Nepeta 22

It's painful because you are looking at China from the outside. The word China + Propaganda in itself is also telling, as it shows someone already infected and controlled from an outsiders' view point, mainly from five-eyes countries.

China is not like many former coloniser countries that tend to not show the darker side of their history, and if they do, they always hand pick 1 out of thousands that stand out to fight slavery or have a rose tinted view of imperialism. I don't see anyone claiming that is propaganda. More like white-wash.

China of new is a relatively new country born from recent violent war/revolution. This is important to the peasant class that lived under feudalism for thousands of years. So it is not a surprise this era, CPC can be like a saviour. To watch dramas, you also need to get under the skin of that country's past and the situation at the time.

So in a nutshell, China's view of 1940s right now is very raw, and very heroic still. But of course, as time fades, a new generation may look back and think differently. I wouldn't call it propaganda though. If I had to label it, I'd say it's full of pride.

I get your point, but that was a different era, that type of mindset was simply for those living in the city and coming from a wealthy family. Many widowed women can't even re-marry even if they wanted to because it was frowned upon in those days. I suspect, many suffered if there was no support network apart from close family.

I know what you mean. If you've seen Romance in the Alley, some characters are similar, but I have to admit, it's one of the best dramas I have seen to come out of China. Very extensively researched and really delves into 1970s China and touches on how normal people lived in a town that was dominated by a cotton mill factory.

Sadly, that type of behaviour is rooted in generations of worshipping their own forefathers and not letting go of favouritism towards boys over girls. Often the wives suffer in silence but at the same time learn to make the most of what they have and even managing to etch out deep love.

I was reminded why the younger generation find escapism in a world where the MLs are impossibly perfect. Could it be to counter everyday life men? I remember reading someone saying they don't want to see any traces or smells of men in dramas aimed for the younger generation. I wonder if this could be a subconscious response to prolonged trauma seen from the past or stories told.

Such is life, that's unlikely to happen unless they take on a top idol actor to play one of the leads or high support role. They're more immersed with Korean style bands and idol dramas.

But no doubt, it will go a full circle and by the time the younger generation hit middle ages will be when they then realise food security is more than just something written on paper, it's rooted in past struggles to ensure future generations live a far more stable and independent life.

Yes, she has redeemed herself since I dropped Harbin 1944. But they could have made her hair more messy as she seems to be too neat if she's supposed to out in the fields.

The actors were recruited because at the time Cheng Lei was current hot off A Journey to You & Zhou Ye was already gaining momentum from BFTB & SOT, it's a safe bet.

She attracts a lot of young female followers which is not easy to pin down, since fans are picky. They want actresses to be more relatable and slightly naughty looking which is more popular than actresses that seem more regal and distant in attire. This is their guarantee that a weak script or poor storyline can be covered up.

The problem is the author is a name brand, so in the end the result was expected to be of better quality.

I get that, dramas like this relies on "traffic" and it more or less confirms the need for this, otherwise, relying on good script, acting and cinematography may just be too risky. Money is the biggest motivator over creativity.

And this obsession with data to prove points like ensuring the artists get signed up for more works and hopefully springboards their career and thus adding further fandom and followers.

For me, this drama in a nutshell has shown all that is wrong with mainstream idol dramas right now. Unoriginal, lazy and worse still, using feminist talking points to try to hook young and impressionable viewers. It's fake and it's actually damaging because it more or less says women need to be in men's spaces to achieve great things.

Women are not men. That is why there are women's tennis and men's tennis. But women get paid less than men doing the same thing though. This drama not only tells women they need to be as strong if not to match them in strength, they need to look pretty and be a woman like how a man wants a woman to be. A bit of childishness, flirtiness and lashings of sewing and saving by men all at the same time telling women their pursuits are more trivial compared with defending the country.

Those speeches ticking off the ladies and showing them how to be a "woman" is totally demeaning and if the author cannot see that, she has been brainwashed and influenced by men that sets the tone.

