This review may contain spoilers
The Harmoniously Chaotic Li Household | The Ultimate formula in producing a Family Drama.
This is how you make a family drama!
This is the story which directors and writers should start using as a reference guide in creating Family dramas. It was flawless from the very beginning until the end. No plot twist left untouched and no main and lead cast (out of 12 combined, mind you) left behind.
This drama surprised me for how magnificent they are in utilizing each and every scene and cuts to their full advantage. I was even worried that they may not be able to cater every Li daughters love story (and if ever they did, it might be half-assed) but god was I wrong. They just didn't simply executed it with perfection but even added extra stuff such as flashback, timeskips, cool-off period, brother-in-law and/or Li sisters alliance antics and more. Not to mention how they decided to suddenly pull off that Li Son (She Cong) coming back to the story as the final pairing for their adoptive sister (Qiong Nu) during the last 2 episodes of the drama—that part still give me the feels even just by thinking about it. I almost give up hope for Qiong Nu because of how little the remaining episodes are but they still managed to squeeze her story in, make full use of their childhood bethrothal plot and give the story one last dramatic scene before it finally concludes.
The people of this production are the masters of resourcefulness and meticulousness. I am honestly out of words for how amazing and dedicated the production team of this drama are. I feel like aside from the actors/actresses they are those people who should be receiving all the high praises and love calls for how splendid they carried out this drama with precision until the very end.
I also want to commend this story for keeping its values and morals straight no matter how tough life can get. This is in relation to the fact that although this story is focused on marrying off every daughter of the Li household to successful men, they (Li Matriarch and Li Daughters) also made sure to stand up and fight for women's rights, well-being and reputation whenever they needed to. I love that they never condone behaviours that could harm anyone of them and if they have to tolerate, they will ensure that it won't reach the point where it could harm them beyond salvation; and if ever they reached that point, they will always make sure to fightback and counter attack as a defense mechanism and payoff for the injustice they had to go through. I wish that every women on this world can be like them...women who knows their worth and will never settle for less and any kind of unfair treatments and injustices.
In addition to the above, I appreciate that this drama promoted and highlighted monogamy. I really admire them for making the one (1) wife policy as one of the main condition for them to get married. I know that it wasn't like that for all the Li daughters marriage at first but I am glad that it was an idea they have firm stand on, and that no one from the Husbands dared to actually take a concubine (Geez! 2nd brother-in-law) as I don't think I would appreciate the story this much if someone actually broke that rule.
"With or without dowries we willl find good matches."
This also made me recall of this line said by someone from the Li daughters—That they value righteous men and would even marry someone poor but upstanding and hardworking if they have to. The underlying painstaking of women back in the days are truly heartbreaking. I'm really glad it wasn't like that anymore in this era.
I honestly wanted to talk about each one of the couples but I am afraid it will take me lofty pharagraphs to make me feel satisfied so I will just make a short description of what I like and admire about each one of them. HIHI! I mean, they all deserved it!
1st Couple (Li Shou Hua & Du Yang Xi) - This is a couple I was most worried the most because this is Shou Hua's 2nd marriage and I don't know how it will be carried out so thank heavens that they chose someone who appreciates her and is willing to look past her previous marriage (mature and broad-minded). I was even more surprised that Shou Hua's the one who had hang-ups...Like, Girl!!! You got no time for that, no men will understand and tolerate anyone who keeps on dwelling in the past.
2nd Couple (Li Fu Hui & Fan Liang Han) - The couple who pioneered and introduced us to this story. Something I wanna say is that I am happy that we don't have to deal with any other stupid antics of Fan Liang Han. He was indeed cute but his ignorance and inabiility to discern and read the situation infuriates me. Hahaha! So TYSM for making them the 1st couple to be introduced to this story because what's left for us to see about them for the succeeding episodes are their funny and adorable moments. They even gave us the 1st grandchildren of the Li Family. <3.
3rd Couple (Li Kang Ning & Chai An) - Our main golden couple. We all know and do agree about this, right? The moment I saw Wang Xi Yue on the cast, I knew for sure he's the main lead. But more than that, what I really like about the story of this couple is that even when they have the most number of screen time for this drama, it still feels like it was equally distributed and was just right. Maybe because their story built the foundation of this drama so it all comes out naturally but I still feels like it's because their story wasn't dragged out just to keep them on screen. Instead they have them appear everytime they can and have a chance to do so.
4th Couple (Li Hao De & Shen Hui Zhao) - The couple I didn't feel right at first but gradually grew on me because of their progress as individuals. The biggest challenge for this couple is not just their age gap but also SHZs stubborness. Li Hao De was to young and I know for sure that it would be tough for her to deal with Shen Hui Zhao so giving them the amnesia trope actually allowed her to introduce herself to SHZ and make him get to know her as a person. This also enabled SHZ to loosen up a bit that made him see a much broader horizon as he was not bothered by his guilt and emotional baggages for quite some time. A peculiar pairing I never thought would work but worked out perfectly anyways.
