Best acting I've ever seen from Luo Zheng
Since the first time I saw Luo Zheng in a drama, I've been fascinated by his looks. That strange blend of alien and sexy. His onscreen personality seemed so odd and awkward, yet also sweet. And at the same time, he pulls off some really dark twisted comedy sometimes that's both creepy and hilarious. So many facets to his personality, he is much more than the strange sexy alien he appears at first.I'll watch anything he's in. Past few years he's managed to break out of the CEO romance ML he'd been typecast into. At first I liked this, because I wanted to see him in other roles. But his roles have been wildly experimental, and I haven't always liked them. This is another experimental drama, and it starts off confusing as hell. In fact I had no idea what was going on until maybe ep 13-15.... It's *that* kind of drama.
However, if you just let the drama take you where it's going to take you and let your logics sit back and relax, eventually these characters start to become more and more vivid, they take on more and more depth. The actors are giving really good performances, and the screenplay's dialogue is intelligent, multilayered, and psychologically adept to the point that sometimes a few lines of dialogue will transcend into something approaching true art. The settings and wardrobes are thoughtful, deliberate and restrained, as is the OST/BGM.
In the center of all this is Luo Zheng's performance, where he displays a depth - and range - of emotion that honestly I didn't even know he had in him. Especially after that one he did where he played a steelworker, omg what even was that. His projects lately have not been instilling a confidence in me that his career is thriving. But this drama is probably (so far) the highlight of his career in terms of acting. It shows he deserves to be taken very seriously, not just as a hot weird lookin CEO ML, but as a talented actor in his own right.
As much as I'd love to see him back in another CEO romance (or indeed anything that's fluffy/dark) he can do more than just that. This script showcased his abilities as an actor, but it's not the funnest watch. It's a very "make you think" watch, very artsy. I'm optimistic now about what Luo Zheng's future holds because he's shown he can take on bigger and more adventurous projects.
This would not have been possible without the FL Zhao Yao Ke and other supporting characters being able to match his pace and tone, and bring the script to life, and they did such an incredible job... If I were involved with the creation of this project, I'd be very proud of it. It's not the best drama out there. It's unassuming, quiet, it takes it's time to leave it's impressions on you. It is understated and deals with heavier subjects like spousal abuse, rage, victimhood, divorce, miscarriage, fame, obsession, heartbreak, etc. But despite not being a candidate for Drama of the Year, imo it would be a valid and interesting submission to Cannes. It has artistic merit, and it has sexy Luo Zheng giving a really amazing performance.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Scary and creepy and I'm hooked!
Wow! Terrorizing, creepy horror suspense thrill ride. For Luo Zheng fans, this is a must see. For others, I thought it was brilliant. GIving it a rare 9. Not sure why the low rating. It was very hard to follow for a while. But some brilliant stories are.Plot: FL "unreliable witness type" (she is AWESOME in this!!!!) who has memory loss (or DOES she?) is plagued by hallucinations (or ARE they?) about murdered women and suspects her husband is involved. (What's in that ROOM he won't let her info?) Husband is conspiring with therapist to keep her from remembering things -- possibly because it would traumatize her (or WOULD it?) Is she psychologically damaged? Or is it the largest scale gaslighting project in history -- involving the largest group of people in the history of gaslighting? And if she's not hallucinating, is she seeing the future or is she remembering the past? And the non-verbal orphan who draws the drawings? Does he have ESP or premonitions?? Is he possibly her son (ok, taking a giant leap on this one)? And what's with the woman at the orphanage acting all weird when the FL comes to visit the kid? And MOST importantly for Luo Zheng fans (heh heh) , how is HE involved? Clearly, from the opening credits, he's the good guy and love interest, or IS he? He definitely has his own secrets.
The cast is great; the FL is brilliant as a terrorized woman trying to find the truth; the husband) is outstanding as a creeeeeeppppy dude. I think this is Luo Zheng's very best work -- outstanding and he plays the FULL range.
The music I originally rated a 5, because it was mostly background music that added to the suspense, until the last two gorgeous songs.
Don't consider rewatch value because once you find out the mystery it takes away the thrill ride.
Was this review helpful to you?
Short, Thoughtful, and Underrated
This mini drama may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I personally found it refreshing and interesting. In the earlier episodes, you will probably feel confused about the how and why of the story. However, as the episodes progress, the answers you have been waiting for slowly get revealed.Restarted Love is definitely for viewers who enjoy deep and thought-provoking stories. It is not your usual light watch, but something that makes you reflect as the plot unfolds.
For me, it stands out as one of the hidden gems among short C-dramas. If you are into meaningful storytelling packed in a short format, this is worth giving a try.
Was this review helpful to you?
