Reviews

How to fail your main characters…

By making them the most boring part of the show. Quite honestly I found every aspect of the show more interesting than the leads, their individual stories and their romance.

As always, the biggest issue is the fact nothing was truly well established for them. We barely know who they are before their journey starts, they fall in love with each other out of the blue with no real reasoning either. They don’t have any real flaws they need to overcome, there is nothing to improve, nothing to change. They were painfully stagnant.

On the other hand, there were quite a lot of supporting characters with more interesting personalities and plots. Yu Shi San with his playboy, but good nature persona mixing goofy and surprisingly mature takes in an excellent manner. Yuan Lu, the loyal boy whom you just love and care for - the only one who had well established real stakes that made you worried. Li Tong Guang with his unhinged psycho motivations, who had to learn how to control his feelings and desire and mature for the role he was supposed to take. Even the Empress Wu and Prince Danyang who had barely any scenes were more interesting than the lead couple.

And then we have the true queen and main characters of the story - Princess Yang Ying. This is how you are supposed to write your characters! Having a lot of strengths and good points, but also flaws that need to be worked on. A character that develops with the plot, whose motivation changes as they gather more information. One that slowly establishes their goals and needs to fight many different setbacks and accept sacrifices to reach them.

Putting aside poorly written leads, the second crime this drama committed was not doing a good job presenting the danger and the stakes. Even when shit started to hit the fan by the end of the show, I felt nothing. Everyone miraculously survived too many times, now I actually just wanted everyone to die. You cannot make the drama feel like there are no real threats and then expect me to care when something actually goes wrong. They filled the show with fluffy flirty dates of Ru Yi and Ning Yuan Zhou instead of putting some effort into adding more details to the story and the characters.

The acting was good. I don’t think Liu Yu Ning is the strongest actor out there and putting that with mediocre character, it’s a fail for me. Liu Shi Shi is amazing and extremely beautiful, acing the role for both the badass and the vulnerable scenes. At the end of the day though, He Lan Dou did steal the show in all aspects. The character was cute, funny, moving, badass, desperate, motivated, devastated, brave, scared, angry, sad, happy - you name it and she gave it.

The production quality was fine. I did enjoy a lot of fighting scenes, I enjoyed less at times excessive slow motion. The editing in the first few episodes was trash though - I felt borderline motion sickness, but it did get better as the drama progressed. I don’t remember one song - nothing memorable I guess.

Overall, at least 50% of the drama was a whole bunch of nothing that felt like filler scenes. I wish they spent more screen time on the Wu court plot, because the final shenanigans just felt flat. Less cute bickering and flirting, more character development. They had 40 episodes and they did not use them wisely.

Read More

Excellent historical chinese drama

This is my second Chinese historical dramas that I couldn't stop watching for the next series to the end (the first is also played by Yangmi in Legend of Fuyao).
The story line is so complex and wonderfully plotted. And the most attracted for me to keep watching this drama is Yangmi.
She is so beautiful in this drama and played her character spectacularly, together with Mark Chao as Ye Hua.
Their love story is full of tragedies, and the pain continues for three "lifetimes" to get their final reward of happiness.

*Story (10/10)
This drama title "Three Lives Three Worlds: Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms" is just its name suggests, tells the story of two fated gods Ye Hua and Bai Qian
whose love lifes are separated yet bounded to find each other throughout their three lives times, such an exciting and touching journey towards their most
cherishable love life. With such satisfying and beautiful ending, the audiances can finally really appreciate this drama.

*Acting/Cast: (9.5/10)
YangMi portrayed 3 different characters in her three lives.
Yang Mi did very well in portraying her 3 different personalities of her characters - from youthful, mischievous, emotional Si Yin to naive, weak and innocent
Su Su and finally a carefree and full of confidence Bai Qian.
As for Mark, he portrayed beautifully for his two characters Ye Hua & Mo Yuan, who have their set of own characteristics, but his Mo Yuan act is the most impressive.
Together, their chemistry will make audiences excited, thrilled and relieved.
Not to forget the other casts are memorable as well with their acting such as Zhang Bin Bin, Vengo Gao etc making this drama that much more enjoyable.

Read More

Disapointed (◎_◎;)

I was looking for a fun and light comedy, but this series, with its very exaggerated comedy tone, is unbearable. The actors are good, they do what they can to embody their characters BUT the narration never allows you to take the story seriously.
Even if we leave “your brain at the door”, we cannot subscribe to this story!

