Plot:
The plot was not mundane. It kept things moving with no real central theme. The thing that irritated me the most is the romance arc. I think the romance angle wasn't developed to its best. The focus was more on all secondary relationships and characters. There wasn't enough for me to root for the ML. And it can be compared with 'A love so beautiful' because they share common premises. But where this drama fails is to wrap the high school arc at a considerable time and give the latter years enough screen time. The ending was rushed and completely unsatisfactory. But the story was kind of relatable. The main reason I kept watching was how adorable all the characters were and the story was mostly realistic ( Ahem, ahem, except the ending).
Acting/ Cast:
I a in love with the male lead. He does a fabulous potrayal of that all rounder, ambitious teenage without being a jerk about it. The female lead was annoying at some points but for the major part she was cute. The second lead is another character that was both written and acted out really well. The side actors also did a great job and I could remember many classmates despite of the large cast.
Music:
The music was appropriately included but none of it was memorable ot the kind you want to listen to again.
Rewatch value:
Based on my knowledge of how it ends, I may not watch it.
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Putting the "meh" in "mehdiocre"
I stuck with this one on the strength of its fantastic opening sequence. If only it had stayed like that through. At 24 episodes, it's short by contemporary C Drama standards, but it felt so much longer and was a chore to get through.What I didn't like:
The lead as a teen was a patronising git. If I had a single yuan for every time he "affectionately" belittled the female lead, calling her ugly, stupid or variants (and combinations thereof), I could buy Beijing. That ain't romantic. And the reasons for his noble idiocy as revealed in the final episode were both stupid and mind-numbingly clichéd
The Second male lead was the worst kind of "no never means no" stalker. His antics as a teen especially were ALL about him. His love was one-sided and it was all for him. How SHE felt was basically irrelevant, and anything he did was ok because it was "love". Ai carumba (pun intended)
Why I stayed. There were intermittent flashes throughout the Drama of the sort of spark shown in the opening of episode 1. Also, REALLY loved Luo Zhi, and her story arc was a big reason I didn't drop. It caused me to add "Unrequited Love" to my watchlist, although I was disappointed that the same actor is not playing her in that Drama.
In summary, not awful, but one I shouldn't have wasted my time on.
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This review may contain spoilers
To Take Troubles At Heart
OVERALL:I don't know what's with Ba Yue Chang An novels that make me ugly cry so much. I've watched tons of dramas since 2002 but I guess this one was as relatable as Unrequited Love that it hurts me to see these characters struggle. If you're looking for a good youth drama that can make your heart flutter, this is it. I love the friendship the characters have in this drama. However, I would like to leave a warning that towards the end, it gets a bit darker and you might be surprised by the sudden 180. Nevertheless, I believe this is still one of the dramas I would recommend to new watchers.
THE CHARACTERS:
GENG GENG is one of the usual female leads we get in school dramas. She's "dumb" (although I believe science classes is just not for her, she's average/good with literature or art related subjects), bubbly, and has that iconic bob cut we always see in our tracksuit-wearing leads. What makes Geng Geng different from other leads was shown exactly in that part where she was asked by Yu Huai's mom to leave her son alone. She did not just quietly accept that, she told his mom exactly what she needs to hear. I totally admired her during that moment. She's very empathetic and she's the balance between our lovely female friendship trio. Geng Geng's strength is her straightforwardness and bravery.
YU HUAI is smart but he's not a genius. He's only good with science/math subjects but lacks in anything art-related. He's the total opposite of Geng Geng and that's what makes them a cute pair. He likes to play tricks. He plays computer games. He even cuts classes because he's too lazy to teach. He gets dejected when he gets bad results. He gets jealous. He's not the perfect male lead you expect him to and you know what? It's great that we get such realistic people in dramas. He was the most relatable character for me.
