This is how a C-Drama should be.
Full disclaimer: I have a weakness for romance. So whenever there is a decent romance in a drama I tend to give it a higher score. So for the serious people take this with a grain of salt with the high score.A C-drama should have a decent plot, intrigue, mystery, suspense, and good fight scenes. ROMANCE, eye candy, smart ML and FL, good casting, and a good wrap-up at the end. This happens to check all of the boxes. It is not perfect and that is why I did not give a perfect score. With that being said I enjoyed this drama.
STORY: ML and FL on opposing sides fall in love never forgetting who they are. So, the story is slow in parts but that seems to be the norm with C-dramas these days. I think that is to drag out more episodes so I am getting used to it. My one CON, in these dramas is that the plot does get lost at some point. It took a while to get the story going somewhere. So, I found myself wondering when it would get to the point, but then it happened, so I did not take offense and kept watching.
ACTING: The acting is okay or on par with this type of drama. It is filled with a rather large cast. You may find a couple of the characters a bit over the top but, somehow it works out in the end. I have been watching C-dramas for a few years and I do not get the over-the-top FAN thing. Some people do not like (Angela-baby)' but I do. Is she the best actress, no, but she is getting better.
Overall this is a good light-hearted watch.
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Not quite there yet as a real Romcom.
If you look at the trailer or read the description you will immediately think this a great Romcom. However, this fell short in so many ways. Let me first say the highest rating I gave is for the story. The story had real potential to be a blockbuster hit. It had all the makings to start a good Romcom. It just never got there. If I had to sum it up it was just boring. It never had two parts that go together. You know, peanut butter but no jelly, bread but no butter. The title does not go with anything. So a great story but the leads were not enough to pull it off. Individually they were cute but together no chemistry. I tried to give it every chance I could. I watched objectively until the end. I gave up better dramas for this. But when you start fast-forwarding through most of the episodes, you know something is wrong.Many of the comments ask why the ratings are so low. This has a slow pace and never really goes anywhere. It reminded me of those short dramas on YouTube that give you different versions of the same plot. I fault the director for not knowing where to go or lead this drama to make it more exciting and loveable. I fault the writers for giving the actors too much dialog that they could not pull off. Thus, making the actors look like bad actors.
On a positive note, it is a rom-com and there were some funny moments. There was a hint of romance but it was barely fulfilled because it took so long. It has a happy ending.
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Will stir emotions!
This is a hard drama to rate. Call me crazy but I fell in love with the ML in this. I hated that he was so evil but I love that he had this pure love. The way he looks at her melts your heart and makes you want to root for him. I almost wanted to drop it because I could not stand him turning so bad. It did not hold much substance as far as dramas go but I wanted to find out what happened to his love in the end. If you have ever had someone close or family member do something questionable then you will realize how your emotions can get caught in the middle of forgiveness or hate.I found the other characters annoying at times and this was hard to by pass because the writer never really developed or had any growth of these characters. For this reason I did fast forward a lot.
I am not sure how they actually develop Asian dramas whether they write as they go along or if the story is actually written episode by episode. It seems as if they write episode by episode and they change the story line to meet the audience approval. In the beginning I could not tell who was with who and why these older men and much younger females were going.
I would say it is a OK watch if you like your emotions being tapped into a little.
Try "When a Man Loves" 2013. I thought this was one of the most emotionally charged dramas I have seen in a while.
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Left me empty!
I guess I needed to write a review for my low score. The drama never leaves the first page. (If you know what I mean) It does not build to anything in order to finish anything. It starts off slow and depressing and never goes anywhere from there, in my opinion.To be honest this drama is about emotional baggage, everyone's emotional baggage and mental illness. Everyone is the drama is pretty much mentally ill. Or you can just say emotional baggage. Sure, we all carry some but there are still good days unlike this drama.
If you like the male and female actors they are nice to look at but that is about all they have to offer here.
I am not sure if there is more than one song in the sound track. I just kept hearing the some depressing song over and over and over.
I watch dramas to be entertained not to be depressed.
If you are already dealing with emotional baggage you might want to stay away from this one. Somehow I don't think this will make you feel better.
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The FL and ML ooze chemistry with a refreshing take on who is in control of the romance. The ML is a wealthy and shy introvert very much caught up in his work dedicated to family. Where as the FL also comes from a affluent family is totally outgoing not afraid of a challenge. Both of their characters are totally likable and adorable the chemistry is great balancing "Yin and Yang" if you will.
