mikrokosmos228

I'm astounded by how good this version is. It had been years since the arrival of the versions I loved that I thought this would simply be another uninspiring regurgitation of one of the most well-known stories in dramaland. But F4 Thailand provides a uniquely compelling, modern adaptation; making it a worthy addition to the world of Hana Yori Dango. Now, if you really think about it, you have to admit that as much as we all love it, the premise of Hana Yori Dango is pretty superficial, and at times ridiculous. But somehow, F4 Thailand manages to paint this world in realism, with a lot of heart, through a smart script, amazing directing, evocative music, thoughtful characterization, and a talented young cast! Love it!!

Personally, I would have liked this better if this had been a standalone movie. It's ironic because at the time I picked up Rurouni Kenshin, it was because I was looking for a serious assassin story with romance and cool sword fights imbued with traditional Japanese aesthetics, like this film. And instead, we got the four uniquely entertaining film series; that brand of humor, thumping OST and anime-like portrayal of the story with these bizzare but intriguing villains, and Kenshin with his band of misfits and new love. That was what I had come to love so this last movie of the origin story felt out of tune. It's a beautifully made film though, with an evocative story, compelling leads and cinematography. But my favorites will forever be the earlier films, especially Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends.

I am currently on episode 16/32. Can I just say how freaking cute is that scene when Da Hee walked in all dressed up to introduce herself as Jae Suk's "girlfriend"? I was just as astonished as him. Ahhh so cute. I cannot wait for more of this romance! I've always been a fan of family dramas but it had been a long time since I had seen one. This is turning out to be one of my favorites.

Thank you! And thanks for the link; beautifully written!

Haha thanks. I'm happy to learn of others like you who felt the same way I did. I love these two together so much (and I made another in depth comment on this page about them if you're inclined to read it). I love that song as well, and the MV. I think the song perfectly captures the yearning and sadness of Hao Du's seemingly unrequited love. Actually, I had first heard of Liu Yu Ning through the song Sense, which he sang for Ancient Love Poetry, and learned he is in the Long Ballad, which prompted me to watch it as I was curious about him. Of course he did not disappoint!

Agree! So many emotions while watching this episode. From screaming at the screen for Hao Du to show up, to fist pumping when he did, to cheering, to then biting my nails, praying he doesn't end up dead, to feeling anxious because omg what if he still ended up dead even after winning, to yelling at Hao Du to confess already, to finally feeling elated when they both confess and has the sweetest bear hug. I swear, these two!

This is a well made, relatively serious drama. In the beginning, I was interested in all the characters. But as the story progressed, what kept me watching was Leyan and Hao Du's part of the story. I loved not only how their romance blossomed but their characters as well. You will need to be patient though because it does take a long time before the story circles back to them from an exciting start. But when it does, it is so worth the wait. I loved watching every piercing, stern looks Liu Yu Ning's Hao Du gives Leyan; his eyes are so expressive and manages to showcase emotions from just one look. Hao Du is a misunderstood silent warrior protecting Leyan, the princess, from a distance and falling in love to the point he is willing to do anything to make Leyan happy, even if it means he'd be brokenhearted. As for Zhao Lu Si's Leyan, props to her for convincingly portraying a character that could have been frustrating to watch; a character that is very far from what we're used to seeing from her prior works. But this just proves how talented she is. Leyan's progression from a meek and sheltered princess to an enlightened individual, standing up for herself while displaying a natural disposition of empathy and kindness towards others, made her one of my favorite characters. She could have had me rolling my eyes with her "goodness" but instead I felt her compassion for others and found her earnest innocence rather adorable. I wanted Hao Du to protect such a good person and I wanted Leyan to see past his cold exterior and reciprocate his love. I absolutely loved their interactions and was thrilled to see a happy ending for them.

Thanks. I appreciate your perspective. I guess we have different preferences because I rewatched Ashes of Love countless times. It's my favorite Xianxia drama.

With respect to what happened on the day of the wedding, I thought that's what happened, as you described. I thought Houchi and Gu Jun's arrival at the start of the ceremony and everything that happened after that pretty much stopped the wedding from proceeding. And even though later there was conversation that he would let the princess stay by his side, I didn't take it to mean marriage. But then later on when Shanggu woke up and Tianqi was filling her in on what had transpired, the subtitles mentioned he was married to the princess? That's where my confusion came from.

I may be in the minority here but I loved only episodes 1-12. In this part of the story, I enjoyed the dynamic among the gods; the camaraderie was so heartwarming. I also loved how Bai Jue was cold but then warmed up to Shanggu (how could he not when she was so playful and adorable and a little spitfire?) then fell in love (the way he looks at her and only her; *heart eyes* from me). But after that, I watched the rest of the drama because I wanted to know what would happen next, not because I liked what I was watching. I will give the drama props for keeping viewer's attention though; that's commendable when you're 49 episodes long. Also, the CGI was the best I'd ever seen in a Xianxia drama, and the OST was beautiful. But ultimately it was just disappointment for me. The transition from one story arc to the next wasn't well done. It left me confused and I didn't feel the emotional impact I should have from the changes. It was as if someone was just telling me what's happening rather than intuitively had me understand (which is something, for instance, Ashes of Love did really well where the build up, to the fallout and all the consequences of the characters' actions had a huge impact on me emotionally and kept me fully engaged). I particularly did not like the last arc. I especially did not like how after everything that happened, Bai Jue married the nasty princess anyway. After all the hours I put in, it just left a bad taste in my month. Yes, I'm aware of the reason behind this action and I know it didn't mean much and it was in name only. But I felt letdown nonetheless. I think marriage is a line you just don't cross. I had to go rewatch Xu Kai's other dramas that I absolutely loved to get over it. I debated whether to write this comment as I didn't want to be so negative for a drama that many loved. But I needed to get it off my chest. I would like to hear thoughts on this if anyone is inclined to share. Perhaps I will have a better understanding then and forgive as a viewer.

