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MUST WATCH FAMILY DRAMA OF THE YEAR!
The is an incredible family drama of 2021, I highly highly recommend it if you need a break from romantic, comedy dramas. Get some tissues and popcorn and enjoy the ride through the different eras while watching the kids grow up.STORY 10/10 -
The Bond opening begins in the 1960s and ends around the mid 2000s.It follows 5 Qiao siblings, specially the 4 eldest siblings because they grew up together. Their father is selfish, he barely helped in raising the kids, therefore the eldest took the responsibility to raise his siblings well.
THE ACTING : 10/10 even the child actors did a PHENOMENAL job.
Qiao Yi Cheng played by Bai Yu - as aforementioned, he took the responsibility to be the father figure of his siblings as their own father is a selfish prick. He's very strict, but caring and loving towards his siblings. He would do anything for his siblings even they did something terrible. His back must be heavy from carrying so much weight of his siblings, it breaks my heart. >< He doesn't like asking for help, and seeing that pain especially in the child actor's face - really breaks you. Even as Bai Yu plays, he did an amazing job as well. As for his personality, he seems like an awkward person when he's outside of his family. I don't think its weird, because everyone has different sides they show to their family and strangers. His character was heartbreaking to watch because of how much pressure he puts on himself, he didn't change much into adulthood because of this. In a way, he's selfless but also selfish for not accepting the reality of the need to be helped. I think it took a while for him to finally accept it and change.
Qiao Er Qiang (Zhang Wan Yi)- As a child, he was a troublemaker for his brother. He didn't like studying, he kept skipping classes, he tried to help his brother - made more troubles instead. haha But you can see as a child, he cares for his siblings a lot, despite not showing as much as Yi Cheng. He has a scandalous love story but he's stubborn and fought for his love. The actor, Zhang Wan Yi, portrayed Er Qiang as a gentle brother, innocent- puppy eyes, and soft spoken brother. However, he's like a middle child who doesn't like getting into arguments or gossips andjust does his own thing in the background. He's always there for his sibling as especially the youngest sister - they have a nice bond - you can already tell they have that strong bond especially when they were kids.
Qiao San Li (Mao Xiao Tong) - San li is somewhat a splitting personality of Yi Cheng, the eldest. She's responsible, she's caring, well spoken and knows what she wants. As a child, something happened and it gave her PTSD. Eventually, as an adult you can see her break out of it and become the strong woman she is. Her love story was very touching, although rocky moments but otherwise I really like how she fought for herself and for her partner. I didn't realize Mao Xiao Tong was the actress until later, she did a great job, too. Nothing but good compliments for her. haha
QIao Si Mei (Song Zu Er) - QIAO SI MEI! Gave me the most headache like she did for Yi Cheng, hahahaa Her personality is very extroverted, she's talkative, and doesn't know when to stop. She's basically the comedic character in this drama, I love her but there are times when she does gives me headaches. She's a troublemaker like her second oldest brother. haha Her love story was ...lets just say odd. Lightning fast as well, and a ton of heart breaks. Prepare tissues but also prepare some heart medicine cause damn her relationship got me extremely frustrated. At the same time, if you put yourself in her shoes, you would know that there are people who are like this.. and its definitely difficult to break free.>< Because Si mei has such a strong personality, she's quite stubborn in doing what she wants. Eventually she grew to be responsible, her character development was interesting to watch.
Qiao Qi Qi (Zhou Yi Ran) - The youngest of the family, there's not much an impression from him because he didn't really grow up with the others. However, he does have a impact in certain ways. He's pretty shy, introverted, doesn't speak much. However, despite his lack of experience in the real world and knowledge, he was able to become responsible and I really liked how his character developed through the decades.
Qiao Zu Wang the father (Liu Jun) - THE MOST SELFISH, ANGER INDUCING FATHER IN THE ENTIRE DRAMA UNIVERSE! He was selfish in the 60s and well into the mid 2000s. But I have to say the actor, Liu Jun, did an amazing job in getting the audience frustrated and hating him throughout the drama. hahaha There were definitely moments where he tried to bea good father but failed. Only towards the end di he really think of them selflessly. Sometimes he speaks logically other times, its just his old traditional - stubbornness talking.
There were many time skips in this drama, you'll see the kids as babies and the next, they would be kids
Don't expect the romance to be all fluff like romance dramas. For each sibling, their love story has some rough patches. Basically, in terms of romance in this drama, I find it more realistic than any other romance drama. I know a lot of people may deter away from the siblings' partners but please keep in mind, romance isn't the main focus of the drama. However, the drama did very well in portraying what a relationship would go through: Divorces, cheating, stupid fights, arguments, pain, terrible partners, lies, or miscommunication, etc.
