Our Generation

《Our Generation(樱桃琥珀, 2025)》 - We Shape Ourselves Through Each Other

A Name That Became a Scar, and Then a Smile

“Lin Yingtao(=Lin Qile) had no interest in grades or anyone else. To her, there was only Jiang Qiaoxii.
The name that Qiaoxi’s father had given him carelessly was always bitter, a reminder of disdain and resentment.
But in Yingtao’s heart, those three syllables turned into something else—
like a poem, sweet and clear, her voice carrying a smile that softened the air whenever she called him.”
(Excerpt from the Original Novel)

His name, once nothing but a wound, was transformed by her into a moment of warmth.


The Weight of Memory, the First Consolation

Burdened by the shadow of his deceased brother, Jiang Qiaoxi’s grew up as a boy always waiting for love that never came.
To him, memory had always meant pain.
But in Lin Yingtao(=Qile)’s presence—honest, open, and brimming with affection—he discovered something new:
that memory could also be joy, and that being remembered did not always mean being trapped by sorrow.


The Meaning of a Name

To Qiaoxi, “Jiang Qiaoxi” was once nothing but a symbol of neglect,
of yearning for affection he never received.

But for Yingtao (=Qile), the same name meant something entirely different:
to bring happiness,
to guard a smile,
to make someone laugh.

The moment Qile’s naming turned into a gift,
she witnessed a quiet boy’s face come alive with color.
To her, it was more than a scene—
it was the first time she understood what it meant
to bring light into someone else’s life.
She saw what it meant
to breathe warmth into another person’s existence.


Fragmented Time and Memory

Their shared childhood became unforgettable precisely because it was a time when their identities had not yet hardened.
Open hearts and malleable senses made every moment indelible.
And when distance grew between them, memory was all that remained.
Letters became the way to hold onto those memories.
Even undelivered, they deepened the bond—
a fragile thread that connected two people across absence.


Growing Pains, and the First Shattering

But reunion did not bring comfort; it began with rupture.
For Lin Qile : entering a new environment meant rejection, jealousy, and rumor—wounds inflicted by the small society of adolescence.
For Jiang Qiaoxi: seeking a wider world only brought him into harsher walls of control and expectation.

Their affinity collided with the demands of the world, and each carried scars from the impact.


A Missed Gesture, A Deeper Wound

Jiang Qiaoxi thought ignoring her would protect her.
But silence and absence only erased her efforts,
turning his protection into betrayal.
The more urgently he tried to keep her safe, the more deeply Lin Qile was hurt.
When he said, “Let’s begin again with Qile,”
to her it sounded like erasing “Yingtao,” erasing the very years they had lived together.
And so she whispered that perhaps she would rather have known nothing at all.

Yet, in his clumsy teenage way, Jiang Qiaoxi finally began to close the distance—
admitting his loneliness, showing his longing,
and little by little, the bitterness between them started to loosen.


The Collision with Parents

“I didn’t get hurt because of a friend. I protected one.
I am becoming someone better than before.”
(Excerpt from the Drama)

But Jiang Qiaoxi’s growth came at the cost of clashing with his parents.
His parents, bound by guilt over their lost first son, placed all their hopes on the second.
They called it love, but it was chains.
What they could not let go of in the past, they forced onto the present.
When Jiang Qiaoxi began to resist, they blamed Lin Qile for changing him.
What they believed to be protection was in truth control.

And his rebellion against it set the stage for a deeper generational conflict.


From Novel to Screen

Compared to the novel, the drama sometimes falters in rhythm.
But by expanding the conflict from peer rivalry to parent-child struggle,
it widens the lens—
turning a story of youth into a story of generations.

What emerges is a narrative that is not only intense, but also tender—
a story where growth is inseparable from pain,
and where memory itself becomes both the wound and the healing.

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Nobody is flawless

People these days can't handle flawed characters, and that's why they hated this drama. From the moment it aired, people kept bashing it, so of course I was discouraged from watching it.

What a mistake would that be if I didn't give it a chance because I enjoyed it and absolutely loved it!

Both Qian xi, and Ying Tao are flawed characters. Qian Xi is selfish. Ying Tao is unhealthily obsessive.

The highschool years showed us how immature and childish they still were. They lived in this bubble, where they thought everything would went well after the grow up. But the college years showed us their development. Ying Tao found out that love isn't easy like in fairytales. Her roommate was a great example of that.

