MyLangyaList

YOLO or 5

‒Spoiler Free Review‒

Mobius is Bai Jingting's second take of a time loop drama. While this one lacks the script coherence and emotional tenor of Reset, it hopefully has enough action and intrigue to keep the audience entertained enough to ignore the plot holes and cheesier moments. This show is for those who want to see BJT look good, kick ass, and not think too hard. It's certainly worth a try to see if you like it. And if not, BJT will give you 3 more time loop adaptations in the future, especially if Mobius is commercially successful.

For those that came for a sci-fi, don't bother. Just because a show mentions time loop, it doesn't make it sci-fi. It's a standard thriller with time loop, like reset. But unlike the meticulous layered plotting of Reset, this one is pulled along by its action and the question of who the big bad is, and what people's secrets are. Some of the fighting sequences are decent, and you get some gunfights and explosions as well. But there's a cheesy and cheap quality to it‒maybe fine for TV, but B grade movie material. In comparison, a show like The First Shot also had some cheesy unrealistic fight scenes of hero beating a mob, but it felt far more gritty and kinetic. The same can be said about the acting and music. Overall, there's just a fast food feel to the show.

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 7 --> 7.5 MDL
- Plot - 7
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8
- Acting - 8
- Visuals - 7.5
- Audio / Music - 7
- Rewatch - 6.5
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 8
- Subtitle quality - 8.5

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Darkness in the Light

‒Spoiler Free Review‒

I had heard rave reviews of The Bad Kids as one of the best crime dramas. And by the end of the show, I could see what a meticulously crafted story this was. And after reading additional commentary and analysis, I realized all the intricate layers and themes that made this so talked about. So be sure to watch all the way to the end, and then some‒as that's when the mental marination and perhaps rewatch begins.

‒Slightly Spoily Review‒

In terms of timing, I picked up TBK after having watched several very solid, though less acclaimed mystery/thrillers, and partly wanted to calibrate against the best of the best. While the viewing experience was fast and gripping, it was tempered with a nagging disappointment as many of the characters seemed too naive, and some of the actions didn't quite make sense. But when the story ended, I realized that the show had pulled a fast one, and that the oddities are the deliberate result of an unreliable narrator, which TBK only revealed in the final scene.

After reading several excellent analysis, I came to realize the genius of the show. Just as the scariest villains put on the most deceptive camouflage, the storytelling amplifies it on a meta level by showing how we are easily hoodwinked in the end. While it's evident that our unreliable narrator had taken a dark turn at some point, it's even scarier to ponder at what point did that happen. We are shown clues of the fairy tales about the events and the world. But what about the mental planning of our narrator? Given the inherent unreliability, I'm left wondering whether much of the extended engagement with Zhao Dongsheng was a meticulous plot to use a borrowed knife.

--Update--
Upon watching some more analysis, especially on the even darker book version of the story, it seems our narrator was indeed puppeteering much of decisions throughout the story. The book is so disturbing and harrowing--think Dexter--that there was no way it passes review in China. So kudos to the team for this adaptation that tells a very coherent story, while still hinting at the darker secrets. I would have probably enjoyed the book version much more, as the reveal would hit much harder. Though I suspect it would be too psychologically perturbing for most people and this version would be the preferred version for most people.

This is also the reason why I've rated TBK highly but not even higher. My biggest issue with the show is that 95% of the story is the sanitized, naivified version told through our unreliable narrator. While the show introduces plenty of psychologically eerie elements throughout, I still spent much of the show mildly frustrated that the kids seem innocently nonchalant about dealing with a merciless serial killer and even trusting/sympathizing with him at various junctures. On the other hand, the book version sounds like a terrifying escape through a haunted house, before being snatched into the infinite abyss of mind-breaking hell.

--Reflection--

The thematic element that was the most notable for me was the fairy tale, which has two layers. One layer is the darkness of the human heart that allows us to lie to ourselves and pretend we have a clean conscience even as we pursue wicked deeds. This is evident in the show.

The other layer is the the willingness of people to believe in the fairy tales. While this was mostly shown as benign innocence, I wonder if this is actually the most pernicious fairy tale of them all. Evil occurs because of evildoers. But evildoers triumph and proliferate because the gentle, kind, complacent masses like to believe in their own version of the fairy tale‒that by indulging in spotless conscience of good intentions, one is not complicit in allowing evil to roam free. Admittedly, this is not directly emphasized in the story, but is my extrapolation. But as scandals flood the news, foundations of societies crack and crumble, and preventable tragedies flood the world, I'm forced to confront this fairy tale as the most damning of them all.

If anything, the first half of 2020s has shown that the media and conventional narratives are also an extremely unreliable narrator. Yet even as gaping fissures emerge and people's prior assumptions and lives are turned upside down, so many still cling to delusions for comfort‒especially in the West, sorry just the messenger. While I have full sympathy for people seeking comfort to get through the day, and avoid unpleasantries beyond their control‒after all we are watching TV here‒I cannot easily forgive those who have abundant energy for outrage or hedonism, but little for examining fairy tales. Just as those evil will run rampant if justice look the other way, societies will crumble if the public blinds itself. If you see many societal narratives crumble and being replaced at an accelerating pace, perhaps it's also time to wake up and scrutinize the narrators of society.