5th Couple (Li Le Shan & Yang Xian) - The Tom & Jerry of this show and the pairing I am attached to the most. As a Winwin (Dong Si Cheng) Fan since his debut in korea I feel extremely proud, amazed and stunned on how good his performance is in this drama. My cute little chick in a blink of an eye has became such a great actor who was able to carry himself up to be on the same level as the actors/actresses he's working with. It feels like I am watching a different version of him—a more mature and suave one in comparison to the sweet, adorable and timid one I used to know. My baby surely has grown so much throughout the years and this is a testament of that. So glad that he was able to portray and execute this character flawlessly while having the right amount of chemisty and synergy with Huangyang Tian Tian.
Last but definitely NOT the least is the Brother's-in-Law alliance. Isn't this the cutest most adorable alliance ever made? I find it extra entertaining watching them expand each time someone marries a Li daughter and meet everytime they're having problem with their wives. It was such a bliss to watch them gain members from only having Fan Liang Han & Chai An then forcefully recruites the other Brother's-in-law—Du Yang Xi to Shen Hui Zhao and finally, Yang Xian. Hahaha! I find it cute and admirable to see these established and capable men bend and concede to their wives not because they're afraid of them but because they're afraid to lose them. It's also funny how each one of them got these underdog redemption phase they all go through after almost losing their wives; so it has become a thing for them to value and understand their spouses to the point where they've built this alliance to help one another.
Story - 10, This drama is exploding with positivity and togetherness that you can't help but love them as the story progresses. Great narrative overall and this should be the new blueprint of making good and entertaining family drama. Extremely entertaining to watch.
Acting/Cast - 10, They've seriously casted such amazing artists who fits their roles very well. I love each one of them and it's really nice to see them all act together. They must have had fun filming their scenes together as the synergy feels great and is overflowing with positivity and glee.
Music - 10, The songs used for this drama are all good. It feels nice to hear them accompany each scenes they're used to and most of them are slow ballads, so that's a plus point for me as well.
Rewatch Value - 10, A highly recommendable drama. I honestly could've finished it within 2½ days but I have a work to attend to reason why it took longer.
Overall - 10, Is this even a question at this point? This is my new #1 most favorite chinese family drama overtaking "New Life Begins". Everything about this drama is a perfection to me that I would not mind watching it again after finishing it. Hahaha!
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
This is the story which directors and writers should start using as a reference guide in creating Family dramas. It was flawless from the very beginning until the end. No plot twist left untouched and no main and lead cast (out of 12 combined, mind you) left behind.
This drama surprised me for how magnificent they are in utilizing each and every scene and cuts to their full advantage. I was even worried that they may not be able to cater every Li daughters love story (and if ever they did, it might be half-assed) but god was I wrong. They just didn't simply executed it with perfection but even added extra stuff such as flashback, timeskips, cool-off period, brother-in-law and/or Li sisters alliance antics and more. Not to mention how they decided to suddenly pull off that Li Son (She Cong) coming back to the story as the final pairing for their adoptive sister (Qiong Nu) during the last 2 episodes of the drama—that part still give me the feels even just by thinking about it. I almost give up hope for Qiong Nu because of how little the remaining episodes are but they still managed to squeeze her story in, make full use of their childhood bethrothal plot and give the story one last dramatic scene before it finally concludes.
The people of this production are the masters of resourcefulness and meticulousness. I am honestly out of words for how amazing and dedicated the production team of this drama are. I feel like aside from the actors/actresses they are those people who should be receiving all the high praises and love calls for how splendid they carried out this drama with precision until the very end.
I also want to commend this story for keeping its values and morals straight no matter how tough life can get. This is in relation to the fact that although this story is focused on marrying off every daughter of the Li household to successful men, they (Li Matriarch and Li Daughters) also made sure to stand up and fight for women's rights, well-being and reputation whenever they needed to. I love that they never condone behaviours that could harm anyone of them and if they have to tolerate, they will ensure that it won't reach the point where it could harm them beyond salvation; and if ever they reached that point, they will always make sure to fightback and counter attack as a defense mechanism and payoff for the injustice they had to go through. I wish that every women on this world can be like them...women who knows their worth and will never settle for less and any kind of unfair treatments and injustices.
In addition to the above, I appreciate that this drama promoted and highlighted monogamy. I really admire them for making the one (1) wife policy as one of the main condition for them to get married. I know that it wasn't like that for all the Li daughters marriage at first but I am glad that it was an idea they have firm stand on, and that no one from the Husbands dared to actually take a concubine (Geez! 2nd brother-in-law) as I don't think I would appreciate the story this much if someone actually broke that rule.
"With or without dowries we willl find good matches."
