Nepeta 22

This is my feeling on it so far, just past half way. The repetitiveness is not slice of life type of drama to me, but more done in a way like a soap opera.

This latter part troubles me as it's sometimes filmed in a way for dramatic effect rather than in context of the characters and the whole set up of the situation at the time. I will continue to see how things go, but the negativity and adversity feels quite surface and not deep enough for me to connect truly to the situation.

It's almost like they do light touches on certain subjects, but then brush over them as closure to move on. I hope you will continue. It's not bad, but not how I was expecting this drama to be.

The only realistic research I can see is they acknowledge the soil is not suitable for certain crops and the medicine crop arc is more realistic on a technical level and the way they cannot control water (or lack of it) management in farming at the time.

Yes it does feel like that. I'm on episode 23 and when one thing ends another crisis starts. I don't know if it was written this way in the novel, but when adapted, the tempo is constant on high in a negative way.

There seems very little interjection of peace or pause to gather some of the calmer and stable moments, which is a shame as I'm sure it could have been edited in a more meaningful way. I'm still enjoying it, but sometimes when it's done this way, it just feels like trauma porn which is not good.

Yes, it's the one with Li Xian & Wei DaXun. Good luck with re-trying Romance in the Alley. I know a lot of people stopped it because they didn't like the Mango translation but for some reason, it seemed fine to me. It's available to watch on Youtube if you're not signed to Mango TV.

We should share with others what we like as well as critiquing ones we don't like 😂!

Don't be disheartened. For me, A Love Never Lost was one of the most top quality dramas I have seen to come out of China. You can see and feel the money spent. It's sad it was held back and by the time it did come out, there was a bit of fatigue.

Not an easy watch, but it certainly did not hold back on being matter-of-fact and very hard to watch for women, in my opinion. But I recommend it to others who really want to see a period that I feel is less often depicted. I can think of another one, but this drama is raw & unapologetic.

I can see some saying sanitised version of the book on this drama, but in A Love Never Lost would be the other end, and many were turned off and actually did not finish the drama, mainly because of how the FL was treated and how she behaved. I feel that's sad, because in that drama, it is probably a very honest take of that difficult period in China's history.

Funny you mention Ni Ni, since she was the actress I mentioned as a better choice for FL in Harbin 1944. But maybe a DM would be best so not to upset the big fandoms sometimes sitting on top of the forums like guard dogs. I like Li Landi a lot, she's a natural. Yang Mi is good in this role and I'm glad she was able to be in this drama after the other recent dramas.

As for past actors that having star power & screen presence, I haven't really watched their dramas, rather heard a lot about them. I mainly know late Leslie as a pop star to be honest and vaguely remember Teresa Mo. I have come to c-dramas late and working my way backwards! You too have a great weekend!

I was only jesting about the idol actor comment, so take no notice. I noticed the stand out success are can be dramas that had very little promotion and maybe resonate with the broader audience at the time, like The Knock Out, I don't doubt what you write about misinterpreting a novel into a drama and unfortunately it happens a lot.

As for Harbin 1944, I don't understand the language and will fall into the category of relying on subs for the dramas, so it's interesting with your detailed comments. But judging on her shrill voice and body deportment, she didn't seem convincing. When I merely uttered another actress's name I felt more suitable for this role, I was hounded out of the comments section for showing bad manners!

I think this role is better suited for Yang Mi. It's less aggressive and she doesn't need to raise her voice as much. But yes, the nice straight white teeth has been a distraction for me too. There are a couple of side characters that look burly and portly which did not sit right when they were talking about having nothing to eat. But apart from that, so far so good. I'm behind everyone, so will see how it goes.

Yes, unfortunately Fan Cheng Cheng was a let down to a stellar cast. He sadly started acting like his real-life persona and became very out-of-character bossy near the end! I also agree, his love line with Lu Yu Xiao was unhealthy. She was one of those grabby characters with a quiet angel face.

I think the drama subtly try to convey that and for me, maybe he deserved that because he was always brought up with the tag of being top at everything. What better than have a partner who is equally a social climber but trying to hide that under a permanent smile.

No problem, it can be emotional and sometimes are hard watch. I haven't finished this drama yet as I'm behind, but sounds like a bit of Romance in the Alley. That drama had some superb child actors and has had a lasting memory for me.

It pulls no punches of poverty and how people dobbed on others if they're trying to make a living illegally outside of their main jobs. That could be humanistic jealousy or spite and even on your own family! Often it's driven by a desire to better yourself against a back-drop of socialist ideals. The drama is a very matter-of-fact type of drama and doesn't shy away on showing how hard it must have been living in such cramped conditions but also knowing those little joined up houses were prized at the time (and still is today, how ironic) and the antics people got up to just to retain or gain one. An eye opener.

Since I can't see your drama history, I do recommend you watch War of Faith or even A Love Never Lost. I think you will feel different. They do not depict CPC as great people. In fact in the latter, some of the pioneer people back in the 1930s were terrible people. They used women because they literally needed them on side. They used feminist talking points to say they'd get freedom and break away from arranged marriage all the while treating women like rubbish.

In War of Faith, one of the main leads was fully KMT in his blood. Although he changed he remained very loyal to his cause. CPC also was shown to get funding from very questionable sources and very readily used terrible violence to make their point. Innocents perished badly. From watching this, I did not see the other side as pure evil. In fact, there was a very respectful and almost glossy image of the KMT.

BTW Wang Yang was nominated for the Magnolia awards in 2024 under ML. He was not a CPC member in the republican drama but a KMT member. In the past, he may not have been nominated as it would be deemed controversial. Not because it upsets the ruling party, but more the public sentiments.

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.