One and Only

I thought I was ready for this ....

..... i wasn't :(
Before i started this drama, I unintentionally came across a lot of spoilers and knew that this drama has a pretty sad ending but i watched it nonetheless since i was a sucker for historical dramas ( + ren jia lun + bai lu )
As i began watching One and Only, i was immediately drawn in by the amazing chemistry between the two main leads, Bai Lu and Ren Jia Lun. They are both such versatile actors/actresses. The emotions they conveyed on screen felt so real. I laughed, smiled, felt worried and CRIED with them.
After a few episodes, i noticed not only the main leads were outstanding; all the supporting casts acted out their roles very well too. Shiyi's seniors were so warm, nice and genuine while Zhou Sheng Chen's friends (Prince Pingqin, Huan Yu, Xiao Yan) were very cupid-like ;) Even the antagonists (Liu ZiXing, Empress Dowager etc) and other supporting characters did so well!
If you are unsure whether to watch this drama or not, i would definitely recommend if you don't mind bawling your eyes out (I started crying like a baby at episode 16 and ESPECIALLY the last three episodes) I'm also in love with the cinematography in One and Only. All scenes were so mesmerising and the OSTs!! Gosh, Ren Jia Lun's vocals got me putting his song on repeat.
All in all, huge kudos to all casts, crews, producers, director & novel-writer! One of my favourite dramas, for sure.
Ren Jia Lun, Bai Lu & all the casts will bring you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Buckle up!

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An Addicting Tragic & Heart wrenching Love Story

I did not think that I would love this drama as much as I do now when I first gave this drama a try a week ago. I had doubts about this drama even though I liked the actors, but it was the OST that convinced me to give this drama a try. AND WOW! The drama did not disappoint. One and Only is the best historical romance tragedy drama that I have watched in 2021 so far. It comes second to Goodbye My Princess as one of the best love stories I have watched in the cdrama world. I am so glad I gave it a try because I definitely would have regretted it if I did not discover this gem of a drama and let it past me. One and Only was just so enjoyable in every aspect. I did not skip one minute of the drama and savored every moment of Shi Yi and Zhou Sheng Chen. I definitely recommend this 100% to anyone looking for a great love story and some amazing music.

There are so many things that I love about this drama:
1. The OST and bgm- it was so amazing and really added to the emotions of the scenes, particularly at the end of the drama when tragedy hits our couple. The music was ultimately what pulled me into this drama. It was already so beautiful to listen to before I gave this drama a try and now it holds a deeper meaning after completing the drama.
2. The acting- the entire cast did an amazing job at embodying their roles. I really loved Allen and Bai Lu as Zhou Sheng Chen and Shi Yi and I can't imagine anyone else playing them better than they did. The supporting roles were also excellent; the actors who played the other disciples really showed their deep bond with Zhou Sheng Chen.
3. The chemistry- Bai Lu as Shi Yi and Allen Ren as Zhou Sheng Chen left me heartbroken and speechless. They showed their love so beautifully with their actions and through their gazes at each other. They made such a great pair and I wish so badly that they had a happy ending in this life. It would have been so amazing to see them admit their love for one another in this life. It hurt me so bad that they could not just be together and instead died one after another.
4. Angst- I love a good tragic love story even though my heart can't handle it once I finish lol. My heart really hurt for their love that had to be hidden. The bloody note that Zhou Sheng Chen left for Shi Yi was absolutely devasting and seeing Shi Yi's reaction to his death and the note hurt so much. It was also so sad to watch Zhou Sheng Chen and Shi Yi be separated by an arranged marriage and seeing them cry silently for each other. The jumping scene of Shi Yi was also filmed so beautifully and made me cry T_T The snow and her dress made it even more tragic. I really felt wronged for Zhou Sheng Chen who lost his life to the people he risked his life on the battlefield protecting.
5. Story- the story was just amazing. The politics weren't hard to understand and I loved the character setups (except why did Zhou Sheng Chen have to be so selfless???) I would have loved to see Zhou Sheng Chen and Shi Yi be happy in this life though, because their outfits were so beautiful and the scenery in historical times. There are some moments where the antagonists get really annoying, but it's not too bad.
6. Fight Sequences- I just have to say that Zhou Sheng Chen and his disciples looked so amazing fighting.

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The One and Only: A political LIFE-TRAUMA as the name doesn't implie.

