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Beautiful and Mellow Healing drama that also feels like a documentary

Completed - 3/7/2022 - 8.25 rounding up to 8.5

“A Thousand Goodnights” is a beautiful, healing drama about family, dreams and people in your life. It also gives me a feeling that it’s part documentary and part tourism promotion of Taiwan. You get to travel to different parts of Taiwan, learn about small town/village traditions and livelihood. Following the train route mapped out by her deceased father, Tai Tien Ching (FL) completes the journey that her father couldn’t.

I would recommend this drama for those who enjoy:
1. Slower paced, healing drama where you get to feel, listen and experience what the characters are going through.
2. Beautiful landscapes and scenery of Taiwan - hills, mountains, ocean, islands, etc.
3. Learning about small town livelihoods and traditions
4. Different dialects spoken - Mandarin, Taiwanese and Hakka
5. Wisdom and life lessons through dramas

I also would suggest not binge-watching this drama as each episode is about an hour and 15 minutes long. Due to its slower pacing, I think 1-2 episodes a day is good. When I watch 3+ episodes a day, I lose my focus and get bored. It wouldn’t be fair to judge a drama due to my binge-watching habit.

After Station Master Tai retirement, he planned out a trip to different places along the train routes to visit old friends. But he was unable to do so and his older daughter Tien Ching wanted to complete the trip for him. Following her father’s mapped out route, she discovered different sides of her father that she never knew. She met her father’s friends and learned many life lessons throughout the journey. The trip actually did not take up as many episodes as I thought it would. I thought the majority of the drama would be about the trip itself. Actually, I would say only about 50% of the drama took place in different Taiwanese towns and villages. The rest is spent back home. There’s enough going on at home surrounding our FL, ML, 2FL and 2ML (don’t want to give out spoilers).

Romance does not take center stage in this drama. However, the two romance storylines we have give viewers two very different flavors. The romance between Tien Ching and Chen No is quiet and mature. They understand and support each other. They have honest and open communication. There’s no cute fluffiness or public display of affection. Actually, Tien Ching never straight up tells Chen No that she likes him. But you find glimpses of sweetness in their conversations and actions. And you know they care for each other deeply without any big declaration of love. On the other hand, the romance between Tien Yu and Po Sen is more of a typical rom-com romance. They are cute together and will flirt with each other. When the drama transitions to them from Tien Ching’s trip, the transitions seem out of place and weird. At times, I do think their romance and 2ML music career change the tone of the drama. I am not sure if it’s a good or bad thing.

The music and the cinematography are beautiful. There are many scenes of mountains and rivers, fields and ponds, islands and trains. The background music complements the scenery so well, without overpowering the sounds of nature (birds chirping or ocean waves). For me, I heard different types of music - from Disney-like, to classical music, to historical drama-like and big Hollywood music scores. I am not a music critic but I really, really like the background music in this drama. I also read that the opening and closing themes are specially written for this drama. The songs are beautiful as well.

Other Observations:
1. Station Master Tai seems to be the most perfect character ever.
2. I love his station master decal on his cell phone case.
3. For some reason, I don’t like how FL behaves - not sure if it’s the character or the actress
4. Why break the cute elephant banks when you can take money out from the bottom?! All for drama’s sake!
5. First time seeing a drama using Facebook Messenger as the chat app.
6. What happened to the studio’s financial crisis?
7. I do think the drama could be a little shorter.

Lastly, I love the last episode - gives me warm fuzzy feelings. “Good Night’ can mean -
I Love You
I Miss You
Thank You
I am so thankful to have you in my life
See You Soon
Good Night, Sweet dreams

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Low production value, OK acting, Lack of leads chemistry but interesting Overarching Plot

Completed - 3/2/2022 - 7.75 Rating

I really wanted to like this drama and give it a higher rating despite its general negative reviews. I was on the verge of giving it a solid 8.0 because I really like the general overarching plot of the drama. It's no wonder the novel was adapted, as the stories are interesting. However, the horrific editing of the last couple episodes discouraged me and I'll keep the rating at a 7.5-7.75. I have not read the novel, so the rating has nothing to do with how good the adaptation is, or whether I dislike any of the actors/actresses. For some reason when I was watching “Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities”, it reminded me of “Novaland: Pearl Eclipse”. I was comparing the two dramas’ plot, acting, chemistry and my enjoyment level. “Mirror” feels more like it is a part of the Novaland universe than “Pearl Eclipse”.


