This review may contain spoilers
An admirable effort to make the modern case for love and relationships . . .Men - they can be worth it maybe? This series following the Chu parents and their 3 children as they navigate modern love and romance. All 4 relationships are given roughly equivalent screentime. The majority of the episodes are devoted to establishing all the ways relationships in our era go wrong and all the ways we can engage (or not engage) in sex. Just as you are about to despair that all the relationships are trash, the series turns a corner; it's worth watching all the way through.
Note: The cheating, abuse etc. all turn out to be 'misunderstandings.' I though that was a cheap resolution. The abuse storyline, especially should not have been 'don't judge what you don't understand.' Surely the child of an abusive relationship has some insight on to whether or not his father treats his mother appropriately beyond walking in on them one time?
The acting is great to the point where you feel like you are watching a documentary instead of a fictional series. I also thought a lot of the sex scenes were well done. The music was excellent and set the tones/moods of each episode. Cinematically and production wise it was competent with a few sublime moments.
All in all, I'm glad I watched this. It's very different from your normal drama fare, but I wish the payoff was a bit better towards the end.
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Dr. Cutie sticks to a simple romantic story. It has two endearing main leads and a few supporting characters.
Sun Quian excels as Tian Xi - she makes her role better than the script. She's bright and sunny despite having lived through extraordinary difficulties. She excels both at portraying her sadness/trauma as well as the sunny, silly resilient parts.
Huang Jun Jie as Ji Heng is a great match as a lonely, precocious young man who took on responsibility too early. Grumpy and unable to sleep, he slowly loosens up and rediscovers the joy of life. The only times he failed as an actor was as a military general. He did better with the more playful action elements (running along roofs, practicing fighting with his brother).
Together they had a ton of chemistry, good at ease moments between the two etc.
The music was fine and went with the mood of the show. There were cute moments to rewatch and I was 100% addicted.
I grade on other criteria as well.
Complex Themes - 5
There isn't so much themes as a point being made. That you deserve happiness and joy - and that if you fight for it you can have it. A grim childhood and a life of difficulties does not doom you forever.
Character Growth - 8
Tian Xi needs to reconcile herself to the past, but otherwise is presented as someone who knows how to live a happy life. Ji Heng however does go through a lot of growth to becoming a more humble and joyous person. You feel like they have lived a lot and learned a lot over the years.
Complex Women/Interaction between Women - 5
Tian Xi is an excellent doctor. Her aunt is also an excellent doctor who has survived and come to terms with living in a brothel. But, Tian Xi does not have strong female friendships, and her relationship with her aunt is more of a plot device than anything else. Ji Heng's mother, while decently acted is a typical stereotype as is his female cousin.
Production design/values - 8
Given the clearly small budget, this is far better done than many shows with 3x the budget. Clothing materials are in colors that flatter the characters and tell a story. Sets are bright and airy and well lit. Fighting scenes are well done with the small budget and no attempt at bad CGI. As it is a shorter series, I didn't even get tired of the fact that there were only 3 or 4 sets and no real out in the world scenes.
.
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Nirvana in Fire Season 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin
3 people found this review helpful
The plot of Nirvana in Fire 2 suffered from two main problems 1) Lots of wasted time on an evil exaggerated caricature in the first half (I had to start watching sped up) 2) the characters in the second half show very little character growth.
The acting/cast was uneven as well. I truly enjoyed all the scenes that featured the Xiao family and Lin Xi, and I was super curious about how it would all resolve for them. But, the other characters such as the Emperor, officials/advisors, concubines, I found overacted and boring. I have gone back and watched bits and pieces that I liked.
Music was well done.
I have other criteria I score by:
Complex Themes - 8
(The series does not jump from random plot element to plot element, but actually builds on concepts regarding sacrifices for the greater good, fate vs. individual action, the ups and downs of power, recognising ones limits and the harm of long-held grudges)
Character Growth - 7
(Characters do not change as much as one would hope or think. They will change or grow a bit, but then get 'stuck' either due to limited acting range or limited script)
Nuanced Women - 5
(Like Nirvana in Fire, there are some great nuanced female characters (esp. Meng Qian Xue - the older brother's wife), but unlike Nirvana in Fire there's a lot of simplistic one note female characters as well (esp. in the inner palace).
