Our Beloved Summer; The “ Break Up” Story With A Twist…
The “ break up” story is a trope in rom-coms which is timeless. Main lead meets main lead, a love story ensues only for the characters to end their relationship through an acrimonious breakup. However whilst Lee Na Eun’s screenplay alongside the directing reigns of Kim Yoon Jin offered viewers a fairly heartwarming coming-of-age tale with an element of mystique , it is important to establish that the drama rarely touched upon new subject areas or topics either.In the past Choi Woong ( Choi Woo-shik) and Kook Yeon-Su(Kim Da-Mi) were high school classmates and polar opposites. Whilst Yeon-Su was an intelligent, hardworking and top-achieving student, Choi Woong was a laidback teen during his high school days; caring little about being a low-ranking student and being focused upon his artistic abilities instead. By a whim of fate, Yeon-Su and Woong discovered that they were chosen as the main subjects (,out of wide selection of candidates,) for an indie-style filmed-documentary.
Even after the documentary finished filming , Woong and Yeong-Su’s mutuality for one another soon grew into sincere feelings as the duo began to date during their college years. However, shortly after finishing their respected diplomas, the former sweethearts went their separate ways with the intention of never meeting one another again,but, fate has an odd way of bringing people back together . Several years into the future , the documentary has become gained a viral cult -following and consequently both main leads find themselves reunited once more.
‘ Our Beloved Summer’ is a fairly lighthearted watch for the most part. Whilst the series does run highly upon certain elements of angst and melodrama surrounding certain relationship dynamics and unrequited feelings , Lee Na Eun’s focal drive of the series surrounded mainly the relationship dynamic between its main leads.
Of course, it’s wrong to say that ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ wasn’t entirely
absent from its more droning “lovey-dovey exchanges” and tedious romantic setups, but, in a series where the focal point surrounds a niche break-up story and potential love story ( which could either irk or appease audiences), satire is sometimes quintessential to helping break the ice. Director Kim Yoon Jin presented the series as a self-conscious reflection of popular culture influences and references. The insertion of evident allegorical homages to different genre films such as; I Know What You Did Last Summer’, 10 Things I Hate About You’, ‘ Pride And Prejudice’, ‘ Catch Me If You Can’ ‘ Love Actually’ helped to present the different emotional stages of the main leads’ relationship in an obvious yet admittedly intuitive manner.
Yet whilst Kim Yoon Jin’s clever usage of titles and filming will certainly not go amiss amongst viewers, there is admittedly one elephant in the room which should be addressed openly surrounding the series; , the pacing. For the most part, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ is slow-burn. Whilst the average episode could last around an hour and did take time to focus upon certain elements of relationship and character building, the series could feel somewhat dragged out by the latter-half also.
Naturally it isn’t always necessary for a series to have a specific antagonistic force or evident end goal. However for a series to keep viewers engaged characters can often be presented with motives, drives and personal goals in-between the main storyline to give flare or help to flesh-out character building. Whilst we did see some opportunities for this to happen with certain characters, the main leads were rarely given a more dynamic or personal raison d’être as characters. ( Aside from the potential impositions of their relationship or character drive for the “sake of plot”. ) As a consequence, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ could sometimes feel as though it was slightly conflicted and dragged down by its pacing. Instead of either compacting the series into twelve episodes or attempting to add a more decisive plot-motivation, cliche misunderstandings, misconceptions and niche setups began to arise as the storyline entered its final part.
Nevertheless, the main cast were fairly dynamic as our main leads. Choi Woo-Shik versatility as an actor is proven again within his charismatic performance as main lead Choi Woong; a formerly deadbeat student and a successful artist and illustrator in adulthood who has shared complicated feelings for female lead Kook Yeon-Su.
Admittedly, Choi Woong could often feel shoehorned into “ plot” moments and tension in order to keep the storyline “ intriguing” . ( Incliding through several main subplots .) Yet rather than allowing the main lead to become the reimbursed “ vengeful lover” or “ cold and aloof” trope, screenwriter Lee Na Eun adds an air of subtlety within his equilibrated character strengths and flaws. He has an endearing relationship with his father ( Park Won-Sang) and mother ( Seo Jeong-Yeon) as well as with his best friend Kim Ji Woong ( Kim Sung Chul).
