Worth giving a shot (aka my entry point to C-Pop and modern Chinese music)
I had watched snatches of this drama a year ago, back then, I did not find anything appealing and had dropped the drama early on. But I had loved the songs and started listening to Huang Z.Tao and C-Pop music IRL. In fact, in many ways this show was my entry point to modern Chinese music.
But this time, I decided to give the show a second try and now have completed till episode 29. Of course, shall not deny, after a few episodes, I started skipping many of the scenes between the two female VPs of Star Entertainment and the President and his wife(who is also a former singing superstar). But it is equally true that these separate story arcs (side plots) are used to show how these characters take decisions that have an impact on the main characters of the show. And from that point of view including all that does not seem unreasonable,though I would still say that the VP Ma character and extra-marital affair angle with the President hiding his illness from his wife were totally unnecessary and avoidable.Not having those scenes would have made the narrative tighter.
I am really liking the ML, FL and SML performances. Especially the interactions between the ML and FL seem realistic and organic and I am enjoying every bit of their scenes. The SML's character struggles are evident and on restrospect though he comes across as the ideal guy, there are enough hints dropped from early on that his smiles are mostly from hi lips and not from his heart(as the ML says in one of the later episodes) and that he is indeed a grey character. The ML's characterisation is rounded and he comes across as extremely likeable as the episodes progress. Also his family --his relation with his father and sister and the hint of his father's second chance at life--are pleasant additions.
The music and thrust on music is the USP of the show for me and I am waiting to see how the remaining episodes unfold.
But this time, I decided to give the show a second try and now have completed till episode 29. Of course, shall not deny, after a few episodes, I started skipping many of the scenes between the two female VPs of Star Entertainment and the President and his wife(who is also a former singing superstar). But it is equally true that these separate story arcs (side plots) are used to show how these characters take decisions that have an impact on the main characters of the show. And from that point of view including all that does not seem unreasonable,though I would still say that the VP Ma character and extra-marital affair angle with the President hiding his illness from his wife were totally unnecessary and avoidable.Not having those scenes would have made the narrative tighter.
I am really liking the ML, FL and SML performances. Especially the interactions between the ML and FL seem realistic and organic and I am enjoying every bit of their scenes. The SML's character struggles are evident and on restrospect though he comes across as the ideal guy, there are enough hints dropped from early on that his smiles are mostly from hi lips and not from his heart(as the ML says in one of the later episodes) and that he is indeed a grey character. The ML's characterisation is rounded and he comes across as extremely likeable as the episodes progress. Also his family --his relation with his father and sister and the hint of his father's second chance at life--are pleasant additions.
The music and thrust on music is the USP of the show for me and I am waiting to see how the remaining episodes unfold.
Was this review helpful to you?
