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DONT KEEP HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Today is 23rd july 2025 and i have watch 17 episodes still 7 more to go. But so far the story is strong but, after she starts her college it started getting boring and dragged. The male lead is out of the scene, but female lead still wants to know where he is. And also in ep 17 her frnds see a post of male lead [jian qiaoxi] on some social media platform, and we still dont know if they tell her or not. Where i got bored was the last 2 episodes, so boring its about the friends she makes in college. It just didnt sit with me well. She is a yearner but he dosent care. Idk something is so wrong about this. But still she is a lover girl and im here for it!!! Lets see what happens.Was this review helpful to you?
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Love begets Love
This series made me understand the fact that a person needs to be loved to know how to love others.Yingtao grew up in a very loving family and knew how to show JQX the love he needed endlessly whereas JQX who was sidelined to the memories of his dead brother and was not loved for who he is by his parents didn't know how to love himself and he extended this same mindset to Yingtao and his other friends believing that people can only ever love the exceptional version of himself.
I really got to see how much the environment a child grows in gets to affect their general outlook on life and their belief systems.
Honestly this series was real.... it wasn't the usual rosy love stories we get to see all the time. This actually portrayed the struggles and commitments that come with loving someone.
I love the way ZLH portrayed JQX's struggle in accepting his true self and coming to love himself and let Yingtao love him without any achievements. Because it is really hard for someone who had to achieve great feats academically or live in a certain way to earn his mother's attention and love to change. Dude literally had to let go of opportunities not necessarily because he didn't want them but because he wanted people to see him beyond his achievements and rather for who he truly was.
I felt so heartbroken for JQX. I cant count the number of times i felt choked seeing a teenager think about matters that were beyond his age. I was near tears hearing the words he said to his mom at the scene she was in the hospital cuz it only takes a matured mind to say such words. He wasnt allowed tk be a child and he became matured even at the age of nine.
I really can't thank Yingtao enough for loving JQX enough to bring him to love himself. She also taught him how to love her right. Like in the scene in HongKong on the night they made up where she told him that he ought to hug her and she'll hit him.... that scene was beautiful.
Also, kudos to Qin Ye Yun and Yu Qiao for literally being the best friends Yingtao needed. I really can't heart them less. Their friendship reminded me of why i akways love the friends group trope.
In all, I don't even think I can be able to sum all that this series has made me feel. It really is a masterpiece. I might have to write another review
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"That kind of devotion, it was unrestrained."
“Our Generation” is a heartfelt and beautifully filmed story, but can be a bit of a gloomy watch.It follows a group of childhood friends nearing the end of high school as they navigate crushes, rivalries, and family strife.
Zhao Jin Mai plays Lin Ying Tao (“Cherry”), a lively young woman who’s a bit of a troublemaker and feels things intensely. Even after years apart, she can’t forget her childhood companion, Jiang Qiao Xi.
Qiao Xi is a top student who’s considered a prodigy, but he's also reserved and not the most emotionally intelligent. With an unhappy family life and a controlling, emotionally abusive mother, the only time he ever smiles is around Cherry.
The two had a deep bond as children, but when they reunite in high school, they have to fight hard to rekindle their friendship — first against misunderstandings, then against people actively trying to keep them apart and unexpected circumstances.
Both actors do a fine job portraying the transition from teens to young adults. They deliver a palpable chemistry as friends who clearly adore each other but aren’t quite sure how to express it. Zhang Ling He in particular gives a nuanced performance — his Qiao Xi has a sadness and maturity that gives the character a magnetic presence. It’s a shame they spend much of the series apart.
I was expecting a sweet coming-of-age story from the trailer, but there ended up being more heartbreak than I anticipated. However, the relationship between the leads is a beautiful one characterized by an unrestrained devotion (as one of their classmates puts it) that endures through hardship to a happy ending. This kind of deep and unwavering commitment at such a young age might not be very realistic, but it makes for good fiction.
So many dramas feature miscommunication or people saying things they don’t mean, and while there’s some of that here, “Our Generation” also has a number of extended conversations where characters talk through their problems and properly express their emotions, especially in the last several episodes. It’s refreshing, and some of the best dialogue I’ve encountered in a drama.