What I Enjoy:

General Plot - I really enjoy the story of the rise and fall of the three kingdoms, and how our three main characters’ stories intertwined with their ancestors’ stories. The objectives are clear and viewers can pretty much expect how the story will play out and what the general ending of the whole drama is. The journey of how the characters achieve their ultimate goals is what this drama is all about. I actually do not think the pacing is slow but rather good. I was not bored but do need to pay attention to what’s going on, due to its poor editing and storytelling. I can see how the editing in the first few episodes can confuse watchers and cause them not to stick around a little longer. We generally have pretty intelligent characters in this drama and there isn’t anyone too annoying.

Zheng Ye Cheng - ZYC is the only actor that uses his voice for dubbing. I applaud him for this and really wish more actors would use their own voices. I recently watched him in “Crossroad Bistro” and he did fine. I am more impressed with his acting in this drama, as he has a chance to play *spoilers* a few different characters, with different personalities. I would not say his acting is brilliant, but it's a bright spot among others. He also has the most colorful costumes in this drama!

Costumes/Looks - I think all the characters have pretty good “looks”. Their costumes fit their characters and you can see how the colors they wear coordinate with their roles. As mentioned, Zheng Ye Cheng as the Prince has the most colorful outfits. Our FL has all white or very light-colored costumes, and ML has mostly dark-colored costumes. I do think Li Yi Feng as Su Mo/Chun Huang looks better in white than in black, even with the long white hair. It might be weird but I want to compliment the wigs that the actors are wearing. I especially like the intricate braiding weaved into all of their hairstyles.

Music - This drama has a nice OST. We hear the beautiful voices of Zhou Chen and Mao Bu Yi. The songs are not overplayed and the background music complements the scenes. I didn’t feel like the music was forcing me to feel a certain way.


What I Don’t Enjoy:

Editing and Storytelling - The biggest flaw of this drama is its editing. You can see scenes that showed up in flashbacks but never during the actual scenes. I wasn’t sure if that was intentional or due to editing. Some scenes are transitioned to show the RESULTS instead of the process. It feels like the drama is condensing 15 minutes into 15 seconds. During the final few episodes of the drama there seems to be missing scenes and the story was jumping around. The episodes feel choppy and don’t flow well enough to prepare us for the final showdown or the epilogue. It’s really unfortunate because this drama could have been so much better.

Chemistry/Acting - I do not necessarily find Li Yi Feng (ML) and Chen Yu Qi’s (FL) acting horrible. They are okay. I do expect more from Li Yi Feng as I’ve seen him in “Noble Aspirations” and liked him in that drama. Maybe because he had more chemistry with Zhao Li Ying? I was hoping the chemistry between the main characters would improve but it didn’t. They are supposed to have this heartbreaking romance that’s full of longing and angst, but I don’t feel anything. Their romance is such a central part to the plot that when I can’t feel anything, it really distracts me from enjoying the rest of the drama. The romance of Su Mo and Bai Ying could be considered a slow burn (after 100 years). But it’s not giving me enough bread crumbs (aka sweetness, meaning glances, etc.) to endure this slowness and the lack of chemistry. *Spoilers* When the three leads are acting as their ancestors, I actually enjoy their chemistry more. The few scenes with an innocent Chun Huang, a more talkative Bai Wei and a jealous Lang Gan are more fun than their younger selves. I wish we had more scenes of the ancestors’ story.

Production Value - This is supposed to be a S+ production but you couldn’t tell by its horrible CGI and set designs. The CGI is subpar and it’s worse than 2018 “Ashes of Love”, especially when they are showing scenes/sets of the palace and rooms. When you see the set designs and props, they look cheap and fake. I looked back at the beautiful set designs of another S+ production, “Pearl Eclipse”, and the difference is huge. The drama also has some weird filters and camera shots. The shots look fuzzy/blurry at times. I am not sure if the director is trying to create some sort of effect? I also wish the drama had more fight scenes. There are only a handful and they’re too short for me to appreciate.

Overall, I don’t regret watching this drama. I knew to curb my enthusiasm and expectations, and I knew what I am getting myself into. I would only recommend this drama if you really like the actors, craving for xianxia dramas and have nothing else to watch. For better or worse, having only 43 episodes (pretty short for this type of drama), is one of the reasons why I decided to give this a try.

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A different kind of BL drama

Completed - 2/21/2022

Coming into this, I’ve read some comments on “My Beautiful Man”. It seems quite controversial and it’s not the typical fluffy BL drama. This is a love story about two individuals who have their own issues and demons to deal with. If I watch this drama when it’s aired weekly, I might feel the same way as most watchers, just hating how Kiyoi treats Hira. Because honestly, it’s a lot of bullying.

