This review may contain spoilers
WOW DOMUNDI HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!!
Love Upon a Time is in great contention to be the best BL series of the year!I love that Domundi is obviously really trying their best and putting enough money in their series.
The series, centered around the timeless love of 2 souls out of their time, is a high value production with good cinematopgraphy, beautiful set pieces and intricate costumes. Wonderfully executed by the same director of Khemjira (which clearly influenced this series with their past-lives concepts) and fully embracing the Thai history and culture which made the series all the more unique and enjoyable.
The cast were amazing. NetJJ chemistry is so electric- i am so glad they found the perfect new partner for Net. Net is born to be an actor and is just a natural on screen - and that bathing scene in the river will forever be etched in my brain. JJ may be amatuerish and at times may feel "overacting", but as the episodes go on you just cant help but fall for his charm, his cuteness, and comedic timing. The way he uses his facial expressions so candidly can be so disarming. LatteKim is also the perfect second couple, but let me warn you about Latte because this guy has no right to be this HOT.
I initially brushed this off because i thought it was going to be a copy of the recently concluded series 'Im the Most Beautiful Count" - it has the same present to past time travelling concept, but boy am i glad that ididnt skip this because not only did LUAT execute the concept better, they even tied the story in a very neat bow to make us all feel good after finishing the series. In fact i think they ended the series so beautifully and conclusively that it leaves zero chances for a sequel.
This series will also remind you of two of the most famous K-drama time travelling series - Scarlet Heart and Bon Apettit Your Majesty - and im glad to report that LUAT has managed and ended this series far better than those 2 korean series.
It is also important to mention again that i loved that this series (just like Khemjira and Duang before it ), is not following a strict 45min or 60min runtime, but instead allows each episodes to run in varying length to fully tell their stories. Yes, the episodes maybe longer than usual but it doesnt drag the story - it feels like they have carefully planned and mapped out the entire story. perfectly sprinkled with all the BL tropes we all loved, with a hint of bright violet unicorn fart While i understand that not every series and production companies allows a free range runtime especially those who are airing on freetv, im glad that the Domundi series being produced lately is fully taking advantage of its platforms to be free to tell their stories in their own way and in their own time.
Do i also need to say how much i love Domundi is pushing the limits with regards to their sexy scenes?
While the series has a lot of strength, its not without flaws. One main point where the creators took a lot of creative liberties is the acceptance of gay and same sex relationships in old Thailand (and its neighboring countries in SouthEast Asia for that matter) - it is widely believed that the Asian cultrues are more accepting of the sane sex relationships during those times before the western colonizers came to the region. Another matter in particular is romanticising the concepts of slave servants wherein the slaves acts as if they are friends to their master. I also hate the reincarnation idea that once a servant always a servant because even in the present times all the slaves in the past are stuck in the same low social status.
Will i rewatch ? Already saw all episodes twice. Will i recommend? Are you kidding, of course! Overall its a 9.75. I really hope that Domundi can keep this momentum going.
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'Finding Happiness Again'
The New Beginning.Not having some great story, relatively some or to be honest many plot holes doesn't mean that drama wasn't good, there's nothing like perfection. Having some cons is a good thing from my perspective. So now let's talk about drama. Fluffy, comedy, sweet, light with mild romance (Don't expect too much even romance is in main genres) ... it's the full package fluff drama but it also gives some messages which make us think about ourselves our life and the decision we made.
The story wasn't perfect but the execution was done well, kind of predictable still a fun and interesting journey. Really like the character development wasn't just about only one character but about every... the journey of learning something and it was for everyone that at the end you can see not phenomenal but at least a good change indeed!
Talking about the cast and acting... for me everyone was perfect for their respective roles and characters really liked Bahn Ha-Ni's both version the younger and the present one it's always great to see two different sides of the same character though I can't say they both are same haha.. the ML was definitely chocolate boy, adorable, liked the chemistry between them but still I won't say we get much romance here.
So overall it was a good show indeed won't say very good, coz I didn't get answers for some of my questions and had some plot holes but it's really good and light show indeed!
“We all do things we desperately wish we could undo. Those regrets just become part of who we are, along with everything else. To spend time trying to change that, well, it's like chasing clouds.”
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#Letsgetdrunk!
Perfect in every single way.I went into this drama absolutely blind - i saw Eun Ji (who i love since R97) and “female friends drinking alcohol” and i thought to myself: this might be nice. And it was not JUST nice. It was perfect. In a span of 12 unusually short episodes, this drama managed to fulfill each and every single of my drama desires/needs.
STORY - the concept of 3 friends vs. the world is not unique. We’ve all seen at least 5 dramas with such theme. But why WLDN feels so good and refreshing?! Most of the issues the main leads go through are not new but the way our main leads carry though the mishaps is so much fun. The writer wasnt afraid to explore harder topics (though oftentimes only marginally or very nonverbally) like depression, lgbt, sex, harassment, patriarchy… this might seem like an explosive/too stacked mix but it was executed quite well in my opinion. And the dialogues were so good!
