This review may contain spoilers
The plot is way more interesting than I expected....
So, this is my week off, and I’ve already rewatched this drama 3 times lmao. Anw, my review might contain spoilersHonestly, I’m not a fan of dramas with age-gap romance or sibling-related themes. Some similar dramas that went viral before, I didn’t even finish them because the male leads felt straight-up pedophilic to me and the storyline was super mainstream (overrated, tbh)
But I decided to try this one because of the racing theme, and boom! Turns out the plot is way more interesting than I expected.
The ML is the son of the FL’s dad’s friend. After an accident, he gets adopted by the FL’s father and they grow up together. So no, this is not incest, they’re not blood-related siblings. As time goes by, they realize, what they feel for each other is more than just family.
Actually, if the drama didn’t have the racing theme, this might feel similar to Go Ahead (if you’ve watched it, you’ll know what I mean)
Since this kind of story is pretty common, what really sets this drama apart is the racing arc and the fact that it was filmed in Thailand. It’s truly a visual feast—shiny cars everywhere, plus the culture and scenery of Thailand are just chef’s kiss.
Now, the FL’s acting? No doubt. She genuinely made me cry my eyes out. To the haters who say Esther can’t “cry ugly”, bruh, I don’t get what that even means. Is she too pretty when she cries, so you think her acting sucks? Lol. Some people cry quietly, and in every Esther drama I’ve watched, she’s clearly that type and she does it well.
People say Esther can’t act just because her baby voice and acts cute? I don’t think so. In every drama and even variety show she’s in, that voice is clearly her real voice. The deeper-mature voice is actually the one she puts on for acting.
Let's be honest, acting cute is normal. Anyone can be cute, even as an adult. Especially women, there’s nothing wrong with being girly and feminine, right?
I think the haters are just salty because Esther naturally has a cute side, and at the same time she looks really graceful when she cries.
Next, the outfits! One thing I love about Cdramas is how visually pleasing they are, and outfits are a big part of that. Every time I see what Esther wears, I just want to buy it and wear it myself 😩
Last but definitely not least, the ML.
HE IS THE ONE I MEANT FOR THE PLOT OH MY GODSKDBN
Like, I don’t even care where the story goes. The real main plot is JIN ZHAO.
Heyu absolutely nailed Jin Zhao. His details and micro-expressions really remind me of Peng Yuchang (my favorite actor), who mostly does movies. And yeah, I feel like Heyu’s acting skills are very similar to actors who are deeply experienced in Cmovies.
I remember before this aired, there were a lot of haters spreading bad rumors about Heyu (they were clearly trying to stir drama between Heyu’s and Esther’s fans, but I don't care. I’D STILL WATCH IT)
Even though the pacing feels a bit rushed because a lot of scenes were cut, the chemistry between the FL and ML totally saves it.
Overall, I truly love this drama, and I don’t plan on moving on anytime soon, unless I find another drama that’s even better, lol.
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is not for everyone
Its sad because writer-nim only show the struggle detail of ML and not for FLSo before I watch the ending, I read some comments saying it had a bad ending because the FL and ML didn't end up together. But after I finished watching it, I questioned: did we watch with the same subtitles?
Some people even said their relationship was just a one-sided love. Tbh, I don't see it that way at all. Both Euna and Taeseo definitely liked each other right until the ending.
It's just that they both have egos and TERRIBLE COMMUNICATION. It's pretty obvious when they were younger and Euna chose to focus on her career. Then, as adults, Taeseo kept misunderstanding things and assumed Euna still had feelings for her ex, mostly because of his jealous guy ego. He didn't even consider the possibility that everything Euna doing had memory with her dad, especially since she was all alone without her parents.
If people think the ML's situation was sadder, I think the FL had it same. She had to take care of her comatose dad completely alone in young age, without a mom or any family, all she could hope for was his recovery. When her dad finally got better, she wanted to try chasing her dreams, but their lack communication make them break up. And sadly, her dad passed away. And for those few years, she lived entirely alone without any family. If I was her, I definitely would have leaned on the SML to survive too, considering he was the only guy by her side at the time. But even so, her feelings for Taeseo stayed strong until the very end.
I think the reason this drama is called Still Shining is because the writer wanted to show that "no matter how old you get, your first love will always keep shining."
And honestly, I'd say it’s an open ending. At the ending, Taeseo basically proposed to Euna by saying, "If you ever need someone to be with in the future, you can call me."
Overall, I'd rate this drama an 8/10.
I know minju still new in acting, but i will applause her because her acting is matched with Jinyoung's. Even during her crying scenes, I could truly feel her sadness. I think she's going to be one of those actresses who can draw you and make you cry along with her, just like Park Boyoung xD I also love how calming her voice during her monologues. I'm really looking forward to seeing how her acting grows in the future.
As for Park Jinyoung, his acting is always top-notch. And I think he has a really good eye for picking scripts. Even though people say this drama has worst script, I don't feel that way at all. All of his dramas always give me new perspectives on life. I will always trust that any script Park Jinyoung chooses!
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