Costarring alongside Choi Woo-Shik is Kim-Da Mi. The actress likewise presented her persona as main female lead Kook Yeon-Su with a dynamic ambience onscreen. At times, Yeon-Su initially could often feel like a carte blanche female lead; enforced to become the “ polar opposite” to Yeon-Su. However , ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ rarely shied away from giving golden opportunities for viewers to understand more about her as a character . Her misconceptions and labels placed upon her from others, a surprisingly heartwarming relationship with her quick-witted grandmother Kang Ja Kyung ( Cha Mi Kyung), as well as most notably coming to terms with her mundane office job , did allow some intuitive insights into Yeon-Su’s persona.
From being at one another’s throats in ‘ The Witch; Part 1’ to former-lovers in ‘Our Beloved Summer’, Kim Da-Mi and Choi Woo-Shik’s onscreen chemistry was undeniably one of the driving strengths of the series. However whilst Da-Mi and Woo Shik’s chemistry was sweet and heartfelt, their characters’ onscreen relationship could admittedly a feel a little shoehorned at times through plot and did place slight strain upon the written relationship feeling natural.
Kim Sung Chul’s role as Kim Ji-woong played a pivotal role within kicking off certain events of the series. Admittedly Ji Woong’s presence during initial events and revelations of the series could admittedly feel a little staid at the best of times but his involvement in later events of the drama is provided as necessary for plot-drive.
Then there’s also second female lead NJ ( Roh Jong Eui) ; a popular K-pop idol who becomes enamoured by main male lead Choi Woong after he doesn’t fall for her charms. Unsurprisingly, NJ’s role in the series was evident from the beginning to present an “ obstacle” within the battlefield of affections for the main leads. However , rather than reimbursing NJ as the “ jealous second female lead” archetype, the series does provide some golden-opportunities to explore some more depth behind NJ’s feelings as well as her personal-growth.
Director Kim Yoon Jin seemed to have a fairly tactful eye behind the camera also. Professional long distant shots and close-ups were cleanly cut , unobstructed and slick in order to delve into the characters’ mindsets and daily lives. In particular, Yoon Jin’s presentation of vivid palettes and tones stood out through the frequent usage of mellow-yellows, tonal whites and blues in order to bring about a hazy tone of nostalgia throughout the entirety of the narrative.
The OST was mainly subtle and predominantly composed of gentle instrumentals - sweet and helping for viewers to focus on dialogue ( instead of lyrics), but admittedly certain tracks delivering a more emotional and memorable impact also.
It was evident to see from the outset that ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ would attract a lot of intrigue and interest from its main cast; particularly A-listers Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi’s dynamic onscreen reunion and performances. However despite the series offering a different take on old tropes and diverging from expected character archetypes with a touch of depth , ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ could sometimes feel weighed down by its predictable setups and inconsistent pacing in parts. Nevertheless, whilst ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ did not possess an original setup, the series was a surprisingly heartwarming watch also.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Final Episodes Were Disappointing
The first half of the series was captivating — Ye Li came across as formidable, with sharp schemes and remarkable foresight. She was always a step ahead, and those glimpses of her fighting skills in her delusions gave me hope for more action against worthy opponents. I was heartbroken when Mo Xiu Yao divorced her, leading her to the forsaken Li Shan Academy in a disillusioned state of mind. Another painful blow came with Princess Ling Yun’s murder, leaving Feng Zhi Yao devastated.As the story moved toward its conclusion, the pacing slowed. Ye Li’s drive for business expansion faded, and she shifted into more of a supporting role. The formidable combat skills I anticipated never materialized, nor were there signs of a larger family or future offspring. Her rhetorical exchanges with the dying Empress Dowager felt subdued compared to her earlier sharpness. Most disappointing of all, Ye Li never fulfilled her revenge arc of killing the four people she had sworn to destroy.
Sadly, the final episodes left me struggling — the brilliance and intensity of the beginning gave way to a muted close that didn’t deliver on the promise of Ye Li’s character.
