Honestly Episode 26 was complete nonsense. Xiao Jue literally teleported into Rundu. He Yan crying her eyes out, in the middle of an ongoing battle? Are they serious?
Now, do I care?
NO. I DON'T. I got my romantic hug in the middle of an ongoing battle with romantic music on cue so fudge logic I guess, but I can't blame people complaining because even I, who A.D.O.R.E this show to bits, had to take out my brain, mix it in the blender and drink it back, to swallow that one.
Also... if you've decided to f*** logic to that degree... WHY DID YOU STOP AT THE HUG? WHY NO KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSS COME ON'!!!
I want MDL to quit with the celebrity articles. Regardless of whether its positive or negative. There's Koreaboo,…
Totally agree. We used to have articles that were only drama focused. Recently I even came accross an article that was about a Kpop group with a North Korean member and I was like WTF? Isn't this MyDRAMAlist?
I don't mind one article about Zhao Lushi's situation given she's part of the industry but this is turning in a gossip column and that's not the point of this website.
I pollutes the home page with articles which are becoming so irrelevant these days I just no longer bother to read them.
So I guess the character of Chen Guo is supposed to be funny but honestly she's only been ANNOYING so far (on episode 7). Her friend Tang Ruo started just as badly but at least the turnaround came faster but Chen Guo? Honestly I just want to skip her scenes...
How are you able to be so patient??? I tried this several times and failed drastically this year alone (I have…
If I had a normal day-job, I'd probably be like you so I totally get your comment... BUT I'm working free-lance... So far after almost 3 years I still haven't managed to get a right balance between private and professional life so I'm basically working 7 days a week ( slighly less on Sundays because I do go to the gym on that day so I can't work as much as the other days of the week).
All of that to say that if half the episodes are already available... It's usually impossible to catch up unless I allow myself to rest a day or two... which I allow myself to do only once or twice a month (usually when I'm starting to lose in productivity which is a sure sign there's a burnout coming and having experienced it last year, I've learned to give myself a little more breathing room).
And yeah! Long Live the Cdrama release schedule! What kept me away from C dramas for a long time were the sheer number of episodes per series which is truly frightening when you're used to J dramas and K dramas... But strangely, most of them feel pretty fast ( though I think a lot of that has to do with shorter episodes ). So yeah, let it stay that way for eternity!
ANYWAY GOOD LUCK TO US!
Now that I've seen the teaser for episode 30 (WHY OH WHY DID THESE IDIOTS HAVE TO RUIN OUR MOMENT!) I'm so sticking to my plan.
You know anticipation is a bit like a drug... Withdrawal is hard at first but then it becomes easier.. HOWEVER if you take it again... you're bound to end up torturing yourself even more.
Also avoiding the comment section helps as well... Like for the past two days, I've just answered to people answering me back but I've stayed away from reading comments... It helps. Otherwise you start to get even more curious, you can't resist and you fall into that rabbit hole again 😭😭
How are you able to be so patient??? I tried this several times and failed drastically this year alone (I have…
Ha! Actually... I'm not.
I literally have no time to watch more than 2 to 2 hours and a half of video content each day... Which means, I can't afford to watch several times the same episode. So what do I do? I settle to only watch the best subs available. Whichever platform, and that includes Netflix, Viki subs are always the best when available. You can't beat fan translations... Also of course, I want to support official ratings, that's another reason.
So what is the solution to bear the wait? Go to 🏴☠️websites, get the latest episodes available in shitty quality ( though I could get the 4K versions no kidding) and watch some key scenes ( generally without subs on, though I have to admit I've broken that rule for LOTFG) in order to be patient enough. But like... very short scenes 3 to 4 at most and no longer than 1 minute + WATCH EVERY PREVIEWS.
That tactic has one major caveat though... Sometimes you end up spoiling yourself too much... So if I start to venture into the "spoiling myself too much because the wait is killing me" phase, I rely on my Second tactic which is: Watching another show that is just as suspenseful at the same time and has all its episodes available. Hence I started the Double and just today also The King's Avatar, which enables me to switch from one to the other depending on my mood.
So err... I guess you could say I'm half a failure but a failure nonetheless. This being said, I only do that for very good shows.
I used to do that for K dramas but most of them turned out to be disappointing this year which has afflicted me with a severe case of K drama slump so I'm currently sticking to C dramas. Another reason is that literally every C dramas I've ever watched had always been completely aired when I started them - just impossible to keep up with the airing schedule... or so I thought.
It's actually my first time watching a C drama currently airing... AND I WON'T REPEAT THAT MISTAKE!
