TofueToffee

I saw some negative reviews of this movie so I went in with lowered expectations but determined to prove those opinions wrong and...they were right. My expectations were low and yet I was still disapppointed. Despite only being 2 hours long, it was very hard to finish. Yet I also think this movie should have been a 12-episode (maximum) slice of life drama, the feelings and transitions would have worked more; instead it still felt like a mini-drama that was then cut down into a 2-hour movie without much thought into making those scenes fit together in an interesting way. I did not connect with any of the characters, especially our main cast, and least of all the wide array of side characters. I understand the movie's intention to show the lives of many people in this small town, I just don't think it worked. I wanted to love the granny, male lead, female lead, and the kid, but while the actors brought sparks to the characters that felt life-like at times, the segmented story undermined any depth that could have been. Even more, I think the decision to animate the opening was bad because it didn't add any value, instead I felt it lessened the impact of their childhood. Also, I preferred the ending in the novel more.

At least, these were my small highlights of this film:
1) The setting was beautiful. When it changed briefly to the blizzard and lantern, that was nice scenery too, but too brief. I love the whole look of granny's store.
2) Zhou Ye is very pretty and her energy was attractive. Acting-wise, I think she still was a little weak at some parts but overall the "first-love" vibes she brought to the role really made this character sweet. Honestly, the romance was very subtle and very dependent on her, and she acted this well.
3) Peng Yuchang. I watched this for him. Of the few dramas and films I've seen him in, I think this is one of his least charming roles. He's played worse characters and yet they were more memorable and loveable in the end. I think its a problem of the writing and the story more than his acting because there were moments where I could get sucked in but the story didn't do enough. But I also do think this wasn't his best. Still, in this role he had standout moments and highlights, and as expected he does emotional scenes really well that those moments did manage to touch me despite overall not connecting to the characters or story.

Anyway, I love the insert song by HuXia.
(Edited comment because I had some time to sit with my thoughts a little more.)

I started this 2 years ago but put it on hold, came back and finally finished it--binged it in 2 days. Totally worth it! Peng Yuchang was awesome throughout and Wing Yinglu as well. Their chemistry carried the story, their antics were hilarious, and every time they were onscreen together it was fun to watch, perfect casting of our main leads. I do think there was some weaknesses in the story but overall its much too enjoyable to let them bother me.

Rewatched this and cried again like I did the first time. I love how to this day many years later since this movie both actors still consider themselves as siblings, really shows how into the roles they were. Also belatedly learned that Peng Yuchang commissioned out of his own expenses a song for Zhang Zifeng as a brother to a sister, so sweet. https://youtu.be/gT3_sCr4vaw?si=MrT8PhM3KlXnlcEH

What makes this movie great and memorable is that despite these characters dealing with their sicknesses on top of falling in love, they are not caricatures but feel very human. I don't usually like this genre because that's not always the case. The two actors and the writing really brought this story to life.

The story was a little weak but the acting was top notch. Peng Yuchang and Yang En You were both awesome, and I also liked Wei Da Xun here.

Episode 13-14. I didn't finish the novel but I want to emphasize that the drama has very small (sometimes important) changes here and there from the novel.

No not a remake, it's based on a Chinese webnovel that was published in 2018. Apparently the author of the novel is a real lawyer who drew on their law knowledge and experience. The romance parts are used common tropes and most likely the similarities you'll see across many more dramas.

This drama is about FL's love and hate and suffering and despair by the hands of the ML, so the ending when she couldn't truly escape the ML in body and mind and decided to determine her own end meanwhile still saving her beloved country is quite fitting. I don't think there could have been a happy ending where everything worked out because there would be war and ML's nature is to cage FL as long as she is alive. The drama is based on a novel and in the novel despite jumping from the tower FL did not die but her legs were broken and the ML was coming for her with his army, she couldn't escape so she pierced her heart with Adu's knife, she was desperate and unforgiving and had already lost everything at that point.

The additional modern episodes, I know some fans and viewers consider as an epilogue or the true ending, but as a lover of the novel and drama, I do not view it as canon. Neither do most of the Chinese audience, Xiaofeng and Li Chengyin's ending stopped at the end of the 55 episodes (or 52 episodes, depending on which version you are watching) and is a tragedy, not a happy ending. These modern episodes were also only filmed because of the success of the drama, 2 years later than the filming of the drama itself. If the drama had not been successful, these modern episodes for the audience would not have happened and it is for viewers who wanted to see the couple in a happier setting. Basically they were an afterthought and not penned by the original novel writer.

I agree , that's another way to look at it. That's one thing I love about this story, it can be dissected from many angles and can be enjoyed as long as viewers with the omniscient perspective can see the grey areas.

I don't mind if you don't watch it, just wanted to point out there are very pronounced differences although on the outside they are similar. MLs in both versions were outcasts in some form but the way they went about brooding was very different so the Thai version might not be LJK's version.

Also I do think South Korea's dramas especially back then has a problem of always making sure ML and FL are upfront and center and must not be overshadowed, so SML/SFL must stay in their lane leading to the changes in script and screentime. Chinese version felt more like history unfolding in front of FL while Korean version was crafted to be a drama-story with a ML/FL focus so it was casted that way. I hope the Thai version follows the C-ver too. I don't know the actors and I'm sorry to hear there might be external issues affecting the outcome.

I watched both too, although I remember less of the Korean version since I didn't like it and never rewatched. The Korean one gave male lead LJK too much screentime and did not use Kang Haneul enough who is also a terrific actor. On the other hand, for the Chinese version I would argue 8th and 4th prince had almost equal responsibilities in their different halves, with 4th prince Nicky Wu edging out in the end. But for us viewers to even feel the regret and momentum of 8th stepping in to break up FL and ML for her benefit and the sadness of 8th and FL's last parting, the actor/story needs that screentime. Overall, if the Thai version gives the adaptation any justice by giving 8th Prince his right weight in the story, then the casting of both MLs are important and both needs chemistry with FL.

