No good deed goes unpunished.
This is a melodramatic story about a badass assassin Shen Lige and Liu Yikang, titled Prince Pengcheng who was best known for reforms that heralded a golden age for the short lived Liu Song dynasty (420-479). In real life, Liu Yikang was probably a dull and dusty fellow who promulgated legislation and ably shouldered the burden of tedious administrative tasks artfully dodged by his brother the allegedly sickly emperor Wen. In this romanticized account, Pengcheng falls in love with the beautiful and deadly Lige, who helps him drain the swamp and weed out a bunch of corrupt and rebellious aristrocrats who are disenfranchised by his reforms.Shen Lige (Li Qin) must be one of the strongest, most badass, most lethal and most gorgeous female leads of c-drama. She makes a grand entrance and her character is awesome up until the bitter end and is the strongest selling point of this drama. Li Qin's acting is so superb her Lige is powerful, engaging, fierce yet still feminine and her expressions are nuanced and emotionally on point. Initially I was not convinced on her pairing with Qin Hao - he is obviously quite a bit older and her "lao tou"/old dude jokes did not help. But Qin Hao is a very compelling actor and in no time, I was rooting for Lige and Pengcheng. While their chemistry is not sizzling or deeply passionate, they are both smart characters that are clearly on the same wavelength and make a formidable team. That said, I feel an actor of Qin Hao's caliber was somewhat wasted on a role such as Pengcheng - he would have made a far more compelling villlain. I also did not like the noticeable skin smoothing they did on him which obscured his micro expressions.
All of the characters in this drama are just simply fantastic. How can you not love Prince Jingling who has the best, most subtly comical facial expressions? Or the completely adorable, wholesome loving, humble devoted goodness that is Shen family? Or the mischevious Zijin and Lige's loyal assassin fraternity? There are so many wonderful, well written characters that are charismatically portrayed and interact with so much chemistry and rapport that you can't help falling in love with them. Guard your hearts carefully though because one of the key takeaways of this drama is that no good deed goes unpunished and compassion and mercy is repaid with treachery and murder. Of course we can't expect all of the characters to survive but there have to be enough survivors to keep us invested in the drama and this one barely makes it. The deaths also have to be "good deaths" at the hands of a worthy opponent and not at the hands of say a puny mutant ninja flying cockroach.
Very much like its predecessor Weiyoung, the villains in this drama are quite enjoyable almost cartoonlike caricatures with very dramatic, somewhat comical facial expressions. Lu Yuan is an excellent, overpowering villian. And Consort Sun relishes hamming it up so much at many points she appears on the verge of cracking up with laughter. However, there are also too many repetitive petty villains with cliché motives and too many lives. The main villains and in particular the mastermind in black (whose identity was obvious quite early on) are interesting characters that should have been better developed instead of digressing into sibling rivalry, green eyed monster and excessive bitch slapping tropes. Unfortunately, the villain spotlight was hijacked by the very pretty Shen Leqing, a well acted but two dimensional character with pedestrian motives. I guess in life and in art, men can see better than they can think.
The story writing is where this exhausting melodrama falls down hard. The plot is predictable and smacks of Weiyoung. Heavy suspension of disbelief is needed because from the get go, a lot of things that don't make sense happen. I rolled my eyes so often that I can no longer tell if my right and left eyeballs have exchanged sockets! But the acting is so delightful and there are so many thrilling moments that for the first 20+ episodes I went with it. At some point however, the excessive plotting and the rollercoaster ride of emotional ups and downs as beloved characters are mowed down with reckless impunity while petty villains survive against improbable odds becomes simply too much. The drama peaks in the mid-30s after the most well developed villain is felled and it further loses momentum after some of my best loved characters are gratuitously killed off. It limps through some repetitive sub-plots towards an unexpectedly good ending which I almost missed because I wasn't that motivated to finish. I find the writers of this drama guilty of writing under the influence of alcohol. They tortured my eyeballs with cruel and reckless depravity and are hereby sentenced to writing commercials for the next 15 years. The surprisingly fitting ending qualifies them for probation after 8.0 years, which is also my rating for this drama.
There seems to be some confusion over the ending so I am copying my a spoiler tagged explanation of what happened from the threads to the comment section of this review.