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Watch the first 15 episodes only
I am writing my first review out of frustration with this show. It is a shame because it had a promising start, which is partly why I at least wanted to write this. After all, I felt I invested a good amount of time watching this show, only to be short-changed at the end. You wanted to see how they will separate and find each other again, but after their major break-up in the middle, the show would spend 13 of the rest of its episodes with the FL just hating the ML and pushing him away, only to suddenly realize at the last episode that she is lonely enough and realize that is she okay now to get back with him. The show spent such a long time with their reconciliation, dragging it along with such a bad story arc of revenge, a third richer guy competing with the ML, and business stuff. By the time you get to the end and the leads reconnect, you are left with a lingering annoyance, asking yourself what just happened. By this time, you are so frustrated with them dragging the story along that you just could not feel happy when they finally got back together AT THE LAST EPISODE because it just felt so rushed and out of nowhere. Especially the decision process of the FL, she and her friend were just really annoying with their bitterness and desire to be successful. I mean there is no pay-off in terms of maturing or learning from their mistakes, the two women are just miserable, until the 2nd girl gets cancer, and the FL suddenly just misses the guy that she tried to push away really aggressively, even sabotaging his business, and just decides okay let's get back together. Again, by this time, you are just so mad at her that you don't want them to end up together anymore. As I painstakingly watched the show progress, I learned that the writer is known for such endings, so next time I will steer clear of said writer's work. they say the source was a bit darker, but the writer of the show managed to make it worse by dragging it along. Like I said, watch until the middle, then move on... because after this the series becomes with a story that could not get out of its angst.Was this review helpful to you?
1bananakim (first review)is trash and false so here is the real info...
"The Wanted Detective" is a captivating Chinese crime drama that blends mystery, action, and emotional depth into an enthralling viewing experience. From the very first episode, the show grips you with its clever storytelling, well-written characters, and a refreshing take on the classic detective genre.The story revolves around a detective who is not only solving crimes but is also a fugitive himself. This duality makes for a highly engaging narrative. As he solves each case, he is also running from the law, hiding secrets, and trying to uncover a larger conspiracy tied to his own mysterious past. The pacing is tight, with each episode ending on a hook that keeps you coming back for more. The drama does an excellent job balancing episodic crime-solving with an overarching storyline that grows darker and more personal as it unfolds.
What sets "The Wanted Detective" apart is its character development. The lead actor delivers a powerful performance, portraying a man torn between justice and survival. He’s flawed, complex, and entirely human. You can’t help but root for him even when he makes questionable choices. The supporting cast is equally strong. Each character, from the determined police officers chasing him to the civilians caught in the crossfire, is given layers of personality and motivation.
Visually, the series is polished. The cinematography is sharp and atmospheric, often using shadow and lighting to enhance the suspense. Action scenes are well-choreographed without being over-the-top, lending a sense of realism to the drama. The urban setting, often gritty and moody, fits the tone perfectly and helps ground the story in a believable world.
One of the show's biggest strengths is how it explores moral gray areas. It poses important questions: What does it mean to do the right thing? Can a person be both a hero and a criminal? The detective’s journey forces viewers to think beyond black and white justice. It’s this psychological and emotional depth that keeps the show from being just another procedural.
The writing deserves praise too. Dialogue is tight, and each case is thoughtfully constructed. Clues are cleverly planted, and the reveals are satisfying without feeling forced. The show also avoids dragging its plot with unnecessary filler, making every scene feel purposeful.
Another standout element is the soundtrack. The music heightens the tension at just the right moments and adds emotional weight during character-driven scenes. It complements the story without overshadowing it.
In conclusion, "The Wanted Detective" is an excellent Chinese drama that offers much more than standard crime-solving. It’s a mix of thriller, mystery, and emotional storytelling done right. With strong performances, a gripping plot, and thought-provoking themes, this drama is definitely worth watching. Whether you’re a fan of detective stories or just looking for a compelling drama with depth and excitement, "The Wanted Detective" will not disappoint.
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Just adorable
Okay so I don’t like crude humour, so I dropped this show in episode 1, only to pick it up again and grow to love it.The plot is light, fast paced, humorous and romantic. This drama is the ultimate antidote to a stressful and hectic life. It has a great heart, excellent character acting, and is actually deeply romantic. It is one of the most comforting and reliable dramas I’ve seen.
While I love all of the characters, Ma Tan with his Mr Darcy type persona was my favourite and his love line was very sweet. I’m at episode 10 so 🤞I just hope that he gets the girl because she’s amazing too. Looking for a warm-hearted hug of a drama? Look no further, this one’s for you.
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STOP COMPARING THIS TO SEASON 1
You need to understand that every drama has it's own place....I know, we all have our own opinions on what we like or not, but one thing we can all do is, not compare stuff...I don't have a lot to say besides this,
but I wanna talk about the MOST AMAZING cameos this drama is offering...Every single episode had me like "😲Them too!!!!!????"....
