Sadly, they butchered the original story
P.S. This is an updated review, and if you're a fan of the actors/actresses, it’s probably best not to read this. I won’t be entertaining any opinions or arguments against what I’ve said.
(Review up to Episode 12)
A little TMI: I had been waiting for this drama for so long. I read the novel, set my expectations sky-high, and, well… let’s just say those expectations took a nosedive—straight into the gutter, or somewhere equally disappointing.
That said, let’s start with the positives. There aren’t many (for now), but I’ll list them before I forget:
— The soundtrack: Out of the 12 songs I’ve heard so far, I love every single one of them. Enough said.
— The cast and acting: Especially Li Zan, Benjamin, and Jiang Lin. Some people find the English-speaking parts awkward, but considering their characters aren’t meant to be native speakers, it doesn’t really bother me. I think the actors and actresses did their best, and I appreciate the effort. Also, while I haven't seen much from the rest yet, Zheyuan and Liang Jie absolutely deliver when it comes to emotional scenes. Every expression, whether it’s joy, hesitation, or longing, is so raw and tangible. They're just so so so so good at it.
— The set: The production team went all out, building an entire fictional city and structures for this drama. Honestly, it feels like they poured all their resources into the set... and not so much into the story. Unfortunately.
— The tone: As someone with terrible eyesight, I prefer my dramas bright—not blindingly so, but at least bright enough that I don’t have to squint while watching.
— Unexpected but delightful dynamic between Benjamin and Saxin: This wasn’t something I saw coming, especially since it wasn’t in the novel, but it’s one of the highlights for me! Saxin is usually either frowning or scowling when he’s around Benjamin, while Benjamin can’t help but poke fun at him. Their interactions are always a joy to watch.
Now, onto the negatives. Honestly, writing this feels a bit heavy because what I have in mind is... anything but little.
— The execution of the story: I genuinely don’t know what happened here or where things went wrong, but this adaptation falls short of the novel I loved so much. Up until Episode 6 or 7, I think I unconsciously made up excuses in my head for the dissatisfaction I was feeling. I kept convincing myself to give it time, to wait for the so-called turning point in Episodes 11 and 12—but even then, it still didn’t quite hit the mark. It did improve compared to the previous episodes, but just not quite enough to make up for everything else. I know that having high expectations is a surefire way to set myself up for disappointment, but I couldn’t help it. I waited so long for this drama, and I wanted so badly for it to live up to what I had imagined.
— The dialogues: From the moment Li Zan and Song Ran met in Episode 1, it was clear that their conversation was lifted straight from the novel. While it brought back memories of reading the novel, it didn’t quite translate well to the screen. Some conversations came across as flat or even awkward. For instance, during the lunch scene, their quiet moments on the truck, and the gesture of Li Zan lending Song Ran a comb. Especially the lending-comb scene—it was meant to be swoon-worthy, much like it was in the novel, but in the drama, it completely lost that same charm.
— Too draggy: There were stretches of time when the pacing slowed to a crawl. Some scenes also dragged on unnecessarily, as if they were added simply to fill time, without actually serving the narrative. And, slow motion can be effective when used thoughtfully, but here, it often felt overdone.
— Song Ran: Honestly, the version of Song Ran in the novel was so much better. In the novel, she’s calm, composed, a bit shy, thoughtful—a young lady who might seem soft on the outside but is incredibly determined on the inside. To put it plainly, the novel’s Song Ran has a level of restraint that the drama’s version lacks. The novel version would never get drunk in a military base and write her crush’s name on the ground. That’s just not who she is. Unfortunately, the drama made her seem much more childish and less grounded than she should be. Also, in the drama, Song Ran seemed to follow Li Zan around everywhere, even secretly taking a picture of him on the first day. This behavior feels out of character for the Song Ran I love from the novel, who would never be so forward or intrusive. (But I get it—if we look at it purely from a romance perspective, it’s meant to be sweet, adorable, all that. Still, it could’ve been handled better without making her feel like a completely different person.)
— The flashback: Was it really necessary? I didn’t mind it at first, but then came that scene after the dance—Li Zan pulled Song Ran into his arms to keep her from bumping into someone, and barely ten seconds later, they turned it into a flashback. Like, come on?! My memory isn’t that short. It’s one thing to highlight key moments, but this felt almost comical.
Well yeah, for now, I’ll give this the benefit of the doubt—hoping that it only gets better from here on out. I’m ready for this drama to put me through the emotional wringer—I’ve got tissues on standby, anyway. But what I’m really dreading is walking away from it feeling utterly disappointed. PLEASE, be good until the end. Fingers crossed!
(Updated review.)
I went in expecting heartbreak and tears, and in a way, I guess I got that—just not in the way I had hoped. Instead, it was pure disappointment at how badly they butchered this story.
After this whole rollercoaster of a journey, here's how I'd sum it up:
— Romance: 1/10. Completely underdeveloped, rushed, and way too cringe for my taste. It almost feels like they downplayed the main lead’s PTSD.
— Dialogue: 3/10. Half of it was just nonsense. What was the screenwriter even doing?
— Acting: 8/10. Zheyuan was brilliant—one of the few saving graces.
— Characters: 5/10. They absolutely ruined Song Ran. I thought that by the end, I might at least understand her poor choices in the beginning, but nope. Nothing against the actress, but the way they wrote Song Ran made her completely unlikeable. Li Zan deserved better.