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1have you ever watched a drama that makes you so happy that you want to become a better person? 'a poem a day' felt like home to me. it made me feel like i really belong somewhere.
story:
the story was nothing that... impressive? at least at first sight. there is no much drama, pressure, it doesn't make you nervous about what will happen next. but it gives you a warm feeling, it makes you happy. it was interesting for me, although i have no interest in physiotherapy.
the romance between je wook and bo young was one of the most beautiful romantic stories i've ever seen in kdramas. i know, i've read in many comments, a lot of people find it boring, too 'formal', but no, it was just real. they were one normal couple. they loved each others, they supported each other, there were hugs and kisses, so i didn't really understand why some people thought that their relationship was unnatural. it just felt real.
another thing i have to mention is the patients stories. i cried my eyes out, they just felt too real.
i really liked the poems. they were so beautiful and they perfectly matched with the story.
but i was slightly disappointed in the end, i think some things should have happend but this doesn't change the fact that the story is good.
characters:
woo bo young - oh, our beautiful female lead. she was just a good person, she was trying to do her job right and to help the patients to recover. she truly cared about them. the thing i liked the most in her it's that she wasn't trying to hide her sensitivity. bo young was a strong female lead in one word.
ye je wook - i haven't seen a person who likes giving advices as much as him lol. he seemed cold in the beginning but after that you can see what a warm person he actually is. he treated everyone with respect and he was always telling what he thinks, he was honest with himself and with the others.
shin min ho - you either like him or you don't. personally, i like him. yes, sometimes he acted childishly, he had no sense of responsibility but at the end, he made the right decision no matter how hard it was for him. yes, he was sometimes selfish, but aren't we all like that? when we fall in love we want the person to have eyes only for us, we don't want to let him/her go. so how can we blame minho for that?
the side characters were really funny and pleasent to watch. their had their own hardships but they always found a way to endure it. i like seeing their character development, escpecially han joo yong's. i like how his friendship with dae band developed in a really good way.
acting:
the cast was completely new for me, the only actor who i knew was seo hyun chul.
i have no much to say, the acting was perfect. there wasn't anyone whose acting seemed unnatural, they all did a great job.
music:
beautiful ost, i love all of the songs. they suited the drama really well and they made it even better.
overall:
11/10 if you ask me. i like dramas that are close to reality and 'a poem a day' was a masterpiece for me. totally recommended!
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I loved the original story line. Yes..I do believe it is an original story line: The fact the Jae Hui is rich but a self made man and not a chaebol, the fact that he was a nice man...simply a bit messed up from his past, the plot point of Cha Bong Sun and her need to see a counselor and her very stubborn personality and their coming together as a couple. Also, Cha Bong Sun may have had problems but she was a strong independent woman who had her own career. All of those elements came together in a very non standard Kdrama way. That pleased the heck out of me.
I loved the acting. Yoon Si Yoon was really good in King Of Baking and he was even better in this. He came into this part as a last minute add on and OWNED this part! He was excellent all the way through. Lee Ji Ah was a dichotomy of likable, sweet girl and grumpy jaded woman. And I liked that! I found her a refreshing change from the typical overly happy and good heroine. She felt real to me.
The acting was solid by the whole cast and I gave it a 10. The character development of the two leads was solid all the way through. Their chemistry was addicting as a viewer. I was rooting for them every step of the way.
Up until about 1/2 way through this drama I was a voracious addicted fiend...practically going through withdrawals until the next episode was subbed. But then something happened to the writing that went a little off for me and wilted the flower. The character of Hwa Young and the decision to set into this original story the very non original element of a scheming jealous woman. That is regrettable and why I can't give Me Too Flower a higher score than 8. She killed some of my love for this drama and I absolutely hate having to say it, but it's true.
The technical aspects of this drama were great. All except that one aspect I mentioned in the writing so I have no other complaints.
The OST is excellent! Right down the line..every song was lovely and fit this drama to a T. Especially "Dreaming" I loved the soundtrack to pieces.
My re-watch value I place at a 7 (good) because there are so many episodes of this drama I would re-watch in a heartbeat...especially 1 through 8 and again the last two. The chunk in the middle I want to rage at.
Do I recommend this? Highly. This drama is really good. I think if I had waited until it all aired and dramathoned it, maybe those episodes in the middle wouldn't have felt quite so agonizing. Give this drama a try...You won't regret it. There is so much to like about Me Too Flower.
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This review may contain spoilers
Just When You Think You Know What's Going On, You Don't, Or Do You?
First up I know a lot of people dropped this drama early on and at times I can see why but you're really missing out on the greater part of the drama by doing this. The actual plot line doesn't start up until around the end of episode 4. The first few episodes are building up to the actual plot line and while I do think it's needed I think they could've shortened this prologue of sorts to at least two episodes.I know a lot of people also dropped this drama because there hasn't been any romance...yet I don't get why people came into this drama for romance when the tags clearly don't have that genre listed. Anyways on with my review.
Story/Plot:
Gets off to a slow start but it sets you up for this dark story of Dongbaek, a famous police officer who has the ability to see people's memories through touch. Cool right? Yes and No. There are people who love him and idolize him and then there are people who hate him and don't want him to touch them in fear they'll get arrested for something illegal they did years ago. Despite Dongbaek having the extraordinary ability to see people's memories he himself does not remember his childhood memories past a certain age. The only memory he can remember is someone murdering a woman he assumes is his mother. The plot moves forward to introduce to us our female lead Sunmi, she is the daughter of a man who was murdered by a serial killer who seems to have come back 20 years later.
