Yes, and To The Wonder opened at 8.5 before skyrocketing to 9.4 settling at 8.8 from 100,000 ratings... (Loved that little gem, myself; I had taken it as an interlude between JOL S1 and S2 which need to be watched one after the other - had missed JOL back when - , and got hooked so started later than folks here, but am catching up probably tomorrow for up to date.)
Personally, with the dedication of return team, interesting story script and dialogues, and fireworks of jokes and play on words (even if some are very basic), I'd have awarded it at least an 8. I'll just give it a provisional 10 on MDL (can always change that if it really disappoints me - not yet).
Completed info about this mini series in the TO THE WONDER - Notes, above in the Discussion section. Illustrations, background info, BTS links, Music links, you have it all. Of course one can watch it naively, but it is also worth it to read for more info. Anyway, it is beautiful and worth the time spent on it.
Commenter on a c-drama news channel who is usually well informed and reliable. Sometimes, she recommends to me titles, which can be better suited to my varied tastes than the YT algorithm which is also flooding me with cdrama alerts lol Despite we do not always watch same series. She missed out on the excellent To The Wonder (8 episodes on iQiyi) that garnered up to 9.4 rating on Douban last week. I clicked on it randomly on the app and was hooked. So beautiful.
According to Peggy Tanaka, this should air on May 22. i.e. tomorrow. She recommended it to me together with Fox Spirit Matchmaker, that airs on 23... So, I am checking the page :) I am already much occupied with Joy of Life S2, so it will be a tough choice lol
Thanks for your point. You're totally right! Unfortunatly, heat index advantages some "type" of dramas. Longer…
Thanks. :-) I hope the good quality of that mini series will be more widely known. I just noticed that it was not easy to access its details on dramawiki ! I had initially looked for it using its Chinese name, so found it, but in English, special attention to upper case and lower case must be used if looking for it directly : it is listed as To the Wonder (so "to the wonder" or "To The Wonder" or "My Altai" "My Aletai" direct translation of original title return a blank... Not surprising it falls in between the cracks for some who only heard about in passing. Have a pleasant week and enjoyable drama watching, and thanks for your heat indexes watch!
The rumored ML is William Chanhttps://x.com/forcdrama/status/1792170717657846072?s=61&t=Yrnxdn_o0bTsrl4_ZPwY7g
A new urban drama to start filming in June? Let's hope that melon will bring us more juice, although William Chan is not my crush (eeeh dear Rosy made all her leads shine in former dramas, and particularly so Li Hongyi, Liu Te, Ding Yuxi, Yang Yang, Wu Lei, Chen Zheyuan, surely Liu Yuning again, so who knows? Maybe William Chan could achieve a more romantic image now than his latest firefighter or Novoland prince one, if this project is carried out satisfactorily.)
There is some dearth about project news from some actors and actresses, including ZLS, and a glut from other ones... But we keep posted with her latest sweet song, that's already something to appease ZLS cravings momentarily ?
I'm fickle : going back to watch the mammoth Joy of Life 1+2 after having been thoroughly fascinated by the marvelous 9.4 Douban earning short gem To The Wonder (8 episodes with not very well known cast, but all highly commendable). While keeping an eye out on Rosy news and a few other ones too, in pauses.
Thanks for these links, too. I like the Chengdu page! It also featured down in the thread an interesting how-to snippet for Wechat users to easily link their overseas phones and international bank cards to access the Weixin pay feature in China and thus facilitate mobile payments there. New feature added since April to allow spend-power "up to 15000 Rmb" lol
I think the case of To The Wonder (#13 as of May 18, 2024) is special and unusual. If it had been longer, it might have risen beyond the heat index 7500 or even higher, in my opinion. "Some popularity" based on this index is a little inappropriate now : The Douban rating is more appropriate for it, since it rose steadily from 8.5 on May 10 to a staggering 9.4 on May 16! Despite that for length reason, and airing dates, it only made #7 on aggregate number of viewership in the week May 6 to 12, 2024, it is already expected to stand at #1 among the TV series viewed in China for the week May 13 to 19. Just after final airing dates...
Of course, I didn't expect it would be able to compete with very long dramas, that slowly gather heat over more than a week, or extremely anticipated ones that benefited from much marketing and preparation: To The Wonder just appeared almost out of nowhere, without being hyped. So it's standing here is already a feat, given that word of mouth started slowly, but enough to lead to the high Douban rating.