Rave reviews and it was highly recommended by somebody on my friends list. I tried hard but this show is not making it for me. I don't dislike it but it's too heavy on politics and too light on the romance. For a 24 episodes show...We only get crumbs of torturous romance here and there... I understand that's the point of it but I can't with that pace...
I wish I liked it as much as everybody else but unfortunately no...

I have a tradition on making sure that any drama I watch should be finished under a month... except if the number of episodes exceeds 40. This show being 24 episodes, which is pretty short for a C drama, I thought it would be an easy feat but... not so much in the end. I put that drama on hold and ended deciding to binge the remaining 11 episodes just to finish the show because I knew I wouldn't be able to finish it if I didn't force myself ( and I couldn't even do that in the end since the last episodes were only politics, politics and more politics, and mental torture and no romance whatsoever except to provide you with additional emotional trauma). Bottom line, I almost didn't make it had it not been for force-watching alterning with a very gooey thai romance drama.

This is IN-SA-NE-LY S-L-O-W.

Like literally. When people say it's slow-burn romance is IS SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW-burn romance.

I also find the title pretty misleading. "One and Only" suggests a drama focused on romance but it is hardly the case. Yes, it's at the heart of the story but NO it's not the focus of the drama. The drama focuses not on the forbidden romance of the main leads but rather on all the political back-stabbings and plotting shenanigans that forced them ( and other couples for that matter) to not be able to love freely and choose their own lives.

It is a genuinely good show... but that's not what I signed up for. I was aware of its sad ending so I knew what to expect when I started this... But given how much people were raving about this show and the romance, I was expecting more romance as subtle as it is. There's a good chuck of the drama that focused on it but I'd argue that more than half of the drama focuses only on the political side... I'd say for the romance... It starts around episode 7 and ends around episode 16 so you get 9 episodes focused on the romance with a bit of politics but all the rest is just POLITICS (and the leads missing each other of course in a couple of scenes here and there) and I honestly didn't care even if I understand the background is important.

I've been spoiled by many C dramas that I felt managed to balance romantic angst with political context without focusing too much on the political story all the while making sure viewers are given enough information to understand the context in which the story happens ( Love Like the Galaxy is a perfect example) and it is actually the first time I feel things were just not balanced properly.

The show is gorgeous, the actors are excellent, the romance, as subtle as it is, is great... BUT I was watching for the romance not for all the backstabbing.
Also by the time I reached the end, this drama turned out to be extremely depressing. It reminded me of the K-Drama "My Dearest" which I didn't bother to watch the second part because of its pretty grim nature. I don't watch shows to get depressed, I watch shows to provide a bit of happiness in my life and this one didn't do it.

Now. I have no issue with sad endings. Let's be clear about that. As long as I'm provided with enough happiness on the journey, I'm ok with a sad ending... But I was fed crumbs of happiness and a depressing ending... Well actually not so depressing since, I've got to say - and I can't believe I'm writing this - I cheered when Shi Yi committed suicide. That was the best vengeance ever. The only thing Zi Xing truly ever wanted was her and he didn't get her at the end. Should have kept his greed in check. Zi Xing had the best "character trajectory" out of all the cast... Yes, it wasn't in the right direction but he turned from a character I truly empathized with at the beginning to one I truly loathed and wished death by way of an extremelly painful and s-l-o-w fire all the while being-alive. Too bad we didn't see him suffer more by the end. We know he remained alive for 3 years all the while seeing his kingdom falling apart ( well, you were greedy, jealous, stupid and detestable enough to kill the best and most faithful soldier of your shitty kingdom so, you deserved it you piece of sh***) but it would have been nice to see him SUFFER MORE in order to quench part of my ANGER and RAGE. Ahem. Sorry. Got too emotional. I have to remind myself that this is JUST a drama.

The young Emperor was completely useless. He was too young. As I was watching the show, I was thinking Sheng Chen, wanted to remain the faithful soldier, but he should have done what everybody expected of him: Rebel and take the throne. He was the only one who had the charisma, people's support and intelligence to endorse the role and yet he turned his back to it... Only to be rewarded by being framed as a traitor.

He literally sacrificed his life to defend a kingdom, didn't marry the woman he loved and all of that for NOTHING. In the end, he was betrayed, died injustly , the kingdom he defended fell apart once he was gone (because duh! you should have rebelled and take the emperor's position, being rightful at a time where nobody else is, is literally like planting a target on your back but I digress) and the only woman he ever loved and wanted to protect got (almost) married to the man who betrayed him, got heart-broken and committed suicide.

