The Sky of the Mad Dog Boy (2020)

Dramas with the 'comedy' tag are often deceiving

If you understand Mandarin, this is a drama you should definitely watch.

I started watching this drama thinking it was a comedy film but every episode had its tear-jerking moments so get ready your tissues before you plunge into this drama. I tend to stray away from school dramas as the plot is usually the same for such dramas but this show really surprised me. It is a youth drama with adult problems, with the drama almost feeling too cruel for me.

In the beginning, Tu Jun and friends really didn't appeal much to me, they seemed like the mischievous kids found at every school. Yet, they really grew on me throughout the show and left a lasting impression on me. Tu Jun, the ML, goes through a lot throughout the drama and came off as a really lonely character to me despite having so many friends around him. The main couple shares a strong bond because they witnessed each other at the lowest point of their lives. Each character had its own story and I found myself empathising with all of them.

The show also uses a lot of old Chinese hit songs in its soundtrack which evoked a strong sense of nostalgia in me. It is such a pity that this drama does not have official subs because it is really worth the watch. However, I will agree the drama felt weird after episode 12, though it did not really affect my judgment on this drama much.

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Lost steam near the end, but extremely strong start and great acting

This drama has a young and fun cast. I really cared about the entire cast by the end, so they did that super well.
Episode 6 was a perfect episode, hit all the right notes and was so fun and sweet to watch.
It is quite dramatic, but could handle it up until episodes 13-15. Then, it felt like it was a totally different drama. the writing felt like it was completely new characters and made no sense to me. Ending was not bad, but I think we could have done without the entire arc that happened before it.
The cast, again, is incredible and gives such a strong sense of friendship. It is worth watching for them, but seriously consider stopping after ep12 and skimming the rest.
The music and montages were always on point, and really made the feelings come through. A very strong suit of this drama.
Also, running is not as big of a plot as I expected it to be. I wish that it lasted longer and took up the screentime instead of the messy end area.

Overall, consider checking out for the great acting and feelings of youth, but be prepared for hot mess from ep13-15

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