The cases in this drama are interesting in a sense that, they're not about money now, they're about REVENGE...and that makes all the cases interconnected... I find that super interesting but I've read comments of people not liking this concept....
Overall, if you wanna see our fantastic cast of Player get revenge from the bad guys, this drama is for you....
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- A female character with very little personality, bravery and cowardice, intelligence and stupidity and the superpower of visualizing very faint sounds.
- A male lead who strongly respects the law but curses, threatens, yells and physically hurts people a lot.
- A "psychopath" murderer with a very superficial diagnose and very adventurous symptoms.
- Corrupt people with power and informative side characters with somewhat of a spark.
This drama contains a lot of blurred gore and insane deaths. There will be blood and what they claim are "smashed heads", a lot of fighting scenes, stabbing, shooting and punching. There is no romance, and chances of crying are low. Medium if you're sensitive.
Not very bingeable. I got tired of it easily when some episodes felt dragged out and predictable.
Some scenes were very powerful and dark and really made it hard for me to sleep. They had some very creepy elements and the director did a good job sparking discomfort in the viewer. I liked the concept that every episode had a new, smaller case, that lead the main characters closer to the person they were trying to catch. Although some scenes were very unrealistic and this drama contains a ton of mistakes, some cases were very exciting to watch and kept me at the edge of my seat.
I have to say though, this is not the best crime drama I've ever seen. Most of the time, I was annoyed with the characters, disappointed with the twists, and calling plot holes. I can't praise the actors too much either. The only person I think did an amazing job, would be Kim Jae wook. He played his role perfectly until the end.
If you want a daring crime drama without romance, but don't care too much about details. I guess this drama is for you.
ENJOY!!
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Love Wins
I really wish this could have been a full-length drama and not a short-episode series.I would have loved to see the back stories of our ML & FL - two flawed, broken people who come to know and accept love despite their past. I loved the chemistry between them. I loved that he was the weaker of the two, but he loved her enough to let her go. I loved how no matter how much she denied it at first, she finally let him love her till she was able to love him too.
Their love scenes were tender and sweet, even with the chaste kisses. The cinematography added to the unspoken romantic interactions of the lead couple and was quite appealing and effective.
Loved the interjection of the time traveler and her sweet (well-deserved) ending. Hilarious!
I will definitely watch this one over and over again.
*Update - I had to amend the rating I originally gave this drama because I have come back to rewatch so many times! I hope there will be a Season 2.
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The best ending, power couple with a child and both their families' blessings
What makes interesting from start to end is having a power couple. Yining who used to be an outcast when her mom died met Shen Yuan who was also an outcast at that time because his mom was a maid and his father never accepted him. However, when they solve cases, they make the best pair. The male lead knows martial arts and became a scholar's student and the top scholar himself. He has book knowledge, sword skills, and business skills. In his family, he is ordinary but outside, at nights, he's the most dangerous assassin you wouldn't want to meet. Yining is a smart female lead and didn't have to be the-princess-needs-rescuing-type all the time. In other dramas the family matters usually take time to unfold and be solved becoming draggy but things are fast paced for Rise of Ning.The second male lead's obsession is dangerous. He won't take No for an answer. He was an eye sore because he can't move on and kept pestering the female lead. The only thing I find skipable were all those flashbacks of him and Yining as Mei in the past, I think it's too much. I wasn't sad when he shielded Yining from the arrow because I think he was the target but yeah they gave him a redemption arc.
Yining using kindness to melt her stepsister's heart is one of her best traits I love and we did not have to see her and her stepsister destroy each other and drag on the episodes .This is one of the reasons I love this drama, things go fast paced and solved
I love the two families. I was nervous I thought he lost Duke Ying, her real father when I was growing find of him as her father. On the other hand, throughout the story, there's always a behind the scene.
Rise of Ning has different themes of love included, mother-daughter, father-son, siblings, grandparent-grandchildren, and romantic partners.
One of mother-daughter scenes were the situation of the sixth lady and her mother. Her mother had good intentions as a mom but used the wrong methods. She became too obsessed with her children's marriages without regards to their happiness. Yining's mom became a victim of her jealousy and false assumptions too. she got what she deserved
My favorite people beside the power couple and the grandmas of both families are the second couple and the goose, Madam Lin the best mom for both Yining and Shen Yuan and Duke Ying is the father of the year.