Cinematography/Production Values - 10
(Beautifully filmed compared to Nirvana in Fire, lots of outdoor scenes, sweeping vistas, huge, choreographed fight scenes).
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In this realistic slow burn romance, Sang Zhi carries the show with her playfulness paired with a fiery stubbornness. She is willing to defer and let Duan Ji Xu lead but only to a point - determined and opinionated she doesn't hesitate to push if necessary. The suspense and tension comes from a few different places - their age difference, Duan Ji Xu's complex family and financial situation. In terms of ethics, their relationship matures with Sang Zhi's age with plenty of time skips. The plot hints at the forbidden without crossing the line.
The plot is simple and it's really the acting and chemistry that sets this apart. You, the audience, can feel and know the longing and hesitation from both sides. As they get older, the awareness that they are physically attracted to each other builds due to excellent acting.
The music is fine, production values bit low. I ended up dropping this before the end as once the central tensions were resolved, I started losing interest.
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Our main female lead is out for revenge against the selfish, deluded and truly evil. Much of the screentime goes to these terrible people to the point of frustration. Just as you can't handle one more cruel or petty scene, Jiang Li appears and takes them down. Jiang Li's plots are not overly complicated there isn't tons of intrigue, there's not a lot of gray areas. Frustratingly, also, most of the evil characters are women.
If you were hoping for a romance centric story, the romance is strung out for one or two scenes per episode, with our Duke Su always the puppet master, and never losing his composure or risking anything.
The costumes and production values are a bit low budget and do not make-up for the handicaps of this story. My frustration levels were high, and the rewards too delayed. I'm dropping.
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This drama launches with two addictive plots running 1) will our main characters be able to find love despite all the political turmoil ? 2) will our main characters be able to secure justice, righteous revenge and yet still have a happy ever after?
As the main romance plot starts resolving, a LOT of screen time is wasted on uninspiring terrible characters takes their place. This was so aggravating for me I almost DNF.
BUT, I really wanted to know if it all works out in the end. Unlike most other Chinese historical political dramas I've seen, this drama really hid the ending well. I wasn't quite sure how it would resolve until it did.
The acting is great, the music and production values are very good, and the pacing for the first 2/3rds and last 3 episodes was really good. If you like this genre, this drama is a must watch.
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A perfect angsty, protective hero romance . . . until the propaganda ruined itOn one hand we have an angsty, forbidden secret childhood romance, and a silent, gruff protective hero who thinks the world of the heroine:everything I like in romance in one place. If you like the Jane Austen novel Persuasion, you will love the first 20 episodes of this.
On the other hand, this is a propaganda pitch for dangerous frontline work to men, and the propaganda wins out for 10 slow dragging episodes.
Our main male character 100% will always pick his job first. The female lead is just so grateful to be in a relationship with him, and she will never make the mistake of putting herself first again! Even his alcoholic waste of a father, and his snobby father in law come around to accepting he is a hero whose needs and priorities come first, and they need to stop making trouble.
So there you have it. A great premise, excellent chemistry and acting all ruined by its simplistic propaganda theme: become a hero of the state, and you'll get the girl and the home and the life you always wanted. Everyone will just be so grateful.
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What if a modern man landed straight in the middle of your standard Joseon era plot, but into the body of the queen instead of the king?
The actress here (Shin Hye Sun) is really amazing, and plays all the bodily quirks, humor and slapstick in a truly wonderful way. The first 10 episodes sail along on her sheer acting ability plus some love triangle intrigue. The male actors that form the love triangle are a bit one note, but they show good connection with the actress.
It quickly became clear that no one knew how to end the plot, and the writers just stuck to the same themes and gimmicks of the first 10 episodes. The rest of the actors and plot devices are somewhat mediocre, and so everytime the main actress is off screen it was hard to pay attention.