The drama started with very hilarious and bizarre comedy (imo on par with Chief Kim and Pegasus Market) and then it suddenly slipped into drama with very serious topics. The transition felt almost seamless.
CHARACTERS - at first, the main leads seemed very one-dimensional - weirdo Ji Goo, beauty Ji Yeon, worcoholic So Hee, creep Kang PD. But oh boy, do they all have LAYERS. And such beautiful and interesting layers to boot!
Ji Yeon is one of the most interesting and funny characters i've seen in a drama these days. So unapologetically feminine and over the top. So Hee and her endless inner (and outer) battle with her feelings. And jI Goo - seemingly so strong on the outside but in fact very vulnerable, too. Despite some of their character traits being overexaggerated for entertainment purposes, all of them feel like real complex women who are able to be both strong and weak, emotional, rational and irrational... And their friendship is something so beautifully written and perfectly acted by all 3 main leads!
OTHER ASPECTS - visually, this drama was so much fun - be it cute outfits for all main leads, nice coloring of the scene/shot, or the food/alcohol aspect of the drama. I am no expert in the field of camera technique, but i quite enjoyed the camera movement. idk…i didnt pay much attention to ost (cause the drama was stacked in other departments) but all the main leads sang a song for this drama and the songs are pretty good!
CONCLUSION - i love this drama so much. I found the finale a little … lacking but i suppose they are hoping for season 2. The rewatch value is high for this drama - especially early episodes when the characters are only showing their layers and the comedy is just perfect. With this drama i cried both - happy and sad tears (I actually shed so many different types of tears!) so it seems like it will be perfect for a rewatch during the time when one needs to unwind so many emotions. I had a really great time watching WLDN and it gave me all sorts of warm and fluffy feelings!
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Surprisingly engaging. Entirely bingeable!!
I started watching this fully expecting it to be silly and nonsensical and a good distraction - and it was - but interestingly - it was quite a bit more… and I actually enjoyed it.The overall story is not new and seemed like a “mush-mash” of other fluffy historicals. But even though the FL was typically over the top and antics-oriented - the drama managed to convey a FL character that was independent and open-minded. The values portrayed were female empowering and I liked that.
It has a reverse harem theme but not in a gratuitous way. The FL openly admires the male form - and female as well - she can admire a beautiful woman without malice. She is Portrayed as comfortable with her own emotions and wishes and demanding equality in her relationship. At first she could be viewed as silly but we do get a sense of her pure and honest heart. She is practical and direct in her admiration.
The MLS are both wonderful and our FL has good chemistry with both. I loved that this was a love triangle but - not really. Instead it actually came across as our our FL just exploring her options to figure out who she connected better with physically and from the heart. She had enough chances to check out who really made her heart race! She also treats both MLs sincerely and wholeheartedly. Once she figures it out she commits to her choice and all parties respect and support that. So no toxic love triangle.
Our course all is that aside — this was a visual feast when it comes to MLs. Enough shirtless scenes of these two gorgeous men who emoted strength as well as tenderness just like I like my leading characters.
If you are okay with a bit of silliness with a not so perfect story nir production - this is a fun quick watch with a twist at the end that might mean another season —— and I would not mind giving a second season a try if that’s the case.
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no guitars pulled out in a college/campus thai bl???
the low reviews don't make sense to me since this was better than a lotttt of college thai bls i've watched (i've probably watched all of them) storywise it might've not been a great start cus it seemed too typical but I did not care since I started it not expecting much anyways...howeverrrrrr the more it went on the better it got...i really liked the main couple's relationship development they were adorable and the side couples' stories were also good....all of the actors had good chemistry and the acting was surprisingly good....it was just generally less cringe than ur average thai bl.....production wise it was not the best but it wasn't bad...overall if ur looking for something nonserious yet still enjoyable to watch u should watch thisWas this review helpful to you?
Kim Hee Sun is perfect as loving and protective mom Jo Kang Ja as well as teenage friend Jo Bang Wool. I can't say enough about her acting. All of the actors were great from the young to the veteran actors. Regardless of Ji Soo's good looks, that boy can act. His emotional versatility as Go Bok Dong will take him a long way in the future. I look forward to seeing more of him. Kim Tae Hoon makes it easy and strangely sad to hate Do Jeong Woo. The person I felt the most conflict for was Kim Hee Won as Ahn Dong Chil. I wasn't sure what to think of him until the very end. I'm so glad the writer clears every thing up with him. His character was the link that held the story together. Besides the female lead, my favorite character is Go Su Hee as the quirky and totally lovable and ultimate best friend, Han Gong Joo. I adore her!!! I think the weak link is surprisingly Ji Hyun Woo as Park Noh Ah although I will say as the drama went on he got better. It may have been his character being that he seemed naive and weak that became stronger while remaining nice.