While watching this drama, you really need to understand from the character's pov and why they're acting the way they are. Remember that there are definitely people in this world who are like these characters. The supporting actors and actresses did a wonderful job as well especially Jeremy Qin who played Wang Yi Ding he's my favorite supporting character, haha
The Bond is a 10/10 for me, I enjoyed every bit of it. Highly recommend, would definitely re-watch again.
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Nostalgic and Slice of Life of the 90s
Never Grow Old aka Going to 18 aka Hello, Yesterday is a slice of life drama set in the 1990s, definitely gives a major nostalgic vibe for those who were born in the 90s or remember the late 90s.The story is based on 6 close-knitted high school friends and their neighborhood bond.
It's mostly about them going to school, hanging out, eating, helping the neighborhood/families, and so on. If you watched When We Were Young (2018) then this is highly recommended!
Each of the main 6 youths have different personalities and is quite fun to watch them hang out together.
Gao Zhi Yuan (Guo Jun Chen) is very mellow, yet strict one out of the bunch. He's also considered to be the smartest one, tutors his friends a lot. Although he seems indifferent on the outside, he actually cares a lot for his friends.
Tan Xin(Ren Min) is a very loud, obnoxious girl but studies hard - not your typical dumb female albeit she does have trouble studying sometimes. She's compassionate, and empathetic but also has a short temper. haha There is something off about the way the actress acted out her lines at times, because it feels like she's just "reading" her lines instead of acting, it just didn't blend in with the others at times
Zhou Li Zhi (Annie Sun) considered to be very pretty, she seems to be quite daring, although hesitate initially, but she's willing to try new things that piques her interest. Tan Xin and Li Zhi are cousins, yet surprisingly are not rivals at all.
Chen Cheng (Zhang Zhi Hao) the second smartest of the group but I think he can come off as arrogant or too much confidence initially. He's just as loud as Tan Xin sometimes. However, he's an honest guy through and through and is willing to help a friend in need, will choose his friends over a girl. haha He's seems like a family guy, he's quite affectionate towards his sister and grandma.
Guo Fu Cheng (Li Xing Chen) First of all his name reminds me of the actual celebrity every single time he pops up. LOL I digress, his character is one of my favorites because his acting is so natural yet so hilarious. He's definitely the comedic relief in this drama. It's his expression that makes it so funny and I freaken loved it. haha
Ma XIao Yi (Jiang Guan Nan) his character came in later in the drama with a lot of misunderstandings. He seems tough and was mistaken as a big bully but in reality he's a softie who just wants genuine friends. I like his duality with Guo Fu Cheng cause they were funny together.
The cinematography reminds me of When We Were Young because they would edit a scene towards the end as if to expose someone's hidden tricks. haha Every episode has some kind of meaning which is quite a nice touch.
Is there romance in this drama? Not really per say, just crushes. There's a lot of subtle eye contact or peaking at someone, you just have to be aware of the characters' body lanague/facial expressions to notice it. Were there infuriating charaters? Definitely but that's to be expected from old school Chinese families and their expectation of a "son/daughter-in-law." Love triangles? Nope.
Would I recommend? Yes, definitely if you just want to chill and not pull your hair out.
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From Being A Slave To Business Owner, Duan Wu Deserves All the Love!
The Story of Pearl Girl's storyline is very fascianting one, the fact that it is historically correct makes this drama even better. I love that we are following Duanwu from being a Pearl Slave to becoming one of the best Jewelry Designers in Yangzhou.The script, the acting, the plotline, the antagonists, everything about this drama was deep and complex but was very enjoyable to watch. It's a very unique concept as well, and it definitely showcase a lot of Zhao Lusi's ability to act.
I've been watching Lusi's drama since Love Like The Galaxy and became a huge fan of her acting abilities. Her acting is always very natural-like and the emotion she displays tugs at my heartstrings . Lusi portrayed Duanwu very well, definitely one of the most strongest female characters out there. She's able learn quickly in order to adapt to her environment, she's not afraid to stand up for herself as well as others important to her.
Liu Yu Ning's portrayal of Yan Zijing was great as well. He's able to act cunningly, but also be tender and kind towards Lu Si - of course he can be strict as well.
I think both Zi Jing and Duan Wu's love was cute, it started out as crushes and it felt like watching two high school teenagers flirting with one another. Eventually it leads to true love and care for one another.
Both characters have so much in common from being alone in their childhood years to finding a family and people they love.
I like the contrast between the leads and the antagonists - Cui Shi Jiu and Zheng Wu. Both Cui Shi Jiu and Zheng Wu grew up with family around them but in the end these families only used them as pawns and lacked familial love. Shi Jiu and Zheng Wu's relationship was bittersweet, although they were not the most amazing people in this drama - which is understandable. I'm glad they found each other, but sadden Shijiu didn't get the love she had long needed.
