Another story that takes shortcuts
Well, I was interested in seeing where this story was heading after the first season's last episode twist. I liked the period setting of the first season and grew to care for the characters, so I was already invested in them enough to look forward to season 2. Unfortunately, I felt it far too rushed and the 7 episode season, too short to tell a proper story. Because the new season was taking place in the present, there needed to be some backstory on just how it's possible for our young leads to still remain young in the 21st century. Though there are scenes explaining this, the lore became muddled and, then, back tracked itself. When scripts do this kind of thing---negating what they themselves create, they lose me. It gives me the sense that the writers themselves didn't quite know how to end this storyline, or at least the main couple's story arc in this series. What we seem to get is a possible continuation of the series without the main leads, as it seems by the end of this season, headed in that direction.What I liked about season one is that it had heart. I accepted the messy mother/daughter relationship and how it's the main purpose of season one. A mother will do anything to protect her child, even if it turns her into a monster figuratively, and in this case--literally. Holding on to her humanity made season one compelling, which is what season 2 seems to lack. It lacks direction and I felt sick to my stomach seeing endings for characters I never imagined. Around the end of the 4th episode, I started asking myself what the point of it all was? Master Jang explains it's to make the bad guys feel guilty, and if not, be a nuisance to them. But this rings hollow to me. There wasn't enough aha moments to balance out the pointless violence. It also leaves me with lots of unanswered questions like, what has Biotech evolved to since the end of the war? What do they hope to achieve with their experiments? Then there is the messy plot holes which will only be spoilers if I mention them.
In general, I would have appreciated this more if the writers would have taken the time to delve deeper into the story. It had a good premise, but evolved into another pointless monster movie akin to Sweet Home's last season.
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One of the Better Romances
I have to say I really enjoyed this one. As always, I am impressed with Zhang Wan Yi's earnest performances and this did not disappoint. He has the most expressive eyes I have ever seen and handsome to boot. He is the perfect leading man and I am looking forward to seeing him in future roles.This romance was different from most romances where two people meet, like or dislike each other, until the romance grows. Here we have deception, a better written amnesia plot and an interesting, albeit simple plot line that does not meander and is easy to follow. The secondary characters don't overtake the leads and everyone gets a satisfying wrap up to their story.
Our FL is the breathtakingly beautiful Wang Chu Ran. I first saw her in The Longest Promise and knew she would one day shine as a main lead. She is very talented and was so natural in her part as Liu Mian Tang. This was a fun watch and there was no character I found annoying or inept. There was chemistry between our two MLs and watching them together was a joy. I want to try Crab Roe rice!
My favorite secondary characters were Yuan Yu Xuan as the Empress and Xu Mei Ling as Nanny Li. I first saw Yuan Yu Xuan in Novoland: Pearl Eclipse and loved her from the beginning. She is just so cute and a fine actress. I enjoyed her character in this one, though similar to her part in Pearl Eclipse. Huan Can Can returns as yet another evil rival similar to her role in Lost You Forever. It's unfortunate when the supporting actors get type-cast.
I was impressed with the depiction of the struggles of women working to make a name for themselves, while enduring the lack of esteem by their families. Although this is unrealistic for its time period, I appreciate the effort in appealing to modern audiences.
I recommend this drama for romance lovers who want an uncomplicated plot with a happy ending.
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Condensed Version of TLTWTMOPB
The one thing I found jarring about this film version of TLTWTMOPB, or Eternal Love, is that the story begins sort of in the middle, much like the novel, and fills in the blanks in flashbacks. It wasn't too bad in the sense that there was less characters and subplots to worry about, but it remains a little on the superficial side because it doesn't delve too deeply into that sweeping love story and exemplary acting in the drama version.If you want a short version of this story then this is the one to watch. Gone are the extra storylines and secondary love characters that made the drama version so long, but with it the sweeping romance that kept us glued to our seats and the spark that made us root for them as well.
Yang Yang is very easy on the eyes and captures the magnetism of Ye Hua, but he is not directed in such a way as to bring out those inner emotions that drove Ye Hua to the great lengths he went for Bai Qian. He is almost, but not quite.