Qian Xi went from the highest top, to the lowest one. His was selfish for telling Ying Tao "Don't forget me." when he knew, he wouldn't see her again. But I believe he wanted at least one person to think of him in his hardest time. I understand that he had a pride, that he didn't want her to see him like this. His mother always wanted him to be perfect, and when you spend years in this illusion, you cannot simply get out of it.

You'll always think, you have to be perfect in order for people to like you, to love you. Otherwise, you're not worthy of them.

Their relationship is toxic, but beautiful. This drama is the proof of it.

Their love surpassed everything bad, and left only the good in their relationship.

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what do you look for in youth drama?

when i look for a youth drama i want to see a good mix of romance and the situations arise at that young age and the consequences of your actions. where most cdrama don't touch upon the latter this was different.
i was hooked from the first episode to the last. it's not draggy it doesn't feel cringe and there are no blinding plot holes.

1. story- as an avid watcher of Youth dramas this was very refreshing for me it actually deals with the problems of youth like arrogance, innocence, high school embarrassments and first love and heartbreak but what's different in this was it showed the not so fun parts with great deal od empathy for the characters like financial struggles , regret, failure especially in academic life and losing your dreams. I genuinely felt so refreshed seeing it.

2. Romance - I'm a sucker for aa childhood sweetheart romance. and i personally like characters like the main leads especially the girl. Someone who doesn't wait for the other to take the first step she can take the initiative on her own. someone said in a review it's a wrong message to send to girls but i love to see anyone chase after the other if they're worth it for them no matter the gender.

3. Uniqueness - one thing about cdrama you see is the characters all have good life ahead no matter what situation was previously. this drama is more realistic in that sense it shows that sometimes things just doesn't work out. the universe doesn't care if you're a gifted genius or genuinely a good person sometimes bad things happen just because and you have to do your best.

this drama in my opinion gives out very good messages likr not taking opportunities lightly and not letting your insecurity and perfectionism get in the way of happiness you deserve as a human and you're not a failure just cuz you didn't accomplish your dreams . I highly recommend it.

this is my first review and it's only my opinion. sometimes different things touch you in different ways and this did it for me.

there are some cons like: i wish the turn around of the ml was done in a different way but that would have taken a few more episodes and i didn't see any actual apology from either of his parents (but thats honestly very accurate for Asian parents lol)
Honestly I'm glad i didn't check out the reviews when i started this series. it's ironic that I'm writing one after reading the negative reviews... BYE

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Should've been longer

I've read articles about this drama that it was supposed to have 40 episodes, now that I have finished it I can see why.
The pacing was weird every episode, the cut seems off, there are dialogues that never used only scenes and mute.
I still like the overall story, coming of age, bestfriends, love that started as friends. But it feels unfinished, it feels raw, it really needs more episodes to flush out better storytelling. I would've like to see Yu Qiao and Ye Yun to have something, I would've like to see Qiao Xi mother to come and fix there relationship, I would've like to see the year when Yin Tao comeback to China.

Now with the positive, I really love Zhao Jin Mai acting here, it is her best even surpasses her acting in Amidst a Snowstorm of love. ZLH did a phenomenal acting too even with his character not being the best. They're chemistry when both in the screen really blends well. Now with their friend group, I really like it even when they don't get a lot of screen time. Ye Yun and Yu Qiao sacrifices are cruel to not end up together in the end but it was well written and really shine their friendship to Yin Tao.

Overall, its still a great watch. Just don't get high hopes, watch it for the acting more or less.

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don't use your western lense

