This review may contain spoilers
A Surprisingly Short C Drama
I was very pleasantly surprised by this C Drama. It had a lot of great elements. The chemistry between the two leads was great.It probably could have benefited from a few more episodes.
The OST was pretty good. This was obviously a low budget series but very well done.
The story kept my interest and both the ml & fl did a great job.
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Plot was muah!
I'm on fire babyyyy! Found wholesome cdrama in a row!It has a subtle, calm atmosphere that's why I hesitate to watch it at first because I'm for the mood of brute and funny MC and plot but glad I continue watching it! Don't get me wrong, this is not boring. I just misjudged it, thinking I'm not in a mood for some serious tone. But this was quite fine! Not so tragic, not so twisted, and not too comical too. So frickin' right.
I like FL here even though she's one of the kind that hard to play with (in writer's perspective) and could lead to boringness. But I guess, the director and the writer for this one knows how to extract the best in her personality so 10000/10000! ML is such a cute! And when I'm saying cute, it means, he's so fudging genius and tactical! He's a General indeed! Because of his way of thinking, this show didn't give you some misunderstanding shits at all even though they were trying to initiate. Oh boy. Love the casting and how they blend the characters so well!
The second characters did a lot of development that I anticipated. Some also shows changes but guess it's too late but hey, the thought is still counts. This is also the first time (if I remember it correctly) that the side characters have way more tragedy than the main characters. Which is RARE for any drama, isn't? GIVE ME MORE LIKE THIS PLS! Also, thumbs up for the director for removing the worry to FL and still give the Scharacter a good closure. Clap! Clap!
The plot? Got they got me there! I was suspicious at first but forgot it because I really enjoying the engagement of the MC. Until the plot was revealed that I was shook! That's a lot and satisfying last 3 eps there! Love it!
Overall, this is one of the best short cdrama I've watched. The puzzles fits perfectly that nothing's odd. I just enjoyed it!
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Just hit play
Only 8 short episodes (on Viki) and man did they all pack a punch! I've never seen this ML or FL before, but they were perfect. Add an adorable child actor and superb! Action, romance, humor, plot twists... it's all here! The description doesn't do it justice. One or two small things introduced that were left unsaid to drop it from a 10 but otherwise awesome!!! Just hit play and enjoy!Was this review helpful to you?
Fun
This was so much fun, short, to the point without fillers, overly annoying characters (okay one slightly annoying)... It offers us a bunch of interesting characters some more or less predictable twists, and moments of surprise not so much twists more of that is not how this trope usually goes type of deal making this a highly enjoyable watch.The male lead is the cutest guy ever, the way he expresses his lust and feelings is outstanding and very gifworthy.
The female lead is pretty cool, she has some moments of "oh come on", but she is lovable and interesting.
The villains are surprisingly well written and have more depth than one can expect in shuch a short drama. The kid in this drama is a great shipper, the friends and other supporting characters do not steal the show and assist the story just right.
Short as this drama is, it left me satisfied, not that I would mind more episodes, I felt like what was needed to be said was said wrapping the story up well. It is not high quality, nor is it some kind of low budget masterpiece... But it is definitely a drama I recommend to most romance lovers out there.
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Great Chemistry!
First time watching Ryan Cheng in a short drama and I agree he and the FL had great chemistry.I have watched Ke Ying in a few dramas before and she is a good actress.
I like short dramas because they are not draggy and the misunderstandings or the problems are solved in no time. It was a great watch and we got a little bit of action, romance and comedy.
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What do you expect is unexpected
This is the very first time watching Cheng Lei drama and i just hooks with this talented guy. Who know after this drama, i watch his two drama (The Legend Of Female General and Shadow Love). Long short story, i found this drama through the female led (which is come from the drama Perfect Match).I love the story, something fresh but wish this drama upgraded to film because its worth it. They should make it bigger. If this drama is upgraded to film, i humbly wish they maintain all the casting.
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Short but really great!
