One of my biggest issues with China is also press freedom, it's one of the great privileges of the Western world. So, I hear you, and I'm with you on this 100%. I'm simply trying to point out that things are not as black and white as Western media likes to put it. We like to make China out to be this villain with an evil agenda to take over the world. IMO, they are as much a villain as the US (and their allies) are 🤷🏽♀️
I really love seeing 'A Piece of Your Mind' on multiple MDL articles these days. It really is an underrated drama and although it was a pity it was cut short, they wrapped everything up so well, it doesn't feel like it was cut short at all. It's so beautifully filmed and the story is full of warmth.
What a sweet, easy drama to watch. Ryan Ding continues to amaze me with his ability to build explosive chemistry with his co-stars. I was a little hesitant going into this because I wasn't confident I was going to enjoy Esther Yu's acting, but boy was I proven wrong. Chu Li is probably one of my top female leads to date. She was the perfect character for Esther Yu to play. I have nothing bad to say about this drama, binged through it in a few days and left a smile on my face.
I also wanted to mention how much I enjoyed Liang Chong Lang's slyness and his relationship with Chu Li. Their interactions made me laugh so much and I loved how in the end, Chu Li had him obeying her every condition.
Highly recommended watch if you're looking for something incredibly sweet and nothing too complicated
Look, I have the same problems as you do about China. But let's not just dismiss the problems of the West because the Western media is criticising China at every news cycle. If you think people who are pro-china only 'watch or listen to rosy colored news sources about China', I would argue that perhaps you are reading biased media also.
All the things that you mentioned are major issues that I have in China, including religious freedom and press freedom. However, you talked about the Uyghur Concentration Camps and forced labour, how is that different to the incarceration system that exists in the USA which is essentially modern slavery? In 2019 alone, the USA had 14,400 die from gun violence which is more than even the highest estimated death toll from Tiananmen square (ranges from a few hundred to several thousand). How are these two things different? The US continues to not change their gun policy and China continues to erase history. The people who died under Mao, how about colonialism and the millions who died because of it?
Of course, one thing does not cancel out another. So I'm not dismissing the horrors of what is currently happening to the Uyghur people or how much grief I feel whenever June 4th rolls around each year. I just wanted to bring to light that inequality and injustice exist everywhere, not just in China.
I actually think Vincenzo's actions in ep 19 + 20 makes a lot of sense and is really true to his character.
Everyone to Vincenzo is dispensable. He has people he cares about but he also knows he can't protect nor can he save everyone. I see it in the way he treats Luca, Mr Cho, Geumga Plaza Family and even at the beginning - Cha Young. He is willing to use them as pawns on a chessboard to achieve the necessary results. They are all soldiers at his command, people who volunteered themselves to fight in this war knowing the risks involved.
In the end, there were only two people he was willing to protect and save without regard for his own life - his mother and after he fell for her, Cha Young. He didn't save Han Seo or even attempt to, because he couldn't do that without putting Cha Young's life at risk. It was when he used his entire body to protect Cha Young that I realised I had underestimated how important she was to him. He didn't try to fight his way out of the situation, he wasn't thinking tactically. He simply wanted to protect her with every fibre of his being.
The other thing is, Vincenzo is cruel. The entire story is about fighting evil with a necessary evil. That's what makes Vincenzo an anti-hero. He plays by his own sets of rules, has his own idea of justice and the law simply does not apply to him. He 100% belongs in a jail cell. But in this fictional world, they need him in order to fight an even greater evil. I appreciate the writer didn't try to 'redeem' Vincenzo's character. He showed his cruellest self to us at the very end. Unlike us (the audience), every character (the good ones) were able to keep an illusion of who Vincenzo is, which is why they were able to continue fighting justice in his name. Although they may have an inkling of what he did, imagining it and actually seeing him do it are two very different things - as Cha Young experienced when he set the bomb off killing the lackey who killed her father. Vincenzo is, in fact, so cruel that I felt sorry for the villains who did unspeakable acts to innocent people.
