In my review above I claim they didn't quite sew up the ending properly. Feel free to tell me that they did, but this is why I wasn't feeling it.
So if you've watched this film you know the big spoiler: the Dad's harsh way with his daughter resulted in a screwed up kid -- or further screwed up a screwed up kid. That's why she, in turn, was raped and raped her own body with a knife.
She says stuff like "He threw me in the water knowing I was afraid of the water" and "he went away too long when sailing". These are the beginnings of a more polished idea, but not as compelling as it should be.
I'd have advised, look, at the beginning of the story -- have the daughter talk about what an amazing Dad she had. That when he wasn't finished he taught her how to take care of herself, even as a little girl. He taught her how to be strong. And she absolutely positively loved him for it, so much that she was terrified of ever disappointing him. Almost pathologically so.
And so at the beginning of the story the Dad couldn't be more of a hero, according to his daughter. But at the end of this story we learn a variant of what we were told.
We learn that she lived to please her Dad upon his returns from fishing. That being alone for 15 days was fine for her. That she was strong. And didn't mind. But you get a feeling from her watery eyes she does mind, but can't tell herself this -- for fear of disappointing her Dad.
One day, when she 12, while he was away too long -- she was raped in her home by 3 men. She couldn't possibly tell her Dad this or he'd 'blame' her for not being strong. So she erased this event entirely. And erased it the 2nd time it happened a year or two later.
Her Dad was always so proud of her for being so strong her mind breaks. She can't face it. And when she gets raped in the story it opens up these old wounds. And the only way she can stop the pain? 17 more wounds. On her phone her last words are, "I'm so sorry I disappointed my Dad."
This would DRILL into the story the guilt that is uncovered. In his interests of making her strong, his neglect broke her. He never wanted her to be strong. He needed her to grow up too fast.
There's elements of what I just told you in this story -- but it didn't PUNCH you hard like this does. Maybe they were being to kind to the Dad? I don't know.
When I was a kid girls would hit the beaches with summer romance novels. Thick books about being a 'Rose' in a world of men. Pure Cotton Candy.
This show is like those novels. Don't over-think this show. It's sweet lemonade. I'm at Ep 8 and it hasn't gone sour yet. It it does I'll come back and let you know. ;)
Everyone has favorite movies, and this very American one is certainly a good one. Ennio Morricone music, Terrence…
"Well if you thought I was rude thinking you got it wrong, that's on you; your answer is not exactly gracious?"
So I post a simple recommendation to others to see a very similar genre film, you erupt with a wordy condescending professorial lecture on the true meaning of TO THE WONDER -- but you were being gracious?
I'm afraid not, Frosty. You were and continue to be a rude narcissist.
Everyone has favorite movies, and this very American one is certainly a good one. Ennio Morricone music, Terrence…
You offer unnecessary offense.
As if it's rude to suggest American cinema after seeing this wonder of Chinese cinema. (It's short enough to be less of a series and more of a 6 hour movie, which is why I say 'cinema'.)
Anyway, your offense is blinding you to the possibility that I'd make the exact same recommendation backwards. If I'm on a Chinese site recommending an American classic, I'd recommend this Chinese series to anyone who loved DAYS OF HEAVEN on an American site. In fact I already have.
In this way your reply completely collapses. And by the way, DAYS OF HEAVEN is a classic, not a relic. If you think I missed that condescending subtext, I didn't.
Now if you think I'm implying that the Chinese can't come up with an original idea, that's all in your head. I just know that it's any quality filmmaker's obligation to know as many classics as possible, no matter the national origin.
I compare films to films. I don't care about their story source. I need not read the writings of anyone to evaluate a film, another subtextual jab that I'm not 'in the know'.
Sorry Frosty, I'm perfectly aware of something you're not. There are three moments in TO THE WONDER that are practically copied from DAYS OF HEAVEN, the shots and the music cues. But not copied in a bad way as much VERY inspired from specific frames.
It's possible that these are coincidences, but I doubt it. It's more likely that Teng Cong Cong and/or her DP adore the look and feel of DAYS. Not to mention your awkward for you point that this film makes a direct reference to Terrence Malick's film with the same name.
If I thought Teng Cong Cong was unoriginal, I would have said that. The sad fact is Malick's film of the same name was so poor I forgot it even existed.
Please don't rain on my parade of celebrating this genius filmmaker. She's made a wonderful cookie. Since I'm a 'relic' (lol) I know of 3 as tasty cookies that -- as your own argument admits -- most Chinese fans are unaware of.
So I shared. Trying to make others happier, a practice you should consider.
i was about to give 9, but the final episode made me emotional, especially the end. so its a 9.5
Can I ask you two things?
1. In the beginning my wife and I were very confused. The FL acted in two different ways. Sometimes it was like she had never lived in tents and in the wild, but at other times she seemed familiar with it. For instance, she should have been the one complaining about mosquitos, but she didn't. Little details like this were driving us crazy. Is she familiar living this way or not?