By episode 17, I was skipping rapidly (I did finish it). Music was fine, I would not rewatch. I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes: 6
Love can come in unexpected ways. Embracing what life throws at you with sincerity can be rewarding. The gender and body dynamics are not explored much at all.
Character Growth: 7.5
The male chef in Kim So Yong's body goes from being dismissive and treating it all as a game, to sincerely wanting to help the people he encounters, and feeling more open to emotions. It was an expected transformation, but still decently done.
Complex Women/Relationships Between Women: 7
There's lots of women characters but besides the main character, they are all somewhat caricatures with very thin backstories. Kim So Yong's rival was the only other female character that had a bit of depth.
Cinematography/Production Budget: 7
Competent, in the way most modern dramas are. But, the sets, costumes etc. all feel like you've seen them twenty times before. The fight scenes are fairly uninspired.
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Who doesn't love a bad boy/good girl romance? With all the thrills and problems it implies . . . *Discussion of Red Flags at the end*
This modern romance has the life/death feel of a historical drama set in the present day. Li Xun is your black sheep general or heir, highly strategic, intelligent, competent and cold as ice. Zhu Yun is your earnest and bubbly sheltered daughter of a palace adviser who has a hidden righteous fury. Li Xun could conquer the world in one step, if not for his weaknesses which are the family and friends around him especially Zhu Yun. Their journey to happiness takes years of twists and turns, revenge plots and separations.
The beginning creates a lot of suspense by jumping back and forward in time. The end is touching and perfect acknowledging the years that have passed. In the perfect last flip of perspective, Li Xun never says it, but we get to see that Zhu Yun was the best thing that ever happened to him.
Chen Fei Yu as Li Xun excels at a smirky teenage cool. Zhang Jing Yi as Zhu Yun excels at a straight-forward eagerness and stubbornness. They have excellent chemistry together, but limited range. Even as the years pass, you do not get a sense of any time passing for their characters. There's no large moments of self-doubt, no hidden flaws or temperaments that only come out later on. What you see is what you get. Zhao Zhi Wei as Gao does a much better of job of changing into a more bitter, muddle headed adult.
Music is fine, and I wouldn't really rewatch.
I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes: 9.0
Men who have chips on their shoulder, jealous, unscrupulous and thirsty to succeed can indeed be bad partners. But, these men can come from any economic class. It's wrong to assume that ambitious men who grow up in poorer circumstances will have bad values compared to those from other wealthier backgrounds. Upfront, straight-forward, reliable people of whatever background are worth a dozen schemers.
Complex Characters/Character Growth: 5.5
Gao changes a lot and it’s a very believable change, that he was unable to accept his own limitations, and had unhealthy level of grudges and aggression that grew with time. Li Xun and Zhu Yun stay very consistent throughout.
Complex Women/Complex Relationships Between Women: 7.5
Zhu Yun and her mother have a very complicated and contentious relationship. With her mother unable to see her potential, and so sure that her daughter is the same as her. So, some points there. Otherwise, there are women friendships and characters but they are drawn a bit thin.
Production Value/Cinematography: 5.0
This is filmed very straight on with not too much creativity to clothes or sets let alone camera angles. There’s a camera choice for the very end where it switches to Li Xun that is powerful, but otherwise this category did not stand out to me at all.
*RED FLAGS*
Both Li Xun and Gao display numerous red flags including: smirking in the face of distress, not showing vulnerability, taking away people’s choices, defensiveness, feeling like you are ‘above the rules’ or ‘above the law,’ a lack of friend/familial relationships, uncomfortable feelings, dreams outsized to current reality, quick to sacrifice other people’s feelings to meet your goals etc.
The highly problematic myth of the bad boy/good girl romance is that the love of a good woman can ‘tame’ or soften a bad boy and these traits, and that myth is highly on display here.
What’s worse is that Zhu Yun shows all the signs of someone in the thrall of limerence/obsession running after Li Xun and getting crumbs for 95% of the show. She declares at the end that she knows he will soften/ripen like a peach, but we the viewers see little indication that that’s the case.
