Reviews

Just being alive is the greatest thing!

What an amazing drama! Highly predictable, full of clichés and yet gripping and thought provoking and it concerns each and every one of us!

The main topic is depression and teens and how the parental and/or societal expectations can ruin someone's self-esteem and ultimately the will to live. This is a story of Boo, who faced with his own shortcomings compared to his brilliant father thinks seriously about suicide. But a chance encounter with a group of skateboarders, make him fine a new will to live. His father, still completely oblivious to his sons misery, tries to steer him in the direction he wants him to go, whether Boo is happy about it or not. The penny drops for the father when he realizes he has no recent photos of his son: the latest one being from primary school.

The mental health representation in this drama is perfect. The kid's unhappiness, the reasons for it, how to deal with it and what the depression is, are excellently explained and shown. The most important fact here ,that they stressed repeatedly, is that the path to well being is long and difficult, the patients need to be surrounded by well meaning and caring family and friends who need to be vigilant because of possible setbacks! The actor playing Boo is incredible: he manages to show Boo's deep feelings of unhappiness by subtle mannerisms, posture and facial microexpressions. Perfect!

Other characters are the usual suspects!
The father too busy to notice anything is wrong and quick to criticize and demand excellence and blind obeissance.
A young shrink projecting onto Boo her own family trauma in order to help him but getting into it too deep.
An older youth, a skateboarding master who becomes Boo's idol and who takes no nonsense from anyone and talks like that as well.
The youth's sister who plays with Boo's heart and unwittingly provokes a life changing accident.

All of the characters change, learn and mature during the drama and by the end of it, they all have learned important life lessons. The ending is a bit sappy and too fluffy for my taste but it is feelgood and just what the doctor ordered.

Cinematography is excellent, especially in episodes 6 & 7 when certain scenes are monochrome: pink, green, red etc. to go with the moods of suffering characters. Music is just the right amount of rock to go with skateboarding and ominous background score for the depression.

This is an amazing drama which, in spite of its serious subject matter and the cliché characters, grabs your attention from the get go and keeps it until the last moment of the last short episode! The length of the drama is perfect: 8 short episodes are just enough to tell a comprehensive story without it losing momentum by introducing secondary characters' stories!

I am surprised that it is not watched more! It should be! It gives us all a valuable lesson about life which we often seem to forget!

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Eight minute episodes? I'm in!

I've hit a wall trying to find a good romance that isn't long and drawn out, with so much filler that all I do is fast forward through most of it. I found this on Prime. 24 episodes of about 8-15 minutes each. I figured I could commit to this, and if it was terrible, not too much of my life was wasted.

I was pleasantly surprised. It's a cute storyline (but uniforms in college, is that a thing?).

Aside from the problems I had with it:
-It contained not one, but two girls that were willing to do anything to get the guy.
-an overbearing father.
-an arranged engagement.
-acting by most of the adults was bad. The way they talked, the way they moved, just not good.
-the male lead, Ma Hao Dong, had one expression, and when he talked, he talked like he had lockjaw.
-a couple of very poorly executed kisses
-typical tropes like only one hotel room, one mattress when they go camping, you know the drill.

There were things that I really liked:
-Liu Nian as Chu Xia (FL) is adorable, I mean seriously! I loved watching her.
-the main couple together was so cute. She's outgoing, he's stoic. He keeps asking his friend and his housekeeper for advice.
-I love when there's a height disparity between the leads. She was so tiny.
-I loved his mother. Rather than what we normally see, here we have a mom wanting what her son wants. She was very sweet and was so caring of both her son and Chu Xia.
-one of the irritating girls that wants the ML redeems herself
-I was able to put my remote down and give the fast forward button a rest
-I found myself smiling, a lot, while watching this

So, if you have a few hours to spare, want to just enjoy yourself and turn off your brain for a while, you might enjoy this.

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It's just perfect.

I don't have NOTHING to point out as a fail of this kdrama. It just brings all I need, all I wanted to say to people about the internet world, the luxurious celebrities around the world, the hateful communities. All this has been shown, perfectly. The OST, the scenes, the acting, the storyline.
It was sensational, everything extremely well done.
It was the best kdrama this year (of the ones I've seen)
I guess the moral lesson of this story is something humanity will never learn, but people like me who identify with Sei Ari (or those who understand what this "fiction" wants to show), we can live in peace away from it.

