The Reality of an Affair
I commend the director for his ability to convey the deep intimacy this movie shares with his audience. It isn't just our MLs who have an affair. The affair is also with the viewer. They make us feel a part of this relationship and the performances, especially Yoo Gong's, are so well executed that you are placed right in the midst of their relationship. You feel the angst, the butterflies, the excitement and the passion. You want to root for them, but you know you shouldn't because to root for them is to cause pain to those innocent. So the inevitable must occur, and with it its own horrible pain.The music was passionate and beautiful, representative of the intense feelings of the characters. The snowy landscapes were lovely, cold as it was. It gave quite a contrast to the heat created by our two lovers. They seemed their best selves when they were together, but love affairs are subject to their reality, which is what our director delivers.
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The storyline was tedious and repetitive, going from one evil deed among the concubines to the next. At first you do feel for the young lovers but as the years wear on and each one is changed by the experiences and circumstances of their lives, the great love they have for one another is put to the test. No one wants to watch a series about the reality of a long marriage. Everyone wants the MLs to live happily ever after. Alas, the final episodes are so tragic and hard to watch that you wonder why you spent so much time on a couple that would hurt each other more often than they claimed to be devoted.
I felt dissatisfied with the drama but pleased with the aesthetic beauty of the production, some great performances by our ML, and most of the supporting cast. It was so sad, however, that I can never bring myself to rewatch this title. I was left sad and disgusted by the cruelty and ruthlessness of Emperor Qianlong.
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This review may contain spoilers
Romantic Story about Realistic Relationships
I hope the title of this review doesn't put you off watching this series. If you are a hopeless romantic who only likes sappy, happy endings, this is not the show for you. If you are past the starry-eyed phase of love and want to see something more messy, complicated, sophisticated and realistic, then give this a try. This is a story about the love between two young people who grow up together and as they grow, so does their love evolve with time. It's not always perfect, but it's real and the viewer is taken along through their ups and downs.Zhou Shui is an idealistic young man with dreams of becoming a famous movie director. He has a few more years of school left before he can realize his big dreams which are suddenly derailed by a beautiful young woman with a hammer in her hand. Although she isn't there for him, Shui is so taken by her charm and fire that he does what he always does--pick up his video camera and film. Very soon these two idealists have their lives planned out and are ready to take on the world in pursuit of their dreams together, come what may.
The acting and directing in this series is outstanding. Our main leads are gifted young talents who, with exemplary direction, were able to take me through the highest highs and lowest lows in their relationship. I grew to care for them both deeply and rooted for them from the bottom of my heart. I loved the storyline from beginning to end. Even the night shots of the city at the top of the program gives sophisticated vibes, telling you that you are about to see something different than your typical romance drama. I was all in and made to feel a voyeur in the lives of two young people, who speak directly to the audience from time to time, breaking the fourth wall. When it happens during the first episode, I felt surprised in an unpleasant way, and doubted the integrity of the production. But it worked here, because the intent was to make us feel like voyeurs in this couple's star-crossed story. To further this sense of voyeurism, we have a younger couple who manage to find some of Shui's old recordings of his life with Dai and are brought together in their curiosity of how their romance ends up. Do they stay together or break up?
The intent of this series isn't to tell the story of a couple that fall in love and live happily ever after. It's to describe the life, love and pitfalls of two people who try their hardest to love one another and come up short. Neither are perfect, both make horrible mistakes and lose faith in each other. They deal with obstacles, upon obstacles, expect the impossible from each other, and transition into winter with acceptance and closure. It was the most grown-up romance I have ever watched and I loved it.
A+
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Cute Melodrama
This was a good melodrama. Not out of this world, but engaging and heartfelt. At first I wasn't sure if I could buy the romance between our MLs. She seemed so aloof and detached. She also seemed to look at him more like a friend who amused her rather than a love interest. It got better towards the end, but it was never really a convincing relationship.Park Bo Gum was wonderful in this. His performance as the inherently happy, unflappable, young man who sees the wonder in simple things is on point. He is so adorable you just want to be his best friend. He is almost unbelievably perfect. There were moments though that I wished he had been more selfish and more protective of his own heart. But he surprises me and shows a wisdom well beyond his years. He was well cast in this.