I will need a man as smitten with me as the male lead was with Shi Qi, please. Their romance was so sweet and occasionally funny, I really enjoyed this little gem. The story is simple, but exciting. The cinematography is beautiful, and the settings as well as the costumes don't disappoint either. This was just really great, I'm happy I watched this! I loved Cheng Lei in >My Journey to You<, and he was just as great here. His character was such a green flag, I loved it. Overall, I would watch again if I need something good and quick!Was this review helpful to you?
My ideal drama
What I liked:1. 18 episodes under 40 min a piece
2. Humor,romance, and plot twist.
3 To the point and not dragged out.
What I didn’t like
1. The ending was not as I hoped
Last thoughts
Would like to see more dramas like this short and to the point. This drama proves studios don’t need to create 40+ episode dramas to convey a good story. It would also be good if the episodes were less than 40 minutes too. You can watch a episode while prepping for school or work.
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Often cited as the best mini ever and with reason, it's lightening in a bottle
My first mini drama. Before trying it I was very skeptical of these soapy chinese shorts, I saw them as cheap cash grabs with superficial plots, but after finishing Familiar Stranger (and some other recs like Maid's Revenge), not only was I completely hooked but I realized they are kinda genius : the format allows them to be cheaper to produce overall, but it doesn't mean they can't be gorgeous, sharp, and well played by talented but lesser known actors, giving them an edge. Also they are less affected by censorship, and can be more daring (read : smuttier) than longer shows. Familiar Stranger is one of the best. As is the case for many shorts the plot is very far-fetched (a painter in search of her long lost sister gets cursed and wakes up in the body of the fiancee of her one true love) but it works. It's wonderfully directed by talented Zeng Qing Jie, Ryan Cheng's hotness is next-level, him and Ke Ying's scenes have a memorable sensuality. It also has a very chaotic secondary couple that I found at times even more compelling than the leads, but their ending was frustrating. That's the only shadow in an otherwise perfect picture that I will revisit.Was this review helpful to you?
Twisty Face Swap
For a miniseries, this is really one of the good ones with little plotholes and superb acting. It doesnt look cheap either. It’s the first series of Ryan Cheng that i saw he finally kept his shirt on, but so far, he hasnt managed to get away from the general role. Guess he just has the face and physique of a formidable man of the battlefield, though on this one, the setting is mainly in his mansion instead of the battlefield. There’s only 10% action, and the rest is drama. Okay by me even though im an action fan, because the storyline is interesting and solid.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
"A Familiar Stranger" is a face swapping drama. Shen Qin had an arranged marriage with Han Sheng, but since she had no interest in marrying him, she set a trap for Shi Qi, a young artist who is invited by Shen Qin to paint a picture in exchange for information about her sister. What Shi Qi did not expect was that Shen Qin would perform a magic trick to swap their faces and thus escape the unwanted marriage.It's a light and easy to watch drama. It was the first time I watched such a short cdrama, with 12-minute episodes. The story develops more quickly, especially the romance, and that was great, because we basically see them as a couple throughout the drama, but the rest of the story was left aside because of that.
The focus was really on Shi Qi and Han Sheng, on their relationship and on Han Sheng discovering the truth about his real wife, but everything about Shen Qin and Zi Heng was left in the background, as well as the whole situation of the prince's death. I think they could have added a few more episodes and that would have resolved everything.
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A Chain of Face Swaps
While looking for her sister, Shi Qi woke up to find her face swapped with Shen Qin using a dark magic and blackmailed by Shen Qin to take her place in marrying the powerful general, Xiao Han Seng.Despite the peculiar plot of face swaps, there is an ample amount of suspense, romance, humor, and mystery to keep you hooked. The story was well-written and well-paced with a mind-boggling yet comedic plot twist in the end. Compared to other short web series, this one definitely stood out! The chemistry between the leads were also full of passion. Cheng Lei and Ke Ying delivered indeed. Cheng Lei stole the spotlight for me with his micro-expressions. I do wish they did Cheng Lei's hairstyle and makeup differently though.
A Familiar Stranger definitely made it to the top of my list in terms of short web dramas. This drama is the type of drama that you would start with no expectations but leave you hooked and engaged. A surprising find indeed!
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