Hira is an introvert who suffers from stuttering. Because of that, he has a difficult time making friends and is made fun of all the time. He retreats to his little cocoon and becomes invisible. His parents bought him a camera when he was young, so that he has a hobby of his own by being socially isolated. On the other hand, Kiyoi is the total opposite. He’s the “King” who is surrounded by admirers. He’s viewed at the top of the social hierarchy but also has secrets of his own.

Hira’s obsession with Kiyoi is abnormal and unhealthy. Even though it’s mean for Kiyoi to call him creepy and a stalker, that is quite true. Hira is creepy and he is a stalker. Their complicated, master/slave relationship is the central point of this drama. It doesn’t matter that years have passed, their relationship is still as dysfunctional as ever.

But once we get to hear Kiyoi’s side of the story and his own internal struggles, viewers begin to understand the “why” behind some of his actions. But do his reasons justify his actions, that’s up to the viewer to decide. I actually really enjoy Kiyoi’s internal monologues, more so than Hira’s. I would have loved to see more of Kiyoi’s story. For someone who is new to acting, Yagi Yusei’s portrayal of Kiyoi and esp. in the last episode is really good. We see a different Kiyoi that’s not shown in the first 5 episodes.

This drama might not be for everyone. But if you are up for a different kind of BL drama, I would recommend it. Besides, Yagi Yusei IS really a beautiful man.

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Light-hearted and Cute, but Unrealistic and Illogical

Completed - 2/18/2022 - 7.75 rating

If you are not watching this aired weekly, it's best to watch the movie version than the drama version. The story flows better and it's not as fragmented. This is a cute and light-hearted BL drama/movie, with decent chemistry and somewhat good-looking actors. Also, something is wrong with the synopsis here, "After a serious row, he is thrown out of the family home and is left with an emotional wound. " <--- I didn't see that happening!! Serious row? Thrown out??

What I enjoy:
1. I like the bus scene with their pinkies in the air. Really cute!
2. Cute interactions between the leads.
3. Great songs - Korean BL dramas never disappoint me with their songs.
4. Production value seems decent enough for a low-budget web drama.

What I don't enjoy (spoilers):
1. The acting of Won Hyung Hoon (Creditor) is not very good. I know his character is supposed to be quiet, but he comes off as bland and emotionless.
2. Unrealistic and illogical plot lines (stop reading if you don't want my cynicism to spoil your happy bubble):
= Will a debt collector really trust you enough to extend your loan payment for a month after a dance that's not even that good?
= The whole debt collector profession in this drama is unrealistic.
= If a debt collector moves in with you, you should kick him out immediately (DANGER!), no matter how nice he seems.
= Just because Shi On got the audition to play the lead role, doesn't mean he automatically has money. He actually has to work first to get paid. Why does it seem like the loan is totally forgiven all of a sudden?
= If they assume the loan is forgiven, then why did Hong Seok leave Shi On in the end? As Shi On said, the previous relationship ended and they can start anew. Why leave? I still don't get it.

Though it seems like I dislike this drama/movie, I did have an enjoyable time. I needed something light and short, and it suits my needs. I just can't give it a higher rating, as it doesn't seem fair to the other dramas that I rated a 8.0 and above.

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Completed - 2/11/2022

I don't remember how I came across this drama. It's short and sounded interesting. Without knowing much about it, it appears to be a comedy full of laughs and life lessons. I then realized this drama shows our protagonist's journey of revisiting and re-examining her relationship with her mother, and dealing with her mother's sudden death.

Liu Lian (FL) aka Durian is an independent, happy-go-lucky 30-year-old feminist, who is trying to live her life to the fullest and not caring about what others think of her. She's a little quirky and a little weird, is loud and obnoxious. Like her nickname, she's spiky like a durian and protects herself with those outer spikes She's a fun character to watch. However, deep down she is lonely and really misses her mother. She has a hard time dealing with her mother's sudden death.

Throughout the drama, there are many flashbacks of Liu Lian's life with her mother. From these flashbacks, we learned of their complicated love-hate relationship, and saw how much they are alike. There are many life lessons learned in this drama, and the opening theatrical acts are an interesting way to peek inside Liu Lan's inner thoughts and feelings. Though this is a small budget web drama, I don't feel that it's a cheap production.