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If you are familiar with the standard shojo romance tropes, all the elements are available here:
1) Extremely handsome somewhat older man who is a precocious genius/super competent, all the girls are after him. He struggles to communicate and has hidden man pain.
2) Self-conscious woman, somewhat struggling with her self esteem, a beginner in the field who attracts the man with her straightforward sweetness and emotional courage.
3) Enter random woman character who has no boundaries with the older man, is more his age, style etc. and makes our main character feel like she has no chance
4) Enter random male character who is sweet and straightforward like our main woman character, who is nice and good and a more appropriate match, but she just can't get into him.
BUT, if you do like this type of plot, this is a great version of it. What really makes this work is that all the characters really do feel like artists, living their lives in a small city in Japan. The cinematography and sense of place, the music, the dialogue etc. all feels quite perfect. While the voiceovers are a bit heavy handed, they are limited.
The themes aren't groundbreaking but are also very real: they are struggling with how to make art, how to inspire themselves in this modern world where everything feels meaningless, they are also struggling to invest in each other in relationships and in human beings where nothing seems very permanent or lasting.
And while none of this is ground breaking or new, I enjoyed watching this, got invested in the characters and was determined to see how it ended. I was transported by this slice of life more than I expected, and it's definitely worth a try.
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This review may contain spoilers
A brilliant, thrilling first half and a touching ending don't makeup for a lost, floundering middle section . . . Warning: This is a tragedy
Some mistakes you can't recover from. In the first half, the momentum is high with our male and female lead teaming together on a path of revenge. They both are attractive, talented, and have excellent romantic chemistry. As the first storyline nears its end, there's still a big looming problem: Murong Jinghe in his darkest, most cruel moments poisoned Mei Lin without securing an antidote. What will happen when he tells her? Will he be able to make it up to her and cure her?
When Mei Lin finds out she will have none of it, and leaves him. Good for her. But then what? Then what indeed . . . from there Murong Jinghe mopes, and pines, and hoovers not sure how to make it up to her, but still desperately in love with her.
The acting is great, the themes are solid, it's beautifully shot, but this easily could have been 24 episodes instead of 32 and not lost anything.
Despite it all, this drama will stick with me. Greed, power struggles and revenge often take the beginnings of a good life and turn them into tragedy. Endearing life-long love stories are hard to come by in times of struggle, uncertainty and war. In the midst of the darkness, do we truly understand what we're giving up until it's too late?
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*Warning* Part 1 ends in the middle, abruptly. You may want to wait to watch the whole thing together
After a lifetime of betrayal, how should you pick your romantic partners? What does it mean to live a good life and how much are you willing to sacrifice to secure it?
The pitfalls of picking romantic partners here are realistic and addictive, and show the pros and cons of your typical love interests. Each gets a somewhat equal chance, and there isn't an 'obvious winner' as there is in other harem type scenarios. There are four here:
1) The ambitious childhood friend, 2) The kind, soft man inspired by a fierce woman 3) the ruthless and callous lover born out of years of trauma and fighting 4) the golden child, talented and fun with seemingly no darker pasts or sides
Add to that above standard music, and well done investment in cinematography and special effects, and this all came together well. Whether this rises to one of my favorites really depends on how pt 2 shakes out . . .
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A thrilling, epic historical romance. Well worth a watch . . . Some caveats on the portrayal of the 'barbarians' at the end:
Lee Jang Hyun is a familiar character, a world-weary ex spy or military man who hides his skills and history behind a joking, frivolous womanizing mask. What is unique, is that he meets Yoo Gil Chae an entitled, determined and crafty 'fox' of her village and falls head over heels for her because of these qualities, not in spite of them. Here, though young and immature, is a woman who has the resilience to survive. As these characters get tossed to and fro, partially due to being in the middle of a tragic and gory war, and partially due to their own inability to be vulnerable, you very much cheer on their survival and happiness.