The music is really good.
I will probably rewatch this at some point.
I recommend this drama to everyone. It is really well written and acted,
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Once in a year healing warm pure romance Korean drama that we all wait for.
YES! YES! YES! You read it right. "You Are My Spring" comes under the category of slow-paced, pure romance dramas, that the Korean Drama Industry makes sure to present us with, every year at least once. And, it's not just warm, it contains plenty of healing factors which are necessary in a relationship because opening up to each other and growing up while tending to each other's wounds, is the most important thing.As a drama, I feel, it has done a very amazing job in justifying the genre, giving off the warm romance vibes and making me cry a loads and healing my heart. Only disappointing thing about this drama is how miserably the writer failed while attempting to blend a secondary murder mystery storyline to such pure romance genre. But since the 2 storylines went seprate ways for most of the later parts, I am gonna ignore it while reviewing the drama. Although 2 different storylines with the least relevance is a major drawback for any story, I think it's fine in this case because, the thriller part is only 10-15% of the entire story, hence avoidable. This is definitely going to my top 10 romance drama list.
STORY & PLOT:
The drama majorly involves 2 people, Kang Da Jung (Seo Hyun Jin), a manager at a 5 star hotel and Joo Young Do (Kim Dong Wook), a reputed psychiatrist doing multiple jobs. They meet each other as neighbours in the Gugu Building after renting different floors (3rd and 2nd respectively). Shortly after it, both of them find themselves connected to a criminal who supposedly has had encounters with both the lead characters in a shelter home when all 3 were children.
Both Kang Da Jung and Joo Young Do have their own stories of traumatic childhood. Kang Da Jung, a witness of her alcoholic abusive father beating her mother every other night, has the scars from the past days when she had to live under a scary roof protecting her younger brother. It's been long she feld with her mother and brother silently over the night but she still has that knief stuck in her neck. Joo Young Do, the second child and a potential donor to his terminally ill older brother, was always made to feel responsible about his brother's well-being even as a kid. Upon the older's demise he was left out from his mother's love and later developed a bad heart for which he got transplanted.
Kang Da Jung, who inherits her mother's trait of picking up wrong men to date, has failed in relationship several times where as Joo Young Do, who got married to an actress to help her get better, still avoids dating in the fear of ruining someone's life bcs of his heart conditions. They keep bumping into each other after moving to the Gugu Building and also encounter each other at unusual places because of the murder case. Young Do as a psychiatrist can see through Da Jung and secretly wishes to help her out. Da Jung on the other hand finds Young Do interesting but recent events make her avoid bonding with strangers. So the drama is all about them becoming closer, helping each other to sort out their pasts, healing each other's scar and most importantly, falling in love with each other in the mean time.
The plot development of the primary story, i. e. the romance is very niceeeeee. I am soooo very happy with the story. The slow-paced, quite and gradual progression of the romance in an adult relationship is like once in hundred moment in Korean Drama World and we must realize, You are My Spring is one of them. Not just the lead couple, there are several several short yet detailed storylines for the side characters, be it about their dating life or families or work places. And I am happy those side storylines also have great relevance with the major storyline because all of the side characters revolve around each other as in live close or work together or are deeply bonded.
The primary plot of romance between the leads is accompanied by a secondary murder mystery plot where one of the main characters with connection only with the 2 protagonists is drawn. This part and this character is very unnecessary, I feel. This secondary plot could have been easily wrapped up within 6 or 7 episodes so that the story would have continued only with the romance part because all we saw about the thriller parts were hardly 10 mins per episode. Anyways, I am not gonna talk much about this part since it's totally essence less in the story.
CAST & ACTING:
I can't help but give the production 10 out of 10 because of this amazing cast. There are few unfamiliar faces here as well along with some moderately popular actors but all of them did a very good job at their respective roles assigned to them. Given that the characters are fairly drawn, all of them have succeeded in justifying whatever they were provided with and what could be more satisfying than that?
Seo Hyun Jin as Kang Da Jung is one of the most suitable choice as she has done similar files in "Another Miss Oh" and "Temperature of Love". Her expressions are always on point, no matter what the situation is, and I have always loved her acting. Seeing Kim Dong Wook in his post 2015 dramas has been a lil kinda feeling for me because of the way he's changed from a cute lil kid in Coffee Prince (2009) to a well grown adult now T T. He never fails to mesmerize with his cuteness and acting.
I have loved Yoon Park all along but here his character and the secondary plot provided to it are really unnecessary, so I am not gonna say much. Anyways, he looked extra handsome in this, I must admit. Nam Gyu Ri as Ahn Ga Young, a depressed actress, did justify her role. I have loved her dialogue delivery style and her character is lovable. Kim Ye Won as Park Eun Ha, Da Jung's friend and the owner of the ground floor coffee shop is straightforward and cares a lot for Da Jung. Ga Young, Eun Ha and Da Jung's trio friendship chemistry is worth falling for. The other trio was of Young Do and his 2 best friends, Seo Ha Neul (1st floor Vet), Chunk Seung Won (variety show PD). These guys were so cute together and loved the way they have been maintaining this long-term friendship.