A few links to in-depth analysis on the internet:
https://cyn-lynn.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-bad-kids-review.html?m=0
https://kisskh.at/discussions/cats-cradle/125701-ending-spoiler-analysis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tX5YGxajYQ&pp=ygUVYXZlbnVleCB0aGUgYmFkIGtpaWRz

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 8.6 -> 9
- Plot - 9
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8.5
- Acting - 9
- Visuals - 9
- Audio / Music - 9
- Rewatch - 8.5
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8

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A psychologically thrilling hidden gem

‒Spoiler Free Review‒

This was a terrific crime drama with a tight plot, unexpected twists and turns, intriguing characters, and a satisfying ending. While I have not seen many crime dramas, this one stood out for the tight writing and attention to detail. The production quality is great. And while there weren't many songs, I really liked the few that were selected‒including the ending‒that waltzed around the high-strung tension of the show. For those that require romance, this one's got a love story to boot.

The cast is excellent, all the way down to the support and child actors. Quite a few performances were good enough to savor. From the main cast, Luo Jin, Wang Ziwen, and Chen Jin had plenty of highlights. Wang Ziwen continues to impress. I've seen her in three shows‒Three Body, Bureau of Transformers, and this‒playing radically different characters, and just going so hard at it each time. Luo Jin was also excellent, though I don't want to spoil the reason.

While this may be a short review, this is an excellent show that everyone should check out. And having just watched Twelve Letters before this, Beloved feels somewhat like an adult cousin to the show‒darker, more psychologically intriguing, with a different flavor of love and trauma.

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 8.4 (--> 9 MDL)
- Plot - 8.5
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8.5
- Acting - 9
- Visuals - 8.5
- Audio / Music - 8.5
- Rewatch - 8
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 8
- Subtitle quality - 8

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Play spy games, win spy prizes

‒Overview‒

Spy Game is a riveting spy thriller that has many terrific aspects that makes it worth watching. The acting is excellent and features a star-studded lineup, with slick action sequences and a fantastic performance by Wang Likun. The plot is tightly-paced and features many well-executed twists and turns. The cinematography and production is considered and high quality. And the icing on the cake is the razor sharp dialogue that's subtle, intelligent, and evasive, delivering the immersive tension of witnessing the high stakes spy vs. spy maneuvers. That said, there are a few elements that may be off-putting to some viewers. The setup of the drama is based on a spy organization that recruits real-life agents through a virtual game. If you accept the setup and not fuss too much about the CGI in the virtual world, you will find a surprisingly engaging drama. On an additional note, I was initially weary of how much propaganda element there might be in the drama, but it actually turned out to be minimal and the bad guys were all depicted as intelligent and with reasonable motivations.

‒Review‒

This was actually my first full-length drama that I really enjoyed this year. At the time, I had suffered through 6 months worth of uninteresting releases and abandoned disappointments. I picked this up mostly as a masochistic for-science exercise to see how quickly brain-dead propaganda would force me to drop the show. This was produced with assistance from China's MSS (Ministry of State Security) after all, an agency similar to the CIA/FBI. To my surprise, after a few initial lukewarm episodes, I was captivated by the intelligent script and dialogue delivered by a terrific cast lineup. My only regret is that I wanted to write an in-depth review and hence delayed it and now I can only put down a fraction of my impression about the show.

The show starts out simple, and even a little cheesy with the virtual game world. It quickly becomes apparent that the virtual 'Spy Game' is actually a recruitment tool for a real spy ring working for some shadowy foreign organization. Two of our main leads, Huang Zicheng, played by Wei Daxun, and Yao Yao, played by Li Yitong are quickly caught up in their first mission and get entangled in a plot to steal cutting edge R&D. And luckily or unluckily for Huang Zicheng, his adoptive brother is an agent at the Ministry of State Security, China's counter-intelligence agency. Thereafter, the multi-layered plot unfolds to include a growing roster of players from the MSS, from the shadowy spy organization Night Fog, and innocent or not-so-innocent citizens. Soon you find yourself immersed in a thriller trying to figure who is friend or foe, who is involved in the conspiracy, and how the characters will protect their loved ones and catch the wily bad guys.

I was pretty satisfied with the plot throughout, including the ending. Writing an engaging plot for a spy drama is more demanding than for the average show. While Spy Game wouldn't belong to the top tier of spy dramas, it nonetheless achieves what I consider to be solid 'reel logic'. For the events that are shown on screen, the logic is solid and consistent with the world and characters. If you want to get super picky and start extrapolating to what's not shown, then it would require such tight world-building that few TV shows ever achieve. And the story was told with enough sophistication that a few twists were unexpected and the foreshadowed twists were engaging and well-executed. I was especially pleased that the show ended on a high note. It's so easy to entice the viewer along with smart intrigue that never get wrapped up. The ending here was logical, impactful, and climatic.

The acting from the large ensemble cast was excellent. For comparison, Li Yitong is generally a very solid actress and one of the better ones in idol dramas. And Wei Daxun went from an unknown to a rising star after thoroughly outclassing Yang Yang as the SML in Fireworks of My Heart. While they were solid in this show, they were probably the weaker actors in comparison. Everyone just embodied their role so well and Wang Likun absolutely slayed. The only acting sore spot was Zhang Haowei in his minor role. Whether in JoL, Ripe Town, or here, Zhang Haowei has never delivered a character that felt completely sincere. This doesn't bode well for him as he's trying to exonerate himself from some pretty shady scandals, as he's incapable of convincingly portraying sincerity even when he's not playing a shady character.

