The Forbidden Flower

Best Cinematography, OST, and Casting

"The Forbidden Flower" has drawn me back into the world of C-Dramas.

Several factors piqued my interest and compelled me to dive in:

1. Jerry Yan - my favorite actor whose performances I have always admired and loved plays the ML. His charisma and talent are hard to resist.

2. Trailer - beautifully captured the drama's stunning visuals.

3. OST - perfectly complemented the storyline and left lingering emotions even after you've watched the drama. I have it on my playlist.

This drama evoked certain emotions - love, comfort, and a touch of melancholy.
The cinematography is stunning, - adding a different layer of feels to each scene. Jerry and Rouhan's performances as Xiao Han and He Ran are strikingly authentic; they breathe life into their characters in a way that feels deeply passionate and true.

Jerry’s portrayal of Xiao Han is particularly noteworthy. He showed powerful emotions in every scenes. His gentle, warm and loving demeanor makes you fall in love and love again.

Although, I felt that some scenes were heavily cut, which affected the flow of the narrative. I wish there could have been more episodes showing the ML's backstory, FL's treatments, and their life after the wedding.

Despite that, I have watched it for three times already and I am still counting. :)

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I really wanted to give it a higher score but...

I'm totally a fan of Jerry Yan but this story/drama will not be added to my favorite dramas list unfortunately... I have enjoyed watching the drama but very impatiently...the story is draggy and it jumps from one point to another very quickly without good transition...in other words, it will keep you guessing whether you will get the answers for those built-up questions throughout the entire drama...eventually, it will lead you to some sort of disappointments...

For one, there are cute/sexy/somewhat steamy kisses/scenes...but each one of those scenes seems to end very quickly...somehow, they are not memorable scenes that would make me want to rewatch...I am disappointed in those bed/romantic scenes because they are not long/steamy enough??

For two, the FL will disappear or the ML will be gone for a few days and nowhere to be found...it's just weird to me that they both can be gone for days and then would ask what happens to each other later...just not realistic the way the relationship was going... I am so confused in how the FLwould just disappear without saying anything...something is off in how the story moves from one point to another without a clear connection.

Lastly, oh my god...it's such a drag in the end!! The love story about the FL mother was not very fun to watch...not much chemistry there, got boring... And the last few episodes about the FL being back to college life, living in a dorm with roommates...oh no....what is going on here?? The drama started with a very mature lifestyle even though FL was a young 20 years old...Wow, but watching her with roommates?? She indeed was a young kid with a 35 year-old man!! The ML went to her dorm to pick her up!! I am not sure how much I enjoy watching the FL back to school...

All in all, it is a cute drama and sad too.....you will get some tears but totally not something I would miss or want to rewatch in the near future...

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I want a follow up to these people and their lives I am very invested in their characters.

This is a very stylish drama the cinematography is quite adventurous and the warm pallet is pleasing. Throughout the drama the music is prominent. Beautiful words and tunes are very evocative and set the mood especially as the sadder details are revealed. Often the actors are shot in close-up with just the music as their internal reaction to the earlier scene is processed.
The two main actors are mesmerising. The young female He Ran, played by Xu Ruo Han, whilst having her hair washed meets the ML Xiao Han, played by Jerry Yan, and is immediately attracted to him and his deep sexy voice. Thus begins her persistent pursuit of him.
There is more social taboo in their culture around great age differences so even though they become lovers the relationship has many secrets.
I fell for the charismatic Xiao Han, his calmness, deep voice and hidden talents married up with a rocking physique.
The female leads character at times was annoying, however, her actions were in keeping with a young adult that has been secluded away and cossetted and controlled by her fearful mother.
Her mother is a strong, yet damaged character and the offer of a relationship with her much younger coworker is charged with expectation.
The pairings work because of the directing, writing and all the many talented people who finalised and edited the story.
Spoiler: watch the credits for the conclusion.
I want a follow up to these people and their lives I am very invested in their characters.

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The chemistry is through the roof!

I started watching this drama after being recommended to check it out and I was instantly hooked.

This really is a drama straight away goes into the main couples romance. There is quite a big age gap between FL and ML and I'm not gonna deny that it is really noticable. Not only is the FL playful and bold with her flirting, but ther were a few moments where I felt that if FL would have been older, she wouldn't have acted as immature. Whats lacking in the storyline is nonetheless covered by the chemistry between the leads and it is sizzling with passion. There are ALOT of montages where nothing happens in general in the drama (like the main leads just walking around in different clothes) and some plotlines are really inconsistent regarding timing and reality. The whole drama consists probably around 50% of just watching long edited montages of the main actors without any plot and just music, flowers or staring into some corner.

The music, although being quite repetitive, is really good (in my opinion) with a oldschool tropical song that is fantastic (It's the band Grasshopper and the song is called Half Heart or 半點心) and a few ballad songs that are dramatic and where the lyrics goes well with the plotline.