Ren Min's make up is beautifully done, when she lets loose her hair, it's much better on her. I love her as Yining and her chemistry with Zhang Wanyi as Shen Yuan. I love Zhang Wanyi's acting here, when he fights, he looks awesome. They are both magnificent.
, don't miss this out, slow burn but mixed with comedy and is not drama heavy, transitions were smooth, the ending is not rushed, story is wrapped up well,
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The story revolves around a Mall's tragic collapse 10 years ago, and the plans to rebuild a new mall in the same spot. In the beginning I thought I would get bored by that plot pretty quickly, but the real story is all the characters directly or indirectly affected by this tragedy. Yes, it's also a great love story, but there are so many other interesting characters besides the main couple with their own struggles, romances, and personal battles. The characters are also extremely diverse as far as their circumstances (age, status, abilities...), but they all deal with their own frustrations, and self realizations. The cast is basically perfect.
Lee Jun Ho and Won Jin Ah were amazing together. I was impressed by how realistic their pain, angst, and chemistry felt. They never felt melodramatic or over the top, no matter how heavy the story got. Moon Soo has a cool no matter what personality, while Kang Doo has a dangerous charm, and both are frustrating at times, and heartbreaking at other times, but also incredibly cute together. I will say that Jun Ho was exceptionally good, and I was extremely impressed by his range. Whether he was tough, sensitive, smirking, crying, sickly, seductive, or just charismatic... he nailed every single emotion. I guess this proves once again that you can't underestimate someone by their past boyband status. I look forward to seeing many more awesome roles in his future!
This is the kind of drama where it's hard to pick out a few members of the cast because the whole cast is stellar. This review would be pages long if I tried to mention all the reasons why, just know that they are all realistic, sympathetic, imperfect, and that I genuinely cared about all of them. I will mention one MVP of the cast, which is saying a lot considering how good everyone was, and that's Kim Kang Hyun as Sang Man. There were many times that I thought his humor, wisdom, and emotional observations stole the show. It may be a stereotype to have the slowest person be in many ways the smartest, but he executed it so well. I loved Sang Man way too much not to mention him specifically.
I know I keep giving a lot of credit to the cast, but the writer and director deserve much of the credit too. The whole story feels extremely intimate. We get a sense of the Mall collapse's impact without it becoming too melodramatic. The images were also more haunting than gruesome, which gave them a stronger impact. The writer also avoids having everything work out perfectly, or making everything doom and gloom, which is part of why it all felt so realistic. Even during moments where the story felt a little slower, everything still felt connected, and necessary. There was one point where a character kept repeating the same frustrating action, and just as it was about to drive me crazy, they explained why they kept doing it and it all made sense. There's also enough balance in the story where it's never too sad, or too happy, for too long. If you like character driven stories, you will definitely not be disappointed.
The question of whether I would watch this again is tricky. While it's certainly good enough to watch again, you have to definitely be in the mood for this kind of story. Some of the suspense in wanting to know what decisions characters would make would be gone, which may make some episodes feel slower. Still, the cast is so phenomenal that I would enjoy watching these characters again even knowing the outcome.
I also really enjoyed the soundtrack. It was mellow, and moving, without being too distracting. I though that was perfect for a drama like this.
Overall, this is a must see drama, but be prepared for some tears... or many tears if you are a crybaby like me. With a story surrounding so many different characters, know that the ending is extremely satisfying (which I was worried about), as far as not leaving any characters hanging or forgotten about. I expected to be depressed when it was over, but instead I felt inspired to appreciate each day, even when life isn't exactly what I want it to be. From the beginning until the end I was totally invested in "Just Between Lovers", and I'm so glad I took a chance on it when I had no idea what to expect.
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A REALLY GOOD DRAMA, a heroic drama yet touching with a wisdom
Burning Flames is really soaring high on the list of my FAVORITE DRAMAAs someone who watched both the anime and the drama, I dare to give 10 points to this drama, it's so well-executed!!! I think I will write a long essay, so please bear with me.
To be honest, I underestimated this drama a little because it is an adaptation of a big IP anime (we can see that it needs a lot of cg, the anime is complicated with many characters, how can they execute it) and the drama production team is from Thousand Years For You (I was a little disappointed with that drama), but all those worries were blown away by the quality of the drama. Burning Flames. IT IS REALLY A GOOD DRAMA.
The drama is presented very well, I can't say anything else about the extraordinary CG, cinematography, and editing that is like an anime/comic, as if the anime/comic came out in a real life, plus cool fighting scenes and good color grading as well as a great ost which makes watching this drama feel exciting and you don't want to miss even a single scene.