From what I've seen Moonlit Reunion and When Destiny Brings the Demon are both gonna be available on Viki BUT this time you can be sure, I won't start any of these 2 until at least over half their episodes are available on the platform.
I'm not insane. I care about my mental health 😅
Does it reassure you 🙄? I admit I'm no better but at least I'm supporting official releases :D
Second Yang Yang drama now that it's available on Viki... First one was "Your are my Glory"... and let's just say that I don't know who did the dubbing of his voice in this one.... But I really don't like it...
But ok. I shall let it pass.
These video games dramas always look very fun but following the subtitles during competitions is always a bit of a chore。 Lots of things happening on screen + commentors speaking in fast Chinese so very long subs to read and though I'm a very fast reader I always have to pause which is annoying...
But it's based on a very popular web novel so again... I'll try to get used to it eventually... I'm in need of something different than my usual wuxia and historicals.
OK I WILL BE STRONG! Putting this on hold (OK TRYING to )until episode 26 is available on Viki because we're at episode 20 on that platform ( though OF COURSE I watched the preview of episode 26 to 29 because... duh!) and I'm tired of the wait.
Personally, I think they've reached a pretty good balance between action and romance in that one with plenty of fanservice but not to the point that it becomes gooey... but I can understand this show is not necessarily everyone's cup of tea, but so far for me it's a 10. I'm living for the leads' chemistry ( Also Xiao Jue, if you're in need of a concubine I'm here! I promise I won't be jealous! But please do hide me I don't want to be killed by your wife.)
Thankfully I've started the Double which is another type of endurance nightmare but at least all episodes are available for that one.
I have yet to see a Cdrama that tops an average Kdrama. There’s just no competition
First time I see somebody who's got more reviews than things listed ^^ I quickly checked it... On some things our taste aligns and on others we don't... But overall you seem to be somebody who tends to be more generous with "not so great shows"... One such example is "Head Over Heals" I got a rotten tomato as a "gift" from an anonymous person who probably didn't like my review... From what I've seen you've given a 6.5, when I gave this show a 3.5... Motel California got a 3 from me ... you gave a 7... And you absolutely loved the Haunted Palace and Check in Hanyang... which for me were both waste of potential and which I rated both 7.
This being said you seem to have varied taste so I'm pretty sure, you'll definitely find something of your liking in the titles I gave you, especially if you like fantasy, romance and good cinematography. Enjoy 😎
I have yet to see a Cdrama that tops an average Kdrama. There’s just no competition
Just go see my list and take whatever C drama has been rated 8 or above though given the few titles on your short list I think "Prisoner of Beauty" would be a good fit for you, though I personally rated it 7.5.
Currently watching "The Double", that one is a definitely a must-watch that I'm probably gonna rate a solid 10 if it stays that way along with currently airing "Legend of the Female General" though this one is not everybody's cup of tea.
You seem to be into family dramas so not my favorite genre, but I've heard good words about "Meet Yourself", "New Life Begins" and " Go Ahead" (which remake is K drama "Family by Choice"). If that's your jam, I suggest giving these ones a try, though I personally haven't watched them yet ( beauty of fully committing to C dramas only 3 years ago is that the list of good shows to enjoy is endless).
10/10 dramas currently on my list are "Love Between Fairy and Devil" (the FL's voice is high pitched horrible but you get used to it) and "Love Like the Galaxy".
In another genre "Reset" got a solid 9.5 from me.
Out of all of the C dramas I've completed I must have dropped 2 or 3 that I just didn't like but people were raving about most recently "First Frost" and "Revenged Love" otherwise, anything rated under 9 is usually due to a problem of them being overly long.
Anyway I think I'm getting close to 40 C dramas now so you'll probably find something to enjoy though I do have to mention that my favorite genre is Fantasy with romance or Historical with Romance. China produces them in spades so although there's other genres to enjoy, since I already can't keep up with everything that's out, I tend to stick to these genres.
Everything is subjective of course and that will always depend on the viewers but in terms of plot, acting and production value, you'll see. Maybe 5 years ago you could still say, K dramas were at the top, but now?
That would be dishonest.
I think the biggest flow I could mention regarding some C dramas I watched which made me rate them lower is their length and occasional rushed endings.
They do take their time to tell their stories, sometimes I enjoy their more leisurely pace which gives room to character growth and just letting their story breathe instead of being full-plot-placked... But sometimes it makes some shows overly long for my taste... last case in point "Prisoner of Beauty" though I completely understand why fans were raving about that one.
