Tender beginnings, hasty goodbyes!
This Chinese BL drama had a bit of a rocky start to the screen, getting cancelled before it was eventually picked up and aired. Felt like a win! Despite its troubled start, it still managed to pull me in with its raw performances.The chemistry between the main leads Qi Lu and Qin Xiao, was evident from the very first episode. Their struggles and sacrifices for each other were portrayed with great sensitivity considering how the drama handled the difficult themes with grace. There’s a subtle yet profound tenderness in their shared moments.
They did a good job of giving both Qi Lu and Qin Xiao well-developed backstories especially Qi Lu’s traumatic experiences with his abusive father and Qin Xiao’s longing for a family. These aspects were explored thoughtfully, allowing us to really grasp the emotional weight and baggage each character carried around.
In the initial episodes, the moments were nuanced and carefully built giving the story that depth and authenticity but as the drama progressed, the pacing seemed to speed up. This abrupt shift made the character arcs feel incomplete. The slower, more thoughtful exploration of their struggles in the beginning was what made their stories so compelling, but in the end, to me it felt like they didn’t get the conclusion they deserved.
The secondary couple Tan Yin and Liu Ming Yang, add a sort of a unique dynamic to the story. Their relationship develops in a subtle but meaningful way with Tan Yin’s persistence to pursue Liu Ming Yang.
Their interactions felt natural, and them navigating the struggles together was sweet. However, I do feel like their storyline could have been given more depth. The resolution of their arc felt a bit rushed, and it would have been nice to see it explored a little more. At times, their conflicts felt a bit forced, complicating things unnecessarily.
However, it wasn’t without its flaws. The editing felt pretty choppy at times, overall making things feel a bit disconnected. You could also tell the show had a low budget with some of the production values being a bit obvious. But the biggest issue though was how rushed the last few episodes felt. Conflicts popped up out of nowhere and were resolved off-screen which left the ending feeling a little weak. Don’t get me wrong I don’t hate the ending, but given how strong the drama started it definitely felt like it was wrapped up too quickly. It was as if the show tried to tie things up too neatly without fully exploring the emotional implications of everything they'd been through. The way the conflicts were resolved could have been handled much better.
Overall, I will still recommend giving this a watch especially since there aren’t that many Chinese BLs out there. Yes, it has its flaws but the fact that they took a brave shot at something with the censorship around deserves props. If you're into love stories and don’t mind a bit of indie, low-budget vibe then definitely check it out!
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It is more of a drama than mystery BUT IT IS REALLY GOOD
One of the best dramas I've seen in recent years. From the first episode alone this drama series will make you engage to the story, they have done a great job of introducing the characters, showing their motives and hinting where the story will go. This is episodic in a way that each episode will focus on one character that knows Yukino, where each of them blame themselves as to what have become to Yukino's life. There are two mysteries present in this drama, first is who committed the crime and second is what kind of life she had. By no means has this drama have mindboggling plot twist and clever puzzles but what's fascinating here is to see what kind of life Yukino had, this drama will make you feel bad for her. The drama element is so strong here, and I'll be honest there are couple scenes that got me teary eyed especially seeing them still caring for each other after so many years.The drama has a bit of a dark tone which brilliantly supports the plot. The music underlines the mood in each scene, builds tension and evokes feelings of each character. Stellar acting from the cast especially Takeuchi Yoko and Tsubamuki Satoshi, both character have traits that unique to them and the way they act is remarkable. Once scene that impresses me the most is during their final scene together, I felt tension building up and having no music in that scene really helps.
To call it a masterpiece is a bit of a stretch but if you love mystery, drama and thought provoking stories then it is a must watch. Thanks to the subber of this drama, I wouldn't have watched this if it wasn't for him/her.
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
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This review may contain spoilers
ARGH
Are you kidding me? This is one of the most frustrating and ridiculous endings of all the Korean dramas and I have watched many. I could watch until episode 9 before I started getting annoyed and frustrated. The chemistry with the three main keads was believable and well done but the lead actress’ character was the most annoying of all. Seems to be the trend for them to have no backbone and be a door mat letting everyone walk over them. I am almost ready to give up on Korean dramas because of this one.Was this review helpful to you?
