Really enjoying this drama but my one small personal ick about the ML is tends to kiss her first to get her to stop being upset and then do the talking / apologising after (their first kiss, and now the fight in episode 25). I know it's supposed to be romantic but it would drive me insane in real life if a man tried to do that to me. Hello, I'm trying to talk seriously here and you're too busy trying to make out rather than solve the issue !
I feel like it's not often in a drama like this that I am as invested in the SFL as I am in this-- the actress has done such a good job and I look forward to see how her story progresses.
I can't watch two dramas with the same ML similtaneously because it's distracting but I don't know which one to watch first, this or The Unclouded Soul.... I think this description attracts me more but the other series is further along so I could finish it sooner. Anyone watching both have an opinion on the tone / quality / chemistry of the two dramas?
I love her relationship with her younger cousin- the kid is a great balance of street smart enough to pick up on social cues + loyal enough to make moves to protect her + but also not the overly nosy type (I hate when a drama has a bff or sibling who is always unecessarily inserting themselves in the leads' business).
Her college friends suck. I can't believe none of them intervene / say anything whenever Rongrong is blatantly putting the FL down. I know she can stand up for herself and does, but I could not imagine sitting by and watching that happen and then remaining friends with someone who treats someone I care about that way. I am enjoying watching our FL (aand now ML) rise above, and get a special sense of satisfaction whenever I see the SML look particularly heartbroken about it.
Was it really hot when they shot it? Because I saw sweat dripping off He yu’s face several times.
I kind of love that detail because it can take me out of drama when the characters (ML especially) look unrealistically set with hair and make-up 24/7. Meanwhile the ML in this drama is out here genuinely sweating while doing manual labour feels more realistic (and attractive but maybe that's just me 😳)
I can't believe they've gone to 1 episode a day right in time for the plot actually slowing down so much, it's taking away from my enjoyment of the drama. It's hard, pre-reveal every single episode had intrigue and heart stopping moments and I'm sure capturing that same energy when everything is all out in the open would probably be difficult... But I wish this post divorce era at least tried to keep up some of the depth of emotion and tension between the leads cause right now it just feels like things are getting a little silly and the plot is barely moving... I like romcom vibes usually but here it feels like the drama was really building towards something and now there's no emotional pay-off? And it's all so anticlimactic? Maybe toxic of me but I think I think I wanted a least a little angst and tension (conversational minefields and dramatic fights, maybe some vulnerability and even tears, exploration of the MLs effed up family dynamic and past grief etc.)
Maybe my hopes were too high but I hoped based on the tone and aesthetic of the dramas first half that post-divorce we would find a romantic chemistry between the leads which felt like... emotional yearning and sexual chemistry but I'm not feeling much chemistry at all atm. Maybe that's all still to come and these middle episodes are just killing time though.
I love how much our leads treat each other like equals. So often in these ancient cdramas, even though the female character is supposed to be a badass there's always stages where she's being one-upped, manouvered around, or the ML is trying to forbid her from doing something. I love that they argue and disagree with eachother but ultimately, they respect eachother enough to try to talk out their POV and otherwise let the other one do whatever they intend to do.
(Also his calm "You had a nightmare?" when she wakes up and tries to stab him in the neck...now that's romance folks)
Okay I'm midway through ep 2 and this drama is very over the top dramatic in acting style (I usually prefer things more down-to-earth but hey. Definitely the directors intention because we've seen CZY pull off modern slice-of-life elsewhere). Still entertaining and aesthetically fun to look at! I also think the FL is doing a great job -- despite being a weak amnesiac at this point she's embodying the physicality of a warrior / assasin well. Her first confrontation with the ML , she kind of reminds me of a big cat, like a panther in human form. Which makes sense, because she's got no memories but still has the instincts of a predator.
How would people summarise the "tone" of this show so far? I like to know what I'm getting into before I watch and I can't get quite get a feel based on the description + tags. Tense? Angsty ? Slow and slice of lifey? Dramatic and satisfying like a revenge drama?
I'm going to be bummed if this ends with them waking up in their old life -- with his friend having died + her family less successful etc!! Praying that if they need them to be in a coma to get around chinese cencorship that they just ... stay in the coma and live this new life or something.
In other news it's a shame it looks like the show will set her brother up with this awful awful ex best friend. Her brothers great, and that girl isn't just shady, she's actively plotting against our FL for no good reason!
This is how I understand it based on the novel. JQX has always been a loner. He’s part of the Qunshan group…
Hmm I get that but if YT is that important to him, he surely knows the other guys can pass on a message to her to say he's okay and he's sorry he can't be in touch? I think I just have to accept that as a plot hole though!
Also in that case I kind of wish the drama had done a better job of making him seem like the more stoic loner type at this new school and capturing the distance he feels towards all classmates. I feel like as a viewer it would have made him seem more mysterious / intriguing as a male lead? So far from the outside the show just makes him seem like any other basic guy, who gets along with that annoying girl and the other male friend just fine. I'm probably talking prematurely and when the show reveals his perspective he'll feel like a deeper character who we as the viewers misunderstood- but I wish the show established more intrigue around his personality now to keep the viewers who don't know the novel (like me) more hooked.
I'm enjoying this show but it's a shame it's slowed down on episodes a bit during a time the ML is awol and we're just getting petty bullying from the girl who likes him- dragging out the annoying parts of the drama!
I also feel little connection with the ML so far. I understand why he couldn't call her for years but why act like strangers to her friends when they moved to his school? Is it so hard to act like normal classmates with them, and then casually pass on a message in a hallway? And letting gossip about her run rampant once she arrives, is it so hard to tell your friends not to be assholes? Maybe in later episodes we'll get more from his perspective that justifies everything but at the moment the show is acting like they have an epic love + the MLFL have solved their issues and relationship is all fine but personally I don't feel it yet so it's hard to feel invested... In typical SML syndrome I currently like Yu Qiao better but that might be my personal bias towards the loyal bff character 😅
Maybe my hopes were too high but I hoped based on the tone and aesthetic of the dramas first half that post-divorce we would find a romantic chemistry between the leads which felt like... emotional yearning and sexual chemistry but I'm not feeling much chemistry at all atm. Maybe that's all still to come and these middle episodes are just killing time though.
(Also his calm "You had a nightmare?" when she wakes up and tries to stab him in the neck...now that's romance folks)
In other news it's a shame it looks like the show will set her brother up with this awful awful ex best friend. Her brothers great, and that girl isn't just shady, she's actively plotting against our FL for no good reason!
Also in that case I kind of wish the drama had done a better job of making him seem like the more stoic loner type at this new school and capturing the distance he feels towards all classmates. I feel like as a viewer it would have made him seem more mysterious / intriguing as a male lead? So far from the outside the show just makes him seem like any other basic guy, who gets along with that annoying girl and the other male friend just fine. I'm probably talking prematurely and when the show reveals his perspective he'll feel like a deeper character who we as the viewers misunderstood- but I wish the show established more intrigue around his personality now to keep the viewers who don't know the novel (like me) more hooked.
I also feel little connection with the ML so far. I understand why he couldn't call her for years but why act like strangers to her friends when they moved to his school? Is it so hard to act like normal classmates with them, and then casually pass on a message in a hallway? And letting gossip about her run rampant once she arrives, is it so hard to tell your friends not to be assholes? Maybe in later episodes we'll get more from his perspective that justifies everything but at the moment the show is acting like they have an epic love + the MLFL have solved their issues and relationship is all fine but personally I don't feel it yet so it's hard to feel invested... In typical SML syndrome I currently like Yu Qiao better but that might be my personal bias towards the loyal bff character 😅