However, not everything is as it seems. There is actually a serial killer out there dubbed as the Eraser, who like Dongbaek has a special ability in which they can erase/manipulate memories. Throughout the entire series you are left questioning who you can trust and you can't as you try and figure out who exactly the Eraser is. And like I mentioned in the headline just when you think you know, you really don't. (I had so many theories going the entire drama.)
Acting/Cast:
The acting is/was amazing. I am a huge Yoo Seungho fan and I'm really happy he took the role of Dongbaek. He plays him really well. I am also a fan of Lee Seyoung, I really liked her roles in The Best Hit and Vampire Detective. I personally really like her in badass female character roles. I also want to mention Jo Sungha is excellent as always.
Music:
Sometimes the music is not needed but honestly that's something that's typical in k-dramas. I did like the ending theme a lot though.
Rewatch Value:
I already sort of rewatched it. I watched up to episode 12 by myself and then later rewatched episodes 1 through 12 with my mom until she caught up with me. I recommend watching it twice you catch stuff you may have missed the first time through it.
Overall:
I personally think if the prologue part had been shortened 2 episodes it would've kept people more interested. I also think that episode's 13, 14, and 15 could've somehow been consolidated into 2 episodes at the most, it felt drug out. It almost seems to me that they were originally going to go a different route with the plot but changed it last minute, as there is a scene in one of the episodes previews that does not make an actually appearance in an episode. I think this drama could've easily been better off as a 12-14 episode drama. The drama is wrapped up nicely though, definitely worth a watch!
Don't let this get you down though, the drama plot is really fun to follow if you are an avid crime/fantasy watcher.
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want to see the actors in something else
Overall: ep 7 and 8 were better but it was too little too late. There were 8 episodes about 15 minutes each, aired on Viki and GagaOOLala (depending on your country)Content Warnings: harassment
What I Liked
- funny moments
- how the director Ha Yeon Woo was prepared/put some thought into his plan
- the fan service of Ha Yeon Woo's body
- production value (including the scenic shots)
Room For Improvement
- for a jerk protagonist and a sweetheart to work in a romance, the jerk needs to have a REALLY good reason why they are a jerk and the jerk phase can't last very long. Unfortunately the explanation in episode 7 just wasn't good enough for me and the jerk phase lasted way too long.
- didn't feel chemistry between the protagonists
- the writer was a huge jerk to his manager and it made me mad (wish the writer was nice to others but then only angry at the director when he showed up)
- needed a little bit more of an indicator when they switched from present to past and then back to present again, some choppy moments
- very slow paced,
- dead fish lip presses
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The Flower That Blooms In Adversity Is the Rarest One of All
The Legend of Ming Lan is a very complex and meaningful slice of life drama. My review is split into two parts: a summary and analysis.I. Summary
The synopsis is misleading. ‘Mistreatment’ is a very general statement. That can mean anything. The titular character suffers from neglect from her family; her grandmother fills that need: she loves her and cherishes her. The titular character is both sensible and practical: she acknowledges the reality of her situation and the world she lives in and chooses to be smart about it instead of letting it define her. The titular character makes the deliberate choice to blend into obscurity: her mission is to avoid attention because she learned at a very young age that standing out can invite danger and I think this is a way of taking back her control of her life in the best way she can. She presents herself as a submissive, dreamy person never interested in the things that make others scheme. As a result people think she is nonthreatening and even foolish for not wanting more i.e. 'ambitious'. Thus, about half of the drama instead focuses on her family and the personal actions of her relatives. Like a sponge she absorbs everything, learning about peoples behaviors, tricks, motivations and good/bad choices. On the other hand Gu Ting Ye (future husband) experiences a lot of abuse from his family, but his gender means he can’t take Ming Lan’s route—there are different expectations on him—and as a male, physical punishment is far more common. The second half then follows Ming Lan after she begins married life and how she works very hard to protect her family, support her husband, and finally step into the limelight as a formidable person who will fiercely protect the people around her and is unafraid to seek justice in an eye-for-an eye kind of way (for extreme crimes) instead of burying them. The second act really steps up the ante as Ming Lan has much bigger fires to put out and the stakes and risks are bigger, especially since her husband becomes important to emperor, and that carries a risk all on its own (i.e. the higher you rise, the harder you fall).
II. Analysis
I do not think everyone would agree with me that this drama is perfect because I strongly believe that whether you love, like, or hate it boils down to personal preference. For example, I did not like the drama Love 020 because it was not my style—too light—but it succeeded in what it intended to deliver very well so I ranked it an 8. In contrast, Perfect Couple was not only not my type but I think poorly executed so I gave it a low rating. This drama more than succeeds in what it wants to do and I loved it. With these examples I want the reader to know I am trying to be frank and fair with my review but I truly enjoyed the show so there may be some bias.
