K-Drama 
A promising short drama that deserves a chance
Lately, I haven’t had as much time to watch dramas as I used to, so I’ve got quite into short dramas. Whenever I come across one with an interesting synopsis, cast or overall concept, I like to give it a go, and this one caught my attention because of its rather original premise: four stories directed by four different directors, each featuring a different female lead, whose stories eventually intertwine.
Even so, I didn’t go into it with particularly high expectations, as both the directors and much of the cast are relatively new to the industry, so I wasn’t quite sure how this concept would work out. However, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise, although there were some aspects I liked more than others. So, let’s break it down.
What I liked most:
Bao Jie Yi’s story, Cat Legend. Without a doubt, this is my favourite of the four, and the one I’d choose if I could only watch one of them. I also think it’s the best-directed story, and Bao Jie Yi’s performance genuinely surprised me in the best way. Considering she’s completely new to the industry, I think she did a really good job and has a lot of potential. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on her career to see how she develops and improves over time.
The chemistry between Bao Jie Yi and Zhou Zhi Yi. I was literally SCREAMING over these two! I absolutely loved them both and had such a good time watching their chemistry on screen. Definitely one of my favourite parts of the whole drama.
The length of the stories. With only five episodes per story, each around ten minutes long, you can get through them in no time, and they never feel like a drag. It’s the perfect format when you don’t have much time but fancy watching something interesting without committing to a full-length series.
Wei Xiao’s performance. She’s the only one of the four female leads with previous acting experience, and it shows, especially in how natural her performance feels. For me, hers is the most natural performance of the four and one of the drama’s strongest points.
The editing and picture quality. Considering this is a fairly low-budget drama, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall visual quality. Both the cinematography and editing are really well done for this type of production.
What I liked least:
The repeated scenes across the four stories. I understand that, since the four stories are interconnected, certain scenes or situations are bound to be repeated. I wouldn’t mind at all if they were slightly different from one another, but the problem is that some are practically identical, which makes things feel a little repetitive at times.
Hou Ben’s performance. I feel like the character wasn’t quite the right fit for her. It was too obvious that she was acting, and I couldn’t really immerse myself in her story. This also contributed to it being my least favourite of the four.
The direction of 8 Days a Week, Zhou Zhi Yi’s story. I feel like the director didn’t make the most of her performance. Some of the shots felt a bit pointless or just didn’t make much sense, and I was left feeling that the directors of the other stories managed to bring out more of her potential and portray her better on screen.
All in all, I think this is an interesting concept and quite a refreshing take on the short drama format. Although I didn’t enjoy all four stories equally and some aspects could have been handled better, I’m glad I gave it a chance. I’ve also discovered Bao Jie Yi, whose career I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on, and found a favourite story that I’d choose again without hesitation. It’s not a perfect drama, but I think it has enough going for it to be worth a watch, especially if you enjoy short stories and like discovering new faces in the industry.
Even so, I didn’t go into it with particularly high expectations, as both the directors and much of the cast are relatively new to the industry, so I wasn’t quite sure how this concept would work out. However, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise, although there were some aspects I liked more than others. So, let’s break it down.
What I liked most:
Bao Jie Yi’s story, Cat Legend. Without a doubt, this is my favourite of the four, and the one I’d choose if I could only watch one of them. I also think it’s the best-directed story, and Bao Jie Yi’s performance genuinely surprised me in the best way. Considering she’s completely new to the industry, I think she did a really good job and has a lot of potential. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on her career to see how she develops and improves over time.
The chemistry between Bao Jie Yi and Zhou Zhi Yi. I was literally SCREAMING over these two! I absolutely loved them both and had such a good time watching their chemistry on screen. Definitely one of my favourite parts of the whole drama.
The length of the stories. With only five episodes per story, each around ten minutes long, you can get through them in no time, and they never feel like a drag. It’s the perfect format when you don’t have much time but fancy watching something interesting without committing to a full-length series.
Wei Xiao’s performance. She’s the only one of the four female leads with previous acting experience, and it shows, especially in how natural her performance feels. For me, hers is the most natural performance of the four and one of the drama’s strongest points.
The editing and picture quality. Considering this is a fairly low-budget drama, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall visual quality. Both the cinematography and editing are really well done for this type of production.
What I liked least:
The repeated scenes across the four stories. I understand that, since the four stories are interconnected, certain scenes or situations are bound to be repeated. I wouldn’t mind at all if they were slightly different from one another, but the problem is that some are practically identical, which makes things feel a little repetitive at times.
Hou Ben’s performance. I feel like the character wasn’t quite the right fit for her. It was too obvious that she was acting, and I couldn’t really immerse myself in her story. This also contributed to it being my least favourite of the four.
The direction of 8 Days a Week, Zhou Zhi Yi’s story. I feel like the director didn’t make the most of her performance. Some of the shots felt a bit pointless or just didn’t make much sense, and I was left feeling that the directors of the other stories managed to bring out more of her potential and portray her better on screen.
All in all, I think this is an interesting concept and quite a refreshing take on the short drama format. Although I didn’t enjoy all four stories equally and some aspects could have been handled better, I’m glad I gave it a chance. I’ve also discovered Bao Jie Yi, whose career I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on, and found a favourite story that I’d choose again without hesitation. It’s not a perfect drama, but I think it has enough going for it to be worth a watch, especially if you enjoy short stories and like discovering new faces in the industry.
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