Towards the end, the miscommunications and missed connections stretch into the absurd. It is understandable that both characters would prioritize their country, community or family over their romantic love - laudable even. It's also understandable that both misunderstand each other - assuming that their love was weak instead of that their duty called on them to act differently. This does not forgive the lack of letter writing and direct communication of the last episode. The lack of communication during war is forgivable - during peacetime less so, and so some points were knocked off for that.
The acting here is believable and top notch, not for one moment from the main characters to the supporting characters, was I ever taken out of the story. Namkoong Min does an excellent job in the early episodes of hinting at the cold competent nature that hides behind the mask. Ahn Eun Jin has the difficult job of portraying a character with many unlikeable flaws and making her come alive and be endearing and she does just that.
The music was sweeping and epic, and some scenes will definitely linger, even if the show isn't really set up for rewatching. I grade on other criteria as well:
Themes: 10
In difficult times, the clear headed, determined will to survive at any cost will triumph over ideological purity. You can find someone that loves you for your difficult qualities not in spite of them. Beware parting with angry words or things left unsaid, you could end up living a life of regret. Be skeptical of titles and power. Look to people's actions not their words in determining where there values and priorities are. Romantic love is not always what to prioritize there is our responsibility to our country, community and family to consider.
Complex characters/Character development: 8.5
All the characters even the secondary ones, have different sides to them and I appreciated this. I was mildly annoyed that instead of having a bigger time skip and allowing Yoo Gil Chae to fully mature, the plot kept them reuniting piecemeal and didn't let the mark of war and trauma full settle on to her.
Complex Women/Strong connections with Women. 9.0
The friendship between Gil Chae and Eun Ae was a complex and enjoyable one. Both having a deeper connection, than their reputations as the 'bad girl' and 'good girl' of the village would imply. Eun Ae, like Jang Hyun, respects Gil Chae for what would be considered 'bad qualities' in a woman.
Cinematography/Production Values: 9.0
Really beautiful, with plentiful use of outdoor sets, well-done costumes, and excellent fight scenes. Nothing new or innovative, but a pleasure to watch.
Note on the 'Barbarians':
The portrayal of the Mongolian and Jin/Qin people is primitive and dehumanizing. It was not 100% this way. I did like that even Jang Hyun underestimates them at times, assuming they will greedily go for the money or gold, only for them to catch him in his plots. I also liked how it shows how Jang Hyun can trade and live amongst them: he understands and respects their practical drive to survive and conquer over the scholars of his own country upholding ideological purity even if it led to defeat. But, I'd be curious for those more knowledgable or from those heritages how they found the portrayal.
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This review may contain spoilers
A cinematic sports romance full of golden moments . . . This nostalgic (set pre-covid), golden lit romance has a very relaxed, lived in feel. Here is a couple who slowly builds intimacy through jokes, and hugs, and small touches and long looks, until you have a very physical, sensual romance that is believable and in good taste. The forbidden romance elements of the romance, plus the 'against all odds' plot points of the sports create an addictive quality, and the length is perfect at 26 episodes.
*A discussion of red flags and age differences at the end*
Wang An Yu is a believable athlete and can portray a strong range of emotion, Gina Jin does well as a women assistant coach protecting her softer qualities with a matter of fact and gruff outer shell. They both create a very believable relationship together, and they look very comfortable together on screen. The rest of the actors and plots are entertaining but fall far below the main couple.
The music, especially the opening credits, add to the nostalgia - taking place in the pre Covid years, the music and 'vibe' is very peak millennial (in a good way). Golden and sundrenched and wistful. The romantic moments are strong enough to be worth a rewatch.
I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes: 6.5
Doing well for the people you love can be an excellent motivator for some. Age is just a number. If you are mature and responsible, why not? Taking the long view on career ambitions is not necessarily the best strategy - some options in life (trying to go pro as an athlete) are only available to the young. Many people in places of authority and 'experts' in the field can make the wrong decisions - you should fight for what you deserve.
Character Development: 8.5
Both of them change over the course of the three years of the show, they become more like each other, start to compliment each others strengths and weakness, they grow complexity and it's just really great to watch.