With the right expectations for what kind of story you’re getting into, it’s a worthwhile watch — aside from good writing and performances, the series also features some nice music and is filmed in a warm, nostalgic color palette.
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Pure Love. Too Pure.
This was a pretty good coming-of-age drama and everything felt kind of relatable (ntm on Zhang Ling He's face card, I haven't experienced that yet). Here are a few points I would love to point out:1. Jiang Qiao Xi's realistic character. I've read comments about being mad at him, and I think it shouldn't be that deep. He can be annoying due to his sudden decisions, but he didn't hurt the female lead just because he wanted to. He had his downs, but he really made up for it. His reasons were so easy to understand (though I won't justify it wholeheartedly), as he didn't get the love he deserved from his family, but his development made him love him even more.
2. This drama really made me nostalgic. I love how I can relate to this, as my childhood was pretty much the same—especially neighbors being close to us, some even our relatives. Their neighborhood was so healthy and I love them so much 😭
3. Lin Ying Tao's love was honestly not that heroic for me, as what others have mentioned. If I was in her position and saw that my love—or even my friend—had been in a bad situation for like, all his life? I would do the same. It honestly wasn't as severe as I've read from the reviews. Or maybe I had just watched dramas where the FL sacrificed more than what the FL did in this drama???
Overall, I love this so much. The soundtracks were literally perfect—especially that one where a child was singing. It really gave off the feeling of youth and having childhood friends you can rely on. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! 3rd drama for this couple please 🙏🏻
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Glad I completed it
Honestly I was thinking of dropping it at one point cause it felt annoying watching the FL keep chasing after him but I'm glad I saw it through cause u know what i like the idea of the girl not giving up on the guy even when everyone is telling her to. Cause at first i found the ML frustrating for not communicating better but then i thought things from his pov and its understandable why he doesn't want Yintao to see him at his lowest cause he has grown up with his mothers conditional love that depends on his academic achievement so to see Yintao love him for just being himself might be hard to grasp for him.PS. i wish they showed more of the ML's pov of falling for FL cause it felt a bit one sided without enough of his scenes.
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Understanding is the Key!
Loved this drama!SPOILERS BELOW…
Ying Tao gave it all! She knew that this new friend was lonely, unloved and scared. She saw what nobody else saw. She made a connection and gave that boy what nobody else gave him, trust, friendship and love. Because of her he opened a little more and saw the true value of friendship and love. As an adult, he felt as a failure! He thought he didn’t have nothing to offer since his parents only ask for studying and being number one. He was always compared to his dead brother. He didn’t received any love and he refuge in his studies. Only when Yingtao came up did he feel some hope.
I can understand many who say he abandoned Yingtao for so long but I also understood him. This was his way of coping with his life. He understood that maintaining Yingtao far from what he was dealing was the best way to not hurt her. He always thought that studying and becoming a professional was the key to have a successful life. QiaoXi didn’t have much as a normal, loving parents as Yingtao had, so he had to learn the most difficult way. He didn’t have no guidance, only be number one.
Looking at his past and seeing how lonely and unloved he was I can understand why he did what he did. That Yingtao probably should had moved on, I can relate and say she should have, but she had that pure, innocent love for QiaoXi that only he could have. He was her all and she was his all, they both knew it.
A special bond that couldn’t be broken even after all those years!
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Tough crowd - It’s exactly an early 2000’d show. Love it
All these comments about it being toxic and how she doesn’t choose herself make me think we haven’t been watching the same Cdrama.FL loved her friendships more than life and since childhood had an unbreakable bond with ML. The lack of love and affection he got from his own family bond the two leads closer and connects them through childhood. It’s FLs story and her absolute certainty that this is her person. Most people can’t stick through the hardships and understand the true mental impacts ML character had that resulted in so much of his behaviors. Not saying it’s right or wrong but it is a true representation of a time where technology wasn’t so available. Letters and ghosting felt so different than anything we experience now. If you really watch this show and get up in the 2000s where there was still a stillness in the world and I you’ll adore this drama. I loved both of these leads in the Princess Royal and loved them both for different reasons in this one.