However, there are quite a few plot holes where things don't line up. Why did Liu Lan go back to work for the same company after her fake pregnancy announcement, as if nothing happened? How come she couldn't pay her ex back from the insurance money? What happened to her relationship with Ma Ye?

Since it's such a short drama, it's worth a watch if you have some time to kill. It's very easy to binge all 12 episodes in one day.

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Coming Out story of a Confused teen - full of sweetness and angst

Completed - 2/10/2022

This is my first completed Thai drama (BL or not). I am not a serious BL drama watcher and I am a straight woman, so I can't really comment on how realistic this drama's portrayal of a teen's coming out journey. However, I have to say that among the BL dramas that I have watched (Chinese, Korean or Taiwanese), this one is the best produced and most "realistic" to me. Most BL dramas focus a lot of the romance and skinship/kisses and are usually comedies. This one shows us Teh's conflicted feelings of realizing that he is attracted to his male best friend.

I really like the first episode. It was well-produced like a movie. It describes the young friendship of two adolescents, how they had a fallout and then back together as friends. It was innocent, and just about rekindling and repairing a lost and broken friendship. I was hooked after watching the first episode.

Episodes 2 and 3 brought us more joy and the developing of feelings for each other. You see a little jealousy from both Teh and Oh-Aew, when they are not quite sure why they are feeling a certain way. Is it just pure friendship or more than that? We also saw a few very intimate and sensual scenes from the pair of friends, yet not sexual as other Thai BL dramas I've seen. There are so much emotions in these episodes and I really enjoy the acting from both of our leads. Oh-Aew is so sweet and caring, and such a great friend to Teh.

Pacing slows down in Ep 4 and 5 and I lost a little of my focus. The focus is on Teh's mixed feelings and confusion. Others might think that it took him too long to understand his feelings. However, I disagree. Though I don't have such experience, it can't be easy to have your ideals and belief system turned upside down. He needs time to think and process and really feel. Teh is not sure what to do with these new feelings for Oh-Aew, as he's brought up to like girls and not boys. His heartfelt talk with his older brother conveys, I assume, many teens' concerns about how others view them as "different". Oh, what a great and supportive brother he has.

If I have to say one thing I don't like about this drama, is the overdramatic crying of Teh. He is quite a crybaby and the saliva and snot are a little too much for my taste. Otherwise, the acting is solid. I really like PP (Oh-Aew) and prefers his acting and showing of emotions over Billkin (Teh).

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Good pacing and overall acting - but lack mini climaxes here and there

Completed - 1/18/2022

"Sword Snow Stride" is one of my highly anticipated dramas as we seem to lack a true wuxia drama in 2021. However, after watching it, I realized it's not a wuxia drama in a traditional sense. There is a lot of special effects instead of martial arts fighting. The story is a combination of politics and pugilistic world.

It's undeniable that Zhang Ruo Yun, our male lead, has some great acting chops. I've seen him in the highly rated "Joy of Life" and also his earlier work in "Novaland: Castle in the Sky". He's an amazing actor. He reminds me of the Korean actor, Yoon Ah In. Both give off similar vibes, not handsome in the traditional sense, but with such charisma. In this drama, he is surrounded by some great veteran actors, especially, Hu Jun (ML's dad), Qiu Zin Zhi (God of Swords), Tian Xiao Jie (Grandpa Wei) and Wang Jian Guo (Old Wang). Comparatively, our young female lead, Teresa Li, pales in comparison. She's not horrible, but when you are playing against someone like Zhang Ruo Yun, she's not quite at the same level. Hopefully, we get to see more of her in Season 2 and her acting improves.

For a 38-episode C-drama, the pacing is good. There are enough events and little missions throughout the drama to keep me entertained and focused. But when looking back, everything feels very smooth-sailing. I don't think I was ever on the edge of my seat, worried something awful might happen to our leads, or that I really, really want to find out what happened next. I feel like it's missing some thrilling events. However, maybe it's also a strength that even without these minor climaxes, I am still engaged throughout.

We have many strong female and male characters in this drama. No one is naïve or makes dumb decisions. There isn't anyone annoying that I want to yell at. We have women who can fight and/or use their brains. How awesome is that! We have a family of intelligent people who are ruthless and cunning, yet selfless enough to sacrifice for the common good. They have some pretty fun and heartwarming family scenes and dynamics.