The Story of Pearl Girl is not truly about the romance between Duan Wu and Yan Zijing, it follows the journey of DuanWu. Despite the shocking ending, it is understandable that it ended that way. Many people may not enjoy it, but personally it makes sense as this journey was for Duanwu and she ended up being successful in life whether or not Yan Zijing stayed by her side.
Is it a happy ending? In a way, yes it is. However, it may not for those who watch it for the romance.
If you enjoy watching dramas that follows a strong, smart female lead then this definitely for you. If you expect to watch comedy, or less serious dramas then this is not for you.
In my opinion, this is what C-dramas were about in the past. Following the journey of a struggling female character and watching her climb her way up to the top. A wonderful story, amazing acting skills, and music is quite nice as well.
Definitely one of my favorites. :]
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Sisterhoood of the 1920s
Legacy focuses on a wealthy, business oriened family in the 1920s with emphasis on the three sisters: Zhong Ling, Zhong Yu and Zhong Xiu. They also have a brother, Zhong Jie who isn't involved in the family business to pursue his dreams.In the beginning of the drama, there's a lot of arguing, and disagreements among the sisters especially between Zhong Yu (middle sis) and the youngest, Zhong Xiu. Their personalities clash a lot, but eventually they grew to love one another.
The story essentially follows the family through 20 years and their struggles with love, betrayal, family, the Japanese army, politicians, and war.
Zhong Ling played by Qin Lan is the oldest of the siblings, she's typically the mediate between Zhong Yu and Zhong Ling, always there to stop the fight, lecture them and give logical reasons. She's very soft-spoken, poise but fear not she's also headstrong and knows when to take action against the family enemies. I also love it when she stood up for herself against *spoiler* her controlling, and abusive husband(not physically abusive towards her, more like verbal because he shouts so much, threatens to kill people, etc.) But eventually,the love story between them became pretty sweet to me as he learned to control himself and he's a sucker for his wife - it was so cute when he was trying to get her to forgive and accept him. She's a great cook, and that's her main weapon in this series. Zhong Ling is definitely one of my favorite characters in this show. This is the second drama I watched of Qin Lan, so I'm not sure if her acting is great because she played a similar character in Yan Xi Palance. Difference is Zhong Ling is more strong, outspoken, demanding when she needs to be. Therefore, acting from Qin Lan is a pass for me~
Zhong Yu played by Wu Jin Yan. Zhong Yu is similar to an anti-hero because you wouldn't like her personality at all - at least I didn't initially. It was so offputting because she was very bossy, bratty, gets her way, very spoiled, and whatnot. In a sense, she has a temper of a child as well. haha However, she's also very smart in the business world, she knows how to negotiate and persuade others. She does have a soft spot and willing to give other chances and help those she cares about.The one who eventually tamed down her personality and made her grow up is Tang Feng Wu played by Hangeng. Their relationship is kind of ridiculous because she's always mad at him or someone lmao - sometimes playfully and he would always try to pacify her. Its an on and off relationship. As for Wu Jin Yan's acting, it feels unnatural at times - sometimes her facial expressions doesn't make sense in certain situations. Either way, it was alright.
Moving on to the youngest, Zhong Xiu played by Zhang Nan, this is the second drama I watched of hers. She did a great job acting as the youngest child, its a total different personality from the another drama I watched where she acted as a queen. Zhong Xiu is very outspoken, and likes to confront people when things are bothering her which sometimes gets her in trouble. As aforementioned, Zhong Yu and her clash a lot because both of them tend to say what's on their mind. haha Relationship wise, she was suppose to be married to someone but he chose someone else eventually. Then came a friend's cousin, which started out as a wholesome friendship then grew into love. Zhong Xiu learned how to use a gun from this guy and it proved to be quite useful for the plot.
On another note, I was confused initially so to prevent anyone else from feeling the same way regarding the mother in the drama- Hwang Ying Ru is the biological mom of Zhong Xiu and her older brother, Zhong Jie. Stepmother to ZhongYu and Zhong Ling but not your typical evil stepmother, she's actually really nice and treats them as her own.
The ending was underwhelming, there were happy endings and sad endings for some characters.
The cinematography of Legacy was great, it reminded me of Japanese asadoras and how it follows a life time of family. Would I recommend this drama? If you like republican era, war, policitics, sure. Love, friendship, three strong-willed female leads, definitely. If you like a family focused drama, definitely watch it. Is it an amazing drama? No, its still good nonetheless.
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In all seriousness, the drama was OKAY. Not the best but not terrible either. The stalking became too much as each episode went by. Usually the stalking is done by the females but they do not go as far as the male lead here. The male lead in the dramas literally follows the female lead EVERYWHERE, even places that are meant to be private (he even waited outside a changing room!?) It got annoying. Sometimes he even forces the other characters to tell him what's up when its obvious they did not want to include him, he's also very controlling as well. Yeah, I know he LOVES Yuan Xin but there's a limit to where you can stalk a person and control them as well.
