everything is just better quality but doesn’t mean s1 was bad
First impression: they changed the makeup, so everyone looks a little bit different; I think it’s mascara or something. Also they got a phone sponsorship bc everyone changed phones lol.TLDR; All the characters are self-aware, and the story gets especially good near the end. If you liked the first season you will definitely enjoy s2. The romance and the interaction between the characters is very well thought out. Acting is amazing as always. There’s a definite budget increase in the music. Each song/piece fits with each of the characters and some of them are even sung by the actors, and there’s emotional meaning in all the lyrics. I’d love to rewatch this show and experience all the twists and turns again. It’s literally just a group of gals learning life lessons and experiencing life together 🥹
Story: The story to me just seems like a continuation of s1, which is a good thing bc it’s consistent in terms of quality. One thing I particularly enjoy about this show is that even though there are misunderstandings, it’s not overplayed and they address it pretty quickly as mature adults. The relationships are very good, and I’d argue that in terms of romance, this show has the best representation of it and probably has my fav group of couples. Btw I like Guan Guan’s romance the best, and I think it’s partly bc I relate to her the most out of all the characters. It did leave some loose ends like what happened to Wei Wei. I never understood why she didn’t pursue him again even though yes, spoiler alert for s1, he was manipulative/possessive, and she realized that she can conquer her fear. Honestly she left him for the same reason why she doesn’t want to get married? Idk why she chose one over the other since the reason lies with her. Anyways the part abt Wei Wei will make since once you get through half of the show.
Acting: it’s the same; that is to say, really good no questions asked.
Music: a definite improvement. I think some of the music is sung by the actors lol. There’s some silly songs, but I love the lyrics bc they fit the situation and the person in the scene. And each song has an instrumental that is very lovely in each context it’s used. There’s more variety of songs this time around.
Rewatch value: I’d argue I’d watch this more often than the first season, and that’s a compliment because I usually don’t like to re-watch long shows like this one.
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silly fun but realistic show
⚠️⚠️I RECOMMEND WATCHING S3-5 FIRST BEFORE THIS ONE. YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED IF YOU WATCH S3-5 AFTER S1-2!!⚠️⚠️TL;DR: Some of the story elements I feel are rushed a little bit but other than that this show really exposes the realities (count how many times I say “realistic” or something similar) of living in a city. Sometimes I feel like this show is a little too real😭, and the relationships are well written. Each character is amazing, and the actors really play into their role. The music is nothing particularly noticeable to me except for the outro, but it’s not terrible. When I rewatch shows, it’s usually because of the character development and where they got to by the end of the show that makes it worth the hours that this show does.
Story: I feel like some story elements are introduced only when they’re relevant. I feel like it would be a more fluid story if it was introduced earlier. But other than that, I love the relationships with each character, and the romantic interests are complex and full of surprises. There were many moments that made me cry, but I’m just really sensitive when I see people cry lol. When they cry it’s like never silent tears; they like bawl out their eyes. Each female lead ugly cries at least once, and somehow it hurts all the more. The tears seem realistic and not with powder or whatever they use for fake tears in other shows.
Acting/Cast: Every member has their quirks and unique personality. Although some of them don’t seem loveable at first, at the end of the show, you really feel connected with them because each of their personalities are realistic and some of them can be reflected in real life people. Honestly, by the end of the show, I wanted to see more of these characters, and I’m glad there’s a season 2!
Music: I think the outro is sung by the main leads, which I think is pretty funny and quirky. For other shows I’ve never really paid attention to the singer, but it just occurred to me halfway through the show. Other than the outro, nothing in the soundtrack really stands out to me, but it’s not bad.
Rewatch value: There’s a lot of character development that I could sit through just to get to the good parts.
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Good drama with amazing characters and story
Production: For being low-cost I thought the costumes were well-made and high-quality, and I thought the outfits they wore looked cool. If they used wigs, it looked like they used a lot of hair gel, but the hairstyles were nice, and the makeup wasn't too over-the-top.Story: I could tell the story was well thought out, and it requires a lot of piecing together to solve the mystery. I'm not big-brained enough to figure out who did what, but they explain the process after the big reveal. What I like the most about this series is the character dynamics; the main female lead is not helpless and plays a big part in actually helping the main male lead figure out the crime. When the characters get into misunderstandings, they are very mature about it and resolve it within the episode and aren't dramatic about it. The romance is a bit cheesy at times but it works somehow because the chemistry between the characters is adorable. The female leads work together and never get into big fights; the same thing is true for the male leads too. As far as I could tell, every episode had a purpose and there were no filler episodes. Each minute was used and none was wasted, which added to the suspense and substance of the story.
Acting: In the parts where the characters feel emotion, the actors portray it very well and their reactions make you feel things. Also, the chemistry between the actors is there. Especially the actor who played Jing Yi; I could tell he enjoyed playing that character and is low-key my favorite character because of his personality.
Music: There are some songs that I would listen to on repeat because the lyrics and the way they sing is expressive and sound good.
Rewatch value: future me has already rewatched this.
TL;DR Despite it being low-cost I think they did pretty well. The wardrobe and makeup were perfect. A fluid story with lots of stuff to piece together and excellent acting that fits each character. The music is expressive, and when they put it in the episodes are appropriate for the scene/context. Since the insurrectionist was someone I didn't expect, I wouldn't mind watching it again to see the little details I missed the first time, though I wouldn't go through that whole rollercoaster again if I wanted to.
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This review may contain spoilers
very sweet, much enjoyed
TDLR; This is very much a comfort show. Also I feel like it’s so underappreciated and underrated. Arguably one of the best writing out of all the cdramas I’ve watched in terms of the romance aspect!! This show has made me both laugh and cry with some sweetness as well. Acting is natural and amazing and music is peak, esp the lyrics they’re so beautiful 😭 . I would definitely rewatch this at some point, as someone who usually doesn't rewatch shows.Story: I love how they don't milk the childhood friend thing, and they resolve it quickly instead of dragging it out. As for the second relationship, I feel like they do drag it out a little too much, though the way she handles the first encounter is so mature, and I feel like what she does is so powerful, and I respect her for that. All the adult figures are so supportive. Some of the scenes would be super cheesy, but somehow, they make it cute and adorable instead. Also, I’ve cried multiple times.. and ngl didn’t see that coming. All the misunderstandings get resolved super quickly, and there's none of that overdramatic petty drama that's in a lot of romcoms. Everyone in the comments (Viki) keeps saying that the romance is so slow, and they do do the trope thing where every time they try to kiss they get interrupted, but the other little things they do for each other are so sweet I couldn't be bothered. THERE'S ALSO NO LOVE TRIANGLES!! Also (kinda spoiler) the only show where the childhood friend ends up w/ each other.. The most nuanced romcom out there, truly.
Acting/Cast: Wang Peng's acting reminds me so much of the female lead from My Own Swordsman (another good show). I feel like the personalities of both of them are also similar. All the characters are so well-rounded. The acting is good and natural., although, Yufei's acting is a little too animated imo but other than that everyone's great!
Music: All the music in the show have lyrics that are so fitting to the story, I feel. It's like mellow chill, and smth I could vibe to.
Rewatch value: Definitely worth a rewatch whenever I feel down. I just love the chemistry between the couples, and the little things they do for each other really make the show.
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