— Overall Story: 1/10. They butchered the original plot beyond recognition.
Just a complete waste of potential. Bye.
(Review up to Episode 12)
A little TMI: I had been waiting for this drama for so long. I read the novel, set my expectations sky-high, and, well… let’s just say those expectations took a nosedive—straight into the gutter, or somewhere equally disappointing.
That said, let’s start with the positives. There aren’t many (for now), but I’ll list them before I forget:
— The soundtrack: Out of the 12 songs I’ve heard so far, I love every single one of them. Enough said.
— The cast and acting: Especially Li Zan, Benjamin, and Jiang Lin. Some people find the English-speaking parts awkward, but considering their characters aren’t meant to be native speakers, it doesn’t really bother me. I think the actors and actresses did their best, and I appreciate the effort. Also, while I haven't seen much from the rest yet, Zheyuan and Liang Jie absolutely deliver when it comes to emotional scenes. Every expression, whether it’s joy, hesitation, or longing, is so raw and tangible. They're just so so so so good at it.
— The set: The production team went all out, building an entire fictional city and structures for this drama. Honestly, it feels like they poured all their resources into the set... and not so much into the story. Unfortunately.
— The tone: As someone with terrible eyesight, I prefer my dramas bright—not blindingly so, but at least bright enough that I don’t have to squint while watching.
— Unexpected but delightful dynamic between Benjamin and Saxin: This wasn’t something I saw coming, especially since it wasn’t in the novel, but it’s one of the highlights for me! Saxin is usually either frowning or scowling when he’s around Benjamin, while Benjamin can’t help but poke fun at him. Their interactions are always a joy to watch.
Now, onto the negatives. Honestly, writing this feels a bit heavy because what I have in mind is... anything but little.
— The execution of the story: I genuinely don’t know what happened here or where things went wrong, but this adaptation falls short of the novel I loved so much. Up until Episode 6 or 7, I think I unconsciously made up excuses in my head for the dissatisfaction I was feeling. I kept convincing myself to give it time, to wait for the so-called turning point in Episodes 11 and 12—but even then, it still didn’t quite hit the mark. It did improve compared to the previous episodes, but just not quite enough to make up for everything else. I know that having high expectations is a surefire way to set myself up for disappointment, but I couldn’t help it. I waited so long for this drama, and I wanted so badly for it to live up to what I had imagined.
— The dialogues: From the moment Li Zan and Song Ran met in Episode 1, it was clear that their conversation was lifted straight from the novel. While it brought back memories of reading the novel, it didn’t quite translate well to the screen. Some conversations came across as flat or even awkward. For instance, during the lunch scene, their quiet moments on the truck, and the gesture of Li Zan lending Song Ran a comb. Especially the lending-comb scene—it was meant to be swoon-worthy, much like it was in the novel, but in the drama, it completely lost that same charm.
— Too draggy: There were stretches of time when the pacing slowed to a crawl. Some scenes also dragged on unnecessarily, as if they were added simply to fill time, without actually serving the narrative. And, slow motion can be effective when used thoughtfully, but here, it often felt overdone.
— Song Ran: Honestly, the version of Song Ran in the novel was so much better. In the novel, she’s calm, composed, a bit shy, thoughtful—a young lady who might seem soft on the outside but is incredibly determined on the inside. To put it plainly, the novel’s Song Ran has a level of restraint that the drama’s version lacks. The novel version would never get drunk in a military base and write her crush’s name on the ground. That’s just not who she is. Unfortunately, the drama made her seem much more childish and less grounded than she should be. Also, in the drama, Song Ran seemed to follow Li Zan around everywhere, even secretly taking a picture of him on the first day. This behavior feels out of character for the Song Ran I love from the novel, who would never be so forward or intrusive. (But I get it—if we look at it purely from a romance perspective, it’s meant to be sweet, adorable, all that. Still, it could’ve been handled better without making her feel like a completely different person.)
— The flashback: Was it really necessary? I didn’t mind it at first, but then came that scene after the dance—Li Zan pulled Song Ran into his arms to keep her from bumping into someone, and barely ten seconds later, they turned it into a flashback. Like, come on?! My memory isn’t that short. It’s one thing to highlight key moments, but this felt almost comical.
Well yeah, for now, I’ll give this the benefit of the doubt—hoping that it only gets better from here on out. I’m ready for this drama to put me through the emotional wringer—I’ve got tissues on standby, anyway. But what I’m really dreading is walking away from it feeling utterly disappointed. PLEASE, be good until the end. Fingers crossed!
(Updated review.)
I went in expecting heartbreak and tears, and in a way, I guess I got that—just not in the way I had hoped. Instead, it was pure disappointment at how badly they butchered this story.
After this whole rollercoaster of a journey, here's how I'd sum it up:
— Romance: 1/10. Completely underdeveloped, rushed, and way too cringe for my taste. It almost feels like they downplayed the main lead’s PTSD.
— Dialogue: 3/10. Half of it was just nonsense. What was the screenwriter even doing?
— Acting: 8/10. Zheyuan was brilliant—one of the few saving graces.
— Characters: 5/10. They absolutely ruined Song Ran. I thought that by the end, I might at least understand her poor choices in the beginning, but nope. Nothing against the actress, but the way they wrote Song Ran made her completely unlikeable. Li Zan deserved better.
— Overall Story: 1/10. They butchered the original plot beyond recognition.
Just a complete waste of potential. Bye.
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