ZJM(FL) I don't think she does many cheesy easy urban dramas. This drama is heavy not as heavy as stand by me but a little heavier than Amidst a Snowstorm of Love and if you not ready for the emotional toll then skip it but do they have some great quotes and themes to inspire and motivate...YES.
First major theme-running away from problems will not solve anything but create more problems. ML dad and him move away from ML mom cause she needs to do work but there are hints she might have been having an emotional brekadown and didn't want the ML during that time.
Second or simultaneously theme- you can't replace one thing for another. you can't replace a child with one you lost, you next child is not the same as your first. A rabbit is not a cat.
Third theme that is more underlying-get therapy,
Fourth theme- have friends to support you during the hard times. For example, the ML mom had no friends (obsessed and crazy) but ML's dad had friends so he is way more adjusted than the wife/mother of ML. The friend group shows how having true friends help you get through the rough times. and can push your forward.
Biggest Theme- parental projection which is when a parent projects their own, often unfulfilled, needs, beliefs, or desires onto their child, essentially trying to live vicariously through them. Or A child raised with parental projection may feel pressured to conform to their parent's expectations, rather than forming their own opinions and beliefs. This movie is saying that this type of parenting is not good. We see that most of the friend groups family give them the choice to choose their own life but the ML family does not, instead it is what the ML mother wants.
Other reviews that it is toxic relationship- not really, somehow the FL feels it is her job to help all people who came from her hometown you are made to understand this very early and then in later episodes when the parents are talking. You learn about it in the stories, she is liked because she is the one always helping others. In the first or second episode when they are kids the ML grabs the FL arm and keeps her from falling and we later learn in later episodes helps her in math. I think this was to let the viewers know this is why ML and Fl were so connected. The ML helped her as well. During the show the families always talk about the FL and how she was always helping the other kids and bringing a smile to everyone. Uncle Wang who was always down because didn't have job or couldn't keep steady work. The lottery she one was not really a lot of money but it was enough to make a splurge. Once again the FL was spending it on everyone else and not her self. The ML also points this out, how she is always thinking of others. I understand the ML for "ghosting" her during his worse time and feel embarrassed. I have done the same thing, because is so hard to be vulnerable and raw in front of people who knew you when your were great but I know being vulnerable and real with your friends is the best way to heal. I think that is the last theme. Falling doesn't mean you have to stay at the bottom forever. You can get back up again especially if you have the right people in your corner.

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Why such a low rating?

In my personal opinion, this drama rating should be much higher. When you do a review, it's not about your taste of drama. You got to break it down. This drama is not about # of kissing scenes, spoil rich kids bullying the FL/ML, or revenge. It's about lesson in life.

Length of the drama; 24 episodes are perfect. Chinese drama tends to be too long.

Casting: Perfect. Both ML and FL grown up version look like their child version. They even add a mode on his nose. The ML looks matches his living condition between pamper vs hard working.

Acting: I think everybody play their part very well. Some of comments did think it was not the best ML work. Remember, he is supposed to play sad trouble kid. All these kids are supposed to be teenager. If you had been teenager before, remember how sensitive you were. Little issue was seems like a big issue. Now I am much older and have children of my own, I have more patience and compassion; I can see their point of view.

Story: This drama is on a dark side. This hit so many psychology issues: parenting style, grieving, friendship, Financial struggle, etc...
- Different parenting style: Parents have tendency to compare sibling and to other children. They also push their children to do their best. It's like they show their love through the children's success. This is especially in Asian cultures. You can see how it effect the children mental health. FL grow up in a loving family; she turned out to be stable, strong, high self esteem, and most importance of all, compassion.
- Friendship: Some comments said the FL is obsessive. I think it's about friendship helping each other. If one of her friends is in the same suggestion as the ML, I feel that she would reach out to help also. She has compassion and see through the issue ML.
- Closed to real life issue: No rich family, no fancy cars, no body dress like the just step out of glamour magazine, financial struggle. I'm glad the ML can be saved. If this is Korean or Western drama, the ending most likely will be different. In real life, not everybody can be saved. Not everybody is fortunately enough to have friend reach out to help.

To Parents: I recommend watching this drama. Our action effects our children and their children for the rest of their lives. We can only guide them; we can not force them to live our life. Don't make your dream become their.

To Young people: I recommend watching this drama also. Focus on friendship. The world will be better if you help each other.

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Cherry: The Light That Conquered the Darkness

In Our Generation, amidst grief, fractured families, and the shadows of loss, the character of Cherry shines as one of the most remarkable female leads to grace the screen. Where so many stories present a male lead who fights the world for the woman he loves, here the roles are reversed—and therein lies both the beauty and the controversy.

Cherry’s love is not fleeting, nor does it depend on declarations or reciprocation. She does not wait for affirmation; she knows. From the moment she stepped into Jiang Qiao Xi’s broken world, she became the steady hand that pulled him from the abyss into the light of day. With her quiet devotion, she offered him something his wealth and family could not: the constancy of love that asked for nothing in return.

In an era that celebrates the “move on” philosophy, Cherry dared to remain steadfast. She did not trade loyalty for convenience, nor affection for comfort. Everything she felt for him—every memory of shared meals, sunsets, fireworks, or the simple joy of raising a bunny together—became the very fabric of Jiang Qiao Xi’s strength. Her presence taught him that he was not defined by tragedy, nor doomed to solitude.