However, when "Snow Sword Stride" was promoted as a wuxia drama, it comes with certain expectations. I was hoping for amazing fight choreography and strong fight scenes, esp. from our male lead. What we have is a "modern" version of a wuxia drama with slow-motion fight sequences and a lot of special effects. I do enjoy the special effects - leaves, water, raindrops, flying swords, etc. But I was also hoping for actual fight scenes and not posing and slow-motion sequences.

Other Observations:
1. It seems like our male lead doesn't fight much and have others do the dirty work for him.
2. Our female lead seems quite useless in the first half of the drama, a little better in the second half. I hope she has a more significant role in Season 2 both in politics and in romance.
3. Why is the white fox at the fight in the last episode? What's that got to do with her? Just to help out a friend? Or want to give her some screen time before the drama ends?

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Sweet and Innocent teen drama - No GaoKao (college admission exam) for once!!!

Completed - 1/4/2022

"Summer Again" might not be a perfect drama, but to me, I really like it and I can't stop smiling while watching it. This is my second teen drama that I rated a 9.0, after my other favorite, "Forever Love". I finally found a Chinese high school drama that is not focused on the evil GaoKao (College admission exam). There are so many other teen dramas, but you can't escape the plot of students stressing over the exam and parents being mean about it.

"Summer Again" is a breath of fresh air. The setting is at a small seaside town. The drama is about our young cast finding and loving their true selves, and discovering and working towards their dreams. Romance is present in the name of friendship. It's sweet and innocent, and there's no cheesy love lines or fluffy and intimate skinship. It's just pure innocent, caring and supportive friendships.

What I like:
1. Plot/No GaoKao - As mentioned, the focus of the drama is not about studying hard for the exam. I have watched a good number of teen C-Dramas, and this might be the only one that I can remember that has nothing to do with the exam. It's just normal high school life in a small town. Our young cast grow and learn about themselves. Of course, they encounter similar challenges in other teen dramas, but I think it's a refreshing take as it all happened in a small town.

2. Realistic teenagers - We have normal teenagers doing what normal teenagers do. They hang out, dress, talk and act like teenagers. Our male lead is not cold-on-the-outside and mean to FL, nor was he a genius or a failing student. He's just a normal kid who happens to be a famous comic book author. Our female lead is not naive or shy or a pushover. She's an above-average student, not particularly smart or dumb. Even if ballet takes center stage, she's not a superstar ballerina. All characters act like their age. I also like that none of them is dumb or naive

3. Romance/Friendship - We don't have outright romances here. There's no lovey-dovey fluffiness. Not even a kiss. or the confession of "I Like You". Once in a while, a romance like this is refreshing. Our leads are caring and supportive friends. They have open and honest conversations. They listen and support each other, and don't try to change each other. They help each other think things through in order to come to their own decisions. They show affection through actions. It's simple, sweet, and innocent.

4. Ballet - I appreciate our FL performing all her dances. And no, don't expect expert ballet dancing. Her dance is simple and amateurish, and definitely not showcasing someone who has been dancing for years. I can't say for sure, but there are enough shots to show her head /body/legs to know that FL does her own dancing. On the other hand, I can also tell that her teacher is a ballet dancer (I looked him up and he is). You can tell by the way he presents himself and the few dance steps he did - very light on the feet!

5. Gift Giving - What a creative way for ML to give the farewell present to FL when they are under the tree.

What I don't quite like as much:
1. Love triangle - ML only has eyes for FL and he makes that very clear. I still think that the jealous 3FL storyline lasted a little too long. Even though I pity her circumstances, her mean actions get repetitive and annoying after a while.

2. Acting - The overall acting of the main cast is not bad. However, the other minor characters' acting is not quite up to standards. For example, I am not sure if the ballet teacher is supposed to act so stoic and wooden because of his role, or his acting is not that great.

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Overall, enjoyed it better than "Guardian"

Completed - 12/30/2021

When I watch "Killer and Healer", I can't help but compare it to the more popular drama, "Guardian" (2018) starring Bai Yu and Zhu Yi Long. I have not read either novels, so my reviews and thoughts are solely based on my enjoyment when watching the dramas. "Guardian" is a lot more popular and probably due to the two male leads. Mao Zi Jun and Ian Yi might not be as famous, but I really enjoy their (b)romance. If you are only looking for true bromance, this is not the drama for you. It is very obvious that our main leads are in love with each other.