Another character is Moon Mi Ran, Da Jung's mother played by one of my fav ahjumma Oh Hyun Kyung, which I loved so much. Whatever she went through in the past and how she overcame that plus raised her 2 kids and also how she's living her life in the drama, everything is very well portrayed.
Among others, Park Chul Do (Eun Ha's twin brother), Kang Tae Jung (Da Jung's younger brother), Oh Mi Kyung (Young Do's assistant), Park Ho (the asst. Detective), Heo Yu Kyung (Da Jung's colleague), Min Ah Ri (cafe part-timer), Ko Jin Bok (chief Detective), Patrick (Kpop idol and Ga Young's boyfriend) and Han Jin Ho (Ga Young's trainer) are some notable characters. Even with small screentimes, these characters bloomed very well in their own ways.
DIRECTION & SCREENWRITING:
Direction is very good as well. Given the story is extensively relevant to the past events of the 3 main characters, the production had a lot to do on their plate and I feel that's been well executed. The sound editing of first 5 or 6 episodes kind of gave off the feelings of this drama being a thriller genre. It was dark and intense enough to make the audience anxious about what might happen next.
The writer with less experience has done a good job in drawing the plotline of the entire drama which is possible when you are aware of numerous shades of relationships and the most important thing in the process of love. The intensive romance by the means of healing the other's heart is the best kind of romance which has been very beautifully written in the story. Also, it's quite rare for Kdramas to draw subtle yet meaningful storylines for the side or supporting characters but if you see, this drama delivers them very well. Not just one or two, all the slide storylines were cute and made me feel good.
The only DRAWBACK of this drama is the secondary thriller plot. I think to make the story extra interesting as well as to fill the quota of 16 episode drama trend, the writer added the character of Yoon Park as well as it's storyline. There's no definite second lead syndrome here anyways so that way, they should have limited the thriller part to first few episodes and tried to wrap that up asap. But they dragged it till the end which could have been i interesting if it were related to the lead couples to a great extent. It rather was a whole different story with the 2 lead having nothing to do with. Yoon Park was seen with the 2 leads separately only in few scenes and also the mystery part is given hardly 10 mins in each episode following the 4th. So in my opinion, this secondary plot could have been easily avoided even so the drama had to end with 14 episodes. May be the writer wanted to make it lile "When The Camellia Blooms" but it became a waste.
OSTs:
There are plenty of OSTs along with more than one versions of few tracks. "In Ruin" by Raiden is an slow yet intense track. "Because its You" by SURL is a beautiful softcore healing track that's been well used in the drama. "Still Wonder" by Ha Hyun Sang is a jolly song that makes your heart flutter.
"A Butterfly Flew Away" is a feel good song with beautiful lyrics sung by Kim Min Seok and gives off the oldschool Kdrama OST vibes. Another OST of the same vibes is "Dear My Spring" which is both healing and sad at the same time. Our dear Onew has sung this.
"Falling Flowers" by Yang Da Il is a heart-wrenching sad track that was used while showing the childhood stories of the 3 leads which made me cry every time I listened to it. In fact, the drama starts with this song. "Cliché" by Kwon Soon Kwan and "Me So Bad" by YOARI are 2 happy-go-lucky tracks. Notably, "Falling Flower" has a Da Jung Version sung by uri yepoo noona Seo Hyun Jin.
The instrumentals of the above mentioned OSTs plus the background scores are all well utilized. First few episodes were a bit confusing because they used thriller sound devices which later shifted to warm romance vibes.
DESCRIPTION:
Well, you might think I am overreacting by saying the same thing again and again but this drama is actually very good. It's totally my type of healing romance Kdrama, something that I always wait for. The way Da Jung and Young Do went from becoming strangers to acquaintance neighbours to friends to finally lovers is such a beautiful course events to witness throughout the journey. Their way of accompanying each other, extending hands to each other, listening to each other, trying their best to understand each other, tending to each other's wounds as well as healing every lil corner of each other's heart, are very warm and a wholesome feeling. They gave their 100% in building trust between them by means of hit & trial method. They did crazy things together in a snow evening. They believed each other during the times of odd. All these things are parts of a warm and healing love story which seemingly disinterests a huge no of audience but that's their fault of having no taste, ngl.
The relationship of a mother and daughter between Mi Ran and Da Jung are notable. They didn't only look like friends by looks, they actually lived their lives as friends. Da Jung relied a lot on her mother as a kid even when they were poor and had to go through domestic abuse. Now that she's a grown lady, her mother has become a companion in her life, giving shoulder to all her pains and celebrating on her even days. In fact, Kang Tae Jung is also close with her mother and sister and them as family grew stronger given they had a shared past of darkness which they have overcome and been living together.