It is quite obvious how all the other characters have been written around the romantic main lead. Towards the latter part of the drama, the melodrama really takes of and everything gets more tangled than it needs to be. In the last few episodes, we start to see more scenes about the FLs mother and the story suddenly starts to shift towards her love story with a younger man in comparison to her daughter (the FL) who has a romance with an older man.

Regarding the open ending, there is an extra scene after the final credits that can be interpreted in different ways.
Honestly, I did not like the ending and feel like it is muddy and unclear.

SPOILER!!
Towards the end, FL who has been slightly sickly suddenly deteriorates and has a health obstacle that leaves the viewer with an open ending. The FL who has had jealous tendencies throughout the story comes off as extremely incompassionate towards her lover when she selfishly declares that he cannot move on if she passes away. The post-credit scene in my opinion is just an imagination or them meeting in the afterlife. Some viewers have expressed that they will interpret the ending as happy because it is just so sad if not.

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THE MUSIC SCORE IS PERFECT!

Jerry and Ruohan does NOT have any chemistry. they're awkward to the point that I find it cringy. If I can post screenshots here, I would to prove it. Ruohan can't handle this daring role, then she shouldn't have been hired for the role. Its an age of youth and an age of passion. I just can't see from her character that she wants to fight to live. It could have been Ruohan's chance to prove how good of an actress she is but its an ultimate fail. She played it TOO SAFE. Does she know how to be a 20yr old who has everything except for maybe a long life? Has she ever chased what she can't have? I WANT TO LIVE AND I'LL MAKE THE MOST OF IT WHILE IT LASTS. Ruohan does not understand the role of Ran. Dare to be bold when given the chance to be paired with a more experienced actor.
Jerry plainly awkward. Why??? When I've seen him play other roles so well.

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A confused happy heart

The gradual unfolding of the love story of the 2 leads provided time for character development. The pace was slow but the beautiful ost filled in any gaps and kept the story moving.

The ending was ambiguous. I choose to be positive. Xiao Han was willing to wait how ever long He Ran needed. So many things pointed to a possible good outcome. The symbolism with the two fish and the special plant opening and the 2 cups with toothbrushes implied waiting and then that they would be together. The abundant fields of pink flowers implied that when all other blooms were dormant, these would bloom late. Xiao Han was pensive but then again he had a quiet considering personality.

Others may see the ending in a sadder perspective. I, however, choose to see that year separation as a time of healing. The slow smile and the embrace in the fields of flowers indicates that their love was meant to last.

There is a mention of a season 2. Frankly, I would prefer it be more focused on He Ran's mother and Zhang's relationship. This romantic melodrama didn't really strike me as "a slice of life" genre. But, their relationship seems to be conflicted yet passionate. It has room for development.

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I will start with the ending.... because what was that 😭🤣 I really would have preferred something a little more clear, though I think that it was a sequence. Like he imagined her, she died but she never left his side metaphorically...? I don't know.

Anyway, I watched "Count Your Lucky Stars" and really wasn't a big Jerry Yan fan, but I have to admit that he was really good in this show. He looked super handsome, the long hair suits him well (minus the extra volume though....), and his styling was much better in this show. I thought it was almost comical how he almost doesn't really talk but overall I enjoyed his calm demeanor.

He Ran was a cute girl, but she could be a meanie when she was jealous lmao. I also think that her pursuing Xiao Han was quite.... intense and intolerable at times, she seemed super obsessive and almost stalkerish at times. But the actress did a really great job playing the character. She is youthful and absolutely stunning, conveyed emotions very well and had great chemistry with Jerry Yan! Loved that a lot.

Another thing that was STUNNING was the music as well as the beautiful cinematography. Just for that, the drama is already worth watching. Just stunning to watch in general. The wedding scene in the last episode was also just mesmerizing and beautiful, wow. The actress looked soso pretty in the traditonal costume and the whole ceremony was just filmed so nicely.

I skipped all of the mom's story and love-plot because I didn't care, I also HEAVILY disliked Han Yu. He was so delusional, I don't know why he bothered He Ran all the time. If someone showed disinterest THAT obviously to me, I would just call it a day. He just never read the room....

Overall, this was a surprisingly SPICY (??? omg) show, the acting was great from the leads, but the ending was only so-so for me. Highlights were the female lead's acting, the OST, and the cinematography.

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It will want you to fall in love again and it will break your heart.

Let me start with how much I loved this series then I’ll come to what I didn’t like.
This is one of the most beautiful romance that I have come across after a long time. The way it was filmed, the story, music, cinematography, the acting and oh man Jerry Yan. What more can I say. This beautiful story stayed with me for days.

Apart from the chopped edits which I heard were due to censorship and Han Yu. I loved everything about this film.
Han Yu character seemed like a stalker. No matter even if they were childhood friends. The FL put up with it for the sake that his family had done so much for her which wasn’t that clear so I felt his presence a nuisance and his persistent courtship overwhelmingly unbearable. The second love story started very strong but then it just went from cute to crazy.