Chrystal Liu is beautiful, but again, I don' think the stakes are high enough in the performances to really make us care for this couple as we should. I feel that Li Chun's part as the evil Su Jin, is depthless and lacks the layers you see in the drama version, which was spectacularly played by Maggie Huang.
The CGI is great and the battle scenes are epic. The costumes were ugly as sin, particularly the wedding dress.
It's difficult to review this film without comparing it to the TV version, which is outstanding, Although you get the gist of the story, it suffers greatly in lack of detail. The ending felt rushed, but I did like the melding of both Ye Hua and Mo Yuan as one character rather than two. After all, the whole plot is about living more than one life to love your soulmate, so it makes sense that the two are one. This is the only thing I didn't feel was handled properly in the drama version.
This movie version was alright, but will only make sense to those that have already seen the drama to fill in the blanks.
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Rock-solid, binge-worthy romance
Wonderland of Love is yet another exceptional C-drama to put on my list of top 10 power couples. Xu Kai and Jing Tian play main leads Li Ni and Cui Lin who fall in love after a friendly rivalry gives way to a more serious relationship.The first few episodes were a bit weak and, due to that, I dropped the series for a few months. I finally went back to it after completing Best Choice Ever with Xu Kai, since I found myself very impressed with his low-key, earnest performance. I had a renewed interest in finishing WOL because of his work in that.
This drama has it all: palace intrigue, epic battles and martial arts, beautiful scenery, gorgeous costumes and set design, and an exceptional soundtrack--which at the moment is only available on YouTube. (This is bad because that means I can't add it to my C-drama playlist on Spotify. Not cool).
What locked me in place was the excellent chemistry and stellar acting between the main leads. They both drew me in and made me thoroughly enjoy their playful banter which slowly becomes attraction and then intense love. Once again, I was bowled over by Xu Kai's performance. He was passionate, tempestuous, forthright, and courageous. He was everything one wants in a romantic hero. At the same time he is not without flaws. He jumps to conclusions and can be unfairly cruel to his leading lady. Just watching them fight would sometimes make my heart ache, but then the make ups were epic.
Throughout all the intense flirting, there is more intrigue to keep the plot moving. Bad guys abound in the this drama and seems our main leads jump from one dangerous situation to the next. You get some great action scenes, but keeping track of all the villains gets exhausting and repetitive. I could have done without the last episode. It was too neatly wrapped up and didn't feel true to the supporting cast and the stories that had originally been intended for them.
I also appreciated the guest performances by Zen Li and Liu Yu Ning. I have watched them both in other great C-dramas and it is a treat to have them appear in this series. I recommend this drama to those who love romances, palace intrigue, and period dramas.
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If Mother/Daughter Dramas are you're thing, this is the one for you...
I loved this drama because of its heartfelt messages of love and family unity in helping to face the difficulties of life and family strife. These messages are conveyed in the story of Mai Chenghuan, who has dreams of excelling in her career, but has a well-meaning and controlling mother who gets in her way.I think this drama hits home for many women, young and old, who've had moms like this. They work hard all their lives taking care of you and wanting what's best for you, but just can't seem to make the transition from raising their children, to being hands-off companions to their adult children. They get caught in the push/pull of what they believe will make their children happy instead of listening to what they actually need, making them horribly unhappy because they've grown used to being in control. This is where our story begins.
The mother/daughter leads are played masterfully by Yang Zi, as Mai Chenghuan, and veteran actress, He Sai Fei, as Liu Wanyu. These two actresses were phenomenal together. They took us into their tumultuous relationship, making us cry with their heart-breaking fights and making us cry again when they make up. They got their characters down pat and brought them to life on-screen. What an honor I can imagine it must have been for Yang Zi to work alongside such a talented actress that is He Sai Fei. I could see right off that she took all her younger counterparts to unimaginable heights. My hat is off to the director for guiding them all to go further in their performances. The ensemble cast were all wonderful as the Mai family. They felt like a very real family, supporting each other in good times and in bad. It is no wonder then that Yao Zhiming, wants so badly to be a part of it?