Friendship is another device that's nicely utilized in the drama. Starting from the all guys trio of Young Do, Ha Neul and Seung Won that showed the essence of long term friendship, then Da Jung, Eun Ha and Ga Young, the all girl trio that showed how people befriend strangers at different stages and various situations.
Brother-sister relationship, idol/actor dating life, after effects of long-term dating and breakup, professional life in Police Station, Hotels and Hospitals, bonding between employee and employer, etc are some other notable relationships portrayed in the drama. And, as I have already mentioned, the arcs of all the side characters are very well done. That's what also wins points for this drama.
The thriller plot ended right before the finale so it was kinda relieved and I love the ending as well, just like a warm pure romance drama should end. I was actually afraid things between Da Jung, Young Do and Da Jung's mother will turn somewhat typical family drama in the last 2 episode but thankfully it didn't happen. The level to which my heart has been healed by this drama, by crying, laughing and smiling wide is unexplainable. I am very happy about that.
Last thing I would like to add is how some people are complaining that there is no chemistry between the leads at all. Let me tell you that, the kind of romance and chemistry we see in pure romance are all almost the same whereas this drama seem to have tried a different approach. In real, every other relationship is different, in fact the definition of love, dating and romance are different for different couples. Nobody needs to kiss, hug and be clingy all the times or even to keep saying cheesy stuffs to express love and prove chemistry. Morever, friendship between a couple should be the most important factor in a relationship so even if they act more like friends than couples, it's totally fine. Let's go beyond norms. Let's not set boundary for a beautiful thing like by forcing our own definition on others. Let's be open-minded and let people live their lives however they wish to.
CONCLUSION:
Overally this drama is a very nice. I already said I am not gonna judge or even think about the thriller secondary storyline but it anyways a part of the story that'll forever remain a demerit for the drama. Iwould have given 9.0/10 if it weren't for that particular thing but since it's already there I am going with 8.5/10.
I feel a lot of people, like literally a huge no of people are missing out by not watching this. I wonder why this ain't popular but again, thw answer is clear that it's not everyone's cup of tea. However, I wish more and more people start recognizing and appreciating such genre of warm pure romance, even so it's a gradual process.
I am definitely coming back to this drama again, whenever I feel like and I am the setting the rewatch value at 8/10. This drama truly is healing and warm. GO WATCH THIS PLEASE.
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The story was the only thing lacking in this drama, but not even by much. The only problem that occurred was that there was barely any cheerleading whatsoever. They used the sport as a background setting, and only ever included two performances in total (excluding the practice trials). But besides that, I want to thank the writers for so many things. For saving a perfectly salvageable villain who didn't understand any other way of dealing with her problems, for making the love triangle all so lovable and making me ship all three of them together with each other (yes, I shipped not only the end couple and the second-lead couple, but also the bromance), and for making all the characters so cherishable. And also, thank you for showing great character development with every single character, especially Seo Ha Joon and Kwon Soo Ah. I thought there couldn't be a single school drama that would beat Who Are You: School 2015, but here we are, half a year later, with an ever better school drama.
I think all of us can agree that the cast did a superb job, and all agree that when Ji Soo gets a role in another romance drama, he needs to win over the heart of his crush so all of his fangirls don't internally die. Anyway, Ji Soo did an amazing job and I felt so emotionally attached to his character. Angry Mom is a definite watch for me now. Moving on, Lee Won Gun. My new-found bias. I had previously watched his supporting role in Hyde, Jekyll, Me, but I never took much notice of his character as I always had my eyes on Hyun Bin. I never realized how well done his acting is. He is awesome, and my god, that smile of his! I found myself squealing every time he even so much as smirked. Anyway, Jung Eun Ji and N have definitely broken the idols-can't-act stereotype, and I am looking forward to watching more of their works. Finally, Chae Soo Bin. Her character was extremely irritable, but she was the first ever antagonist that I could never fully hate. Deep down, she was just a down-to-earth character who was trying to learn from her mistakes in the wrong way. And with that, Soo Bin had better rise to stardom very soon because she is a spectacular actress.
All of these soundtracks are just too lovable and I can't pick a favourite. There is Fly Like An Eagle, Rely, Shooting Star and Flower. They are all so amazing, I could listen to them all day long. Seriously, look up the playlist online and you can just sit there and listen to them.
Yes, oh god yes. I would do anything to have this series on disc so that I could carry it anywhere with me and just rewatch over and over again. Everyone has that one show that they could always watch, and Cheer Up! is one of them for me.
Overall, this drama was almost perfect, with only the flaw of not having enough cheerleading featured. Every single acting choice was amazing, the script and writing was brilliant, and the music is flawless. Please make more good quality school dramas like Cheer Up!.