For some final thoughts, the dialogue was terrific. I especially enjoyed the cat and mouse verbal sparring between Han Geng and Wang Likun's characters, so normal, yet so layered. I'm also glad the villains were three dimensional and sympathetic, which made the show much more intriguing. I hope other shows take note, especially spy and Republican dramas. When you flatten and dumb down the bad guys, you are also in effect insulting the intelligence of protagonists and viewers.

This was a solid 8.1 ‒> 8.5 MDL and a top 10% Cdrama of 2023.

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 8.1
- Plot - 8
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8
- Acting - 8.5
- Visuals - 8.5
- Audio / Music - 7.5
- Rewatch - 8
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 7
- Subtitle quality - 8

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美强惨 HST (Handsome, Strong, and Tragic) and LOLs

ADWAD is the type of parody drama that I've been waiting for and want to see more of in CDramaland. It balances laugh-out absurdity with a clever enough script that still elicits HST. The end result is something that can still appeal to enough romance viewers, without killing other viewers through diabetic overdose. For those who are who are tired of tropes, this show definitely breaks the mold while poking fun at the cliches.

‒Review‒
Given my general distaste of idol dramas, I had been begging for just a few parodies to change things up. After all, there's such an abundance of mockery-worthy material and who doesn't like to laugh. So I was delighted that the show teed off with the ridiculousness in the first scene. With a Mexican Stand-off set in ancient China as 3 leads formed a sword-stabbing triangle that eventually spun into a tornado. What?!? Fuck Yeah!!!

So it turns out that it's a transmigration drama where the FL Song Yimeng (played by Li Yitong) is migrated into the world of an awful script, where the ML Nan Heng is a psycho prince who will torture and kill her‒good times. So of course, SYM desperately tries to disrupt the terrible outcome by altering the events, only to be met with death. The good news is that she seems to have infinite resurrections, the bad/better news is that it allows her to die hilariously many more times. Eventually, she gets revived further back in the timeline, giving her more direct contact with NH, who proceeds to try to kill her, only to realize that he's compelled to protect her from death. The good news is that NH is persistent in his homicide attempts, the bad/better news is that he keeps maiming himself in the process. Then the show introduces NH's alt character, side characters, and other conspiracies.

Here I want to make an important note that many people who have major complaints about the FL may be overlooking‒the plot-immutability of the 'original script' and FL's motivation and vantage point. From her perspective, all the early episodes have only confirmed the destiny of the 'highlight scenes', as outlined on her blackboard, and the questionable nature of the ML. Her mistrust and avoidance of the ML is fundamentally derived from that. And even when she begin falling for him, she is still conflicted and tries to push him away as she is haunted by the plot points that would happen. "But just give us lovey-dovey sugar factory, it's been 20 episodes!!!" But they are giving you HS(Tragic)!!! "Oh handsome, strong LYN gege, how tragically you have been wronged and misunderstood by the world and FL, oh gimme the angst, oh I hate seeing gege suffer, but I will keep watching because I'm not a bitch like the FL." Sure you can debate the methods, and some viewers no doubt dropped out, but at least there's a solid reason behind the misunderstanding.

And the drama will reward the patient viewers, or the HST crackheads. Eventually misunderstandings are resolved. The stupidass bitch!! FL grows into a strong, smart woman who finds the courage to loveydovey her man, solves problems, and gets a happy, sensible ending just like you would.

And just like you, I will commend LYN for the steadfast improvement of his acting. He grinded away from a nobody singing streamer to where he is today, kept working on his craft, ignored all the haters, and remains a funny, approachable celebrity. That is certainly worthy of respect. He was good in his role, nothing out of place, and even sings an OST to boot.

But perhaps not like you, I will also highly commend LYT as the FL. This seems to be the first exposure for many Intl viewers to LYT when she has been around for many years with solid works produced. Some have even mixed her up with Bai Lu in voice (understandable) and looks (huh?). Nonetheless, LYT delivered serious acting chops throughout with a fluid display of expressive range and nuance. She nailed the comedy. And she nailed the emotional scenes when the script (not you) called for it. Given this is an idol drama with very religious age and aesthetic requirements, there are few actresses you could have slotted into her place who would have pulled it off. She is definitely top tier acting wise in idol land. And I wish her interesting roles and success in both idol and proper dramas.

Now for the shortcomings. I enjoyed the comedy, but I would have liked it more if they were delivered with even more punch, surprise, and zaniness. Compared to another funny show 'To Get Her', ADWAD often prepped the jokes a little much. Also there was some unevenness to the pacing, especially in the early-middle episodes. The gravity of the bigger plot arc wasn't always evident throughout. And certain elements, like the whole sword alchemy thing, perhaps garnered unwarranted attention. Some of the ML abuse by the Emperor felt rash and petty. And of course many will point to the gege abuse by the FL SYM. And while the drama got a sensible, happy ending unlike 99.44% of costume dramas, it was not one of climatic majesty. The transmigration and script-bending nature of the drama kept me on my toes, but also anticipating whether a bigger climax was ahead. So, this was enjoyable, but not something with lasting impact. Also, while i appreciated LYN's acting, I did not appreciate the excessive eyelining. It's hard for me to make out the microexpressions if I can't figure out whether he's trying to commemorate Ozzy Osborne or become the next JD Vance. I know your gege is perfect, but believe me he would be more perfect and HST if he donated his makeup set to a NK Pop orphanage. Because he told me, because the moral message of this drama is about choosing your own destiny, and choosing your own makeup style as a Dongbei yemen'er.

