she make a lot of unnecessary decisions? Definitely. Could she have been more vocal about her love for him, especially considering he's the type of person that *needs* that vocal confirmation? Most definitely.
* I didn't like the ridiculous amount of death at the very end and Bei Chen losing pretty much everyone around him.
* The series sometimes had a soap opera-y feel to it that I wasn't a huge fan of, but when I was in those thoughts, I just stared at Shawn Dou's face and felt better.
* The music is the most jarring aspect of the series IMO. It starts and ends so abruptly mid-scene to indicate to the viewer a shift in tone, but it's so unnecessary and always throws me off. The selections are also sometimes so melodramatic and corny.
That said, Zhou Shen's song, Shining Galaxy is gorgeous. I also really love the instrumental version of it that's played in scenes with the ML and FL.
* The ending is not open-ended in my opinion. It's very clearly a happy ending for our ML and FL - there's even a photo of them reunited online that was eventually cut, but it exists so I'm firmly rooted in that they end up together as a family at the end.
*I would have liked more lovey-dovey scenes between the ML and FL to at least help counterbalance all of the fighting and misunderstandings. I would have also liked to see a little bit more emotional growth toward each other since their fighting throughout all the years together never seem to improve tremendously.
* TLDR: I wouldn't watch this series again but I don't regret having watched it, and I really hope to see Shawn Dou in more leading roles because he's truly an extraordinary actor and a very, very, beautiful person to watch on screen. His BTS is also super cute to watch, he seems to be a silly and charismatic person in real life, so that's fun to look up if you're into behind-the-scenes footage. I also found it interesting to see Chen Du Ling behind the scenes because their chemistry is even better there. Her dubbing and the way her character is written certainly don't help her much in terms of likeability, but as I said earlier, she's nowhere near as bad as most of these reviews have said.
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they better stay with me
did i love addicted? yes.do i love this even more? shit, i might.
but then again, i am absolutely a sucker for found family, and this is just that. also, the tension between wubi and suyu? it it clear they're drawn to each other, in the most beautiful way ever, i'm not sure they're even aware of it most of the time themselves, but it is clear, that they'd do whatever it takes to save the other, no matter what happens to them - which is also, more than clear in the last episode.
and with that said - what the fuck was that last episode? i think i might still be sobbing, currently writing this through my TEARS. there better be a season two - and soon.
wubi and suyu deserve nothing but happiness and all of the love in the world.
is this a hard BL? no, but is it still a BL? most definitely, which was obvious to me, very quickly - the stolen touches, the stolen glances? the possessiveness? we don't always need kisses, we don't need physical touch for there to be love.
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kbl is back!
After some months of not watching kbl shows, I finally got the same feeling as I started watching kbls. Its actualy improving and I hope we can see more of this.I admit that there are some lapses but I really enjoyed this. Its like a breath of fresh air to have this kind of plot that we only see on mainstream media. I think its good to have this too though some may not like or fond of it but there are really many stories to show and their definition of love. For this we are aware that this kind of story and many more, are existing in this world. And its up to us on how we will dwell it, hoping in the right way.
So much to talk about, but I enjoyed it, liked it and thats it.
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Part Fictional Part Historical Story
Despite the really vile and annoying antagonists, this drama has done quite an incredible job by incorporating a romance fiction into the actual historical characters and events during the period of Emperor Taizong (626 – 649) and later Emperor Gaozong (649 - 683) of Tang Dynasty. This is the love story of Kudi Liu Li (Gulnazar aka Guli Nazha/Gülnezer Bextiyar) and Pei Xingjian (Xu Wei Zhou aka Timmy Xu) who was an actual historical figure.The story is adapted from the well-loved novel “The Bright Moon of Great Tang”. According to readers, like many other adaptations, the original characters and plots have been relentlessly butchered, rendering the final production with incoherent logic and badly modified characters that could cause viewers to spew blood. They claim the screen writers have made the Liu Li character stupid, impulsive and annoying. The screen writers have also given unlimited power to the seemingly unimportant head of the palace seamstress shop, making the Zhuo Jin Niang (Li Xin Yi) character vile and despicable, which to many, is bizarre and a total hogwash. They have also made the Cao Wang (Prince of Cao) character extremely dislikable, turning him into a nincompoop who does not receive equal retribution for his heinous acts, like trying to murder the Crown Prince, umpteen times. Many viewers also criticize the acting of the main leads for being mediocre and unbelievable.
The Characters and Acting
Kudi Liu Li (Gulnazar) is the daughter of the world number one best embroiderer and seamstress who is framed and executed in the palace. Little Liu Li escapes execution and has been disguised as a boy living in the palace. Inherited her talents from her mother, Liu Li becomes a gifted embroiderer/seamstress for the Emperor. I really love the beautiful little girl who portrays the juvenile Liu Li. Her acting is wonderful and believable. Many viewers dislike the grown-up Liu Li character and complain about Gulnazar’s acting. I can see why viewers are frustrated because Liu Li has the tendency in running into trouble because she is too impulsive and naïve. However, in times of trouble Liu Li can analyze her situations quickly and come out with good solutions, hence saving herself and those she cares. According to actual historical record, Pei Xingjian’s second wife was of Turkic ethnicity. Gulnazar’s Uyghur background appropriately fits her role as Liu Li. For me, Gulnazar’s acting is not totally a flop; I quite like her as Liu Li, even as the disguised Xiao Douzi, she is rather cute and believable.
Pei Xingjian (Timmy Xu) is a super intelligent person, well verse academically as well as an incredible fighter. He later becomes a good friend and the bodyguard of the Crown Prince Li Zhi, saving him from all kinds of danger and near-death situations. Timmy Xu is very good looking with a wonderful physique. However, I wish he were more relax in his acting with more natural movements and facial expressions. As Pei Xingjian, he does make the character very lovable and enjoyable.
My verdict
Apart from Pei Xingjian, this drama makes references to many real historical figures including Wu Zetian (the famous/infamous female Emperor), Li Shimin (Emperor Taizong of Tang), Li Zhi (Emperor Gaozong of Tang), among others. As expected, many of the events in the drama are fictional, including the exaggerated wickedness of the antagonists and their blatantly heinous schemes and crimes. Many viewers feel such acts are overdone and illogical. Some viewers even claim, rightly or not, the plotline and characters are copied from the Korean drama "Jewel in the Palace" (2003). Whatever it may be, don’t let the low ratings mislead you. From the perspective as an entertainment, the story is indeed entertaining with clear line between love and hate, black and white, right and wrong; there's simply nothing in between.
For me, I find the fiction ties in very well with the actual history, romanticizing historical figures and events, giving the viewers a part fictional and part historical story. I love the beautiful Tang era dresses worn by the ladies, the street scenes, the palaces and the overall settings – all carefully done and shot. The embroidery, especially the double-sided embroidery, one of China's pride, talents and legacies, is exquisite and breathtaking.
Until the final few episodes, the writers still continue to add on more outrageous antagonists and twists at whims. I believe they really enjoy watching viewers being disgusted.
Enjoy the ride!
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What happened to this drama?
I never really imagined I would drop a drama starring Shin Hae Sun, but I can’t keep watching this toxic show.As if having to endure this “actor” wasn’t enough, we also have to see this kind of thing in 2024. A drama that was supposed to be about a woman healing from childhood trauma has turned into an abusive story, with a character who has spent all the episodes saying the worst things to her.
I did want Eun Ho with Joo Yeon, but even more, I wanted to see her healing and a decent conclusion for her sister who disappeared. This drama could be called "Dear HyuOh" because everything we've seen so far has been about him.
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