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Hopeful Bond Against the Dark Odds
“It bothers me when one out of every seven of us is missing. I don’t know why, but I just don’t like it. I hope we can be all together. When we are all together, I don’t even think about wanting to die.”This drama is an adaptation of BU and I'm glad it's really good. Despite some changes, they did an excellent job on the build up between the characters and their relationships, along with the actors' portrayal and chemistry. From the awkward first meetings to building trust with each other and getting closer together. I love watching their friendship and brotherhood despite their different backgrounds and problems. They unite to become each others' ray of light amidst the struggles they faced during the darkness of their separate lives. This drama is so heartwarming with the precious found family trope. But at the same time, the dark themes about their childhood traumas and family secrets are so emotional and intriguing.
This drama is so meaningful and deep while tackling various social issues about dysfunctional family, mental illness, discrimination, poverty, politics, education and more. The mystery regarding the past of their parents and connection to the principal shows how generational trauma starts and their children bearing the pain of their mistakes. Innocent teenagers are forced to suffer due to the evil adults that comes from each of their different environments. This drama is a reflection of reality that conveys important messages while providing consolation and angst to the youth who are beginning to face the world.
From the original BU storyline, this drama acts like a prequel that introduces the 7 protagonists while adding more details about their backgrounds and families. Eventually, this drama left with an open ending where the fantasy aspect of time travel only begins at the end. Hwan, the oldest of the group, carries the weight of responsibilities and guilt, so he goes back in time to save all his friends and prevent them from their tragic fates. He sacrifices himself while being stuck in time loops. This leads to suspicions and demands for Season 2. There's no official confirmation yet, but I hope they really make it happen so the boys' stories can continue.
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RUSTED SPOONS
The biggest flaw of the story is giving out way too many golden spoon, it kind of reduced the importance of an otherwise powerful selling point.I will be honest. This is the first Yook Sung Jae series that I have completed (I tried his last show but i cant get past the second episode). This guy is handsome and has the acting chops to boot. Here, as Lee Seung Chun, he caught me in his trap from the very first episode. Something about his pain from being born poor felt effective and believable, and you want him to get out of his desperate situation even if it means somebody else will suffer in his place. As a viewer you'd want to give him the best too.
To be rich, he has to take the place of Hwang Tae Yong, who at first, seems like a despicable character. After a few episodes he managed to switch places, unfortunately for Seung Chun, it is not all greener on the other side as he found out that even the rich Tae Yong has his own personal challenges and demons of his own. Even more unfortunate for Seung Chun, Lee Jong Won's good performance as the new Seung Chun is even better than the original, that you cant help but root for him even more than Sung Jae.
Golden Spoon has managed to convey the rich versus poor comparison very well, albeit, they showed it in a way that poor is synonymous with good and rich is synonymous with evil.
We later found out that there was not only one but quite a few of these golden spoons, which, like I said in the beginning, kind of reduced the importance of the show's most powerful selling point. It felt like a lazy attempt to build the show's tension, to the point that when the last spoon user was revealed, it didnt have the imapct they hoped to create and my eyes just rolled up too high thought it left my skull. It was a waste of cameo from Na In Woo.
Has anyone noticedbhow the seemingly good hearted granny selling these golden spoons is nothing but a creepy Rumpelstiltskin-like character. She just doesn't give a sh*t if the spoon destroys lives, just as long as you buy the spoon. I would have wanted to see her true evil colors, and that she gives all those who used the spoons get what they deserve in return, which comes to that ending that I hated - Seung Chun should have been punished (or at least got the karma he deserved) but instead he got out almost unscathed and looks like he will manage to win the girl after all.
Overall, im still giving it an 8 out of 10. Would i rewatch? Probably not, although Im looking forward to seeing more of Yook Sung Jae and Lee Jong Won's other works.
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A Fresh Breath of Air (no more c-drama cliches)
Rattan introduces not only a new type of genre (science fiction/fantasy) but completely new character dynamics. We truly have a strong female lead here, someone whose backstory and motive drives the whole plot. In fact, the male lead is more a side character who simply accompanies her on her journey after her revival. Some people might be put off by the foreignness of the drama, the fact that there are no old tropes, and I implore those people to spend a couple more episodes watching before coming to a conclusion. At least make it to the halfway point before giving a critical rating.For those who are confused about what the plot is, or feel there is no plot, the drama is also of the mystery genre. Over half of the 30-episodes are focused around discovering who the female lead is and why she does what she does. When the audience finally does discover all the information, the second half of the drama leads the audience to a much faster paced plot where Si Teng meets her goal and deals with the obstacles (or rather people) that arise as well as her budding feelings for Qin Fang.
Even if you're not here for the mystery plot, there's still much to savor from the drama: the beautiful scenery, Si Teng's stunning wardrobe, and the adorable slow-burn romance. A lot of the scenery is very uncommon in Chinese dramas, where instead of the old traditional architecture or modern skyscrapers, they filmed in Xinjiang and remote places like Shangri-la City.