#real_life_is_not_depressing_enough_I_wanna_get_depressed_watching_dramas_now
#life_sucks_and_there's_no_hope_left_in_this_world
#marriage_sucks
#at_least_the_empress_lived_the_good_life_screwing_six_packed_soldiers_before_jumping_to_her_doom
#she_was_a_nasty_piece_of_work_for_sure_but_she_knew_she'd_get_ejected_at_some_point_so_she_went_YOLO
#most_useless_emperor_in_history
#Good_Never_Wins_Evil_Always_Triumph
#At_least_they_died_looking_good
#f**** escapism in your romance drama.

To be completely honest, by the time I'm typing this, I've finished 21 episodes, still 3 to go. Dunno if I'll have the courage to watch them now or if I cut with "lighter" dramas before the finish line... But since I've really spoiled myself the last episodes, I feel pretty confident I won't need to rewrite this review by the time I finish the show. And I'm going to finish it... since there's only 3 episodes left.

EDIT: In the end, I had to "cut" episode 22 in 3 parts... I knew what was coming. I had prepared myself mentally and STILL the BITTERNESS WAS OVER THE ROOF. No amount of preparation could help me get over the utter feeling of BETRAYAL I went through. This is NOT the type of feeling I want to experience in my free time UNLESS it ends on a good note... and if you've been reading this and have not watched this drama yet... You know it doesn't end well.

In short:

Is it a bad drama? NO

Did I enjoy myself? NO

Probable ratings by the end: 7.

Genuinely good show that I just didn't like for a variety of reasons , main ones being:

1. I avoid politics in real life, it's not to be force fed it in a drama that is supposed to be about ROMANCE.

2. Like most people, I don't have lots of money. Dramas are supposed to bring me happiness not making me need a therapist when I have no money left to pay for one. BECAUSE MY GOD DO I NEED THERAPY NOW. It's not even because of the doomed love story. NO. This, I knew before even starting it. What REALLY made me lose my marbles is the way Sheng Chen, Senior Sister, Conselor Xie and anybody with a good heart ended up dying miserable and UNFAIR deaths.
EVERYTHING WAS PAINFUL IN THIS F*** DRAMA. I'm NEVER WATCHING SAD ENDINGS EVER AGAIN!!!!
It's THE BETRAYAL. The "I gave my life for a great cause, and I was thanked by the most painful, unfair and cowardly BETRAYAL of all".

F*** that show! I gave you almost 24 hours of my life and you only gave be bitterness at the end. Good Job! I have LOTS of emotions, none of them positive.

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Watch with your friends cuz you need a shoulder to cry on?

Allen and bai lua chemistry is beyond words. They did an excellent job and the support actors/actress are awesome as well. I love everting, I can’t wait for ever and ever to come out! I love you Allen. I didn’t like how the the king is afraid of his evil mother and she ending job poisoning him and kill his concubine. Evil man eater they should’ve chop her head off. And the crown prince is a loser. I do t feel pity for him. He try to kill his uncle for Shiyi. She Don’t love you,loser! A lot of it I didn’t quite understand a young king, I didn’t know where he pop out from?

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please do not drop ahhhhhh

i had this on hold because i heard this was filled w angst and wasnt sure if i could take it, but i do regret not starting this drama earlier. the drama isn't "carried" by anything, the camerawork, soundtrack, and acting just make the story impactful altogether i'd highly recommend anyone to watch this prequel before the sequel (Forever and Ever) even if others say it's more interesting. it's not a grave mistake, since you can always revisit a drama to find the little connections. it's like a buy one get one free, where if you watch one of the dramas it's almost a must to watch the other.

STORY
at first i was scared by the age gap, but it is later clarified that there's only a few year difference. the story involves tragedy, but it is blended well with all the sweet and slightly comedic moments. romance wise, the main leads have outstanding chemistry and the side couples as well. there arent any absurd love triangles or moments added purely for fanservice that ruin the plot. the emotions and romantic moments are pure and just a joy to watch. watchers who only look for typical romance (kissing, consumating, marriage) may find this drama a bit different, but i think it's so pure that the gestures have more meaning. comedy wise, there are lighthearted moments but the show obviously isn't comedy based. i still think it's enjoyable to watch how peaceful life is when they're off the battlefield. it's enjoyable how the political/military aspects are relevant to the time period and historically accurate (dramas occasionally throw logic out the window for fanservice). i was always engaged in the plot and watching the characters gradually develop emotions/mindsets is worth it.