No folks this isn’t your self sufficient heroine here. Her story is fueled by her absolute certainty in her love
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Prepare yourself for a roller coaster of emotions
If you have read the novel lower your expectations a little bit. But this drama is beautifully done with amazing actors and actresses. I love both the acting of the male and female leads, they did a marvelous to portray the characters and their different emotional scenes. You might not understand certain parts but as you watch the drama you will slowly understand the story better.Was this review helpful to you?
Lin yingtaos journey of love friendship family first love and more....
The series centers around the effervescent Cherry (Lin yingtao), a beacon of positivity who brightens the lives of those around her. Her path intertwines with Jiang Xiaoqi, a young man navigating a complex family situation, and their connection adds a vibrant layer to his world.
"While perhaps not reinventing the wheel, this coming-of-age drama, centered on Ling Yitao's journey from youth to adulthood, still manages to feel refreshing.
Zhao Jinmai shines as Cherry, perfectly embodying her character's spirit, while Zhang Linghe delivers a compelling performance, especially through his expressive acting.
The series explores her relationships ( Family friendships and more ) particularly with Jiang Xiaoqi, whose limited screen time may frustrate some. However, his appearances are impactful, and the storytelling ultimately benefits.
The slow-burn romance between the leads, though facing setbacks, allows for genuine character development. Their eventual connection, after both characters address personal struggles, feels earned, even if somewhat idealistic. Ling Yitao's unwavering loyalty and capacity for love, shaped by her upbringing, are central to the narrative.
Ultimately, the show's strength lies in its characters and the undeniable chemistry between the leads. I highly recommend giving it a watch to experience it for yourself.
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DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME
Complete waste of time do not watch this. It's literally painful to watch. The writing is god awful. The ML is a total coward, let's his worthless mother walk all over him constantly, treats his friends like trash including the girl he's supposed to "Love" and they all just accept it.Every single episode is the same, it's a mix of everyone but the ML living a normal school life while the ML throws himself a pity party and disappears or ignores them. Literally every time he takes a step forward he immediately takes 10 steps back.
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rating of the drama production team 4/10. watching this drama felt like being chased by a deadline.
I've been waiting for this drama since I finished watching their previous drama, THE PRINCESS ROYAL.note : we listen, we don't judge.
At that time I even read the translated novel Cherry Amber (Our Generation) first. I was very excited to wait for this drama especially because the story of the novel was very good, even though the novel was a translation, not the original novel. So I hoped that this drama would be better than the novel itself. Seeing the videos taken by some fans made me really look forward to this drama. Until finally I was sad because this drama which was originally 40 episodes became 24 episodes. and that made me not expect more from this drama. yeah, and it turned out to be true. after I watched this drama, this drama had a lot of cut scenes. watching this drama felt like being chased by a deadline. This drama actually has a very good story. It's normal for a woman to chase her crush, in this world there must be people like that. and after watching the Hong Kong scene, I came to understand why Yingtao was chasing Jiangqiaoxi so much. Because besides liking Jiangqiaoxi, she knew that JQX also liked her but couldn't because of his circumstances. It's not that he can't, but he wants Yingtao to wait for him until he becomes a successful man. In fact, Yingtao loves him for who he is even at his lowest point. So, this isn't a story about a girl chasing after a guy like crazy, but they've liked each other since childhood. But it's hard for the guy to like the girl because of her broken family situation. The girl likes him for who he is, but the guy doesn't want the girl to get hurt because she has to enter his world.
Okay, let's talk about the number of episodes that were originally 40 to 24. I really didn't enjoy the drama. Because watching this drama felt like I was being chased by a deadline. I was even willing to watch this drama even up to 40 episodes. Because this drama has a good story. Not only about romance, this drama also tells about friendship, family, stories of problems that relate to real life, etc. Even the director is not good at taking angles during filming. What should be zoomed in was zoomed out, and vice versa. And also many scenes were missing. For example, they should have shown the scene between JQX's mother and JQX's older brother, and they should have also shown the scene where Xiaoman finds out that Yingtao will meet JQX. There are many more missing scenes. I hope this drama shows more of the Mountain Squad's childhood moments. It would make it feel more like they miss their childhood.
