Apple Eye

Thank you for this interesting list. Glad to see Narimiya Hiroki has found his haven in Amsterdam. That's a place more Asian actors should fly to... if only to recharge their batteries.

His case is food for thought. I would say "Yes, our charming princes are allowed to live their own life off stage, they may love their women, men, drugs... as long as they are able to entertain us (and don't commit criminal offenses of course).

I'm afraid Narimiya's example is not just a problem of tabloid press shaming mega stars, and earning money from somebody's misery...this is about us fans. I'm guilty of this myself. Right now I'm following some actors/artists on social media who I suspect are struggling, because of this social scrutiny, because they like to do things that aren't allowed by people in general.
They are easier to recognize than they think, by their endless lists of selfies, without close friends, sometimes allowing followers to see their face without make up, feeling ill or a bit depressed. They fill their head with distraction, with visiting fashion shows, VIPs, following diets, sports, as if they are afraid to ask, am I well?

What do you think? Shouldn't we discuss this topic more openly?

I know, I feel your pain, let’s hope for a speedy edition of the english translated novel with the happy ending

Watch the eldest brother in Let's shake it ;-) https://kisskh.at/21801-lets-shake-it

I felt bereft at the ending of this show, but I am still enchanted with this artistic version. I would have loved to see a fresh complicated love story, but it wasn't meant to be, apparently by censorship issues. Still, I am content to discuss this with other drama fans. Thank you for your reply!

Agreed about NiF, the comparison wasn't mine though, it was made on the internet by TROP fans. I haven't read about Zhiwei being called a Mary Sue in the novel, where can I find them by the way? I'm really interested! I made my observations just from watching this series.

So ,why do I call this Zhiwei a typical Mary Sue? This is because our drama princess combines so many good things it's not believable anymore. Zhiwei is naive, naughty, super intelligent and highly ambitious in such a way she becomes the personal and highly admired adviser of the emperor in no time. Although she lived practically hidden in the household of a nobleman, never been trained in court games...and...oh yes, she has all this beginners luck just because she happened to follow some school lessons in stead of her brother without anybody discovering this and oh...she plays a good game of chess, in such a way the emperor himself is impressed. Not to mention the many conquests she makes with men who immediately want to protect her. If that isn't Mary Sue in the flesh, IDK.

About Ning Yi, I just mean his character isn't consistent in the way of an anti-hero. In the novel he makes some life time choices, just because he personally feels that way, like an anti-hero would do. This type of hero isn't moved by greater causes, he is driven by personal encounters. In this drama however his character is forced into the typical Chinese drama format for historical princes: "I am so angry, I want revenge..hey, I'm so good at revenge...let's go for the throne, then I can do whatever I want...oh, now that I am finally the emperor, I am still not happy,, and so alone". That's what I meant with the Macbeth type. I guess I'm disappointed about this stereotype drama format, because I thought I was watching an original, beautiful love story this time. I felt bereft, lol, hence I made this point in my review.

The original version is lost to us, I'm afraid. Concerning the novel: I'm not aware of an English translation yet, but I'm sure this will be out in no time. Just search for writer Tian Xia Gui Yuan on the internet. They already have the Legend of Fu Yao translated, I guess the TROP novel will follow soon: https://read.asianovel.com/series/legend-of-fu-yao/

Yes...the authorities... I've read about that censorship and I just don't understand why they are doing this. If the novel isn't forbidden, why should they bother to banish the same story in the series? IDK

Hans Zhang Han seems really Cecil when playing Feng Teng in Boss and Me, but Vanness Wu is even better. He could do it for sure.

I saw TPWY in 2016 as a running show in Mandarin, I just couldn't wait for the subtitles, it was that good. I was looking for a distraction from the recent soul pain I got from Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo, and this was my medicine!

I remember this show was full of gorgeous looking siblings in rich surroundings, planning all kind of evil deeds against each other, playing a game of win or lose, but with a chance to come back again. I kept comparing the characters to MLSHR: Touba Yu was a bit like prince Wang So.

Wei Young seemed to be like Soo, adored by several princes, but she turned out to be a completely different character. I didn't find Wei Young passive, loving or mellow at all. She wasn't like Soo in Moon Lovers, or Gong Sun Li in The King's Woman. Wei Young was definitely smart, ruthless, more revengeful, she liked plotting and managing her own fate.

It seems this kind of female characters gets more popular in recent shows, like Chu Qiao in Princess Agents (2017) or Wei Ying Luo in Story of Janxi Palace (2018). The last show is really The Great Leap Forward in C drama imo. With beautiful scenery, costumes and realistic action scenes, and relatively unknown actors in order to see the storylines and characters, and not Tiffany Tang playing just another time piece. However, The Princess Wei Young show has still rewatch value for me, if not for the unrealistic circus jumps and fake horseback riding scenes, lmao.

Glad you like Princess Agents too! The end...well, just prepare yourself for a cliff hanger, hoping for a sequel till the end of your days. Concerning Cecil, Deng Lin could play the part, although I would prefer him then as the love interest... Perhaps an older character is better like in the British version? I could think of Hans Zhang Han. As for Charlotte...perhaps Hai Qing.

Just see Princess Agents and let me know :-)

Yes, I want to see this production right now haha. How about Shawn Dou playing George?

I also love the work of E.M. Forester. I just wonder how Room With a View could be adapted to a Chinese version. What about this comparison between an educated man with a highly cultured upbringing and a fellow that plunges in the lake fully naked. I would admire the Chinese director who dares to show such a scene :-)

I've seen them both. I didn't like The Great Seducer as much as the Hollywood version Cruel Intentions. The movie Untold Scandal however was great. This was an antique version set in the Joseon period.

There are a lot of foreign classic novels that I like to see in modern versions of k-drama: Pride & Prejudice (Jane Austen) Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Choderlos de Laclos) North & South (Elizabeth Gaskell) Vanity Fair (William Makepeace Thackeray) Maurice (E.M. Forster). They have the same characteristics:

* an enormous gap between rich and poor people
* almighty politicians, corruption
* romantic couples with different backgrounds, or LGBT preference, fighting against social prejudice
* parents choosing partners for their children

I also like to see Korean versions of foreign fantasy & science fiction novels. How about Tanith Lee's The Silver Metal Lover? It's about a sixteen-year-old girl from the privileged class, living in luxury on an Earth remade by natural disaster. Her life is changed forever by a chance encounter with a robot minstrel with silver skin, built to please rich humans. Of course she falls deeply for him.
Or: Poison Study from Maria V. Snyder about a girl who kills her abuser. She's put on death row when a secret agent offers her the chance to become the food taster of the Commander. Of course she accepts, she undergoes training and quickly discovers that being poisoned by food is the least of her worries. Great suspense, drama and romance!

I'm a sucker for office romances too! I was really looking forward to What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? Indeed this story started really strong, but now it seems to lose its fast pace imo. At least I hope there aren't any repetitions of the stumbling- almost kissing- scenes in the following episodes. I've seen that too much, I'm afraid.

But if you like some other office romance shows, feel free to check this list I made on Viki: www.viki.com/collections/310445l-the-boss-who-loved-me