Masterpiece
This is definitely a masterpiece.. A beautiful story like this needs an equally talented cast to complete it which is thankfully the case here. Stellar performances by the cast just takes this drama to another level. The story shows a lot of flawed characters and how each character deals with it.. Some positively, some negatively.. It has portrayed all those emotions so perfectly that although you might not like each character you are able to sympathize with them and understand why they react differently.. Everyone has different life experiences and hardships but that doesn't mean one's own hardships matter the most and the rest are insignificant. Everyone's struggles are equally important and needs to acknowledged. This drama is able to portray all these complex feelings in a believable simple way. This drama also shows importance of family and how each family struggles to keep them together in their own way (whether by force or through love according to the different family dynamics present here)The main leads (Nychaa and Alek) have an undeniable amazing chemistry.I can see why they have been repeatedly cast together before. They portrayed all the emotions so beautifully that sometimes even dialogues were not necessary to understand them. Hoping to see them together again sometime in the future.
All other couples too have good chemistry. No toxic relationships thankfully (except for one maybe that too is not glorified) .
There is also a very powerful moment of women standing up for one another even though characters hate each other. It is such a good example of women empowerment. Kudos to the writer for that heartbreakingly touching scene.
Pop has such a great magnetic presence on-screen. His character is one of highlights of the show and takes the show forward. He deserves a lot more main lead roles for his acting and charisma.
Ending was good, though I wish some characters had slightly better endings but at least every character found peace in their own way. I think this is an amazing drama worth your time.
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Why i love this drama? bcuz i think that the lead character is really interesting, being too emotional, coward, and crybaby at first onto a doctor that excels on saving people with a limited equipment and to be able to calmly choose life even his important ones.
there are some ironic situations that will pierce your heart on some eps and make you scream whyyyy?? but that is something that likely happen in real life.
so i would really recommend it if you like life-saving stories or if you like to see how much a character could grow after he encounter many field experiences.
the actings are not mind blowing but not bad either. and i think the music fits the story especially the instrument.
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I thought it was a great movie that was able to portray Puyi's life and the background of China's history perfectly! I recommend to anyone who is interested in learning more about China, and especially if you are taking a class on China's history. Even if you're just interested in watching a good movie, this is for you! It is able to hit your emotions without over dramatizing things and just keeping it real! Also, you get to see inside the Forbidden City which is absolutely stunning! This is actually the first film ever that was given permission to film inside of the city, so take advantage of this and watch it!
The only complaint i would have with it, is there were a couple unnecessary scenes in my opinion, but I guess others may enjoy them as well. Also, I haven't read them, but I recommend reading the book Twilight in the Forbidden City which has additional information.
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"it is sad not to love, but it is much sadder not to be able to love"
a beautiful movie about two young souls who repeatedly meet and fall in love. however, challenging reality separates them every single time. the timing just never seems to be in their favour.'tune in for love' made me go through many various emotions. i absolutely love the slow-burn romance and powerful chemistry between the main leads. intensely melodramatic storytelling demonstrates how lovely and warm falling in love can be. nevertheless, it also realistically depicts the importance of trust and communication, the lack of which can crush relationships of any kind into pieces.
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THIS FANTASY CONCEPT IS NOT NEW but the twist and the way it was written is different.
I'm partial to Time-Fantasy dramas/films. But this is the first one I've watched where I felt that Time was the actual Star of the show and not the humans. It was a character without it having to take on human form. and that's really cool.
- The film moves from the normal, innocent childhood adventures of a 13 year old boy and girl and takes you into the nightmare of something fantastic and a little chilling, on so many levels that I'm still taken by the imagination of the writer. ! Not being great with words, if I try to explain more I'll spoil. But the two main characters go through a lot of turmoil because of the stopping of time.
Visually, I found it more profound because everything is pared down. In the beginning the film is stripped of all the white-noisy loudness and all the focus is on the story So, when they threw in the special effects it doubled the impact. During every slow-mo, my mind sped a mile a minute.
KANG DONG WON AT HIS BEST! but still felt like the second lead. Time just over powered him..heheh! I think of all the things I've seen him in. This one for me is the best. He's gotten so handsome with age too!
