HIStory3: Trapped

FROM BEING TRAPPED IN THE PAST TO BEING TRAPPED IN LOVE

Life is full of prisons... only you get to choose which ones you want to be trapped into.
For Tang Yi and Shaofei, the prison is their past.

Tang Yi is the head of a gang and Meng shao fei a police officer by profession. Both of their worlds collide when both their mentors get murdered together mysteriously. For four years, Shaofei trails behind Tang Yi, hanging onto the belief that there is more to the story than what Tang Yi had told the police about the murder.
While Shaofei is hooked on unravelling the real truth and bringing justice, Tang Yi has only one motive - revenge.
As the story unravels, many shocking discoveries are made along the way. Both Shaofei and Tang Yi's world, the world of a gangster and a policeman keep colliding, bringing them closer and allowing them to see each other's lives in a completely different light.

Shaofei defies all the stereotypes. He is someone who can take a bullet with a smile on his face and never shies away from expressing how much love he has to give. Every time he is on screen, it lights up with hope and love. He holds onto the people he loves with all his might and is not afraid to jump in front of a gun for them, if needed. At times, he might come off as someone who is too clingy. But it's his that very quality that sets him apart, makes him even more endearing. He loves openly and fiercely. He never gives up on the things that he believes in. He is brave beyond anything.
Tang Yi, on the other hand is scared of loving too much. He has been hurt in the past and lost people he loved dearly. He struggles to open himself up, trust people, let them into his heart. But he is fiercely loyal too. He is trapped in the loop of vengeance and betrayal, but protects his people with all that he has left.

The chemistry between them is undoubtedly natural, as it not only stems from attraction but also shared grief and years of really knowing and understanding each other. When Shao Fei holds Tang Yi close, you can truly feel the depth of his love and how badly he wants to protect Tang Yi from all the pain. It makes sense, as the story progresses that only someone like Shaofei could love Tang Yi without holding back. Only Shaofei could pull him out of the trap of his own past and show him the love and light that exists around him.

The other two couples and their stories are equally good, well told and beautifully executed.
Zhao and Jack are adorable, to say the least. The way Jack looks at Zhao (his shorty) with puppy eyes, is definitely the cutest thing ever. They really bring back the light hearted goofiness to a story that is tragic and grim at times. Their scenes gave the perfect interlude to the continues shocking revelations and betrayals of characters.

The romance between Hong Ye and Dao Yi - at first felt a little odd. I could totally understand Dao Yi's inhibitions and his reasons to not accept Hong Ye's feelings even though he himself had feelings for her. Their story was given less screen time, and we don't really get to see the transition of Dao Yi's feelings but it still was well done. The constant turmoil of being ashamed of yourself for loving someone and still not being able to push her away, was something that was captured very beautifully in Dao Yi's character.

The story was captivating, which happens very rarely. I did come on board for the romance, but instead got a lot more than that. The drama, the emotional scenes, the grief of losing people you love, the regret of making certain choices in life, the feeling of home within a person - every aspect of this drama is worth pining over! And trust me, you won't regret a second of it!

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One of my favourite kinds of stories

Preview: I assessed this series like this because there were some aspects that I like in general although some technical things weren't well managed.

1-STORY: One of my favourite kinds of relationships is the one between a policeman and a criminal so when I read the plot of the series I decided to watch it. Also, the framework was interesting, so I wanted to know who killed Tang and Chen's girlfriend. The problems in the storyline are that firstly it is not really possible to have this kind of relationship (but this is a series and I can accept it), secondly the plot was a little bit confusing (I always appreciate storylines that are cryptic because I like to guess who the guilty one is but this one was too much enigmatic because we didn't have enough information to try to predict what happened 4 years before) and lastly a real policeman cannot act like Shao-fei did (doing what he wants so just continue following Tang-yi wherever he goes) but the rest of the police and mafia's world was well represented also thanks to the acting, in particular during the fight scenes.