I was obsessed with this story, now I miss it lol
But I'm very satisfied with how it ended, and most importantly: with what this story showed people, I hope they can understand and learn from this """fictional""" story.

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No break up and no miscommunication

Chinese drama are setting my standard high this year this one and when i fly towards you are my on top 10 list of this year..
l love the story and everything Zhi's love was so pure so was Jianxu's.

I have cried on that scene when she told him she liked his since her high school 😭 .

Also the scene when his father died 😢 💔 😔
I cried like a child 😭 when he said " am really getting old"? " why my parent's aren't here anymore"?.

I also loved all those scenes when she reminded him that he is a great person and deserves to be loved .

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I started this drama on a whim and ended up loving it. It's one of the better romance drama that I've watched in recent years.

The plot is very simple. It is about a teenager crush that evolves into a beautiful relationship once reciprocated. While it is simple, I think the show did a good job overall in portraying the different stages of the relationship. There is no unnecessary angst and the tone remains light and fluffy throughout.

The only thing that makes me rate the story lower is the lack of scenes showcasing ML thoughts. The drama could have used an extra episode to flesh out ML character more. His background story is way too short and he changed from brotherly affection to full on loving the FL so quickly that I find it a bit abrupt. It would be better if there are more scenes showcasing his hesitation and motivation. The novel did a much better job fleshing out his character imo.

The casts are definitely the highlight for me. Everyone fits their role so well and the acting feels quite natural. I love all the 3 leads, though I am most impressed with Chen Zheyuan. His eyes deliver so much emotion! The chemistry between the 3 leads are amazing. I definitely will be checking out their future projects.
I also really like the OST because they fit and added so much to the scenes.

Overall I really like this drama. It is well produced and I could tell a lot of thought and effort went into it. It was good from beginning to the end. Although I feel like they could use 1 or 2 more episodes, but overall I'm very satisfied with the series.

I would recommend this drama for anyone that likes romance, slice of life, and something simple in general. This drama has been my happy pill after a long tiring day at work for the past 2 weeks, so I would definitely missed it.

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One of the best Netflix Productions

If not THE BEST!

I know there are many who hates those productions(and i can't understand why,but its ok).If you are one of them,please think this one as the 1% of those which really worths your time,take a leap of faith and at least give it a chance.I literally begging you.

I had Light the Night in my PTW list for a long time and for a very silly reason:I hate 80's!Yes..i know.To me is the most kitsch, tacky,ugly-use any word you like-decade when it comes to fashion,make-up,hair,trends sometimes even to movies and music.And although i grew up in this decade and have great memories of it,still i wouldn't go back there,lol.

So while i was checking my very long list i stumbled on this and decided to read few reviews.I can't thank enough all of you who actually encouraged me to start watching it with your very positive comments.And by the way reviews indeed are very helpful,positive or negative it doesn't really matter.To me all have gravity agree or not to them.

Initially i gave 9 stars to all 3 seasons but after finishing S3 i changed all my rates to 9,5 because of the feeling this Drama left me with.And don't forget to mention that this review is for the 3 seasons as i binged watch them and i took it as one.So all my thoughts and comments in this section is about the 24 episodes in total.Also i read somewhere there is a slight chance of a S4 ,so i save my 1/2 star(for the perfect 10)for this possibility!

I will not go deep into the story or the characters as the purpose of this review is not to analyze the drama but actually to encourage all of you to give it a try or at least learn about this series.So in this way i feel i kinda contribute to make this series known to as many as i can.

Production itself is excellent.If you lived in the 80's iam sure you will feel very nostalgic as everything really..smells like the 80's.Props,costumes,hair,make -up,cars,furniture, everything to the last detail is well planned.If you are a member of Gen Z you will feel grateful you didn't have to dress like that,lol(ok im obviously kidding)
I have to tell you that here they smoke a lot.Like A LOT!Just a fun-fact!They smoke as their life depends on it,like there is no tomorrow.Typical 80's!

Music although not to my taste fitted perfectly to the whole concept,so i gave a 9 because never felt off.

Cast/Acting:
I have seen the mains at least once so i wasn't totally unfamiliar with them.
As for the acting, mesmerizing and phenomenal at least.Incredible,flawless and realistic,is literally the best part of the drama.
Every actor brought to life his character the best possible way.I really admired everyone's talent.