Aside from Simon Lian's terrible character stalking, one of the bullies was quite tame . I like that she changed for the better and how much self-confidence she had.
This drama dragged on for what felt like many many maaaaany episodes even though it was only 24 and I have seen over 40+ episode dramas. Problem with this one is that it was very dragging, because the female lead. Yuan Xin, was very oblivious to Ya Xiu's feelings. I also like how they retell a character's POV when its time for them to tell their friends about some incident. It's a nice editing method(?).
I do love the friendship in this drama, the relatable hardships and sorrows, etc. But I would not rewatch it.
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Keep watching and you'll love it very much! 5 dramas in one!
Perfect Match is like a rollercoaster ride where it starts off slow then it goes FAST but in this case, it gets good!The drama does not focus on one main couple but on several different couples of the Li Family daughters. It's safe to say this is more so of a family drama with multiple genres.
Personally I started watching this drama for Lu Yu Xiao and Liu Xie Ning because I really enjoyed both of their past acting dramas. Unfortunately, this drama does not give them any justice in terms of acting showcase.
There are five daughters of the Li family, their mother is a widow because their father passed from an illness.
Each and every daughter have different personalities of their own and it comes out the most when they're with their partners or fighting with their partners to be exact. lol
The eldest daughter, Shouhua (Liu Xie Ning) is the most matured, and responsible one. She is very well educated, practically a prodigy by Kangning's (Lu yu Xiao) standards. She is very soft spoken so it's rare to see her raise her voice, in a way she's like a second mother to her siblings. Her background story was very sorrowful in a sense because she was married off at a young age to help the Li Family after the death of their father. Ever since her first marriage, she had rumors going around her and always thought she would stay at home for the rest of her life until she met her husband, Du Yang Xi. Her husband is technically a very childish, irresponsible man initially. However, he's also quite protective in fact all the husbands are protective! He wanted to protect Shouhua and Li Family by making the worse decision in his life, and luckily he was eventually forgiven. Their story was more mellodramatic, and angst with a teeny, tiny bit of romance. I wasn't too into their story tbh.
The second daughter Fu Hui (Wu Xuan Yi ) was already married when you first begin watching this drama. Her husband is Fan Liang Han (Huang Sheng Chi.) LIang Han was quite incessantly annoying imo, he was also a coward initially with Fu Hui. Eventually, he learned how much she cared about him and I suppose he man'd up. LOL Personally, I was not too fond of this couple because their story wasn't interesting for me either. I would say their relationship is more comedic, strong female lead vibes.
The third daughter, Kangning, played by LYX is the eloquent, quick thinker of the siblings. She married Wang Xing Yue's character, Chai An. Their relationship was giving love at first sight, but with angst and enemies to lovers trope, youth romance. Kanging also had a twin brother that was engaged to Qiong Nu but that's a story for you guys to watch.
Now onto the fun, and my favorite arc of Perfect Match! The fourth daughter, Hao De (Ke Ying), is the black horse of this drama! Her relationship arc was AMAZING TO WATCH! Hence, do NOT give up on this drama. LOL Hao De was more tamed in the begining of the drama, despite getting dragged into trouble with her fifth sister. During her marriage, we finally see what she was capable of! She's a strong headed woman, able to hold her own. Although, I didn't enjoy the crying scenes whenever she didn't get her way. Alas, she was still technically a teen(? ancient Chinese women got married young so I'm not surprised.) I digress, she is quite smart in her own right. Her husband, Shen Hui Zhao (Liang Yong Qi) was older than her and seemed more strict in a sense. He did not, will not marry Hao De nor anyone for that matter, and was adament on that decision! Something happened, and Haode fought back and showed him that he will miss her if he tells her to go back home. Their relationship arc was giving angst, drama, thriller, detective work, strong female lead, humor, and romance! Basically a drama of its own! I loved it a lot! Liang Yong Qi redeemed himself in this drama as a really good husband!
Finally the fifth daughter, aka the trouble maker of the family, Le Shan (Huangyang Tian Tian) is a very outspoken, and vioelent, strong independet woman! From the beginning of the drama to the end, Le Shan's personally was already out in the open. She's ready to fight anyone who is against the Li Family. In her marriage arc, she was beating people up to her heart's content, to her mother's dismay, and it was really funny to watch. LOL She is very smart, and will always outsmart her enemies just like her sisters. Her husband is Yang Xian (Win Win) is actually well paired as he is just as loud, and obnoxious as her - except with more arrogance. When he first appeared in the drama, he left a bad taste in my and probably everyone's mouth. But eventually you will grow to like him because at the end of the day, he just needed warmth and love. I read a comment comparing him to Dao Ming Si of Meteor Garden aka Boys Over Flower and I have to agree. Yang Xian is very much a parallel to Dao Ming Si in a way that he loves his violent wife, because the way he always smiles at her beating up people(and him) was quite endearing to watch. He also has a very caring sister who wishes him well and hope that he can be tamed by Le Shan. He hangs out with his boys, he's rich, she's from a merchant family, etc. Ya know just very parallel with F4, etc. This couple was giving love/hate relationship, comedy, arrogant male lead, strong headed female lead vibes.
