Nepeta 22

I must admit, I find it disturbing with these doctors and patients storyline. If it was the other way round, I don't think it would be acceptable. Maybe only due to their ages it's just about palatable. These dramas highlight unhealthy ageism.

About better people, this argument can go on and on. It's time to let the drama run and see how it goes, but truth is, are many of us also putting unrealistic expectations on characters to be passed as ML or FL worthy material? I'm all for morally grey characters because the constant whiter than white characters are often unrealistic and does not allow for life changes and small instances that can change something by accident or unintentional.

Example, the ML had an idea of the FL from childhood. This doesn't make him great, but it also does not make him bad either. Just because he's reserved or brought up to be polite, that also does not mean he's a better person, but maybe responsible.

FL is more brash in her approach. That might be from sparring with her sister from a young age. She is clearly feeling inferior on a superficial level with her own sister. At this stage, we know very little about the ML's family (whether he had siblings etc) and therefore don't form any strong judgment on him. But we do know, he did fall for looks in the first arc. Not criminal, but this has affected FL. It triggered her because the bracelet allowed her to witness first hand what pretty privilege feels like. Before that she had already put him up on a pedestal due to her childhood crush. But she was always invisible to him. But unknown to her, the ML is ironically drawn to her natural self when she slips back to her own personality.

I loved his character, and being honest, did come to watch this drama because of him. I enjoyed his performance in An Ancient Love Song. So glad they didn't make side characters typical fillers. The whole drama made sure everyone had their reasons to be there and yes, the second couple is just sweet!

That would be predictable and cliche. I feel it's not over yet though. She didn't even mention the reason on how Fang Jin's character came about. And it's not even her fault. I hope that storyline will come out as it's clear, her sister was also involved big time.

Without this backdrop of the trauma story, this drama would probably be like any other romance drama, so the only thing propping this drama up is the hype and the novel fans and the success off the back of Hidden Love. Anyway, see you around. I'm off now...

Well, they can't complain, on a business level, the drama has done well regardless. But not for me personally.

I'm done here. Off to watch Filter instead. At least it's a highly entertaining drama that uses comedy to deliver important messages in a meaningful way. As for Zhang Ruo Nan, I'll wait for Zhan Zhao Adventures. Hopefully, she will be able to do more there!

I'll leave others to enjoy, but I am sad this drama has gained so much popularity, but squandered a chance to tell the story of a victim of abuse coherently by painting her as unaware to the point of unusual ignorance. I also resent the fact that keeping quiet and not communicating is the sole storyline of a victim of trauma. There are so many other avenues to look at. But it is what it is...

Someone warned me that this drama would be insulting to victims of assault and going through trauma. Now I understand. When it first started, I was hounded on this forum for speaking my mind about it. This intolerance of views is so worrying that I shake my head when I see seemingly clued up posters defending everything, even less than a quarter of the way though the drama.

All I said was I think it's ambitious to use this delicate subject matter as a 'backdrop' for a romance drama. It's almost a Disney-esk version of how to get better from trauma. I just wished they'd be honest and admit, it's just gratuitous. When I said it was not well researched they came for me, claiming I would not be in a position to say such things, but I stand by them still. Romance and sexual assault do not mix, and if so, it needs not to be in a sweet romantic drama setting.

A realistic portrayal of it would be for others to see Imperfect Victim or The Long Season, but that would send some on here into denial that they came here for romance only, and the 'filler' bit they'll go along with it. Which leads me back to why the script writers could get away with poor writing. They know their target audience. The trauma bit is just another plot or filler. Even to make the drama look a little 'adult' and serious.

Sorry to the others that has enjoyed this, but for the life of me, I don't even know how it's reached 8.9 rating here on MDL. I'm perplexed. I think either fandom have played a part or others must be only half watching this drama and conveniently overlooking character flaws/inconsistencies.

I think the Chinese audience can see past this 'using FL's plight' as a vehicle to promote sensationalism and there's almost this sick need to see her down and out going through so much pain. But then paint her as oblivious and normal just to get the storyline through. It feels insulting to real victims but also to the average female watcher. As for a wider audience, I also think it's sending out a negative message and inviting others to hate on the FL. I think the Douban rating might be reflecting on that. All not good. Rant over!

It's bad enough that they are dealing with a very sensitive subject, but it feels like this "subject" has been used to push further and lower to get the most raw emotions out, but it's the wrong message.

Sometimes, less is more, which is something the writers do not get, and from the very beginning, I said this drama would be problematic because they are trying to mix this with romance and normally that doesn't work because there is a danger the ML is the answer and the saviour. It's a sanitised version of how victims can heal. The message is too simplistic and only wants to do "sensational" grief rather than understand long-term issues such as detachment, resentment, and even alcoholism.