This also made me recall of this line said by someone from the Li daughters—That they value righteous men and would even marry someone poor but upstanding and hardworking if they have to. The underlying painstaking of women back in the days are truly heartbreaking. I'm really glad it wasn't like that anymore in this era.
I honestly wanted to talk about each one of the couples but I am afraid it will take me lofty pharagraphs to make me feel satisfied so I will just make a short description of what I like and admire about each one of them. HIHI! I mean, they all deserved it!
1st Couple (Li Shou Hua & Du Yang Xi) - This is a couple I was most worried the most because this is Shou Hua's 2nd marriage and I don't know how it will be carried out so thank heavens that they chose someone who appreciates her and is willing to look past her previous marriage (mature and broad-minded). I was even more surprised that Shou Hua's the one who had hang-ups...Like, Girl!!! You got no time for that, no men will understand and tolerate anyone who keeps on dwelling in the past.
2nd Couple (Li Fu Hui & Fan Liang Han) - The couple who pioneered and introduced us to this story. Something I wanna say is that I am happy that we don't have to deal with any other stupid antics of Fan Liang Han. He was indeed cute but his ignorance and inabiility to discern and read the situation infuriates me. Hahaha! So TYSM for making them the 1st couple to be introduced to this story because what's left for us to see about them for the succeeding episodes are their funny and adorable moments. They even gave us the 1st grandchildren of the Li Family. <3.
3rd Couple (Li Kang Ning & Chai An) - Our main golden couple. We all know and do agree about this, right? The moment I saw Wang Xi Yue on the cast, I knew for sure he's the main lead. But more than that, what I really like about the story of this couple is that even when they have the most number of screen time for this drama, it still feels like it was equally distributed and was just right. Maybe because their story built the foundation of this drama so it all comes out naturally but I still feels like it's because their story wasn't dragged out just to keep them on screen. Instead they have them appear everytime they can and have a chance to do so.
4th Couple (Li Hao De & Shen Hui Zhao) - The couple I didn't feel right at first but gradually grew on me because of their progress as individuals. The biggest challenge for this couple is not just their age gap but also SHZs stubborness. Li Hao De was to young and I know for sure that it would be tough for her to deal with Shen Hui Zhao so giving them the amnesia trope actually allowed her to introduce herself to SHZ and make him get to know her as a person. This also enabled SHZ to loosen up a bit that made him see a much broader horizon as he was not bothered by his guilt and emotional baggages for quite some time. A peculiar pairing I never thought would work but worked out perfectly anyways.
5th Couple (Li Le Shan & Yang Xian) - The Tom & Jerry of this show and the pairing I am attached to the most. As a Winwin (Dong Si Cheng) Fan since his debut in korea I feel extremely proud, amazed and stunned on how good his performance is in this drama. My cute little chick in a blink of an eye has became such a great actor who was able to carry himself up to be on the same level as the actors/actresses he's working with. It feels like I am watching a different version of him—a more mature and suave one in comparison to the sweet, adorable and timid one I used to know. My baby surely has grown so much throughout the years and this is a testament of that. So glad that he was able to portray and execute this character flawlessly while having the right amount of chemisty and synergy with Huangyang Tian Tian.
Last but definitely NOT the least is the Brother's-in-Law alliance. Isn't this the cutest most adorable alliance ever made? I find it extra entertaining watching them expand each time someone marries a Li daughter and meet everytime they're having problem with their wives. It was such a bliss to watch them gain members from only having Fan Liang Han & Chai An then forcefully recruites the other Brother's-in-law—Du Yang Xi to Shen Hui Zhao and finally, Yang Xian. Hahaha! I find it cute and admirable to see these established and capable men bend and concede to their wives not because they're afraid of them but because they're afraid to lose them. It's also funny how each one of them got these underdog redemption phase they all go through after almost losing their wives; so it has become a thing for them to value and understand their spouses to the point where they've built this alliance to help one another.
Story - 10, This drama is exploding with positivity and togetherness that you can't help but love them as the story progresses. Great narrative overall and this should be the new blueprint of making good and entertaining family drama. Extremely entertaining to watch.
Acting/Cast - 10, They've seriously casted such amazing artists who fits their roles very well. I love each one of them and it's really nice to see them all act together. They must have had fun filming their scenes together as the synergy feels great and is overflowing with positivity and glee.
Music - 10, The songs used for this drama are all good. It feels nice to hear them accompany each scenes they're used to and most of them are slow ballads, so that's a plus point for me as well.
Rewatch Value - 10, A highly recommendable drama. I honestly could've finished it within 2½ days but I have a work to attend to reason why it took longer.
Overall - 10, Is this even a question at this point? This is my new #1 most favorite chinese family drama overtaking "New Life Begins". Everything about this drama is a perfection to me that I would not mind watching it again after finishing it. Hahaha!
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
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