The story is exceptional.And you cannot fully appreciate and understand how deep and engaging it is,unless you start watching it.
Mystery/murder/drama. But above all Light the Night is a slice of life series.And i usually don't watch such dramas as iam easily bored and not really interested in such stories(daily life,work routine,family relationships etc)
Here the screenwriter managed to successfully blend many genres creating a masterpiece.Kudos!
Friendships,family bonds,family rivalry,colleagues,lovers,enemies,good guys,bad guys,evil guys.The characters and the story reflects the society.
Everything revolves around Love.Any form of it.From the pure and unconditional to sick and calculated.
You will not get your answers easy and fast.The 24 eps may sound too many and you think you will lose your interest.Trust me you won't.You will love and hate every character.Is not about who did what.Is about each character's life journey.

Light the Night is a fascinating Drama.I didn't expect to love it so much.Apart the mystery part nothing was really appealing to me before i started it.Iam so glad i was bold enough to watch it(as in other circumstances i would just pass it)

Is one of those dramas i really hope to get more attention and recognition.Totally worths it.Please don't miss it.
Happy watching.

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There was an attempt, I guess...

It seems the drama excuses itself way too much and too often under the umbrella of "real life events" which denotes for a lazy writing. Moreover, the antagonist in the drama is portrayed as an omnipotent being who possesses an uncanny awareness, insight, and control over everything and everyone. Practically a god! It undermines the believability of the story and weakens the conflict by eliminating any sense of balance or potential for meaningful character growth and development. This kind of characterization is only passable for makjang shenanigans, mindless action or goofy adventure flicks. Instead of crafting a compelling tragedy, it turned into an extensive series of self-inflicted misery, unreasonable maneuvers and forceful entanglements. This is not how to make a tragedy!

The brothers playing the big turning point for the climax were only brought to attention in the last 2-3 episodes. How do you expect the viewers to care? While some of the support characters may receive attention initially (or eventually like the brothers) but they ended up being underdeveloped and lacking depth. Their presence feels inconsequential and fails to contribute meaningfully to the overall story. Either give them a proper investment or don't waste unnecessary scenes. The 12 episodes run already feels too long! Despite dealing with potentially emotional and poignant themes, the drama fails to delve deeply into the emotional lives of its characters. Instead, we got a superficial, quick and dry cuts that were barely sufficient to progress the story.

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Third rewatch - perceptions change.

Well, I've been holding this back for a while.
The first time I watched this I was early in my Kdrama immersion and I loved it. Lots of eye candy and many quite engaging characters, some of whom I hated, some of whom I whole-heartedly rooted for. I found the acting for the most part excellent and enjoyed the simple but at times sad plot lines as well as the horrid and toxic manipulations of the powerful. Even that first viewing made me feel that most of the problem I had with this drama was centred in the tragic miscasting of the female lead. More later.
The second viewing was less satisfying but still engaging. This time the FL was even more misplaced, but I thought that the writing of her part and possibly the way she was directed sadly affected how she portrayed her character. One-dimensional, pathetic and gurny.
In this, my third viewing I find that Go Ara's role rendered it all almost unwatchable.
Please don't misconstrue this - GAR has been excellent in other roles I have seen her in, so I don't altogether blame her. She is a very skilled actress - when properly cast and directed
However I always felt that in this drama her acting was lamentably one-dimensional: she is always to some extent angry or scared or worried. Her method for conveying all these different states is centred on what I called "grumpy chin". It's almost laughable - even when she is experiencing the first stirrings of confused romantic love, she is Miss Grumpy Chin. Sometimes her chin calms down and is almost normal, but if so then her forehead becomes loomy.
Now, I think there is good reason for her character to be worried, vulnerable, scared, given her station in life, but even in the early stages of the drama when she plays a young woman about town making an unexpected success and good money by telling romantic stories for small crowds, she conveys every excitement of those romantic tales with her grumpy chin or sour forehead. When she drinks the wages that she is owed, she conveys her "relaxation" by means of her grumpy chin. Even in those warmer lighter moments with her best pal, she is Miss Grumpy Chin. She is a gifted if partially trained doctor having learned by watching her father, but invariably her interactions with every patient is dominated by Grumpy Chin and perhaps Loomy Eyebrows as well.
The character she plays - a young unmarried daughter of a one-time aristocrat - should have been married off by the age of perhaps even 13, certainly by 16, but most of her styling convinces me she is in her late 20s or even mid 30s. In fact all the young male characters should be in their late teens or early 20s and they also look much older - late 20s/ or 30s. Sadly GAR looks about twice the age she should be, and that's how she behaves too. In addition, the acting has none of the charm the character should have and mostly none of the spirit.
She spends elaborate amounts of time dawdling around being grumpy, or actively whining and weeping - she is transformed from a girl with agency and creativity to a wet rag. These more attractive characteristics do emerge later but only ever very briefly. Most of the time they are invisible, dominated by a passivity and that ever-present grump.
For me, one result is that, with the best will in the world, I fail to find any chemistry between her and the ML or 2ML. I find that deeply annoying, and a huge wasted opportunity : two of the most beautiful males on the planet, both doing a damn fine job of being sexy with a sword or a horse, and demonstrably trying to fall for her, but nearly every interaction is ...limp. Even in the context of conservative Korean standards, this is pathetic.
This is a drama sadly let down by poor directing and the pathetic miscasting of the monochrome and miserable role of A-Ro.
There are other flaws, of course, other reviewers have responded to those, and up to a point I agree at least with some of those. However, all of those weaknesses have been bearable. None has made the drama as nearly unwatchable as has poor old (and old is the right word for it) A-Ro, as caricatured by Go Ara.
My Stars/Scores are awarded mostly for every other actor or aspect of this drama - if I focussed only on the real issue here, I'd only find 2 stars at most.
Clearly she was doing what the writer/director wanted from the role. They should be shot by one of the used arrows that they wasted on Dog Bird,