-The acting is the top. Child actor SHIN EUN SOO did a fantastic job, and the chemistry she had with both Lee Hyo Je (little Seong Min) and Kang Dong Won (Adult Seong Min) was great. Her intensity was solid and didn't quit even when her peer & sweetheart changed to an adult actor. She transitioned so well while remaining the same. Sounds confusing but It was amazing to watch. Oh, and not to worry, the ending falls in line with the whole story. You won't be in heaven but you won't be left wallowing in a pit either. You'll end this movie feeling like you just watched a piece of art and a damn fine film.
I gushed and went all biased with this review but that's what happens when a movie hits all my sweet spots. I'll be sure to look out for this writer in the future. I'll also be grabbing a few friends to re-watch and share this one for sure.
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All in all, a light drama to watch if you have half an hour to spend.
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Epic World, Fierce Battles
Ever Night gathers an impressive cast and delivers a well-crafted fantasy world with strong production value. The visuals are rich, the world-building is immersive, and the action sequences are choreographed with intensity and flair—each fight scene is genuinely thrilling to watch.The lead actor, though a bit green in his performance, fits the role of Ning Que with a youthful energy and rawness that align with the character’s journey. His growth throughout the season helps anchor the narrative emotionally, even if he’s not the most refined actor in the lineup.
Unfortunately, while Season 1 sets a high standard, Season 2 is a letdown. Changes in casting and tone break the continuity, and the overall quality drops noticeably. It’s a shame this derailed the potential for a Season 3.
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The movie tells a bitter-sweet story which has happend in reality.
It shows that even handicapped persons can fulfill their dreams and can overcome many obstacles.
The story is very deep and you can learn many things like tolerance if you watch it with an open mind.
While watching your feelings will change like a rollercoaster ride, on one side it is sad to see the hardships of beeing handicapped and on the other side you will be happy to see his will to fight for acceptance.
All in all a great movie which shall be watched by every Ninomiya fan who likes deep stories.
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Shining because unconventional
A little lightful gem. Definitely unconventional, thus this is the main reason why I liked the idea behind this show and the show itself. A show which probably will be disliked by the majority who looks for the typical love story that a k-drama usually offers. And that I liked because of this being so atypical. But that was not the only reason.Talking about the plot. Since this is not the classical love story we usually watch in a k-drama, things were definitely not going how is expectable in a standard love story. I found the writing true and intense, and I found the main leads appropriately suited for the characters they played. Even if the story can be liked or not, the characters can be liked or not. But as said, the key point of this story is the fact that it's not the typical love story, but something more adherent to actual feelings and personalities, even when disturbing. And this explains what can be found apparently bizarre or weird, mainly in what Seol does when dealing with Jung and In-ho.
Despite the story is well written, I actually felt disappointed by the ending. I found everyone getting their happy/bad ending or their redemptions, to include Seol. All but Jung: unknown. And that last second's (literally) happy ending disappointed me twice. Like if the story was eventually forced to show a potential happy ending (even if who's not Korean would find hard understanding who actually was the addressee of the messages: no sub no translation provided).
About the leads: I actually disliked Jung's character because I found him disturbing, creepy, and extremely toxic for his way to deal with wrong things and people doing wrong, manipulating the last ones till their humilation and destruction. I liked more In-ho, who is also a hothead (also a d1ckhead tbh): he uses his fists to solve problems, the violence is part of his way to express himself... But still: he looks more clear and genuine, and paradoxically less dangerous. To be honest: what can hurt more? A fist or a deep humiliation? Easy answer... So, again, both Jung and In-ho are truly in love for Seol, they try to did their best with her, but they both show toxic personalities, and despite the good intentions the outcome is (to be fine) questionable. Still, I found more and more dangerous and hurting Jung's personality, who's actually a sociopath. Simply, I prefer who is able to overreact showing his actual feelings, respect to whom overreacts wearing a mask, and manipulating and scheming. Both the actors were great, talented, and brilliant, personfying roles not easy to manage.
That said about male leads, talking about the shiny female leads, I adored Seol: Kim Go Eun was simply adorable in playing her controverse character. She has not a linear personality, she has a strong sense of duty and rationality as well as her approach to matters is unusual and sometimes harmful for herself: still I did not decide at the end if truly toxic as well, I mean toxic toward herself. Her tendence to justify and interiorize the actions of Jung is disturbing. Because his being toxic and manipulative trying to protect Seol, ends being harmful firstly to her. And what happened to her during the finale is a strong confirmation. Her ending is the only one not happy or redeeming: her life is sad, empty, she's clearly depressed, she keeps trying to keep in contact with Jung, despite he himself was the first admitting how harmful could be to her. And his having read the message at the end, honestly, I don't see it as an actual happy ending. As said above, Jung is the only one character for who's unclear if eventually able to redeem or not: will he hurt her again because he keeps being manipulative and toxic? Lee Sung Kyung, fantastic: she greatly played an In-ha who's a manipulative and a nihilist toxic (again) personality. Apart the beautifulness, she is really talented in characterizing, even when her character has an actual tragic nature masked by an apparent strenghtful temper.
