Keshein

He's very good in Gank Your Heart, he outshines all the leads

I just read the original novel this is based on. In the novel the FL was more stupid and her relationship with the ML seemed to be mostly physical. The plot was simpler. The drama added a lot of stuff, some of it unnecessary but mostly I think the screenwriters made a good job getting their relationship to be more realistic and not only about looks and liking to touch/kiss the other.

"He tries to develop a romantic relationship but Yoon Song Ah rebuffs his advances, not wishing to date younger men." -> I start watching and during the first couple of minutes find out that the FL is ONE YEAR older than the ML... I mean there's nothing wrong with one year age difference, but why was this the thing they decided to pick for the synopsis? There's nothing else more interesting?

Lesson In Love

Is this more about their past or the present? I'm not really into high school dramas, but if it's mostly about adults I'd like to watch.

This drama wasn't for me so I ended up sort of skimming through it to see what happens. So I probably missed something, but can someone explain to me why the main couple got together the first time and why they broke up? I saw the memory scenes of their first meeting and the one where they had the last argument in the snow, but I didn't understand their, especially the ML's motives in either of them.

Yes I do think it changed a lot. When they are in the new life FL falls in love with ML, and ML loves her deeply but has to reject her, so when they show ML's inner struggle I think it worked really well. Later when they get together it's basic romance.

Susan was FL's best friend, Su Ya or something like that was her original name. Shane I think was the ML's right hand man.

It's vertical so you can only find it on Iqiyi mobile app, not computer :/

I can't find it on Iqiyi with either name :( Edit: Just realised it's vertical so apparently Iqiyi only shows it on mobile, not computer.

I wondered that too, and my theory is that they did not want pinpoint a country in a negative way, saying it's underdeveloped etc. in case there is a backslash. Like already on this comment page there are people saying this plot was degrading Africans. So they thought it would be safer to not say a specific country. This of course is a Korean drama but in Chinese novels characters usually live in for example "Y city" and travel to "M country", which I have thought has something to do with it being more safe in fiction, but I am not sure.

Ouch I didn't realize Viki had not yet dropped all the eps. Let's see if I can wait or is it time to renew my WeTV subscription...

If I remember correctly, this drama is mostly about the past, with just something about the future in the beginning and in the end. So it's not "flashbacky", if that what bothers you, and it's not really much about their second chance it's mostly about their original romance.

If you watch the Chinese Scarlet Heart, don't expect anything from the romance department. The raw and real is more about the psychological and political stuff. It's the one historical drama I've always felt like this is how it might have been during that time.

But I just remembered a modern drama that definitely fits your description: Will Love In Spring. Give that one a try!

Definitely watch Story of Kunning Palace, if you haven't already seen that! From modern dramas maybe My Sunshine (2015), that one is not superpopular but I personally like it. If you watch My Sunshine I recommend you also read the original novel Silent Separation. You can find it online and it helps understand the characters even better.

You are not alone with the length problem. Actually China made a rule recently that a drama is not allowed to be more than 40 eps, and the eps are shorter than in kdramas. Some are still working around it by splitting a drama into two seasons, but most comply. Story of Kunning palace is 40 eps. And btw the the ending of that drama has some scenes where "everything was work of fiction". Just fast forwards those scenes and pretend they don't exists, because they were just added there to comply to another new rule so that the censors let it pass. It's a great drama and very much like you described you like.

Recently there have been made also a lot of short-length Chinese dramas. They have smaller budgets and many of them are poorly done but some are also very entertaining. According to what you said you like I'd recommend you a minidrama called The Deliberations of Love. Or maybe that's too much of a comedy for you, psychological A Lucid Dream might suit your taste better. Maid's Revenge is also very popular.

If Taiwanese dramas interest you from there I think you might like Someday Or One Day. And then of course there is the Chinese original version of Scarlet heart! I have seen both versions of Scarlet Heart and I think the Korean version had better romance but the Chinese version was more raw and real.

If you decide to watch some of these I'd be happy to hear what you thought of them, and given you more recommendations :)

I felt the same way about this drama. It was promising but fell short. I do however like a lot of Chinese dramas. If you tell me some of you favorites from Korea, I can try to give you some similar recommendations from cdramas?

Depends on your definition on love triangle. I think there is one, but the leads only ever like each other.

Thank you for the warning! I'm now in ep 18, so far liking it.

The most powerful scene in this drama is the one where ML's mother waits at home with the poison and hears someone come in the door. I can't even think about it without tearing up.

Thank you! I’m glad it’s not too close to the ending.