=> Sorry, it didn't amuse me, I didn't laugh once.... (◎_◎;)

*********************************************************************************

Je cherchais une comédie fun et légère, mais cette série au ton Comédie très exagéré, est insupportable. Les acteurs sont bons, ils font ce qu'ils peuvent pour incarner leur personnage MAIS la narration ne permet jamais de prendre l'histoire au sérieux.
Même en laissant "your brain at the door", on ne peut pas adhérer à ce récit !

=> Désolée, moi, cela ne m'a pas amusé, je n'ai pas ri une seule fois .... (◎_◎;)

Read More

Amazing cast with a sci fi story

Build Jakapan is the best example of a versatile actor. In his new mini series Build took the lead role as Jake, a game engineer. Jake was funny, talented and genius. The micro expressions Build shown through out the series makes him one of the most talented actor in the industry. The supporting cast also did a great work. Perfectly choreographed action scenes with smooth moves from Jake made fans go crazy. A talented one like Build Jakapan who is good at acting, singing, dancing and many more is very rare nowadays. And the series been able to pull all that in 30 minutes. Good production + great story. It feels a little congested as AI is a vast concept. Yet they tried their best to cover it in a limited time. There was an open ending which makes the audience to want a season 2. The OST sung by the lead actor himself is very soothing and adds a more mysterious atmosphere. Overall I rate "Infinity" mini series a 9. 5/10.

Read More

Decent acting and great leads chemistry, but lost steam in the 2nd half.

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

I don’t remember how I came across “Dear Mr Hermitage” as it’s definitely not a popular one and the leads are not played by idol actors. I think we can classify this drama as a romantic comedy with a side of business.

I actually really liked the first half of the drama and thought I might rate this an 8.0.. The acting is pretty good for a cast full of experienced but not super popular actors. Tang Min plays the female lead, Su Shi Yu. I’ve seen her previously in “Chef Hua” (I really like) and “General’s Lady” (I dropped this one). Her acting here is pretty good as a go-getter, straightforward, kind and independent woman. I didn’t quite like her shenanigans in the first couple episodes, but she grew on me. Apparently, I’ve seen Chen Jing Ke, playing the male lead Lin Wei, recently in “Amidst a Snowstorm of Love” but I don’t remember or recognize him. Maybe it’s the short hair. I have to say, I am quite impressed in his portrayal of the cool, calm and monk-like Lin Wei. I wasn’t sure if he would pull it off and just looks emotionless and bland. However, he actually was quite expressive with his eyes and micro-expressions.

Because both Tang Min and Chen Jing Ke did pretty well and have great chemistry, their romance is the favorite part of the drama. They started as strangers, with FL annoying ML to no end, then becoming frenemies, friends and lovers. The pacing of their romantic journey is good, and both characters are mature, honest and communicative. That makes it easy to root for their success, despite a couple of admirers.

Unfortunately, the secondary and tertiary romances are a little lacking. I am glad that the secondary leads are not annoying but pretty good people. So, no need to worry about evil characters trying to sabotage the main romance. But their romance is not developed very well. Bai Ruan’s romance is even more lacking. I think her story could have been interesting as she has an interesting dynamic with her man,, but not enough time is given. Instead too much focus is on the business side of things.

In the first half of the show, I was fine with the tea business and Lin Wei’s determination to grow this special tea. The villagers are decent people and not too irritating (annoying villagers and towns folks are my pet peeves). In fact, they are kinda cute in a way, meddling in the leads business but also very supportive.

However, in the second half, the business plotlines become boring. The tea business was forgotten for a while, and then picked back up in the end to integrate with FL’s vlogging. It really doesn’t seem very realistic for FL to move her business to the small town. There are some minor plotholes that don’t necessarily affect the big scheme of things, but they just seem unrealistic and too easy to create ‘drama’. The downfall of ML due to the villain's evil plan seems too easy and not written well. The family animosity was so secretive for too long. I would have liked to know why ML’s uncle is so angry and putting the blame on ML. Once that was revealed, the resolution came too quickly and easily.

Ultimately, the drama lost its steam in the second half after a pretty good start. I don’t think I will recommend this drama unless you are fans of the actors. It is an easy watch and I do like the main romance quite a bit, and it’s essential to the whole drama. But don’t watch this for the business part of the plot.


