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Appreciated some, annoyed in some.
Another yet highly rated Chinese series along with LIGHTER AND PRINCESS that I didn't enjoy much, if not for some depth, with regard to some relationship values, friendship and family.I'll be honest here, I didn't like this much. Maybe I'm just too old for this genre or way too annoyed, with regard to some aspects of this series. Mainly because I'm not into girls chasing their boys. It annoyed me greatly that this young girl is obsessing about a crush, trying hard to be so cute, doing all the initiatives to get his attention, so forth so on. I'm so not into this.
Don't get me wrong here. This maybe an unpopular review, and a great series for most, and I respect that. Yet this is how I see this. It annoyed and bored me to no end in most chapters and scenes. I'm a reader and I hate my heroines obsessing over a hero in my books, doing all the chasing. Most frustrating to read or watch, is if the hero is an arse or in this case, a quiet non smiling boy most of the time, who's just wanting to be left alone, yet here's this annoying girl who does everything to garner his attention, following him like his dog, despite the clear message, he isn't interested to be bothered.
I understand the message yes. This is a youthful coming of age drama about friendship, family dynamics and mostly about a bubbly cheerful girl, eventually helping a quiet boy to trust her, come out of his shell and believe more in himself. In doing so, she greatly annoyed me.
There are things I appreciated about this series though, that's why I'm not fully relegating it as a waste of my time.
I appreciated the friendship dynamics. That the story isn't mainly focused on one or two characters. They each have their own stories to tell. I find it adorable mostly, the heartwarming relationship between the grandma and the other boy. This made me miss my own granny.
The support system between the friends and the deep messages and values this series tried to convey, are good, especially when it comes to self belief, trust, redemption, and mostly certain facets inside a family unit. That family is the most important foundation and this is where you lay down the most important aspects, to be able to raise good, self respecting successful youths not only career wise, but as they face life's challenges.
When it comes to romance though, I'm still old school I guess. It's okay to like someone yes, or go for what or who you want. Up to a certain extent. There are a lot of ways to like a boy or a man, and for him to appreciate you back . One thing is like and respect yourself first, for a man to like and respect you back. For a drama, this might be deemed as cute and heartwarming, but in reality, boys or men may get flattered with girls' attention, but you're just paving a way for some heartaches.
I understand this is a youthful drama, about first loves, being innocent and naive and all that, still I didn't appreciate some aspects of it. It's a good thing this series didn't just try to focus on the main couple's story or else I would have dropped it.
Overall a heartwarming series. One Chinese series though, HIDDEN LOVE is similar to this, but more to my liking.
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RUTHLESS LOVE
I've watched this from a vertical drama platform titled A LOVE THAT DEVOURS. I'm a reader and I love some dark, obsessive and possessive heroes from the romance genre. So I dig this one.Vertical dramas for me are just meant to be enjoyed not meant to be taken seriously, because if I do, I'd just stress myself out. 'Though I must admit they had improved much since 2023, the first time I've tried watching them. Admittedly they're engaging and entertaining, designed to hook you up with their short, fast paced addicting cliffy style, despite of the nonsensical, ridiculous and repetitive OTT plots.
This one I liked mainly because of Chen Si the ML and its darker theme. Nothing original but finely executed and entertaining nonetheless.
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Cliched but still fun to watch
I guess I'm still old school when it comes to romances, so I'd say this series still clicked with me.It took me a while before deciding to watch this, thinking it's another boring series. This has been streaming for long on Netflix. Others say this is kind of outdated, same same old, but this kind of plot never ceases to get old for me. It never fails to leave that heartwarming and lighthearted feel for me in every watch.
Outrageous and unbelievably ridiculous in some, but still fun to watch. What I liked most here is the ML falling for FL first, holding on and fighting for her. I'm not into women chasing their men, or men pushing away or letting go. I got so frustrated with the series YOUNG LADY AND A GENTLEMAN, so I'm really good with this one. Kind of refreshed me.
Final scene left me feeling lacking and unsatisfied though. Nevertheless a fun, enjoyable series to watch.
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The good.. the bad.. and the ugly.
One of my favorite genres. A convincingly dark tale of a woman played by three actresses, all good supported by also great actors.I don't need to elaborate so much on the plot to avoid much spoilers, but I do love this series because of its depth and the message it's conveying. It's dark yes, but needed to be told. Real ugly consequences of societal issues we face today, must be addressed and thanks to the producers and writers who bravely do it, using this medium.
The thing is, for me there was no need to use three actresses throughout the episodes, regardless if several years had passed. Though they were greatly portrayed by these women, I just think two were enough. Second actress was needed of course, but as several years had passed in some episodes, for me they could had just used some prosthetic makeup to make one look older, considering how advanced films or television series are made today. Some supporting actors didn't even change much or got much older, how come main actress changed that much.
Main issue for me as mentioned above, the mature actress used in the last two final episodes, though she was great too, didn't even resemble the second younger actress in any way, when it came to facial features, to make it more convincing that she used to be Mask girl after surgery. We retain some of our facial features regardless, through the years.
Other than my one issue, I'd say this is a beautifully done must see series if you're okay with some dark themes associated with it.