The mini series is well worth the time taken to watch it, as those who did not drop it just because it's set in Xinjiang admitted, although MDL ratings for once are quite underrated in its case. (Usually they are way higher than Douban ratings...) The true story about the young writer living among nomads, reinforcing her skills and gifts there, while having a sweet encounter with a horse trainer and herder, and the many comedic moments in her mother's itinerant shop and elsewhere, the pranks and solutions to small and big problems, are endearing: every moment is memorable in this small gem.
Sarann has also posted an EXTENDED OST with lyrics and subtitles (1h01min31) that includes the four major songs and their backing tracks + the background music composed by Gao Xiaoyang (quite nice to listen to!) I have added that link to the Music section in the Notes. But it is not the totally complete OST since three songs on the official list (published on Baidu) are missing as well as the dance music in ep.6
Sarann posted an MV of Rainbow Brak with lyrics in Hanzi, pinyin, and English subtitles.
Four of the songs in the OST list are now also released on Youtube, so the links are added in the Music section of the Notes. There still are three that have not received single cover and recording, and the hunt is still on to find a single recording of the My Altai song in ep3 opening bath house part, and the Hey Hey Tomarey song in ep.6 dance part.
The mini series is expected to top viewership in China for the week ending this Sunday.
Agree. If I could rate over 10 I'd do it. Can't believe MDL audiences are tepidly rating it at 8.3 when difficult…
Yes, I think so too. Also, those few to rate here on MDL often came with the mistaken impression it was just an ordinary romance, so they were frustrated that it was realist slice of life, instead of their usual fix of love and kisses... There are those who praised it nonetheless but could not muster over 9.5 (what 0.5 was missing for them to get to 10, I don't know). I was amazed that it ranked so high in Douban though, because after all, many watch only that sort of sappy dramas there too. My respect for those who rate on Douban has risen a lot.
Never saw such unique beautiful cdrama. This one was perfect 10/10 for me. Highly recommended.
Agree. If I could rate over 10 I'd do it. Can't believe MDL audiences are tepidly rating it at 8.3 when difficult Douban opened at 8.5 and almost immediately climbed up to now 9.4 rating!
Episode 32. This drama is a test on patience, so I strayed To the wonder for a while instead (stray too if you need a breath of fresh air and 180° opposite this "he's chasing her who chases him who chases another while one chases all, while his wife chases him until she just got too much, while another still chases a tsundere who chases a ghost" (did I miss one?). (To the Wonder is short : 8 episodes only, but wowed those who strayed there enough that it climbed steadily, already got a 9.4 Douban rating after opening at 8.5 a week ago !!)
But since I started on Men in Love when it aired, I still hung on with a will, having fun in some small moments like beginning of ep.31 when the guys compare themselves to MG's F4 (goofy; alas they made me think more of GoE8 in other moments).
I can see Liang Jie must have been exasperated by the discrepancy of her character being "strong PE coach amidst males, not afraid to scare off thugs" who has to look insecure in front of ML and act jealous in ep.31-32 when she was maturely accepting her ex crush took a shine on her best friend forever... That script is tiresome. Hu Yitian too must have suffered there : he got a much better script with Blossoms in Adversity recently, where he showed that he can be quite lovable despite his role as "cruel prince". Anyway, I have been following both separately for a while now, so I can't hate either of them, whatever bizarre stuff they get to act, ordinary girls from now forced into marriage with overbearing princes or aloof heir, or sharpshooter managed by a troubled reporter, etc. She had more luck with The Day of Becoming You, Side Story of Fox Volant, Hi Venus, and I expect The White Olive Tree will be good too.
The music in MIL is romantic enough, I like the Zhang Yuan song and the Liu Yuning one and the Time Monologue is one that stays easily in the head.
But I am like others considering putting this on hold again, to hurry through last episodes once they're out. Straying again to start on Joy of Life S2 - 6 episodes already out although not on the international app. But Viki starts on it today for the international crowd. I used the hiatus between BIA and this date, to watch Season 1 which for some reason I had missed before. So I am back in a way at watching an "impossibly long" c-drama, adding 36 episodes to enjoy, to the 46 of previous season (there was a shortened "special" edition S1 which did not get a page on MDL, but I found it was better to see the original).