ACTING
a 24 episode tragic drama is a rare sight since theyre usually 50+ episodes, but the cast's subtle emotions and expressions perfectly convey the meaning of the plot. the development of the plot doesn't depend on out-of-character moments that defy the plot (like certain dramas..) but even their smallest gestures can evoke strong emotions. the main leads click very well, ren jia lun and bai lu are both notable actors who have had outstanding roles in other dramas before. the acting feels down to earth and realistic, helps watchers immerse themselves into the story. the supporting cast, especially the villains, add a great amount of impact to the plot. you know the cast's acting is well if you sometimes want to go through the screen to comfort and cry for a character or punch their face flat.

MUSIC
cdramas always have music that set the tone/mood for the next scene, and ive rarely ever watched a cdrama with a bad ost. one and only is the type of drama that makes its opening unforgettable. hearing it literally makes me so nostalgic (i only finished the drama recently) hearing the intro again in forever and ever literally made me gasp out of excitement.

REWATCH VALUE
i immediately rewatch dramas without skipping if i like them, one and only is not an exception. it felt taboo to skip any scenes because i knew what impact the story had on me. with complicated political dramas, watching them a second time allows you to understand little details and understand better. also being able to see the main leads happy moments is such a treat.

SUMMARY
please do not drop, or please don't turn away from the drama, i feel so much regret not watching this earlier. each character was portrayed perfectly by the cast, from heroes to villains. story is definitely engaging, and i just feel so much dopamine watching this.

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Best romantic drama between a teacher and student really respectful and classy loved it

I will tell you what I loved about this drama
It's peacefulness ,,, even if it had war scenes ,,, it wasn't focused on war or fighting ,,, it's focused on the beautiful yet subtle love story and the bond between the characters was the best
this drama isn't loud ,, it doesn't have annoying characters even the evil ones have their reasons ,, sometimes at first I felt sympathy for the evil guy who destroyed everything later on
I loved the bond between the characters,, their family bond without even being an actual family ,, the classiness between a teacher and his student who he loved later on ,, there were no over the top romance scenes not even one kiss or over the top noisy female lead who keep annoying the male lead to love her ,, the male lead wasn't cold and arogenate , he was soft and gentle yet wise and smart strong man with a very amazing charisma and you just fall in love with him
their relationship seemed so smooth so subtle so beautiful ,, it was really emotional for me
I felt all sorts of emotions ,, I'm not a romance drama fan and I think this one was one of the best I've ever seen
Never one boring moment or draggy dialogues or even draggy scenes ,,, every episode has it's own fast pace
I felt so sad at the final three episodes that I stopped watching to take a breather not to fall into deep depression state
I went to watch a funny variety show of the male lead just to watch him happy laughing and playing and really it broke my anxiety from the last three episodes ,, they were heavily sad
I know of course it's a drama but it was very well made that you feel what they feel exactly like them
I recommend it so much to anyone who likes to watch Mature Romance with subtle love story ,, it's like a beautiful poem
I wished the ending was better but don't let it discourage you ,, they made a second season in modern era for them to complete their story in much more happier louder way

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My One and Only

Here goes my first review.

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!







YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

As a long-time avid Asian drama watcher, there's one thing on my list that I will avoid: tragedy. I know and remember WHY I DON'T watch it because it's like a knife stabbing at your heart when you finish the series, and this one is one of them. BUT. This was the only exception because of how well everything was written. The characters, OSTS, storyline, and last but not least, the chemistry between all of the characters.

I love to wipe out my memories whenever I watch something so sad like this, but as I said, this was soooo good, that I couldn't avoid this drama. Before I watched this drama, I actually listened to the OST wayyy before I decided to watch it. Of course, Zhang Bichen's "As It Is" just makes you feel the longing and pain in the characters, which led me to binge this AMAZING DRAMA.

The plot: One of the best! Now, I'm into the historical genre, but I don't like to get too deep into politics and all of the manipulation, but this one was just about right-- not too much but not too little too, which I didn't mind at all. The characters were there for a reason and everything rolls up all the way to the end, which connects. There's no, "Who is that?" or weird addition of plots that were left in a hole. And let's just say, I GRIEVED FOR THE COUPLE. My tears of crying and sadness was all for them.