Completed: 6/12/2024 - Review #451

Read More

Rebirth and hope

After watching August, I felt more and more that Zhang Zhehan is really a very strong and talented person, every inch of his soul is shining, just like the warm sun in August.

At the beginning of the documentary, when I saw the figure walking alone on the snowy mountains and heard him say in a calm voice, "The stigma imposed by the virtual world makes me feel like I am in the abyss", I really had the urge to shed tears.

Following his camera, I walked through Shangri-La, encountered the world's fireworks, passed through forests, meadows and rivers, and then turned in the glacier, and finally arrived in Lhasa. Standing in the bustling streets, watching people come and go, not far away is the Potala Palace, feel the sunshine on the plateau, at that moment, what are you thinking?

In the ruins of the rebuilding of the castle is not a simple thing, but you still go forward. What kind of scenery will the coming August bring? No one can predict, but at this moment we all have the courage to go on.

Read More

Swing Kids (2018) is a testament to the dedication and talent of its cast. Directed by Kang Hyeong-cheol, this South Korean musical drama is set during the Korean War and features exceptional performances, particularly in its demanding dance sequences.

Do Kyung-soo (D.O.) excels as Ro Ki-soo, a North Korean soldier passionate about tap dancing. Known for his K-pop career, D.O. transitions seamlessly into this dramatic role, demonstrating impressive tap dance skills and emotional depth. Jared Grimes, a seasoned Broadway dancer, brings expertise and authenticity to his role as Jackson, the dance instructor, and his chemistry with D.O. enriches the film.

Park Hye-su portrays Yang Pan-rae with grace and strength, mastering tap dance and adding sincerity to her character. Oh Jung-se and Kim Min-ho also deliver heartfelt performances, balancing humor and poignancy, and contributing to the ensemble's dynamic.

The cast's commitment to learning tap dance showcases their hard work and dedication, making "Swing Kids" a captivating and authentic film.

while i was watching ,i felt connected to the characters and could feel the hardwork in their acting .it had my heart racing,my eyes to bawl tears out and to laugh like i never did.definitely reccomended..<33

Read More

No other word than beautiful

Both leads complimented each other so perfectly that it made this story so incredibly real. Lee Do-Hyun and Go Min-si delivered nothing short of a remarkable performance. Do-Hyun captured the many layers of playful and intellectual Hee-tae's soul, while also showing his vulnerability. Min-si who played Kim Myung-hee was also portrayed with the perfect balance of finesse and grit. It allowed her to feel connected to the viewers who are watching Myung-hee's stuggles. Every cast member left an impression, delivering strong performances that only added to the experience. The music always matched and complimented what has happening on screen perfectly. Prior to this, I had not heard of the Gwangju Uprising. They did not shy away from showing different realities of during this time but also honored them. Overall, this is a drama that has resonated with me even 2 years after originally watching it. I believe it is a must-watch, an art that I think everyone should experience.

Read More

Great acting carries otherwise uneven script/storytelling

Positives: Gong Jun and Yang Mi are top notch actors and carry this drama series on their shoulders. Gong Jun's acting especially is a pleasant surprise to see - the range of emotions he goes through are remarkable in how it is brought to live very believably. This excellent acting makes the DFYC character a joy to watch on screen. Yang Mi has great moments on screen projecting private/ hidden emotions although the scriptwriter/director could have done her justice with more of such moments to help the audience emphathise better- as it stands the script doesn't do her acting skills justice and requires her to be the stoic/unbending strong leader most of the time. Good CGI and beautiful production sets, costumes are a great plus (sorely lacking in many xianxia c-dramas).

Negatives: The series has its emotional high moments that really draw-in the patient viewer with rewarding storytelling but overall has strangely choppy editing at times, uneven pacing (slow/bland storytelling style at the start and only picks up episodes 9-10 onwards and the final 10 episodes are action packed), oddly bland choice of background music at many key moments, and comes across as having rookie scriptwriters at times. Could this drama have been a victim of the editing room/censors to squeeze into only 36 episodes and only 45 mins per episode. Why they don't make use of 1-2 more episodes to allow more meaningful storytelling (especially final 6 episodes felt like key scenes had been removed with seemingly key actions left unexplained).

Overall: The reason to watch this are the very good acting by GJ and YM, good production values. The actors are the key reason the drama is still enjoyable to watch.

Read More