Men in Love, despite I agree it is too long (could have been cut to 24), is still small potatoes at 40 episodes. I suppose many have sped through with ff button (although myself I never do, as a principle: I test my patience).
Its never really a love triangle or anything. Its just that the ML fell for her b4 finding out she had a crush…
lol this drama is a test on patience I completed until ep 32, glad for the goofy short moments before opening credits in some episodes, esp.31 where the quartet compare themselves to... MG's F4! But one oftentimes needs to hang on with a will, be it for completionist mindset or because, warts and all, Liang Jie is a cutie and Hu Yitian can be lovable. Try to bear with it and if you like the leads don't be too harsh on this drama. It got some nice music.
OMG, the mini series has risen to 8.8 this morning and 9.4 now on Douban !!!
I added the posters in the Production and reception section of my Notes (up in Discussion section), + an illustration for the "water funneling" in the Description and Comments part 2 section, with a link to the video description of the karez system found in the province (it is not featured in the drama, but if ever you travel to those parts, this is a very interesting thing to visit). And, since the missing OST songs are still not on Youtube, I made a GIF of the women singing My Altai in the bathhouse (beginning of episode 3, on the opening credits), with a link to the episode to listen. Composer Yerboli had previously recorded a different version featuring dombula and his voice, but the a cappella group singing is very pleasant also. https://kisskh.at/discussions/my-aletai/125351-to-the-wonder-notes-about-the-slice-of-life-tv-series?pid=3051065&page=1#p3051065
ooh that's a new angle to toy with. But too many differences. Sulitan was a old "lone wolf", not in the market to use his yurt as "provision store" in the wild, I suppose. lol
2 
4 
1 
Personally, with the dedication of return team, interesting story script and dialogues, and fireworks of jokes and play on words (even if some are very basic), I'd have awarded it at least an 8. I'll just give it a provisional 10 on MDL (can always change that if it really disappoints me - not yet).
Of course one can watch it naively, but it is also worth it to read for more info.
Anyway, it is beautiful and worth the time spent on it.
Despite we do not always watch same series. She missed out on the excellent To The Wonder (8 episodes on iQiyi) that garnered up to 9.4 rating on Douban last week. I clicked on it randomly on the app and was hooked. So beautiful.
I am already much occupied with Joy of Life S2, so it will be a tough choice lol
I hope the good quality of that mini series will be more widely known.
I just noticed that it was not easy to access its details on dramawiki !
I had initially looked for it using its Chinese name, so found it, but in English, special attention to upper case and lower case must be used if looking for it directly : it is listed as To the Wonder (so "to the wonder" or "To The Wonder" or "My Altai" "My Aletai" direct translation of original title return a blank...
Not surprising it falls in between the cracks for some who only heard about in passing.
Have a pleasant week and enjoyable drama watching, and thanks for your heat indexes watch!
There is some dearth about project news from some actors and actresses, including ZLS, and a glut from other ones...
But we keep posted with her latest sweet song, that's already something to appease ZLS cravings momentarily ?
I'm fickle : going back to watch the mammoth Joy of Life 1+2 after having been thoroughly fascinated by the marvelous 9.4 Douban earning short gem To The Wonder (8 episodes with not very well known cast, but all highly commendable). While keeping an eye out on Rosy news and a few other ones too, in pauses.
I like the Chengdu page! It also featured down in the thread an interesting how-to snippet for Wechat users to easily link their overseas phones and international bank cards to access the Weixin pay feature in China and thus facilitate mobile payments there. New feature added since April to allow spend-power "up to 15000 Rmb" lol
Go, Rosy, go! She looked so good running in France !
The Douban rating is more appropriate for it, since it rose steadily from 8.5 on May 10 to a staggering 9.4 on May 16!
Despite that for length reason, and airing dates, it only made #7 on aggregate number of viewership in the week May 6 to 12, 2024, it is already expected to stand at #1 among the TV series viewed in China for the week May 13 to 19. Just after final airing dates...
Of course, I didn't expect it would be able to compete with very long dramas, that slowly gather heat over more than a week, or extremely anticipated ones that benefited from much marketing and preparation: To The Wonder just appeared almost out of nowhere, without being hyped. So it's standing here is already a feat, given that word of mouth started slowly, but enough to lead to the high Douban rating.