I managed to get through after a lot of skipping, though in the beginning I watched every scene. That doesn't mean it's not worth a watch. It's a well acted drama with an engaging ensemble cast. The best parts were, of course, the hilarious interactions between the leads. Xu Kai is such a wonderful actor. He is so funny here without being silly, and just so hot. I've liked both Bai Lu and Xu Kai since The Legends and their chemistry is as compelling as ever (probably my favorite pairing with Xu Kai). There is always a memorable scene between the two in almost every episode that had me rewind and rewatch at least three times. And last but not least, the main song just puts a smile on my face every time it comes on. It's one of the sweetest songs I've ever heard and all the more special because the leads sang it.

This was one of the first xianxia dramas I watched and one I really loved. I think many may have been disappointed with the coldness of the male lead and by extension, his cruelness. But that was one of the reasons that made the romance interesting to me. There was just something about watching a cold man fall in love in spite of himself that just tugs at my heart, and both the heartwarming and heartbreaking complications that came with such dynamic. Wallace Huo's Bai Zi Hua is so ice cold here that the smallest, the most subtle acts of affections were like Christmas to me. And Zanilia Zhao is always a delight to watch. She is one of the most talented actresses out there with great range that she has no problem portraying Hua Qian Gu from an adorable, innocent disciple to a demon queen bent on revenge.

For those who made it to the last arc of the drama and you came across an episode that confused you, I suggest look up on youtube a scene that was cut. It's a critical scene; I would say the climax to Bai Zi Hua's struggles between upholding his principles and acting on his love for Qian Gu. I thought it was a shame the scene got cut as this would have had a huge emotional impact and better explained the later scenes.

In any case, I for one enjoyed this drama immensely.

I don't think the show deserves such a high rating. And I say that with a lot of love for the show. I really enjoyed the leads; outstanding acting from both. The raw emotions during certain scenes just struck me straight in the heart. I wanted nothing but a happy reunion and a lifetime of love for both of them. Then there was the music. Gosh, how much I loved the music here. And the cinematography, sets and fashion were also a feast on the eyes. However, a large portion of the show felt like filler scenes, with unlikable second and side characters engaged in protracted dialogues (excluding Ung's parents). Perhaps others may have liked it but I personally couldn't ignore how much of a negative impact that was on the show. The Slice of Life aspect didn't work for me the way, for instance, Hometown Cha Cha Cha did. I watched and enjoyed the show to the end. But I wanted to point that out as an aside.

Thank you. I am a recent Thai drama addict. I want to watch A Tale of Ylang Ylang just from the poster. I will probably give Love Destiny 2 a try; I loved the first one. You Are My Make Up Artist synopsis sounds like my cup of tea! I love contract marriage dramas. Lastly, I am a huge Push fan but I don't know about this pairing with Patricia Good... I wish he made more dramas with Gypso.

I do! I wondered the same, especially when the superiors are well aware of his transgressions but all they do is express frustration. So it's difficult to fathom why they placed him in that position. I thought perhaps the show would surprise us with some uncanny detective prowess from him to compensate for being such a douche, like oh ok, maybe that's why they're tolerating him but no (not yet?). Btw, I thought that slap was satisfying.

I get that office politics doesn't only exist in the business world; it can happen anywhere. But gosh, that part of the story is so frustrating to watch. Why do they keep bashing on a team that has done nothing but work hard to help catch criminals? Also, I don't enjoy seeing anything related to story from reporters' perspective. Aside from these aspects of the story, it's a great drama IMO.

This drama deserves a higher rating. I am a fan of crime/mystery/thriller shows so I have seen most in said genre and I think this is one of the best. Thanks to the outstanding acting from the cast, the interrogation scenes are some of the most riveting I've ever seen. Looking forward to new episodes.

My favorite scene would have to be Soo Yeol riding backwards on K's bike, screaming at the top of his lungs, while K navigates the bike through the mall like it's nothing. And then coming to a full stop for the old lady crossing, all to that pumping music. I think I cried laughing. Absolutely love and will miss their dynamic.

MARS is darkly compelling. I watched it again recently and I love it just as much as I did back then.

Another excellent old drama that came to mind that I watched last year for the first time was Thai drama Sawan Biang (2008). It's not for the faint of heart. Outstanding acting and tight (but twisted) story had me riveted the whole time.

I'd been saving this drama after watching I Wanna Be Sup'Tar because I loved Push and Gypso in that drama so much and didn't want to move on but also wanted to see them together in another drama again. I got around to watching it finally and I loved it! I'd surmise that if you're just walking into this drama without knowing them or the other drama, you'd find the pace slow. But not for me. It's such a treat for me as a huge fan of this pairing. I was just so happy to see them on screen together again. Even when they're just talking, I had a smile on my face. I also loved the unconventional concept of the two leads each loving their single life and being the most logical, sensible people and this in turn made them similar and perfect for each other. But you'll need to tolerate Push's family in this drama though. Dysfunctional is an understatement for these folks. And the last arc was a little painful to watch, but the ending was wonderful.

I watched for Jun Ho and Jung Ryeo Won's romance and it did not disappoint. He's hot and she's adorable and they were cute together, with lots of chemistry. For a drama that felt off the wall and without much point in sight for long stretches, their romance felt normal, natural, comfortable. I pretty much skipped everything else. I did enjoy the cooking scenes though and the resulting food.