Eveyone acted quite well, and I barely saw any black holes. Albeit, the mother seems like a comedy relief in this drama - every time she faints it was just HILARIOUS! It's not like a your typical gradual eye rolling then fall kind of faint - it waws literally close your eyes and fall. LMAO
Would I recommend this? Sure! It's an interesting way to watch a family drama - focusing on separate couples instead of one. If you don't like the slow start, then maybe skip around and see which couple you'd prefer. Enjoy!
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BEST E-SPORTS DRAMA! RECOMMEND!!!!
This drama is one of my favorites of 2020!! The focus is mostly on e-sports to be specific the FPS game, Crossfire. It focuses on two separate timelines and two male leads. No, it is not boy love, but it is bromance.Crossfire is not your typical e-sports/game romance drama, it goes deeper than that which is why I love this drama so much! It understands what a gamer goes through or why they choose this path as a professional career. If you're a gamer then you would enjoy this tremendously! If not, I warn you if you're not use to FPS games, you may or may not get motion sickness or may not like the editing at all. The editing of the camera in-game makes it seem like the audience is also "playing" the game with the characters.
CrossFire is set in two different time lines due to a glitch on both male leads' game: 2008 with Xiaofeng (Luhan) where e-sports was just starting and not recognized as a professional career. This is where Xiao Feng struggle with keeping his parents proud by working in your typical office company or doing what he loves. Gamers were looked down upon, however Xiaofeng didn't care and wanted to do what he loves. There was a quote that I really love from XIaofeng where he said he didn't steal or hurt anyone, all he wanted to do was play games, what's wrong with that? Honestly, I can resonate with that as gaming is not always bad, it can be therapeutic. Hence another reason why I like this drama, it showcases how much gaming can mean to people of all ages.
In 2019 is where e-sports is widely recognized and fancier than Xiao Feng's era. We have Xiao Bei who is the leader of the team, Continue. He originally wanted to continue his brother's last project of winning championships. However, it eventually became his own goal as well. Xiao Bei was paralyzed due to an accident in the past but no matter what happens he would still play games. His struggle was different from Xiao Feng's because his father didn't want him to play and he's also paralyzed from the waist down. Xiao Feng's father is a police who originally supported his boys in playing games until the accident and he refuse to let Xiao Bei continue playing. Until he notices how happy Xiao Bei was and that was all that mattered to him.
Both Xiao Feng and Xiao Bei's lives intertwined in reality when an accident happened while Xiao Bei was young kid. Both leads communicate through the game to either meet or fix history. In some ways, history was changed. Later on, both leads meet in real time and work together towards both the world championship competition and a murder case.
There is not many eye candies in this drama, which shouldn't take away from the drama because all the actors and actresses did an amazing job! Pan Mei Ye who plays Su Jia Ying (S+1 in Xiao Bei's team) and Dai Lu Wa (Chu Ge) respectively wow'd me. Both their characters is different from another drama I watched before and they really showcased their abilities here! :) Ofc, Luhan and Wu Lei improved a lot as well! Overall, no complaints on the acting in this drama!! ^_^
However, I do dislike..or rather loathe a character and that's Xu Wei. The best friend of Xiao Feng, honestly he's the worse antagonist ever. I can only say that he betrayed his best friend and that did not sit well with me. His ending did not do it justice at all, I wished for him to rot in prison. >.> Of course, this was not the only friendship betrayals, however the others were resolved between the members. Xu Wei on the other hand, god I wish he would rot. =.=
The romance in this drama is obviously not the main focus, however there is some kissing and relationship problems here and there. Both female leads are not your typical females, they are strong in their own ways. Especially Chu Ge, she may be cold on the outside but she cares for those around her. It wasn't easy for her to open up to people but eventually she did because of Xiao Bei. An Ran, on the other hand, though she's more of an awkward female lead, she was there for Xiao Feng through his tough times and tried to mitigate problems between the teammates as best as she could.
Friendship is the key in this drama because it revolves around friends, fights, betrayals, bonding, and working together towards one goal. Its heartwarming yet can hurt one another.
If you like e-sports, playing or watching games, less romance, more bromance and friendships then you would like Crossfire. Furthermore, if you want to dive deeper into what this drama have to offer on life experiences, and life in general then I would definitely recommend CrossFire. ^_^
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Wholesome slice of life, truly recommend!