The story line is simple and sweet. If you want a emotional waive of feelings this is not for you. I just found myself smiling most of the time at how cute their romance was so I took the drama for what is was. I would say that originally this may have been over 48 episodes because the editing is cut a little too deep. You will never really know who Mrs. Fang was just that everyone loved her. So don't try to take this seriously it is what it is.
One last point OST, it was hard to get with it because there were no subtitles but it was pretty on point with key moments.
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Pleasantly surprised it was short and sweet.
When I first read the synopsis, I was uninterested in this drama, thinking it was a zombie genre. It's not that I don’t like zombies; I was just not in the mood at that time. Now, I am sorry I waited because this was a pleasant surprise.Well, this short drama packed a punch of love and good chemistry. This is about a man in love who will not give up on his wife, who may or may not be a monster. This was well directed, and this couple pairing was spot on. The director took his time detailing a complex story and the development of their relationship with answers to so many questions in each episode. For a drama lover, this has romance, suspense, and thrills with a splash of horror. The story is intriguing, and the leads are captivating. I have seen the two leads, FL, Rain Lu as Tang Qian Yuein, and ML, Zhao Yi Qin as Ling Chang Feng, in other dramas, and they have a sort of charisma when playing parts. They both capture a love-struck look with the innocence of youth. I found myself smiling from the inside.
The acting was good, and the casting was great. There is a family dynamic, friendship, and another side story that adds a new twist to the plot.
The cinematography is visually appealing, with small nuances in the production that draws you in.
You may find that some scenes were probably cut for one reason or another with some plot holes. Just go wtth it for me, that was okay. This goes under my short drama category, so the score is a little inflated being it was short, sweet, and to the point. This is a romance first and all else second. I truly enjoyed it and recommend it if you need a break from tragedies.
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I am in my feelings for this.
I got total feel-good vibes from watching this short drama. The attraction and chemistry between the lead couple are just mesmerizing.Although the script does not seem to require a lot of emotional acting. It is just the fact that they can ooze such chemistry with each other. The subtle gestures and looks. The cute smile when they think the other is not looking kept me watching. That is good enough acting for me.
If you're expecting a big production with a long-drawn-out plot and suspense this does not have it. Well, maybe a little it does have one of the best plot twist I never saw coming. However, if you are like me a hopeless romantic this will feed your soul. With that being said I feel like this could have been much longer. This leading couple (Ke Ying and Ryan Chen) look so good together and apart. I think they are relatively new to the drama scene and I hope they continue. I will definitely watch some of their other dramas, especially Ryan Chen. As I said this does not have a big production but it does make the most out of what they have. It almost feels big and lets you imagine that there is more.
Face swapping can be tricky in a drama because one face may not hold up in the view of the audience. So, I am not always a fan of this plot-line.
So, I have re-watched it twice and got feels both times. If you are a romantic at heart this is a must watch.
One final note I think when rating they need to separate categories into dramas over 24 with 45 minute episodes because the scoring is a little different.
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Captivating , a good watch!
The quality of a good drama is back in this one. Starting from the opening scene “Blossom” is captivating and intense. FL comes across as smart and witty knowledgeable ahead of her time. She commands her household like a four-star general. This is a big production on a grand scale, and you can see it. The trailers did not disappoint. I personally appreciate the cinematography and visuals on display in this drama. The special effects, although brief are visually captivating.The ML is intense and somewhat barbaric with his frightening presence as if he has lived a full life at a young age. It is clear that his soul has weathered with time as his hair is fully grey. He comes off as smart as FL commanding a stealth army and on a mission.
The director draws you in from the very beginning setting up the entire plot in the first episode. The back story and some main characters are introduced. Right away you know what has happened and what is at stake for the two leads. You can sense that the two strangers were meant to be together. Fate has brought them together and oddly they share the same fate with both being poisoned and dying together then reborn. The FL retains her memories but not the ML.
The next set of episodes explores the FL living her new life trying to change her fate. It makes for an entertaining watch and suspenseful waiting for the two leads to meet again.
The cast is well-chosen and their storylines are interesting. The story is smooth and moves at a good pace. I do think that the writers could have spent a little more time on the character development of the other cast members. Some of them deserved a little more background to add more to the story. The costumes are well made and fit that time period.
What is disappointing is that the confidence that “Shou Gu” and “Yan Tang” had in the beginning episodes gets lost somewhere. So as a reborn drama, (IMO) I felt the leads could have been smarter, making us question the directors' choices about where the show must go.
This was a good quality drama which has been hard to come by lately. So, don’t miss out.