To some, her devotion may seem outdated, but to others it is the purest expression of love: unwavering, patient, and transformative. Cherry came, she believed, and she conquered—not with force, but with a heart that never wavered.

If anything, Jiang Qiao Xi’s hesitation was not a lack of love, but the humility of a man who feared he could not give her the life she deserved. He respected her freedom, never binding her in ways she could not escape, even acknowledging the comfort she might have found in Yu Qiao’s steadier world. That restraint was not hostility, but reverence.

So while critics may call Cherry’s devotion blind or Jiang Qiao Xi’s distance cold, I see something far more poignant: a story where the female lead’s constancy is not weakness, but triumph. In the end, Cherry’s love was not hostage-taking, but a liberation—the dawn that forever outshone his darkest night.

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Come on, it could’ve been way better than this!

Disclaimer: This review is based solely on the aired version of the drama—no behind-the-scenes tea included.

After weeks of following this show... it’s finally over. And if you ask me whether I’d recommend it to others—my honest answer is: yes... but also, not really. Because this drama? It had so much potential—but also made some frustrating choices that held it back.

Let’s start with the good stuff:
The premise? Solid. Friends to lovers? Childhood friends? Total comfort food for the soul. It had all the ingredients to be a warm, relatable, slice-of-life drama with depth. Heck, it could’ve even become a quiet exploration of mental health... if it had been handled better.

But here's the thing: what kept this drama afloat wasn’t the script, wasn’t the direction, wasn’t even the editing (we’ll get there in a second). It was the cast. Every single actor—yes, even the child actors—gave it their all and practically carried this drama on their backs.

Because the script? Felt choppy. Scenes jumped around. Focus was inconsistent. And at some point, I genuinely wondered if the producers themselves were confused about how to build the Qushan gang’s dynamics.

The friendship within the Qushan gang lacked emotional glue. Their bond didn’t feel lived-in. It felt… rotational. Like, okay—who’s gonna check in on Ying Tao this episode?

Early on, she was glued to Yu Qiao. Every. Single. Episode. The amount of screen time they took up together could’ve easily been used to deepen other plots. Then, mid-season, bam! suddenly Fang Yuan becomes her emotional anchor. He’s calling her, updating her, checking in like it’s his full-time job. Meanwhile, Dushang? Still missing in action.

And don’t get me started on Dushang’s storyline. They hinted at domestic violence in his family early on. It was serious. But fast forward, and suddenly his dad just shows up like nothing ever happened? Zero closure. Zero emotional follow-up. Just swept under the rug.

Then—plot twist—right near the end, Dushang finally gets more scenes... and becomes Ying Tao’s main contact out of nowhere. After being sidelined for the entire show, he’s suddenly relevant? It felt like a punchline.

The biggest tragedy? These characters had so much potential. The actors were more than capable. But the direction failed them. Their interactions didn’t flow naturally, and so much of the emotional weight felt unearned.

Now, let’s talk about the one thing that made me stay:
Ying Tao and Qiao Xi’s chemistry.
Thank god for them.

Despite limited scenes together and barely-there exposition, the emotional connection between them still hit. Zhao Jinmai and Zhang Linghe deserve serious credit. They fought for that chemistry, and it showed.

Jinmai brought every emotion to life—grief, frustration, hope, love—all so authentically. And Linghe? He portrayed Qiao Xi’s silent battles and quiet despair with heartbreaking nuance, even when the script gave him so little.

And honestly? Qiao Xi’s character could’ve been legendary with better writing. He’s the perfect embodiment of a kid growing up with an empty love tank. His parents were present physically, but never emotionally. The emotional neglect? Gut-wrenching. So when someone like Ying Tao loves him fully—without condition—it scares him. He runs. Because love feels foreign. Like danger.

That’s the core of his character. And it works. It’s raw, it’s real, and it speaks to so many people.

Meanwhile, Ying Tao grew up surrounded by love. Her emotional cup is full—and that’s why she has the capacity to love others deeply. The contrast between the two? Brilliant. And it makes you root for them so hard.

One of the most important truths this drama quietly delivers is:
Not every parent deserves the title of ‘parent.’
Qiao Xi’s parents? Prime example of that.

And I loved that in the end, his mom didn’t magically change or chase him down. She stayed the same. No guilt, no awareness. Just the same self-centered, emotionally unavailable woman who thinks the world revolves around her. People like that? Their ears are decorative. Period. 😂

You can shower them with kindness and understanding—but it’ll never be enough. Because they don’t see you. And honestly? The healthiest thing to do is to leave. Before they break you more than they already have.