GENG GENG YU HUAI complement each other. What the other lacks, the other has it. You know they like each other. You see that in the first episode. You wonder, why don't they just confess? It's because they don't need to. Both of them know what the other feels. It's so painfully obvious yet I can't get frustrated because I know these two are just students who's trying to pass their exams. You watch them get jealous, do mistakes, and misunderstand each other. They reminded me of Luo Zhi and Sheng Huainan who lacked communication but I'm glad they pulled through in the end. My headcanon is that Yu Huai finally achieves what he's supposed to after all those years together with Geng Geng by his side.
The 10 year gap was a bit of a shock to me. I think it would be good if it was extended for a few episodes but I guess the point was to have an open ending. Some people think that the logical pick would be Xing He which I totally agree with. Who wouldn't? He was there for 10 years, waiting for the time that Geng Geng will finally be able to let go. But I can tell you that when it comes to love, you do the dumbest thing. Xing He wasn't the person in her heart, it was Yu Huai all along. I think it's totally unfair for him to be married to her without her being 100% into it. It's sucky that she did that to hurt Yu Huai and I wished we could see her apologize sincerely but time was running out in the last episode.
I guess that's my only problem in the drama, the last episodes were too short to highlight things that could've been highlighted. We only heard Yu Huai's struggles and did not experience/watch any of it which makes his backstory kinda cheap. It sounded like an excuse. I don't have any questions with what he experienced. It was unfortunate and he was unlucky. However, an episode totally focusing on his struggles could've been a good episode before or after they met again. Overall, I'm still satisfied with this drama and Zhenhua students will have a special place in my heart.
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First things first, I have given this drama and overall rating of 8.5/10. The reason why is because this drama is a very interesting drama that have twists and elements of its own that brings out the nostalgia of students experiencing their high school life to the fullest however, I do have to admit that it also has alot of the normal cliche scenes so spoiler warning! This drama also reminds of the happy and wonderful moments in life that we can't get back because its in the past. It made me realise and reminisce a lot about the people that are surrounding me that shaped me to who I am today. If you are a very sensitive and basically, a sentimental person, this is a drama for you.
The two leads, Yu Huai and Geng Geng, really brings out the "first love feeling" that most of us experience in our lives. They did a great job emphasising the heart fluttering moments and unforgettable moments. They also give off a homely and comfortable vibe that makes the viewer root for their love to bloom from the very start. But, I have to say that even though they are very affectionate with one another, their confession and feelings of love is quite a slow burn. That really frustrates me a lot because once you watch the first episode, you could firsthand see that the two leads have chemistry and the bond between them is quite tight.
Just that, of course, there's the love rivals that separates the two main leads, Liu Xing He and Chen Xue Jun. Also, four words, "second male lead syndrome" (SMLS)! I have to say as much as the SMLS didn't affect me, Liu Xing He deserves some credit and spotlight because of the way that he was portrayed. He gave me "Wu Bo Song"(A Love So Beautiful) vibes as he would give up everything and give Geng Geng anything. That itself, proves how dedicated and how committed he is towards her. You'll find yourself rooting for him up to the every end. Supposedly, there is another second female lead Chen Xue Jun, but her story was quite undeveloped and ultimately that just lead to her disappearing halfway through the drama.
Here's the thing, one con of this whole drama is that characters that are needed to develop and contribute to the plot of this drama, are very undeveloped and quite neglected, in my opinion. The plot itself is not really shown up until the very end and you just end up watching fillers and moments of which they just enjoy and struggle in their highschool lives. Which could either be a turn off or turn on for the viewers. Personally, as much as I enjoyed watching their friendships and relationships improve over time, it occurred to me that there wasn't much of a plot and there wasn't much of a focus on the characters around the leads.
Another con is that there isn't that much of a legit reason behind the male lead disappearance. The story or rather, the reason behind wasn't that legit (?) It sounded more of a excuse, in my opinion. Well, I'm just going to let the viewers decide but I wasn't satisfied with how Yu Huai disappeared and became more closed off.
