Always Home

A moment connected to the soul will follow us for a lifetime.

A moment might just be a period that lasts for a second, but a moment connected to the soul will follow us for a lifetime.

Every moment is like that, every second is the same, each raising of a hand, each breath, or even hours sitting still without moving, will become a part that follows a person's life, forever.

It's been so long since I watched a youth-themed film, and strangely, any film I previously watched—that I considered good—had an unfulfilling ending, to prove that youth is forever the most beautiful period in a person's life, a time where "even if we had to bathe in the rain, we would want to go back one more time." Perhaps that's why, among the forest of youth films, only "Always Home" achieved such emotional heights for me, making me feel empty after watching, feel unfulfilled, not because of an incomplete ending, but because of an ending, a process, a film, a message so complete that I felt hollow, because the ending meant the film had truly ended. And I realized that hollow feeling is what comes after watching a truly good film, one that has truly filled me, comforted me and brought me so many emotions. The film ended, and I felt lost. Perhaps "Always Home" also marks a period in my university days, and has become a part of me?

I must admit, this is a film suitable to watch while I'm in university. I see the past, I see the possible turning points in the future. Society resembles school, and also carries many unknowns, with young people standing vaguely at crossroads, vaguely striving, vaguely running. I have many questions for my future self, and so many words of advice, comfort, and encouragement for my past self, yet, ultimately, the present life is still the most wonderful. The process of growing up isn't actually the moment the clock strikes from 11:59 PM on the day I'm 17 to midnight on the day I'm 18, but the process of time gradually flowing, the soul collecting each second and minute, each choice, each action, each person around us, becoming the soul of our present self. Youth in the drama is beautifully dreamlike, making me feel empathy, admiration, and longing. But thinking again, whether youth is calm or passionate, whether young age is reckless or simply quiet days, in the end, those are still the days of youth we are living, have lived, and will live in. Youth may not be impulsive, people may not be extraordinary, dreams may only appear in dusty frames, the people we've met may just be visitors with no set date to meet again, the cycle of the universe will not stop, and youth has never stopped being brilliant, in the unique way of ordinary, mundane people who have no second version.

The characters in "Always Home" are also ordinary people like anyone else, like me, except their lives only exist in a short period packaged within the duration of a film. They existed in their lives, loved and were loved, lived the most complete life under our observation. Meanwhile, our lives continue out there, perhaps without such beautiful friendships, open career paths, a warm family, a dream love; perhaps to us, they are the lucky ones, the extraordinary ones, but who knows, to those around us, we might be such the lucky person too. The luckiest person in the end is the one who knows they are lucky; each person has their own life, a blank page is the beginning of all the colors we will paint later. Making mistakes is okay, being foolish is no problem—youth is a stage of life where if we make wrong choices, we fix them together because we're still young, we still have time. Therefore, I want to say to my future self, keep living in your youth, even if you think you've matured, don't be afraid, never feel that life has lost its meaning, you still have, and always have, enough time to fix mistakes. Mistakes are also a part of the soul, don't mistreat them, don't regret, don't resent.

Writing this long, in the end, they're just words, old stories about that childish "youth" motif. The cycle, the impermanence of the world, ultimately are all flowery words about things people often mention when reminiscing about the past and knowing nothing about the future. But that's how people operate, everyone is the same, we're all ordinary with flaws, and it's these ordinary things that make us, that make this life. Perhaps it's been a long time since I gave a film this maximum score, because I always feel everything lacks something. But if I don't make an exception for "Always Home," then perhaps I couldn't explain how my mood and emotions operate. My emotions have filled in each flaw, and I feel emotions should still play the main role in each process of my experiencing cinema (art).

So there it is, the characters have accompanied me, entered my thoughts, aroused my anticipation, indescribable emotions, joy, satisfaction, sadness, contentment, excitement, hope, nostalgia, and impression. The setting, music, plot, lighting, colors, ending, meaning... all contributed to creating a story neither short nor long, not telling an entire human life, but stayed with me for a short time, then became a part of my soul.

A youth film, nothing more, and that's a compliment.

In conclusion, I want to affirm that I truly liked the story of each character in the film, the story of their everlasting youth, of young people and those no longer young in age, of those who love and those who are loved, of those still there and those who left their souls there. Perhaps my process of watching the film was truly a special journey that I will never forget.