Xu Kai, as Yao Ziming, is the quiet loner who slowly becomes entangled with Mai Chenghuan and her family life. They both share a very important person in their lives and she is instrumental in teaching them that nothing is more important than love for family and doing what is right. She gently guides Yao to become more free and less transactional, employing the efforts of Mai Chenghuan in her endeavors. I was very impressed with Xu Kai's understated performance. He could be the cold CEO, but you could see that he had a big heart and that he was guarding it, not willing to give it away until he was ready. I appreciated that about his performance. He understood his character completely. That inner monologue was present and you don't always get that in less seasoned actors. He was alive, a rock for Chenghuan, but vulnerable at the same time. The rawness of his need for a family was palpable. All I can say is the noodle scene. Without giving anything away, that was the moment he won me over as an actor.
The weakest areas of the plot were at the beginning. The first few episodes felt disjointed and slow. I think the drama was still trying to find its footing and those first 12 episodes could have done with less cliches.
In a forest of Chinese dramas full of young, handsome romantic leads and cliche plots, this was a diamond in the rough because it doesn't just dwell on romance. There is much more going on and that is a good thing. Even the secondary romantic couple is well written and doesn't detract from the main couple or the principal situations. I highly recommend this one for viewers who like slice of life dramas, or want more going on than just the romance.
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One of the Best Xianxias
Finished watching part 2 earlier today and I am very pleased with this xianxia. I have to commend the production team for bringing such a great quality series to audiences. It was top notch in terms of CGI, acting and story, abeit repetitive. There were a few plot holes and some weak performances from the less experienced actors, but for the most part it was a solid xianxia.Zi Yang is lovely and I have been watching her since Ashes of Love. She is truly a gifted performer and the carmera adores her. She can't take a bad shot. She is drop dead beautiful. Her ML also performed well. Cheng Yi may be young, but he delivered a heart-felt performance as the conflicted Heavenly Emperor who wants to love his woman, but has to put his duties above all else. I got lost in these great performances and when our leads are going through their greatest trials and hurting each other, my heart actually ached for them. Bravo to the cast for making me feel that pain and in the life and death situations they were living. I always enjoy a well directed drama and this one was well done.
I am equally impressed with Ray Chang's performance as the spunky Yu Mo, forthright, loyal, passionate, handsome and likable. He was so boss with that fan! I wanted him to get his happy ending as well. But, perhaps there could be a sequel with a storyline for him.
My only gripe is that as much as I love a happy ending, this one felt forced. I think the two special episodes are put together to satisfy those who would not have liked the ending, despite the fact that it made more sense to the storyline and our ML's sense of duty. Otherwise, this one will top the list of favorite xianxias.
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Great Xianxia
Ah, I loved this one! A good old-fashioned xianxia served up with all the best plot devices, romance, numerous episodes, great acting, and strong writing. Without giving anything away, it's just a fun romp through xianxia land and took me back to the days of TMOPB and similar xianxias that made me fall in love with the genre in the first place.As always I loved Yang Zi's performance as Yan Dan, the lotus fairy who is born into the Heavenly Realm. Cheng Yi and Ray Chang's performances were also noteworthy, but in this love triangle, I was team Yu Mo due to their wonderful chemistry! Deep down, I hoped they would just run away together!
There was some pretty bad acting among some of the supporting cast--Wang Hao Xuan as Dragon King Ao Xuan, but the leads were rock solid. They were endearing, especially when the trio went on their numerous adventures. I have to commend Vicki Xu on her portrayal as the evil fairy Ying Deng. Damn, she was one you really loved to hate.
Nice OST and impressive special effects made it a feast for the eyes and ears. Definitely recommend this one if you're a fan of xianxia shows. Looking forward to part 2!
