It would not hurt me if she falls for SML and ML feels hurt, it's the show where you would ship the leads more…
One of my favourite tropes tbh is actually when the SML and FL get together for some time, and then they have a falling out/things don't work out and she ends up with the ML. Perhaps this one is a slow burn romance. I was going to pick this up because I love Jin Han and because Tian Jianci will be in one of Priest's BL novel adaptations, and so I have high expectations for this one!
I've been watching a lot of the fluff dramas airing this season which I thought I would love since my tastes always veer that direction. These include General's Lady, Perfect and Casual, Be With You, and also this one. And I think I've been dropping all of them very early on (within the 8 episode mark) because either the FL falls for the ML first, or there is some form of "insta-love" and I don't really see the romance develop over time.
I'm really missing the chase, the bickering, and the tension between both characters, as well as instances where the ML is doting to the FL and she's completely oblivious. I may pick this up when I get the chance once again, but I've been having a difficult time completing these dramas even though usually I love my "sweet" dog food and fluff.
Honestly, I'm really, really impressed by how the drama is depicting Nanxi's neurodivergency, and he's slowly becoming one of my favourite male leads next to Zhang Yao's ML in The Best of You In My Mind. Both Fiction Guo and Wan Peng are doing such a natural and incredible job at bringing to life their characters, and I really appreciate how sometimes Nanxi gets better, sometimes he gets worse, and that there isn't a "linear" way to "cure" or "resolve" the struggles he likely will have in terms of social communication for the rest of his life.
Moreover, I think it's also important that the drama slightly touches on how it is not his own individual problem, but rather an issue that society is unwilling to and/or cannot accommodate his neurodivergency. That there is still stigma of seeking psychological help, that the drama challenges the perceptions and ways in which this is conceived (especially in a high school setting) is really awesome. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the drama as they grow up together, but so far the main couple has great chemistry, and I just love how wholesome and supportive both Nanxi and Xia Rui are, and how their relationship is so healthy. How they communicate, share with each other their burdens, and cheer each other in adversity is so admirable, and I really think this is one of the fluffier and sweeter drama gems this year that balances out a lot of thoughtful commentary while keeping it light and adorable.
Guys, how is the chemistry and romance in this drama? I'm totally okay with slow-burn romance but probably will only pick this one up if the sparks between both leads are good.
I’ve been hesitating to watch this show ever since it aired but now I’m finally starting it.... I know a lot…
I definitely cannot rewatch it. It's really a painful watch; that being said I definitely do not feel like my time was wasted even given that this is a tragedy and that this is angsty. Honestly, Peng Xiaoran and Chen Xingxu's performances were incredible, the OST was amazing, and the sets and costumes were beautiful.
If there's one complaint I have, most of the middle parts seemed quite fillery to me (once it gets past around Episode 30 I found the plot to much less intense, until we get to the very last couple episodes). Overall, however, it was a great watch and I really do not regret bingeing it, but do make sure to bring tissues and prepare yourself.
Honestly, I felt like Song Yiren had a lot more chemistry with Zhang Yao in The Best of You in My Mind, and I felt like the storyline and gradual development of their relationship in that one was much better. I was surprised by the great comments so far since Aaron Deng's acting is definitely very stiff. His coldness is very forced and it's very clear when he's trying to be brusque, and his acting comes off as unnatural a lot of the time (which makes his personality rather unrealistic).
On the other hand, Wang Runze did a great job as the second lead Song Siyi, and in fact I find that he and Song Yiren have a lot more chemistry (and find myself constantly supporting this ship even though I know it's very clear that Yuan Qian will get together with Qin Shen). Overall, I feel as if right now the drama focuses much less on the school aspect, and a lot more instead on the relationship development. It's a fluffy watch that's right up my general selection and drama taste; but given the lack of chemistry and the stiff acting from the ML, I'm thinking this one will likely be a drop for me.
One more note is that for some reason, the "university" feels A LOT more like high school. Even though almost all of the cast are definitely either above or at college age; the setting and everything for some reason does not seem like college at all.
As someone who usually gravitates towards fluffy romance, would you guys recommend this for a watch? I personally loved Secret with Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum b/c even though it was DEFINITELY not fluffy, the chemistry between the two leads really kept me watching. Are there enough sweet scenes to cover the painful/bitter moments?
He Changxi was absolutely terrible in the scene he did in ep 2. He did not deserve that S card. I’m glad the…
Don't feel bad. It's okay to like someone because they are handsome or good looking, while also recognizing their acting may not be up to par. This is very self-reflexive of you, and it's awesome you admitted it too. It's great we are having these discussions though, although it says a lot about what the acting industry privileges and upholds, and how notions of "merit" or being "good at acting" often are irrelevant towards other factors (good looks, connections, profitability, etc.)
