CKDramaddicts

A story of hope and resilience in adversity and a joyful fairy tale in wishful thinking

There is something intensely satisfying with stories in which the underdog overcomes unimaginable adversity to succeed against all expectations. Throw in well-paced story arcs, an incredibly smart, sensible, progressive, and courageous protagonist, supported by a cast of flawed but loyal and caring friends and family members, and we have a recipe I can’t resist.

Blossoms in Adversity is a wonderful historical drama that celebrates the strength and resilience of women by putting a spotlight on their incredibly oppressive lives in ancient China through the fall and rise of the once-illustrious Hua Family. I was willing to suspend disbelief and enjoy this magical and joyous fairy tale in wishful thinking, where the value of truth and the power of good will always prevails.

The Hua family patriarch is a high ranking court official of unimpeachable integrity who refuses to speak dishonestly simply to curry favour with the Emperor. Enraged by his subject’s impudence, the Emperor exiles the Hua men to the northern borders to do hard penal labour and confiscates the family’s wealth and home. The remaining family members -- the many wives and concubines of the four Hua sons and their children (boys under the age of 13 and all the daughters) -- are left to fend for themselves. Were it not for a rustic cottage outside the city bestowed many years ago by the Dowager Empress to the family matriarch -- best friends in their youth -- the women and children would have nowhere to go.

With the exception of our heroine, the eldest granddaughter Hua Zhi, who had travelled the realm with her grandfather as a child, the remaining family members are spoiled and pampered and at a complete loss over their reversal of fortune and the harsh realities that come with it.

I was brought to tears more than once by the heartfelt joys and heartaches of this imperfect, but delightful family and their servants. I have never been so moved by the funeral of a secondary character, especially with the arrival of an unexpected, yet pivotal guest. But I spent much of the 40 episodes grinning and cheering in satisfaction and joy over the family’s remarkable successes. Despite grim family circumstances, Blossoms In Adversity is about hope. It also deftly showcases the many ways “hope” is defined for different women: independence, divorce, marriage, love -- even when they are far from ideal.

I have no illusions that the premise is filled with impossibilities. Hua Zhi, played by the lovely Zhang Jingyi (张婧仪), manages to pretty much single-handedly bring the Hua family back to prosperity -- twice -- within the short span of (but generously estimated) three to five years. I can’t describe it any better than kisskh reviewer PeachBlossomGoddess who wrote in her excellent review:

“...no feat is beyond Hua Zhi! She parleys a candied hawthorn business into a pastry and restaurant empire, picks up stray royal children, foils a few palace plots, build schools and a canal, rescues the Hua family men and even manages to find time to fall in love!”

That’s all!

Hua Zhi is a heroine for the ages, a role model in perseverance, unwavering integrity, hard work, with a sharp mind for solving difficult problems and a sharp eye for spotting potential threats and reading her adversaries. There is almost a Mary Sue-like quality about her achievements and seeming perfection. Unlike the ensemble cast of spoiled aunties, sisters, cousins, servants, and friends (such as the endearing Shen Huan) who experience great character development as they learn to adjust to a vastly different quality of life and social status, Hua Zhi undergoes the least amount of growth. Yet if she were so perfect, she would not be so stupid as to speak defiantly to the Emperor, having already previously witnessed the grievous consequences of doing so -- not only with her grandfather, but with the man she loves -- Gu Yanxi, stoically played by Hu Yitian (胡一天).

Under the Emperor’s command, it is Gu Yanxi -- as the commander of the much-feared Security Bureau -- who confiscates Hua Zhi’s home and takes away the men. But it is under his own free will that he becomes Hua Zhi’s protector, confident, and love. But this free will rankles and offends the cruel and controlling Emperor, who does not hesitate to demonstrate the lengths to which he will go to wield his absolute power and force his nephew to kowtow to his will. Gu Yanxi’s strength yet helplessness in the face of his uncle, who raised him like a son, makes him a complex and fascinating hero, but one we never get to know as intimately as we do the women in the Hua family.

A LIKABLE ENSEMBLE CAST

This was my first drama with Hu Yitian, and his depiction of a stoic prince really worked for me. I’ve seen some comments criticizing his unflattering period styling and that he can be a bit flat and expressionless in his acting, so perhaps his portrayal would have landed differently and felt more stale had I been more familiar with his previous roles. In any case, Hu Yitian did an especially fantastic job demonstrating his strength as a fighter during climactic fight scenes and evoked a certain presence in this drama. It did not take long for his character to grow on me.