Kudos to the script-writer for writing such a good, detailed, well-written script, and well-written characters. Burning Flames presents a solid story from start to finish, a heroic anime story, which has been successfully developed into a story which is of course heroic, but also touching, beautiful, and which definitely provides a very strong moral message for the audience, "you must control your fate, you can find your own path, only by surviving can there be hope", I think that is the rope that holds the story together from beginning to the end, until finally Wu Geng and his friends managed to win. Each arc is a moment of character development for the cast, for Wu Geng, Bai Cai and friends. Not a single arc is zero, they are written in great detail and have the goal of achieving something, to gain somethig, becoming stronger, becoming more unified.
All the characters are written very well from beginning to end, every character in this drama is written very very brilliantly, details and will shine in their own way. So, it's not only Wu Geng story, but it's also their story. Without misunderstandings, there is only work together to achieve one common goal until the end of their lives that make our hearts, the audience, also break when these heroes die. Including the villains are also written in a good way, Xinyue Kui's love which turns out to be just a futile obsession and Heilong who destroys the universe just for the person he loves, they are villains but they also feel very miserable, which also makes us feel touched and of course makes us cry.
Wu Geng, the main character is very very well written, even better than the original anime/manga. The team changed his character in the drama, the anime version he is more arrogant and cocky (at first), but in the drama even though he is a little arrogant and impulsive but from the first day he was a benevolent prince, ready to fight for his people. Wu Geng's relationship with his parents is also changed in the drama version, and needs to be given a thumbs up, because their excellent relationship (which is very touching) is a reminder of Wu Geng's motivation that he must continue his father's legacy to save his people (this is also slightly different from the anime/bcs Wu Geng relationship with his dad wasn't good, in the anime there's a part where he does this to take revenge on his parents, but not for Wu Geng in the drama, he does it for the peace of the world, his Dad's dream for the people). Wu Geng's character growth is extraordinary, from being a spoiled prince, he had to survive as a slave, understanding the suffering of the people, had a hard training in Shenyin's tribe, gained comrades in every place, until finally he was able to show his charisma as a leader, the chosen one, the real god of war of the human race. A character who never gives up, smart, strong, and kind (who wouldn't fall for him). Until the end, even though he was considered the right leader for the 3 realms, he still humbly rejected it, and preferred to travel around the world looking for his lover, because he loved Bai Cai, because she was his home, but he would always be ready to help the world peace. I also like the change in the story of Agou, Agou in the anime is an ordinary human, but in the drama it is changed to a shell created by the Wu Geng mother to save her child (the detail is amazing). And as always, we need to praise Ren Jialun's acting a lot in this drama, because he managed to present a very expressive character, from sad, happy, angry, cheeky, gentle, even a cute, silly and innocent Agou. And we need to talk about Ren Jialun's chemistry with every of his co-stars, even with child-stars. It's really amazing. He's really a good actor.
Bai Cai is a very weak character in the anime, but was successfully transformed into a strong character in the drama with her cheerful strength, kind heart and of course Crystal Glory, who always accompanies wugeng/agou wherever and whenever they are. It is really match with Xing Fei's sunny character. I really like the addition of Crystal Glory details to Baicai, because she is one of the key contributions and links from what happened 100,000 years ago to the war in the final. Her tacit understanding with Wu Geng is also very good, she understands and accepts Wu Geng/Agou as its form, whoever it is, and will never stop being Wu Geng's support system, bein Wu Geng's home.
The relationship between Wu Geng and Bai Cai, I think it's really beautiful, a healthy relationship, without misunderstanding, always discussing everything together, "wherever you go, I'll follow". They are each other's home. Bai Cai has no family and Agao is his home, while Wu Geng lost his family and he met Bai Cai who kindly helped him, supported him, was willing to protect him, endured Wu Geng's tantrums, until she succeeded in making Wu Geng fall in love and she is his home now, "whatever happens, I will always protect you forever." The mutual trust and understanding of this couple is extraordinary. So every time they part, we can feel the pain they feel and every time they meet again we can feel the touching butterfly effect (it's not a romance drama, but I do feel their romance, their relationship, their bond is very strong, once again bravo to the scriptwriter). And I can say that Ren Jialun and Xing Fei's chemistry in this second collaboration is truly extraordinary, is very good, is very beautiful.