I didn't think this was a great vehicle for Son Hye Kyo. For some reason she was giving off some negative vibes, as if she wasn't as invested in this show. Perhaps she felt is too melodramatic for her taste. I didn't get the feeling she was all in. I am used to seeing her in much stronger roles, so having to play an abused daughter-in-law at her age, was a bit of a stretch. The storyline felt implausible that such a seemingly powerful woman would experience so much abuse in her family and professional life. The romance, yes, is all about falling in love and that love making you strong enough to face adversity, but much of her suffering is both created and alleviated by those around her more than of her facing it for herself and finding the inner strength to push back. Some of the characters don't seem to develop well at all. A big example is the ex-husband. He was the weakest character and I feel the writers could have been a little more fair to him. His storyline at first seems to be something much more important than it turns out to be. I was hoping he would be more of a helper, but sadly the script deviated from this leaving me dissatisfied.
The supporting cast was low key and fun to watch. I prefer that they don't overtake the MLs as often is the case in some Chinese dramas. The supporting couple's careful flirtations provided a nice break from the intensity of the main couple. In general, at 16 episodes, it's a nice series to watch in between other dramas.
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The beautiful sets and outdoor landscapes are breathtaking, very detailed and ornate. The costumes gorgeous, and I appreciated our heroes having more than one change of clothes even if both wore mostly black (Wei Wuxian) and white (Lan Wanji). The score was the biggest hit of all. It was hauntingly melodic and expressive, reflecting the pain, joy and lighter moments in the drama.
There is no denying the importance of the storyline and how central the messages of loyalty and love are in this piece. How jealousy and hatred consumes a person and how malicious gossip can destroy lives. We feel for the main characters, we grow to love them and feel for them so deeply, that by the last episode we feel truly sorry to say goodbye. I loved the BL between our main leads. It was tastefully expressed and one, I think, important to the drama. I am glad for the decision to include it.
I am looking forward to more productions of this caliber.
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My Favorite Rom-Com
I don't know why it took me so long to watch this drama. It has been on my "To Watch" list for years and I was always skipping it in favor of something else. I finally sat down to watch it and absolutely loved it--despite some of the plot implausibilities. The best part of this show is the stellar acting and strong chemistry between the main leads. I had watched both leads in previous dramas and was only mildly satisfied with those. Maybe that's why I waited.Both leads bring a lot of heart into this drama. They are completely invested in it and in each other and I think this is what makes it work. We can sense their enthusiasm. It was interesting to see how two people from completely different backgrounds and worlds come together and rub off on each other--so to speak. He learns to loosen up and break the rules, while she learns to put others first. I love character development in dramas and this did not disappoint.
Their trusty sidekicks make the greatest ensemble of comedic talent I have ever seen in one drama. From Ri Jung Hyuk's men to Yoon Se Ri's neighbors, to Dan's mother and uncle, they all did a wonderful job balancing the heavier aspects of the drama with their light-hearted escapades. You couldn't help but love them.
Just watching our MLs slowly gravitate towards one another, as well as the secondary leads, was the best part of this drama without feeling contrived or forced. That slow gravitation is well-executed and earnest. I am also glad that it doesn't give you everything you want. I have to commend the writing team for this. This production is one I will remember fondly.
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Pleasantly Surprised
I liked this drama much more than I expected to. The acting was very good and I appreciated the efforts of the actors and writers in bringing a good production to television.A pretty firefighter gets tangled with a famous celebrity when she saves him during a car accident. Unfortunately, he isn't all that he seems. Our FL is suffering from dreams of having lived a past life which have been troubling her, only to intensify when she meets the young celebrity.
The writers set this drama in the present but it also has backstories dating back to hundreds of years. Those costume scenes are some of the most sizzling and intense portions of the drama and it almost overtakes the storyline in the present. In the past, the young handsome nobleman must show a dangerous and unyielding personality to his household. But underneath, he is gentle and passionate, particularly when a young woman catches his eye. He exudes an intensity that took my breath away. Kudos to our ML for the great work in bringing his character to life. The young woman has a tragic secret and has sworn to take revenge on those who have destroyed her happiness. She becomes both a blessing and a bane to our young nobleman.
Fast forward to the present and the unfinished business of the past comes to light between the two present day leads. Revenge is at the top of their list, but will it give way to the other intense feelings carried with them over the centuries? Will anger threaten to destroy them, or will it give way to love?
I was very impressed with this drama and will look out for more dramas by the same writers. It has a nice soundtrack, too.