I know romance dramas are fast running out of storylines, but stay away from these subjects if you can't be bothered to be consistent with characterizations. Not only that, alienating the female audience by painting the FL as some naive individual just doesn't wash. The FL deserves a better storyline instead of playing someone oblivious of her surroundings. Her history and upbringing should have already made her more cautious and aware of things. but no, they had to keep her like this to push the storyline forward.

Absolutely. I saw on comments earlier that this was not in the novel and she did ask for a lift, so not sure what is true, but it's just not fair that the FL is written this way. There's a difference between naive and hard working and someone who is wounded and now more cautious which I would think the second one is more in line with a character. It's bad enough to see the pain she has gone through, but this type of storyline does not make sense. It's almost adding in more pain for entertainment, it feels wrong on so many levels.

My take is not about being ugly. Deep down, the FL wants to look like the images seen in the glossy magazines, but also knows in reality that's not her. This background of her being a super sports type of person, with a father that nurtured her to learn to fight. I think it looks a society norms of what is considered an attractive female. Delicate, demure and not show signs that she is manly (strong and gruff mannerisms).

The flash backs of her barking at others at school (misunderstandings), cracking walnuts and then her lifting heavy stuff, fighting and carrying the ML are all deliberately put there to show a role reversal but also shows her natural form is to be this person, but with a kind heart (saving the boy from the a potential car accident).

Notice how when she is excessively kind around the ML, she's actually invisible. But when she behaves herself (seen in the second arc playing Fan Jin), the ML notices her more and gets more intrigued and attracted to that persona. Unless I have missed something, the message is, she needs to love herself, be herself, because the irony is, this is what the ML actually likes about her. But of course, from the beginning, the ML also has his prejudices due to misunderstandings from his childhood, and slowly, those views are hopefully going to change.

Unfortunately a fair few novels descend into these tropey storylines where the FL is so fixated in their work or socially unaware when it's called for (no consistency) just to push forward storylines. If you've seen Melody of the Golden Age, you will see those same things. It's very demeaning to the audience.

But the point is the writers failed, because they have made viewers see past their very bad attempt to write this "heroine" into something, but needing to use the lowest trick in the book to do that. This is scooping very low and can only hoodwink a child. Not even an average adult watching this can put up with such poor one dimensional writing just to show her journey and show how she fights through it.

This is that cringe factor that the author is trying so hard to push that even the most level headed cannot stomach this level of writing. Good writing would not descend into this level of silliness.

The poor actress that has to endure such storyline, it is just so sad for her to play such a character. It's obvious to me that the author is trying so hard to create pain and almost lap up seeing this poor female lead fall into a pit just for the shock factor and dragging the pain endlessly making the viewer frustrated, but at the expense of making her now totally unrealistic.

Maybe you are not tuned with how much 'filter' all actors 'can' get. I am pretty confident that most of the characters have had a filter on their skin and LL's character had least amount because the drama clearly wanted to highlight her slight imperfections to the audience.

I watch a lot of c-dramas that are not filtered as much too, and can also see some idol actors bleeding into these dramas like Wang Yibo for instance. When there are no filters their skins will be slightly bumpy with a few angry zits in there too. Oh, also in some red rashes too.

When you branch out and it's not just TJC fans but more or less all fandoms descend into this type of behaviour. It is sad, and these views hopefully will change gradually. I'm starting to see a push back so changes in attitudes cannot happen in a day, so let's hope in next few years these comments will get fewer and fewer.

When it happens, just keep calling it out, but do not let this affect the artist. In many instances, the issue is a wider social one, where many females have been controlled and brainwashed by a mainly male dominated industry in the media, so the mentality is to revert into in-fighting and only casting judgment on women instead of men. It's not an accident. It's designed.

You have to understand it. It's a drama, and yes leads 7 times out of 10 will be above average in the looks department. Especially romance dramas with young-ish looking actors. Moving past that, the drama is trying to highlight her inner thoughts and demons fighting with one another. It's brought on by her early association with her older sister and then feeling invisible to the one she has eyes on. To us as a viewer looking in, we won't necessarily agree with her or understand it.

I'm not too far ahead in the drama. I say, don't dwell on that too much. This is the balance...Keep in mind and keep remembering he fell for Su Miao at the drop of the hat without really knowing anything about her all the while stating he needed an "ordinary" looking model...😉

It's because everyone has an opinion, so it happens to all stars. One minute they're great, next minute they're bad/ugly.

Just as an example, if we were to talk about 'filters'. In Court Lady (2021) when TJC was in support role, comments were very negative about him and viewers were repulsed by his "character" in the drama and begged and complained to get him off their screens because he was taking too much screen time off the ML (Xu Kai). That's how filters work.

Fast forward a couple of years, when Under the Skin popped up and an unexpected success, it brought forward TJC's skills as an actor coupled with a few reality programmes he took part at the time helped cement his personality and acting into one. Suddenly, this invisible person became hot property and is seen in a new light...