Sandy Prater

If they feel like they will get retribution they would have. Not in the corporate world, obviously, but I've seen it happen with military spouses b/c there are rules of conduct to follow. It's all about potential gains.

Hometown CCC is a great series. If you haven't looked into the details of the allegations, try to watch it (all episodes have aired) before finding out any more because the entire post "A" wrote contains things that cannot be unseen.

She uses the term "forced" but details more of what would be considered manipulation. She stated he told her that if she had the child, their relationship would be over, his career would be over, and he would never love the child. He also promised that if she had the abortion, he would make it up to her by marrying her in two years.

She claims (and bear in mind it's all been one-sided as he's responded with an apology but no clarification) that the penalty was a lie he created to manipulate her into having an abortion. She says he also claimed that he didn't have the money and if his acting career was ruined, his parents would be living in the streets. She also includes some pretty skeevy details/accusations stating that he initiated the unprotected intercourse which resulted in the pregnancy and paints his personality as one that is a stark contrast to the image he projects.

I doubt it. Someone on another site shared the ex-gf's full internet post, and it's pretty awful stuff and has been circulating and easily accessed in Korea. Even though it's one-sided, his apology gives it credence (whether that's wrong or right is up to each to decide). Like after I read it, I couldn't even watch his performance in Hometown CCC, which I happened to have opened in another tab for some leisurely rewatching. The drama still gets high ratings for me, but the woman's description of his actions have me just too grossed out. I don't support cancel culture, so I don't support calls to pull him from shows and whatnot, but I can't see him as a romantic lead anymore. However, that's my personal hangup and not one I'm encouraging any others to follow.

It's sort of scary what the internet can dig up. I use to be the type of person that discounted these things, but there's been some weird stuff popping online that have turned out to be true. Probably the weirdest is the Arnie Hammer scandal. Who in the world would believe the Lone Ranger was into extreme bondage and cannibal/rape fantasies? I was shaking my head and near laughing until it was later verified. Or that weird scandal with the Mr. Queen actor where his girlfriend dictated his movements on set to prevent him from even touching his female co-star. Like this stuff is out-there crazy. Hope it's not true, but if it turns out to be a fact, it will (sadly) not be the worst thing to get exposed this year. smh

I'm not a fan of cancel culture, but I have to admit that if these rumors are true, I won't be able to watch him in a rom/com again. Not as some sort of punishment but just b/c I can't shake the accusations that he's a jerk from the image projected on screen. He did nothing criminal, and he's a good actor - anyone who wants to continue enjoying his performance should do so. I'm just one of those people whose mind just can't ignore these sort of things. I don't expect actors to all be Mary Poppins in real life, but when stuff gets exposed, it's no different than if it was a neighbor or a friend - it colors how I see them. No one should have their dirty laundry aired (unless they violated a law) but alas the internet has pretty much ground down privacy to a sliver of what it once was. Hope it's not true though. He seems so nice on the bts clips of Hometown CCC...which I had been rewatching my favorite scenes for the umpteenth time until I stumbled across this hot mess. (sigh)

Would the censorship in China (which seems to be tightening these days) allow for reincarnation and transmigrated soul plots to be played out? Legend of Fuyao and Story of Minglan were both transmigration stories that had that element completely taken out of the plot. I wonder if To Be a Virtuous Wife - which is the novel you mentioned that I am most taken with - would be the same without that element. I suppose they could go with a amnesia or doppelganger switcheroo, but I don't know if it would be the same.

I wish she would do another historical drama, but she's got a very modern look that doesn't get cast often in the more delicate roles that are written for period pieces. Her performance in Oh My General was outstanding - I absolutely love that drama - but it's a very unique plot that doesn't come around often.

I was just about to post the same thing. Other stars, especially those who are riding their initial wave of popularity, star in as many dramas as possible, but she puts out only one or two per year. I really would love to see her in a historical film too.

I've dropped and rewatched a few and really enjoyed a couple upon second viewing. The latest one is Count Your Lucky Stars. Dropped it originally because (and I know this is a bit shallow and arbitrary) I didn't like how the ML talked - sort of a low mumble. Also not a fan of fashion world plots, especially when the fashions look rather like cheap prom dresses...getting Pretty in Pink flashback as I type this. However, after I dropped it, clips kept popping up on my Youtube stream. Saw a couple of them and gave it another go. Ended up loving it. Not all second chances go smoothly though. Had the same experience as you with Nirvana in Fire. The hype around this show was so large that I tried watching it again. Even felt a bit bad that I didn't like it - as if my plebeian brain wasn't sophisticated enough to appreciate what everyone was touting as a cinematic darling. In the end, I just accepted that it's not my cup of tea.

Problem is that most of these dramas are filmed before the scripts are finished, so their decision to cancel was based on both the boycott and to save themselves the money from having to filming the rest of it. Even if they could get it to air on an international platform like Netflix, it would be incomplete.

The writer does Rom-Com really well (those early episodes were golden) but is repetitive (how man times is she going to trip?) and does NOT do complex dramatic subplots well at all. The writing really started suffering mid-episode 27, and the last two episodes suffered in both production quality and writing - like really, really bad. However, the core love story was still pretty solid, and since that was the draw for me, I have to say I still loved it. Chemistry between the leads was excellent, and I love them both. They're good actors and very likable ones too. Wallace just exudes gentle romance, and Seven Tan has that girl-next-door vibe that I really love. Together, you just can't not want them to be a couple and find happiness.

Yes. I felt bad for her as well. Some people were upset (in the Viki comments) about Shiyi gently telling her that she went about things in a wrong way - because she was dying and they thought it was cruel. However, I saw it as Shiyi trying to have Concubine Qin come to terms with her actions so that she could die without grudges and be reborn into a better situation in her next life.

