Taz-mania

I thought the ML was pretty possessive in several instances. For example, in episode 21 he confronts the SML telling his to let the FL go as she will never love the SML as she loves ML who understands her and was willing to take down the people who hurt her. Also, he was pretty jealous after the FL kissed him in episode 10 when he incorrectly thought she had mistaken him for the SML.

The very final scene is a flashback/epilogue to when the ML & FL first meet and you see that the ML is the one that gives her the name Chun Hua (Spring Flower). (He writes the name Chun Hua in the book with the list of patients names.) Together, their names (Spring Flower/Autumn Moon) as used as a rhyme throughout the entire drama.

Do you mean the very final scene? It's a flashback to when the ML & FL first meet and you see that the ML is the one that gives her the name Chun Hua (Spring Flower). (He writes the name Chun Hua in the book with the list of patients names.) Together, their names (Spring Flower/Autumn Moon) as used as a rhyme throughout the entire drama.

Had put off watching this drama as I didn't think I would like it, but I have now watched through episode 13 and am surprised by how much I am enjoying it.

Watching Boss & Me made me want to re-watch some of Gu Man's other drama. Currently re-watching My Sunshine (well, I will admit I am skipping some scenes not involving the OTP). Still loving it as much as the original time I watched it. I recommend it to anyone who hasn't ever watched it as well as all of Gu Man's other dramas - Chinese version of Boss & Me, Love O2O and You Are My Glory.

I know, I can't believe we don't have English subs, especially since it appears there are subs for both Chinese and Vietnamese.

I'm watching it without subs but I do like it better than the Chinese version of the drama. Unfortunately, to add drama both versions made significant changes from the novel to give the other women pursuing the male lead much larger, more conniving, nastier roles. I personally would have preferred if the drama had just followed the novel without adding what I consider to be uninteresting draggy storylines.

I love all of Gu Man's novels which are for the most part angst free but understand that sometimes the production company feels the need to add elements that they believe make the drama more exciting. In terms of drama adaptions from Gu Man novels, both Love O2O and You Are My Glory generally followed the novels closely, while more changes were made for My Sunshine and Boss & Me.

At Episode 5 and am enjoying the drama but oddly, so far, I like Chu Chu better than the FL. Perhaps the FL will grow on me as I continue watching.

I looked at Episode 34 and it doesn't appear to be the final episode so I think 40 episodes is still correct. Kinda surprised how much the drama is differing from the novel. I guess they wanted to make it more dramatic as the novel was for the most part very drama free. Sadly, it doesn't appear that this drama will get subbed.

Novel is named Come and Eat, Shan Shan by Gu Man
Link to Novel Updates
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/come-and-eat-shan-shan/

Link to Translator Website
https://hui3r.wordpress.com/gu-man/come-eat-shan-shan-completed/

If you've watched Love O2O (also written by Gu Man), the hero of Come and Eat, Shan Shan appears in that novel and this novel includes some joint scenes with the 2 couples.

Watched the first episode without subs (can for the most part follow what's happening since I've read the novel that it's based on). Liked the first episode and am hoping they follow the novel instead of the Chinese drama as I liked the novel's storyline better. Too bad that it appears no one is subbing this drama but then a lot of the Thai subbers (like Muse) have unfortunately quit subbing.

Started watching because the intro reminded me of Skate Into Love. So far, I'm not finding it as good.

The novel Da Mo Yao (Ballad of the Desert) by Tong Hua is fully translated. I thought the drama closely followed the novel.

https://www.novelupdates.com/series/ballad-of-the-desert/
http://koalasplayground.com/recapped-dramas/

Does this drama have 41 or 42 episodes? Or 2 different versions?

I hate "noble idiocy" so one of the things I loved about Sound of the Desert was that Jiu Ye paid for being a "noble idiot". Of course, I was rooting for Wu Ji the entire time (as who doesn't love a relentless, unwaveringly devoted, completely possessive hero...) It is my understanding that Wu Ji was loosely based on the famous Han Dynasty general Huo Qubing who lived from 140 BC to 117 BC, dying at age 23 (if you've seen the drama, this explains the deus ex machina that occurs in the final episode). The drama did follow the novel that it was based upon pretty closely (and the male lead is named Huo Qubing in the novel, but changed in the drama probably to clear the censors). I enjoyed the drama and would recommend it.

Unfortunately, the censors did a hatch job on Arsenal Military Academy and chopped off at least 90 minutes of the drama, including a lot of the leads interactions (guess the leads kissing military uniform is a big no-no...).

Several novel to drama adaptions feature the novel's writer as the drama's screenwriter. Writers Gu Man (Love O2O, You Are My Glory, Boss and Me, My Sunshine) and Mo Bao Fei Bao (Go Go Squid) have both served as the scriptwriter when their novels have been adapted to dramas and therefore these dramas for the most part follow the novel on which they are based.

Great article!

My top 10 favorite c-dramas are:
You Are My Glory
You Are My Hero
Love Is Sweet
Eternal Love/3 Lives 3 Worlds Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms
Skate Into Love
The Legends
Go Go Squid
General and I
Love O2O
The Long Ballad

While watching episode 14, I noticed that in addition to getting a fashion makeover, the female lead also got a personality transplant. No more braying laugh or other over the top behaviors. So I guess her "new" personality is how she was when the male lead first met her in grade school. Not sure why the male lead or the second male lead both fell for the "caricature" version of the female lead we were subjected to during episodes 1 through 13.

Also, not sure about the female leads wishy-washy attitude towards admitting to the male leads that she is his childhood friend. She goes dying to tell him to denying who she is once he's figured it out. Seems like filler to stretch out the episodes.

I agree. Of the versions I've watched this version has my favorite lead couple and the best Anson. Last 10 episode were very angsty. Not surprising but I hated Anna and how in most versions including this one the male lead just lets her continually pursue him – for 3 years no less. She had no character growth during the entire drama as she never ever considered anyone but herself and what she wanted. Ultimately, the only reason the lead couple reconciled was because Dylan told the male lead the horrible thing she had done (with her protesting all the way). Dylan even lied and took the blame for her actions. Can’t believe such a nasty person was invited to their wedding.