At first glance, Caesar Wu’s (吴希泽) Shen Qi is so honorable and immensely likable that I worried I might develop “second male lead syndrome”. Despite his high billing, however, his character actually disappears for a good chunk of Blossoms. Much of Shen Qi’s character development was done early, so by the time he reappears later in the drama, he is relegated to a likable, but somewhat flat, supporting character. It is his brother, Shen Huan, who takes a surprising turn with the more interesting and very sweet story arc with Gu Yanxi’s sister. Bian Cheng (边程), who has been acting since he was six or seven, is just 19 years old and shined in the role of the earnest but spoiled and lazy rich second son with the kind heart.

Actor Hai Yitian (海一天) delivered an effective performance as the Emperor who ruled with Machiavellian cruelty without turning him into just another two-dimensional evil character. He trusted no one, had no tolerance for soft emotions or having his authority and judgment questioned, and yet he appeared to long for his nephew’s company and unwavering trust.

Among the wonderful ensemble cast of women, Lu Yuxiao (卢昱晓) perhaps stood out a little more as Gu Yanxi’s sister, while Fu Bohan (傅铂涵) stood out the most among the cast of children as the Sixth Prince.

I derived enormous joy and absolute satisfaction witnessing Hua Zhi's preposterous achievements. It didn’t matter if it was realistic or not. (In the real world, would the men of the Hua family have truly accepted their new role as passive husbands and allowed the women to continue to handle the family decision-making? I have my doubts.) Despite these flaws -- or perhaps *because* of them -- I can’t help but give Blossoms in Adversity a high rating as one of the best dramas of the year.

NIT-PICKS AND STRAY THOUGHTS

* My biggest production beef was the unnecessary dramatic echo sound effect whenever a character said something impactful. It was too cheesy even for me and very distracting.
* Similarly, during particularly climactic scenes they would momentarily freeze the frame like a photograph on multiple characters’ faces for dramatic effect, that also felt a bit cheesy.
* The Emperor knows all, yet we never see him actually conducting any court business! How did he have time for everything and still expend so much effort on his poor nephew?
* Given how little the Emperor trusted even those closest to him, it’s a marvel his closest eunuch managed to survive his leadership!
* Was Yanxi stupid for charging into the palace? It seemed too reckless even under the circumstances.
* Pretty sure there were several consistency errors, including one where the sister was shown sitting outside her second floor sanctuary -- after it had already burned down and they moved back to the Hua Mansion.
* Large fires can take a long time to extinguish even with modern firefighting equipment, but the family’s rented city home was already a pile of smoky burnt ashes the very same day and cool enough to walk through.
* The Hua women’s flawless skin and untanned face despite labouring under the hot sun for a year building the canal was hilarious.

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Swoony, emotional, non-toxic, green flag ML, and one of the best vertical dramas

Vertical dramas are never really meant to be taken too seriously. That's the only way this increasingly popular format gets away with some of craziest, dumbest, and most toxic, nonsensical romance/revenge/sacrificial/misunderstanding plots you'll ever encounter -- recycled, over and over and over -- and still hook viewers.

I've watched a few dozen verticals at this point, and part of what makes Xin Dong Huan Qing Gao Su Wo stand out in an ocean of toxic verticals are the two leads, whose chemistry really make this "love after marriage" trope plot work. Lin Qian has lived her entire life as her family's punching bag and pawn. She obediently and demurely played the filial daughter, then becomes the docile and deferential wife to Fu Yuchuan, to whom she's been married for two years (not four as another reviewer stated). She tried to nurture a relationship with her husband, but this was a marriage arranged by Fu Yuchuan's evil stepmother, who already tried to kill him once years earlier. Because of this suspicious arrangement, Fu Yuchuan has always kept his distance and put his guard up against Lin Qian, while his brother and secretary kept an eye on her movements and investigated whether she was acting as a spy for his stepmother. They urge him to divorce once he secures his position as head of the company. Despite his wariness, Fu Yuchuan has always respected the institution of marriage and takes his vows seriously; divorce was never a consideration. The married couple has spent the last two years being polite and distant roommates; he is away on business trips for months at a time, turning the family business into a successful company while she waits dutifully at home for him.