I remained disappointed by the ending. I found everyone getting their happy/bad ending or their redemptions, to include Seol. All but Jung: unknown. And that last second's (literally) happy ending disappointed me twice. Like if the story was eventually forced to show a potential happy ending (even if who's not Korean would find hard understanding who actually was the addressee of the messages: no sub no translation provided).
In any case a show which deserves to be watched. Definitely.
P.S. The OST is beautiful
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The Temperature of Sophisticated Golden My-Way
14 people found this review helpful
But focusing on the episode,yesterday i was laughing my head off at 4am until literal tears came out of my eyes. The story was funny but damn,i have to be honest,my boys are amazing actors. They all portrayed their characters so well that it.was.absolutely.hilarious. Of course,if you actually don't stan them and you want to give this episode a try,remember that it's a parody and they're actual kpop idols with no acting career lmao.
Also,how can they be prettier than a normal woman?! Dior,Minji and Sangah were girlfriends goals.
ANYWAY,stan Monsta X everyone,they feed us quality content and good music.
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Acting/Cast [10] - I felt that all of the characters were portrayed very well. The acting was great, even for the characters with very extreme personalities. It left the characters feeling real even though some of the personalities were very off-the-wall.
Music [8] - The music in this series while fitting, seems a bit dated to me. There isn't a large variety of music used but what is used fits the scenes well. I liked very much that the ending credit song is tied into the story as well.
Rewatch Value [9] - I'm not huge on rewatching but this series had such great characters that I can easily see myself watching it again. Knowing the story will allow me to pay more attention to details that I may have missed the first time through.
Overall [10] - This series left me with one of those warm connected feelings at the end. I love the way the main characters grew together and how that growth supported the entire story. The ending didn't leave me feeling like the story was incomplete so that is a huge plus for this series. Overall, I would recommend this series to anyone looking for something great to watch!
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Murder He Wrote.
After an injury related leave of absence, veteran detective Jiang Guangming teams up with rookie Shi Luo to tie up a few perplexing loose ends in a murder case. Shi Luo is a crime fiction junkie and notices that the crime scene is disturbingly similar to one described in Gu Jiming's debut hit novel Black Rain. Is it a bizarre Murder He Wrote type of coincidence or is the author somehow complicit? The plot thickens when they discover Gu Jiming is not the only writer with links to the victim or the crime scene. The list of suspects grows as they delve deeper into the incestuous and cut throat literary world of aspiring and established writers and their messy personal lives.The murder mystery is riveting from the onset as the search for a missing dog becomes a hunt for a missing witness. As they hone in on the main antagonist, the narrative morphs into a police procedural and a terrifying, gut wrenching exploration of man's quest for relevance. For Zhenzhen and Guangming it is about being in control; for Jiming and Tang Xun it was about writing that memorable first and last novel. All too easily, they slip down the path of moral decay in their pursuit of what matters to them. Even though I was fascinated by this dark and cynical treatise on human nature and how toxic relationships can get, I didn't like or root for any of the characters in this story.
I always regarded Tong Dawei as an overrated actor but I was floored by his compelling portrayal of the pitiful, conflicted and ultimately selfish character that is Gu Jiming. I also was surprised by his dark chemistry with Su Zhenzhen and how they fed off each other. While I appreciate the attempt to flesh out Guangming's character and to somehow connect her marital problems to the case, I was bored by her relationship arc. Despite Ma Yili's fantastic acting, the great cop terrible wife plot-line is unoriginal and went on for too long; often disrupting the flow and pacing of the main narrative. The final two episodes are quite anti-climatic but its still overall an excellent suspense thriller. This could have been a much tighter and more engrossing watch had they cut it down to 10-12 episodes. I rate this an excellent 8.0/10.0.
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