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 7.5 (+.5 ⇒ 8 MDL)
- Plot - 7
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 7.5
- Acting - 8
- Visuals - 8
- Audio / Music - 8
- Rewatch - 7
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8

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There are no mysteries here, only writers playing tricks

‒Overview‒

Strange Tales is a mystery detective drama set in Tang Dynasty of ancient China. If you enjoy costume dramas and mysteries, this show certainly punches above its weight in visuals, fight choreography, and acting for the most part. But it's also not for everyone. The mystery elements, while offers some interesting twists and unique setups, are not unfolded in the way that a few exceptional top mystery shows deliver. And viewers must also contend with one of the main characters Lu Lingfeng, whose brash and haughty personality can make for a frustrating watch.

‒Review‒

First a disclaimer: I'm not a big fan of mysteries, especially procedural mysteries. My reason is that they often feel like a sleigh of hand trick rather than a genuine mystery that engages the audience in the case-solving, the characters, and thought process of the detectives. The latter method is often used in long-form mysteries that span the entire show. So I was thoroughly engaged for shows like Interlaced Scenes, The First Shot, and others. But what makes the long-form mysteries great‒the complex characters, prolonged tension and stakes, the worldbuilding‒often take a backseat to the need to quickly build and resolve the cases, while keeping the audience entertained. And too often, it feels like the writer is just employing various tools like sleigh of hand, bait-and-switch, and case-solving by obscure details/knowledge. The problem with this approach is that it erodes the logical consistency and misdirects the focus on the drama to wild-goose-chase that are ultimately inconsequential. I would include legal, cop, and medical case shows in there as well as it often resolves by magical doctor pulling out some obscure medical detail to save the day. Just as ghosts are rare if not non-existent, genuine mysteries are also rare. Most of the time, it's just people, or in this case, the writers pulling tricks 装神弄鬼.

Despite this pervasive problem, I tend to look for other elements that would still make procedural mysteries enjoyable for me. There are 3 major elements: the story of the MCs, the story or message of the case characters, the cases themselves. I rarely find the latter engaging enough by itself and mostly rely on the other two elements to carry me through the show. My problem with Strange Tales is that it never provided an engaging enough backstory for the MCs, whether Lu Lingfeng, Su Wuming, or Pei Xijun. Lu Lingfeng - from proud aristocratic family, wanting to honor the legacy but not sacrifice his integrity. Su Wuming - a disciple of the famed detective/judge Di Renjie, presumably wants to uphold justice. Pei Xijun - likes Lu Lingfeng, has artistic talent, and is an unorthodox girl. And the only other discernible element is a larger conspiracy from the battle of court factions in the capital. The problem is that the character backstories barely scratches the surface, are not that compelling, and doesn't provide a hook into what makes them tick, what are their greater purpose, or what deep tensions are they trying to resolve. And the court conspiracy was only occasionally brought into the spotlight, and doesn't really make sense under scrutiny. To make things worse, Lu Lingfeng's angry and impulsive outbursts makes me want to throw bottles of sedative pills at him. Bro, you are trying to solve mysteries here, not get into bar fights. He is supposed to get better in the second season, so fingers crossed.

So the show doesn't provide me with a strong basis of continuity across the cases. I don't get to care about the struggles of the characters, their growth, or whatever their personal journey. Even the camaraderie between the characters are somewhat lackluster, as Su Wuming and Pei Xijun both come in and out, and Lu Lingfeng's anger issues throws a wrench into the Lu-Su bromance. The case characters themselves are also difficult to engage with. It's partly due to the bait-switch sleigh-of-hand tricks the writers are pulling, which makes it difficult for you to fully trust or root for the characters until the case is already resolved. As I write this, I'm struggling to remember any characters that stood out. Another small complaint I had was with the acting. I can understand Lu Lingfeng is probably written with anger issues so I give Yang Xuwen a pass. His fights were also great. Yang Zhigang as Su Wuming did a very good job, and Gao Siwen as Pei Xijun was fine, the problem is her character is not fully fleshed out. What's more glaring are scenes with the Emperor, Empress, and royals. It's too exaggerated, too on-the-nose, and erodes the polish or whatever credibility of a secretive political intrigue that the writers are trying to convey.

As a comparison, Mysterious Lotus Casebook worked because it leveraged the brotherhood dynamic of its core characters and each of the cases tied into the overarching mission of Li Lianhua to figure out the past and safeguard his loved ones. I didn't care for any of the MLC cases as they also felt sleigh-of-hand to me, but even as I tuned out of the cases, I stayed engaged with the main story. The First Shot is a long-form mystery that has several layers and twists. But it unfolded the story just as it did to the main characters, so as a viewer you saw what they saw and stayed engaged for the ride. The character backstories were also much more engaging and touching. Bureau of Transformers employs procedural format but hit on all 3: interesting MCs, interesting case characters, and interesting cases. Though to be fair, the cases are not exactly detective mysteries, so they could afford to not use writer magic tricks, and the experience was much more enjoyable. Another hidden gem is Link Click from this year, which I'm looking to review soon.