The main selling point of this drama is the chemistry between our male leads. Zhou Yue Lou (played by Mao Zi Jun) and Dr. Chen Yu Zhi (played by Ian Yi) are obviously in love with each other. The way Yue Lou looks at Dr. Chen is full of love and affection, and you see that within the first episode of the drama. On paper, they might have very different personalties and family backgrounds. However, deep down, they have the same beliefs and ideals. They understand each other, and have a very honest and trusting relationship. Their trust for each other never wavers even when life's circumstances challenge them.

I also enjoy the overall acting of the whole cast, compared to "Guardian". In "Guardian", aside from Bai Yu and Zhu Yi Long, I did not like the acting of anyone else. In "Killer and Healer", aside from the leads, I really like Zhan Jun Bai and Patrick Quan, who played the tragic secondary couple. Our female lead is not annoying and did a pretty decent job. We have two characters who provide comic relief and they are funny in their own ways. The characters are pretty smart and didn't make any dumb decisions, and there isn't any annoying character.

The general plot of the drama is decent. It's nothing too out-of-the-ordinary. I do enjoy a Republican drama that is not about spies, the revolution or Japanese occupation. The big villain was not exposed until toward the end of the drama, though it's not hard to guess who that is. However, I do have a problem with the pacing and felt that some of the crime investigations felt repetitive. I lost my concentration in the middle of the drama, but I think it finishes strong in the last 10 episodes.

One big reason why I like this drama more than "Guardian" is that it doesn't look cheap, even though both dramas are not big budget productions. I was very annoyed with the flimsy sets in "Guardian". Here, aside from some questionable gun fights, everything looks decent and the costumes aren't bad. Our leads look dashing in their suits and uniforms. I would compare the production quality to be similar to "Fall in Love" (2021).

p.s. When watching this drama on MangoTV YouTube channel, the sound keeps on going in and out. It's very, very annoying!!
p.p.s. I heard there's an alternate ending somewhere.

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Sex Education with G-rated kisses

Completed - 11/2/2021

If the goal of the director/writer is to provide sex education to teenagers in an interesting, non-preachy and easy-to-understand manner, then I believe they achieve their goal. As a non-teen (and far from it), I enjoy the stories surrounding the three main teenage girls. Each episode covers a topic that is important for everyone to know and understand.

Here are some topics presented in the drama (not sure if it's considered spoilers):
1. First time having sex/Virginity - the fear and pressure experienced by both teenage boys and girls.
2. Asexuality and Bisexuality - prejudice, rumors, acceptance and understanding
3. Outing of someone's sexual orientation
3. Masturbation & Vibrators - stigma
4. STDs
5. Teen pregnancy - inaccurate information, lack of support school support, lack of sex education offered in school
6. Familial relationships - daughter/mom and daughter/father - misconceptions, misunderstandings and lack of communication

As a regular drama, the acting is decent and we have some pretty good-looking boys and girls. I do find the main girl, Sakura, a little annoying in the beginning. Her character does grow from an innocent girl, to one that is supportive of her friends and is willing to learn, understand and accept. However, I still find her not deserving of her boyfriend, Asahi Yu. Asahi Yu is my favorite male character in the drama. An eccentric boy who doesn't care about what others think of him, and very supportive of his girlfriend through actions. However, I am not sure if I like the acting of Mizusawa Rintaro. My favorite female character would be Hara Tsumugi, and how strong she is.

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Flashbacks galore - should have combined Seasons 1+2

10/22/2021

Aside from the continued great acting from the cast, I am very disappointed in Season 2. They should have combined both seasons, esp. when Season 2 was broadcasted only about a month after Season 1 ends.

Episodes 1-5 - Flashbacks Galore!! The story was moving so slowly as each character needs to have their own flashbacks. If there's no season 2, we don't need so many flashbacks.

Episodes 6-13 - The cast is basically running around in circles inside Death Marsh + more flashbacks

Episodes 13-18 - This last part is when the story starts to move along and things start to get interesting. There's more action, more conversations and the plot thickens! I was hoping for some good battles in the final episode, and I'm glad we did get some.

*Spoilers: Season 2 Ending and Season 3 Synopsis below* - Big Rant!!!


You give me an open ending after all that???? That is so unfair to Xiao Fan/Gui Li. He's been trying to revive Bi Yao for 10 years, and you can't give us a happy ending? And then when I read the synopsis for Season 3, you tell me Xiao Fan actually loves Xue Qi and not Bi Yao??? What the heck is that?? Who tries to chase after a glimpse of hope to be with the love of his life, and then the next season realizes that she is actually not the love of his life??? Arggh....I have never read the novel, so I don't know who Gui Li actually ends up with. But this just doesn't make any sense.