Anyway, if you do give a try to one of them (or anything I haven't mentionned for that matter), I'll be happy to hear what you think.
yes. There's nothing all *that* wrong with it, it's just boring and uninspired, and seems unable to pick a genre…
My take is not really AI but rather investors whose job should be limited to giving money, wanting this or that put in or removed according to past successes and date gathering.
As an artist myself, AI is a no-no. 'Course it's gonna be faster and easier, but at the end of the day, the idea is not only to create something but also to learn along the way. You learn nothing relying on AI, let alone bettering your craft.
And yes it's time consuming... But art is like that. You put your heart and soul in your work, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but there's no failure in trying at least you've learned something. Anyway I could write a whole essay about how much I hate AI for a variety of reasons but I will refrain.
The cat's out of the bag, it's here to stay now... But my stubborn self is gonna stick to rely solely on my brain even if I don't encounter success on the way.
yes. There's nothing all *that* wrong with it, it's just boring and uninspired, and seems unable to pick a genre…
Well if you mostly watch romance ( also my case but I often venture in other genres as well)... No wonder you've switched to watching more C dramas. Most Romance K dramas I watched were pretty stale as of late.
I've personally given up on US shows more than 20 years ago. I occasionally bother but they have this tendency of milking to the last drop of milk every successful shows to the point of ruining them.
Last show I bothered to watch was "Stranger Things". First season was terrific and then as usual, the quality dropped with each passing seasons. Typical.
yes. There's nothing all *that* wrong with it, it's just boring and uninspired, and seems unable to pick a genre…
I'm not sure about "wokeness" as you write it... I don't really like that term that is very much a term coined by the far right and used ad nauseam to pin the blame for shows being shitty on the wrong reasons.
Representing diversity is definitely a step in the right direction in my book but it has to be done subtly without viewers feeling like they are being preached non-stop which is the issue with most US content these days. Make a good story, eventually put some diversity in it but don't go into full preaching soliloquy, that tends to alienate audiences, let the story do its job of making people think and reflect about their stances in life.
This being said I haven't seen it in K dramas, all I've seen is K dramas being more sexualized, more violent and as you wrote "playing it safe", though I heard Squid Game Season 2 and 3 included a transgender character... but err, since I didn't enjoy the first season in the first place, I didn't bother with season 2 and 3.
I'd have phrased it slighted differently "inject moral preaching through diversity or whatnot in random places where it doesn't belong."
Otherwise, sadly I have to agree with your analysis.
PS: For "Nice Guy", I have already given up on this show. Not for me. Boring is the worst crime a show can be in my opinion. Sometimes a show is a complete FUN mess and you finish it for the joke but a boring one? No way.
Hmm...I think this drama is not for you... The tone is pretty consistent so far... with a focus on romance and…
Ok the medic friend is actually his nephew... This one is not gonna dissapear but he'll grow on you ( I hope)... as for the weakest of the new recruits... you'll see, you'll grow to like them ^^
Hmm...I think this drama is not for you... The tone is pretty consistent so far... with a focus on romance and…
I don't see which annoying characters you're talking about... The only annoying one is Chu Zhao... Since you've just started... Let's just say that some "annoying characters" becomes her friends very early.. The story is pretty fast paced for a C drama. This is more a light hearted romance with some epic fights and some plotting in the background than an Epic story with some romance. There's humor for sure, but it's not a comedy either. It's in the middle. As long as you go into it with that mindset you won't be dissapointed.
PS: All the fight scenes are pretty cool EXCEPT one particular scene involving wolves which CGIs are truly horrendous. Just to warn you.
I had HIGH expectations for the drama considering how everyone was talking about the long wait and good plot and…
Hmm... I think this drama is not for you... The tone is pretty consistent so far... with a focus on romance and comedy so if that's not your jam, better not waste time.
1
1
1
1
Xiao Jue literally teleported into Rundu. He Yan crying her eyes out, in the middle of an ongoing battle?
Are they serious?
Now, do I care?
NO. I DON'T. I got my romantic hug in the middle of an ongoing battle with romantic music on cue
so fudge logic I guess, but I can't blame people complaining because even I, who A.D.O.R.E this show to bits, had to take out my brain, mix it in the blender and drink it back, to swallow that one.
Also... if you've decided to f*** logic to that degree... WHY DID YOU STOP AT THE HUG? WHY NO KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSS COME ON'!!!
I REALLY LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the previews for episode 33 and 34 (especially 34).