So overall I can only give it a 6 as I force fed myself this so I can check out the highly touted season 2. But by the time I finished, I was no longer in the mood to pick up s2 immediately. If they fix the MC issue for s2 where I can care for them, then it could easily be a 7, and an 8 if the case characters are interesting. I have no expectation for the cases themselves, but 2 out of 3 will do.

‒Category Ratings--

- Overall - 6
- Plot - 6
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 6
- Acting - 7.5
- Visuals - 8
- Audio / Music - 8
- Rewatch - 6
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 7
- Subtitle quality - 8

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A NDBT (哪都不通) storyline

‒Short Review‒

Season 2 returns the main cast in Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao and perhaps even ups the ante in terms of visuals, CGI, action choreography. However, the magic of S1‒seamlessly blending humor, action, and heart into a story with intrigue and great characters‒was missing. Instead, the show often felt like a frustrating, disjointed mess that struggled to blend together multiple stories, angles, and new characters. Only in the beginning and the very last episode did the show feel like S1, where the narrative was able to pull together into a coherent story. Given how this season was somehow higher rated on Douban compared to S1, I suspect much of the narrative issues may be due to a creative team that had to balance the expectations of the manhua and donghua fans, rather than crafting a ground-up adaptation of the story that was shown.

As a TV-only enjoyer, there seems to be several different themes and story lines for this season. There's the Chen Duo storyline of who she is, what happened between her and Liao Shu, and also the the effort to capture her. There's Ma Xianhong's village, his special cauldron, and the effort to bring him under NDT jurisdiction. There's mystery to the other NDT temps. And also, there's the tension with NDT HQ. In addition, there's a small arc about ZGQ. Either the show needed to prune some of the story lines or use a different narrative structure to main the focus and cohesion that's needed. Instead, we got a story that struggled to build tension and focus, much less maintain it. In contrast, S1 worked so well partly due to the core story about ZCL, and later on FBB. I rewatched a bit of S1 again for comparison, and the humor and story difference is just night and day.

What I Liked
- Production value, decent CGI
- Action sequences
- The returning characters from S1, and the new ZGQ
- Vicky Chen's Chen Duo

What I Didn't Like
- The storytelling
- New character casting/acting (I suspect too much emphasis was placed on visual resemblance, rather than acting and behavior that's most organic to the story)
- New character story (the little backstory we got for them was shallow and awkward, difficult to care about them)
- Humor (forced and disrupting to the mood/tensions of the story, and the humor just wasn't as sharp)

‒Category Ratings‒

- Overall - 7 (generous 7)
- Plot - 6.5
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 7.5
- Acting - 7.5
- Visuals - 8
- Audio / Music - 8
- Rewatch - 7
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 8
- Subtitle quality - 8

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A murder of innocence

‒Overview‒

Interlaced scenes is a short, engaging crime thriller that pulls you in with a deceptively straightforward murder mystery in the first episodes, then methodically reveals the the larger contours of the crime piece by puzzle piece. As a viewer you will first be drawn in by the mystery, then the characters, and later on the social commentaries on Chinese society and human nature. As with most dramas I rate above 8, this show has excellent acting, production, and an unique story.

‒Review (minor spoilers)‒

The show opens with the murder of a young woman. And flash forward almost a year to the present day, we are shown a successful author, Gu Jiming, receiving accolades for his thriller novel that contain passages eerily similar to the crime. Gu Jiming looks every bit the shady character, and even one of the detectives becomes convinced that Gu is the murderer. Open and shut case Watson, as I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the lame setup. But please don't drop the show based on the initial evidence as we are quickly shown additional clues about how the murder is much more complicated than it first appears. Along the way, our initial impression and assumptions about characters are continuously questioned, tempered, and even reversed multiple times.

We follow the footsteps of a brusque, incisive female lead detective Jiang Guangming, played by the always excellent Ma Yili, and her protege Shi Luo, played by Gao Zhiting. On the list of potential suspects and witnesses, are Gu Yiming, played by an excellent Tong Dawei, his wife Su Zhenzhen, skillfully portrayed by Lan Yingying, Jiang Na, Tang Xun, and others. I should first preface that I generally do not enjoy mystery dramas. This is mainly because too many mystery dramas are what I consider the 'gotcha' category, where the story deliberately throws out multiple bait to manufacture suspense, then toss in some convoluted explanation at the end, often based on some trivial or arcane detail that only the detective would pick up on. This is the other type of mystery drama that I do enjoy. The difference is that this one is much more of an organic mystery and suspense, we are right there with the main leads, be presented with the same details, and following the same thought process as they are. The mystery and suspense, come from the complexity of the crime and the appeal of the characters.

What I liked the most about this show is that the second half is mostly devoted to fleshing out different aspects of the key characters and social commentary. The most intriguing aspect of the story was about Gu Jiming and his former girlfriend Jiang Na, and his current fiancee Su Zhenzhen. The parallel and contrast between the two women, GJM's approach to both, and the metaphorical significance was riveting and profound. While I ended up lamenting the injustice to the victims and the depravity of the perpetrators, I was even more intrigued by what the show says about contemporary Chinese society, its problems, and values.

What were the circumstances that turned a decent man turn into a killer? Was it just him, human nature, or something about society? How much did the social inequalities and attitudes contribute to the tragedies? What is the price for innocence and dreams, especially for those of average material and social resources? I was actually surprised that the show offered pedestrian message at the end, even though all the narrative in the second half pointed to much more incriminating criticisms of society. And unfortunately, if I don't return with more writeup, I will only leave with those questions.

