Liu Haikuan carries the weight of the drama effortlessly, particularly in comedic moments as an immortal who is…
You’ve articulated this all so well! On one hand, this feels like it is constantly about to tip over into something ridiculous, but on the other hand it has a surprising richness and potential depth. I really liked how the side story about the donor contributes to the underlying themes. I also feel as if the main leads' first encounter was trope-busting; instead of the usual hate-to-love opening, they get to see each other at their most altruistic before the suspicions kick in. Hope the belter aspects prevail!
Thanks for the info—I’ve been trying to piece the pieces together and this is really helpful! One question,…
Thank you! So interesting. I poked around on the web a bit and was surprised to see many people saying about their countries essentially what you are saying about Malaysia: that head coverings weren’t really a thing until the 80s and 90s (depending on the country). I had no idea that they were introduced so recently! So fascinating.
I will point out that there are at least a few women in “M Guo” without hijabs—including the ML’s assistant. But it is true that the majority of working women seem to wear them.
Boy the production team weren't even subtle at hinting that "Country M" was indeed Malaysia.😝 They didn't represent…
Thanks for the info—I’ve been trying to piece the pieces together and this is really helpful! One question, though; the film is set (I believe)in the 90’s. Does that change your sense of how accurate or dated it is, or is it your feeling that it would still be inaccurate—for example, would hijabs have been more prevalent 25 years ago?
Can someone please tell me the song title and singer of the opening themesong? I love the melody. Gives me a nostalgic…
I really like it too, so I did a little digging. The song is 云淡风轻, sung by 金海心, and here’s a YouTube link: https://youtu.be/hFdWMf5zsBg You may be right about the nostalgic aspect—I haven’t been able to find much about her but most of her work seems to be from 2000-2010.
Can somebody pls tell me I'm lil bit confused...in those flash back scenes in 2016, she knew him...but later she…
I *think* he didn’t use the comb until “something went wrong”—presumably their falling in love in 2016, which is portrayed so far by her kissing him. But since we learn more and more about these past scenes every time we revisit them (which is one of the many things I love about this show), there is probably going to be more filling in of gaps. My speculation is that something about their interactions allowed her to see the Reflection of Time.
I really wasn’t planning on watching this—the trailer made it seem like the worst, cheapest kind of melodrama. But on a whim I saw the first episode, and I have to say, it’s really, really well done! Great aesthetic, good pacing and story telling, strong acting. And yes, some of the best child performances I’ve seen in cdramaland (not just the FL character, either. ) I’m going to stick with it for at least a bit longer.
It turned all super cute in episode 4, didn’t it? I mean, it’s retaining the beauty and intrigue, etc., but there’s a whole lot of sweetness suddenly 🙂.
Yeah, I’ve been rewatching every episode and rerewatching some scenes. On one hand I’m cursing myself for watching an on-air Tdrama—I really ought to know better by now. On the other hand, this really does bear rewatching because so many of the scenes get filled in more and more and you notice important things you didn’t see before. Also because it’s just so darn lovely.
Yes! I’m only on 6 but I’m leaning towards your take. Obviously, this is a deeply weird premise and I’m…
Wow…is this a whole genre in China, these ads/mini-movies? Or are these exceptions? They’re so well done.
What I want to say—with the full possibility that I’m overinterpreting—is that what holds these commercials and this drama together is a certain respect for memory and the aspirations of youth. The main character’s literary efforts, however cheesy, were an authentic expression of longing that spoke very powerfully to at least two other characters. But her public humiliation about them obviously changed the course of her life, and in ways that have left her damaged and unhappy. What’s happening in this drama, however weird, is giving her a chance to reclaim that childhood imagination and idealism and belief in her own lovability. I have a hard time seeing how all this can be resolved satisfactorily, much less logically, but I’m finding the attempt very poignant.
Sorry for the essay! Sometimes I credit dramas with more depth than they actually have, but the commercials you linked are really making my mental wheels turn 🙂.
I will point out that there are at least a few women in “M Guo” without hijabs—including the ML’s assistant. But it is true that the majority of working women seem to wear them.
Thanks again—I’m learning so much!
ETA: or…maybe not. I would have thought Episode 3 would be available by now but it’s still just the subscriber version …
My track record with finishing Taiwanese dramas is terrible, so we’ll see, but this is off to a very compelling start.
What I want to say—with the full possibility that I’m overinterpreting—is that what holds these commercials and this drama together is a certain respect for memory and the aspirations of youth. The main character’s literary efforts, however cheesy, were an authentic expression of longing that spoke very powerfully to at least two other characters. But her public humiliation about them obviously changed the course of her life, and in ways that have left her damaged and unhappy. What’s happening in this drama, however weird, is giving her a chance to reclaim that childhood imagination and idealism and belief in her own lovability. I have a hard time seeing how all this can be resolved satisfactorily, much less logically, but I’m finding the attempt very poignant.
Sorry for the essay! Sometimes I credit dramas with more depth than they actually have, but the commercials you linked are really making my mental wheels turn 🙂.