2-ACTING: let's start with bad things: I disliked one of the side couples, the one composed by Jack and Zhao. I felt that their relationship wasn't realistic enough as much as the way they got together.
The story of the other side couple was canonic but I appreciated it because love stories between presidents and secretaries are one of my favourite stereotypes. The acting was also better than the first side couple.
My favourite couple was the main one because, as I said before, their kind of relationship is one of my favourite ones and due to their acting. While watching them I could imagine a real and healthy relationship. That was also because they kissed a lot of times: in my opinion, this helped to make it clear that their relationship was daily because kisses are a sign of privacy. I also adored their confessions: it was so simple! Shao-fei had no worries about confessing and neither had Tang-Yi after understanding that he was in love with the policeman (I love that this clear fact is obviously in contrast with the chaotic framework but let's forget for a minute that someone was trying to kill both of them). Another thing that made me fall for them is the completely different personalities of the two lovers (talking also about the individual part of the acting I noticed that Chris and Jack did a great job) that are complementary.

3-MUSIC: The ost was good enough. The music during the episodes was also a good support for the scenes.

4-RV: Tbh I have only rewatched a few of the scenes that were my favourite ones (I haven't counted the rewatch value in my final rating).

P.S. Am I the only one who is in love with the poster of the series? it summarized the contrast between the two principal characters (it can be noticed by the way they are dressed) and shows that the kind of situation in which they will meet is particular (one of the two is going to shoot the other). The pink background is just perfect!

Thank you for reading my review, hope you have found it useful and don't forget to use the #freetangyi ;)

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Amazing chemistry, kudos to HIStory

Chemistry: 10
The chemistry between the leads is awesome. Even the second CP has great chemistry. The actors portrayed the character’s feelings thoroughly so, I have no complaints. They weren’t awkward with each, showing no discomfort in romantic scene. They seemed natural, I was convinced they’re a couple. Taiwanese BLs almost always win with their casting. This didn’t disappoint, as always with HIStory series. The leads are my fav HIStory CP.
Delivery: 10
The action was as awesome as you can ask for, I cried together with them after laughing my arse off. Although some scenes are funny because they are not articulate. I forgive them because it’s the director’s fault not the acting.
Story: 7
The plot had too many holes. I had to keep on rationalising everything to make it logical in a sense. However, I enjoyed very much. I was at the edge of my seat for most of the series cursing, crying and laughing till my tummy hurt. Great comedic relief, awesome tear jerkers.
Production: 6-7
I’m not an expert at this but I got to say I was satisfied. It’s had its notable production errors but I could turn a blind eye to them, I mean it’s not a Hollywood series after all. Good lighting overall, sound was mostly good too as well as the scene choreography.

I have watched this abundant times. It’s one of my favourites. I highly recommend it.

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It was an ok drama to me The main couple have less chemistry,but the other couple that is the Jack and his partner had the best chemistry they were soo cute .the main character had a hate to love relationship but on the other side jack had there love in first sight it was my first Taiwan bl.I can say that it is an ok drama it will not disappoint you and both the main character were hot ? ,but the first couple don't have a better chemistry as the Jack and his partner had. It has a happy ok ending because character goes to the jail and thats the closing scene and the other character said that he will wait and thats the ending ,in the ending i wish that there were one more episode to show that he is coming back from the jail and some scene them being together it just over

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Have I ever mentioned that this is my favorite BL of all time? Because it is.

Frankly, it’s difficult for me to even write a review for this because I feel that all I have are good things to say about this drama. It’s difficult to write an unbiased review when I truly feel like this should be the benchmark for all BL.

To start, the story is incredible. Obviously, at it’s forefront is a romantic drama involving a cop and a mob boss. Already, this is completely different from any other BL you’ll find out there. The romance is organic and gripping, with plenty of time spent creating a believable scenario in which these two seemingly opposed men could fall in love. In addition to being just a fantastic romance, it also makes for an excellent crime drama. They weaved an elegant storyline with fairly complex characters, each with their own reasonable motivations. I kid you not, this is a BL series with a plot line that could easily stand on its own.
Admittedly, there were a few gimmicky moments that were a little cringe worthy but nothing so off putting that it will turn you off of the whole show.
While some may not have been satisfied with the ending, I felt that it suited this story well and made for a realistic, yet hopeful ending.

Acting was also pretty great. It was nice to see older actors who have obviously had some experience prior to these roles. Not that there isn’t something charming about new actors, but it was very refreshing to see something outside of the standard school boy vernacular.

This is not only a stellar BL, but a fantastic drama with enough twist and turns to keep you guessing. The romance is well paced and makes phenomenal use of the great chemistry each couple brought to the table.
I completely recommend to anyone, whether you’re looking for a crime drama or a unique spin on the BL formula.