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Great Crime Drama
I watched this right after finishing My Dearest because I was so blown away my Namkoon Min's performance as Jang Hyun that I needed to see him in something else right away. The one other drama I had watched him in was a few years ago in Wild Chives. That show was so forgettable that the only thing I remembered was NM's beautiful smile. My Dearest brought him back to me, but with several years of experience under his belt. I have seen exceptional acting from many actors, but few become their characters. NM is one of these actors. He is a chameleon and so invested in his characters, that I can only see the character and NOT the actor. This is a rare gift. With the exception of his face and timbre of his voice, there is no similarity between these two characters. In the Veil, NM is Han Ji Hyuk, the hard-nosed, mentally unstable security bureau agent fighting demons and looking to expose the rats within his organization.The story is well-written and gripping. It is fast paced and, though a little hard to follow at times, very engaging. The best part is the wonderfully talented ensemble cast and an air-tight script. The anchor is Namkoon, of course. He adds weight to a cast of very fine actors who work very well together. From drug related cases, to organ trafficking, to espionage and secret sub-organizations, it's all here and well put together. You can't help but watch and hope that things turn out well for him and his new partner, You Je Yi, played capably by Kim Ji Eun.
If you are a fan of Namkoon Min, I recommend this one even if romantic dramas are more your style--like mine.
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Miss, for me..
This was not my cup of tea. I was looking forward to it because I have been a fan of Luo Yunxi since Ashes of Love and was mesmerized with Till the End of the Moon. The writing here is so lukewarm, that it does our ML no justice. I was familiar with Zhang Rue Nan when I first watched her in Date with the Future. I liked her role as the relentless, kind, tough young reporter and was hoping her role would, once again, be along those lines. It is to an extent, but it falls short because she makes herself so unlikeable in this drama. I don't know what it is. Perhaps, the writers are at fault here for writing her in a way that made me feel less than charitable towards her. The way she pushed away our ML may have been necessary for the conflict in the story, but there has to be some underlying pull to counteract the push. All I saw is push here, and she gave off some very negative vibes. That, and the lack of chemistry between the leads killed it for me. I was happy the secondary couple did not take away too much air time from the main leads, but they almost disappear completely at times. Still, there was some annoying cliches and some outright ridiculous medical implausibilities that really raised my eyebrows. I will continue to watch Luo Yunxi because I can't fault him for this stinker of a show, but no more Zhang Rue Nan dramas. She is cute, but there is nothing in her performances that screams overwhelming desire to see her in anything ever again. Cui Yi, as Su Wei An's mother, was a biggest bright spot in this dull drama.Was this review helpful to you?
Watchable, for the most part.
I thought this drama was watchable overall. I love Park Bo Young. She is cute beyond words and such a joy to watch. She had good chemistry with her male lead and it had the right amount of humor and angst to keep you watching. At times the plot seemed to slow down and become repetitive. It seemed to meander in parts and some of the writing choices were just silly implausibilities. I mean, who has a conversation in Korean with someone who only answers in English and both completely understand each other? I know the writers wanted some laughs, but that was ridiculous.Lee Soo Hyun is a cat in human form! Aloof, arrogant, and smooth, he is the epitome of the annoying guy who is handsome and knows it. He isn't someone I would jump to date so I wondered, given the way his character is written, why the object of his affection would be interested in such an arrogant bastard? I never felt his character arc was complete, and he lacked development. He went from being an arrogant bastard to an arrogant bastard in love.
I felt the character who got the shortest end of the stick is Kang Tae Oh's, Lee Hyun Gyu. Aside from helping along Lee Soo Hyun's storyline, there wasn't much for him to do. I think he should get his own spin-off drama where he finds the girl of his dreams. In general, the writing was really the problem here. Why take us on a ride where someone falls in love, misses her guy, only to play games when she gets him back? That was exasperating, as was watching the ML still think he could do superhero stuff when he wasn't just for laughs. Perhaps the drama it didn't want to take itself to seriously , but the comedy seems out of place.
The OST was excellent. I usually never rewatch dramas so I wouldn't recommend a show that can't decide what it is.
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Slow Burn Romance
Here is a nice two-season romance drama that takes a while for the romance to ignite. It stars two of my favorite young actors, Leo Wu and LuSi Zhao. I can't say enough about the rock solid performances, especially from Leo Wu. He is absolutely captivating, extremely talented and downright gorgeous. The camera loves him. For such a young performer, he is incredibly talented and takes you effortlessly along with him. He plays the highly-revered General Ling BuYi who can crush the enemy with a glance. The young ladies are all vying for his attention, many making utter fools of themselves in the process, while ready to scratch each other's eyes out. Luckily, the aloof and unattached General sets his eyes on the young daughter of another general, but she is headstrong and not easily trusting. Niao Niao, played by LuSi Zhao, is lovely, naughty, vengeful and forthright. Sparks fly when these two get together, and they both complement each other. It's endearing to watch them slowly falling in love with each other and suffering along with them through their sorrows. The best part is watching them grow from their mistakes, learning to forgive, and allowing their love to make the other stronger.Was this review helpful to you?