All this changes when she receives a shocking diagnosis: she has advanced-stage cancer with only about half a year to live. With nothing left to lose, she decides to live freely as she's always wanted and wastes no time ticking off the items on her bucket list of 100 things she wants to do before she dies; she is defiant and brutally honest against her malicious in laws; she no longer puts up with her useless and spoiled brother; she stands up to her abusive parents; and she stops playing the compliant wife and plans to divorce. This sudden change in personality draws the attention of her husband who is both confused but intrigued. He can't help but be drawn to Lin Qian's new-found strength and suffer-no-fools forthright manner, and begins to care for his wife. Lin Qian is not immune to his change in behaviour either. Without realizing it, they fall in love -- two isolated islands connect and form a place called "home" -- as the epilogue describes, navigating the obstacles of an abusive family, delusional rivals, and ultimately, a disease that will invariably bring heartbreak.

Spoiler: It's a happy ending. But for a vertical, they do a pretty good job building the suspense of how this love story will end, and for the most part, viewers are generally not left too frustrated or feeling like they are being unnecessarily strung along for kicks.

This vertical also sets itself apart because it keeps viewer hooked not because it has an abundance of steamy scenes to fog up your screen, or a toxic, abusive alpha male who force kisses the female lead into submission at every turn (or worse) and somehow still gets the girl at the end. And while it has its share of popular tropes, it shockingly does not include some of the most recycled vertical plot devices: the one-night-stands, the aphrodisiac drug that someone slipped into one of the lead's drink, and virgin sacrifices to pay a dying parent's exorbitant hospital bills. The male lead is about as green of a flag as one can hope for. He is respectful of the female lead and *actually asks permission* to sleep with her. This is pretty much unheard of in verticals, where even rape doesn't stop the abusive, selfish, loser from ultimately getting the girl in the most toxic of storyline examples. To be clear, this is not weakness, but strength -- only weak men use physical strength to get what they want. And despite this wholesome, non-toxic approach, the romance is still swoony and the sexual tension is still there. Fu Yuchuan lets Lin Qian go when he knows its what she wants, while still fighting for her in his own private way. Again, this is not weakness, but strength.

I give this a solid 7.5, which for my personal ratings scale, is by far the highest I've ever rated a vertical, and on the higher end of my ratings for short-length dramas in general. (I put a 1 for music only because you can't submit otherwise, but I don't actually have a rating for the music since I watched this on YouTube, where the background music and ambient sounds are removed in the vast majority of these short-length and vertical compilations.)

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Interesting story hampered by uneven pacing...but find me a greener flag in C-dramaland!

Golden House Hidden Love is a refreshingly original and intriguing take on immortals and their secret existence among mortals in contemporary society, focusing on the mystery surrounding a man bound to a home for some two thousand years.

This is only Wang Zihao's second screen role, but at just 21, he is already demonstrating his acting potential. One easily forgets how young he is, as he is able to convey the gravitas and maturity of the mysterious and very lonely Nan Hua, an immortal who has shunned the world. His smooth, understated narration at the start of each episode also showcases his talent as a voice actor as well. Nan Hua is so impossibly perfect and idealized in every way, however, that in the hands of a lesser actor, he could absolutely be a boring or even annoying Gary Stu character archetype. Instead, he is perhaps one of the loveliest ML characters I’ve seen in a Chinese series. You would be hard pressed to find a greener flag anywhere in C-Dramaland.

Unfortunately, Wang Zihao's warm portrayal overshadows his female counterpart. Lai Meiyun started off perfectly fine as Jin Xia. But as the drama unfolded and the ML's character became increasingly likable (and frankly, almost too perfect), the FL's weaker casting became increasingly difficult to ignore. The FL's BFF Jiang Xiaochuan was also one of the most compelling and intriguing characters in the story, and Peng Bi Yao was immensely likable here, but like much of the cast, the character could have shone even more with a stronger actress.

Casting aside, the pacing of the story is unfortunately, extremely uneven, especially once our main couple decide to be together. Some story telling elements -- like the tantalizing flashbacks -- were highly effective, but they dwelled unnecessarily long on comedic dating gags that were only occasionally very funny and mostly cringeworthy. There were also some inconsistencies in framing the origins of the immortals that also distracted from the story. The mystery surrounding Nan Hua's past doesn't really unfold until the last 3 or 4 episodes when all our questions are finally unanswered one by one until the very last episode.

This drama had the potential to be great. Yet, despite its flaws, is still immensely watchable.

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A watchable and decent, but somewhat bland, historical mini drama spin on Flower of Evil

Shadows of You is like a historical mini drama spin on the K-drama Flower of Evil. Overall, it was surprisingly not bad for a mini drama and the production values were pretty decent too. It was refreshing to have a C-drama where the main couple was already married from the start. Like FoE, behind the mystery and intrigue, it's a story about trust. How well do you know the person you love most? Unfortunately, that's where the similarities end. For a fairly angsty story premise and title, Shadows of You didn't feel very angsty. While the acting was fine, it somehow lacked the passion and chemistry found in many other mini dramas, let alone FoE.