For you, the reader, I think there are some important things you may wish to know before making this 70+ episode commitment:
1) The titular character does not receive the majority of screen time in the first half (in my opinion). The titular character does not receive the majority of lines. The titular character is the focus of the show though.
2)The drama uses the rigid moral rules of the day as a source for conflict regularly. Filial piety, virtue, family reputation, and roles (being a good/bad daughter; good/bad wife; good/bad son; good/bad citizen)
3)The writers/directors (I think) attempt to tell a strongly character driven drama, meaning conflict is resolved through dialogue. Characters are consistent. Events don’t disappear from the story line, they stay with people for the rest of the show. Just like people, characters remember. Characters are impacted by choices other people make, sometimes in a life changing way. The last ten episodes are more action based as big end games begin to unravel and play out.
Conclusion:
I have a deep appreciation for this story. I think the acting was amazing, the writing and presentation, down to where people stand in a given scene, was done with remarkable attention to detail. Characters are intelligent and not easy to trick. The acting was extremely believable.
If you want a love story told on a grand scale (Ashes of Love, Eternal Love) this may not be for you because romance is just one of many aspects of this drama. In addition, if you want something light, I would steer clear. But this is not a palace drama (Empress of China) because the plotting is not anywhere near that level, and throughout all 70+ episodes, only a couple of people die—people are not dropping like flies.
For those looking for romance, I cans say that an important aspect of Ming Lan's character is she never wants to inconvenience anyone or rely on others. The male lead prove through his actions that he is someone she can inconvenience and rely on so their love story is sweet.
I think potential viewers should consider these points because often people start a drama and are frustrated with plot and speed. Others may call it a slow burner but it never felt that way to me. I eagerly await(ed) each new episode and the episodes flew by. I never fast forwarded. I don't know what to watch after this!
Finally,
I am making a project to review every episode, so if you have questions about plot you can find them there but just be warned these episode summaries contain massive spoilers. Because of a bug that has not been fixed yet, I can't have paragraph breaks so I have used the (.............) method to delineate breaks.
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The drama also follows the stories of the other occupants of dorm 232 Song Qi Qi, Bai Lin and Xiao Tang as well. Each face some sort of crisis at one point in their life but the thing that makes it so great is that all the issues the girls faced were all problems that everyday college students might face. They always had each other backs. I highly recommend this drama it's a really nice discovering yourself light and warm coming of age drama but it also has some tough moments, Enjoy!
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Enemies at the Beginning, Lovers at the End.
I started Lie to Love on a whim. It basically went like this, “Ooh, Cheng Xiao and Luo Yunxi? Cool, I’ll watch.” I wasn’t looking for much, I admit I went into this drama for the visuals. I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. I’m going to get this out of the way, if you’re looking for Cdramas similar to A Love So Beautiful or My Little Happiness, don’t dilly-dally here because Lie to Love isn’t your best option for Next Fluffy Cdrama Rom-Com. BUT of course, the audience is provided with plenty of sweet scenes that makes you yearn for more.The story begins with an amazing scene of ‘bad-ass’ Su Xieyi (Cheng Xiao) on some under-cover mission…and she has amnesia? The drama isn’t as tropey as it seems to be in the beginning. It does have amnesia, the concept of Enemies to Lovers, but instead, the flower blooms into a drama full of secrets and investigation, with a huge shocking moment that either makes you want to hate the story or feel even more compelled. In my case, these twists and turns caught my attention, and like the characters in the drama, I was always on my toes for the next scenes and episodes. Again, side characters do pose some problems in the leads getting their Happily Ever After, however, the difficulty is more directed towards power struggle rather than the leads losing their trust towards one another. Like many dramas, Lie to Love is like a story in a fantasy world, the details in this drama are not going to happen in real life. This is what makes the plot intriguing. The investigation aspect is the bright cherry on top of an ice cream scoop.
Acting/Cast - 9.0
The actors’ eyes say everything, they paint love, worry, desperation, shock. This was especially evident in Luo Yunxi. Li Zeliang (ML) could be standing on the concrete sidewalk, and you would still be able to see the emotion pouring from his eyes. As for the character himself, he has his setbacks, but he proved himself worthy of standing amongst the top leaders of the hotel business industry. His moves weren’t unpredictable, but rather deserving of applause. Luo Yunxi brought a new aura into any room or scene he was in. Besides his refined looks and dazzling smile, his confident and intelligent image enhanced his character.
On the other hand, while Cheng Xiao can still be a newbie in the drama industry, she had been improving endlessly. As opposed to her character in the popular drama Falling Into Your Smile, Su Xieyi (FL) carries a stronger air of dominance. She, unfortunately, wove some disappointment into my intrigued soul, however, this feeling was quickly wiped away. The small loss in her Strong FL spark was replenished as Su Xieyi made her solid decisions. This was more of a small bump in the plot roller coaster rather than Cheng Xiao’s acting, which she did wonderfully in fulfilling. Su Xieyi isn’t a very complex character, however, the audience received a mixture of determination and care from her.