A Lan (I fall so hard for this girl), if everyone has 2nd ML syndrome, I have 2nd FL syndrome. I love her character so much. She who was previously cold in the anime, was changed to a character who (although also cold) is also an ordinary woman who likes a man, and will very sincerely protect him, not only because Wu Geng is her mission, her disciple, but also a man who really she loved. She will do everything to keep the person she loved safe and happy, even though she won't be able to be with him and she knows there is no place to ask for love because she believes that love between humans and gods is a curse and she knows Wu Geng loves Bai Cai, if she expresses her love, him will also be hurt more. Silent and unrequited love is indeed a very beautiful love story and I always fall into its pit. And what's more, Ren Jialun and Zhu Xudan's chemistry is insanee, just when their eyes met each other, there is a spark of feeling that cannot be expressed. Ren Jialun was able to portrays his adore, respect and care to his shifu, while Zhu Xudan was really good at portraying her love in silence. "I will protect you even if I die" and she really did, protecting Wu Geng until the end of her life. I cried so hard when she's gone.
If talking about each character (though I really want to do it) would be very long, Nitian Erxing, Ziyu shushu, Shi Xing and also every couple in this drama is also written very well and touches the hearts of the viewers. Plus the family relationship between Wu Geng itself and his parents, Chen Jing and Zha Zha, Lilt Dragonfly and her father, also shows the value of human's relationships with our family and the people we love.
The end of the story, I'll say that the last 4 episodes are the best episodes, feelings of sadness, destruction, pride, happiness, all mixed together. So devastated to see Wu Geng's dearest ones fighting until the end of their lives with their beliefs that they would win. Proud because of all the work they worked hard on, they finally won, they gained their freedom. Sad to see Wu Geng once again lost his beloved one, Bai Cai. Happy, because I know Wu Geng managed to find Bai Cai in the end (I know that they will live a happy life now, though actually I want to see their hug even just 1 in the ending). Even though Wu Geng lost many of his loved ones, he still upholds all the moral messages left by them and will always maintain the world peace. Burning Flames really has a GOOD ENDING. It's also not a rush ending, because they show how good the life of each tribe is, how beautiful life will be after they gain freedom and peace.
I still want to talk about a lot of things, but it will get longer. Burning Flames team aims to give a moral message to the audience, and I agree that there are many moral messages with much wisdom, that we can take from this drama, never give up, we control our destiny, if there's a will there's a way, if we become leaders put people first, we have to protect our loved ones and so on. It's really nice, beautiful, heroic yet touching drama.
This drama is included in the ranks of the best dramas on my list, I do love this drama so much. Congratulations Burning Flames, I'm proud to have been a part of your journey. I will miss you guys so much, our HEROES ♡
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This review may contain spoilers
(This contains spoilers but they're inside asterisks, so you're safe.) I feel like this is one of those overrated shows.
Honestly, the story wasn't very interesting and some parts were kind absurd.
In my opinion, the leads had minimal chemistry, and I didn't like the male lead at all, I felt like he was unnecessarily rude to her at times and it bothered me that he was so cold all the time.
As for the female lead, I felt like she was the savior of this show, although, some situations were kinda pitiful and I hoped she was a stronger character.
The side characters didn't interest me that much and I didn't like them. It was bothering that (spoiler inside asterisks) *the second male lead imposed himself on the female lead the whole show and never got over her until the end*.
The ending was another thing why I didn't like this show and the main reason for it. The crucial question about the male lead wasn't answered. (spoiler ahead) *how the male lead got to and from his planet since he couldn't do that for all those centuries, how did he do that all of a sudden at random times at the end and why was he dying on earth* Also their situation at the end ended up not being an ideal one (spoiler) *he kept going back to his planet out of the blue leaving her alone and coming back whenever*
So nope I would not recommend watching this one.
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This show is a masterpiece!
Okay, so this show is not for everyone, but please - if it's not your thing, don'y bash it. just step away kindly and let the unhinged ones enjoy their crazy. ty!This show leans heavily into the absurd and if this is your thing, then I cannot recommend it enough.
The acting is excellent, the story is so much fun, and EVERY THING you see on screen is 100% planned and thought out. non of it is unintentional. The only issue I have is that not all the random mumbling is translated, so I hope it gets fixed because it is funny as hell (also quite easy to understand if you get basic Thai).
To sum up, this is not a 5.7 show.
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