addicted_2_dramas

The Long Ballad is... well... long.

So I started watching this and couldnt finish it. The beginning was a little slow but once I stuck it through it was AMAZING and a 9.5 only because of how slow the beginning was. They had an all star cast and they really show cased them. Do I wish there was more of Zhao Lusi and her love interest? Yes. But the show was still amazing. With the cast they managed to pull out this should have been WAY better than it was. Zhao Lusi and Dilraba sharing a stage should have shone and instead it was kinda meh. Both came off wimpy and Zhao Lusi's character deserved way more screentime then she got. That being said Zhao Lusi had one of the best character developments I've seen in a C drama in a while.

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Heartbreaking and Amazing but bring tissues

This show was an absolutely gut-wrenching love story. The two genuinely loved each other and I hope there is another life where they would have a happy ending. However, from the moment he chose to massacre her grandfather on the day of their wedding he lost that choice. Messing with her memory and lying about her family's downfall made him the villian. Even after all of that the phenomenal acting of the ML made your heary break for him because he genuinely loved her. However, again, he chose power over her up until the end when she gave her life to protect her people and their peace. And he had to live with that guilt and regret for the rest of his life.
The writing, acting, and directing were amazing. Huge props to her head maid in the palace for giving her money and helping her escape. Her loyal warrior maid by her side deserved so much better.

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Stop what you're doing and Watch this

A maid gets married into the royal family of a different country and the two struggle with their clashing views and creates strong bonds with her sister-in-laws there. Her husband feigning sickness to survive in the clash for the throne falls in love with her after she steals his food. He ends up pushing for the throne in order to better protect his wife. I can't say i blame him though. When Tian Xiwei - 田曦薇 cries it makes you want to summon a battle cry from deep within and put on battle armor and fight. While battle armor is not quite with my aesthetic; I got my girl.
I love the silly brother who chose to leave the toxicity of the royal family and only be his father's son. All he wanted was his father's love. His wife is probably my favorite 2nd lead. She was willing to fight for her husband. I'm happy for all the wives who managed to escape. His "harem" of love obsessed beauties still cracks me up no matter how many times I rewatch this show.

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This "coming of age" story is filled with heart wrenching and fluffy scenes that are delivered so impactfully by the cast that I was genuinely opposed to watching First Frost after I heard they replaced the entire cast. It was nice seeing Zhao Lusi and her mom from Love like the Galaxy in a warm mom-daughter relationship. The part with her traveling to another city to "meet an online boyfriend" was absolutely terrifying. She was an unaccompanied minor and could easily have been trafficked or much much worse. The fact that the ML cared and ran to make sure she was okay made him the greenest flag. The rest of the show just made him so green I'm having Elphaba from Wicked adopt him. This was one of the last projects Zhao Lusi made before her illness and subsequent transformation into more adult roles and appearances. While I wish she had never gone through what she did; I am happy and proud of her for her perseverance and coming out on the other end. Not everyone does in the entertainment industry. Dark mode aside: this was a fluffy happy drama that you should watch and rewatch a gazillion times. And yes, those siblings are sibling goals.

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Amazing

This show is absolutely devastating but so so well done. The FL is coerced into a relationship with the sickly and current emperor. Her family's lives are threatened while she is waiting for her beloved who also is the current emperors brother. The Queen mother orchestrated the marriage because the ML had too much military power and she knew if she held the FL ""hostage"" he would always protect the capital and current emperor, his brother. However, jealous is a terrible thing and the emperor kills the ML. A situation the ML knew was coming but came back to the capital anyway because his beloved is there. It brings up the question: who protects our loved ones while we go out and make the ultimate sacrifice? Who is tucking the police officers child into bed while he patrols the streets to ensure our safety?

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Masterpiece & Must Watch

An absolute masterpiece of a drama, this is my first time seeing this ML as the lead. He performed phenomenally and had great chemistry with the FL. The two carried a great plot and script, although, their acting was so good together they could have read the phone book and I would have watched it. That being said the actual costumes were stunning and the camera work was done very well as well. I love how she wasted no time on revenge and planned for the future early on. The 2ML (original husband) did a great job as well. I actually felt bad for him when he shot her with the arrow. His expressions and small details about him were done VERY well. The queen's daughter was very annoying but she was supposed to be. She was a spoiled brat who was the catalyst for their entire plot falling through. Her stupidity and lack of a vision caused them to start digging especially when she wore phoenix robes to her wedding. The sad (ish) bit was that the Queen was abandoned by the King of Xilian who didnt even bother protecting his own son and daughter. Instead the king/man who actually loved her had to kill her because she betrayed him and chose treason. I do wonder what happened to her family though because treason is a reason for 9 generations of extermination. But she didnt care about her family and vice versa.

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She's eloquent and with taste, she will also punch you in the face.

An electric performance by Chen Si and Lu Lu Lu, these two waltzed through the series like it was a virtual chessboard and the chaos left behind by them was simply a pause in between sets. This is the republican era version of this storyline What A Good Girl with Ke Chun and Yu Yin. They are each uniquely different and compelling in their own way. I liked how you see the FLs redemption arc at the end. Despite the terrible family she was raised in, she arranged for her city to be saved from these evil people. I was genuinely scared she wasn't going to make it and it was going to be a Snowdrop trauma all over again. TG for besties.
The only reason it didnt get a ten was because I felt there were too many loose ends at the end of the show. Why comment so much on his family and even meet the dad several times if you aren't going to follow up with her meeting them? Furthermore, while in real life she would likely not have ever found out about her real family, this is a cdrama. She's supposed to find them after at least a dramatic kidnapping or amnesia incident.

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Chen Si could Act next to a Potato and make it shine

This is a Republican era retelling of the Guo Fen Ye storyline. What sets it apart is the spicy spice chemistry between the leads: Chen Si and Liu Xi Yu. Im not discounting the FL but I'm pretty sure Chen Si could make a drama where the other lead was a potato and still make it amazing. I also liked the portrayal of the brothers ex-fiance and the god-mother. In most of the other versions I felt their characters were too, two dimensional and served no other purpose other than to drive the plot. While I understand it needs a certain aspect of that because its a short and a vertical drama, i feel the characters didn't get justice or their time to shine. It was nice seeing that glimmer here. Overall, it was done very well although I would have liked more progression and development of their relationship but hey... it's a short. It needs to be... short.

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Major Obsession and Spicy Factor

In this twisting and enjoyable thriller a young girl navigates her step-brothers obsession over her after sending him to prison for 3 years. while it never confirms if that was a misunderstanding it takes a deep dive as the ML is the second in command in a local gang that had killed his dad a decade earlier. During a fight for a bid over land the FL discovers her fiance is nothing short of evil (despite being a cop) and that the mafia ML stepbrother is kind and with a good conscious. Overall, an amazing show. My only negative review is concern over the wardrobe budget on this show. The ML Ma Xiaoyu seemed to have lost all his shirts... not that anyone is complaining. I would highly recommend the stylist for any further shows he appears in.

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