As a conclusion, this drama is very much watching for those who love coming of age stories and for those who are interested in high school romance to remember how your heart fluttered and the butterflies that you felt upon seeing your first love or to remember how beautiful each of the friendships that you made along the way while growing up. It's very recommended and if you could look past through the cons, you would definitely enjoy this drama. Good luck!
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What I liked about the drama was the acting by all the actors , it was really good and added a lot of depth to the story. I really loved the chemistry between our main leads , they were so endearing and cute together. It's a heart warming portrayal of first love,and it shows how being with the one you love/like is enough for you to be happy and how you don't even need to says much to them but they'll still understand if something is wrong with you. I loved the small moments between Yu Huai and Geng Geng,and I loved the fact that they were such good friends first who always stood up for each other and always had each others back.
The other characters were also very well developed, which is another thing I like. There was no character which felt like filler or which had no purpose.
The story portrays the high school years and all the things related to it like exam stress , extracurriculars, choosing between science and humanities in a very relatable way. I being a high school student myself could easily connect with the story and it's characters.
The only thing which I didn't like was the ending. It could have been done better in my opinion, but anyways it was still a very enjoyable, touching and binge worthy drama , which made me cry as well as laugh a lot.
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touching story and inspiring
this is such an inspiring and touching drama that touches several aspect of life, relationship, loyalty, perseverance . frustrations of most teenagers growing up in China trying to pass and get selected to the fine universities of their dreams, the over whelming stress they have, lasting friendships etc. it also reminded us that no matter how tough life is , as long as you have people around you to encourage you when you failed, to have people to be there to support you when you are down, someone to fight for you when you feel helpless, loving parents to be there for you, sacrifice of parents to enable their kids to be successful in education to prepare them for their future, etc. It really takes a whole village to raise a kid to be successful in life. I watched this drama many times because it is that good. Seven Tan as usual delivers and make this so believable. She had shown how good she is portraying as young teenager in high school all the way to a professional photographer. There are so many crying scenes in these drama and you really feel for her frustration, love, sadness, desperation, etc. I never get tired of watching her as she is so natural. All the three main leads did such a great job including all the supporting casts. I love all the side stories about her friends, the problems of youth studying hard to get good grades for high school and colleges examinations, the desperation of some teenagers who cannot cope with the stress of examinations , etc.Was this review helpful to you?
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There is a lot to talk about
**SPOILER is at the bottom and I do warn you. You can definitely read this without the spoiler and get a sense of what was said as I was basically ranting as the spoiler**With you follows a similar storyline with many others in its class. Tropes such as a love triangle, cutthroat grades, first love, growth, and the future are all explored as we follow the journey of an ever-evolving group of friends. In simple terms, it was a cute comedy that captured the essence of youth and romance. There is much debate on the ending but I will get to that later.
I actually came across this through YouTube autoplay. I was listening to the OST of "Go Ahead," another drama with the female lead, Seven Tan. Her acting skills are amazing. She perfectly played the role as well as portraying the passage of time. The male lead was not as eye-catching and some emotions weren't as pronounced (?) as others but he is still quite the performer. Not once did I question whether he and anyone else was in character or not.
While my level of investment was average, the plot and characters stuck with me more than the music did. In other words, there was no track or theme that was playing in my head at the thought of this drama or the more heavy impact scenes. So... I did what anyone would have done and looked it up! To my surprise, I recognize quite a few and could even name a scene in which they were played. I think I will forget them though so let's see... In general, this was definitely more plot skewed and the OST played a very passive role in the background. Nothing made me want to look it up after watching because I couldn't reassociate it with the drama.
I do think the rewatch value is quite high, as they are growing up and I too will be able to better understand the struggles, situations, and emotions they felt. It is impossible to watch it in the same way as the first time, like all things. Though, I do want to come back to this as I get older and forget it some.
