The Series That Finally Made Me Notice Zhou Yiran
🍅 Great Actors
First of all, applause to the casting team. The chemistry between the ML and FL is practically overflowing.
🍅 << ML >>
This is the most prominent work of the male lead so far. I first saw him in Falling Into Your Smile, and I had zero impression of him. I didn't even realize he was in that series.
Later I tried watching When I Fly Towards You, which people seem to love, but I couldn't get past ep 3. And I didn’t try just once. I tried twice - two years apart. It was such an annoying series to me. WIFTY was boring and cliché, the story was childish, and the ML’s acting there was honestly terrible.
Then I watched Twelve Letters, which is a very intense story. Both FL and ML did a great job there, but the drama clearly has FL as the main character, so she outshined him.
Anyway in this one, both ML and FL stand on equal ground. The characters are designed in a very interesting way and both actors deliver their roles really well.
I would say this is the first work that made me actually take note of Zhou Yiran as someone to watch in the future.
Really loved him in this role. And he looks a lot better with long hair than short hair.
🍅 << FL >>
The actress playing the FL also did a very good job. She’s still quite young, but her performance left nothing to complain about.
While the ML surprised me and greatly changed my perspective on him, I hadn't known the FL before. So even though both of them did a great job, the ML left a stronger impression on me.
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🍅 Plot & Storytelling
The plot is great. There’s real substance in it.
From ep 1, the director straightly opens the story in an aggressive way. It throws me into a series of intense scenes. It's like it got hit in the face without much clue, and naturally I want to know why.
The series maintains a very cool, slightly eerie atmosphere throughout. I really like the mysterious blue tone of the whole production. It keeps the tension simmering without turning it into cheap suspense. And it keeps my curiosity at the right level without becoming irritating.
The push and pull between the ML and FL is also handled well. Both characters are intelligent. Their interactions feel like games that they know exactly what they’re doing. Both characters are sharp to keep up with each other. Neither of them is easily deceived. Their dynamic is a real match of minds. No pointless sulking. No childish misunderstandings. No nonsense drama where main characters become stupid just to create conflict.
I saw that some people say the first 5 episodes are hard to understand, but I didn’t feel that at all. I had no trouble following the story and personally I found it very engaging.
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🍅 Some Nonsense
Even though the leads are written as smart, no-nonsense characters, the rest of the universe around them can still be a bit stupid.
So when ridiculous ways of thinking appear, it usually comes from the environment or side characters, which still gives the series some unnecessary nonsense vibes nonetheless.
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🍅 A Bit Cringe
Throughout most of the story, both ML and FL are portrayed as very cool characters.
I especially enjoy how mischievous the ML is when he tries every shameless means possible to win the FL over.
But then the series decided we needed a singing scene.
And that scene… wow ummm. That was so cringe I got second-hand embarrassment watching it. I almost couldn't sit through it, lol.
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🍅 A Small Distraction
Around episode 30, Pursuit of Jade started airing and I began watching that as well.
For the first 5 episodes, Pursuit of Jade couldn't grab my attention the way Generation to Generation did in its first 5 episodes. For that early stage, I definitely preferred Generation to Generation.
Still, switching between the two slowed down my watching a bit. And even though Generation to Generation was approaching its peak by that point, I realized something.
Overall, the drama matches my taste well, but somehow it still didn’t quite capture my heart completely.
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First of all, applause to the casting team. The chemistry between the ML and FL is practically overflowing.
🍅 << ML >>
This is the most prominent work of the male lead so far. I first saw him in Falling Into Your Smile, and I had zero impression of him. I didn't even realize he was in that series.
Later I tried watching When I Fly Towards You, which people seem to love, but I couldn't get past ep 3. And I didn’t try just once. I tried twice - two years apart. It was such an annoying series to me. WIFTY was boring and cliché, the story was childish, and the ML’s acting there was honestly terrible.
Then I watched Twelve Letters, which is a very intense story. Both FL and ML did a great job there, but the drama clearly has FL as the main character, so she outshined him.
Anyway in this one, both ML and FL stand on equal ground. The characters are designed in a very interesting way and both actors deliver their roles really well.
I would say this is the first work that made me actually take note of Zhou Yiran as someone to watch in the future.
Really loved him in this role. And he looks a lot better with long hair than short hair.
🍅 << FL >>
The actress playing the FL also did a very good job. She’s still quite young, but her performance left nothing to complain about.
While the ML surprised me and greatly changed my perspective on him, I hadn't known the FL before. So even though both of them did a great job, the ML left a stronger impression on me.
----------------------------------
🍅 Plot & Storytelling
The plot is great. There’s real substance in it.
From ep 1, the director straightly opens the story in an aggressive way. It throws me into a series of intense scenes. It's like it got hit in the face without much clue, and naturally I want to know why.
The series maintains a very cool, slightly eerie atmosphere throughout. I really like the mysterious blue tone of the whole production. It keeps the tension simmering without turning it into cheap suspense. And it keeps my curiosity at the right level without becoming irritating.
The push and pull between the ML and FL is also handled well. Both characters are intelligent. Their interactions feel like games that they know exactly what they’re doing. Both characters are sharp to keep up with each other. Neither of them is easily deceived. Their dynamic is a real match of minds. No pointless sulking. No childish misunderstandings. No nonsense drama where main characters become stupid just to create conflict.
I saw that some people say the first 5 episodes are hard to understand, but I didn’t feel that at all. I had no trouble following the story and personally I found it very engaging.
----------------------------------
🍅 Some Nonsense
Even though the leads are written as smart, no-nonsense characters, the rest of the universe around them can still be a bit stupid.
So when ridiculous ways of thinking appear, it usually comes from the environment or side characters, which still gives the series some unnecessary nonsense vibes nonetheless.
----------------------------------
🍅 A Bit Cringe
Throughout most of the story, both ML and FL are portrayed as very cool characters.
I especially enjoy how mischievous the ML is when he tries every shameless means possible to win the FL over.
But then the series decided we needed a singing scene.
And that scene… wow ummm. That was so cringe I got second-hand embarrassment watching it. I almost couldn't sit through it, lol.
----------------------------------
🍅 A Small Distraction
Around episode 30, Pursuit of Jade started airing and I began watching that as well.
For the first 5 episodes, Pursuit of Jade couldn't grab my attention the way Generation to Generation did in its first 5 episodes. For that early stage, I definitely preferred Generation to Generation.
Still, switching between the two slowed down my watching a bit. And even though Generation to Generation was approaching its peak by that point, I realized something.
Overall, the drama matches my taste well, but somehow it still didn’t quite capture my heart completely.
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