OMG. Pearl is like one of the BEST things in this show. Without her, they dynamic and fun of the series would be so less. Her character is hilarious! ;D
For a series from 2012 it only feels minorly dated (hair and clothing....and the 'weaker' female leads...but it was a different time back then, so don't judge it 10 years later). This is cute, fluffy, and funny (even the cheesy parts!). Loved all the relationships dealing with family and friends; loved all the side characters. Sure, no series is perfect, but overall this is a fun series with a good ending so you feel positive. My favorite part was that the love triangle fell apart very quickly: I LOVED that it was the two guys became like best friends even to the girl's chagrin ;P TOTALLY REFRESHING! Some of this series is very rewatchable to me, so get a big plus in my book. I feel like the bigger story is less to do with the love story (it starts off sort of like a romcom, but it really isn't that) , but more to do with friends and family, redemption and justice....in a setting of lots of yummy desserts to make you hungry! :)
Amber has one of the intersex conditions. It is unclear which one. But as such, it is not at all uncommon for…
We don't get all the details, but it is also likely that Amber's parents knew from birth that he was intersex, but because he 'looked mostly like a girl', they may have just assumed that would be what he would be and went with it....until development continued on to reveal he may be more toward the male side (internal organs matter here especially when puberty hits). Amber at one point admitted to Le that they found out his condition was 'more complicated than expected' and that was why the prolonged stay in UK. I would really love to know more background with Amber and his parents. We really don't know how much Amber knew when he was little. In that letter to Le, Amber wrote that he used to think he was 'special' and 'unique' like that rainbow fish...... which could imply he was aware of his condition WAY before the third grade..... or it could be just alluding to how Le made Amber feel by just being his friend. The writers use so much imagery and double meaning, that it leaves room open for interpretation and reflection.
But then when you go back and re-watch the little kids (Le and Wenwen) with the fish tank scene, I really get the vibe that Wenwen knew he was 'different' already back then....which makes me feel even more like he and his parents knew since his birth (the it being 'more complicated' part was discovered in the third grade).
One last thing... waited the who series to find out what the title about DNA had to do with anything... still…
I got that it was due to an accumulation of multiple reasons tied together:
1) His intersex condition is DNA based.
2) Amber loves Le because of who Amber internally is (genetics/genotype), not his outward appearance (phenotype) . Amber's DNA (self) loves Le's DNA (self).
3) Le legit fell in love with Amber TWICE, independent of what Amber's outward (phenotype) gender appeared to be. Likewise, it is also Le's DNA (self) that loves Amber's DNA (self). Though Le did clarify in last ep that he likes Amber BEST now as male, which I LOVE ;D
Noting on this entire planet give any person, any right to probe into the lives of actors. When on fucking earth,…
I never understood the desire of certain fans to blur reality by shipping REAL actors as if they were their FICTIONAL characters. It's super creepy to me and toxic. It reminds me of cults with people willfully participating in a mass delusion. So unhealthy.
I don't think China has mastered the Fantasy genre. Hollywood has. :DAll this is because of a war of nationalism…
To be fair, SOME Chinese dramas have tried to push at the boundaries they are trapped in and thus DO connect with an international audience (like The Untamed, Nirvana in Fire, Story of Yanxi Palace, Word of Honor, The Longest Day in Chang'an, etc). It prompts some great creativity in itself to be able to attempt this. I agree that censorship and propaganda/nationalism rules on the Chinese entertainment industry can limit/restrict in general its ability to connect to an international audience depending on its specific themes, and it also greatly limits the kinds of stories/questions/variety-of-thought you can expect from them. Maybe that is the 'cookie cutter' feel one of you described; how they often feel the same? I feel like ones more focused on universal themes do better internationally: 1) love against all odds, 2) fighting against oppression/injustice (especially if it is clever and/or the 'underdog' making a difference), and 3) focus on friendship/family (unconditional support even through difficult times or mistakes).
There’s not really a controversy yet, only people pointing out that the drama reminds of the chinese wuxia/xianxia…
Also , this series is picked up by Netflix, so it will target an international audience, so I have hope that it will do fine. The great majority of international folks won't care about this, honestly.
The only thing that might come close is Nirvana in Fire (2015). No so much with the love, but more with the I-told-you-so revenge that the main character gives to those who destroyed his life over frivolities.
But then when you go back and re-watch the little kids (Le and Wenwen) with the fish tank scene, I really get the vibe that Wenwen knew he was 'different' already back then....which makes me feel even more like he and his parents knew since his birth (the it being 'more complicated' part was discovered in the third grade).
1) His intersex condition is DNA based.
2) Amber loves Le because of who Amber internally is (genetics/genotype), not his outward appearance (phenotype) . Amber's DNA (self) loves Le's DNA (self).
3) Le legit fell in love with Amber TWICE, independent of what Amber's outward (phenotype) gender appeared to be. Likewise, it is also Le's DNA (self) that loves Amber's DNA (self). Though Le did clarify in last ep that he likes Amber BEST now as male, which I LOVE ;D
Ship characters, not actors.