You will like this drama if you like:
Big productions
Costume drama
Different twist political plots
Harem and concubines’ hierarchy
Strong FL and ML
A love story full of romance
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Not for the Unromantic!
I wanted to write this review after the second episode. This mini/short drama packs a mighty punch.Let us start with the storyline in the synopsis after a tragic incident, two lovers who lose and find each other on opposite sides of life. In short, they have to find their way back to each other amidst a rollercoaster of emotions. I liked the storyline it drew me in right away mostly because of the acting from the ML and FL from the very beginning. In the very first episode (which I must say are too short) the cinematography and directing are spot-on. In what appears to be a minimal set and low-budget film the directing and special effects feel like a solid-budget film.
One of the things that caught my attention right away was the acting from both leads Dai Gaozheng and Tu Zhiying it was honestly captivating. I have watched many Asian dramas with the top billing stars that could not compare to these two in this short drama. The two leads do their part in telling the story as it should be told, a love story. The chemistry between the leads is electrifying, intense, and passionate, and it works like a charm. You will be drawn in like a spider to a web. The acting is spot-on for this type of drama
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Wow, such a lack of imagination!
The Atypical Family had so much potential but fell short of lack of imagination. I liked that the family had superpowers but the powers were somewhat obscure and had "no rhyme or reason". It would have been nice if the plot led to the family pulling their powers together nearing the end to solve the main dilemma. It would have been nice if there was some background on why they have powers. It would have been nice if they had explained why the ML can only go back in time to see moments with the FL after his powers mutate. It does explain why they have lost their powers.Was this review helpful to you?
And the tears flowed.
Kim Soo Hyun, never disappoints me. He is an Adonis of K-Drama's. I think he is often underrated. Queen of Tears is IMO a mellow dramatic rom-com. It takes a dive into the rich and selfish world of the upper elite in marriage. The ML from an average rural family in the countryside is in a miserable marriage to a rich third-generation heiress. The FL rich and cold follows the footsteps of what is expected of the upper elite amidst some past trauma.The casting is done well with plenty of eye candy which I love. Kim Soo Hyun delivers a stellar performance. He was funny, adoring, sexy, and dramatic. Kim Ji Won, was a surprise for me in that she has really grown into a beautiful woman over the years. Her acting has improved. I could not get into her before "Arthdal Chronicles". Her part was captivating and believable. I liked this part for her. I felt there was chemistry but it was not developed as it should have been. Even though there were plenty of moments for the couple the director did not do enough with the romance, and it felt a little elementary at times. There should have been more adult romantic moments would have been better. There were plenty of side couples which did not hurt the film.
It is not a perfect film in that there are some filler scenes that only took up space and could have been edited better or deleted for more romance.
The acting overall was good. The soundtrack was good. The production was good with a great wardrobe.
If you like a good rom-com this is a good watch. Many parts will hold your interest.
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This has an extensive cast and storyline.
“The Blood of Youth” Wow! This drama has a lot to unpack it was a long, long ride. Whoever read the novel I take my hat off to you this just had so much going on. The cast of characters is so extensive and honestly I could not keep up with all of them. You may want to take notes along the way. There were times I wanted to skip forward but the editing is brilliant in that it changes scenes so intricately that you will miss something important if you skip ahead. I am not saying all the scenes were worth watching but it held my attention.
Story: To me this a story of teenagers coming of age in the wuxia, Xianxia realm. They embark on a journey of cultivation and figuring out who they are along with righting wrongs of the past. They all have martial arts and want to get to the next level. All except the main character (Xiao Se) aka exiled prince who had his meridians broken.
The story is slow paced but with excellent cinematography, CGI and wuxia/xainxia fight scenes it will keep you watching if you can make it past the first few episodes. In the beginning some of the fight scenes tend to go on a little too long but I did enjoy what they did with the CGI. The teens do build a lot of relationships and you will find yourself picking one of more favorites. Some like Wi Xin better but I liked the main character Xiao Se. I also like that there is some implied romance and couples. I think all dramas should have some romance after all people are not born from nuts. If you kill off everyone (as a lot of Asian drams typically do) how does the next generation survive, just in my opinion.
Acting: The acting was okay not really noteworthy. Some of those who have read the novel said they like both the novel and drama. I suppose the most notable thing for me was the age gap between the actors and the characters is very noticeable. Even though they may be eye candy they most certainly do not look like teenagers. After a few episodes I just decided to go with it.
The story is so extensive you will find them explaining some events because it skips ahead of some scenes. Some scenes they probably should have left in.
I could watch this again, because it seem to have a small budget but it did a good job with what it had.
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