This review may contain spoilers
We were fine with Season 1’s ending (we just didn’t know it yet)
As I finished the last episode, Bu Bu Jing Xin, to me, felt like the perfect example of a series that would fit perfectly with a reincarnation plot.Unfortunately, the drama ended up being one of those that shouldn’t have had a sequel at all.
The first warning things might not turn out the way I expected probably came with the very first chapter, where the “reincarnation” plot was transformed into some kind of “dream during MC’s coma about an actual drama airing in her time” (?!).
I understand the production was doing the best they could with how censorship did not allow ttansmigration plots to be aired anymore, but the problem is how this main story line was developed (or not at all).
Ruoxi’s last words in BBJX are about how tired and disconnected she felt, how she just wished to let go and not remember them anymore. She was a woman that went through pain, torture, lost, love and heartbreak and that, at the end, just wanted peace.
“I hope I do not remember any of you”.
Cuts to the present, she sees Present!Fourth Prince and acts like her soulmate came knocking like what?!?!?! Are we going to wash away an entire LIFETIME of trauma she went through????
Her character had grown so much, and for some reason I felt the continuity didn’t make it justice.
The Prince’s characters were another problem.
Tong Hua wrote the brothers beautifully so we would love and ache for all of them. Even as the Eight Prince became the antagonist, I could understand his actions and his resentment with the Fourth Prince - we could all sympathize with them.
In this second season, it felt like if the Present!Prince was not falling in love with Present!Ruoxi, he didn't really exist for the story as a full being.
The storyline in itself was also all over the place after the first couple chapters. With how the drama was written, at chapter 15 there was no feeling of connection with season 1 anymore.
It’s like the past didn’t create any waves. The characters weren’t really allowed to expand and develop beyond what they had been in their previous lives.
As I said I wouldn’t expect Present!Ruoxi to be so eager to meet again… And how their relationship developed, it felt like the connection that made me love her and the Forth Prince just wasn't there anymore.
The twin debacle for me was the icing on the cake of a drama that already didn't know where it was going anymore - and that's probably the main issue for me.
At a certain point, I didn't know what story I was watching. The chapters came and went with this feeling of disconnection not only with S1, but with the main plot itself.
The overall acting was very good, and there ARE scenes I enjoyed and that made me smile, but even the actors doing the best they could wasn’t enough to carry the drama.
If you watch it as a stand alone, then I guess it’s an okay drama - but as a second season to Bu Bu Jing Xin it really didn’t measure up.
In short, whatever happened with Scarlet Heart 2, it's a mix of wasted potential and what felt like unnecessary plot twist to give it even more drama.
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The last – but not least – the actors did a phenomenal job here! I just can't believe that this was Zee's first main role. Not so much on the beginning, but from the middle to the end all his emotions were raw, it felt so real his conflicts and feelings... And Saint, after his work on Love By Chance (which is on my top 5 favorites), it is soo refreshing to see him play a character that is more complex and that actually express emotions and takes the lead. Fight and Tutor felt like equals on the relationship, both with their on struggles and difficulties (which the actors brought us so well).
And how not to mention Zon's funny, light, but also so deep character? I was ready to grade him as comic relief when he started to show other sides and try to understand himself and what was going on around him (if it was true that they weren't on a BL novel). I think he was refreshing mostly, because of the way he dealt with his growing feelings for Saifah. There wasn't the usual self recrimination, but there was doubt – and Saifah was there to give him support and help him all the way. They were complementary, and it was soo good and sweet to watch their almost naivee feelings for each other grow in contrast to the more angst heavy line for Fighter and Tutor!!
And let's not forget Zon's mom reaction to the couple her daughter was shipping on her novel: "I support you". I swear I could almost picture her saying a "jia you" or "fighting" for the two of them. It was just wonderful and funny!!
Of course, not everything was perfect. There were truly a few problems with overcrowded characters, as they didn't have chapters nor screen time enough to develop all their stories as they should. On one hand, I only noticed this because their stories felt promising and sooo funny at times, but on the other hand, the problem remains that even though they had a good ending (in the way that it gave us hope and closure), it was still rushed, and wasted so much potential! Also, Zol's story was barely there, even though she was the mastermind behind the entire show kkkkkk. She was a amazing character that I wanted to have seen a bit more of – she deserved the screen time.
Apart from this things, I was surprised to actually watch entire episodes without skipping through or fast forwarding any unnecessary, filler-like scenes (sans that ONE ep on the beach – once you watch you'll know what I mean – but that was not their fault, it was due to COVID counteract measures, so there is nothing to say on it – the fact that they kept shooting at all was a bit of a shock, actually).
So I would definitely recommend and mark it as a definite rewatch!
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