And, the final final word, the acting was super excellent! I believed in Zhai Xiaowen's acting from the start, but Zhou Keyu surprised me, really. I'm not describing, evaluating, or deeply critiquing each story and character in this review because I'm truly seeing all their stories as one story with a common name—love. (Though I must say I really liked the Song Tong - Du Man couple—the kissing scene truly left me speechless and I had to pause for five minutes to calm down.) Everyone's chemistry was good, from family to friends to romance, especially scenes depicting very slight stirrings, very light touches, for which I must separately praise the director for the scene arrangement, and can't forget the sound and the actors' gazes. For a film with such complex romantic storylines to be so smooth and understandable, such scenes depicting emotion are truly valuable. And really, thank you to my past self from last week who decided to watch this film despite its "roundabout" nature, because these films aren't frustrating about relationships at all.

In general, this is a beautiful film, in every way.

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A Heartwarming and Wholesome Youth C-Drama That Feels Like Home

WOW! Just finished this and what a beautiful drama it was! I binge-watched all the episodes over the past few days and it was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions! I rarely binge-watch dramas since I usually prefer ongoing ones, but with some free time on my hands, I gave this a shot. Honestly, it is one of the best youth dramas I have seen.

I am truly in awe of how wholesome and heartwarming youth C-Dramas can be.

I especially adored our main couple, Xichi and Huan’er. Their journey from strangers to neighbors, classmates, friends, best friends, lovers, and finally family was so naturally and beautifully written. Their relationship felt so genuine, and you could really see and feel how much they cherished each other’s company.

It has been a while since I have seen such a well-balanced relationship in a drama. Both of them gave so much to each other, offering unwavering support along the way. They were both walking green flags, wholesome, funny, and downright adorable. I am really going to miss them.

Another highlight for me was the parents of the trio. I do not think I have ever liked so many parents in a C-Drama before. They had distinct personalities that made them feel like real people rather than just being there as “the parents” of the main characters. It was so refreshing.

The humor in this drama was also totally my style, with no over-the-top slapstick or forced comedy-relief characters. I especially loved Xichi, as he was such a funny and witty character. But the humor did not stop with him, since his friends, classmates, and even the parents all had their own hilarious moments.

Overall, I absolutely loved this drama and highly recommend it if you enjoy youth and family-centered stories. Even though I am a romance lover and could not wait for them to grow up and get together, I have to admit that I enjoyed the middle and high school scenes the most. The university portion felt a bit superficial and lacked the depth of their earlier years. I found their home life far more engaging, which is why I think the title "Always Home" was the perfect choice. That sense of warmth and belonging was truly the heart of the story.

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The Realities of Growing Up

Honestly, Always Home is one of those dramas that completely surprised me. It’s not your typical youth romance, it’s so much more than that. The emotional depth in this show hits different, and I think it’s one of those stories that will stick with me for a while.
One of the things I loved most was the friendship between Song Cong, Jing Qi Chi, and Huan Er. These three just felt so real to me. Their bond is so natural, it’s not forced, and it feels like something we all wish we had while growing up. Whether they’re laughing together or supporting each other through tough times, their friendship felt so genuine. It’s rare to see that kind of connection portrayed well in dramas, and this one nailed it.

Then, there’s the family aspect. I can’t express enough how well the show handles each character’s family issues. It’s clear that these weren’t just background details thrown in; they’re woven into the plot in a way that actually adds to the characters’ development. You can see how their family struggles shape them, their decisions, and how they view the world. You get to understand where they are coming from, and it makes their journey all the more meaningful.

The pacing of the show overall was pretty good. It wasn’t rushed, and it gave time for the characters and their stories to develop. But if I’m being honest, I wish they’d given QiQi a bit less screentime. Don’t get me wrong, she’s important to the story, for the most part, and adds a different aspect to things, but her storyline kind of distracted me from what I really wanted to see, which was more of Song Cong and Duman finally getting their happy ending. It felt like they dragged it out too long with QiQi, and I really just wanted Song Cong to be with Duman and finally find some peace and a place to belong to.

With that being said, what really stood out for me was the relationship between Huan Er and Jing Xi Chi. Their chemistry was honestly so refreshing. From the moment they met, their connection was full of tension and these little sparks just made you want to root for them. They don’t have the typical fairytale romance, but instead, their relationship builds on mutual respect, understanding, and the way they help each other grow. It’s not always easy, and they make mistakes, but that’s what makes it feel real. They have their ups and downs, but watching them figure out their feelings for each other was one of the most rewarding parts of the drama.