2. At the end, the FL writes that she never saw Baito again. But then she does. Because she saw him AFTER she wrote she never saw him again. In English we say, "I haven't seen him since that day." Did this part of the story confuse you momentarily, like when he showed up at the end did you feel cheated or confused?
ugh im so tired of waiting. i've been trying to watch this drama with my mom since release but seems like they…
Xin Zhi Lei has had the worst luck finding that big breakaway international role. She was terrific in RUYI'S ROYAL LOVE in the palace but that's a hard sell to people new to C-Dramas. I sense SHANGHAI would not only be good for her but C-dramas in general -- but these fools won't offer subtitles!!! ARRRRRGGHH!
I've got a Viki Subscription, finished THE YOUTH MEMORIES, have an entire month left -- needed a show I wanted to watch -- and BOOM this 'dream of splendor' happens. INSANELY EXCITED but not streaming off Viki yet in America... ?
Dang. I want to see more of Song Yi outside of period dramas and HERE SHE IS but I now learn this is sort of modern take on A DREAM OF SPLENDOR, which I just saw two months ago. Three women trying to run a restaurant AGAIN?!? A regrettable pass. (For now.)
HI AO. I'm 10 eps away from completing and so don't spoil the end. I just wanted to say --1. I'm Western (American)…
" They often seek constant reassurance, attention, and proximity to someone" Hmm. If you reword it as this --
"They seek attention and proximity to someone" then yes, and this is true. But this is also true in almost all romances.
The FL is a reason to watch this series. She had so much more to do here than stand in JOY OF LIFE holding a chicken leg looking pretty. The main reason to watch this is the cast.
I'm 5 episodes away from a review here but if you want a general idea --
-- this will not be your favorite series ever. Unless this is the first or second you've ever seen. I've watched 15 Chinese Series at this point and it's only better than 4 of them. (I found JOY OF LIFE more tedious than this, which is not what most people would say but at least I cared about the YOUTH characters.)
As a letter grade I'd give it a B to a B-. It's endearing enough to complete but nothing to rave about. My wife and I are older than a lot of the viewers here and we find a very calming show to watch at night.
So this is the type of show you watch after you've watched a show full of action or magical effects. A 'break' between mayhem. In this way we've enjoyed it a lot.
What happened to Chen Hong Jun please? I passed by some episodes. Extremely well made and acted drama. Its bloody…
The Male Lead's closest friend reminds of American actor Richard Gere in OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, which becomes eerie when the military part of the story happens.
cute... moments I ffwd through, but overall, a nice series, always love watching XZ expanding his range. But there…
HI AO. I'm 10 eps away from completing and so don't spoil the end. I just wanted to say --
1. I'm Western (American) and have come to learn that some (but not all) Chinese perceive 'kissing' as too similar to sex. So I can forgive them if they want to keep kisses rare, but when what's his name proposed to what's her name... and then they just hugged -- UGH. I wonder if there is a way to label series as 'unnaturally kiss free' as to help people like you and I reconsider watching the series at all. It's like a war movie without bullets.
2. Episode 27 appears to be a series conclusion. The Main Leads return to where they met, the Violinist burns a piece of paper -- but then there's 10 more episodes?!? It feels like someone added 10 more episodes after seeing the first 27. Are the last ten good?
3. We got WAY TOO MUCH depth involving the specifics of profiteering. I wish I had fast forwarded in those parts.
But otherwise I agree that it's an otherwise interesting show.
K-Drama 
1 
So if you've watched this film you know the big spoiler: the Dad's harsh way with his daughter resulted in a screwed up kid -- or further screwed up a screwed up kid. That's why she, in turn, was raped and raped her own body with a knife.
She says stuff like "He threw me in the water knowing I was afraid of the water" and "he went away too long when sailing". These are the beginnings of a more polished idea, but not as compelling as it should be.
I'd have advised, look, at the beginning of the story -- have the daughter talk about what an amazing Dad she had. That when he wasn't finished he taught her how to take care of herself, even as a little girl. He taught her how to be strong. And she absolutely positively loved him for it, so much that she was terrified of ever disappointing him. Almost pathologically so.
And so at the beginning of the story the Dad couldn't be more of a hero, according to his daughter. But at the end of this story we learn a variant of what we were told.
We learn that she lived to please her Dad upon his returns from fishing. That being alone for 15 days was fine for her. That she was strong. And didn't mind. But you get a feeling from her watery eyes she does mind, but can't tell herself this -- for fear of disappointing her Dad.
One day, when she 12, while he was away too long -- she was raped in her home by 3 men. She couldn't possibly tell her Dad this or he'd 'blame' her for not being strong. So she erased this event entirely. And erased it the 2nd time it happened a year or two later.
Her Dad was always so proud of her for being so strong her mind breaks. She can't face it. And when she gets raped in the story it opens up these old wounds. And the only way she can stop the pain? 17 more wounds. On her phone her last words are, "I'm so sorry I disappointed my Dad."