My biggest quibble, however, was the "low budget" music -- the music itself was fine, but it was the same soothing, sleepy melody (like those calm work/study music found on YouTube) throughout almost the entire series regardless of the context, scene, mood, opening or closing credits. Once I noticed it, it was hard to ignore, and I believe it hampered some of the dramatic tension that Flower of Evil did so well. (Granted, it's silly to compare a low budget mini C-drama with a high profile K-drama production!)

Overall, an easy background watch that deserves higher than the current 6.8, but also nothing to get excited about.

(Warning for those who rely on English subs -- unfortunately they are hilariously bad and confusing. :( It seems like they ran it through an audio transcriber, so words that sound similar are mistranslated, like "hua" for example -- which was meant to be "painting" (4th tone) in the drama, but kept getting translated to "flower" (first tone) instead.

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Warm, enjoyable, and well-cast (plus you get to hear Dongfang Qingcang's voice again)

I quite enjoyed this one, even though I never felt the uncontrollable urge to binge it. I really liked the cast, sets, costumes (I loved Chi Lan's gorgeous hats), and overall story, even if some of the execution could have been better.

I am normally indifferent to love triangles, but found this one really entertaining, funny, and endearing. Chen Heyi has really matured as an actor and was immensely likeable and believable in his role as the innocent and earnest prince. He Ruixian was very compelling as Chi Lan and I hope to see her take on more lead roles in the future. Bi Wenjun and Li Yitong did a solid job with the material they were given. Their characters could have easily been off-putting if the casting had been different; instead, they made them quite likable despite Han Zheng's cranky personality and Su Jiu'er's pouty moments. The ending could've been even just a few minutes longer -- to flush out what happened between the Qi and Qian people, and bring more complete closure to some of the story lines and characters -- especially given how much time they spent on each case throughout the series. Even so, there was a lot that I loved about the ending and it didn't feel rushed in the typical sense where everything suddenly wraps up in the final two minutes.

Finally, a shout-out to the voice actor for Han Zheng -- Wang Baoshun, who also voiced Dongfang Qingcang in Love Between Fairy and Devil. I am normally not a fan of dubbing and will always prefer live audio, or at least dubbing by the actors themselves, but if they were going to use someone else's voice anyway, I'm happy they picked Wang.

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Sexy romp ... if you like being thrown around like a rag doll and grabbed by the throat

If you park your brain at the door and ignore 2024 sensibilities on toxic behaviour, you could probably overlook everything wrong with this modern mini drama and be swept away by the over-the-top bodyguard romance melodrama that tries to be glamourous and sexy. It's an entertaining romp that doesn't require a lot of time commitment or brain cells, and I had to check myself and consider how I wanted to evaluate the show.

Playing to a sultry soundtrack that sounds an awful lot like Billie Eilish, Embrace in the Dark Night pushes the boundaries on what you would traditionally see in C-dramas when it comes to sexual innuendo and tension. (Pretty certain I saw a blurred wall of pink bondage/BDSM paraphernalia!) (So much innuendo! Blink and you'll miss the tongue!)

That's all fine and good, except these mini dramas have also normalized aggressive alpha male characters who make it a regular habit of pushing and pulling female lead character around like a rag doll and grabbing them by the throat. These so-called "alpha males" might seem sexy at a glance, but who really wants to be constantly pinned against a wall, thrown onto a bed or sofa, held against their will, or grabbed by the throat over and over and over and over again, for a kiss? Ugh. I'm sorry, this is neither romantic or "normal".

Embrace in the Dark Night is chock full of this. Yet, compared to other mini-dramas, especially the Republican Era genre where super toxic love/hate relationships are ubiquitous, this doesn't even feel particularly toxic somehow? Maybe this is the desensitization at work. And to be fair, Xu Zheqing's character is otherwise quite protective. But the actress, Gao Rongfang, certainly puts up with a lot of choking in general (even if fake), and a strangulation scene with a villain that looked unsettlingly real.

You may have seen Jesse Ren (who reminds me a little of Wang Ziqi and a dash of Bai Jingting) and Gao Rongfang playing supporting roles in full-length dramas; their acting is fairly decent here and they certainly have enough chemistry to keep the heat level elevated.