The Characters: DON'T GET ME STARTED. Oh my god. Let's say, after I watched this drama, I became a HUGE ALLEN REN and BAI LU fan. I began to research them and look at their work because they portrayed their characters sooo well in here, it feels so realistic.

Bai Lu as Eleven: My my my. Her acting was just amazing. So, what caught my eye with this drama was that she had to play "mute" which was unique in my opinion. This allows her to portray her emotions instead of speaking at times, which she does WELL at (speaking of, she catches things very fast based on the BTS videos I've watched). The longing in her eyes, and what broke my heart the most seeing Eleven's desire was that she only wanted to be by Zhou Sheng Chen's side. I mourned for her so much as well as Zhou Sheng Chen. When she said, "All I wanted was to live in the manor and be Eleven" I was grieving for her! The desire to love was too much of a desire for her, so all she wanted was to be by Sheng Chen's side. It was the desire of longing, but not asking for much. The crying scenes to the expression of sincere love and patience were in the eyes of Eleven.

Allen Ren as Zhou Sheng Chen: So, first of all, his voice was just something else. Maybe it's his deep voice or it was the voice of a calm and composed man who bears all of his emotions inside of his hardened shell that he displayed to everyone else, but he did exceptionally well as Zhou Sheng Chen. The amount of respect I have for this actor who played such a hardened character, who could only feel a small comfort of relief with Eleven by his side, but with dignity, respect, and loyalty to his people and land, he was never selfish enough to choose his desires. Already, by the first episode (or second, excuse my memory), when he promised to never "marry nor had kids" that's when I had already rolled the dice and said, "yep, this is going to be depressing." (with me already knowing it's a sad ending XD). Zhou Sheng Chen's character was just an amazing person, it makes you ADMIRE him. He's a definition of a person who keeps his promises, someone, who you can trust in your life, and you can see it with Allen's amazing acting. He stood strong, his head high, never letting anyone see the shield that blocks his own desires in his life.

The side characters had really good addition to this that I loved the most. I LOVED that there were female "soldiers" that stood by Zhou Sheng Chen's side, specifically Xiao Yu and Feng Qiao who are "sisters" to Eleven. And then there's Zhen Er who just stuck out to me at the end. The night when Zhen Er went to talk to Eleven about what was going to happen, the one thing that got to me was her telling her, "Maybe I wanted to tell you because we were friends for a night." Here, you can see the amount of impact that Eleven had with Zhen Er, with just ONE NIGHT. It was the kind and caring friend that wanted to be there for her. I CAN GO ON AND ON BUT I SHALL STOP WITH THE CHARACTERS.

The OST: Zhang Bichen's "As It Is" is the definition of their love story. It's the longing, the want, the amount of selfishness that they wanted for each other, but they didn't in the end, for the people. It's this song that made me get into this drama, and it's the song that I'm still obsessed with. And then there's Allen Ren's "As Always." His voice is sooooo calming and soft. Did you know he almost because a kpop star? His theme song for Zhou Sheng Chen was perfect. Let's say, all of the OST of this drama was perfectly perfect.

In conclusion, what I hated the most was that I was crying. So. Much. Of course, towards the end when the writers wanted to soften us up and adore them as a couple (and the other couples as well) just to hammer it down like a wrecking ball. BUT. IT WAS WORTH IT. I'm telling you, it's soooo worth crying for them. I tell others, I grieve for them when I watch them again. It's all of the mourning that was needed for these characters, and they really deserved it. My love for this drama now has a special place in my heart, FOREVER AND EVER (See what I did there? XD). There is a second season, but I still think that this one is still the best one, because the number of emotions that were put in here, cannot be explained, and you can see it here by their actions and eyes.

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Took me by surprise

Bai Lu is one of my favourite actresses and seeing that this character is different to most of her past roles, I immediately jumped into it.

The storyline was beautifully executed, characters are well developed and none I find irrelevant as most ancient Chinese dramas do.

I have to say the director did an amazing job because it was shot exquisitely, each frame was like an artwork.

If you are wanting a short drama, not too much of heavy politics and the purest form of love... then please give this drama a chance. The acting from everyone on the show impressed me beyond words. Of course, Bai Lu did a superb job as I had no doubt she would. However, it's all the other actors and actresses that completely elevated this drama to a higher level.