This would DRILL into the story the guilt that is uncovered. In his interests of making her strong, his neglect broke her. He never wanted her to be strong. He needed her to grow up too fast.
There's elements of what I just told you in this story -- but it didn't PUNCH you hard like this does. Maybe they were being to kind to the Dad? I don't know.
This show is like those novels. Don't over-think this show. It's sweet lemonade. I'm at Ep 8 and it hasn't gone sour yet. It it does I'll come back and let you know. ;)
So I post a simple recommendation to others to see a very similar genre film, you erupt with a wordy condescending professorial lecture on the true meaning of TO THE WONDER -- but you were being gracious?
I'm afraid not, Frosty. You were and continue to be a rude narcissist.
As if it's rude to suggest American cinema after seeing this wonder of Chinese cinema. (It's short enough to be less of a series and more of a 6 hour movie, which is why I say 'cinema'.)
Anyway, your offense is blinding you to the possibility that I'd make the exact same recommendation backwards. If I'm on a Chinese site recommending an American classic, I'd recommend this Chinese series to anyone who loved DAYS OF HEAVEN on an American site. In fact I already have.
In this way your reply completely collapses. And by the way, DAYS OF HEAVEN is a classic, not a relic. If you think I missed that condescending subtext, I didn't.
Now if you think I'm implying that the Chinese can't come up with an original idea, that's all in your head. I just know that it's any quality filmmaker's obligation to know as many classics as possible, no matter the national origin.
I compare films to films. I don't care about their story source. I need not read the writings of anyone to evaluate a film, another subtextual jab that I'm not 'in the know'.
Sorry Frosty, I'm perfectly aware of something you're not. There are three moments in TO THE WONDER that are practically copied from DAYS OF HEAVEN, the shots and the music cues. But not copied in a bad way as much VERY inspired from specific frames.
It's possible that these are coincidences, but I doubt it. It's more likely that Teng Cong Cong and/or her DP adore the look and feel of DAYS. Not to mention your awkward for you point that this film makes a direct reference to Terrence Malick's film with the same name.
If I thought Teng Cong Cong was unoriginal, I would have said that. The sad fact is Malick's film of the same name was so poor I forgot it even existed.
Please don't rain on my parade of celebrating this genius filmmaker. She's made a wonderful cookie. Since I'm a 'relic' (lol) I know of 3 as tasty cookies that -- as your own argument admits -- most Chinese fans are unaware of.
So I shared. Trying to make others happier, a practice you should consider.
Oh, I'm leaving this note everywhere but if you liked this you'll enjoy DAYS OF HEAVEN, LOCAL HERO, and THE BIG COUNTRY.
1. In the beginning my wife and I were very confused. The FL acted in two different ways. Sometimes it was like she had never lived in tents and in the wild, but at other times she seemed familiar with it. For instance, she should have been the one complaining about mosquitos, but she didn't. Little details like this were driving us crazy. Is she familiar living this way or not?
2. At the end, the FL writes that she never saw Baito again. But then she does. Because she saw him AFTER she wrote she never saw him again. In English we say, "I haven't seen him since that day." Did this part of the story confuse you momentarily, like when he showed up at the end did you feel cheated or confused?
https://youtu.be/EzZ8phk8yYc
"They seek attention and proximity to someone" then yes, and this is true. But this is also true in almost all romances.
The FL is a reason to watch this series. She had so much more to do here than stand in JOY OF LIFE holding a chicken leg looking pretty. The main reason to watch this is the cast.
I'm 5 episodes away from a review here but if you want a general idea --
-- this will not be your favorite series ever. Unless this is the first or second you've ever seen. I've watched 15 Chinese Series at this point and it's only better than 4 of them. (I found JOY OF LIFE more tedious than this, which is not what most people would say but at least I cared about the YOUTH characters.)
As a letter grade I'd give it a B to a B-. It's endearing enough to complete but nothing to rave about. My wife and I are older than a lot of the viewers here and we find a very calming show to watch at night.
So this is the type of show you watch after you've watched a show full of action or magical effects. A 'break' between mayhem. In this way we've enjoyed it a lot.
Did that make sense?
1. I'm Western (American) and have come to learn that some (but not all) Chinese perceive 'kissing' as too similar to sex. So I can forgive them if they want to keep kisses rare, but when what's his name proposed to what's her name... and then they just hugged -- UGH. I wonder if there is a way to label series as 'unnaturally kiss free' as to help people like you and I reconsider watching the series at all. It's like a war movie without bullets.
2. Episode 27 appears to be a series conclusion. The Main Leads return to where they met, the Violinist burns a piece of paper -- but then there's 10 more episodes?!? It feels like someone added 10 more episodes after seeing the first 27. Are the last ten good?
3. We got WAY TOO MUCH depth involving the specifics of profiteering. I wish I had fast forwarded in those parts.
But otherwise I agree that it's an otherwise interesting show.