Luo Yunxi and Cheng Xiao’s pairing was satisfying. Their chemistry was not ‘The Bomb’, however, it was powerful but also cute. (The eye candy as well!) The sweet scenes were especially fun to watch, as Zeliang and Xieyi is such a lovable couple. Of course, I think it’s safe to say that a big portion of the audience was demanding more fluffy sides to the story.
With only a few important side characters, it was fun watching character progressions, whether it be the playful musician Oscar or the talented and poised Shi Chuchu. As much as side characters are often disregarded under the spotlight of the main leads, these supporting characters play a major role in the progression of the plot. Of course, some of their actions were in the wrong, but these were the steps to achieving a rolling plot. In the end, I was more than satisfied with many of the characters’ endings, especially with those who ‘grew up’, who became better people than before.
Music - 9.0
It’s not rare to see me vibing to fun and cute Cdrama songs, and even more so with the addition of Lie to Love’s OST. Nothing much to say about the soundtrack besides the fact that I love it. Another surprise? Luo Yunxi sings a song! (It’s beautiful.)
~
Overall, Lie to Love was a fun and enthralling watch with a blend of both sweet romance and captivating mystery. Characters had secretive pasts and unspeakable confessions, however, they were all given the endings they deserved. Production was high-budget, which was clearly evident in costumes and props. Lie to Love was a breath of fresh air among the cutesy rom-coms that I’ve watched.
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1I can't fully explain why I'm just too attached, I see myself in the characters. "My SAFE Place"
My rating is determined solely by the screen time presence of the primary ( KoSong KoNueng ), secondary couple ( Augar Achi ) and August..I hated that Tle totally disappeared in the last episode. They didn't even gave us a hint bout what happened between them, in that 1 year, and he didn't come back to the hometown with them for new year celebration.
Looked like August losed his contact with himm..
It's the most memorable drama I won't ever forget!!
We all connect with dramas differently, and everyone has that one specific show that feels like a safe haven. For me, this drama is that safe place. I know many people dropped it, but it resonated with me so deeply that it will stay in my heart forever. It is a story I never want to forget. I became profoundly attached to it.
I loved the subtle details and the way it beautifully conveyed thousands of unspoken messages.
I will always cherish the story between Ko nueng and Ko song, very part of their relationship. Also the time I spent watching it, I'll never regret it
I never expected to love this show as much as I do. When it was about to release, the trailer made it look like just another boring, cliché coming-of-age story. Because of that, I missed the first two episodes. But curiosity got the better of me, and I gave it a chance.I still can't believe how quickly I fell in love with it—the very first episode was all it took.
Such a cute coincidence with their names! Those nicknames are precious—now I low-key want someone to start calling me 'Orange' (ส้ม).
Watching the characters transitioning from initial dislike to a beautiful, deep friendship completely won me over. Their friend group is incredible.
In real life, I don’t have a chaotic, fiercely supportive circle of friends like Ko does, so watching them filled my heart with such warm, sweet emotions. It left me wanting more and wishing I could experience that kind of connection.
At times, I felt a wave of envy watching Ko Nueng enjoy such a healthy, vibrant school life. It is exactly the kind of life I have always dreamed of and wished for myself.
Seeing them go from simple, newly moved-in neighbours to absolutely inseparable constants in each other's lives was beautiful. This show has truly become my safe place—the safest place I know.
What hurts most is knowing I have to let it go soon. It has become my Wednesday ritual, something I never miss even on my busiest days, and soon my Wednesdays will feel empty. I have watched plenty of slow-burn, school-life, and coming-of-age, youth dramas before, but I swear this is the only show that makes me wish it would never end .
Every single part of this drama holds profound meaning.
Even the endings the last lines, helped me immensely understand life, just those lines. Soon, I will find myself exactly where Ko and friends are standing.
Sometimes, I still feel like I don't belong in the path I chose, experiencing the exact same doubts as Ko Nueng.
While waiting for the next new episode, I decided to watch Lovesick (2024), and the difference in Almond and Progress is incredible.
They have grown so much and their acting has improved tremendously, even though they were always talented.
It makes me really happy to see actors around my own age starring in such a critical drama. I love watching them grow together since they started their careers at the same time, and I truly hope they continue to stay together.
They looked so young, especially Almond. Seeing their drama brought back memories, and watching their new show makes me proud of how much they have grown.
I deeply connect with the characters' inner worlds, finding myself mirrored in their raw thoughts, emotional struggles, and every decision they make, whether reckless or deeply meaningful.
This bond goes far beyond just a shared age; it is rooted in the shared experience of watching their lives shift from a chaotic, sweet youth into the bittersweet reality of growing apart.
