Platinum Fox

This too has been done and done much better. The slow burn romance is now becoming all the rage. When one popular drama does it, everyone copies it. This happens all the time. If you are going to copy it, make it refreshing and new. This drama does not do that. It is just a story about a petty, cold, aloof male lead who is bored with life and his character and a done to death whiny, strong female lead who doesn't want to get married. Again, been there, seen that even in this genre. Again, I'm glad you enjoyed it and got so much out of it.

Okay, I understand, but why if she is suppose to be an adult at 19 and has gone through military training does her voice still sound like a kid? This is what bothered me about the drama. Why would she speak in this style of voice? There is a reason for it, not just to be cute.

There is one part in the story where she does not speak in that voice when she is 19. It is when she is in the restaurant with DJX, and she fights with the girl who has been harassing him. Then, she goes right back to speaking like she has before. Why?

Badgal, I have watched several of her stories and enjoyed them. This was not one of them as I have seen her play this character many times before (Princess Agents where the two main leads also are the leads). We get it, females can be as strong as men. Men can also play homemaker. Females are pushed into an unwanted marriage, let's run away from it all. How many stories start out like this in these dramas? This is just regurgitated material from other dramas, except for the social commentary on climate change (which was good thing for me).

When you get a chance look at ZLY's list of dramas. You will see that she has done numerous "The Legend of" or "The Story of". This role was nothing new for her. However, I am glad you enjoyed it. I just couldn't.

Strong female leads have become all the rage now. How many times has ZLY played this same type of character? How has this story added something fresh to the genre? It is certainly not the characters. The only difference that I have seen from other stories like this is the social commentary on climate change. This is the only redeemable thing about this story. Otherwise, been there, seen that.

Also, a good or bad story is not just a matter of taste. There are stories that are just poorly written, no matter how good the acting and directing.

annie, that might explain her character up to age 17, but not when she turns 19 and she is still talking like a little kid.

Omo, here is a snippet of the conversation I had with Hollicx: H read the novel Hidden Love and I read The End of Eternity, the book shown in the first five minutes of the drama and four times after that.

A commenter reminded me of another drama Zhao Lu Si was in where her character (Sang Qi) fell in love with her brother's best friend A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College. I went back and watched the first episodes of that again and it plays out much like this drama. In that drama she is 14/15 when they meet and you can tell that he falls for her the minute he meets her. There is even romantic music playing at the time. We the audience do not think much of this. Our perception of this kind of love is okay because back then it was okay. It is called looking at something through a historical lens.

Hidden Love seems to be a modern retelling of that story. Now, as you put it and one of her roommates says, it is just plain wrong. Time has changed our perception of this kind of love. In modern times we have extended the definition of childhood to include the teenage years. Instead of children working in factories at a young age, their job is to go to school and study hard, so that they can get into a good middle, high, or university. Back when they first meet she was 14 and he was 19, they were both considered minors according to Chinese marriage laws. Once he turned 21/22, he was considered an adult and she was still a minor at 17. That's why the brother and Qian shut him down when DJX asks her if she thinks he is handsome. DJX did the same thing the brother did. Nobody in the car thinks anything of it. However, when it comes from DJX it has a different meaning. The perception is different. The brother also shuts down the other roommate who approaches her and calls her "little girl" and says, "I am nearsighted/shortsighted?" He wears glasses. This is to remind us of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. (Since this snippet I have since learned that the age of consent in China is 14. Now this drama makes more sense to me and why she talks like a kid and acts like a kid throughout the entire drama. However, it is also because of the book The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov shown at the beginning of drama at least five times. )

The animals play huge symbolic roles in this story: the fox, the bear, the puffer fish, and the dog. Her name Sang Zhi (innocence) also has great meaning to this story. The picture of the fox and little girl signed Rosy, the flower in the museum, the math, and the book are just a few of the things that mean something in this story. I will let you discover the meanings of those for yourself. When you watch a story pay attention to the camera angles, the editing, the juxtaposition of scenes, how the story is told. There is much more to a story than what is on the screen.

As I wrote hollixc, you can watch this as a simple love story. Not a problem. To me, been there seen that. It is how the story is told that is the most interesting part for me. Happy watching if you decide to watch it.

You are not the only who felt this way. I couldn't make it past episode 15. I even tried watching the end and couldn't make it past 10 minutes. There were only two things that made me watch it even to episode 15 and that was the social commentary of climate change and the CGI actually matched up with the characters' hand movements. Otherwise, I felt the main characters just phoned their roles in or acted like they were bored to tears with the parts because they have played roles like them so many times before.

omo, please scroll down to where there is a conversation between a MikaM and Platinum Fox (a month ago). And if you want to know more scroll down even further to where Platinum Fox and a hollicx converse (two months ago).

