A tourism advertisement?
Ski into Love filmed many more episodes worth of content than what actually aired, and you can tell.What we ended up with were a lot of scenes of the snowboard just group eating and hanging out. At times, it really felt like I was watching actors kind of do whatever they want in front of the camera. More like a variety show. It didn't seem like the actors were taking the filming very seriously.
The chemistry between the 3 couples was just OK. I never felt anyone pull at my heartstrings.
The plots were all half-assed, most with very weak resolutions. I certainly expected more from a drama adapted from a novel.
I will say, Ski into Love showcased some beautiful areas of China you don't often see in dramas - which, I'm guessing was the underlying agenda of the series.
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A great fantasy romance
Love in the Clouds is the kind of fun, easy-to-watch chinese fantasy romance that I live for. The plot isn't overly complicated, and the romance is just as important to the story as the conflict.While they began with deception, the lead couple has a wonderful relationship of mutual respect and admiration. Lu Yuxiao and Hou Minghao have some of the best chemistry I've seen in cdramaland. This couple is so good, that even with their abundant screen time, I still wished for more!
My 1 gripe with the storyline, and it is a rather big one, is the arc of the 2nd male lead. An arc we've seen in many many of cdramas through the years, that I have never cared for. The evolution of the character does not do justice to the 2ml we first met in the early episodes.
It was also evident at times that scenes were cut, and certain plot points were rushed. CGI was about average for a chinese TV budget - I've seen cleaner.
Still, this drama managed to keep a nice pacing and immersive, logical tale.
This is a must-watch (and re-watch) drama.
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Funny & Infuriating
Filter may be the only true Chinese romcom I have ever seen. I don't often laugh out loud, but I did several times while watching this. I was pleasantly surprised, and eagerly went from episode to episode.Alas, it is not perfect. The conflicts created by the FL being able to change her appearance are incredibly repetitive. There are stretches of time when the FL sadly isn't onscreen because her other personas have taken over.
The ML is a true loser in love - a pitiful guy who makes you want to yell at the screen "get it together!" (Still, a refreshing role to see TJC in)
But I think the most disappointed aspect of the show was the rather serious plot given to the 2nd FL in the last 5 episode of the series. The focus steered away from the lead couple and away from the fun.
Filter managed to stick the landing, but not without countless moments of hair-pulling frustration.
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An empty shell of a series
The reasons this even gets a 4 are: a good cast, nice cinematography, a promising start to the series, and characters with potential. But otherwise, The Impossible Heir has some of the most baffling writing I've ever seen.The writer had visions of a grand revenge drama without the ability to pull it off.
This script reads like someone wrote a 30-episode arc but was suddenly given only 10 minutes under duress to cut it down to 12 episodes.
Every aspect of the show is shallow, non-committal, disjointed and illogical. You'll give yourself a headache trying to make sense of it all.
There are scenes that go nowhere. There are conversations that serve no purpose. The writer apparently never learned the art of foreshadowing.
The leads have little backstory and even less discernable motivation. What we can glean about them is often contradictory. Their confusing and unrealistic actions cause even the main protagonist to become unlikeable.
As for the central plot - what starts off as a found family conglomerate revenge sharply veers off course in the middle, becoming something much more dark and unenjoyable.
I can promise you that anything you'd hope to get out of watching this, you can find it done better elsewhere.
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A puzzling friendship
I have to say, I dont really understand what this show is trying to convey.This isn't a story about great friendship or great love. It seems to be mostly about a woman who is gracious to the point that the word "pushover" comes to mind. With a bit of family and romantic drama sprinkled in.
Eunjung is just average in most respects, but has an innate ability to draw people to her. Sangyeon is intelligent and tenacious, but also prickly and unable to get out of her own way. This makes for a complex decades-long friendship.
There are many raw, intensely realistic moments portrayed between friends, family and loves.
But where this show really messed up, imo, is 1. not showing enough moments, particularly past childhood, of Sangyeon behaving in a way that warranted Eunjung's loyalty and kindness, & 2. continuing a blasted love triangle from college years into their 30s. Surely there are other methods to explore a complex female friendship than putting a man in the mix.
The drama ends with these women in their 40s, and gives proper closure to the friendship, but not to the life of present-day Eunjung.
Do I feel it was worth the watch? I honestly don't know.
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Truly not that bad
A Hundred Memories has been receiving a lot of flack, much of it, imo, unfair.I think many complaints you'll read will be because viewers either A) expected the show to go against the typical kdrama formula, hoping for something AHM just wasn't going to give, or B) have, naturally, chosen a side in the love triangle(s), and are unhappy with the outcome(s).
But it's important to keep in mind that fans of each female lead feel their favorite character was mistreated the most, so in that regard, weren't the 2 FLs treated quite equally?
I think the focus of the first half of the show at 19 years old, is on choosing friendship and getting through tough times together. The focus of the second half at 26, is on choosing yourself, overcoming insecurities, and learning that you can stand on your own.
No character or relationship is all that thoroughly developed. There was much left unexplored. The final ep tried to cram in too much at once. I can't help but think this drama is another victim of the new 12-episode model in Korea.
But I'd say all the actors and their characters are great, and this often-charming drama is worth a watch if you try to appreciate every character.
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For mystery fans
This drama is worth the watch if you are a fan of crime &/or mystery dramas.Good acting all around, with an engaging plot, but the character exposition is pretty poor.
The drama also omits lots of little pieces of information that would have made the tale of the events surrounding the whodunnit narrative more cohesive.
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About friendship & healing
This was a series that started off well but began to drag and become repetitive about 1/2-way through.None of the 3 athletes involved in the "incident" in the past can get over themselves, and it makes them all unlikeable. The female lead's unending self-deprecation was too much. The characters do eventually improve, but it takes a long time. The most likeable character is the golden retriever-like male lead.
The romance is cute, but not the main focus. The private bandminton team environment is OK, but also takes a backseat.
There are other kdramas that handle romance & athletics in a much more compelling way - like the usuals: Fight for My Way, Weightlifting Fairy, 25/21
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Fantastic romance, OK thriller
This is truly a romance drama with a thriller backdrop - and the romance is where this series excels. The thriller aspect, though interesting, is lazily written and has many small plot holes. But the evolving relationship between the leads and their smoldering chemistry is captivating. The final episode falters a bit in the first half, but the ending is more than satisfactory. I did not expect to to love WTPR this much, yet it has been added to my list of all-time favorite dramas.Was this review helpful to you?
Directionless plot
This is nothing but a bland, incoheasive romcom. (And not even much romance or comedy, at that). The male lead's newfound inability to lir is barely even a secondary focus of the plot.It bounces around like the writer added every idea she ever had, regardless of if it fit or made for a good story.
I mostly watched this while doing other things and would not recommend it unless you're a big fan of any of the main actors.
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