Experiencing their transition as they head to college, discover their academic passions, and choose their own paths perfectly captures the beautiful, messy process of growing up. The transition that I'm going to go through in coming years..
This drama is a masterclass in coming-of-age storytelling, a rare piece of television that achieves high-level artistry while perfectly weaving in extreme nostalgic vibes through an immaculate re-creation of an old 1900–2000 environment.
It is a work of total creativity where the entire story revolves around an orange tree filled with a lot of sweet oranges, turning a simple setting into a deep, poetic anchor for the narrative.
Though it functions as a slow burn, every single part has deep meanings, and the show pays incredible attention to extremely great details, allowing each and every episode to conclude really well with just a few chosen words.
At its core, the series beautifully maps out the important phrases a student goes through during the time they're growing, underscoring the absolute importance of living life to the fullest.
The characters live their lives joyfully, showing us what it truly means to enjoy the little moments—whether they are navigating a chaotic and sweet relationship with parents, enjoying a small school trip, or going on a short sea trip with friends and family.
The drama totally teaches us to enjoy these little moments because, even though they're short, they carry very deep emotions that shape who we are. As the story progresses into adulthood, it offers a gentle guide on how to face the world, teaching us that when we grow up, we must learn to adapt to the environment and changes that might change our personality due to heavy academic pressures or career pressure. Instead of letting the stress overwhelm us, it tells us to keep up with these pressures and find what we're interested in calmly.
Ultimately, it serves as a moving lesson on transition, telling us to adapt to the bittersweet changes of life—like getting apart from friends and family for attending higher studies—while reminding us to maintain a proper relation with everyone, keeping our bonds strong and meaningful even though they're away from us..
I feel their pain through these changes, but their courage is inspiring. I hope to be that brave when the stage comes..
Ko used to rely on his parents to wake him up every morning.
Now, he lives alone in a Bangkok condo, far away from his family and his familiar coastal hometown. Moving from a quiet old town filled with the scent of the ocean to a bustling, unfamiliar city with no one around to nag him has been a massive shift. This sudden independence made Ko realize that his high school days are officially over—a beautiful past he will always cherish.
Despite numerous challenges and frequent arguments, their connection remains unbreakable because their love is genuinely pure. They now share a condo far from Ko Nueng’s hometown and the iconic Orange tree.
Ko has matured significantly—a sharp contrast to the chaotic version of him that I deeply miss . He maintained his old friendships with Augar and August and made new friends.
Ko Song pursued a demanding medical career. His schedule as a doctor is entirely consumed by work, leaving him completely exhausted when he returns home.
As a result, he has no time left to spend with Sôm. Ko Nueng carries a heavy emotional burden; he deeply craves quality time with Ko Song to talk through everything, yet he chooses to keep all of these overwhelming thoughts entirely to himself.
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First and foremost because I have total trust in the production team and actors (Jiang Xin, Liu Tao, Yang Zi, Jin Dong, Zu Feng and so on ...) and well when I read what it would be about I was filled with too much happiness, I mean there's Jiang Xin and she'll be a main character I was really overjoyed because of that and this time she could finally shine and show what great outstanding actress she is which I never doubted <3 furthermore I've always wanted to watch a drama about strong friendship between women from different background and age, to see how their relationship will evolve throughout the drama, in the end I can tell you that it exceeded my expectations, it was more than just friendship, it was sisterhood and a friendship filled with so much love, respect, funny and cute moments. And I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of Chinese Modern Dramas but now I can definitely say, this one is the best I've seen and among my fave dramas right now.
Of course what made this drama such a wonderful and unique journey is the friendship between all of them : Sheng Mei, An Di, Xiao Xiao, Ying Ying and Guan Guan, how they all get to know, accept, respect and love each other, it was simply beautiful and magical to see, everything feels so genuine, it's like they've known each other since a very long time and were able to confide in one another, joke and do lot of amusing activities together like true friends would do and yeah it did take a little bit of time for at least two of them to open up more and accept the others girls however in the end they were themselves when together, all 5 of them.
Friendship is definitely not what this drama is all about and I love this drama for many other reasons :
-The writing, I was so impressed and since the first second when I saw how the dialogues were so well thought- out, rich and intelligent, I love all those quotes Sheng Mei, An Di and some characters like Lao Tan ( Tan Zong Ming) said, very realistic, deep and sometimes pretty bitter.
-Different genres mixed so well in only one drama such as : friendship, drama, comedy (mostly scenes with Ying Ying and Xiao Xiao), romance, slice of life and also family. This is true that some situations were a bit too unreasonable but overall it was such a refreshing and realistic drama and as a big Slice of Life fan I couldn't resist and and love with all my heart all the characters and their stories, sometimes it felt also too real that I couldn't help but cry (from both sadness and happiness).