Overall, Always Home is a beautiful, heartfelt drama that goes beyond the usual cliches. If you're looking for something that touches on friendship, love, and family with real emotional depth, this is definitely worth the watch. It’s a coming-of-age story with substance, and even though I wish the pacing had been a bit tighter, the emotional payoff makes it all worth it in the end.

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Family is Forever ? True Friendship is Family ? Youth is Treasure ?

REWATCHABLE 100% Im gonna miss these squads (401) (Housing Compound) (ABCDE) ❤️😭✨ I love them so much, its been a while since I love youthful and school setting. The last I love is WIFTY, And I can say its on par or Higher, hope they will be recognize and get to work together again. 🦋

I wont spoil anything because I can only say that you have to watch this. We may have different drama taste, but if you like SLOW BURN, FRIENDSHIP, ADULTHOOD, FAMILY and everything. This series has everything, I look like a monkey giggling whenever CHEN HUAN ER and JING XI CHI are together, and the friendships and families here are relatable and different but its what Family is.

I really love the OSTs 🦋🩷

10/10 🤩

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Simple and adorable story but underrated ?

The narrative is enjoyable. The casting is impressive. It portrays a simple life story reflecting the challenges we encounter in our everyday existence. The plot revolves around family struggles and the experiences people endure throughout their lives, alongside a childhood romance. I believe the story encompasses everything necessary. If you appreciate tales of high school sweethearts, then this drama is perfect for you. The lead actors are all quite attractive, and the chemistry between them is charming as usual. I empathize with the second lead, but this is Zhai Xiao Wen's debut as the male lead he have done great job. The leads chemistry also looks adorable. ❣️️ I've watched up to 17 episodes so far. It's a compelling story. I'm unsure why it's not getting the recognition it deserves; it truly merits a higher rating.

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I want to be part of their friend circle!

Let’s start with the ending (no spoiler). I personally really like the ending. It’s not one that is typical of a youth drama but one that feels so much more mature yet fun. The last episode is a big recap on all that happened in the past 29 episodes, but not in a super flashback-heavy way. The chemistry of the whole cast is evident throughout the drama but it’s especially heartwarming to see them all sit together chatting, making fun of each other, and reminiscing about the past. It makes me want to be part of their friend circle! As they face their past selves and reflect on past hopes and dreams, it’s great to see how far they have come and how much they have changed and matured.

The acting of the cast is awesome. I really had no expectations when I started it but did know “Always Home” has great reviews. I just finished watching Daniel Zhou in “A Moment but Forever” and really liked his character there. He’s even better as Song Cong, the mature and quiet straight A student. Together with Jing Xi Chi (such a fun green flat) and Chen Huan Er (lovable and not annoying FL), these 3 best friends who live in the same neighborhood, provide us with a lot of laughter, tears and heartwarming moments. Their friendship, in addition to the closeness of their parents, are what C-dramas are famous for. The three families take care of each other through life’s ups and downs. As much as I love scenes of the three youngsters, I enjoy the parents' rowdiness just as much.

Romance is slow-burn and you need to be patient. And I don’t recall seeing SO many one-sided crushes in a high school drama. However, Jing Xi Chi and Chen Huan Er have so much chemistry together. Love, love, love this couple as well as them as individuals. Their frequent banters and jokes feel natural and real. They are open and honest with each other. They are indeed best friends-turned-lovers. I might have wanted the romance to start a little sooner because they are just so adorably shy and I want more fluffy scenes. Unfortunately, the secondary romance between Song Cong and Qi Qi is not as satisfying. I don’t feel their chemistry and really don’t think they’re a good pair (maybe that’s what the director is trying to convey). Without giving away too much, what these couples go through are part of their journey to become their mature present selves.

High school days took over more than half of the drama. I would have liked to see that shortened a little, even though the high school days are the most fun to watch. College life was not bad in the beginning (especially when the main romance finally develops) but then nothing much really happened to create excitement. Not many episodes are dedicated to the adult/professional days, but I do like the message that they are not protected and sheltered anymore by their school and families. Even though there are small and big crises/events happening throughout the drama, they are resolved pretty quickly within an episode or two.

China is really a pro in these coming-of-age dramas. “Always Home” is one of the better ones in recent memory. The acting is great all around from the main cast to the veteran supporting cast. The chemistry and friendship feel natural and realistic. Despite some challenges in life, this drama is a pretty easy watch. Because I like the last episode so much, it cements a solid 8.5 for me.