EP33: https://wetv.vip/en/play/r8gz353358o5vo8/r4101s1y8e2-Teaser_EP33%3A_Legend_of_The_Female_General
Ep34: https://wetv.vip/en/play/r8gz353358o5vo8/q4101l0fz1u-Teaser_EP34%3A_Legend_of_The_Female_General
I don't mind one article about Zhao Lushi's situation given she's part of the industry but this is turning in a gossip column and that's not the point of this website.
I pollutes the home page with articles which are becoming so irrelevant these days I just no longer bother to read them.
All of that to say that if half the episodes are already available... It's usually impossible to catch up unless I allow myself to rest a day or two... which I allow myself to do only once or twice a month (usually when I'm starting to lose in productivity which is a sure sign there's a burnout coming and having experienced it last year, I've learned to give myself a little more breathing room).
And yeah! Long Live the Cdrama release schedule! What kept me away from C dramas for a long time were the sheer number of episodes per series which is truly frightening when you're used to J dramas and K dramas... But strangely, most of them feel pretty fast ( though I think a lot of that has to do with shorter episodes ). So yeah, let it stay that way for eternity!
ANYWAY GOOD LUCK TO US!
Now that I've seen the teaser for episode 30 (WHY OH WHY DID THESE IDIOTS HAVE TO RUIN OUR MOMENT!) I'm so sticking to my plan.
You know anticipation is a bit like a drug... Withdrawal is hard at first but then it becomes easier.. HOWEVER if you take it again... you're bound to end up torturing yourself even more.
Also avoiding the comment section helps as well... Like for the past two days, I've just answered to people answering me back but I've stayed away from reading comments... It helps. Otherwise you start to get even more curious, you can't resist and you fall into that rabbit hole again 😭😭
I literally have no time to watch more than 2 to 2 hours and a half of video content each day... Which means, I can't afford to watch several times the same episode. So what do I do? I settle to only watch the best subs available.
Whichever platform, and that includes Netflix, Viki subs are always the best when available. You can't beat fan translations... Also of course, I want to support official ratings, that's another reason.
So what is the solution to bear the wait?
Go to 🏴☠️websites, get the latest episodes available in shitty quality ( though I could get the 4K versions no kidding) and watch some key scenes ( generally without subs on, though I have to admit I've broken that rule for LOTFG) in order to be patient enough.
But like... very short scenes 3 to 4 at most and no longer than 1 minute + WATCH EVERY PREVIEWS.
That tactic has one major caveat though... Sometimes you end up spoiling yourself too much... So if I start to venture into the "spoiling myself too much because the wait is killing me" phase, I rely on my Second tactic which is: Watching another show that is just as suspenseful at the same time and has all its episodes available.
Hence I started the Double and just today also The King's Avatar, which enables me to switch from one to the other depending on my mood.
So err... I guess you could say I'm half a failure but a failure nonetheless.
This being said, I only do that for very good shows.
I used to do that for K dramas but most of them turned out to be disappointing this year which has afflicted me with a severe case of K drama slump so I'm currently sticking to C dramas. Another reason is that literally every C dramas I've ever watched had always been completely aired when I started them - just impossible to keep up with the airing schedule... or so I thought.
It's actually my first time watching a C drama currently airing... AND I WON'T REPEAT THAT MISTAKE!
From what I've seen Moonlit Reunion and When Destiny Brings the Demon are both gonna be available on Viki BUT this time you can be sure, I won't start any of these 2 until at least over half their episodes are available on the platform.
I'm not insane. I care about my mental health 😅
Does it reassure you 🙄?
I admit I'm no better but at least I'm supporting official releases :D
But ok. I shall let it pass.
These video games dramas always look very fun but following the subtitles during competitions is always a bit of a chore。 Lots of things happening on screen + commentors speaking in fast Chinese so very long subs to read and though I'm a very fast reader I always have to pause which is annoying...
But it's based on a very popular web novel so again... I'll try to get used to it eventually... I'm in need of something different than my usual wuxia and historicals.
Putting this on hold (OK TRYING to )until episode 26 is available on Viki because we're at episode 20 on that platform ( though OF COURSE I watched the preview of episode 26 to 29 because... duh!) and I'm tired of the wait.
Personally, I think they've reached a pretty good balance between action and romance in that one with plenty of fanservice but not to the point that it becomes gooey... but I can understand this show is not necessarily everyone's cup of tea, but so far for me it's a 10. I'm living for the leads' chemistry ( Also Xiao Jue, if you're in need of a concubine I'm here! I promise I won't be jealous! But please do hide me I don't want to be killed by your wife.)
