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Our origins don’t define us. It’s what we do with what we have.
Dear reader,
What if you try to resist a fate that aims to separate you from your loved ones? How hard would you fight if the adults and the world kept letting you down? And what if despite the fragility of your memory and body, you still hold onto some moments because they are worth more than life itself?
This show is the answer.
It’s about this two kids, A' Tang and A' Xun who didn't have the power to choose where they came from. In fact, everyone didn't have that power in the small town of Meiwan. Surrounded by poverty, abuse, and desperation, yet their best and worst selves, packed in twelve short, unforgettable letters and episodes.
Main Characters:
The soul of this series lies in its two leads. I had just seen Wang Ying Lu in another role where she played a fierce and mischievous character, but her performance here is on another level. There’s a behind-the-scenes story where she accidentally hit her head on real concrete and just told the director, "Let's continue shooting." Read that line again cause she's a savage for being so professional and staying calm. I was also amazed at how she seamlessly portrayed a lot of heart wrenching emotions. Her as A'Tang who only wants freedom is full of angsty ride but still felt so familiar and relatable.
And then there’s Zhou Yi Ran. I saw him in The Land Of Warriors and on When I Fly Towards You. But his portrayal of A' Xun was truly a painfully brilliant career milestone. Who said only Park Bo Gum could get to play best husband and father of 2025? At least Gwan Shik had a wife for him cause well, let me tell you that this yearner-of-thirty-freaking-years A' Xun exists. He was just a young man who loves giving and eating bread (with filling). Everyone was out to get him yet can still switch between dangerous to a green forest within a short second especially if his found-family needed him.
All throughout the drama bot these leads were not just cutting onions; he was eating them raw.
Now the supporting cast. I miss them all, specially the billiard house found-family. Their character development, along with the leads, let me see them not just as supporting casts but also as reliable and precious characters. They were a comfort place in Mei Wan but can also give you a gut-punch. And the villain... Oh you will hate him with every fiber of your being. He's worse than trash. And when you get to hate a villain role so much you pause just to curse them, you'd know the actors did a great job. Whoever cast them all and whoever decided to let their real raw voices be showcased in the drama needs to have a raise. I hope your pillow always stays cold when you sleep.
Within a few minutes of episode one alone, it has left me breathless, and I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon. And so I agree about the peeps on X demanding the cast receive at least an award for this one. Never mind the emotions you'll feel while watching, both of ZYR and WYL's eye-acting and facial expressions in this short drama deserves a broadway award. This drama honestly gave the cast a lot of opportunity to showcase their talent for acting; many peeps in C-ent must be aching to work with them again now. I'll surely be tuning in for their next projects.
Music:
It’s not just the acting, though. It’s the feel of the show. One song from 福祿壽 (Fu, Lu, and Shou), an indie band I admired since 2023 (thanks to Noel's bio), was featured here. It was 春暖花开去见你 (I'll see you when spring comes and flowers bloom). I hadn't heard any new releases or news from them since 2021, so the moment I heard it as a background track, I knew I had to see every scene it was in, no matter how heartbreaking. The other songs were so fitting for the vibe as well. Music was one of the reasons I can't rewatch these songs and the drama, because I know I'd just torture myself.
The cinematography is a character in itself; every ray of light, every shadow, and every drop of rain or flake of snow tells a story. You can feel the cold of Meiwan’s streets and the fleeting warmth of the characters’ sanctuary through the screen.
Overall: ♡
If this story were a movie, it would demand an IMAX screen, 3D glasses, and with a mountain of tissues by your side. Yet I watched this drama only for free within a week, and I never felt so guilty for not paying for something so masterfully made. If you want to feel melancholy for two youths and cheer for them despite the odds constantly going against their favor, and if you want to have a good, soul-cleansing cry, then this drama deserves to be in your watchlist.
I’m sorry if you found errors with my English, not my first language. This was a long read wasn't it. But thank you so much for visiting this review!
PS: The headline quote is from the series 'His Dark Materials,' spoken by the character Marisa Coulter. Ye Hai Tang reminded me a lot of this character so I had to add her quote as this headline and it was quiet fitting alongside one of my favorite scenes from the drama.