Predictable
Cliched, predictable high school drama with some very beautiful young people. Bo Ra promises to look after her best friend's crush while she leaves the country. Predictable situations ensue, but you don't mind it too much since the main leads are so darned beautiful. I loved Bo Ra's relationship with her father the most. I wish they had given their banter a little more airtime. I was hoping the love triangle would give way to a close friendship--sort of like a three musketeers relationship, but the writers had other ideas. I hate to say it, but the unoriginal plot, and depthless supporting characters made this a bit disappointing. The acting was okay, but I think they could have gone a little further in raising the stakes. It general, a very sweet teenaged movie.Was this review helpful to you?
Not as good as Part 1
I am not sure why they decided to film this series in two parts since both parts had about 10 episodes. But there were some things that bugged me about this installment. Here the acting is worse than the first installment. There was a lot of face acting rather than just allowing the actions to come from within. The plot is so ridiculous. that of course, this doesn't leave much to work with in terms of getting to know your character. There is no inner monologue and that is the most annoying part of the writing here. This keeps everything superficial and detached.I found my eyes rolling more in this half, probably because I was wondering what other nonsense they would throw at me before finally putting the actors out of their misery. I still don't understand why this manga became popular enough to make a live action drama about it; why anyone would want to romanticize a toxic relationship between a nice girl and a bully; or why its cool to have people treat each other in such destructive ways. It's actually a very disturbing story when you think about it.
The. productions seems to incorporate too many flashbacks, including things that just happened within that same episode. These got tiresome. The only thing I liked about this show was the music.
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Where it All Began
Usually I don't like watching school drama's but since this series was popular enough for two other remakes, I needed to find out why it was so appealing. I suppose if you are a young, 15 year old girl, this would have some kind of appeal. However, I have always thought that any girl who picks a bad boy over the one that treats her like a queen deserves whatever she gets. Luckily this is done in an entertaining, albeit, cliched way.The entire premise is completely implausible, the characters one-dimensional, and the storylines contrived. The cast is cute but it isn't enough to save the stinky plot and the acting is atrocious. Makino is a really sweet girl, but she is a doormat when girls bully her, yet tough when boys are the bullies. Perhaps she has figured out just how demented mean girls can be, and far more evil. I think the worst message this show can have is to make young ladies believe that they can change a bad boy with just a little TLC. People like Domyogi don't change.
It has entertainment value to some degree, but everything is on the surface. The characters were just not believable enough. All I know is that everyone is shallow and crazy with the exception of Makino. The bullying is way over the top here and just not realistic. There is a lack of authority, but perhaps this is the way the manga is written. It is definitely better than Meteor Garden, so thank God for small wonders.
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Disappointing
I think a lot of the good talent in this series was underused. The writing was sloppy and superficial in trying to pull the heartstrings of the viewer. They spend much time on less important characters than focusing on the leads. The storyline is everywhere, following lesser characters instead of fleshing out the leads and giving the viewers time to get to know and care for the main leads. People disappear and reappear making the storyline choppy and frustrating. In 12 episodes this series could have been wrapped up tightly and neatly. Instead we got a lot of jerk kids whom we barely knew and didn't much care about.The main thread of this show is the consequences of bullying. Everything that happens subsequently is the result of the students' bullying of one another. That bullying leads to revenge, which leads to disaster. It was a depressing show with little lighter moments. The stars here really are the zombies. The most frustrating part of this show is the lack of continuity. Storylines begin and then are abandoned to give other characters more air time. Those abandoned characters aren't heard from for several episodes before they come back only to disappear for longer stretches again. It was entertaining, but not well written or gripping as Train to Busan. For all the comparison that the show itself makes to the movie, this is NO Train to Busan. This series is gorier, slower, and not as well written. It leaves you feeling run down, disappointed, and sad in the end.
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