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Epic Xianxia
Oh, my goodness! This drama drew mean in, chewed me up and spit me back out. I was very excited about watching this drama because it has two of my favorite male actors, Luo Yunxi and Deng Wei. I first saw Luo Yunxi in Ashes of Love and was very impressed with his performance. Over the years I often wondered if I would ever see him in another drama again and was happily rewarded with this drama. Last month, I suffered through Miss the Dragon and was rewarded with my first glimpse of Deng Wei, another incredibly gifted young actor. I was so impressed by him and to know that he would be in a drama with LYX, was a gift. The beautiful Bai Lu took my breath away. Not once did she grate on my nerves. She played the part of Li Su Su and Ye Xiwu with grace and candor. She was so genuine that I immediately found myself rooting for her. I loved the costumes, special effects and story. Unfortunately, it got repetitive and toxic towards the middle. I hoped that the series would get back on track and it did. What I felt satisfied with was how the drama played out. Some people would say they are disappointed with the ending, but I think it fit the circumstances just right. The music was lovely and the drama breathtaking. It was really a beautifully done production even with flaws. Oh, and I can't stop looking at Luo Yunxi. He is so handsome!Was this review helpful to you?
Watch It for the Supporting Couple
I don't know why Xanxia dramas always need a second couple to take the attention away from main leads, but I guess it's necessary to make a longer drama. I was really disappointed with this drama, first off, because there is just no chemistry between the main leads. Dylan is such a bad actor in this. He just does not look like he was enjoying himself. The one scene where he actually looked alive was with young Liuyang in the Kunlun mountain arc. Zhu XuDan is a wonderful actress and I have loved her since TMOPB, which was a great part for her as she is capable of quite a range of characters. Although, I am glad that she gets a lead here, it just wasn't as well written a part for her. I don't particularly care for Mary Sue's or grown women acting like 4 year olds and, with the exception of the lady general arc, I was mostly disappointed.This brings us to the secondary/supporting couple who are different as night and day to our main leads. Once again we have the serious guy opposite the flighty female. But, in contrast, they were better actors. Xue Qian Xun, brilliantly played by newcomer Deng Wei, may have been a cold fish, but he was ALIVE. The lights were definitely on in that pretty head of his and when QingQing was angry at him or sad about something, he was genuinely mortified. I loved watching their banter, the stolen glances, the loving looks. This was missing between our main leads, and that was the biggest shame. Because of this, they single-handedly stole the show from Dylan and XuDan. I looked forward to the episode that would finally reveal their story.
Some of the plot lines were annoyingly predictable. I felt like I was watching rehashes from previously better-written dramas. That kind of laziness is inexcusable.
The OST was the best part of this whole production. I could listen to it all day. It was perfect for the situations and gave scenes their appropriate weight. Background music was gorgeous, as was cinematography and costumes.
The ending was sad and disappointing. After all the reincarnations and tribulations I hoped for better for the main couple. If anyone can recommend better Xianxia dramas, please leave a post in the comments.
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Pleasantly Surprised
I really enjoyed this beautiful love story of soul mates who fall in love as teenagers and lose track of each other into their adult years. It had me from the very first episode, very well-written and just a joy to watch the highly talented cast. When tragedy strikes, I was afraid the show would fall into a cliche plot, but it kept its dignity and sailed to a satisfactory end, despite the slow parts in the plot midway. I loved the slow burn of the first episode. There was an intimate sweetness portrayed so wonderfully by the young actors that they won me over completely.There are a few things I would have liked fleshed out. Perhaps a tete-a-tete between mother and daughter after everything transpires. The talk on how her mother's over-proctective attitude basically changes the course of her life and affected her would have added some closure in that, at times, rocky relationship. The pace slows down a bit towards the middle but then picks up again. The ends wrap up much too nicely making her eventual healing a little implausible. I was still very pleased with this beautiful love story. I highly recommended it.
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More Drama Than There Really Is
The one thing that sticks out is how every small thing is a big thing in this drama. Administration and doctors are many times at odds with each other because admin oversees the money making aspect of healthcare while doctors just want to treat their patients to the best of their ability.. This sometimes leads to disagreements on how a hospital is run because it may curtail the way a doctor works. In this drama, however, this daily minutiae is life and death--and that isn't quite believable. Add a suspicious death and that raises the stakes, except maybe it was more of a red herring.We spend episode upon episode watching the ML walk all over the hospital eavesdropping and inserting himself here and there. You don't get a sense of the characters because there is little backstory on them except for the main leads. I found myself caring little about the characters, but kept watching. At about episode 13, the drama got better. All of the sudden the writing seemed to improve and we finally started seeing a warmth that was missing in the first part of this 16 episode drama.
I enjoyed the ending much more than the beginning because it had very little to do with the happenings at the hospital. Perhaps if the focus had been more on the people rather than the hospital bureaucracy, I might have enjoyed it more. Bureaucracy doesn't make for a good drama. People do. Seems like they figured it out in the end.
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Very engaging, but disappointing ending.