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 8.3
- Plot - 8
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8.5
- Acting - 9
- Visuals - 8.5
- Audio / Music - 8
- Rewatch - 8
- Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8

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A parody of Xianxia in style and quality

In order to honor the many Xianxia dramas out there, I will keep this review low-effort and low-quality. This also seems to be the general consensus among the Chinese public about Xianxia as a genre--where quality and originality go to die in multiple lifetimes and banality flourish for a heavenly eternity. A casual peak at Chinese internet such as Bilibili will yield a kaleidoscope of rant videos lampooning the vapidity of the genre.

So making a parody drama should be as easy as electrocuting fish in a barrel right? Well not exactly. Despite ostensibly genuine effort from the producer/ML to call out the genre and other stupidities in the CDrama industry, the show unfortunately also succumbs to many of the same pitfalls.

To much telling, not enough showing. Too repetitive in terms of structure and the same OST song that gets played every 5 minutes. And despite the short drama length, it lacked a compelling narrative to tie together the various parody scenes. It was only in the last 10 minutes of the show, that a compelling motivation emerged and I actually cared for the characters and wanted to see what comes next.

In Actor's Rhapsody's defense, it was a very low budget production and it actually commits fewer cinematic sins than most of the Xianxias out there. But for a topic ripe for the picking, I wish it aimed for something bolder, more refined, and more original--along the lines of 'The Great Nobody'. Another low budget short drama, but one that delivered nonstop laughs in an interesting and original story.

Pros:
-I watched Xianxia, without having to watch Xianxia
-Gives an interesting look at the behind-the-scenes insanities that goes on in Chinese drama
-Decent acting from ML, and the support (there are quite a few perpetual supporting actresses that signed up for this)
-Looks ok and have fewer instances of cinematic terrorism
-Short
-There are jokes and humor interspersed throughout, and done well enough that Douban gave it 7.5+ rating

Cons:
-Choppy narrative
-The format gets repetitive
-For those really picky about looks, you'll be seeing a lot of ET surgery from the SML

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A concussive flurry that leaves you in anticipation of what's next

--Summary--
A provocative, in-your-face kidnapping into the disturbing world of Korean school violence. High quality production with excellent action scenes, visuals, and sound. Gripping and fast-paced story with convincing setup. Reasonable plot progression without major holes, but also some plot convenience and noble idiocy that I was able to overlook. Captivating acting from the impressive young leads and veteran supporting actors added to the realism. Though more a prequel than complete narrative, it's a thrilling prelude hopefully to a well-fleshed out story.

I give it 8 (+0.5), which is very good score reserved for one of the best shows of the year. But it's difficult to rate higher because we've only been given a partial story and the compact S1 doesn't leave room for greater thematic depth or connection to characters. I may bump the rating if future seasons are able to develop this into a high quality, fleshed out story.

**Update after S2**: This originally received an 8 despite being an incomplete story based on the high production value and some promising plot elements. But when the rest of the assignment was turned in for S2, it became clear that S1 never had a complete story to begin with. So marking this down to 7.5

--Detailed Rating--
Update: 7.5 for the lack of continuity in S2.
✅ Plot (8.5) - The core of the plot is logical and moves the story along at the brisk pace. In the second half of the show, previously calculated and pragmatic characters like Ahn Soo and Yeon Shi both indulge in some noble idiocy and create a bigger mess for the very people they were trying to protect. In addition, Oh Beom Seok's descent into malevolence appeared too abrupt and unfounded as he betrayed Ahn Soo over minor slights while allying himself with bullies that have tormented him far more brutally. While these plot issues are not dealbreakers, they do stretch the plausibility and detract from the story.

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A Familiar Idol Drama

In many ways, familiarity is an recurring element for Kunning Palace. The FL was an Empress of evil deeds in her past life that transmigrates into a do-over life, intent on fixing her mistakes. So the setting, the people, and even many events are portrayed as familiar events that add tension to the story.

As for my personal viewing experience, Kunning Palace also felt familiar‒A Familiar Stranger familiar. In fact having conscientiously avoided idol dramas‒costume or modern‒A Familiar Stranger was an rare exception that I attempted and enjoyed, perhaps mostly owing to its short mini-drama length. With Kunning Palace as the much anticipated big-budget drama, I joked to myself that all I'm looking for is AFS quality and I'm willing to turn my brain off for the ride. And to my cursed prediction, A Familiar Stranger is basically what I got: from the haphazard blinding lights, to the spinning shots, to the predictable OST that conspicuously serenades every modestly emotional scene, to the paper-mache world-building and story that I didn't dare staring into for the fear that even a lingering glance will set the whole world ablaze.

And sadly despite the modest expectations, I'm not sure if Kunning Palace matched the quality of AFS. Despite being a low-budget production shot in a pinch, AFS had arguably better production quality, better average acting quality, and better tropey romantic sizzle. And most of all, the short 3 hour run time and fast pace made all the irksome issues much more palatable.

To be fair, Kunning Palace is not a terrible show, and solidly above average for an idol drama. Unsurprisingly, a lot of people liked it, and liked it a lot. If you are not congenitally allergic to idol drama like me, the sets, costumes, pretty actors, and decent trope execution will be lighting up plenty of dopamine and serotine. And just some modest improvement to the script, acting, and cinematography would have made this a decent watch me. But as it is, the negatives slightly outweighed the positives, and multiplied by 24 episodes the cumulative enjoyment debt had become too much to overcome.

