Nepeta 22

Stop doing the whys? The writer clearly did that to showcase the clear difference between a ML & SML. It's simple. It's now just a case of blurring the lines like being trapped or lashing out but unable to know why. It's done like that to make FL look more confused but in this drama the gap is clear.

These people exit. I know someone who has hidden their own divorce from their parents. Even going so far including their child to conceal this lie to her parents. The reasoning is to not hurt her parents because she doesn't want to face their reaction and the worry.. I don't agree with it but what can you do? I just wanted you to know pressures and low self confidence can do this too you. Especially so if society pressures expect a picture perfect façade.

Something must have gone wrong whilst watching. The story is meant to steer you towards SML😉?

Hello, I just want to let you know apparently in the book it was even worst. This storyline had been dialled down. But yes very painful to watch.

Do you know what? Your review is more entertaining than the drama itself. It confirmed what knew all along. Lazy uninventive writing just uses classic tittle tattle dressed up in historic costume to drag a drama past 30 episodes. The writers are just borrowing what they read and see on Weibo in any given day and transported all that bitching and back biting into a historic romance except they get so carried away they forget it's a romance drama after all. Everyone is evil or has an ulterior motive. They forgot realism and think every historic household or royal family can ever have nice people. It's just a soap opera in the worst possible way.

I haven't seen those 2 dramas yet. Too many dramas for me to watch!

He he... Thanks. Just to warn you it's not a strong romance drama but there are elements of romance in there. Has a very decent Douban rating of 7.9. I personally loved it.

If you like that sort of thing I recommend Spy Game. It's a really good drama and may even get a second season.

I think you need to get off Weibo. Comments like yours make fandoms look bad. It's time to just watch a drama and minimise all the noise outside. You make it more miserable for yourself.

It's because of 2 things. They are driven by hormones and no longer watching a drama for what it is. This happens a lot. A core portion watch dramas with emotional baggage, and that's not unusual.

Secondly, there has been a big drive to reverse decades of equality with many rightwing views creeping into all areas such as women's roles and the growing voice of women speaking out.

In mainstream (often western) media and films we suddenly see female characters lifted from the past and re-made to let others know women want to stay at home, have babies and do the housework only. They don't want go to work. It's no longer interesting or inspirational. An example of this is the glamourisation of the mini series Mrs America.

Then the slow drip drip effect of re-using the word 'woke' and turning it into something negative when the original usage was for a far different reason. Women have been the best useful tool. It's always better women judge women rather than men judge women. The band of 'acceptance' of women grows narrower by the day. But note one thing, the judgement of men is not so narrow.

This Thriving Land is very watchable and never draggy. Minning Town has parts I felt dwelled on too long and areas I felt should have shown more of never happened. I guess no drama is super perfect. But both in my opinion worth the watch. Unfortunately some of the latest dramas seem to all merge into a similar plots and similar set up. Let's hope the standards pick up later on in the year!

I have only watched 3 episodes of this and have put it on hold. I'm not sure about the dynamics and the over-the-top antics of the ML's character. The comedy is too much and seldom settles down. It's very frenetic and busy.

This drama is very much similar to Minning Town set up whereas This Thriving Land is just about a village in Shandong and is spanning a long period that covers the period of republican through the civil war to communist China.

I personally recommend This Thriving Land. It's like a long soap opera but deals with a lot of subjects. A lot of care had been researched into farming practice and the folklore passed down through generations. Gives a glimpse into the structure of rural life and the hierarchy system within the village, such as land control and sale. But it depends on what you like. If you like reform & planning and retro stuff, then Minning Town is the one.

I fear this whole drama may be set on this island! I'm not completely complaining though. I love the architecture, the light levels, the plants... Even sadly against such horrible oppression.

Part of the appeal to me anyway is she's just someone caught in between a war and has to adapt. Her dynamic with ML and their different backgrounds work. I find it sometimes a bit too polished when they do these spy themed dramas where all of them are hard nut single minded individuals, and here, this drama shows a more balanced situation.

Her character may be like the loose cannon which offers a sense of unease which works. But I don't think she's at a point of being so naive or ignorant in her position.

No problem. Hope you enjoy this drama. Maybe it didn't click with me but it might pick up later.

Don't quote me on it as I only watched 2 episodes. She seems to be working for a firm that is in architecture, well that's how I read it, and she is stuck in a lowly position hoping to branch upwards so maybe she's an apprentice. Hopefully someone will come along to put me right.

But if you want to know more about architecture and learning historic methods, and how that inspired new development, Romance in the Alley from episodes 20 onwards delves into that in some detail. On-job training from university to the architect firms. But it's not modern day China but around 25 years ago.

I'm curious too as I watched 2 episodes and put on hold as there was no flow with the game itself. FL's background with being dumped by fiance seems all rushed at the beginning. FL seems all wishy washy and not in any way looking nor acting like someone embarking on architecture. Furthermore when I discover ML just so happens to be in this sector too I cringed. It doesn't look like any attempts have been made to research this industry. Her demeanour and dress sense doesn't seem to fit with people in this industry either.

I was intrigued to see if she was able to better herself since her very lacklustre performance as an architecture in Romance in the Alley where she was expected to be a low level scheming person that put personal gain and family duty over love and she struggled with her soft weak voice. But over here on MDL, no one seems to have any issues so I'm assuming it works for them. I will have a read of other people's comments to see why people like this set up.

A really thoughtful and immersive drama. Not for the faint hearted as it tackles very real and difficult subjects. For those that are not totally clued up on life and culture of modern day China as opposed to the usually bougie idol romance dramas churned out in China & S.Korea, this drama offers a glimpse into the realities of those that still idealise higher education abroad as a way to gain status and work opportunities in China only to find today's China has moved online and with that a totally different outlook and business concept.

The 3 couples are vastly different and come from different walks of life but their interactions with friends, family & work are played out realistically and also painfully as relationships go. Highly recommend.

Only small issue is no translations on texts which figures extensively and any characters written in the drama, so some of the translation can be lost. But for me, it's still a deep drama and production really took care in making every scene count. Not for everyone. It's not an escapism style drama and the couples do not express love in an outward way.

I came here for Luo Jin, and I can finally watch him in a drama I didn't drop! He was superb here, and perfectly casted. Also Sun An Ke and Zhou You put in great performances too. Expect to have a box of tissues, it's a tear jerker.

In regards to idol style dramas or romance dramas I assume a larger group of the audience is made up of females hence those comments. It's most likely due to the past where they had no voice in seeing dramas or films where men are allowed to continue play main roles or love interest even as they mature yet women disappear as they mature in the entertainment industry.

There is this fight back the last 15 years and with online communication increasing they let their voices get heard. Directors and writers are responding. That's probably why there are theses funny age gap tags 😉

Yes. I don't have an issue on those comments, but find it quite interesting on how some try to go around that by pulling in all sorts of things to soften the blow. As I said, in China, they say it as it is. I'm thinking this might be a culture thing.

My issue is the critics don't seem to put that level of scrutiny with male actors. That includes behaviour, conduct and visuals. All the energy is on female actresses instead.