This review may contain spoilers
This series is not an official sequel to Addicted.
If you started watching this series thinking it was a direct continuation of Addicted, you might end up feeling a little disappointed. This is because the show is not actually an official sequel to the novels or the original story. Instead, it feels more like an alternative universe something along the lines of “what if the story had continued in a different way?” So if you were a big fan of the original series, it’s better to lower your expectations a bit before watching.
Overall, the story isn’t bad, but at times it feels overly complicated and incomplete. As the series progresses, you start to notice that some plot points are left unresolved. For example, there’s the storyline about the woman who drove Yoki to such a low point, but what exactly happened and how those events unfolded are never fully explained. There were several moments where I found myself wondering, “What exactly happened here?” It almost feels as if certain scenes were filmed but later cut during editing.In my opinion, one of the biggest problems with the series is its pacing and time management. The first episode has a long opening and intro sequence that lasts about six minutes. Honestly, if that intro had been shorter and more time had been given to the story, it would have worked much better. Especially in the last two episodes, everything moves very quickly. A lot of events are packed into a short time, which makes some parts feel rather superficial. Even the final episode being slightly longer doesn’t fully fix this issue. Although it runs about 11 minutes longer than the others, some important details are still left unexplained. For instance, what exactly was the agreement with the village head? What did they accept, and what were the consequences of that deal? These things remain a bit vague. At a certain point, you find yourself having to fill in the gaps and make your own assumptions. That said, the series does have its strengths, and it’s fair to mention them.First of all, the acting is genuinely very good. The lead actors portray their characters in a very natural and convincing way. The scenes between Yoki and Yang Meng, in particular, feel very sincere. Their chemistry is easily one of the strongest elements that keeps the series engaging. Another positive aspect is the music. The soundtrack is really beautiful and supports the emotional tone of the scenes very well. Especially in the quieter moments, the music helps create a strong atmosphere. The locations and setting are also quite appealing. The small-town atmosphere, the nature shots, and glimpses of everyday life make the series feel more authentic. Sometimes, simply watching the environment and scenery is enjoyable on its own. However, there are also some noticeable shortcomings on the production side. At one point in the series, there is a “show within a show” concept, where characters are filming a drama inside the story. Those scenes don’t feel very realistic. Normally, you would expect to see camera crews, lighting equipment, boom microphones, and a larger technical team on set. But here it almost looks like there is no crew at all. This was probably due to budget limitations, but adding a few small details could have made those scenes much more believable. Another issue is the side couples in the series. Personally, I don’t think they were really necessary. Their storyline doesn’t contribute much to the main plot, and in some moments it slows down the pacing. At times, I even found myself skipping their scenes because what I really wanted to see was the story between Yoki and Yang Meng. The time given to the side couples could have been used instead to develop the main characters’ relationship or to fill in some of the gaps in the story. That might have helped resolve some of the missing pieces in the finale. In the last episodes, the editing becomes a bit more scattered. Especially during the one-year period after their separation, it’s not very clear what exactly happened. For example, there are scenes where You Xi is in the desert, but the reasons behind it or the process that led him there are never fully explained. This makes parts of the story feel somewhat disconnected.
Overall, the series is not perfect there are definitely some significant flaws. But it’s not a bad show either. The performances of the actors, the chemistry between the leads, and some of the emotional scenes make it worth watching.Especially if you watched Addicted years ago, seeing these characters again creates a strong sense of nostalgia. The story may not be incredibly powerful, but it’s nice that it manages to bring back a bit of that old feeling. In short, this series sits somewhere in the middle for me: It’s enjoyable to watch, but it’s not an unforgettable masterpiece. It has some really good moments and some clear shortcomings, but in the end, it’s still a show that I don’t regret watching.
Overall, the story isn’t bad, but at times it feels overly complicated and incomplete. As the series progresses, you start to notice that some plot points are left unresolved. For example, there’s the storyline about the woman who drove Yoki to such a low point, but what exactly happened and how those events unfolded are never fully explained. There were several moments where I found myself wondering, “What exactly happened here?” It almost feels as if certain scenes were filmed but later cut during editing.In my opinion, one of the biggest problems with the series is its pacing and time management. The first episode has a long opening and intro sequence that lasts about six minutes. Honestly, if that intro had been shorter and more time had been given to the story, it would have worked much better. Especially in the last two episodes, everything moves very quickly. A lot of events are packed into a short time, which makes some parts feel rather superficial. Even the final episode being slightly longer doesn’t fully fix this issue. Although it runs about 11 minutes longer than the others, some important details are still left unexplained. For instance, what exactly was the agreement with the village head? What did they accept, and what were the consequences of that deal? These things remain a bit vague. At a certain point, you find yourself having to fill in the gaps and make your own assumptions. That said, the series does have its strengths, and it’s fair to mention them.First of all, the acting is genuinely very good. The lead actors portray their characters in a very natural and convincing way. The scenes between Yoki and Yang Meng, in particular, feel very sincere. Their chemistry is easily one of the strongest elements that keeps the series engaging. Another positive aspect is the music. The soundtrack is really beautiful and supports the emotional tone of the scenes very well. Especially in the quieter moments, the music helps create a strong atmosphere. The locations and setting are also quite appealing. The small-town atmosphere, the nature shots, and glimpses of everyday life make the series feel more authentic. Sometimes, simply watching the environment and scenery is enjoyable on its own. However, there are also some noticeable shortcomings on the production side. At one point in the series, there is a “show within a show” concept, where characters are filming a drama inside the story. Those scenes don’t feel very realistic. Normally, you would expect to see camera crews, lighting equipment, boom microphones, and a larger technical team on set. But here it almost looks like there is no crew at all. This was probably due to budget limitations, but adding a few small details could have made those scenes much more believable. Another issue is the side couples in the series. Personally, I don’t think they were really necessary. Their storyline doesn’t contribute much to the main plot, and in some moments it slows down the pacing. At times, I even found myself skipping their scenes because what I really wanted to see was the story between Yoki and Yang Meng. The time given to the side couples could have been used instead to develop the main characters’ relationship or to fill in some of the gaps in the story. That might have helped resolve some of the missing pieces in the finale. In the last episodes, the editing becomes a bit more scattered. Especially during the one-year period after their separation, it’s not very clear what exactly happened. For example, there are scenes where You Xi is in the desert, but the reasons behind it or the process that led him there are never fully explained. This makes parts of the story feel somewhat disconnected.
Overall, the series is not perfect there are definitely some significant flaws. But it’s not a bad show either. The performances of the actors, the chemistry between the leads, and some of the emotional scenes make it worth watching.Especially if you watched Addicted years ago, seeing these characters again creates a strong sense of nostalgia. The story may not be incredibly powerful, but it’s nice that it manages to bring back a bit of that old feeling. In short, this series sits somewhere in the middle for me: It’s enjoyable to watch, but it’s not an unforgettable masterpiece. It has some really good moments and some clear shortcomings, but in the end, it’s still a show that I don’t regret watching.
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