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SLOW-paced healing drama, beautiful cinematography and great acting

8/28/2021

I wanted to like this drama more but the slow pace and pauses between dialogs kept me from giving it a higher rating. I've watched melodramas before but this one is quite slow compared to the likes of "When The Weather is Fine", "Piece of a Mind" or "Chocolate".

Things I like:
1. Acting/Characters - Acting is great and the leads are veterans in the industry now. I've watched quite a few rom-coms that FL is in and it's nice to see her in a different role. I believe in her pain and am glad that her character doesn't cry all the time. She stays strong despite her traumas. I cried with her when she finally opened up to ML about her childhood trauma. I've seen ML in "Tomorrow with You" and liked him there. But I like him even more here. You see his serious and calming therapy side (love his soothing voice), then the silly lovey-dovey side, his traumatic/sad look and his adorably dorky side. I can see all those emotions in his eyes. The supporting cast also did a great job, whether they are the younger generation or the child actors.

2. Cinematography and OST: The feels are there. The drama is beautifully shot with great angles. I am not an expert in cinematography but in layman's term, it's just a very pretty drama. The music complements the mood and the feel. There's no annoying loud music or the constant playing of the same song over and over again.

3. Main Healing Romance - I love a slow-burn romance. This one is developed beautifully from strangers to neighbors to lovers. I feel that the best part of the show is when the leads are on the screen. I enjoy their dialogs, their bantering and being silly together. Some commented that they don't feel the chemistry, but I do. It's not a hot-burning fire, but a gentle, comfortable warmth between them. They care for each other, supported each other and healed each other. A love that is mature and open without misunderstandings.

4. Friendships - We got sismance and bromance. They are the comedic parts of this drama and really help lighten up the mood. Otherwise, this drama will be sad and depressing. You can also see how different the leads are when they are with their friends.

Things I don't like:
1. Pacing - As I mentioned, this is a very slow-paced drama. I understand we should be "feeling" more and not be rushed, but the pauses in between dialogs are too much for my taste. Maybe because I've been watching too many C-dramas that my tolerance for K-dramas slowness has decreased.

2. Murder mystery - I feel like the murder mystery plot seems to be its own drama on the side. It's not working very well when it's merged into a melo-romance. But without this plot, the drama would need to be shorten significantly, as there won't be enough stories to fill a d16-episode drama. There's not enough interaction between the 2nd ML and the main leads in the mid/2nd part of the drama. It's like the murder plot is totally forgotten.

I would recommend this drama to someone who loves a slow-paced healing melodrama with a slow-burn romance. Also someone who likes to pause and think and feel the emotions along with the characters. But if you like a fast-paced rom-com, this is not for you. If you are looking for a crime/murder drama, this is not it either.

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Amazing acting, big production, unlike any K-drama

7/24/2021

What an amazing end to Season 1. The long journey of waiting for Season 2 has begun. It took me a while to finish Part 3 as it's not a binge-watching kinda show. Each episode feels like its own movie.

I am in awe of everyone's acting. From the youngest children to the most senior and veteran actors, each one of them portrays their characters so well. You believe in each of their emotions and you laugh and cry with them. The four main leads are without a doubt worthy of their praises. And I agree with many that it's Song Joong Ki's best role playing both Eunseom and Saya. They are such different characters yet SJL did such an amazing job, all that the small facial expressions and mannerisms. However, I am most impressed with Kim Ok Bin, who played Taealha. This is my first time watching her. I am in love with her character. She has such a presence on the screen that I can't take my eyes off her whenever she's there. The chemistry between Tagon and Taealha is off-the-charts. Each character is so layered and gray. You understand why they make certain decisions because of their background story, and you can't help but feel for them, even though you don't agree with their decisions.

We see equal parts of Saya and Eunseom in Part 3. I am glad because I miss Eunseom in Part 2. We saw the rise of Tagon as King, Tanya as High Priestess and Eunseom as Tribal leader. There's plenty of fighting and bloodshed in Part 2 and they are all essential to the major plot. The pacing of Part 3 is faster than Part 1, but they are still somewhat slow compared to other dramas. There are so many smaller plots that have to come together for the main storyline. If one doesn't pay attention, you might miss out on something.