I do not normally review dramas until it's finished but this is an exception. if you're still hesitating, I suggest to go for it. Go Ahead is a slice of life, WHOLESOME cdrama of 2020. It's quite relatable especially if you're adopted, or had parents divorced or controlling parents, etc. Maybe you're able to relate to some extent. I personally enjoy it a lot!! The main focus is about family love and how the kids' feel with the lack of love or understanding from their parents.The story revolves around 3 characters and the people around them: Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao and He Zi Qiu.
Li Jian Jian is the female lead with a strong and outgoing personality. Her mother passed away a year(?) before the drama began. Therefore, her dad became the loving, doting father who raised her very well. Of course, Jianjian was pretty lonely and wanted a sibling - an older brother. This is where Ling Xiao comes in as the neighbor Despite her mother passed away, she still of course misses her but Jian Jian doesn't let that bring her down because of her family. ^_^ She cherishes her brothers dearly, until a certain point where it got weird for her. But other than that, all was resolved and they're still as close as ever. :) As the audience, some may not accept the love between Jian Jian and Lin Xiang or Ziqiu but in a sense you can tell who loves her more than just family - its the subtle differences!
Ling Xiao's family was pretty rough, his sister passed away not long ago and his mother blamed him for it. She has anger issues, always yelling everyday with his dad so Ling Xiao just sits outside on the staircase. Eventually, he was convinced to join Jian jian and her dad for dinner. That's where the closeness between the two began. His parents eventually filed for divorced and his mother left. Somewhere in the future, you can tell Ling Xiao's mother was a nightmare to Ling Xiao and he never really liked being with her but he can't really say it. Ling Xiao's mother, from my pov, is a two-faced, selfish mom who thinks she can just come into his life and control who he's with and who he belongs to like an object. She disrespects the people who raised and genuinely loves Ling Xiao, which is unacceptable in my opinion.
Zi Qiu also have issues of his own, his mother was having trouble (later on in the show she explains what really happened) and eventually had to leave him with Jian Jian and her dad to take care of. Jian Jian didn't like him, she didn't want him as a brother but eventually they grew close like siblings. Zi Qiu is a character who felt like he was abandoned by everyone and that no one wants him. The only people who never left was Jian Jian and her dad hence he thought by marriage they would become a real family. But in his heart, all he wanted was love and family and especially for his mother to acknowledge him. His biological father was a rich, arrogant, and selfish father who thinks he can just come in and buy his son away from his adoptive family. *rolls eyes* Ziqiu's family story is quite heartbreaking but its not always in the dark. :')
The three became a family with Li Ba and Ling Ba, a loving family. It teaches you that anyone can be family, not just related by blood. We're able to to see them grow up, have each others' backs, care for one another and just bond together as family. It's very wholesome, and makes you smile every time. :')
Qi Ming Yue aka Yue Liang is Jian Jian's best friend, she's not going to be your typical love rival in the drama but it can just a little bit irritating at one point. She also have mother issues of her own because her mom is very controlling and Yue Liang just feels extremely stressed over it. Even her father is being controlled by her mother, its just another form of a selfish mother. Overall, she's a very nice friend to have for Jian Jian, she's more reserved than Jian Jian, but the two bond well together.
Tang Can is another close friend of Jian Jian's. She was initially very arrogant but eventually we know the real her. Tang Can is quite out-spoken and outgoing but she deals with her own issues alone. Her mother is usually embarrassed of Tang Can because Tang Can doesn't have a stable job, and its something Tang Can is embarrassed of herself. But she is able to overcome this and do what she wants to do.
Overall, this drama teaches you a lot about family life whether biological or not. There's different kinds of mothers and fathers. It also focuses on friendship, love, and unrequited love. Its a wholesome drama, and I really recommend to new cdrama fans. Just be prepared to cuss at Ling Xiao's mom and prepare tissues for Ziqiu's story. ^_^
HAPPY ENDING FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND LOVING FAMILY! :')
The acting is no joke, superb and natural. Everyone did amazing! The music is great as well! Tan Song Yun sings the OST "Like A Breeze." ^_^
I can definitely rewatch this again!! I IMPLORE YOU TO WATCH IT!
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Unskippable Kdrama of The Year!
Kang Bitna had me enthralled into her demon eyes, and sassy personality. The Judge from Hell is one of the kdramas that I couldn't skip nor drop. It's extremely rare for me to truly love a kdrama in recent years because the acting is just not for me, or the storyline seems to fall short, or it just drags on and on. The Judge from Hell is an exception.I love the special effects in this drama, as well as the character growth of Kang Bitna. Honestly, she carried the entire show for me. Han Daon was just a cherry on top.
Park Shinhye's acting has captivated the audience, me included and I'm glad she has improved in the past 15 years that I've been watching her.
I would highly recommend if you're new to kdramas.