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LOTS OF AMUSING COINCIDENCES
I'd say I'm recently liking watching Korean dramas. I like the heartwarming feel,the humour and the drama combined. Mostly because of their short episodes.I remember my mom watching Mexican and American soaps for months or even years, because of long episodes and never ending seasons.
This one though, is kind of long for a Korean series compared to the other few Korean series I've seen at Netflix mostly with just 16 episodes.
Plot wise, kind of interesting but overdone at the most and tend to drag and be cliched. It's to be expected of long episode series, so it's understandable. Some writers' imagination and creativity tend to get too far sometimes to the point of getting ridiculous. Acting wise, South Korean actors are always great except for the shouting and hitting.
Issues above, I'm good with them considering this is a long series. What I couldn't get past, is the over the top number of coincidences. Coincidences are real yes, but up to a certain extent.
South Korea is a big country. How in the world most characters are interconnected mostly by blood connection in one setting, in one plot, in most circumstances, is quite hard to believe. What a small world for these characters.
Main and supporting characters fit the roles except for the mother of Ms Jo, the one who manages the rich household. I've seen this beautiful lady in another mother role and she was fit in the role of an elegant sophisticated lady. In here, it's kind of awkward to watch her in her role. Though certain acting and scenes are awkward and dragging to watch, I'm okay with them.
Overall another yet heartwarming, feel good series.
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Title should be "LIGHTER AND OBSESSION"
This is a highly rated drama. I bet it's a good one if I dared to overlook some behaviours. I know many loved this and I fully respect their sentiments. I'm sorry, I guess not for me. I tried to like it. There were some good moments where I could say it was okay. Annoyance and boredom though won in the end.I can't stand to watch women like this one. I know she's presented as a young, immature and naive girl in the game of love in the beginning. She's sheltered and he's her first love. She's so in love that she overlooks most ugly things through the course of the series. How about in the latter episodes where she's already a mature woman years after, who has undergone so much hurt and expected to have learned her ways?
I don't get it. She's also smart defiant, determined, competitive and brave when it comes to what she believes in, but when it comes to the male lead, why oh why she lets herself lose her self respect and identity, beats me.
Even the supporting characters, I couldn't understand why he gets away with this kind of behaviour and attitude. A not so good message, relationship wise be it in friendship or romance, that just because you're good looking and a prodigy, you're entitled and you deserve to be a jerk regardless of a sad past.
Main leads as the way I see it from the episodes I tried to finish, which greatly bored and annoyed me, wouldn't be together, if FL doesn't keep showing up or running after the ML in each episode. Last straw for me was despite the great pain she went through after years, she's still this pathetic obsessed woman.
I'd say this is a drama series I could appreciate because of some good acting and character development of some actors like GAO, the second male lead. Main leads remain the same for me. FL still pathetic and obsessed and ML still an arse.
This is still a romantic drama regardless of all these techno innovations whatever. I'm still old school with regard to romance, be it in books and TV series. I hate doormats when it comes to my female heroines.
Overall, this could be a drama with great potential for me if the FL isn't made like this love obsessed girl. And I don't believe ML is believable that he loved this girl after everything he put her through.
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Mu Ping Zi Gui Hou Bei Lao Ban Quan Jia Chong Shang Tian
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LONG JOURNEY FOR TRUTH
A third vertical drama series I'm reviewing here. Lately I'm drawn to these short form dramas, despite their many flaws. Admittedly, they're engaging and addicting of late, and had evolved and improved a lot since. I've watched this from a vertical drama app, entitled SWEET DESTINY WITH YOU.I like this one. First time to have watched Wang Xuan, the ML. He kind of resembles the character Ji-hoo here, played long ago by actor/singer Kim Hyun-Joong from the Korean "Boys over Flowers" series of 2009. He's so good looking and first time to see from the lot that I've seen so far, where you can feel the passion when an actor kisses. He's a fine actor, given the right roles to fully explore his talent. Vertical drama roles depicting stoic and cold billionaire CEOs, don't do much justice for these emerging talented vertical drama actors.
The female lead aside from being beautiful, acts great too. Storyline not original as expected from these short dramas, but well executed. The ridiculousness and OTT scenes are present as always, but I'm used after a while of watching these mini dramas for a couple of months. Enjoyable and entertaining nonetheless.
Another heartwarming, cute story of fate, allowing people once again to find each other and face adversities along the way.
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DEVOTED OBSESSED HERO WITH SOME ISSUES
Watched this from a vertical drama platform. I've rated this a bit higher 'cause I'm a sucker for heroes like this one. I so love the male lead here. Shen Hao Nan. First time to see him in these vertically filmed dramas. He was good in portraying his role in a subtle way. He acted it well. I wish to see more of him in Chinese vertical dramas.Plotline a bit deeper. It not only delved into the romance part but with some mental health issues as well. It dragged a bit with repetitive scenes, but engaging for me nonetheless because of how devoted this male lead to his woman. Hard to get and push/pull antics of heroine so annoying. Most of the time she was just a living doll to me.
Some scenes were a bit ridiculous as expected from vertical dramas. That jump off a building scene mid way, with a suicidal villainous extra character was unbelievable and unexplained at best.
Nevertheless this was still quite entertaining for me since like I said, I so love male leads who are so into and devoted to their women.
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