Complaints:
❌Kiddie level political schemes and too many plot issues
❌On-the-nose tension and dramatic moments, reinforced by even more on-the-nose dialog to make sure the audience understood the obvious
❌Too much try-hard acting; too modern line delivery, dialog, and general vibes
❌Amateurish cinematography and editing choices, the director feels like someone that likes to inject random effects into his Powerpoint slides to look professional

--Category Ratings--
- Overall - 5.5
- Plot - 5.5
- Theme / Message / Impact - 6
- Acting - 6.5
- Visuals - 7
- Audio - 7
- Rewatch - 5
- Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8

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华山论贱: Southern Cuckoo and Northern Coo-Coo

‒Review‒

It's another installment of 华山论贱 Shitfest at Mount Hua, and this time we have another very earthy flavored creation, one that somehow tricked me into finishing. Disclaimer: in many ways the Shitfest at Mount Hua is still better than the Idolxias, so if you didn't grow up with Wuxia, these might even be a pleasant surprise to you. But I did grow up w/ wuxia, so woe is me.

So how did I finish this when I dropped the others a few episodes in? It's mostly because it was kookie and silly enough in the beginning and didn't try to present itself as something too serious. It's more permissible for fratboy retards to get all shitfaced and shit in their retard friend's baseball cap than it is to shit in their professor's briefcase during thesis defense. Same logic. (Though I hear everyone is Cheat-gpting and getting grade inflationed, so maybe both are now a celebrated tradition in American higher education).

Anyways, back to the show. There's some father-son drama in the posh Dali Kingdom in the South. It's supposed to be an ancient kingdom but the aesthetics is blindingly white and ostentatious. It's as if Donald Trump got 'donated' a Saudi prince's palace, took out the only classy elements, renovated it loud Trump style, then asked his buddy Epstein to put some creepy finishing touches on it. Every time they show a shot of the palace is like checking into Dali Trump Resorts. The only thing missing is half of US Congress and an adolescent masseuse team. No this is not why I kept watching you sickos.

Luckily the characters are nothing of the Epstein Congress variety. Peter Ho plays the prince that ran away from a marriage pact to join the Hobo Fight Club‒I'm not kidding it's literally a fight club of hobos, and it's canon. And Ming Dao plays a hobo-trainee that got swapped with Peter, tries to fend off a bunch of women from different tribes who tries to marry/kiss/kill him. Yes they ran a kiss/marry/kill game on the same guy. And somehow he ends up winning the heart of the arranged princess (played by Hankiz Omar) despite his protestations. Now both Peter Ho and Ming Dao have their fans, and they are not bad actors. The problem is that both are playing characters that are 25 years younger. So you look at them and expect some mature wisdom. But instead you get retarded decision making and behaviors emblematic of teenagers with underdeveloped prefrontal cortex. Whoops they are 45 and 49? I swear they are not Epstein-congressional!!

They are just into different things. Peter (Southern Emperor) ends up falling for Hani (Yi Huo) and marries her, but later reluctantly and gentlemanly gives her up to Ming Dao (Northern Begger). Because they are friends and that's what good friends do. But then you remember that Southern Emperor will later marry another woman in LoCH and she ends up cheating with chubby Zhou Botong. Hmmm, hmmm, very sus ... as they say in Jianghu, once is an accident, twice makes a fetish. Our Southern Emperor is so obviously a cuckoo enthusiast that he should be made an honorary White person.

Our Northern Emperor has a different fetish, of the coo-coo variety. He just gets off on doing clearly stupid and crazy things. Obvious scheme, let's fall for it! Suspicious dude, let's trust him! Suspicious dude second time, let's leave him alive to do evil deeds. I will fight my bro Northern Emperor because of mah woman and mah Dad, but casually let evil dude jeopardize their lives. Granted most of the stupidity was concentrated in the last 2 episodes, but boy did it culminate in a scatological volcano.

At least it's not Epstein.

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 5.5
- Plot - 5.5
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 6
- Acting - 7.5
- Visuals - 8
- Audio / Music - 8
- Rewatch - 4
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8

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microdrama that deserves to blow up

‒Short Review‒

I was planning on boycotting microdramas forever, but curiosity got the best of me. Saw Jackie Li and figured I might be in for some laughs. I was not disappointed with the comedy. Moreover, the writing, plot twists, acting, and production was excellent. Frankly there's more plot and originality in this show than many derivative idol dramas. And the total runtime is less than a single episode of these shows.

The challenge for intl viewers is finding where to stream and the subs. If you do find it, you'll be in for a treat.

As a side note on the industry, I really hope the mini and microdramas can segment more so that indie, arthouse shows like this can be produced. It would help further diversify the industry in China and offer more opportunities for talented actors and directors, or passionate entrants to hone their craft.

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 8
- Plot - 8
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8.5
- Acting - 8.5
- Visuals - 8
- Audio / Music - 8
- Rewatch - 8
- Cultural/Topical Accessibility - 8.5
- Subtitle quality - ??