ACTING/PRODUCTION:
The main actors, Jing Tian (role Si Teng), Zhang Binbin (role Qin Fang) and Zhang Yichi (role Yan Furui) are all great at their craft and the interactions all feel very natural. Even the child actors for Wa Fang and young Si Teng act very well. If there are complaints about acting from second leads, I do want to remind that the production team for Rattan doesn't have the extensive budget of other dramas like Eternal Love or Ashes of Love, so please be more lenient. In fact, Bai Jin is even acted by the director himself. Even so, the team went through a lot to get good scenes i.e. for the first scene when Qin Fang revives Si Teng, they filmed at a very high altitude, where it's very cold and they had to bring oxygen tanks.
Not to mention, the two leads have great chemistry. Their off-screen interactions are absolutely adorable. When they first appeared in public together to promote the drama, they looked so happy together that the search Jing Tian and Zhang Binbin acting like newly-wed couple was one of the top 5 searches on Weibo that week. There's also a Happy Camp episode coming out soon if you want to see more of them together!
Interestingly, Rattan was a surprise drama, no one expecting the popularity that it currently has. On Douban (the Goodreads of Chinese cinematography), not only does it have a 7.8 rating, it boasts 140k reviewers (most dramas have around 60k and a 6.5 rating; anything over 7.5 is extremely impressive and rare). All of these are testimonies to the greatness Rattan is.
CONS:
Personally, the main issue I have is that the plot can be very confusing, which knocked down the overall rating from 10 stars to 9. The drama is based off of a novel written by Wei Yu and so sometimes knowledge on text doesn't translate well visually without narration. Especially near the end, where it picks up pace, it can get very confusing what is happening and why it has occurred. I feel like more time could've been taken to go over these scenes and the backstory. There are also some unanswered questions like: did Qin Fang ever realize who Shan Zhigang was? Why does Bai Jin hide the fact that he has powers and what exactly is even his role? etc. I didn't mind as much since I could get the general gist, but I can understand how that may be frustrating to others. The drama may have benefited from extra episodes or cutting out whole sections of plot, instead of following the novel religiously (like the last 2 episodes were kinda unnecessary and made me much more confused).
ENDING:
Finally, about the ending, some of you are worried about it having a sad ending. The director actually filmed two endings. The one in episode 30 is more "sad", i.e. Qin Fang and Si Teng don't end up together in the traditional sense (I still don't think its sad though, it has a nice cause and effect circular nature to it), but there's also a special, which provides another ending, which people have enjoyed much more, where Qin Fang and Si Teng do end up together, so no need to have qualms about that if you don't like tragedy.
CONCLUSION:
WATCH THE DRAMA. Whether or not it ends up following your preferences, I believe the freshness of the plot/setting/characters are all worth a try.
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Good drama
I was quite surprised when i started watching this drama.Love, drama, fighting, conspiracy everything in 12 minute episode. Congrats to whom ever did this.
I love the love hate relationships this drama has. Main characters are so good and their acting is superb. I really hope this drama continues. Music is pretty good and they have perfect moments for it.
It was my first Chinese drama but i think it wont be the last.
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1An intriguing drama that captivates from start to finish!
I chanced upon “The Glory” (雁回时) airing in WeTV when I came home from a trip more than a week ago. The summaries I’ve read intrigued me, so I started it and I was hooked! I was binge-watching episodes during my free time such that I quickly caught up to the latest happenings.The story is about Zhuang Han Yan, who was sent away as a baby due to some supposedly prophetic words from a Taoist master, saying that she is the barefoot ghost (赤脚鬼) and her birth caused her grandfather’s death. She was raised by his father’s friend and his wife in Danzhou, both of whom mistreated her. Due to some turn of events, she was able to break free from them and come back to the capital, falling unconscious at the gates of the Zhuang residence in the cold winter. Her sudden return threw the entire family into an uproar, and she also caught the attention of Fu Yun Xi, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, with whom she has a marriage agreement that was decided by their parents. These led to a series of events that unfolded one after the other, with secrets being exposed and the truths eventually coming to light.
STORY / PLOT 📚:
“The Glory” is a drama that encompasses many themes. It is a story about one woman’s quest for a family that had been denied from her when she was born. It’s about her quest for justice/revenge and her goal to break free from the “barefoot ghost” reputation that had followed her from birth. It focuses on the mother-daughter relationship, friendship, the sometimes complex family dynamics, and even romance, albeit the romance is slow-burn and somewhat subdued (more on that later). Then there are the political and investigative aspects in the case of the fallen Pei Da Fu, the powerful eunuch who, during his lifetime, had amassed a fortune and had many cronies in court, the most prominent of whom is the so-called adopted son.