-Also love how the writer doesn't only focus on one or two characters but takes time to develop all of them and show their own stories, struggles and family problems. Just this is such a pity I still don't know much about Guan Guan and because of that I couldn't relate to her nor her story but it doesn't mean she's not likeable and that I didn't like her.
I really have too much love for this drama that will be hard to explain with words but anyway I'll try to convey my thoughts and affection for Ode to Joy without being too subjective. You know since the very first ep I already felt attached to Fan Sheng Mei, An Di and Ying Ying, I really love the way they were introduced to us, one is very mature and have such strong opinion about love and life situations, the second one is straightforward and can be very badass as well and the latter so cute and naive but also very foolish at times but I couldn't help but fall for her kindness, gentleness toward other girls. They do really have their own qualities and flaws and that's what make them humane and alive.
Of course I know If I start talking about all of them it will take me hours so I'll try to make it as short as possible and go straight to the point.
~If you don't want to know more about the character's personalities you can skip this part~
[Fan Sheng Mei : who's my absolute favorite of the show and the reason is because she's so mature, so elegant and classy, strong, independent who only relies on herself to live and survive in a big city like Shanghai, she's particularly pessimistic when it comes to love and relationship between human being but we can only go along with her as she's always stating the awiful truth.
An Di : Smart, quiet, elegant, mostly wears black and white clothes and for like 25 eps it always bugged me a little bit but that's her style :p, discreet about her life and once again for good reasons because it's hard for her opening up to others and trusting them.
Xiao Xiao, the real light of this drama, so eccentric, also sometimes very awkward with others and the words she uses to speak to people and which leads her to be misunderstood in my opinion, this can be both an asset and disadvantage. Anyway she's considerate, adorable and cool, and for that I like her a lot.
Ying Ying : cute, loving, caring, she also has an eccentric side but now in same way as Xiao Xiao, it's more in her behaviour and her cheerful personality.
Guan Guan : She's also a very understanding and compassionate person and always there for Fan Sheng Mei and Ying Ying, she's hardworking too and a bit too shy, has hard time expressing her feelings to others but once she's with her friends she can fully be herself.]
5 unique, interesting and colourful women :p
I'm really impressed to see that those 5 women who are so different can share so much and support each other during hard times, such endearing, caring and loving characters, for me it was impossible not to love and admire them though I have my personal favorites and I know all of you who watched this drama have your own favorite characters as well for personal reasons and that's what makes Ode to Joy so unforgettable. And yes my fave is definitely Sheng Mei and I love her .
I now need to say a few words about the OST which definitely became one of my all time favorites, I absolutely love all of the songs : I'll post my favorites below. But I won't say more cause I hope people who're gonna watch the drama will discover all of them by themselves and enjoy them the same way I did, and being surprised the way I was too otherwise it would not be fun for you.
My faves :
The ending song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEmSGIaT4Rg&amp;list=PLlxGEDlRe5WNN-_2n7giCKga4V5YHa8-1 Love
Hui Gu Niang/Cinderella : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fGAWMfO7HQ , definitely my favorite and I love the lyrics, so beautiful and true.
Wo Yao Ni/I Want you : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL_QJkbrCKE&list=PL9ct9xr9-KGQtUXpZDeec-oi5WXSz9oNc&index=7 so punchy and addictive
Pei Ni Zuo Yu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9R4gKWn9W4&amp;amp;amp;list=RDsY6u6NbtTlE;index=2
It was overall a very great drama as I said above and I just can't wait for the next seasons to see my girls again *0*. Very very recommended as it will definitely bring you lot of smiles, laughter and food for thoughts as well. And I have to say it was really addictive, I still can't believe I completed this show :(.
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Acting/Cast: It is no secret that I enjoy watching Wallace act in historical dramas. Acting-wise, he's a veteran. Tang Yan is also another seasoned actress. Both Wallace and Tang Yan managed to pull off a believable chemistry. I mean.... who could resist Wallace's mysterious and sexy stare... you know, the kind that makes you wonder what he's thinking but feel as if he is devouring you whole! With that kind of look, it is not too hard to pull off a chemistry that can melt the hearts of females everywhere! The rest of the cast are all good as well. No complains in the acting department. The costumes are colourful and excellent (though I doubt ppl of that time actually wear such fashionable clothes)!
Music: The ending theme song is my favourite. It has a rather sad tone to it and the lyrics are meaningful. It's stuck in my head and I suspect it will be there for a while unti I find another new song to replace it. Some might find the light OST by Della Ding and Wallace Huo something they might like but me being me... I like the darker melodies over the light-hearted ones. It's all personal preference.
Rewatch value: There are 45 episodes and unless you have lots of time at hand, you might not be wanting to re-watch this anytime soon. That said... there are many scenes in this drama; mostly those involving the main couple, that you would like to forward to.