What if you try to resist a fate that aims to separate you from your loved ones? How hard would you fight if the adults and the world kept letting you down? And what if despite the fragility of your memory and body, you still hold onto some moments because they are worth more than life itself?
This show is the answer.
It’s about this two kids, A' Tang and A' Xun who didn't have the power to choose where they came from. In fact, everyone didn't have that power in the small town of Meiwan. Surrounded by poverty, abuse, and desperation, yet their best and worst selves, packed in twelve short, unforgettable letters and episodes.
Main Characters:
The soul of this series lies in its two leads. I had just seen Wang Ying Lu in another role where she played a fierce and mischievous character, but her performance here is on another level. There’s a behind-the-scenes story where she accidentally hit her head on real concrete and just told the director, "Let's continue shooting." Read that line again cause she's a savage for being so professional and staying calm. I was also amazed at how she seamlessly portrayed a lot of heart wrenching emotions. Her as A'Tang who only wants freedom is full of angsty ride but still felt so familiar and relatable.
And then there’s Zhou Yi Ran. I saw him in The Land Of Warriors and on When I Fly Towards You. But his portrayal of A' Xun was truly a painfully brilliant career milestone. Who said only Park Bo Gum could get to play best husband and father of 2025? At least Gwan Shik had a wife for him cause well, let me tell you that this yearner-of-thirty-freaking-years A' Xun exists. He was just a young man who loves giving and eating bread (with filling). Everyone was out to get him yet can still switch between dangerous to a green forest within a short second especially if his found-family needed him.
All throughout the drama bot these leads were not just cutting onions; he was eating them raw.
Now the supporting cast. I miss them all, specially the billiard house found-family. Their character development, along with the leads, let me see them not just as supporting casts but also as reliable and precious characters. They were a comfort place in Mei Wan but can also give you a gut-punch. And the villain... Oh you will hate him with every fiber of your being. He's worse than trash. And when you get to hate a villain role so much you pause just to curse them, you'd know the actors did a great job. Whoever cast them all and whoever decided to let their real raw voices be showcased in the drama needs to have a raise. I hope your pillow always stays cold when you sleep.
Within a few minutes of episode one alone, it has left me breathless, and I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon. And so I agree about the peeps on X demanding the cast receive at least an award for this one. Never mind the emotions you'll feel while watching, both of ZYR and WYL's eye-acting and facial expressions in this short drama deserves a broadway award. This drama honestly gave the cast a lot of opportunity to showcase their talent for acting; many peeps in C-ent must be aching to work with them again now. I'll surely be tuning in for their next projects.
Music:
It’s not just the acting, though. It’s the feel of the show. One song from 福祿壽 (Fu, Lu, and Shou), an indie band I admired since 2023 (thanks to Noel's bio), was featured here. It was 春暖花开去见你 (I'll see you when spring comes and flowers bloom). I hadn't heard any new releases or news from them since 2021, so the moment I heard it as a background track, I knew I had to see every scene it was in, no matter how heartbreaking. The other songs were so fitting for the vibe as well. Music was one of the reasons I can't rewatch these songs and the drama, because I know I'd just torture myself.
The cinematography is a character in itself; every ray of light, every shadow, and every drop of rain or flake of snow tells a story. You can feel the cold of Meiwan’s streets and the fleeting warmth of the characters’ sanctuary through the screen.
Overall: ♡
If this story were a movie, it would demand an IMAX screen, 3D glasses, and with a mountain of tissues by your side. Yet I watched this drama only for free within a week, and I never felt so guilty for not paying for something so masterfully made. If you want to feel melancholy for two youths and cheer for them despite the odds constantly going against their favor, and if you want to have a good, soul-cleansing cry, then this drama deserves to be in your watchlist.
I’m sorry if you found errors with my English, not my first language. This was a long read wasn't it. But thank you so much for visiting this review!
PS: The headline quote is from the series 'His Dark Materials,' spoken by the character Marisa Coulter. Ye Hai Tang reminded me a lot of this character so I had to add her quote as this headline and it was quiet fitting alongside one of my favorite scenes from the drama.
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