Completed: 4/25/2025 - Review #569

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There is beauty in simplicity—even in ones that simply talk about home.

I have been compelled to write another review on this platform because I ended up really loving this show and I have to talk about it with someone.

STORY:

Home is the central theme of this show. It is evident in the title, and even more evident if you watch the show yourself. You can find traces of home in the dynamics of the families (within the family itself and among the little compound they live in); in the friendships, and in the relationships. There are different types of home and this show sure showed a lot of them.

The story is actually simple. It's mundane. There are no grand scheme of things. But the heart in the writing made it compelling to watch—to see where life will take the main characters and how they will grow as people.

Special Mention: Xichi and Huan'er's relationship. The writers wrote neighbors to best friends to lovers perfectly. Their dynamic is so good as best friends; and when they shifted to becoming lovers, it's even better than before. It's such a joy to see their relationship go from one level to another. They're like that classmate of yours that you know like each other and you can't help but root for them to finally get together. It's not really an "in your face" romance, but their little moments left me giggling more than I do when watching actual romance shows. Maybe it also helps that Zhai Xiaowen and Yang Xizi's chemistry is so good!

ACTING/CAST:

I have always been neutral about Zhai Xiaowen, but he was really good in this show. His acting is very natural and he really brought Jing Xichi to life. This made me see him differently as an actor and made me want to look forward to his projects in the future.

As for Yang Xizi, she has always been an actress I like. I don't know if people have noticed, but she's actually a side character in a lot of Cheng Yi's dramas. And even then, she has always delivered. This show is no different. Like Xiaowen, her acting is also very natural and she brought nuance to a character people would usually consider a Mary Sue. She is a joy to watch as the sweet and lovely Chen Huan'er. And I'm looking forward to her future projects as well.

As for Zhou Keyu and He Qiu, their portrayals as Song Cong and Qi Qi are also good. In fact, all the other characters delivered and watching this show really felt like watching a bunch of high school friends going through life. In short, the acting was really convincing.

Special Mention: The parents. Their acting? Chef's kiss. I have nothing else to say.

MUSIC:

THE MUSIC IS PERFECT. Every song fits the scene and I've been listening to that one song by CigarHan a lot. Watch it and you'll know what I'm talking about.

REWATCH VALUE:

This is a comfort show for me, so I'd definitely watch it a lot. I can't explain it concretely, but to describe the feeling I had while watching this show: It feels like going back home after a long day of work—cozy, peaceful, and definitely like a warm hug. It's a feeling that you want to chase again.

OVERALL:

This is the #1 youth drama for me now. I know a lot of people had no expectations for this show; and there are some who believe that the low expectations they had for this show made their watch a pleasant surprise. But for me, I had expectations. I was waiting for this show since the announcement of casts (mostly for Xizi) and despite the expectations, it delivered and gave more. It was a lovely culmination of my waiting. Anyway, whether you have expectations or not, I hope everyone would give this show a try.

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my new comfort drama

I wasn't planning on originally watching this drama but i did watch and completed it today. I was presently surprised by how well zhai xiao wen portrayed his character and made me cry multiple times. If my teenage was a drama it will definitely be this one like how they didn't know what they actually wanted to be i was able to connected with almost all the characters and see some of my own reflection in them. The found family trope in this drama was also giving me a lot of comfort and i am glad it got a happy ending. Definitely my most favorite youth drama so far it made me wanna experience the Chinese school system myself but we all know how toxic and competitive it really is. I am not gonna waste my teenage years and youth and live life to the fullest. I am definitely looking forward to more zhai xiao wen drama in the future

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Comfort show

This was a fantastic watch! As a gigantic fan of WIFTY and similar youth dramas, this one hits a similar spot. The combination of romance, friendship, family, and the theme of following your dreams all make for a really comforting coming-of-age show. The conflicts are all quite realistic and relatable, and all handled with great communication and not dragged out. Even in the younger years, the show never shies away from really intense and serious conflicts, and the characters handle everything with surprising realism.

I think the strongest episodes in this drama were probably the high school years, but that's what I've noticed about a lot of youth dramas. I know 30 episodes is already pretty long, but I would've loved a few more episodes to pace out the post-college years. We speed pretty quickly through a few romantic developments for the side characters, and even some moments of the leads deepening their relationship or pursuing their careers. I feel like the college and post-college years didn't have the same heartfeltness, though it did get really close.

