Frost_edelweiss

There is still some time to go, before September 23, but time flies quickly.

Presently reading the book online 🤭
Looking forward to Bai Lu's next dramas before that one. 💙

I was twitching with amused incredulity about the notion that people here who know about c-dramas and actors/actresses/celebs are .... abnormal people ? And that you take your info from reddit. Why don't you try Quora as well? Although Quora people may be more interested in replying about Dilraba or other "ethnic minority" celebs. Now that AI is powering Google, you might also put your query there. This is what I got as answer to "is bai lu well known in China"

"Bai Lu is well-known in China, particularly for her roles in various dramas and her versatile acting skills across different genres. She has starred in popular series such as "Untouchable Lovers" (2018), "The Legends" (2019), "Arsenal Military Academy" (2019), "Love Is Sweet" (2020), "One and Only" (2021), "Forever and Ever" (2021), and "Till the End of the Moon" (2023).

She has received recognition for her performances, winning awards such as the "Popular Actress of the Year" at the 2021 iQIYI Scream Night for her role in "Love Is Sweet" and the "Outstanding Actress of the Year" at the 2022 Chinese American TV Festival - Golden Angel Awards for her role in "Forever and Ever".

Bai Lu is also recognized for her roles in music videos and short films, and she is the face of many national and international brands, including Michael Kors and Chopard.

However, her recognition is primarily within the Chinese entertainment industry, with limited international recognition."

I don't doubt the latter. I have family in different countries and industries, and those who are not in China or watching Chinese TV dramas or such shows, of course don't know her, just as I have no idea about who is the most well-known actress in Argentina these days, despite the recent burial of the Pope drew attention to that country. Someone called Monica Villa or Cristina Banegas who played in a story about two popes, but what was her role exactly in that movie ? Although I did watch The Two Popes in a cinema some-when around 2019, I don't remember Banegas. It's just like that : we are raised and programmed to become more specialized in interests and generally "parochial" minded, even when having eclectic interests in music or culture, lol.

I will add that being named Tourism ambassador for her birth city which is not exactly a "little one" means she got attention from people in power at different levels of officialdom... Differently but nonetheless not to be dismissed as also being an iQIYI ambassador figurehead. She is appreciated and certainly appearing not only in the golden book of alumni of her "small vocational college".

As you stated, it's been a while since she started gracing fashion magazine covers and billboards small and huge. The people who noticed her may not even have watched her dramas, but Keep Running? Probably yes.

Still, despite it was not her childhood dream profession, she is very serious about acting, always has been, is one of the few who did multiple roles (up to three characters), and not having watchers confused about them. And she is not even haughty about being a celeb, just matter of fact about being self taught and "still learning", and (unfortunately) also like so many peers, having to cope with some deluded fans and haters. She stays level headed and contagiously cheerful. Her fits of uproarious laughter have also made her famous. It's like a guarantee of sunshine to have her in a show, even if hail, snow, or rain is pouring down!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC3DmhI-3tU&list=PLO1KXMn-Zv0ImMjoFJq-ReoQmbz8OPhsI with optional English subtitles. 100x25 minutes episodes in first season.

But I have not watched everything, just did some "archaeological" digging and sampling there, lol because the show is mentioned in currently airing Keep Running Season 13, first episode of which is about Y2K. The Home With Kids "drama" was more like a show, with jingles and recorded laughter to underline funny sentences or moments, a bit like in American shows of the period, such as "Friends".

You are welcome ❤️

"Little NianNian" is Bai Lu's dog in case someone wonders. Have a look at her pets here :
https://kisskh.at/discussions/740015-bei-shang/139996-mini-profile-and-filmography-of-bai-lu-illustrated

There is now a 6hrs43'15 compilation edition on Youtube :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp8seIi91Cs
Double hardwired subtitles in English and Hanzi + optional other languages.

having a look for Dawn Chen, since I missed that one for rather delightful Rainkissed Fate with her often "best screen partner" Dai Gaozheng.

same

It does not make sense to keep the Chinese name on MDL for two different dramas and not separate clearly in two different pages. The one I was looking for was Rainkissed Fate, which I enjoyed. Dawn Chen and DGZ are such dolls!
I have zilch interest for the other title even it has "same director" but nothing else similar.