The mini series is well worth the time taken to watch it, as those who did not drop it just because it's set in Xinjiang admitted, although MDL ratings for once are quite underrated in its case. (Usually they are way higher than Douban ratings...) The true story about the young writer living among nomads, reinforcing her skills and gifts there, while having a sweet encounter with a horse trainer and herder, and the many comedic moments in her mother's itinerant shop and elsewhere, the pranks and solutions to small and big problems, are endearing: every moment is memorable in this small gem.
I have added that link to the Music section in the Notes.
But it is not the totally complete OST since three songs on the official list (published on Baidu) are missing as well as the dance music in ep.6
Four of the songs in the OST list are now also released on Youtube, so the links are added in the Music section of the Notes. There still are three that have not received single cover and recording, and the hunt is still on to find a single recording of the My Altai song in ep3 opening bath house part, and the Hey Hey Tomarey song in ep.6 dance part.
The mini series is expected to top viewership in China for the week ending this Sunday.
I was amazed that it ranked so high in Douban though, because after all, many watch only that sort of sappy dramas there too.
My respect for those who rate on Douban has risen a lot.
(To the Wonder is short : 8 episodes only, but wowed those who strayed there enough that it climbed steadily, already got a 9.4 Douban rating after opening at 8.5 a week ago !!)
But since I started on Men in Love when it aired, I still hung on with a will, having fun in some small moments like beginning of ep.31 when the guys compare themselves to MG's F4 (goofy; alas they made me think more of GoE8 in other moments).
I can see Liang Jie must have been exasperated by the discrepancy of her character being "strong PE coach amidst males, not afraid to scare off thugs" who has to look insecure in front of ML and act jealous in ep.31-32 when she was maturely accepting her ex crush took a shine on her best friend forever...
That script is tiresome.
Hu Yitian too must have suffered there : he got a much better script with Blossoms in Adversity recently, where he showed that he can be quite lovable despite his role as "cruel prince". Anyway, I have been following both separately for a while now, so I can't hate either of them, whatever bizarre stuff they get to act, ordinary girls from now forced into marriage with overbearing princes or aloof heir, or sharpshooter managed by a troubled reporter, etc. She had more luck with The Day of Becoming You, Side Story of Fox Volant, Hi Venus, and I expect The White Olive Tree will be good too.
The music in MIL is romantic enough, I like the Zhang Yuan song and the Liu Yuning one and the Time Monologue is one that stays easily in the head.
But I am like others considering putting this on hold again, to hurry through last episodes once they're out. Straying again to start on Joy of Life S2 - 6 episodes already out although not on the international app. But Viki starts on it today for the international crowd. I used the hiatus between BIA and this date, to watch Season 1 which for some reason I had missed before. So I am back in a way at watching an "impossibly long" c-drama, adding 36 episodes to enjoy, to the 46 of previous season (there was a shortened "special" edition S1 which did not get a page on MDL, but I found it was better to see the original).
Men in Love, despite I agree it is too long (could have been cut to 24), is still small potatoes at 40 episodes. I suppose many have sped through with ff button (although myself I never do, as a principle: I test my patience).
this drama is a test on patience
I completed until ep 32, glad for the goofy short moments before opening credits in some episodes, esp.31 where the quartet compare themselves to... MG's F4! But one oftentimes needs to hang on with a will, be it for completionist mindset or because, warts and all, Liang Jie is a cutie and Hu Yitian can be lovable.
Try to bear with it and if you like the leads don't be too harsh on this drama.
It got some nice music.
I added the posters in the Production and reception section of my Notes (up in Discussion section), + an illustration for the "water funneling" in the Description and Comments part 2 section, with a link to the video description of the karez system found in the province (it is not featured in the drama, but if ever you travel to those parts, this is a very interesting thing to visit).
And, since the missing OST songs are still not on Youtube, I made a GIF of the women singing My Altai in the bathhouse (beginning of episode 3, on the opening credits), with a link to the episode to listen. Composer Yerboli had previously recorded a different version featuring dombula and his voice, but the a cappella group singing is very pleasant also.
https://kisskh.at/discussions/my-aletai/125351-to-the-wonder-notes-about-the-slice-of-life-tv-series?pid=3051065&page=1#p3051065
Sulitan was a old "lone wolf", not in the market to use his yurt as "provision store" in the wild, I suppose. lol