Now. We need to talk about the elephant in the room:
THE EDITING.

It was… chaotic. Especially in the early episodes. Transitions were jarring. Scenes ended abruptly. Filters changed without warning. Like—remember the Hong Kong scenes? Suddenly the whole vibe turned cinematic, like we were watching a completely different show. The first and last episodes felt like they came from different universes. Not sure if the editor just leveled up halfway through… or if it was just pure inconsistency.

So yeah. This drama wasn’t perfect. Far from it.

But do I regret watching it? Not at all. The story had charm. The characters were endearing. And thank goodness the leads weren’t another comic artist or programmer (I am SO over those tropes, lmao). The roles felt fresh, the conflicts were compelling, and the ending? Surprisingly satisfying.

So yeah. A bumpy ride—but not a wasted one.

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The romanticization of the self-sacrificial heroine must stop !!!

This drama is a real danger for young women who seek inspiration through dramas. Here, the show normalizes and glamorizes the fact that a woman decides not to choose herself, not to prioritize herself, for the sake of a man's well-being.
If QiaoXi had truly loved YingTao with a pure and strong love, he would never have held her hostage. He would not have fueled YingTao's perseverance to continue waiting for him and finding him.
QiaoXi is a coward and a hypocrite, his character is really realistic tho, don't get me wrong, most people would have behave like he did. He had legitimate reasons for being so, but that doesn't change the nature of his actions and choices.
He tried to make her understand why he gave up on her, saying it was because he was too ashamed of what he had become, that leaving her was for her own good blablabla ...
But in reality, he's a very self-centered person, who displayed ambiguity that was detrimental to YingTao's well-being simply so that he could keep two options open for his very own well-being: keeping her in his life or abandoning her for good AKA breaking his heart or hers.
Yintao has such a strong love for QiaoXi that she couldn't bear to leave him behind (the taxi scene, episode 21), to see him destroyed because of her decision. QiaoXi couldn't do what she did. Why? Because that's what we expect from women, not men ...
YingTao acted like the mother he didn't have lmao, and it was cruel to watch, making sure he felt secure and loved in her presence no matter what ... But she wanted to be a lover, his lover and his insecurities even stole this dream of hers for so many years, having her instead chasing and showing a devotion for a man who didn't actually do the same.
It was so unfair. And most people actually focussed on how QiaoXi was feeling.
Of course, his life was very sad but you shouldn't mislead people to think because of how sad your life is, you can have the right to misbehave with someone who always had pure intentions for you. This is not fair. We all have to face our responsabilities and the consequences of our actions.

Please, women, don't sacrifice your time for a man who hesitates to keep you in his life. You deserve more than a man incapable of confronting his pride to preserve your love. You deserve someone who is determined to choose you no matter what !!!

The directing was pretty good (lovely shots especially in the beginning), the writing was bad, the editing and pacing were awful and probably the worst things about the drama.
They wasted a lovely chemistry. The acting wasn't bad but I wasn't impressed at all, they did the job I guess.
Barely anything was realistic and meaningful in the storytelling... youth, poverty, separations, friendships, the love story, the adult life... nothing looked real or even actually made through the spectrum of the age of the characters which was truly disappointing.

Was it a waste of time? Yes. I finished it cause I felt the need to have a closure.

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It had potential but the writting isn't it.

The plot is a mix of The First Frost, Hidden Love and Always Home. However a badly written version of all of them.

The acting was great but the biggest problem is that the drama doesn't care to develop any character aside from YingTao (and even her feels undeveloped sometimes) and they kind of try with the male lead (but they fail quite miserably).

The love story feels off. On the first part of the drama (when they are kids) its sweet and makes sense why they like each other but after the time jump it feels weird YingTao still having a crush on ml after he was basically ghosted her and was rude to her. YingTao's crush borders on unhealthy!NSometimes it feels like she thinks the ml is a god, other times it seems like she can't let go of how he was in the past, And that makes it so hard to root for them! Like why is this girl so forgiving? Why does she making her life based around QiaoXi??

I understand QiaoXi is a character that is hard to write. And I think where the writters fell flat was when they decided to make his actions easly forgiven by fl. His actions aren't unforgivable (expecially when you discover the background behind them) but he only explains when sh*t hit the fan and he needs to say sorry and that doesn't feel chartastic to the audience that mainly saw the fl sufering because it doesn't show him thinking and regretting his decisions. And when it does show him regretting something is to quick.

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