He Changxi was absolutely terrible in the scene he did in ep 2. He did not deserve that S card. I’m glad the…
It's honestly really sad. I see so many newer dramas with rookie actors that do such an incredible job, yet after seeing them once or twice I see them sidelined as side casts for other projects. On the other hand, I see some actors who continue to receive projects despite a questionable acting ability, or some actors who have been in the industry for years (maybe even a decade) who still have yet to get their big break. The notion of working hard and simply being talented is a lie; it's obvious that there are so many other factors involved in the casting decision than just one's own merit alone.
He Changxi was absolutely terrible in the scene he did in ep 2. He did not deserve that S card. I’m glad the…
No, absolutely. Unless I read the translation wrong, Guo Jingming also noted that he gave the S card because he simply wanted to cast He Changxi in some of his own works... (again, within the constraints of knowing that there may be scripted arguments, etc.) but it really goes to show how subjective such decisions often can be, and how these often are associated with broader systemic biases and issues. It's so frustrating, not to mention that these issues are often representative of double standards (such as notions of ageism towards female actresses versus male actors).
Agree! The original story is famous because they're a reversible couple/both Gu Fei and Jiang Cheng subvert a…
I think my wording was not careful enough, thank you for pointing it out. And please keep your comment up here (I think it's really helpful for others!) I meant to say "unsure if BL adaptations have been selected based on plot reasons," and then use Priest as an example. For a really great analysis of this, the article is a case study on Guardian by Cathy Yue Wang (it's available open-access!) where this is one of the reasons that (may potentially) factor into the censorship of BL works. Good point checking this though and requesting for sources!
He Changxi was absolutely terrible in the scene he did in ep 2. He did not deserve that S card. I’m glad the…
The acting was honestly really, really bad. I'm really curious why some of these actors come on the show when clearly they either do not have acting training or are not ready yet (I wouldn't expect someone to be able to act if they've never done it before!)
Possibly the most frustrating thing is that it really goes to show how casting is a complete roll of the dice/drawn by luck. There are so many stars who have such great acting skills that take years to become famous or star as leads in main projects, while others easily hook on to projects from the first time for a variety of reasons not correlated to their talents.
Again, I'm sure part of the show was scripted, and that there were arguments that may have been amplified and intentionally done to create drama in the show. But at the same time, He Changxi was really, really, objectively bad as an actor.
Unrelated to the drama, but I saw some BTS clips of Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu, and Luo Yunxi's singing was actually so good even though he was playing around? He also has a PERFECT Cantonese accent, which I was shocked by since he can also speak the Sichuan dialect!
One of my favourite aspects about the transmigration trope is when the FL uses her knowledge of the events in the novel to either protect herself or bring revenge on those who (in the novel) wronged her. In particular, I like the tropes where the FL avoids the ML (and ends up with the "villain" of the story), or basically where she and the ML and have a bad relationship and it takes time for them to build up their romantic feelings.
Where I think this drama is quite novel is that in here, the "real world" has something serious going on. I think this drama's unique quality is how while Xiaoen is in the novel, she has to also get back to the real world because of the serious situation involving He Tianxing and He Mingli.
However, what didn't work for me is Xiaoen's crush on Situ Aoran, in that basically she immediately loved him from the moment she transmigrated into the novel. I think we missed out a lot of my favourite parts of romance dramas ("the chase,") where both the ML + FL learn about each other, bicker with each other or support each other, and come to terms with their feelings. Instead, this drama presents the feeling as a given, and this is the part that made the drama itself personally less interesting to watch. I really couldn't get into the romantic relationship, and because of this I think it impacted the chemistry of the main couple (it's the reason why I felt as if Xiaoen had more chemistry with Qing Feng, because they actually had time to get to know each other).
I've dropped this series at around Episode 11, because I didn't feel invested with the main couple. However, the drama is beautifully filmed, and a lot of the sets and general design of the drama is really nice. It's a shame this one didn't work for me, but I can see why it may work for others!
Have to agree! I also had another thought, that maybe Ou Yang Yu isn't going to be a second lead and maybe Le…
Have to agree with you. It's pretty ironic because I don't really like reverse harem either (I feel too bad for all the other guys) so to be honest I'm not really sure why they made it seem like she has a bunch of guys going after her when honestly none of them seem like serious romantic interests compared to Su Muyun. I liked the quote you raised, though, which I think perfectly represents a lot of the themes around this show.
I totally agree. At the same time, I feel like Su Muyun and Nian Feng really needed this break, especially to remove the idea that they're "siblings" and that their connection is in fact romantic and not platonic. I also know that part of the series is about Nian Feng growing up and also coming to terms with her parent's accident, so in a way I think while the next episodes will be angsty, they will be important for her character building.
