Epic.
Epic is truly the best word to describe this drama. Even the way the story starts in the dramatic landscapes of Shaanxi, you're immediately pulled into the stark rural life of Gaojiazhuang. Without giving too much away, I absolutely loved how all of these characters were written. Complicated, multifaceted, honorable, broken, human. No one is blameless, and I think this realistic writing makes these characters 1) extremely relatable and subsequently 2) people you find yourself rooting for despite their flaws. Supporting cast i.e. the parents acted so well. It's to the point where I forget these are actors playing characters...you feel like a fly on the wall watching everything unfold. In particular I think the three leads for Gao Jialin, Gao Shuangxing, and Liu Qiaozhen did an outstanding job, portraying a wide range of complex emotions across their story arcs that span decades. I particularly appreciate when a story closes in a full circle moment, which this drama absolutely achieves. I hate cheesy endings where everyone gets what they want. This is not that kind of drama. The ending is a mirror of real life and made my heart sore in the best way possible.
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