The overall story isn't terrible for this genre of melodrama; I didn't mind the less exciting, but sweet, secondary couple; and the production values are pretty good (was it costly to film that chase scene abroad?). But the execution and script could have been a lot better. I laughed at the use of Teslas, since its hackability has been a point of contention among EV enthusiasts and security experts. I couldn't help but wonder if this was an actual product placement or an unauthorized use of the brand, lol.

Despite its issues, I get it -- viewers aren't looking for reality. Audiences want to escape into a fantasy world of amped up sexual tension and unrestrained kissing -- plot-holes and red flags be damned.

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A tropey, tear-filled soap opera with solid acting that tugs at the heart strings

If you've seen Perfect Marriage Revenge or Marry My Husband, then you have an idea of what's in store here (without the rebirth/time travel element): This is a soap opera, no question, with its requisite checklist of a wealthy family, succession conflicts and rivalry, scheming interlopers, over-the-top (yet predictable) plot developments, and of course, unexpected childhood connections. In that sense, there isn't too much that's "new" here. All three dramas are somewhat over-rated, but what sets Queen of Tears apart from the other two are the acting, production quality, heartfelt relationships, and a lovely soundtrack.

Like many Asian dramas, Queen of Tears almost feels like a story in two different acts. The first is light, filled with dark humour and family dynamics that are amusingly bananas as we meet the characters and familiarize ourselves with the setting. The pacing and execution are pretty solid and I found myself cackling out loud multiple times. The cast of characters are not especially likable, frankly, but that's okay, because we're here for the great storytelling.

The second act takes a much darker tone, as wild plots, evil schemes, angst, and endless tears take centre stage. Much of the humour is gone. Characters hit rock bottom and grow. They are tested by adversity and overcome them. The show is keenly aware of its melodramatic turn, however, as even the characters themselves discuss and compare events to K-drama plots.

Overall, the first half felt more fresh and entertaining, but I personally enjoyed the back half more for the angst and significantly warmer and more empathetic characters, even as the story dipped into Makjang territory and some plot elements (like Hyun Woo's siblings, the miscarriage, etc.) were not as flushed out as I would have liked.

Given the amount of tears shed in this drama, I was curiously not bawling alongside the characters, especially for our heroine, Hong Hae In, played by Kim Ji Won. The earlier unlikability factor comes at a cost. Hae In is so scarred by life experiences that she hides behind a cold and indifferent mask. But even when the mask finally cracks in the second half, I struggled to warm up to her. Still, as someone who is forgetful yet overly sentimental, I did find Hae In's fears and personal story powerfully poignant. With a warmer character, I would have wept an ocean of tears. Ultimately it was Kim Soo Hyun's portrayal of Baek Hyun Woo that finally made my eyes water and my heart ache near the end. While Kim Soo Hyun lacks a certain "swoon factor" for me, his immense likability and solid acting comes through in Hyun Woo.

Another particular acting highlight was Kwak Dong Yeon, who plays Hong Soo Cheol. The actor already stood out for me in a number of his previous roles, and I initially found him almost unrecognizable here as the annoying jerk brother. When we first meet Soo Cheol, he is the stereotypical baffoon - the incompetent, spoiled family embarrassment and mama's boy with no self-awareness out to beat his sister. But surprisingly, he ends up being the warmest and most passionate member of the Queens family. In the hands of another actor, Soo Cheol could simply be a supremely annoying wealthy idiot sibling. Instead I found myself feeling sorry and rooting for him.

Elsewhere, Park Sung Hoon was very effective in his incredibly unsettling portrayal of Yoon Eun Seong, especially in early episodes. Some of that chilling effect felt diluted later on, however, overshadowed by melodramatic plot developments. Even so, Eun Seong's gaslighting and truth-filled lies remained extremely disturbing and uncomfortable to watch, particularly in the way it reminded me of the misinformation and disinformation we face in the real world today.

Queen of Tears started off as a respectable 8.5 for me, but the strong emotional notes struck in the last three episodes and especially the ending, pushed it into a high 8.

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Micro drama delivers a surprisingly decent serial murder mystery

At barely an hour's length excluding credits, On the Scent is a surprisingly well-produced micro drama (relatively speaking) starring Leo Yang and Li Jia Jia. It tells a decent serial murder mystery through incredibly short arcs. Over the past year, many short-length productions have expanded from 2-3 minutes to about 10-15 minutes in length, making these extra short ones seem particularly unsatisfying and poorly made. These crumb-sized dramas can be riddled with extra choppy editing, a script full of plot holes and uneven storytelling. But as the story unfolded here, it was hard not to be a bit surprised by the relative quality, given the constraints.