And for the acting, I like Lin Yingtao/Lin Qile the most. She's very good at acting. Her acting is very rich, making her acting less boring. And as for Jiang Qiaoxi, I prefer his acting in the Hong Kong scenes. I don't like his acting when he was in school.
I really liked the Hong Kong scenes. It was such an emotionally draining part. I'm sad that it only aired for a few episodes. I wish this drama had more episodes so the audience could get more emotions from watching this drama.
This drama has a good story, and it would be even better if it was directed and produced by the right people. Whatever it is, I remain grateful and appreciative of the hard work of all the actors and actresses and the entire Our Generation team. I hope you all listen to the criticism and suggestions from the audience well.
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A Rollercoaster in a Teacup
Let’s talk about Our Generation (aka Ying Tao Hu Po, or Cherry Amber—sounds fancy, doesn’t it?). It’s a 24-episode Chinese coming-of-age romance that first aired in July 2025.The Gist (Spoiler-light, promise!)
Lin Qi Le (enthusiastically played by Zhao Jinmai) is nicknamed Cherry. She brings sunshine wherever she goes—warm heart, mountain girl, total joy factory.
Enter Jiang Qiao Xi, the gloomiest transfer student ever—math genius, moody vibes, probably allergic to happiness.
Cherry’s family adopts him into their warmth brigade, and soon enough, he starts thawing like a block of ice on a sunny day.
They grow up, drift apart, then-plot twist-Cherry sends her childhood letters to his school. Cue gossip tornado in the city.
Heartbroken Cherry travels to find him, he denies knowing her publicly-ouch. Cue humiliation. Then, childhood friends rally around her, and her parents move to the big city so the whole gang can grow up together.
After all the drama, she finds him again, their feelings deepen, and -happy ending!
The Cast & Team Behind the Magic
Zhao Jinmai (Cherry)-beam of cuteness and determination.
Zhang Linghe (Jiang Qiao Xi)-cold on the surface, but we know better.
Fantastic supporting cast: Dong Jie (FL’s mum), Bao Jianfeng (FL’s dad), Dong Xuan (ML’s mum), Zhang Duo (ML’s dad), plus a squad of childhood pals: Yu Qiao, Qin Yeyun, Du Shang, Cai Fangyuan.
Directed by Zhang Kaizhou, written by Zeng Lu—the same team behind The Story of Ming Lan and Ode to Joy 2. Serious pedigree here.
Why It Feels Like a Tightrope Walk- but in the Best Way
This show is emotion overload in a gentle package: You’ll giggle at the endless energy Cherry brings.
Then -bam -you might find yourself sobbing when Qiao Xi ghosts her.
You’ll cheer at the reunion, fume at parental drama (his mum, moving him to Hong Kong? Why?!), and marvel at Cherry’s resilience.
And that EPILOGUE? A warm cup of closure that hits just right-no loose threads, just happy sighs.
“It’s like a circus walking on a tightrope.” There’s angst, there’s joy, there’s friendship so tender and messy and real. FL is adorable and raw, ML is… wow. Parent characters range from touching (hers) to exasperating (his)-and honestly, we all know a mum like his somewhere in real life.
A Silly Tidbit (For the Giggles)
If this drama were a dessert- it’d be your grandma’s secret-recipe pavlova:
**Cherry is the meringue: sweet, light, uplifting.
**Qiao Xi is the fruit compote: tart, unexpected, sneaks in flavor slowly.
**Supporting friends are the whipped cream: fluffy, comforting, just enough.
**Parents (some) are the crumbs that fall and annoy you- but hey, they keep it real.
**And all together? A treat with layers you never saw coming.
Final Thoughts: Our Generation is a simple, funny, tear-jerking, heart-warming ride. Cherry’s sunny spirit meets Qiao Xi’s storm, their lives twist, they unravel, then find each other again—on that tightrope of growing up. Every emotion plays in harmony.
Go watch it. Bring tissues, a snack, and your inner child ready for an adventure.
Rating: 9/10 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💖
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