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Slice of life of the late 20th century of Shanghai, China
This is a slice of life drama that brings back the nostalgic late 90s of Chinese high school students set in Shanghai.Personally, this isn't amazing or nor is it bad. It just shows a day to day life of the main characters.
There are a lot of teenager issues that happens universally within the main characters circle. For example, one-sided love, secret crush, and forbidden love because China forbids young love in high school it seems. There's also characters who had to deal with weight issues, mother-daughter relationship problems that were quite relatable. Other topics this drama touched upon is remarriage, adult friendship and jealousy, etc. There's basically a plethora of topics this drama touches upon, but there's barely any romance if anyone is here to watch romance.
Personally, I think this was filmed very well cinamatography wise. I also love the use of Shanghainese to make this drama more authentic.
Acting wise - everyone did their part quite well, there's nothing phenomenal per say. It feels like the adults were more unserious and humorous compared to the kids.
Unfortunately, mid-way through the drama was when I was beginning to wonder if I should have dropped it because of how boring it became. I usually like watching 90s-inspired Chinese dramas, but I think there are way better 90s inspired cdramas than this one.
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3 Families Under 1 Roof - Poor Adaptation.
I did watch Go Ahead when it aired and really enjoyed the drama and it's poignant storyline and acting. When I heard there was a Korean remake, it prompt me to start watching it when it aired as well.Overall, it's okay. I think what disappoints me is all the important parts of Go Ahead was watered down especially the talk between Sanha and his mother after Sanha started dating. However, both mothers were definitely a pain in the ass. The Korean mother seems to be screaming way too much. She seemed to be screaming over every little thing.
Yun Ju Won played by Jung Chae Yeon is a bubbly girl who tends to be very positive about her family dynamic. I enjoy watching her act. Unfortunely, due to how short of a length this drama was, I felt like her relationship with Sanha was not natural. One minute, she feels digusted by Sanha's confession, the next minute she had a pivotal moment, and suddenly she's in love with Sanha in a romantic way. It just felt like something was missing, in my opinion, they should've just stayed siblings. I couldn't find a connection between the two, in facts its the same for all couples.
One moment they're being rejected, the next they're together! The pacing is just too quick for me to connect with their emotional scenes.
Sanha played by Hwang In Yeup. There's not much to say about his acting, he has subtle facial expressions which he portays nicely. But overall, his character is just bland. Not to say the Chinese counterpart wasn't bland, both were bland. lol But what makes the Chinese counterpart better is the scriptwriting. For example, as aforementioned, the argument between Sanha and his mother. In the original, the mother argues that Ling Xiao cares more for his neighbors more than his real family, Ling Xiao shouts, "They love me, why don't you love me?" That was the heartbreaking moment for me, and I was expecting this to happen in the Korean version but it didn't come. The Korean version was lackluster.
Kang Hae Jun (Bae Hyun Seong) seems to have anger issues compare to his Chinese counterpart. I understand he felt abandoned, and angry that everyone was trying to protect him in their own way. But anger is not needed in certain scenes. The actor's ability to cry was very natural though.
Overall, the acting of everyone was okay.
Due to kdramas being only 16 episodes, everything was cut short so it made it difficult for me to connect with the characters. I felt like they should've marinate the emotional scenes a bit more.
I also want to point out something. Was this a low budget drama? Why are 2 of Sanha's classmates ALSO doctors and why is it always these three treating the main and second leads? Yun Ju Won's cafe feels like it's her home cafe because barely anyone is ever there! LOL??? The setting felt unrealistic basically.
Overall, what really made this adaption fall short, at least for me, was the poor script and pacing.
I wouldn't recommend this version if you watched the Chinese version.
If you didn't watch the Chinese version, I would recommend that if you want better script and emotion connection with the characters compare to a fast pace adaption of it. The choice is yours.
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The male lead, Lu Yi, is your typical stoic and handsome male lead. You'll grow to love him, unlike other stoic characters, he has a resting bitch face. Sometimes it makes me laugh, sometimes it can be intimidating. Other times times he drops it and became a lovable cute guy. His little smirks gets me ..ugh..I watch the actor Allen once before but didn't have much of an impression until now. He seemed to have improved since then, he has a charismatic aura around him which I quite like.
Jin Xia is a strong woman who stands up for herself when she can. She chases after bad guys and is bonkers for money til the last episode as well. haha But in reality, she's a sensitive young woman who just wants to find her family and save her friends. She doesn't like losing people and it hurts to see her cry. Her crazy antics are fun to watch as well. haha She can be a bit dramatic with her antics which can be a teeeny tiny bit irritated. Other than that, I love the actress, Tan Songyun is an amazing actress - her crying scenes are always so heartbreaking. :(
The downside to this drama is the way they edited it and filmed it. Its not amazing and I'm assuming its because of their budget. There were a couple scenes where i notice they filmed behind a green screen and made the scene very unconvincing. Another is when they did the jump to high places cut scenes. I think the editors forget to cut a small hop before the jump onto a higher spot.
