A story I don't want to forget.
I rewatched this drama because after my first watch, I felt I had been unfair towards it. I even wrote a review but then I deleted it. I guess I wasn't in the right mindset. I skipped a lot of it because I felt like it was so boring and badly written and I would never reach the end, but somehow I wanted to see where these characters would go. So I kept watching. I also had issues with a few things that were for personal reasons so the drama wasn't entirely at fault, it was mostly me. The truth is that despite what I didn't enjoy (and there was a lot), I could not stop thinking about it after I finished it. I simply could not. So after a little while, I gave it another try.
Because I knew what to expect this time and because I had, in the meantime, gained a new appreciation for it, knowing a little more about the base material and the behind the scenes, etc., it actually went a lot smoother. I did not skip a single scene (even rewatched quite a few of them multiple times). What I didn't like or what I hated the first time, I either liked or at least accepted/tolerated this second time. What I liked the first, I absolutely loved it even more. Even though I knew what would happen, it still was an emotional roller coaster. A really rewarding one.
Overall, this drama is not perfect. It's not very realistic, there are a lot of childish ways of seeing things, some uselessly cheesy/overdramatic stuff, some average writing (imo) and redundancy. It's pretty patriotic and I don't really care about these kinds of things. I also didn't really like what they did with Rudolph, sometimes bordering on racist stereotype (although, that could have been way worse, they still managed to make it OK eventually). So there are obvious flaws that I can't just ignore. But, in the end, to me, the good overthrows the bad.
By its excellent and heartwarming intentions, messages, life lessons, by the pure hearts and the pure love these characters show us and give to one another. Its core values are unconditional love, life, friendship, patience, healing, growth, forgiveness, compassion, effort, selflessness, teamwork and a sense of "fate" and acceptance for what happens in our life, regardless of our personal beliefs. That's what this drama is, what it shows you, what it can inspire you to instil in your life, even just a little. As childish, unrealistic and idealistic as that is, it can help you forget reality - or even better, grow stronger in the midst of it.
Yes, everything is idealized : medicine, doctors, human nature, human relationships. Ren and Yun's friendship in particular is among the most beautiful and inspiring things I've seen in my life. Really. And NO, this is NOT BL. I know some people consider that they're looking gay or whatever, but in my opinion this is a very narrow-minded way of seeing things. And regardless of what I personally think, the novel is objectively not a gay romance and this drama is not either. That makes it even more beautiful in my opinion. It's honest, emotional, deep and spiritual. And it's unrealistic, that's for sure. But it feels really good and really healing to give yourself the right to imagine that, maybe, somewhere, at some point in the history of humanity, such people and such absolute love really do exist. There is room for some potential straight romances between the MLs and their respective female love interests (as it is the case in the novel) but it is not developed in this adaptation. Any romance between these ladies and the male leads is therefore up to interpretation and imagination.
And talking about the ladies, how I loved Su Li and Lin Yuan ! I think they were very well written, multidimensional and memorable. I kinda loved Lin Yuan with Zheng Ren, as partners or anything else I don't care, I simply loved their interactions. She's a great character. Xie Yiren and Chang Yue are awesome too, but a bit too "perfect" for me.
I am grateful for this drama. Grateful to the team behind it, to Zhen Xiong Chu Mo the author of the original novel (as different as it is from the adaptation - and it really is) and to all these great actors who did such an astounding job, including support and guest actors. Even the OST is gorgeous (although a bit overused). I won't talk much about the medical side of it. Just know that every case is based mostly on the novel's. And the novel, even though it is a cultivation fantasy novel, is itself based on reality and is very, very heavily medical-focused. And is apparently, by what people say of it, instructive (the author IS a surgeon). So do what you want with it.
But please, if you consider watching this drama, don't be like me : give it an honest chance from start to finish and don't be too critical. A bit of a "philosophical/spiritual" outlook on things may be necessary to really appreciate it, though. I wish you to meet a doctor like Zheng Ren when you need it, and partners and friends like this duo and their team cared for each other.
Because I knew what to expect this time and because I had, in the meantime, gained a new appreciation for it, knowing a little more about the base material and the behind the scenes, etc., it actually went a lot smoother. I did not skip a single scene (even rewatched quite a few of them multiple times). What I didn't like or what I hated the first time, I either liked or at least accepted/tolerated this second time. What I liked the first, I absolutely loved it even more. Even though I knew what would happen, it still was an emotional roller coaster. A really rewarding one.
Overall, this drama is not perfect. It's not very realistic, there are a lot of childish ways of seeing things, some uselessly cheesy/overdramatic stuff, some average writing (imo) and redundancy. It's pretty patriotic and I don't really care about these kinds of things. I also didn't really like what they did with Rudolph, sometimes bordering on racist stereotype (although, that could have been way worse, they still managed to make it OK eventually). So there are obvious flaws that I can't just ignore. But, in the end, to me, the good overthrows the bad.
By its excellent and heartwarming intentions, messages, life lessons, by the pure hearts and the pure love these characters show us and give to one another. Its core values are unconditional love, life, friendship, patience, healing, growth, forgiveness, compassion, effort, selflessness, teamwork and a sense of "fate" and acceptance for what happens in our life, regardless of our personal beliefs. That's what this drama is, what it shows you, what it can inspire you to instil in your life, even just a little. As childish, unrealistic and idealistic as that is, it can help you forget reality - or even better, grow stronger in the midst of it.
Yes, everything is idealized : medicine, doctors, human nature, human relationships. Ren and Yun's friendship in particular is among the most beautiful and inspiring things I've seen in my life. Really. And NO, this is NOT BL. I know some people consider that they're looking gay or whatever, but in my opinion this is a very narrow-minded way of seeing things. And regardless of what I personally think, the novel is objectively not a gay romance and this drama is not either. That makes it even more beautiful in my opinion. It's honest, emotional, deep and spiritual. And it's unrealistic, that's for sure. But it feels really good and really healing to give yourself the right to imagine that, maybe, somewhere, at some point in the history of humanity, such people and such absolute love really do exist. There is room for some potential straight romances between the MLs and their respective female love interests (as it is the case in the novel) but it is not developed in this adaptation. Any romance between these ladies and the male leads is therefore up to interpretation and imagination.
And talking about the ladies, how I loved Su Li and Lin Yuan ! I think they were very well written, multidimensional and memorable. I kinda loved Lin Yuan with Zheng Ren, as partners or anything else I don't care, I simply loved their interactions. She's a great character. Xie Yiren and Chang Yue are awesome too, but a bit too "perfect" for me.
I am grateful for this drama. Grateful to the team behind it, to Zhen Xiong Chu Mo the author of the original novel (as different as it is from the adaptation - and it really is) and to all these great actors who did such an astounding job, including support and guest actors. Even the OST is gorgeous (although a bit overused). I won't talk much about the medical side of it. Just know that every case is based mostly on the novel's. And the novel, even though it is a cultivation fantasy novel, is itself based on reality and is very, very heavily medical-focused. And is apparently, by what people say of it, instructive (the author IS a surgeon). So do what you want with it.
But please, if you consider watching this drama, don't be like me : give it an honest chance from start to finish and don't be too critical. A bit of a "philosophical/spiritual" outlook on things may be necessary to really appreciate it, though. I wish you to meet a doctor like Zheng Ren when you need it, and partners and friends like this duo and their team cared for each other.
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