You done better than me. I have seen the writing on the wall on episode 29 and just couldn't get to the end. It became boring and formulaic. You know when the drama is failing when you don't care to know how they get to the HE. You just don't care for those other characters. They're not interesting and are like fillers. SML trying to look mysterious and tortured, all the extra expense to expand that seems forced and obvious and not in line with the story at all. The plastic caricature villain in HRF is cringeworthy and deserves to be parodied.

On MDL, I'm afraid the ratings system has been abused and should not be taken seriously. You are more likely better reading comments instead. You will see the review ratings seem to be the completely opposite to the ratings. This is because there are some that will open multiple accounts and just do ratings, and since it is not really transparent, it's the go-to method to manipulate ratings . Note this could be to inflate or deflate, and these accounts do not comment, they are there solely for that purpose.

I think MDL seriously need to not allow new users to rate until 6 months have lapsed. That way, it will hopefully deter new or slow down new accounts opened for other dubious purposes. Unfortunately, some of the toxic fandom culture has infected this site as well.

OK. I guess the drama wanted him more a grey character. They must be influenced by SMLs that never get the girl because they're too weak to stand up for themselves. Like the SML in Story of Minglan, who's not a villain but a mummy's boy, except here, he's clearly the villain, but they tried to spin it in a way he's some victim. This might be too far a stretch.

OK, I'm stuck on episode 30 right now and struggling to finish it. The drama just feels soulless and predictable from here onwards. The end just seems uninteresting. I guess, if you're really into all the romantic interactions, then you stick around.

Sounds like this is better in print form. In a drama setting, it feels too formulaic. For you, I hope it's matched your expectations. I think I'll put this on hold for now.

I guess you are right. So far, he just looks overly concerned for FL, but at the same time very meek and submissive to her and everyone else. This actually comes across as passive aggressive in the worst possible way. Then the story of his background and his love for his mother, it seems like he's almost deranged.

SML in The Double played a more expressive and obsessive character, but also was able to show his vulnerability which helps audiences know he is trapped but single minded in his quest for a place in court. Here, SML seems almost wishy washy with how he plans to take revenge. Very hard to read or feel his character. Again, not sure if this is an adaptation issue as quite a few novel readers feel this version is not what they had in mind. He was more a victim in the novel apparently.

OK, thanks for letting me know. Makes sense. I guess we now sit back and watch his downfall now. I suspect in the novel this style of villain works as a backdrop to this blossoming love story. I think in dramas, it needs a little more fleshing out as he and He Rui Fei are a bit like cardboard cut-out villains, especially with the latter's snarling and growling facial features you can't help but laugh.

I'm afraid I burst out laughing when FML was brawling her eyes out and screaming M'Ls name in the middle of the battle field. This overly dramatic scene looked so silly and out-of-character and in slow motion. This is so out-of-character. I guess in the novel, it would have been far more toned down. I think they tried to Disneyfy this and ended up making the drama look more pared down and simple and cutting off bits that join the story together. Just my two pennies' worth.

Yes I can see. They also did something similar in The Double where they fleshed out FL ex and made him more human rather than villain. I guess here it's not come out right as I have seen quite a few negative remarks about his character.

This Thriving Land I have been already watching and it is superb. Also watching Are You The One.

To get you in the mood for Shadow Love you can watch Cheng Lei in a more comedic role also with Song Yi in Follow Your Heart. He was great in it.

Any novel readers know why Prime minister Xu hates Xiao Jue and his family so much. Maybe I have missed this drama's rushed adaptation, but I don't understand why he wants to take them down. Is it just simply he wants a military family he can align with or control?

I don't know what episode you put on hold but I recommend you watch it right up to the very end & very last minute, even after credits have rolled. It's one of the best dramas of the year for me.

Obviously, everyone has different taste, but this drama was one that got better and better towards the last 8 episodes.

I cannot take that emperor seriously. I can't unsee what I saw on A Dream Within A Dream.