Overall: This is a worth-while entertainment. True to Tong Hua's (the author of the novel where this drama gets its storyline from) style of writing, the main story focuses on the romance between the two main characters. There are some palace conflict going on but that part of the story did not overwhelm the main love story between the leads. So, if you are a romantic at heart, you might want to check this historical romance out.
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This extra episode is a life saver for many Fangs of Fortune fans!
Although the drama ended on sad/open note, many fans felt that they needed more of a conclusion!So, in this episode, they showed us
💫 aftermath of the last few episodes of Fangs of Fortune.
💫how the journey of the team through out FOF left an impact on WX, ZYC and PSJ.
💫how everyone is coming to terms with the loses and affects of previous events.
💫 the contrast of human's view of the demons now in comparison to how they felt about them in the first episode.
💫how WX, ZYC and PSJ are applying the lessons learned from the FOF journey.
💫 the current endeavours of WX, ZYC and PSJ and what they plan to do in the future.
💫the glimmer of hope and relief whether the Most loved and missed Demon ZYZ can return to the ones who are missing him desperately. Clues are given as to how that will happen.
All in all I'm very grateful for this extra episode!!💕💖 it mended my heart by giving us bittersweet conclusion. FOF characters are so well played that fans start to love them dearly and get attached to their life and fate. So it was very important to give us (for those who needed it) more thorough ending!
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1NOT a BL but a proper queer movie
I find it important to make it clear that this is not a formulaic BL aimed at a (mostly) female audience, who enjoy watching pretty men get it on. Yes, men fall in love in this movie and yes, there are sex scenes, but this is where the similarities to BL end.This movie explores gay relationships and gay life in today's Japan without being overly dramatic, but also without any of the "Love is Love and it'll all be good in the end"-sugar coating we see in most BLs.
During the Q&A session at a film festival, the director Matsunaga Daishi said that he deliberately cast queer (amateur) actors in some roles (eg. Kosuke's friend group) to further LGBTQ representation.
Suzuki Ryohei is simply stunning in his portrayal of Kosuke. He manages with sometimes minimalistic expressions or what should be mundane tasks, such as drawing in his eyebrows, to portray a man, who has learned to navigate a world which is hardly accepting of the LGBTQ community. A man, who has armored himself with success and a seemingly hard shell, but who shows vulnerability and his true self in places and among people he knows he is welcome.
The movie isn't perfect. There are aspects of Kosuke's and Ryuta's relationship I wish it had explored in more depth, but it is impactful and (as I said before) Suzuki Ryohei's performance alone makes it very much worth a watch.
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The drama closest to my heart.
There are dramas that you either enjoy watching or you don’t. And then there are dramas like this that manage to reach the deepest parts of your heart.I believe It’s Okay to Not be Okay is a drama that you’ll fall in love with when the story hits close to home. There are many scenes throughout this drama that really made me cry and touched me in so many ways. And no, it wasn’t all the sad moments. The characters in this drama felt so real that I even cried out of happiness for them. Every time I watch this, I don’t see Kim Soo Hyun, Seo Ye Ji, and Oh Jung Se anymore. It is Moon Kang Tae, Ko Moon Young, and Moon Sang Tae, who I felt closer to than any character I’ve seen before.
Honestly, this is the first time I ever felt this way about a drama. I’ve watched ongoing dramas but I have never been this excited for every episode. My Saturdays and Sundays were never the same and without meaning to, I found really awesome people because of our shared suffering while waiting every week (you know who you guys are! <3). IOTNBO has made these past two months better and I can’t believe how time passed by so quickly.
I just loved everything about this drama: the cinematography, acting, soundtrack, and scriptwriting. This drama always gave us beautiful shots, awesome animation, and creative transitions. Kim Soo Hyun, Seo Ye Ji, and Oh Jung Se showed us stellar acting performances and broke my heart so many times. Even the supporting characters were really good at their roles. The OST was something that kept me going while waiting each week and I really appreciate how they had English songs. I also loved how the story had a balance between sad and happy moments. I usually get bored by a drama that’s too sad so I like how they insert comedic scenes in between. There are also so many relatable quotes and one of my favorites is a piece of advice from Doctor Oh.
“When you’re tired, get some rest. When you’re sad, go ahead and cry. It’s okay to take a break. Then one day, there will surely come a day when you’ll be able to run again.”
Another thing I really loved about this drama is how it was able to incorporate fairytales and stories in every episode. Ko Moon Young’s stories in particular were all really good, especially the one in the ending. I admire the writer for writing these fairytales on top of writing a drama.
I know this drama is by no means perfect. It still left me with a few questions about Moon Young’s mom. But truth be told, I am here for the relationships and development of the characters. It’s a small part of what is overall a satisfying journey. I finally agree with Kim Soo Hyun when he said that this is a healing drama. After all the sadness and pain, in the end, I finally felt the happiness and healing.
This drama might be either something you love or you don’t. We all have different stories. But what I’m really sure of is that this drama will always have a special place in my heart. :’)
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