Also the villain is a freaken psychopath. *shivers*
I fully recommend this drama if you like crimes, historical cdramas, romance, conspiracy plots, and a psychopath.
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3 orphans from the countryside dream big of going to Taipei. One ended up being a workaholic to the point of not having time for friends and love ones. Another went off the wrong path and had to find their way back. Final one was too kind, but ended up accommodating to everyone's decisions around them instead of of going after what they really want. The main couple is cute. It may be odd for some because they were raised as siblings but with no blood relations whatsoever. I really like the backstory to Yuan Man's childhood when she was abandoned and how she was traumatized because of it. Although I can't really relate, i can in a different way which made me root for her happiness in the end.
Hou Zi is my other favorite character, but you'll be in for a very sad ending. Grab tissues because I loved him and Liqing a lot than main couple. They were adorable!
The antagonist of the story is not a very cunning person, just can be annoying because she always drags Yuan Man to help her with her love life. Overall the drama wasn't too dramatic, it can get a bit draggy but its chill. Childhood friends trying to make it big in the city. You get arguments, college- adult life, breakups, trust broken between friends, misunderstandings, business related things, etc.
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Amazing martial arts choreography, plot was disappointing.
The overall plot and progression of Legend of Anle was extremely slow, so slow that the scriptwriters love giving characters' repetitive lines for 23 episodes straight. The drama only gotten better at episode 29.Anle is constantly reminding everyone that she's here for the Di family revenge and nothing else. Yet she also has an army of 30,000 soldiers used as dowry to marry the prince. Her plan from the get go is to entice the prince, but in reality to bring justice to her family. Don't get me wrong, I really love seeing Anle fight for her family and find justice with the people around her. It's was her goal from the get-go. We already knew that was her storyline. Anle is an independent woman, she's very intelligent and it seems to me she can hold her own without Hanye in her life. It would've been nice if this drama was not about romance. Dilireba acted great in this drama, it's not her best drama in terms of storyline and script but it's tolerable.
Hanye is a man of few words, and also focuses on this one line (not verbatim): "I will fulfil grandfather's edict of marrying Di Ziyuan." He says that nearly every single episode. We get it. He seems to be strategic in his own way, he does not share his inners thoughts in the first 23 episodes or so. He's a rule-abiding prince, doesn't matter if the love of his life tells him what he's doing is wrong for her and her massacred family, etc. It was annoying to watch him tell Anle or someone that what they're doing is wrong. She could've done everything on her own essentially, and she also has a princess for a best friend who could've helped her instead of Hanye. Gongjun's acting isn't the best. This was my first drama of his and he was very cringe to watch. His expressions are either too stiff or too awkward. There are plenty of characters of little words yet are able to convey their feelings through their eyes or expressions; Gongjun barely does that. He needs to work on improving his acting. Towards episode 29, Hanye as a character becomes more tolerable imo. He's done a lot for Anle and I forgave him for the bs he said to Anle before.
Moving on to Hanye's little sister. Anning, the general of Jing aka the elder princess of Jing. I think the scriptwriters dumbed her down immensely for someone who has "General" as her title alongside the title of "Princess." It made me very furious that she was toned down. She's a wonderful fighter, and I honestly thought she could've helped Anle a lot more than Hanye. She was a disappointing character. Despite of that, she has her pride, and she feels like she was at fault for the massacre of Di Family - she tends to drink a lot because of it. I just wish the writers didn't do her dirty. The actress of Anning did very well imo.
Luo Ming Xi is the "older brother" aka protector of Di Zi Yuan and also has a one-sided crush on Zi yuan. He's done his best to help Anle to find justice and revenge for her family and has been with her every step of the way. Would you say I have second-lead syndrome? Possibly yes. His character is quite patient and also more vicious than Anle is towards the Jing royal family. He would do anything to protect Anle from any more harm. Honestly, he deserves a medal. LOL Liu Yu Ning did the character justice, no awkward acting from my pov, I can tell how much he loves Anle even from his subtle actions or movements.
I want to put a spotlight on Linlang who was played by Wang Yitimg. Wang was the perfect role for this character, her martial arts choreography was beautiful and elegant! The perks of having a dancer background! Her character, Lin lang, is technicalyl a spy for Luo Ming Xi, his protector, his doctor, etc. lol She does everything! So watch out for her!! Her fighting scenes were badass.
Happy ending? Yes.
Would I watch again? No
Would I recommend it? 50/50. It depends if you like horrendous scriptwriting, and slow-burn romance. Even slow plot progression. Otherwise, you can basically skip to episode 23 or 29 for the good parts.
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