This drama came out just before the "toxic Republican era anti-hero" trope dominated the mini-drama landscape in 2023, so you won't be seeing any aggressive MLs intimidating the FLs in a love-hate tale of revenge here. There is almost no romance at all - in fact, the most physical our two leads get is a comforting hand on the shoulder. Leo Yang and Li Jia Jia are nonetheless nicely paired, unravelling the mystery behind a series of murders together.

Like a number of the short-length dramas I watched back in 2022, On the Scent unnecessarily ends on last-second cliffhanger, and like those other dramas, I am not expecting a second season. In this case, however, I was not particularly bothered by the open ending, which did not detract from the overall drama. Not a bad watch for that five minute coffee/tea/water break!

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Great acting and atmospheric gangster drama lifts otherwise predictable story

Thanks to Uhm Tae Goo's swoony and gallant turn as ML in My Sweet Mobster, I decided to check him out in a different gangster role, Night in Paradise, which is decidedly the antithesis of the light-hearted romcom that aired a few months ago.

Don't let the title fool you, there isn't a moment in this drama that could be described as a paradise. Instead, I assume it refers to the darkness and brutal violence that arrives in Jeju Island, a bucolic paradise of peace and tranquility.

Uhm Tae Goo and Jeon Yeo Been are great in this dark and moody crime drama about vengeance and retribution. But the story itself is not especially original and within the first few minutes of the film, it seems quite obvious what will happen, who is behind it, and how everything will play out. But viewers want to keep watching anyway, even as each development unfolds as expected, all the way to the very predictable (yet admittedly quite satisfying) final minutes, thanks to Uhm Tae Good's sympathetic and compelling tragic figure and a script that still manages to create tension and drama.

If you can stomach the brutality and violence often found in these types of K dramas and films, then Night in Paradise is still a pretty decent watch, especially if you want to see Uhm Tae Goo in a much grittier role. My rating falls somewhere between 7.5 and 8.

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Great OTP chemistry and intriguing secondary couples/characters

This was an enjoyable period drama with a great OTP and intriguing secondary characters and couples. Execution and casting helped elevate an otherwise standard battle for the throne palace intrigue.

The chemistry between Zhang Wanyi and Wang Churan was great and their Mr & Mrs Smith dynamics were fun to watch. The romance could have been even swoonier and more passionate, however, had they not tried to inject as much romcom throughout.

CASTING THOUGHTS:
Wang Churan was ethereal when her character had amnesia and was not burdened by difficult memories, but also strong and formidable when Liu Miantang finally remembered those missing years. She was great as both types of characters but struggled a bit reconciling the two personalities into one.

While I enjoyed Zhang Wanyi's overall portrayal and acting, I found his rather distinctive voice and delivery very reminiscent of Luo Jin's style, which was somewhat distracting throughout.

I kept waiting for Shi Xueji to suddenly reveal herself as a scheming villainess and was thankfully proven wrong. Yuan Yuxuan and the writers did a lovely job with her character despite her relatively limited screen time. Some of my favourite scenes were the ones where she found such joy and delight in eating; and for a character with an uncomplicated mind and personality, she showed wisdom that was fitting for an Empress and partner to Zuyi -- who was a solid emperor, yet not quite worthy enough for Shi Xueji as a husband, in my view.

----

I'd heard this was originally meant to be a two-parter like Lost You Forever, but the powers that be changed their minds given the requisite extended pause between Part 1 and 2. If more than a dozen episodes worth of material were indeed filmed and then cut, they did a pretty decent editing job with the overall story flow and importantly, they actually stuck the landing with a satisfying conclusion. (We've all seen how these things can be butchered, and even the most solid dramas have flailed at the ending.)

My overall 9/10 rating is perhaps somewhat inflated -- I would rate it higher than 8.5 but lower than 9 if I could, so for now, I have rounded up instead.

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Carlisle Cullen finds a family, a vampire tale that falls short

A gorgeous soundtrack and Shen Zhiheng's beautiful home are the best things about Snowfall, a Republican era vampire drama disappointingly encumbered by mediocre acting and butchered edits -- likely thanks to nonsensical censorship cuts. Filmed in 2021, it took more than two years to get this series to air.

While the premise was intriguing, the mythology was poorly explained, leaving viewers with too many unanswered questions. (I suspect many of the answers can be found on the censor board's editing room floor.) What exactly is the Mo family's power, how does it work, and why are some family members unable to wield it? What exactly happened to Mr. Mo? Why did one particular character not seem to need the Blood Amber Stone? Why did they not super speed their way out of the mine to outrun the explosions?