The point of this really long post is just to say, contrary to a lot of the comments I've been reading, I actually think the writing of the ending was incredibly on point and brilliant. It's not the happy, satisfying ending we may have wanted, but I think it was a suitable ending that remained true to who Vincenzo is (while still providing some fanservice).
What a brilliant, entertaining drama. I can already predict myself entering into a major drama slump after this gem. What am I going to watch now that will match Vincenzo? I am a notorious skipper in dramas and I didn't skip a single second. I lapped up every moment in this drama, all the twists and turns kept me engaged for all 20 episodes. I can quite honestly say this is currently my favourite drama ever.
Whilst Song Joong Ki, Jeon Yeo Bin and Ok Taecyeon were truly captivating in their own characters, it was the combination of the entire cast that makes this drama so special. There's not a single wasted character, everyone had a part to play. The director outdid herself and I can't wait to watch her future dramas. If you haven't watched this yet, please don't hesitate and just click play. You won't regret it.
The ML and FL are so sweet and adorable, they give me toothache. Any time they are on screen, I squeal like a teenager again. I love Xing Kei Lei's shy awkwardness when it comes to wooing his girl, but boldness when it comes to confessing his feelings for her. And Mi Ka is just a bundle of joy. I would rate this show higher if the situations surrounding the couple were more realistic. But alas, it's all exaggerated heroics in their workplaces. I find myself switching off whenever the show focuses on their workplace or when they're having discussions about their jobs and concentrating when they're focusing on the relationships. I'm not sure if its a budget problem or if they were just lazy in the details when producing the show. It's unfortunate but the chemistry between the couple is enough to keep me invested for the rest of the episodes.
I want to know who the screenwriter is because I want to watch all of his/her dramas. What a beautifully written story that had me laughing, frustrated, weeping, and 100% invested in all the storylines. The directing and acting was able to keep up with the top tier writing making this drama a must watch.
What can I say...this is trash I enjoy watching. Editing is terrible, writing is mediocre at best, yet somehow I binged through all 24 episodes in one day.
I loved episodes 1-8, with the exception of ep 6 and 1/4 of the way through ep 7. It captured my interest, I love how the writer/director moved back and forth in the timeline to tell the story and I was invested in all 5 of the main characters. However, ep 9-10 are truly low points for me in this series. I'm invested enough to keep watching it, but I'm agreeing with all the comments that this would probably be a far better experience if you binge-watch the series.
The pacing is off in ep 9-10 and I found myself loosing interest. We're more than halfway through the story and I basically want more action at this point. Holding out for the remaining episodes, hoping that the writer will pull through (I LOVED CRUEL CITY).
There is very little to fault about this drama. I'm not the biggest fan of Alan Yu and have dropped quite a few of his dramas, he always seems to play the same characters but none of them really clicked with me. However, in this drama, it worked. It worked really, really well. And I think a lot of that has to do with Fair Xing and his chemistry with her. Some stuff is a little predictable, but the best thing about this drama is the way the writer has written these characters. The side characters are adorable and I was just as invested into their relationships as I was with the main couple (perhaps with the exception of the second main couple who I found a little annoying). It's a perfect mix of comedy, drama, action and romance.
I'm glad I gave this a chance despite my hesitations due to my past experience with Alan Yu's dramas. I think this will become a 'comfort blanket drama' to me, where it's one I will go back to and enjoy over and over again when I have nothing to watch.
I KNOW. I was pretty disappointed in ep 6. First time in this series I got bored. From the twin to the dog, I didn't like that the things that happened in ep 5 didn't really matter.
Seriously, this show is just getting better and better! I looove how well everything is connected and explained!…
Agreed, I'm actually finding it really easy to follow, the editing and the writing has been done so well it doesn't make it confusing or take me out of the drama with all its flashbacks. It takes a bit more concentration than a normal drama but that's also why I love it. I'm a notorious skipper, but there is no way you can skip a single second of this drama because you'll definitely miss something if you do. Ep 5 was full of surprises and I loved it!
I also wanted to mention how much I enjoyed Liang Chong Lang's slyness and his relationship with Chu Li. Their interactions made me laugh so much and I loved how in the end, Chu Li had him obeying her every condition.