But nothing can make me give this beautiful masterpiece anything less than a 10. I have never given a 10 to any show. I think this 10 is for Jerry Yan as well.

Happy & Heartbreaking watching everyone.

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A bittersweet story that reminds you not to let life pass you by

This was the first Asian drama I ever watched. Many dramas later, it still feels like something special. Highly recommend, even if you usually prefer historical dramas (like me). A few reasons why it really works for me:

First, the show is very easy to get into. I've become used to historical cdramas that give you a few boring episodes up front as they set up the plot. Not this show; the premise is very easy to get behind. Sick girl stuck at home starts sneaking out to pursue her love interest --- sold. The early episodes are so fun to watch that you don't realize you're being led into a deeper, richly rewarding story that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you thinking about your own life.

The plot itself is romantic, soft, and bittersweet. There are many problems without solutions for the main characters, but this is by design; the show reminds us that love is the best medicine for tragedy, and that we should love like there's no time to lose -- any moment can be your last, or someone else's last. Each episode ends leaving you either very sad or with a full heart, and sometimes both. This is exactly what I'm looking for in my dramas :)

Next, the setting: Everything in the show is beautiful to look at. The southern China waterfront scenery, Xiao Han's family home in the mountains, He Ran's beautiful house... even the characters' jobs create beauty, with Xiao Han's prized horticulture skills and He Ran's unique artistic talent. Practically every scene is pleasing to look at, with the exception of He Ran's mother's scenes. This is, of course, by design; He Ran's sole focus is to bring love, light, and joy into her life, and she brings us into her world of color.

The soundtrack is unforgettable. Years after my first watch, I can still recognize every song from the show and sometimes listen to the OST for fun. There are a surprising number of songs, and every one of them is great.

Finally, like any good cdrama, there are several indelible moments from the show that I'll never forget; the night blooming flower, the night hike in the mountains, the scavenger hunt, and ESPECIALLY the reveal of the flowers at He Ran's house.

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Enjoyable "Forbidden" romance

At the same time, I enjoyed Forbidden Flower both more and less than I expected. The “older man/younger woman” trope is something I usually avoid like the plague, but for this one, I actually quite liked it.

Firstly, the cinematography was stunning. Every scene was a treat for the eyes, with a beautiful, rich color palette that gave the whole drama an almost luxurious vibe. Definitely a good watch for flower enthusiasts!

I loved the dynamic between the artist female lead, who loves drawing flowers, and the gardener male lead, who loves growing them.

The story begins with a 20 year old girl who becomes fascinated by an older man’s voice when she hears it for the first time at her salon while he’s washing her hair.

He Ran is a brave young woman who shamelessly and boldly pursues him, doing her best to catch his attention. I liked her character, spoiled and childish at times, but also really cute. Xiao Han, on the other hand, is calm and reserved, constantly trying to resist temptation because of their age gap and the differences in their worlds. But the little smirks and glances in his eyes give him away, and watching that struggle was fun.

Both actors did an amazing job. The chemistry between them was fire. Every hug, kiss, or even the smallest glance felt sensual and believable. Normally, I prefer the “before they become a couple” phase in romance dramas over the actual relationship. but in this one, their chemistry was so comfortable and natural that I loved watching them date. You could see the love in their eyes.

As for the second couple, I didn’t hate them. If you skipped their scenes, you honestly wouldn’t miss much, but I still enjoyed them. It did feel a little one-sided from the SML, though.

Han Yu, on the other hand, was just annoying, I don’t even know why he was there since he didn’t add much to the story.

Some of the side characters were more enjoyable, like Mr. Han, the hotel girl, and the roommate.

Overall, this is a melodrama with the FL hiding her sickness, a few breakups, and lots of emotional ups and downs. It made me laugh and cry. The ending could have been better, but it was still satisfying enough.

I would definitely recommend watching this!

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"The Forbidden Flower" is a romance story about He Ran and Xiao Han. The two meet and He Ran falls in love with Xiao Han at first sight and does everything she can to make him love her back.

This drama ended up surprising me a lot. The story starts off weak, it takes a while to get going, I was even disappointed because I expected something more intense, more mature and after all, the romance between He Ran and Xiao Han is very cute, there is passion but the main idea here is to find true love, the one that leaves a mark on you, that you never forget.

It is not a light romance, it is sad, since He Ran is sick and dying, which is not a surprise since the drama gave us hints that He Ran was sick basically from the beginning, but I think that makes their story more beautiful, because of its meaning. He Ran wanted to live the rest of her life to the fullest and when she meets Xiao Han, she finds a reason to continue and enjoy the time she has left. Her death, even though it is very sad, the scene is really beautiful. It is something to remember!

Jerry Yan is really amazing. There's a 22-year age gap between him and Xu Ruo Han and you can't tell, but I have to say his style is stuck in the 2000's. Sometimes I thought I was watching "Meteor Garden". HAHA'

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