Meanwhile, this series tried to make it into a love story, but the romantic chemistry was simply not there. Ouyang Nana's child-like portrayal of Mi Lan started off well, but became increasingly annoying and off-putting. Mi Lan may have had romantic feelings for Shen Zhiheng, played by Gao Weiguang, who distractingly reminded me of Carlisle, Edward Cullen's "dad" in Twilight, but he seemed much more paternalistic -- a stern, yet indulgent father figure or older brother. Ultimately, I found it far more credible as a story about family, and Shen Zhiheng finding his, than one about a grand romance.

Ultimately, Snowfall, for all its decent special effects and effort to look more sophisticated, was also overwrought with excessive, stylised freeze-frames and whooshing camera zooms. At the end of the day, it felt more like an extended short-length series -- and other dramas have told tighter, more complete and satisfying tales in far less time.

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Fan Zhixin delivers emotional performance in otherwise cringy, forgettable mini drama

These short-length productions are like snacks -- the better ones can be deliciously fun and entertaining, but it is rare to feel emotionally satisfied, let alone invested. Yet, Fan Zhixin's acting was unexpectedly moving (even if some might argue it was perhaps a tad too much). Watching him play such an earnest and emotional character was almost startling after seeing him as the suave, cold and ruthless Yan Xing Cheng in My Lethal Man and the disturbing, unsettling, and psychologically abusive Qin Li in Dear Liar. Fan Zhixin conveys a sense of maturity beyond his years and it's easy to forget that he was just 21 to 23 at most in all of these roles.

I'm not a huge fan of cross-world travelling mini dramas, mostly because they feel so unsatisfying at the end, but this one ranks among the better ones I've seen in this genre. I was rather indifferent to the FL, however, and the first third to half of the drama was so painful that I would have dropped it if it weren't for Fan Zhixin, who gave a stronger and more heartfelt performance than many other young actors leading a full-length series.

Childe Xie's Wine is also among the few mini-dramas I've watched that uses live audio! While the uneven sound quality showed a little once in a while, it was refreshing overall to hear everyone's natural voice. On occasion, an actor's performance is improved by the dubbing, but in this case, Fan Zhixin's acting benefited from the live audio, with viewers able to hear the way his voice breaks and catches during his emotional deliveries in the later episodes.

This would have probably been around a 5.5 to 6 for me, but I bumped it up to 7 for Fan Zhixin and hope he has more opportunities to nurture and showcase his acting skills.

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Terrible, disjointed script and direction makes for a cringy watch

I am always amazed at what gets greenlit into a film or TV show and "Love in the Kitchen" makes for an excellent (or rather, terrible) example of why.

A behind-the-scenes reel in the closing credits shows the sizable production team that made this Republican-era romance possible. The visuals are actually quite nice overall, and is only marred by an awkward, fake montage of changing seasons that ends with our main couple lying jarringly on astro-turf (you can even see where one turf section ends and another begins) surrounded by unnaturally arranged fake flowers, as fake snow drifts over them.

I can forgive low-budget (how many of us love The Untamed, despite that opening scene?), because a strong script can help make up for all sorts of deficiencies. Sadly, the script is a poorly-written, disjointed mess -- the romance development is weak and unconvincing, with no character development or arc. We constantly see the ML manhandle and bully the FL, like a grade-school boy trying to get the attention of his crush by being mean and rude. We rarely see him showing kindness in real-time -- this is only shown through a series of flashback vignettes -- making the FL's feelings toward him rather confounding. Xie Binbin's natural likability is what saves his churlish character from being complete unappealing.

The direction, packed with all the cheesiest drama cliches you can think of (the slow-mo sequences, stumbling into each other's arms, tripping into bed, repeated shots from different angles culminating into the "big kiss" (it was not)) made for such an uncomfortable watch, I almost dropped it after 5 minutes. I kept it on "in the background" and things did improve marginally from there, but again, the mind boggles at how this was ever produced and released.

In the end, most of my vicarious embarrassment was for the actors who starred in this film, especially Xie Binbin, whom I quite like. I hope they all had fun at least!

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Hilarious makjang parody that leans hard into all the tropes

As others have already noted, this is basically a long-form, multi-episode commercial for Lotte Duty Free (and also everyone's fanfiction, lol). I picked this up out of curiosity during a lunch break, because it had Lee Jong Suk, Ji Chang Wook, Lee Jong Gi, Ok Taec Yeon, Park Hae Jin, Lee Min Ho, and Kai. With a cast like this, how can one not be curious?! (Especially since it also required little time commitment.)