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An Enjoyable Series

This series, although I wasn't sure what to think of the secondary and tertiary couples, was definitely worth watching. I thought that the characters were well built, and the chemistry well thought out. It also has an interesting story, that I; personally speaking, haven't seen elsewhere. Sure there are probably other dramas alike to this, but does the story flow as well as it does in this drama? Although I'm often not very fond of some of the History series due to the coupling, or stories. I thought this worked extremely well. And I would never hesitate to rewatch this, even if I know the entirety of the plot. Definitely worth watching.

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I am so, so obsessed with this story. I haven't watched any of the other HIStory series (this was my introduction to BL), but I can't wait to try them. I loved the actors in this series and the storyline was really interesting. I liked that it wasn't just the two couple's stories, but there was a lot of drama going on in the background. Honestly, I didn't expect the surprises that came in the last 2-3 episodes. I thought it was a really well-crafted story.

I LOVE TANG YI. He's so handsome, and I love his tortured but lovable personality. Meng Shao Fei's ability to blow through that cold exterior and get to Tang Yi's warmer and caring core was my favorite part of the whole show. I could watch an entire season just on them being domestic and learning more about one another. There will never be enough hot Tang Yi/Meng kisses for me to be satisfied. Jake and Chris are great actors with so much chemistry and I think they really made this series shine.

However, I can't leave out Jack and Zhao Li because I lovelovelove them. Their start to finish storyline was just so cute, and I love how Zhao Li learns a little bit about himself in each episode and comes to realize how much he likes and wants to be with Jack. Also - who could resist Jack? He's equal parts terrifying psychopath and adorable boyfriend. They picked the perfect actor for Jack because I don't think I can imagine anyone else playing him so perfectly and complimenting Zhao Li's naive, gentle character. I would also watch an entire season of them being domestic, especially because Jack is living with Zhao Li now.

This was just such a fun drama and I'll probably rewatch it a few more times. I'm a huge enemies to lovers fan, and I think that Tang Yi/Meng have such a great relationship that develops over a lot of time and experiences. I wish there was more fan fiction out there in the world because I think I need more Tang Yi/Meng and Jack/Zhao Li.

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I just finished watching this series. I absolutely loved it. I saw it’s the highest rated, but I was in mood from some BL and I thought the prior seasons will work for me as well. Boy, I was wrong.
From HIStory 1, I managed to watch only the last episode. HIStory 2 – last 4 (teacher-student taboo not my thing). HIStory 2 missed in what I was looking for. From the main couple, I only liked and felt the attraction from Yu Hua. Zach Lu as Qui ZI Xuan was really trying to deliver, but he didn’t convince me. Maybe I’m just too pretentious this way.

And finally, reached HIStory3: Trapped. Jake, Chris and Andy, I absolutely love you guys.

Chemistry between the two main couples was exactly to my taste. For the main couple, the story wasn’t dragged, it had on the table the issues, the feelings, the trauma. Secondary couple didn’t have enough screen time, sadly.
Jake and Chris, while a bit forced in acting – but just a bit, nothing to rub me the wrong way – put their hearts in their performance and in their steamy kisses. Good script as well, since it allowed their characters to express their emotions and fears. I am also a sucker for both character types of Jake and Chris – one giving his love and support, unconcerned, not asking for anything in return and the other tough on the outside and hiding extreme sensibility.
Maybe my liking of Andy’s performance is overrated – he is definitely very cute and his character is extremely cool. Cute, but psycho. Since he is the bodyguard/hitman of a mob boss, one can definitely assume there is some killing done him – never showed, though. But Jack (Andy Bian) is always smiling, with a minimum of expressions changes – like a psycho.

Story…underdeveloped, IMHO. I am talking here about other story lines, not the love story. There was potential there, but felt like most important turns were glazed over. Of course, most reasons for characters’ actions are given, most decisions explained… I just think everything could’ve wrapped up much more enjoyable.

Love story – I believe feelings started to develop before we start witnessing their interactions. There is definitely an inclination for the main guys to help each other, right from the first episodes. This inclination is more towards personal decisions as opposed to professional ones (I am helping you cause is my cop so I have to save lives). Everything that happens between them is still beautiful and as mentioned earlier… without any hiccups and misunderstandings (nice change from other dramas). But then again, men are more straightforward and their relationships are different from my usual romcom ?.

I will rewatch it, definitely. I will not watch HIStory3: Make Our Days Count, since I trust the ratings given by MDL users.

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