I look at the male leads in the Story of Ming Lan and Sword and the Brocade as fire and ice. Gu Tingye was ostracized and schemed against by his family and never had their love. Due to this, he lived his life as if he didn't care about anyone's opinion and was wild and raging with emotions until he met a woman who gave him a sense of home and family. Whereas with Lingyi, he had the love of his family - so much so that he was overburdened with responsibility and became cold and closed off as he felt he had to live his life for others. His love for Shiyi taught him that it was okay to want things for himself and how to balance duty with emotions.

I love the wit in that script, but I have to admit that emperor really creeped me out. He had all those women (even the Empress with whom he was in love with) and still wanted the FL and basically used his authority to steal her from that other guy. Though Lingyi had concubines, it never rubbed me the wrong way like Yanxi Palace did because he never deliberately added to his harem and was emotionally faithful - though technically he could have slept with the others and it not be considered cheating by the customs of the time. Heck, early in the drama, Shiyi probably wouldn't have minded at all since that would have taken the heat off of her. LOL He even insisted that Shiyi be willing before he married her and tried to dissuade Yuanniang from recommending her as his second wife b/c of her age and not wanting to trap her in a potentially loveless marriage. Kudos to his character for caring. Weird how in the one I was like "ew" and in this one I actually liked the dynamics of Lingyi's household and to see how it would all work out. I blame Wallace - he's just too likable doggonit. <3

Hard to say b/c everything is subtle on her end. He falls quick, and it's very obvious through his actions and then that scene in episode 20 when he admits aloud that he's never felt this [love] way before. I think Shiyi knows and accepts her feelings for Lingyi in episode 27 when they kiss. Not only is the kiss like stepping over a threshold (basically, she's giving up her plans on escaping the marriage and living an independent life like her mentor Jian), but she admits to feeling bad about coming into the marriage with ulterior motives whereas Lingyi has been sincere with his affections.

I can't nail down when she realizes his feelings for her are sincere though because it's a build-up of little things, starting as early as episode 9 when he defends her after Madam Luo chastises her for being clumsy and crude. After that, she just starts noticing that he helps, trusts, and protects her at every turn and is appreciative of that fact. She knows he respects and cares for her but as for being in love...hmmm...going to go back to episode 27 and say it's when he recites the poem from the heart-to-heart lanterns about wanting to grow old together. It could be earlier than that, but that episode is when she really admits it to herself.

I don't know the ML's age exactly. In the novel, Lingyi in his late 20s, but I think they were going for mid to late 30s here. Technically, he could be much younger since people got married very young back then, but in casting Wallace (who was 45/6 when this was filmed), I'm thinking they were shooting for 36-ish as he can pull that off but not 20s. As for Shiyi, when she and her mom return to the Luo household and she visits Madam Jian, Jian mentions that it's not surprising Shiyi's family summoned her back from exile because Shiyi was 15 now and of an age to be married. Add in a year for Lingyi's mourning period, and that puts Shiyi at 16 or 17 when they got married.

For me, the writing started taking a nosedive mid-episode 27 but got ridiculously bad in the last three episodes. Still love the drama b/c it was never about a sea ban or any of those other subplots for me - all about the romance, and the romance held up well even amongst the bad writing.

Timeline for the relationship. Because people keep saying "it's been 2 years" and I'm like ?!?!?
Spoilers below:


Yuanniang dies and LingYi observes a one-year mourning period. Shiyi and LingYi are engaged at this point but not married and do not interact with each other.

LingYi and Shiyi are married. At this time, there is a scene showing Danyang complaining about being related to a concubine born daughter, and her husband tells her not to get upset because she is just recently pregnant. I pretty much use her pregnancy as a clock to see how much time has passed from here on out. When Shiyi is sent off to the village b/c of the zodiac issue, Danyang is experiencing morning sickness, which is usually in the first trimester, so I estimate she's about 2-3 months along when this happens.

The kiss happens in episode 27

There's maybe a month of separation (it takes a good bit of travel for him to get to his destination and then back to rescue her). It's mentioned that 10 days have passed when Lingyi arrives at the village he's inspecting because the maids are concerned that Shiyi has been working non-stop for that amount of time due to her guilt.

After the reunion, some more time is needed Lingyi's wounds to heal

Touchdown at episode 35

Danyang doesn't give birth until episode 36. The labor is triggered by events so perhaps is even early.

So this gives us the following:
About a month for LingYi to fall in love - though it seems he's smitten within days. Boi fell hard! LOL

3-4 more months for Shiyi to realize she loves him back and give up on her plans to escape the marriage once her mother's killer is found (convo with her maid after the festival). Bear in mind all the subplots that had to be worked out between that time and LingYi's business trips. Also their first kiss.

1 month of separation

1-2 more months (mostly b/c Lingyi's wounded both physically and emotionally) before they consummate their relationship - though this could be sped up depending on how early Danyang's delivery was. Total of 6-7 months from start to finish.

That's not a huge amount of time for someone to fall in love, give up their life's dream of independence, and commit to a relationship they were never planning on staying in.

Yes, he has held up amazingly well!!! It's weird though b/c his face in this drama took on so many different looks. In some scenes his face looked super lean and his nose rather prominent. Towards later episodes, it started to look a bit puffy. In earlier scenes, such as the hero shot in episode 1 and also for most of the visit back to the bride's family, he looked super young (like in his 20s) whereas in others he almost looked his age. I don't know if it's the lighting or makeup, but I found it all very inconsistent. Still handsome though.