A lot of comments jumped to talk about Moon Lovers the Korean version, but this isn't an adaptation of that (as we know for now). The ORIGINAL novel and Chinese version, the male lead was less angsty and had less of a presence in the first half because it focused on the female lead building connections with the other princes and characters, especially the second male lead.

But the OG isn't LJK and the 4th prince is less dramatically angsty in the Chinese version. So far we only know it's a remake of the Chinese novel/version, not Moon Lovers.

XF being the favorite daughter of her father (and the only daughter of both her country's king and queen, the other princesses are daughters of her father's concubines) is a key factor here and is often overlooked. As her father often stated and seen in the first arc, she is spoiled. She doesn't care about politics. She is young. That's what makes the first arc believable because she has all these characteristics that makes her fall into a trap. (Also LCY isn't that much older than XF and a lot of viewers seem to forget this so that's why I can sympathize why they messed up so badly in the first arc, her for being too trusting and him for falling for her and thinking everything will work out just because he loves her.)

For the second arc, how they changed or did not change is not comparable because XF wanted/chose to forget EVERYTHING which resets her to her previous spoiled and naive self (not dumb, but simple and rash) while LCY's memories chose to retain itself, everything except XF, which puts him several steps ahead in development. XF still doesn't care for politics, and honestly her attitude might have worked if she was just a normal concubine and not the consort princess. Her being a foreign princess makes it even worst because she doesn't understand the customs (and I do see cnetz question this plot where a foreign princess will get the title of empress.) Nonetheless, the tragedy of this story revolves around XF's unchanging nature and being born in the wrong role. (Because everything else that happens and LCY's ruthlessness is no different from historical rulers or of his empire.) Remember, XF rebelled and ran from politics and HAPPILY married a tea merchant -- she will fight against her princess's responsibilities and shackles >> this was her nature before she forgot. Although watching XF may be frustrating, viewing her with this lens of her qualities, brave but simple and rebellious and stubborn, (and I refuse to view her situation with modern values) is much easier to understand why she fights back so much and refuses to conform.

I agree, I thought it was pretty apparent that this was a happy ending except they just didn't show the next process. Saw a comment that the boys didn't even have to wait long until the flowers/tree grew and unless viewers expect the reincarnation/birth to happen in the next few years then this happy ending at least ensures that the human king their original father was still alive and together with everyone to witness and celebrate the happy news.

Also ngl unless the boys decide to turn their backs for the next few years until the girls are grown, it would be creepy to see thousand year-old MLs stalking or finding and grooming their baby wives. Stopping before they try to overexplain/excuse that part is good.

A crime drama from the POV of the good guys truly suffers if the depth and highlights are mainly brought by the villains.

I'm glad there was no romance. I like the friendship/partnership that our leads had without it veering into romance and colleagues/housemates falling in love.

Finished. Unfortunately, after my last comment the story took a nosedive. Disappointing. First half was good. Second half was tedious. This drama's worst qualities are its story framing and pacing.

No doubt this drama was the Song Bai Yu show followed by a sequel of his mother, featuring everyone else. This drama's heart was Bai Yu, with ML and FL getting more screentime so that we can pretend they are important main characters in this plot. I wouldn't be surprised if the writers started with SBY's character and then because this drama was partially produced by China's procuratorate, the leads were added around him since we can't have morally grey characters be the heroes. This drama insists on making our leads the focus when narratively they aren't interesting enough. Funny though, I do like our ML + FL and their comfy partnership (although I regard the 2nd half as SBY's mother's show, ML-FL's comradery were my personal highlights in this half), but our main leads' interactions and friendship would fare better in a separate slice-of-life drama about crimes.

About pacing, the big overall crime happened off-screen in the past so 30+ episodes were spent chasing and uncovering clues, with newer crimes littered in. The leads get their big breaks because SBY and his mother (of course) feeds it to them. I don't mind our heroes figuring things out step by step, but it's tedious when everyone and even our heroes know the identity of our big baddies and we have to watch them very slowly gather and piece together evidence while the baddies twiddle their thumbs. This writing builds no tension, no mystery.

About the friendship between SBY and Lin Yuan Ho, it was too lopsided. It almost seemed like SBY was in love with LYH while the latter barely reciprocated, we don't get to see any scenes of ML doing so. I do like ML, especially LYH played by CXX, I just wished he had more depth as well as FL.

Lastly, I love the mother's song and I really enjoyed the OSTs/bgms for this drama.

Half way through this show - it's GOOD. Not great, but good. Despite the FL-ML lead pairing, so far the most undersold and enjoyable part of this drama is the story between the two male leads. The reveal of their frenemy-friendship-rivalry caught me by surprise and I think this drama would have been stronger if it was a double male-lead drama.

But I don't mind the FL. In fact, I quite like her. She's described as emotional and stubborn and I expected an annoying hothead but she's not. While I think her role should've been secondary, I also think she's a necessary character that helps offsets the two male characters while also being someone ML can bounce off from. She helps thaw his cold and calm exterior so the audience sees more sides to him, otherwise he'd be a lot less interesting, and with this type of white ML character it already pales a lot compared to a grey 2ML. (Lucky CXX is playing this role because his subtle acting helps support a character that would have been a lot more boring.)

The biggest issue is the pacing (and the filter). A show that should've been 12 episodes stretched into 30+. Hopefully the rest of the drama doesn't lose the small spark it has.