This review may contain spoilers
A heartwarming and sweet story of a love that beats all odds
I didn't have any big expectations before watching this, but just like most viewers I was pleasantly surprised (and satisfied).
POSITIVES (for me):
• Quite simple story and plot but effectively showed a 𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 imo.
• 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 ftw! Who doesn't like BLs that depict a caring and supportive love between the leads?
- Main leads also had some depth, character development, and moments of misunderstanding, vulnerability, communication and reconciliation.
- I especially loved a certain emotional moment of Zi Xiang repeatedly saying Shao Peng's name (you'll understand it's significance more if you've seen the drama).
• 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Agreeing with similar comments I've read, I love that they showed Shao Peng being able to find someone who accepts him for who he is, including his disability and the challenges that come with it. The show also didn't make the character's disability disappear or lessen by the end, giving a message that disabilities do not hinder anyone from experiencing stuff that physically healthy people "normally" experiences and that includes love.
• The 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 is chemistry-ing! Despite a more wholesome overall vibe, the show didn't shy away from showing our main leads having romantic moments and that includes dates, holding hands, forehead bumps, kisses, and intimate scenes. The acting and directing was able to make me feel that they deeply love and care for each other, making me genuinely wish for their happy ending.
- Speaking of chemistry, even the second couple oozes them lol. Their dynamic is more on the "spicier" side, and honestly if they would have a side-story/special episode/s I'd eat that up lol.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲. I especially liked the moments with Shao Peng's dad and mom as well as the second couple.
• Main characters had their own motivations outside of the relationship.
- They also didn't feel like typical uke/seme stereotypes at least to me.
LESS POSITIVE/MIXED FEELINGS (and some personal gripes):
• I felt 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.
- I couldn't really understand why the cousin(?) was after Zi Xiang (or maybe i just wasn't paying enough attention and missed something. I guess i ended up not caring enough about him or his motivations 😅). I wish we saw more of his background and maybe a flashback on the incident that happened when he and Zi Xiang were kids.
- The resolution with him was also done a bit too simplistic imo, but i honestly don't know how they could have done it differently and i don't necessarily dislike the way it happened.
- The ex-fiance didn't really serve much purpose other than drive some development for the main couple's relationship. That or i missed something again.
- I was ready to hate on Zi Xiang's dad for being a strict perfectionist, but then they went with the "he's only strict cuz he cares for you" route and i ended up unsure how to feel about his character. He was pretty much the reason why Zi Xiang has a kinda low self-esteem and acts a bit "rebellious" so im not completely convinced with how they justified his character.
- They also showed a potential third couple(?) but wasn't able to expand more on them.
• 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱. Not necessarily of the main leads or the side couple/family members, maybe more of the background characters. But tbh it didn't bother me too much bc they play little role on the story anyways, im fine as long as the main characters' acting are good enough.
• Some 𝗸𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮-𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 of falling, catching, princess-carrying and looking straight into each other's eyes for romantic effect. Might be considered cliche for some but idc i love me some dreamy shoujo anime-like moments lol.
• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 aren't the best and can be improved more. It gives a bit more of a lower-budget production vibes, however the story and chemistry overshadows it for me.
• Despite having genres such as "crime" and "thriller", those aspects weren't really a main focus and more of a backdrop for the characters and story. Personally it wasn't a big deal for me, but some viewers may expect to see more of those genres and not have those expectations met.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
A recommended watch if you're looking for a heartfelt romance and relationship. It has good chemistry from both the main and secondary couples. It also has a respectful depiction of a character with a physical disability. Some aspects of production and acting performances can be improved and some side characters may not be compelling enough. I gave this one a solid 9 for the romance and chemistry, inspiring and uplifting message, and good rewatch value.
POSITIVES (for me):
• Quite simple story and plot but effectively showed a 𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 imo.
• 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 ftw! Who doesn't like BLs that depict a caring and supportive love between the leads?
- Main leads also had some depth, character development, and moments of misunderstanding, vulnerability, communication and reconciliation.
- I especially loved a certain emotional moment of Zi Xiang repeatedly saying Shao Peng's name (you'll understand it's significance more if you've seen the drama).
• 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Agreeing with similar comments I've read, I love that they showed Shao Peng being able to find someone who accepts him for who he is, including his disability and the challenges that come with it. The show also didn't make the character's disability disappear or lessen by the end, giving a message that disabilities do not hinder anyone from experiencing stuff that physically healthy people "normally" experiences and that includes love.
• The 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 is chemistry-ing! Despite a more wholesome overall vibe, the show didn't shy away from showing our main leads having romantic moments and that includes dates, holding hands, forehead bumps, kisses, and intimate scenes. The acting and directing was able to make me feel that they deeply love and care for each other, making me genuinely wish for their happy ending.
- Speaking of chemistry, even the second couple oozes them lol. Their dynamic is more on the "spicier" side, and honestly if they would have a side-story/special episode/s I'd eat that up lol.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲. I especially liked the moments with Shao Peng's dad and mom as well as the second couple.
• Main characters had their own motivations outside of the relationship.
- They also didn't feel like typical uke/seme stereotypes at least to me.
LESS POSITIVE/MIXED FEELINGS (and some personal gripes):
• I felt 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.
- I couldn't really understand why the cousin(?) was after Zi Xiang (or maybe i just wasn't paying enough attention and missed something. I guess i ended up not caring enough about him or his motivations 😅). I wish we saw more of his background and maybe a flashback on the incident that happened when he and Zi Xiang were kids.
- The resolution with him was also done a bit too simplistic imo, but i honestly don't know how they could have done it differently and i don't necessarily dislike the way it happened.
- The ex-fiance didn't really serve much purpose other than drive some development for the main couple's relationship. That or i missed something again.
- I was ready to hate on Zi Xiang's dad for being a strict perfectionist, but then they went with the "he's only strict cuz he cares for you" route and i ended up unsure how to feel about his character. He was pretty much the reason why Zi Xiang has a kinda low self-esteem and acts a bit "rebellious" so im not completely convinced with how they justified his character.
- They also showed a potential third couple(?) but wasn't able to expand more on them.
• 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱. Not necessarily of the main leads or the side couple/family members, maybe more of the background characters. But tbh it didn't bother me too much bc they play little role on the story anyways, im fine as long as the main characters' acting are good enough.
• Some 𝗸𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮-𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 of falling, catching, princess-carrying and looking straight into each other's eyes for romantic effect. Might be considered cliche for some but idc i love me some dreamy shoujo anime-like moments lol.
• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 aren't the best and can be improved more. It gives a bit more of a lower-budget production vibes, however the story and chemistry overshadows it for me.
• Despite having genres such as "crime" and "thriller", those aspects weren't really a main focus and more of a backdrop for the characters and story. Personally it wasn't a big deal for me, but some viewers may expect to see more of those genres and not have those expectations met.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
A recommended watch if you're looking for a heartfelt romance and relationship. It has good chemistry from both the main and secondary couples. It also has a respectful depiction of a character with a physical disability. Some aspects of production and acting performances can be improved and some side characters may not be compelling enough. I gave this one a solid 9 for the romance and chemistry, inspiring and uplifting message, and good rewatch value.
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