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An endearing adaptation of Red Band Society

‒Overview‒

'Ming Ri You Qing Tian' is the Chinese adaptation of the beloved 'Red Band Society' that has a Chinese title that roughly translates to 'Tomorrow has Sunshine'. It's a Chinese spin on the Spanish Drama 'Polseres Vermelles', which has spawned many adaptations internationally. The show is a found-family and coming-of-age drama that follows the young patients that banded together as they grapple with the vicissitudes of youth, dreams, friendship, family, loss, and overhanging specter of their own mortality. Like the best entries in this genre, the show mixes laughs, emotions, and a dash of romance (though far less than other versions). The 16 episodes go by quickly and the endearing characters will leave you with strong impressions, life lessons, and healing in midst of loss.

‒What I Liked‒

- Excellent theme and concept, courtesy of the OG drama, adapted to Chinese setting and sensibilities
- Exploration of the struggles of medical patients, the attitudes and reactions of parents, and the stigma and social issues in the Chinese context
- The likeable, three dimensional characters delivered by solid acting performances from a young and relatively unknown cast.
- Good execution on the found family concept, plenty of humor, and plenty of heart. There are a lot of 地狱笑话 (Hell Jokes, even worse than Soviet Jokes), but also plenty of inspiring moments.
- The German version is supposedly the best, but I don't speak German so I briefly checked out the American version. Higher budget production notwithstanding, it was a very Walmart store teen comedy, where the characters and jokes were predictability on 2 legs, oops my bad, on 1 leg or wheelchair. If you thought that joke was bad, the jokes in the American version were no better. In contrast, Tomorrow Has Sunshine felt more authentic and contemplative. This might be because China doesn't make many comedies whereas US produces tons of sitcoms, which also means stylistic repetitiveness and fatigue. Regardless, the American version felt like cripples hopped up on an alternating mix of adderall and crying meds. I'm sure the show has some highlight moments, but the amount of derivativeness made me hit the eject button in short order.

‒What I Didn't Like‒

- The social media aspect, courtesy of the producer, Bilibili (China's YouTube). While the show tried to add a social media twist that presumably wasn't part of the original drama, it amounted to more of a half-baked effort and annoyance. While it didn't degrade the core of the story, the social media presence felt tacked on. A better integration would have required a far more thoughtful and intensive modification of the original story and directorial presentation.
- The slight issue with polish in the visuals, music, and editing department. It's not as polished as Link Click, another interesting recent drama from Bilibili. The American show Scrubs comes to mind for the similar vibe. IMO Scrubs is an all-time classic, so there's a significant gap in storytelling and presentation.
- Minor plot logic and continuity issues
- Disclaimer: might be because I've been watching everything on 2X* The finale was solid, but meandered a bit, rather than ending on a decisive, impactful note. Also some of the tonal transitions between funny and sad moments could have been refined. And I thought they could have been braver and lingered longer on sad moments longer to let it hit home.

Overall this was an engaging, fast watch and most people probably wouldn't have my complaints about polish. I rate it a 7.8 ‒> 8.5MDL. The biggest issue might be finding it on international platforms with good subs. If you do, this is well worth the binge.

‒Category Ratings‒

- Overall - 7.8
- Plot - 7.5
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8.5
- Acting - 7.5
- Visuals - 8
- Audio / Music - 7.5
- Rewatch - 7.5
- Accessibility - 8.5
- Subtitle quality - ??

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Love-addled trance in the 1st half, exorcism and return to form in the 2nd half

‒Short Review‒
S2 returns the same cast and presumably the same production team as S1. But based on the initial episodes in the first half of the show, you'd be convinced that the crew were collectively replaced with 恋爱脑 (love-addled brain). It's not that I'm against romance and S1 did half romance between the leads, albeit in a more male-centric style. The problem is our leads fell into the most derivative romantic situations complete with misunderstandings, infantile romance that destroys characterization, and noble idiocy galore. It took a lot of anger suppression and fast-forwarding before I survived to the 2nd half (around ep8) where the show mostly returned to form.

This season will start with what happened to the fate of Ji Ruxue, who was punched off a cliff ... hint hint, flailing off a cliff might as well be the most foolproof survival tactic in CDrama. The more complicated background of Li Xinyun, Ji Ruxue, and Zhang Zifan is revealed. And the 2nd half revolves around the different factions searching and fighting for the Long Quan Treasures, and the Hellhound Chief's conspiracy. Pacing was much better in the 2nd half as there was a lot more fighting and a lot less idioting. Not everyone will like the ending as someone dies, though the Hellhound Chief had given plenty of hints and warnings, so it was a mistake to cross him. The good news is that even dead people can be revived, especially in Wuxia animes. The bad news is that there will be no continuation any time soon. Fans can try the anime, it's 3D style typical of Chinese anime, and apparently its one of the most popular Donghuas, lauded for its rich world building, attention to historical and cultural elements, and plot.

Note: There is a 2022 knock-off remake on Youtube. Unless you are desperate, I wouldn't recommend it as it's worse actors, worse looking actors, and cheap short-drama style. But if you did like it, just know you'll enjoy this version a lot more.

Bu Liang Ren S1 Review
https://kisskh.at/profile/MyLangyaList/reviews/391521

--Component Ratings--

- Overall - charitable 7 (1st half 5.0, 2nd half 7.0)
- Plot - 7
- Theme / Message / Impact - 7.5
- Acting - 7.5
- Visuals - 7
- Audio - 7.5
- Rewatch - 6
- Accessibility - 7.5 (if you find decent subs)
- Subtitle quality - ??

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