Highly recommended watch if you're looking for something incredibly sweet and nothing too complicated
All the things that you mentioned are major issues that I have in China, including religious freedom and press freedom. However, you talked about the Uyghur Concentration Camps and forced labour, how is that different to the incarceration system that exists in the USA which is essentially modern slavery? In 2019 alone, the USA had 14,400 die from gun violence which is more than even the highest estimated death toll from Tiananmen square (ranges from a few hundred to several thousand). How are these two things different? The US continues to not change their gun policy and China continues to erase history. The people who died under Mao, how about colonialism and the millions who died because of it?
Of course, one thing does not cancel out another. So I'm not dismissing the horrors of what is currently happening to the Uyghur people or how much grief I feel whenever June 4th rolls around each year. I just wanted to bring to light that inequality and injustice exist everywhere, not just in China.
Everyone to Vincenzo is dispensable. He has people he cares about but he also knows he can't protect nor can he save everyone. I see it in the way he treats Luca, Mr Cho, Geumga Plaza Family and even at the beginning - Cha Young. He is willing to use them as pawns on a chessboard to achieve the necessary results. They are all soldiers at his command, people who volunteered themselves to fight in this war knowing the risks involved.
In the end, there were only two people he was willing to protect and save without regard for his own life - his mother and after he fell for her, Cha Young. He didn't save Han Seo or even attempt to, because he couldn't do that without putting Cha Young's life at risk. It was when he used his entire body to protect Cha Young that I realised I had underestimated how important she was to him. He didn't try to fight his way out of the situation, he wasn't thinking tactically. He simply wanted to protect her with every fibre of his being.
The other thing is, Vincenzo is cruel. The entire story is about fighting evil with a necessary evil. That's what makes Vincenzo an anti-hero. He plays by his own sets of rules, has his own idea of justice and the law simply does not apply to him. He 100% belongs in a jail cell. But in this fictional world, they need him in order to fight an even greater evil. I appreciate the writer didn't try to 'redeem' Vincenzo's character. He showed his cruellest self to us at the very end. Unlike us (the audience), every character (the good ones) were able to keep an illusion of who Vincenzo is, which is why they were able to continue fighting justice in his name. Although they may have an inkling of what he did, imagining it and actually seeing him do it are two very different things - as Cha Young experienced when he set the bomb off killing the lackey who killed her father. Vincenzo is, in fact, so cruel that I felt sorry for the villains who did unspeakable acts to innocent people.
The point of this really long post is just to say, contrary to a lot of the comments I've been reading, I actually think the writing of the ending was incredibly on point and brilliant. It's not the happy, satisfying ending we may have wanted, but I think it was a suitable ending that remained true to who Vincenzo is (while still providing some fanservice).
I am a notorious skipper in dramas and I didn't skip a single second. I lapped up every moment in this drama, all the twists and turns kept me engaged for all 20 episodes. I can quite honestly say this is currently my favourite drama ever.
Whilst Song Joong Ki, Jeon Yeo Bin and Ok Taecyeon were truly captivating in their own characters, it was the combination of the entire cast that makes this drama so special. There's not a single wasted character, everyone had a part to play. The director outdid herself and I can't wait to watch her future dramas. If you haven't watched this yet, please don't hesitate and just click play. You won't regret it.
I would rate this show higher if the situations surrounding the couple were more realistic. But alas, it's all exaggerated heroics in their workplaces. I find myself switching off whenever the show focuses on their workplace or when they're having discussions about their jobs and concentrating when they're focusing on the relationships. I'm not sure if its a budget problem or if they were just lazy in the details when producing the show. It's unfortunate but the chemistry between the couple is enough to keep me invested for the rest of the episodes.
The pacing is off in ep 9-10 and I found myself loosing interest. We're more than halfway through the story and I basically want more action at this point. Holding out for the remaining episodes, hoping that the writer will pull through (I LOVED CRUEL CITY).
I'm glad I gave this a chance despite my hesitations due to my past experience with Alan Yu's dramas. I think this will become a 'comfort blanket drama' to me, where it's one I will go back to and enjoy over and over again when I have nothing to watch.