Now, the ending....I will say it was rushed and lots of ground was covered in the span of the two episodes. There were many things it was lacking and everyone will (most likely) agree on that. There was no insight as a viewer on how Lu Xing He, Yu Huai, or Geng Geng really thought during various cruel plot points. The ending was executed poorly and made for a tough last two episodes BUT others than that, I disagree with the "majority." Yes, the ending was rushed but there were numerous scenes and moments that foreshadow it. Sure it went down kind of badly and bashed everyone's fairytale but that is reality and love does not conquer all.
***SPOILER SECTION...Come back after you have watched it........****
For those that hated the ending and bashing Yu Huai's choices and blaming him or Geng Geng's choice on who she wanted to be with, I have a bone to pick with you. Sure, it was a dick move but you can't sit there and pretend like the reason wasn't a good one or you would have handled it better fresh out of high school. His dad works away from home, his mom is working hard and gets sick. The amount of pressure he was already under combined with the stress of all that and the added financial burden on a HIGHSCHOOL student with no income and a newly crushed confidence. It probably destroyed him and his mental space. Because he is a caringly unselfish and logical person, evident in his love of physics and character, he decided not to drag her down. The argument of "He should have told her. She could have helped." HOW?!?! Geng Geng loves him and would follow him literally anywhere and he loves her too. But he doesn't want that right now. He has too much on his plate. Geng Geng after those ten years was successful and made a name for herself. If she had gone with him, with the money problem alone, it is not realistic to say she could have achieved the same results. It was said in the first episode: He was his best self then while she became her best self later in life. Her choice to choose him now, even after ten long and painful years? Simply, because she still loves him. With him finishing his Ph.D. and her success, the previous barrier no longer exists. Everyone feels bad for Lu Xing He to some extent as someone who devoted his youth to her and stuck around. he supports her, waited for her, and stuck with her but if she chose him for that reason alone, it would be out of pity and obligation. Neither one would be happy. Simply because she doesn't love him and it sucks because we know who she likes, even he does. That is why it is painful, but we know. It isn't about who deserves her more or did more. The second lead syndrome and choice felt stupid, but basing Geng Geng's decision and criticizing a choice Yu Huian made due to circumstance and love is not it. Lu Xing He took back the ring because he understood her and her feelings so well. Geng Genf forgave Yu Huain because she could understand. Why can't you?
**End of the spoiler, I think...hehe (?)***
The drama, characters, and ending all had their own degree of realisticness and that is one of the reasons I loved this. Getting a dose of reality in a drama is normal as the writers also live in that same reality. Relationships come in all different forms as well as coming and leaving as it pleases, often returning to tease us. Love can't conquer all and it doesn't have to. A realistic end to splash us back and reflect on the reality we came here to avoid. Very poetic if you ask me.
It was an enjoyable watch. :)
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I've seen a lot of dramas featuring actors with faces like flower boy or flower girl but, here it feels very natural and I like it.
the plot is getting better with the development of existing conflicts and the love story between these two friendships is getting more interesting because it is made simple, realistic, rarely excessive slow motion scenes.
only shows two lovebirds who love each other but are buried because of friendship.
BUT, I don't like when the ending is too fast and forced to hang or cliff hanger or open ending, not in a good way but in a bad way. when it comes to ending we seem to be forced to immediately accept the conflict and then make up and the end. but actually it doesn't really leave a deep impression on all the characters so i was like " hmmm that's it....?"
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THIS IS NOT LIKE 'A LOVE SO BEAUTIFUL'!