Me too, lol

Enjoy! GenZ is different in focus though, not a "perfect sweet romance" and visual trip to Hangzhou "Paradise on Earth" with flowers and positive atmosphere, visiting different hot spots like The Best Thing (West Lake of course, but also canals, views of both traditional buildings in "ancient town of Tangji", ancient Baochu pagoda and cutting edge "Golden Globe" Hangzhou International Conference Center, Olympic Sports Impression City commercial center, First People’s Hospital of Lin’an, Xianghu Xiaoyao Manor Hotel, Mengxiyuan courtyard, many well known streets, trendy coffee shops and eateries: I'll try to add some of that together with the discussion already started about the beautiful cinematography; I believe the other location, Nanjing, was for inside studio filming and such, whereas the many outside views are in Hangzhou).

Actually GenZ is much less romantic than this one, and less specific on location, filmed in "5 different regions", since it is about the growth of an unbeliever to become heiress of a Daoist-TCM sect! despite the buildup to marriage to seal the deal. Less sentimental, the drama is also showing beautiful images and the core is about the value of traditions which remain while pushed forward and adapting, not without some crises, to new times, like the waves pushing the tide forward.

I added some data and opinions in Discussions section for GenZ to shed some light on the more "arcane" stuff, maybe not well known to everybody.
https://kisskh.at/discussions/hou-lang/100789-about-traditional-chinese-culture
It is, as usual from me, very illustrated, with links to other papers, including the blog of Cho Na who recapped the selection of herbs used in The Best Thing which is also touched on but more lightly in GenZ. In that other drama, other practices of TCM are featured including chiropractic bone-setting, Qigong and together with the importance of the 24 solar terms for diet and else, including superstitions and persuasion, and the limits to healing when mental troubles are involved.

What's important to remember is that while TCM is holistic, it can indeed complement Western style medicine that focuses on one ailment at a time.

When GenZ was filmed, the cast, crew and scriptwriters were still in a country with many places under lockdown for covid pandemic, so the consequences for TCM did get addressed there as well, although not in minute details, and the background for that is also in the "companion piece" which also became a conversation about acupuncture and acupressure with a practitioner.

Thanks ;)

TWOT was tough... Not for every random c-drama watchers, should come with a watchers advisory notice for violence (like Drifting Away).

If you are curious about background stuff, I did illustrated companion pieces for both TWOT and Northward, and also two profiles for Vanda Margraf and Bai Lu who play in Northward. There are sections in the companion pieces for the music with details about singers, composers, etc, and links to listen, including the music that came in as non OST, and the bgm.
The pieces are organized with links to a Table of contents, so readers can skip to the section they are interested in, and go back and forth along the development of the story in the illustrated "characters and cast" with micro bios of actors when available. There is a section about when and where these dramas were filmed, what was notable in shooting. There is also a section showing how they were received chronologically, with the Douban rating, and the standing among 10 most watched along the weeks + testimonies, and farewell messages from some cast members.

If you want a good drama, watch Northward. But don't expect sizzling hot kisses throughout : it is a realistic slice-of-life period piece of the years 2000-2017; lauded by Nobel prize winner Mo Yan, no less!!
Or, if you want to laugh... watch Filter: very good drama with Looney Tunes vibes, and yet some serious contents on top of sweetness. It was my laughs pill while I was watching more heavy stuff (The White Olive Tree). Ah, you watched it already :) It can be re-watched...

You can have a look at my (very long) companion piece for Northward in the Discussion section of Northward page; there is also a short illustrated independent profile of the actress who plays Siyi (Vanda Margraf), and a longer one for Bai Lu (which I may come back to tinker with). Northward is a very good drama. It is no wonder Nobel prize winner Mo Yan mentioned he had enjoyed watching it !

I paused for almost two days before watching last three episodes. With another stupid but more fluffy and quick one on the side (My Boyfriend, not really recommendable though). That helped finding the last episodes more watchable.
ERL, after due consideration will get a 7.5 from me, leniently.

Then you'd better forget c-dramas in general. Scriptwriters there are overwhelmingly female, even if original novel was written by a man.
But not all are awful. After all, Nobel prize winner of literature Mo Yan did praise Northward...

hmm. I clicked on The Demon Hunter's Romance, but that's not Youku: it's iQIYI/WeTV. I have subscribed to the three major platforms, viciously addicted to c-dramas... Just clicking randomly, sampling, staying for a story (Northward, after Filter) or an actor/actress (here, yes, bc of CFY and good memories from L&P).

yes nerdboy Wang Yi was fun and sweet.
I am less with Mr Qin : he's just another Gan Yang type and I don't even find him handsome, opposite to Gan Yang, despite GY hair plastered down to eyebrows.