Michelle Topham

Yep. She's had over 20 main roles actually. She's usually the female lead and not a supporting character.

If you don't mind violence, you'll love it. Just finished it, and it's absolutely one of my Top 3 dramas of 2025 so far.

Probably blocked in your region, as the entire drama is streaming on that channel in Europe. It's Linmon Pictures legal YouTube channel, and they have licensing rights for the drama in this region.

Wild, isn't it? He went from being one of my most despised characters to one of the ones I loved, and also felt sorry for, in a superb performance by Chang Long. (Haven't finished watching the drama yet -- still have 4 episodes to go :)

Because it's literal garbage after about Ep15. I started it on a 10/10, which I kept up to about Episode 12. I then kept dropping the scoring until I dropped the entire drama at Ep24 with a 2/10 -- worst "writing" and worst "acting" from an FL that I've seen in years.

And I rarely drop dramas. Chinese viewers all over Weibo are also complaining about what trash it was too (especially those that have read the popular novel), so it's not just international viewers that hated this thing :)

A shame for Liu Xue Yi because, as always, he was brilliant in this. The rest belongs in the nearest trash can, IMO.

Just finished all 30 episodes and it's absolutely one of the best Chinese dramas I've ever watched. Short form or otherwise, it's spectacular from the first second on, right to that fabulous ending. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it.

I think it's because it's a short form drama, so many people think it will be sub-standard.

This one though is higher quality than many long dramas, and an absolutely addictive watch.

I won't pay for Viki. They basically treat their subbers like slave labor (they get 'free subscriptions' instead of getting paid, unlike Netflix who pays equivalent of $20 an hour or more). So, when a drama is only available on Viki, non-legal is my only option.

They're a multi multi-million dollar company, yet still refuse to pay their subbers, and that's bullshit, IMO.

I will also never understand why anyone would give away their finite time for basically free (ie: the subbers) to a multi-million dollar company.

And yep, I watch everything legal if possible, but Chinese streaming services are making that increasingly impossible with some dramas. Incredibly annoying when I pay for 3 Chinese streaming platforms (2 now after I canceled iQIYI because they aren't streaming A Dream Within a Dream) plus Netflix and Disney+, but still don't get legal access to about 25% of what I want to watch.

You should try watching A Dream Within a Dream on Linmon Film's YouTube channel, which is the only legal way we can watch it in Europe after iQIYI has refused to license it here.

That drama finished yesterday with its 36th episode, and we still don't have Episode 18 on YouTube in Europe.

Needless to say, I've been watching it on a non-legal site from the beginning. The result? Everybody loses out because iQIYI can't get its licensing in order. So stupid.

On Viki in Europe -- https://www.viki.com/tv/41195c-our-generation

I started watching it last night thinking it was just another typical Republican-era detective series that would be "entertaining enough" (just like Detective L)

Had NO idea it was going to be this gritty, this violent, this fabulously written, and this brilliantly acted by every actor right down to the ones in the smallest bit parts. Gripping doesn't even begin to describe it. Started watching at 1am last night, and have binged the first 18 episodes, and I worked 10 hours today :)

Not a dull moment in all 18 episodes. Superb in every respect.

How on EARTH is this rated so low? It's absolutely excellent.

Fascinating story, the cast is superb, beautiful sets, costumes and cinematography and the pacing is perfect. Somewhat violent and disturbing but, if that doesn't bother you, you'll love it.

Enjoying everything about this so far. And such a nice surprise that each episode is short, but such high quality.

I'm just one of those people that can't settle anywhere :)

Grew up in the UK, now a naturalized American citizen, lived in the U.S. in 9 different cities over 20-plus years, moved to Bangkok, then to Malaysia, and currently in Austria. No idea where I'll end up next???

Maybe one day I'll find somewhere to stay. Meanwhile, it makes life interesting, and drives my parents nuts. Mother says sick to death of changing my address in her address book - LOL.

Name's Michelle (LeoSigh is my website).

Nice to meet you :)

On YouTube -- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQqbdnAgoRmaO_Y9YsBXOkuikmYGGxsoU

Still episodes behind the Tencent Video broadcast in China, and with subtitles that aren't perfect, but it's watchable. And free :)

I'm studying Chinese (want to move back to Asia at some point, and China is a possibility), but no, not more than basic Chinese. Yet.

I speak Thai due to living in Thailand for 15 years (speak as in I can have a conversation about Thai politics with a Thai taxi driver -- not always perfect grammar or tones, but I manage :) although reading/writing is still a bitch for me :), but that's because Thais English skills are some of the poorest in the world, so I was forced to learn.

I've written about Asian entertainment since about 2004, so I've been looking for online information about Asian-related music/dramas/movies etc. online since the early 2000s, which was when I moved to Bangkok.

Back then there wasn't much available in English at all, so I had to teach myself how to find it in Mandarin, Japanese, Korean etc and then to become adept at using Baidu, Naver, Douban, Yahoo! Japan etc. to find more information, and then translate it into English via various online resources.

Nowadays, translating is much much easier due to AI. Takes me a fraction of the time it used to :)

He's just so talented in so many areas. I think it's his talent that makes him seem so handsome as, stereotypically, he's really not.

But someone that talented, in my eyes at least, becomes handsome because so much of what he does is just beautiful to watch.

Hahaha, no worries. I have the memory of a gnat, so easily mix stuff up. Still sounds really interesting. Will let you know if I like the first few episodes.

No worries. I never mind helping someone, as I know I'm always so grateful when someone helps me :)

Somebody on MDL was nice enough to give me the heads up on LYN's theme song for 'Heroes' last week. The song where he sings with a Chinese opera falsetto. I haven't watched that drama yet, so hadn't heard the song, and was blown away by his amazing range. So talented.

For anyone who hasn't heard it yet... Just beautiful.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2pi6zG5XldnjWVr3EiComQ?si=7e84211303e749a1

Every song from ADWAD is wonderful. Have had all of them on my 'Liked Songs' list on Spotify and had them on repeat since they dropped.

Hahaha, you're welcome.

I write about Asian dramas (among other things), but I'm originally a music journalist who spent 15 years in Asia, so I've spent half my life tracking down Asian songs online that are a bitch to find due to their titles/singers never being available in English. If I can't find it, it's usually not available :)