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Don't get fooled by +ve YT comments/reviews

Read at your own risk because I am about to be rude and realistic :
This series is a waste of time no matter how much you try to defend it. No this is not a mature BL drama. This is not how slow-burn works. Some fujoshis have quite a low bar ughh. Also, please DO NOT compare this to Eclipse which was a MASTERPIECE.
Don't get fooled by reading positive reviews. Skip it if you are not fond of the plain plot.
The only positive things are : Chot's dialogues and Jaab's charismatic looks. Apart from that, Khun jeng was pretty hot.
Nothing happens in the first 7/8 episodes and suddenly everything happens in the last few ones.
Very boring side characters and the main character with basic storylines.
What was more frustrating was Pat. His weird lip movements were straight-up irritating. His indecisiveness and drama weren't cute or mature. He bored me to death.

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A Gem

This was unexpected and fantastic. Now I have only ran into one truly bad BL so far, knock on wood, so I am always happy when another one is completed and leaves me with happy feelings. This one has excellent comedy, a solid story, a wonderful timeline for the main relationship. It felt realistic, it felt emotional, it made you care for the characters.

The main couple and side couple were equally fantastic, the last episode with the bedroom scene summed up how wonderful the four of these characters were.

Honestly with great leads and side characters you can go so far! The friend group was amazing, and I find that important in college BL romances. Those friends REALLY add to the show.

What I look for in a BL drama:
Cute moments: 5/5
Spicy moments: 1/5
Hilarious Friends: 5/5
Side Couples: 5/5
Tropes I love 5/5

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This drama does the best 'Sunshine & Grumpy' trope☁️✨

So, I just binge-watched the show and let me tell you, RangRang and Zai Zai have got to be the cutest couple ever! They're like the epitome of a perfect relationship. I absolutely adore how deeply they love each other and how they're not afraid to show it, both in words and actions. And their communication skills? On point! They never let any silly misunderstandings come between them and tear them apart🌸

Oh, and can we talk about the "Sunshine & Grumpy" dynamic? It's done so well here! RangRang might be an introvert and not a big talker, but boy, does he make it clear right from the start that he's head over heels in love with Zai Zai. Actions speak louder than words, right?

If I am being too critical then the only thing that left me a bit disappointed was that they didn't show Zai Zai's pregnancy or their adorable child, 'You.' I would've loved to see more of their interactions as a family of three☁️

All in all, this show is an absolute gem. The chemistry between RangRang and Zai Zai is off the charts, and their love story is just heartwarming. I couldn't recommend it enough!

Now all I want is for Zhou Yi Ran & Zhang Miao Yi to be in a drama again❤️✨

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