Thankfully I've started the Double which is another type of endurance nightmare but at least all episodes are available for that one.
This being said you seem to have varied taste so I'm pretty sure, you'll definitely find something of your liking in the titles I gave you, especially if you like fantasy, romance and good cinematography.
Enjoy 😎
Currently watching "The Double", that one is a definitely a must-watch that I'm probably gonna rate a solid 10 if it stays that way along with currently airing "Legend of the Female General" though this one is not everybody's cup of tea.
You seem to be into family dramas so not my favorite genre, but I've heard good words about "Meet Yourself", "New Life Begins" and " Go Ahead" (which remake is K drama "Family by Choice").
If that's your jam, I suggest giving these ones a try, though I personally haven't watched them yet ( beauty of fully committing to C dramas only 3 years ago is that the list of good shows to enjoy is endless).
10/10 dramas currently on my list are "Love Between Fairy and Devil" (the FL's voice is high pitched horrible but you get used to it) and "Love Like the Galaxy".
In another genre "Reset" got a solid 9.5 from me.
Out of all of the C dramas I've completed I must have dropped 2 or 3 that I just didn't like but people were raving about most recently "First Frost" and "Revenged Love" otherwise, anything rated under 9 is usually due to a problem of them being overly long.
Anyway I think I'm getting close to 40 C dramas now so you'll probably find something to enjoy though I do have to mention that my favorite genre is Fantasy with romance or Historical with Romance. China produces them in spades so although there's other genres to enjoy, since I already can't keep up with everything that's out, I tend to stick to these genres.
Everything is subjective of course and that will always depend on the viewers but in terms of plot, acting and production value, you'll see. Maybe 5 years ago you could still say, K dramas were at the top, but now?
That would be dishonest.
I think the biggest flow I could mention regarding some C dramas I watched which made me rate them lower is their length and occasional rushed endings.
They do take their time to tell their stories, sometimes I enjoy their more leisurely pace which gives room to character growth and just letting their story breathe instead of being full-plot-placked... But sometimes it makes some shows overly long for my taste... last case in point "Prisoner of Beauty" though I completely understand why fans were raving about that one.
Anyway, if you do give a try to one of them (or anything I haven't mentionned for that matter), I'll be happy to hear what you think.
As an artist myself, AI is a no-no. 'Course it's gonna be faster and easier, but at the end of the day, the idea is not only to create something but also to learn along the way. You learn nothing relying on AI, let alone bettering your craft.
And yes it's time consuming... But art is like that. You put your heart and soul in your work, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but there's no failure in trying at least you've learned something. Anyway I could write a whole essay about how much I hate AI for a variety of reasons but I will refrain.
The cat's out of the bag, it's here to stay now... But my stubborn self is gonna stick to rely solely on my brain even if I don't encounter success on the way.
I've personally given up on US shows more than 20 years ago. I occasionally bother but they have this tendency of milking to the last drop of milk every successful shows to the point of ruining them.
Last show I bothered to watch was "Stranger Things". First season was terrific and then as usual, the quality dropped with each passing seasons. Typical.
Representing diversity is definitely a step in the right direction in my book but it has to be done subtly without viewers feeling like they are being preached non-stop which is the issue with most US content these days. Make a good story, eventually put some diversity in it but don't go into full preaching soliloquy, that tends to alienate audiences, let the story do its job of making people think and reflect about their stances in life.
This being said I haven't seen it in K dramas, all I've seen is K dramas being more sexualized, more violent and as you wrote "playing it safe", though I heard Squid Game Season 2 and 3 included a transgender character... but err, since I didn't enjoy the first season in the first place, I didn't bother with season 2 and 3.
I'd have phrased it slighted differently "inject moral preaching through diversity or whatnot in random places where it doesn't belong."
Otherwise, sadly I have to agree with your analysis.
PS: For "Nice Guy", I have already given up on this show. Not for me. Boring is the worst crime a show can be in my opinion. Sometimes a show is a complete FUN mess and you finish it for the joke but a boring one? No way.
This is more a light hearted romance with some epic fights and some plotting in the background than an Epic story with some romance. There's humor for sure, but it's not a comedy either. It's in the middle.
As long as you go into it with that mindset you won't be dissapointed.
PS: All the fight scenes are pretty cool EXCEPT one particular scene involving wolves which CGIs are truly horrendous. Just to warn you.
I think this drama is not for you... The tone is pretty consistent so far... with a focus on romance and comedy so if that's not your jam, better not waste time.