I feel like the fellow reviewers have scammed me in to watching this drama saying 'If you want to fill in the void after ALSB, this drama is for you' Noooo not at all it is like ALSB! The skeleton of the drama might be like ALSB but the execution and story did disappointed me a hell lot!The best thing about the drama was the Cast! The actors made me complete the drama otherwise I would have dropped it at the 7th episode itself. Every actor was so good at the role! The only person who did the great job in the crew was the casting director! Seven Tan was my most favourite amongst all and then comes the actor who played Lu Xing He... Trust me, The only interest I had in the story was how Lu Xing He's love develops and how he expresses so warmly everytime till the end! I had seen 'beta' in 'My dear ancestors' and I loved her as an actor (Though a bit biased against pairing her up with Chen ZheYuan) and here also she doesn't disappoint! The actor who played "Zhang Ping" was great on his job too! Last but not the least, Liu Hao Ren was good too but his limitation was the character given to him which doesn't allow him to show his talent which is written all over his face that he has in him, so I would love to see his other works before saying anything about him...
Coming to OSTs, there was no single tune, let alone a song, that gets our attention and we cant stop humming it. For me, osts are like bridges between the audience and the stories, they make the story alive and felt by the audience. maybe, this is one of the reason why I am not attached to the story!
The incompleteness is too much in the drama, the whole group was shown so close to each other in some parts whereas in others they were totally unconnected. for example, Han Xu was considered as other side actors which were just there to fill the class' benches. Bei Ling's real intention and other things they have not shown only, after leap no other friends are visible, just their voice you get to hear whereas they must have shown a proper reunion of them, Not even something about Zhou Mo and Jian Dan they have shown and the most important the ending literally pissed me off and I have came here to rant my anger! Okay we get it Geng geng was always in love with Yu Huai and she cannot hurt Lu Xing He by commiting him a loveless marriage - ACCEPTED... but atleast we as audience deserved some chemistry and love scenes between the two main leads which was an invisible hope that never came true until the last episode and after that too.....
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Such a beautiful story
THAT WAS SOOO BEAUTIFUL T-T I CRIED SO MUCH AT THAT ENDING. Oh my god this drama's storyline was just soo pure, innocent and just so beautiful. This story was absolutely adorable. They both have gone through soo much. They definitely deserve a happy ending. This drama will always be close to my heart. It was really really heart-warming in every way possible. The cast have done a fantastic job! Loved their acting! Definitely fell for both leads and now a fan of both Liu Haoran and Tan Songyun. I really really enjoyed this drama! Overall, it's a fantastically written drama about so many kinds of love, the everlasting one, the one-side crush, the always meant to be, the painful-but-can't-stop-loving, the just not meant to be, to name a few. I absolutely freaking loved it. And definitely a 100% recommend watching it. 💞👨🎓✔️👩🎓💞Was this review helpful to you?
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I have just completed watching this drama I LOVED THE CHARACTERS
i just hated one thing is that Lu Xing He loved her so much even after knowing that she still likes Yu hai ,he even helped her find him he did that much for her but why it ended up like that
when Yu Hai was not beside her FOR 10 YEARS LITERALLY 10 YEARS he was there he even proposed her 56 times
he did that much but she ended up going back to him
if he had already contacted her before means it would be nice ryt , she would have understand , she not that dumb
if i would be in her place i will go with Lu Xing He but i would still try to be friend with Yu Hai
I JUST WANT JUSTICE FOR "LU XING HE"
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idk
i didn't know that this drama was not mainly focused on their rs, it was more about friends growing up and i think that's why i was really disappointed but its kinda my fault for not reading the reviews first. the ending was a bit too rushed too... yes geng geng and yu hai ( i forgot his name idek if that's his name) were pretty cute but their love for each other wasn't well presented. it looked a little too platonic lol and in the last 2 episodes that's where you'll really see their love for each other and it was kinda frustrating that i had to wait and watch through all those episodes just for the last 2 episodes to summarize their whole love for each other. the other episodes were mostly focused on their highschool life and stuff idek and so many side charas. this wasn't really my fave but then again it's pretty much my fault for expecting too much, ig i was just expecting this whole drama to focus on their love story but nop it's not all about their love story. it's like watching a journey of a group of friends at this point. but it was pretty good tho..!Was this review helpful to you?