Overall, I don't think the "friendship" theme is as strong as it has been in other youth cdramas, but maybe that's inevitable when you establish a love square within your friend group. I know Qiqi's character was frustrating to some people, I actually found her self-sabotage and loneliness extremely relatable to my own high school years. We also have a few side characters who had potential but were never quite "integrated" into the group, which I was hoping for. Still, we get a lot of great one-on-one friendship moments.

The romance is just really cute as well! This was one of the most natural romantic developments I've ever seen, probably. It was not a "I noticed you at first sight" or even a "we didn't get along at first;" instead, the leads were genuinely just family friends who got along, and gradually grew to care for each other as more than friends. Everything just felt so down-to-earth, and I'm happy to say there were no drawn-out misunderstandings and break-ups.

The drama wraps everything up pretty nicely, and we have a really heart-warming and nostalgic final episode with the full main cast. This became a comfort watch for sure.

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Slice of life bickering joy...

This is a sweet and funny easy to watch drama, packed with love geometry this drama may have you laughing whenever you hear the ABC song, hey just thinking about the letters AB and C may leave you smiling from ear to ear.

This dama probably has one of dramalands sweetest portrayals of friendships, community and youth. combining some of the best part of Go Ahead, Reply 1988 and A River Runs Though It. A fun trio with very different characters mixing
calm and smart with goofy and sporty with friendly and hard working. The three help each other grow, fall, get up again... they may not always listen to each other or actually know how to communicate with words, but they stick up for each other with great loyalty. All three are lovable and did a great job inviting us and other side characters to their world.

Besides the main traits of each character, our female lead has this sweet, week but bad ass vibe to her. Being able to both faint and kick ass in the same episode.

I think I could appreciate most of the side characters, they where there to do their job, to keep us guessing , to create slight drama, and to prolong the episode count by creating barriers and misunderstandings done pretty well. And while I cn´t say there were any really annoying characters QiQi s(He Qiu) was overly high maintenance and made me want to ship her off to a land far, far, far away. But all.in all the drama was packed with lovable characters, interactions and fun!


Or at least for the first 20 episodes or so.

After that we get a little but to much cringe, an overbearing father, a roommate with anger management issues and loss of pace. There is so much amazing tension and build up throughout the drama but once we finally get there we only get to see some sparkles and firecrackers.

Some parts are frustratingly slow others rushed, The couples have very little screen time together once they finally do get together and some couples are not even shown on screen at all leaving us guessing what type of person did this character we have come to know actually settle for. And instead of giving me proper closure the las episode gave me cringe and still shots of apartments and wheelchairs to the sound of a piano. Basically leaving me wanting more of the couples, more of the friendships, more bickering, more adulthood and the twist and turns of adult life....

All thing that made me lower the score from a 9,5 or even 10 to this generous 8,5 star rating.

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Literally the name

(idk if this counts as spoiler so please lmk if it is)
I thought it was very cheesy and simple at first, but after completing it, it really is not. It makes you realize what a real home is. You don't need an extraordinary story to catch attention.
I actually started this drama to escape reality, but it brought me back to it in the most heartwarming and motivating way.

A complete story with all different sides and experiences in life: Joy and sorrow, gain and loss ("loss is just a loss" hit so hard), success and failure, imperfection, pain, different kinds of love and all basic feelings that no can't not go through them, hard work, acceptance, self-esteem, trust, being true to self, youth, age, self development..... Ik I said too much but I'm not done, no words can fit all the description for this masterpiece, a real youth slice of life, made me live each moment of it, it is quite realistic(except meeting 2 handsome guys at once and becoming besties TT), you don't need a strict happy ending with everyone laughing like crazy, it's life, it goes on there are bad days just like there are good days, just cherish what you have and don't loose yourself, it'll be okay.

I'm not really good with words so it's a bit chaotic, but I wanted to express what I feel freely, this drama made me realize so many things, and I hope it will for you too when you watch, or it prob did if you've seen it already?
(Actually, I was going to write only a comment with the line on top, but words are going out alone😭)
I refrain from giving cdramas 10s as I felt they needed more improvement and that I exaggerate before, but this one deserves it, masterpiece don't have to be extraordinary to be loved after all we're all just ordinary people who try to live our lives the best we can within our abilities.
And wherever you go, there is hole somewhere, found or yet to be found.

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