Yes, I have completed the drama at least twice, but not because of its plot. The plot is your typical modern romance plot. However, it is the way the story is told that hooked me. There are some wonderful easter eggs that make the ordinary plot more interesting and enhance the story.

As for her voice, once they start dating, I turned off the sound. By that time, I had listened to the full OST and understood how the music complimented the plot. By turning off the sound I could believe that Sang Zhi was an adult. Otherwise like you, her childish voice made me cringe even though there is a reason for it. By the way, I do this with every drama, not just this one.

Would I recommend watching this? If you are just watching to watch it, I would say no. The plot is not worth it. If you are watching and are willing to think about what is going on, I would say yes. There is much more going on in the story than what is on the screen.

The first five minutes of the show tells you why. This is a social commentary on two Chinese laws: the age of consent and the marriage law. The age of consent is 14 and marriageable age is 21/22. These two laws are incompatible. People are trying to change the age of consent law but have not had much luck.

Zhao Lu Si is speaking and acting like a child at 17 because the law says that she is, but the age of consent says that she is old enough to make choices about having a sexual relationship with whomever she wants, even with someone just five years older than her. However, this drama is saying, "NO", it is not right morally at 14 or 17, but there is a gray area with 17. You will need to watch through 15 to figure that one out.

And to answer your final question. That childish voice will remain throughout all of the drama, except when she turns 22. Then it will change. This is to show that she remains a child until 21 or when she becomes an adult legally.

That's good, then the story is doing its job. They want people to think about the morality of the law, not just the legal aspects of it. If DJX had wanted to, he could have dated SZ when she was 14 and even had a sexual relationship with her. But he is good guy, he doesn't really become interested in her until she turns 17, but the brother and another of his friends shut him down. Yet again, I am sure she would have consented at that time. However is it morally right for DJX to do that? In this drama they are saying, "NO". This is the discussion the roommates have. One said it was okay and another said no it isn't. Thus the controversy and the commentary. At 17 there is a moral gray area. Everything DJX does for her can either be interpreted as what a brother does or what a boyfriend would do. It is up to the viewer to decide. I commend the whole cast and crew for taking on this issue. It is such a powerful story especially the first three episodes.

There is a lot more going on in this story than just a simple love story. If you had them meet when she is in college, then the issue the writers wanted to address wouldn't have happened. Then, it would have been just a simple love story and anyone could play those parts. Zhao Lu Si would have never played the part. She makes sure the character she portrays goes against some societal belief of the time and the story is a social commentary.

Hollywood has been using movies and TV shows as a way to promote social change and question the morality of something for years. Why can't Asian dramas do the same? Happy pondering.

Actually, mom does try to understand and supports NN's dreams. Remember mom is a general. She observes the situation, gathers information, and then forms a plan. She does not discipline her daughter immediately. She observes her daughter's behavior and actions; gathers information from Lian Fang, SS's maid; and then forms a plan. When she whips her daughter the last time, she sacrifices her relationship with her daughter in order to make sure NN learns to accept responsibility for her actions. Mom gives SS a way out twice, but SS believes that she is in the right for her actions. If mom had not done what she did, Shao Shang would not have the relationship she does with the empress as the empress just allows her to do whatever she wants to. NN may or may not have been paddled more if she had gone to the palace before mom disciplined her as the empress would never have punished her.

Also, NN believes that she is being sent to Hua County as part of a military punishment. Actually, mom is trying to get NN out of the environment that causes her to act the way she does and supports her dream of traveling the world. Mom understands that NN doesn't want to stay at home, so why train her to take care of a household right now. There are more pressing issues on that front Yang Yang is the older of the two and should be married off before NN.

Is mom the perfect mother, no, but she does not deserve all the criticism she is receiving. Consort Yue does way worse to her children and everyone loves her.

When I first watched this drama, I felt the same way you did. However, as I started to analyze the story more and read other commenters, I realized that there was much more going on in the story than what I first thought. One thing that bothered me was Zhao Lu Si's character speaking like a child throughout the entire show, except at the end. Then I read the book, The End of Eternity, which was shown five times in the drama and realized the drama was a social commentary on the age of consent and the marriage laws in China. The age of consent is 14, but the marriage law is 21/22. These two laws are not compatible. People are trying to get the age of consent law changed but not having any luck. If you can't change a law, change people's mindset about the law. So when you say this seems like an educational film, it really is under the guise of being a love story.