Relationships Between Women/Complex Women: 4.5
The show really falls down on this point especially for 2022. Luo Na has no women friends, none of the directors or coaches are women, and Luo Na does not directly work with any of the women athletes. Luo Na herself is complex a mix of silly and fierce, naive and world wise, but not so complex or unique to makeup for the dearth of other women characters.
Production Values/Cinematography: 9.0
There is a big effort into 1) creating credible sports scenes and 2) playing with angles and light to convey the emotion of falling in love. While clothes, sets, etc. are not particularly noteworthy, the effort put into the cinematography, music 'vibe' of the show, was a wonderful surprise and greatly appreciated.
*RED FLAGS*
Succeeding where so many other shows have failed, the age and power differential provides a bit of forbidden romance but nothing that made me turn it off: the characters meet when they are 18 and 26. Luo Na is in a position of power as an assistant coach who can help Duan Yu Cheng succeed, but she doesn't have the power to cut him from the team or add him to the team. But, Most Importantly, the romantic part of their relationship especially the physical elements do not happen until two years later, and after Duan Yu Cheng has a new head coach and Luo Na is only providing some minimal support. Also Duan Yu Cheng, the younger and the one with less systemic power, is the one pursuing.
HOWEVER, Duan Yu Cheng's characterization occasionally tips over into red flag disturbing. He's constantly calling and texting due to jealousy (26 times in a row), he jumps off a bridge after Luo Na is harsh with him, his emotions jump around wildly, and he's shown that he can lose his head and beat someone far past what is necessary for self defense. He also presurizes Luo Na a fair amount in pursuit of her - exposing things in public that she may not want, such as showy displays of public affection. It wasn't terrible terrible, but it did give me a bit of a pause.
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A beautiful, action filled story of second chances at love and life . . . truly transcends its budgetThis story has a strong point of view as it follows three women from their more rural hometown into the capital city. All have lost, but they come together to remake themselves on the backs of their considerable talent. There's plenty of romance, but the romance does fade to a secondary plot as it wears on. Technically, many plot lines are just dropped, but I enjoyed the plots that remained so much I hardly noticed.
The three 'sisters' are all strong, endearing actors and show some pure brilliance. The male leads are less strong. But, the main couple have a fun compatibility as they slide from dislike, to teasing, to him falling clearly and deeply first. In the second half, however, Chen Xiao's storylines start disappearing, and he literally spends strings of episodes off screen or in a coma and truly becomes a bit of a wooden blockhead.
One piece of ornamental music was very haunting: slowing the pace of the show down so that Zhao Pan Er seems suspended in time. Also, when Song Yinzhang first plays the pippa revenge song, it was so striking and cinematic, that I started looking up pippa music, and that music was such a well-done turning point for the character.
A few scenes really stand out to rewatch: there's these moments where the joy of being alive, even in very difficult times shines through, and in the end I was really sorry to leave this universe behind.
I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes: 10
We all deserve second chances and the chance to thrive throughout our lives- women just as much as anyone else. Living a life without regret, requires staring reality in the face. Suffering comes from an inability to accept and adapt to reality. Bad luck can strike more than once in a lifetime. Found families can provide comfort where biological families are gone or lacking. Always prepare for the worst and be careful of those who makes easy promises.
Character Growth/Complex Characters: 8.5
Song Yinzhang displays the most character growth going from someone who is timid and looking for a rescuer, to standing firmly on her own two feet. Zhao Pan Er more gains complexity with time then truly transforms, and credit to the writers all of the top 10 featured characters to do grow quite a bit. A point off for a cartoonish villain and the half baked court adviser villains.
Complex Female Characters/Relationships:9.5
It's a true joy to see fully fleshed out women in their complexity pursuing ambition and friendship and the good life together. It was perhaps a tad too idyllic, but I didn't mind.
Cinematography/Production Values: 8.5
Really punches above its weight. There was very beautiful cinematic work in scenes that really stick with you changes in pacing and lighting and moving from wide angles to close ups. More creative than shows with double the budget.
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