The way Zhou Sheng Chen gaze at Cui Shi Yi, the unspoken love in his eyes, it got me feeling all sort of emotions.

Also, a shout out to the costume design crew. Amazing costumes and hair style.

I hope more people will pay attention to this drama. It deserves a lot of love!

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Beautifully executed

Prepare lots of tissue because this is one of the most tear-jerking dramas I've watched this year. I really like how the whole drama is executed and the entire flow of the story does quite makes sense.

Some thoughts about this drama:
1) I love all the characters in the drama (villains too). I can't really imagine not having any of the characters in the drama because they each contribute to one or more important parts in the drama plot. So I'd say, they are all quite important.

2) In a way, I can't help but pity Liu Zixing. To be honest, I do think he is more capable of being the emperor. At least he has more wits than the emperor on the throne. Not only is he always sick but have been treated as a placeholder for the most part of his life. The girl that he loves and was rightfully meant to be his wife didn't love him back. How can one person be happy living out the life he did?

3) All the little rituals and the meaning behind every action (especially Zhou Sheng Chen's) are quite interesting. Everything seems to have its own explanation in this drama and it hooks you in as much as the development of the characters.

4) Not all historical dramas or war stories end up with victory and happy endings. As much as I hate the outcome of my favourite leads in the drama, I can't help but applaud at how realistic this ending is. Given the circumstances the characters were put in, I think I would have done the same if I were to be in the same position. Everything comes with sacrifice and this truly reflects real life.

5) The only reason why I didn't rate 10/10 for this drama is mainly because of the heaviness of this drama. Hence, I don't think I would rewatch the drama. But I do anticipate for its sequel.

All in all, I do think this is the kind of drama where you gotta sit down and focus instead of binging all the way. You'll be missing a lot of details if you do skip too much.

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I will take ur silence as a yes

A drama with perfect cast and story with perfect implications is rare to come and i would say after The Untamed i would say this is a drama i could give such title to...........
Casts: its just perfect...the leads have a chemistry which is rare to explain....u can feel how much they love each other just by the look on their face....
The friendship they showed...they all were a family protecting and fighting alongside and for each other...

Story: thankq for making be sobbingly cry after ages.....the last time i cried like this was while rewatching aa ling and then now.....i literally am afraid of getting dehydrated after this....the story is well portrayed and expressed....

Cinematography and scenery: they used snow and so vibrant yet light colors and they were so beautiful and aesthetic....so pleasing to eyes......

Frankly speaking im really afraid of watching dramas with such endings...its like for me the concept of happily ever after never exists but endings like this always leave a hole in ur heart which can never be filled and will only hurt....but the truth is that it's the reality....
1. The power hungry society is the reality of not only those days but also of today...
2. Not all love stories r meant for a happy ending.....Untamed taught me one thing that if u r not meant to be then no matter how much u love each other u can not be together and this drama brought that pain back........the fact that parents dont let 2 lovers get married and so many love stories r just end like that.....
3. A soldier's life is never his....it belongs to the country and i don't know how to repay this loan of their's on us....just thankq for protecting us

"Chen, in this life, never let down anyone in this whole world, except Shi Yi'...
I read a line....in the next life if their's an opportunity i will hold u even tighter
And he did....

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Understated but well-done

A little slow in the middle which is where I've deducted the points, but fortunately it's not a long drama so it's not endlessly dragging. Beautiful and understated, really tugs at your heart string both with their love but also with the grief you'll feel at the end. Not a well-known drama (probably because it's exclusively on iQIYI subscription as far as I know), but a gem!

This is my first drama with Ren Jia Lun but he and Bai Lu do a great job at playing restrained characters but their love is palpable. There was an online blog review I read (Cyn Lynn) that mentioned that typically, Bai Lu's acting always carries a bit of her real persona in there, but in this Bai Lu the actress is completely gone and she fully embodies Shiyi. I fully agree! A lot of people find her character boring but she is strong in her own way, acting in the confines of her noble status, but she uses her smarts to assess dangerous situations and act accordingly, so that only people equally as smart can catch wind of what she's thinking.

The supporting characters and their relationships are also beautiful; sometimes there are side couples that I just could care less about but I deeply cared about all of them.

I'm glad that I read spoilers because I probably would have passed out crying if I went in blind. I put a lower rewatch value simply bc it is very slow, but other people in the comments on iQIYI mentioned they've rewatched several times.

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