It asks the question what is the magical age for boys and girls to begin their sexual journey and with whom?

I felt much like you and even commented about it to some commenters. However, after I read The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov (the book shown the first five minutes of drama), I realized this whole drama was a social commentary on the age of consent law in China which is 14. When you look at it from that mindset you begin to understand why ZLS's character acts young and speaks like a child even when she is 19. According to the law she is still not able to get married, yet she is still able to consent to a sexual relationship at the age of 14. The two laws are incompatible. People have been trying to get the age of consent raised, but no luck. So if you can't change a law, change people's mindset about the law.

The writers are also questioning what is the right age for a girl to start her sexual journey? When is a girl a woman?

Can you please explain the Chinese characters you describe? What are they actually calling each other because it may help me understand something.

Can you please explain the Chinese characters you describe? What are they actually calling each other because it may help me understand something.

You're right her voice bothered me as well. However, I learned the reason for that. This drama is a social commentary about the age of consent law in China which is 14. People are trying to get it changed but are not having any luck. If you can't change a law then change the people's mindset about the law. Her voice is just one way to demonstrate that even at 17 a girl is still too young to have a sexual relationship. She speaks this way up until she is 22 when she finally can get married and is considered an adult.

jk-gor, it is too bad that you did not catch what the people in this drama were actually trying to promote. The age of consent law is 14. People are trying to get it changed but are not having any luck. If you can't change a law, change people's mindset about the law. Even if it is legally okay, is it morally right to have sex with a 14 year old if you are 19? The drama is saying, "NO". It is also questioning whether it is right when she is 17. This drama is a social commentary on the very thing you are saying it is doing. They are saying it is not right and because it made you uncomfortable, then it is doing its job.

Just Cruisin, how can you write a review like the one you did based on one episode? Did you really understand the drama and what it was actually trying to say. There were reasons for Zhao Lu Si to have a childish voice and to act like a little child. There were reasons why the girl who played her at 14 looked like a child. This drama is actually a social commentary on the age of consent law in China. The age of consent is 14. People have tried to get it changed, but no luck. If you can't change a law, change people's mindset about the law or model for them how to act in that situation. The drama tells you within the first five minutes this is a social commentary.

Remember Yang Yang was raised by her Aunt Ge. She was brought up the "right" way. She would hardly do anything wrong because she is too timid. A good scolding would suffice with her if she were to cause trouble.

The boys were raised by mom. Shaogong talks about running away 10 times with mom only relenting twice. When the boys hang onto her legs to beg for mercy for SS, she kicks them to let go. I am sure she was rough on them as well growing up. We just don't see it as much because they are used to it. That is why SS asks the boys about how to deal with mom, but even they don't have any good advice.

NN, on the other hand, was raised by her greedy, manipulative, scheming Aunt Ge and illiterate, greedy, superstitious grandmother. Both of these women favor boys over girls. The uncle even says they just allowed her to do whatever she wanted and didn't really discipline her unless it was something major (the nephew with the honey gourd). They also didn't force her to learn to read and write. So when mom takes over these lessons, NN is resistant. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drank. Mom tries everything from withholding desserts (not survival food), keeping her in her room, not letting her go to the lantern festival, and NN is still resistant. For me, mom has been quite patient with her daughter. She has even written to the 3rd aunt about how clever and smart NN is. What mom is concerned about is NN's manipulative side and her wanting to get revenge for every little thing. Quite frankly, I was surprised NN wasn't paddled more. Which shows you mom is treating her quite differently than a soldier and her brothers. Mom is trying to find another way to discipline her.

When Yang Yang enters the picture, then mom can compare the two which seems like she is favoring Yang Yang because Yang Yang has already grown into a lady of the time. Mom is hoping that Yang Yang will rub off on NN. But if you notice before the desk incident, the brothers and NN are always together doing boy things. Yang Yang is by herself all day or with mom learning the ways of running the household because she is of marriageable age and the oldest of the girls and should be married off first. Also, the other three do not want to study all day. YY has very different interests. During the desk incident, SS realizes that they do not spend a lot of time with YY and that is why they invite her to the lantern festival. After that incident, Yang Yang has girl time with SS and QiQi. Mom is hoping that Yang Yang will rub off on NN and hoping the good side of NN will rub off on YY (be more outspoken).

In the end, is mom a perfect mom, no. No one is perfect.