I have to say the strongest parts of this drama are the acting and writing. There are some great performances by the talented ensemble cast and the writing is very good with a few minor implausibilities. The drama is fast paced and keeps you at the edge of your seat. You grow to care for the characters and feel for them when they face tragedies. There are some strong messages of compassion and responsibility for your fellow man in the face of the most horrifying circumstances and how those circumstances changes the contestants for good or evil.The drama seemed to be going in a good direction, but suddenly derailed with some plot twists that changed the perceptions I had already formed based on the previous episodes. I felt disappointed and manipulated. ML seemed to have a split personality. He was irresponsible and apathetic in the outside world, while compassionate and protective in the game. The over the top violence and gore may not be suitable for some viewers.. I guess it adds a certain sensationalism to the drama and attracts younger viewers given its Hunger Games qualities.
Guest performances by Lee Byung Hun and Gong Yoo give the show an even greater star power and their performances notable, albeit small. I wouldn't be surprised if this show has a second season. The last episode seems to set it up that way. However, I am not sure wether I want to continue on with this story based on its wrap up.
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Park Wan is a young woman with a tragic past that just wants to live a happy life as best she can. Unfortunately, her mother and her mother's friends take up much of her time. Although she sees them as an inconvenience, she soon realizes how indispensable they are to her own well being and that, despite their advanced ages, they all have rich stories to tell and impart loving wisdom with a deep sincerity.
This drama is so beautifully written that you grow to care for all the characters--strong women who have withstood all kinds of obstacles to get where they are today. Despite the lack of patience Wan has for her Aunties, she cares and respects them very much, each treating her as beloved daughter and seeking her assistance with mishaps much to her dismay.
The mother/daughter relationship is explored between young adult daughter to middle aged mom, and middle aged daughter to octogenarian mom; each relationship bringing its own painful past and hopeful future. Each woman has her own story to tell and Park Wan lovingly writes each story into her book when she at last realizes that her Aunties are the best subjects to explore her creativity.
I found myself needing a hanky with almost each episode. They made me wish these aunties were a part of my life, celebrating the beautifully strong women they are and wondering what kind of old woman I will one day become. The OST is beautiful and well put together for the situations in the drama.
I highly recommend this outstanding drama.
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Now for the weak plot. There are some parts of the story which I felt should have been explored. The title is House of Flying Daggers, so why does the plot barely revolve around them? Weren't they supposedly stealing from the rich to give to the poor? It's all alluded to, never shown. The movie needed them to be dealt with, yet was mostly centered around our three main leads. Grant you, this kept things more simple but it needed more substance. There is no buildup to the romance either, and I was a bit bothered by this. It was cold and then got really hot within minutes, but once it got started, it was smoking!
The OST was the best part of this production. I listened to the whole thing on Spotify today and loved the romantic ballads and moving themes. The Lovers melody is very moving and Kathleen Battle's rendition is beautiful.
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The drama starts off strong. We have a kind railway stationmaster who is much appreciated by his neighbors, celebrating his retirement. He has plans to take the train around Taiwan and visit places he's never been to, as well as revisit people and places he hasn't seen in years. What grabs you from the get go is this man's extraordinary kindness. How he has touched the lives of so many people as a stationmaster is amazing, and movingly played by Chen Bo Zheng. He is so warm and approachable that he makes you wish he was your Dad. When tragedy ensues, his eldest daughter makes up her mind to fulfill his dreams of travel and gets to know the man that was her father through the eyes of others. In the process, she learns to face her own demons of the past. The drama is often told in flashbacks, so we never lose the focus of the piece, which is the stationmaster's love for Taiwan and its people. He is the glue that keeps the drama running.
Close to the middle of the drama, the focus begins to fall more on the drama which takes more of a soap opera feel. The acting is so-so and the romance between the main leads very noncommittal. The chemistry really isn't there. The acting of the FL is very depthless at times. I just couldn't quite get a feel for who she was. She seemed closed off and boring. Her younger sister, played by Pipi Yao, was much more alive and fun. I even appreciated her unrequited romance much more than the former, as it felt more relatable. I didn't find our FL likable at all. She seems nice but very much the pushover. The drama attempts to make us believe that she grows into a stronger woman who stands up for herself, but it's half hearted and unconvincing.
Towards the end the drama seems to meander, with the weakest episodes being about the festival. It feels as if they wanted to talk about the cultural heritage of Taiwan but not sure how to work it in. In about two episodes, they brought in a bunch of new characters that didn't compliment the story in any way. However, I do appreciate the purpose of the series which at the last episode, becomes a mini documentary of climate change and how it affects Taiwan as well as the planet.
I would recommend this to travelers.
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