I actually really like Zihui as a character, and how she doesn't take any dirt from anyone. I think it's really cute how I actually like the relationship she has with Su Muyun (that increasingly I can see them being good friends and not romantic partners). I'm really wondering (if Qin Yao does become Zihui's romantic interest) how that's going to turn out b/c I definitely did not see them together (although Zihui's firey personality and Qin Yao's more passive one seem to be a cute match).
We're still not sure yet, but honestly I think it's pretty obvious Su Muyun and Nian Feng will be the "main ship" here. I don't really see the other guys being any serious romantic interest - Qin Yao and Le Di Yin have basically disappeared from the drama (although Le Di Yin may be important later on), while Ou Yangyu seems way too connected with Nian Feng's parent's accident to be a serious romantic contender.
I'm really missing the chase, the bickering, and the tension between both characters, as well as instances where the ML is doting to the FL and she's completely oblivious. I may pick this up when I get the chance once again, but I've been having a difficult time completing these dramas even though usually I love my "sweet" dog food and fluff.
Moreover, I think it's also important that the drama slightly touches on how it is not his own individual problem, but rather an issue that society is unwilling to and/or cannot accommodate his neurodivergency. That there is still stigma of seeking psychological help, that the drama challenges the perceptions and ways in which this is conceived (especially in a high school setting) is really awesome. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the drama as they grow up together, but so far the main couple has great chemistry, and I just love how wholesome and supportive both Nanxi and Xia Rui are, and how their relationship is so healthy. How they communicate, share with each other their burdens, and cheer each other in adversity is so admirable, and I really think this is one of the fluffier and sweeter drama gems this year that balances out a lot of thoughtful commentary while keeping it light and adorable.
If there's one complaint I have, most of the middle parts seemed quite fillery to me (once it gets past around Episode 30 I found the plot to much less intense, until we get to the very last couple episodes). Overall, however, it was a great watch and I really do not regret bingeing it, but do make sure to bring tissues and prepare yourself.
On the other hand, Wang Runze did a great job as the second lead Song Siyi, and in fact I find that he and Song Yiren have a lot more chemistry (and find myself constantly supporting this ship even though I know it's very clear that Yuan Qian will get together with Qin Shen). Overall, I feel as if right now the drama focuses much less on the school aspect, and a lot more instead on the relationship development. It's a fluffy watch that's right up my general selection and drama taste; but given the lack of chemistry and the stiff acting from the ML, I'm thinking this one will likely be a drop for me.
One more note is that for some reason, the "university" feels A LOT more like high school. Even though almost all of the cast are definitely either above or at college age; the setting and everything for some reason does not seem like college at all.
Possibly the most frustrating thing is that it really goes to show how casting is a complete roll of the dice/drawn by luck. There are so many stars who have such great acting skills that take years to become famous or star as leads in main projects, while others easily hook on to projects from the first time for a variety of reasons not correlated to their talents.
Again, I'm sure part of the show was scripted, and that there were arguments that may have been amplified and intentionally done to create drama in the show. But at the same time, He Changxi was really, really, objectively bad as an actor.
Where I think this drama is quite novel is that in here, the "real world" has something serious going on. I think this drama's unique quality is how while Xiaoen is in the novel, she has to also get back to the real world because of the serious situation involving He Tianxing and He Mingli.
However, what didn't work for me is Xiaoen's crush on Situ Aoran, in that basically she immediately loved him from the moment she transmigrated into the novel. I think we missed out a lot of my favourite parts of romance dramas ("the chase,") where both the ML + FL learn about each other, bicker with each other or support each other, and come to terms with their feelings. Instead, this drama presents the feeling as a given, and this is the part that made the drama itself personally less interesting to watch. I really couldn't get into the romantic relationship, and because of this I think it impacted the chemistry of the main couple (it's the reason why I felt as if Xiaoen had more chemistry with Qing Feng, because they actually had time to get to know each other).
I've dropped this series at around Episode 11, because I didn't feel invested with the main couple. However, the drama is beautifully filmed, and a lot of the sets and general design of the drama is really nice. It's a shame this one didn't work for me, but I can see why it may work for others!
I totally agree. At the same time, I feel like Su Muyun and Nian Feng really needed this break, especially to remove the idea that they're "siblings" and that their connection is in fact romantic and not platonic. I also know that part of the series is about Nian Feng growing up and also coming to terms with her parent's accident, so in a way I think while the next episodes will be angsty, they will be important for her character building.
I actually really like Zihui as a character, and how she doesn't take any dirt from anyone. I think it's really cute how I actually like the relationship she has with Su Muyun (that increasingly I can see them being good friends and not romantic partners). I'm really wondering (if Qin Yao does become Zihui's romantic interest) how that's going to turn out b/c I definitely did not see them together (although Zihui's firey personality and Qin Yao's more passive one seem to be a cute match).