When Lee Jong Gi first appeared, all those dramatic close-ups and cheesy eye contact made me cringe in painful, second-hand embarassment. But it didn't take long before I started snort-laughing out loud. Whoever came up with this must have had too much fun condensing K-drama themes and plotlines into the most ridiculous short vignettes. Each episode leaned so hard into familiar tropes that I found myself cackling. Ok Taec Yeon's episode in particular really captured the hilarity of ridiculous makjang soap opera plot lines (they really blew that trope wide open in the bonus ending scene with the convoluted family tree reveal 😂). And Ji Chang Wook especially, did not mail it in, managing to somehow still deliver a swoony and convincing performance as a secret agent reminiscent of his role in K2.

It's hard to grade this one, to be honest, so don't be too deterred by the low ratings. As long as you don't take this too seriously, it's a silly romp and entertaining enough for quick "fix". (Make sure to watch the bonus endings for each "first kiss" as well. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqfqR4Lc3PK_5uULCgxLJrPLNRwx3fPR2)

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Ignore the noise, this is a solid remake that honours the beloved original

With a story as unique as this one, making it feel as fresh and original the second time is challenging. The element of suspense and surprise is gone, along with the initial magic of discovery. Any remake of Someday or One Day is already at a disadvantage right from the start; making comparisons somehow feels a bit unfair. Given this context, I thought this remake did an admirable job honouring the original material, while introducing the story to an entirely new audience.

I watched the original Taiwanese series shortly after it aired and the nostalgia and haunting beauty of what happened to our protagonists lingered with me long after the series ended. At the same time, enough time had passed that the twists and turns were a bit hazy. Watching this remake felt like I was taking the journey again -- somewhat familiar, but with different friends to make the experience fresh. There were some elements I liked better in the original and some I liked better in the remake. (I thought they did a slightly better job "explaining" the time travel element in the remake than the original, for example. (I didn't have to draw a diagram this time!))

I wasn't overly familiar with the casts in both productions, but thought they all did a fantastic job bringing everyone to life; if anything, I found myself warming up to the characters more quickly than I did while watching the original. Ahn Hyo Seop and Jeon Yeo Been both did a wonderful job portraying Nam Si Heon and Han Jun Hee/Kwon Min Ju at different ages, stages, and experiences in life.

The music in A Time Called You is perhaps the main element that fell short for me, but this isn't necessarily the show's fault -- just something that sometimes can't be helped when watching international dramas. I am not familiar with older Korean songs and don't really understand the language, so there was a certain nostalgia, mood and emotional connection that was ever-present in Someday or One Day through its music that was somehow missing for me here. At the same time, the Korean version's more polished feel may have also contributed to these missing elements too. There is a certain roughness that comes with nostalgia, because it is a feeling rather than something clear and tangible.

Another factor that unfortunately affected my experience with A Time Called Love was the somewhat toxic discussion comparing the two productions. I started watching the early episodes without thinking too much about the original and came into the comments section to express my enjoyment for the remake, only to find a lot of silly and infantile behaviour. Instead of helping people discover the joys and magic of the original through this adaption, i'm sure it turned people off instead, which is a real shame. I started thinking too much about the original while watching the remake, which made the experience less immersive and consequently less emotional, unfortunately.

If you are unsure whether this is worth watching because of all the criticisms coming from fans of the original, I would definitely still give this a chance, especially if you are new to the story. You'll be able to enjoy it without being coloured by the original. I also encourage you to watch the Taiwanese version too. If you end up liking the original more, at least you were able to still enjoy this one too without the comparison. Those who feel Someday or One Day is significantly better do make a valid point, however: that it's better to experience such a complex story at its best first, especially given the tension, build-up, and plot twists in the final episodes. (Either way, I would still try to give some time between watching the two versions so the details have faded a bit!) I would be curious to see whether some of the magic and excitement is inevitably lost when watching a retelling of the same story, regardless of the order.

Final verdict: I really enjoyed both versions and thought the casting was very good here. For various reasons, however -- and many not exactly the fault of the production -- there was a certain nostalgic and emotional connection missing for me when I watched the Korean version. Overall, still a solid remake.

(Slightly spoilery) lingering questions/thoughts:

* Based on the timeline, I didn't think Jun Hee stayed around long enough to be putting up Christmas decorations at the record store. Was this a continuity error or did I overlook something?

* Are we to assume the real person died in the 2007 car accident when NSH transmigrated into their body, since they don't seem to have any memories of the other person?

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