As I watch each episode, I can feel the excitement and anticipation since there is no boring moment. It’s like when one episode ends, I’m drawn to continue, and before I realized it, I’ve been watching for hours and I’m way past my bedtime. Indeed, the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. There are also a myriad of other emotions and reactions such as happiness, surprise, tenderness, sadness, intrigue, anger, and indignation. There are some emotional and touching scenes where I cried a bucket, e.g., between Zhuang Han Yan and her mother Ruan Xi Wen, between Zhuang Han Yan and Ah Zhi. Other relationships also tugged at the heartstrings such as Zhuang Han Yan and Chai Jing’s friendship, the push and pull between Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi, the father and daughter dynamics of Fu Yun Xi and Ah Zhi, among others.
As I mentioned above, the romance between Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi is slow-burn. There are definitely sweet moments and affectionate gestures between them. Some are subtle/indirect, such as longing glances and lending support behind the scenes, while others are more obvious, such as holding hands, intercepting marriage proposals, jumping in to save her from a raging horse, the hugs and the few sweet kisses, etc. More explicit displays of their affection is very much welcome, but I'm still happy with how the drama portrayed their relationship's progress. They started out with distrust and suspicion as they schemed and pushed their own agenda, developed respect and admiration for each other, vacillated between doubt and trust, and finally learned to trust and love each other.
As for the ending, I'm satisfied with how they executed it. Everything tied up nicely, and even if there is a question or two, they’re minor and does not affect my enjoyment of the drama. What Zhuang Han Yan said towards the end is a fitting wrap-up for this series: “Any place full of love can be my home.” (有情之地, 处处皆可为家) ❤️🏠
ACTING / CAST 🎭:
Chen Du Ling’s star shines very brightly here. She gave an outstanding performance as Zhuang Han Yan 👏. She conveyed different kinds of emotions through her facial expressions, eyes, mannerisms, and tone of voice (kudos to the voice actor too). Zhuang Han Yan is an emotionally scarred woman who has experienced a lot of pain and trauma during her young life. All these molded her into the kind of woman she is – smart, savvy, independent, strong but with a soft spot, kind and compassionate but not a doormat, and does not easily trust others.
Xin Yun Lai was able to portray the serious, stoic and somewhat mysterious Fu Yun Xi quite convincingly, though I would prefer more facial expressions in some instances. But one could argue that his character is supposed to be that way. I like how he poured his heart out when he confessed his emotions and love to Zhuang Han Yan in one of the latter episodes.
As for the couple’s chemistry, it’s palpable and they truly make a good pair. I can feel the tension from their first meeting. There is this push and pull in their relationship especially when they were getting to know each other, which adds to the tension (see above on their relationship’s growth). They are well matched, both in looks, wits and temperament.
Wen Zheng Rong is a seasoned actress who has appeared in many dramas. She gave an excellent performance as Ruan Xi Wen, Zhuang Han Yan’s long-suffering mother. She showed those raw and pent-up emotions brilliantly. At first, I was mad at her, and then I came to sympathize with her as I learned of what she went through all those years.
Yu En Tai nailed his role as the manipulative, self-serving and duplicitous Zhuang Shi Yang. Some think his acting is exaggerated and overly dramatic, such that it’s distracting and annoying. But I think that’s what makes his portrayal so effective. By the last few episodes, I was strongly rooting for justice to be served.
Jinna Fu was able to capture the essence of Chai Jing. She is Zhuang Han Yan's loyal and trusted friend, her support during her difficult days in Danzhou and even when she arrived at the capital. She is skilled in martial arts and protects her whenever she can. Their friendship is precious.
I couldn’t write this review without giving kudos to the talented and adorable Huang Bo Si, who played Fu Ling Zhi / Ah Zhi, Fu Yun Xi’s daughter with his first wife. Ah Zhi is such a sweet and loving child. She is so innocent, smart, and yet also mature for her age. She never fails to touch me with her favorite line, “When we miss our mothers, I can hug you, and you can also hug me” (我们想母亲的时候，我可以抱一抱你，你也可以抱一抱我.) 🥰. This kid has potential, and I look forward to seeing her in other dramas.
The other supporting cast gave great performances as well, such as: Wang Yan as the 2nd wife Zhou Ru Yin, He Hong Shan as the competitive Zhuang Yu Shan, Li Sheng as Noble Consort Miao, and Song Pei Ze and Chen Kang as Fu Yun Xi’s reliable right-hand men Mu Feng and Mu Yan, respectively. They add depth, excitement and some humor to the drama.
OTHER THOUGHTS 🔮:
I’m satisfied with the overall production and costume design. The costumes look good, and the color combinations are nice.
The soundtrack is excellent and fits the drama so well. Hats off to the team who chose the songs 👒! The ending theme song, “Blade” (刃), is Zhuang Han Yan’s anthem. The song is written for her! It sums up her journey fittingly. “Flame” (焰) is Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi’s theme song, while “Cut” (剪) is a tribute to Zhuang Han Yan and Ruan Xi Wen’s relationship.
FINAL VERDICT ⭐️: “The Glory” is one of those dramas that left a lasting impression on me. It’s worth my time and attention, and I highly recommend it!
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