I wasn't aware that there are Seasons 2 and 3. If I had known, I might not have started watching this show. I waited until all 3 parts are out before I watch Season 1. Now the long wait begins. I am not sure when the cast would be able to line up their schedules and start shooting Season 2 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With so many people involved in this big production, it might be a long while before the audience can see Eunseom and Tanya reunite. I am looking forward to that. As much as I love Saya, I ship Euseom and Tanya more :)

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Beautiful production but SUPER slow

Completed - 4/5/2022 - 7.75 rounding up to 8.0

It's really unfortunate that I don't love "The Longest Day in Chang'An". It's a masterful production with a great general plot and meaningful lessons of loyalty, friendship and sacrifice. However, I was really forcing myself to finish this drama. I just couldn't get into it. The pacing is really slow for me. It took me about 15 episodes to get into the story. By approximately Ep 16-30, I became more interested as finally, there's action and explosion. Unfortunately, after Ep 30, things slow down again.

I wish this drama is only about 30 episodes long. We can use a couple episodes for the setup/buildup, then one episode per day for the real plot, and then another episode or two as an extended epilogue. 48 episodes of talking is really too much.

I was tempted to give this drama an even lower rating. However, there are certain aspects of the drama that are excellent, and prevented me from lowering my rating even more.

1. Acting - Top notch acting all-around. Nothing more needs to be said.

2. Production quality/Cinematography - I didn't do the research, but I heard the drama is very historically accurate - set designs, props, costumes, etc. You do not see flimsy sets or props that are about to break. Everything is top notch. The cinematography is also fabulous. I have a fondness of natural lighting from candles and lanterns. With the lantern festival as the backdrop, there is no shortage of beautiful night time scenes. It's no wonder "Luoyang" is being compared to this drama so much, esp. when it comes to cinematography. I would say the colors of this drama is more natural and realistic. Whereas, the colors in "Luoyang" are more vibrant and high-definition.

3. Actors voice - All actors use their own voices and there's no dubbing. You can also hear there's actually live recording on set, in addition to studio voiceovers. Occasionally, you do hear a dubbed voice during post production maybe because of censorship. It's just such a delight to be able to hear actors own voices in a historical drama. It makes the acting and emotions shown so much more realistic.

4. OST and background music - What a beautiful original soundtrack "The Longest Day in Chang'An" has. Traditional songs and music just complement the scenes so well. Many of the song lyrics are actually poems from the great poet Li Bai. Though the BGM could be loud at times and overshadow the dialogs, the music is just beautiful.

5. Fight Scenes - I enjoy the gritty, realistic fight scenes. They are gruesome and harsh, but each time a fight broke out between our ML and a bad guy or his former comrade, I can feel the ML's emotions. There are no weak punches by anyone. Every single actor gives it 100% when fighting. And, how badass is our lady assassin!

Even though I listed all these positive aspects of the drama, the rating comes down to my personal feeling. Unfortunately, the sum of the parts do not bring me great enjoyment.

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Is this a healing romance, a melodrama or a fluffy rom-com?

9/2/2021

This drama has really good reviews when it first started airing, that's why it attracted my attention. However, the writing is inconsistent and the drama seems to be having an identity crisis. It wanted to be a good healing romance, then it became a melodrama and then a fluffy rom-com.

Things I like:
1. Evan Lin (ML) - I am glad I discovered Evan Lin, as he's a newbie and this is his first drama. He is gorgeous to look at with beautiful eyes and smile. He also has a very nice, sexy voice and his singing is beautiful. His acting surprises me and he plays the role of a blind, introverted songwriter and teacher really well. I enjoyed all of his scenes before he regains his eyesight. He also did a good job as a jealous, childish, overprotective, lovesick CEO. Though I don't like the writing of the second half of the show, Evan's acting is good.

2. Challenges of the visually impaired - I enjoy watching the show's tackling of the challenges and life adjustments for the visually impaired. I am not sure how realistic they are, since I am not blind, but that part of drama is most interesting to me. I like scenes at ML's home and at school. I also like the relationship between ML and the little girl, and how caring he is to her. I enjoy the scenes at the school's fundraising event, where the little girl was "used" by those who might have the school's best interest at heart.

3. Music - The songs in this drama have great lyrics and melodies. Several different songs were played throughout the drama, and I like every single one of them. I already added them to my "Liked Songs" on Spotify. The piano instrumental bgm is nice as well, except for one (which I will discuss below).

4. Chemistry between the Leads - Evan Lin and Wan Peng have great chemistry and I totally enjoy their banter. As much as I enjoy the sweetness of their hugs and kisses in the last few episodes, I enjoy the quiet companionship they have at home before ML regains his eyesight. That calm romance when they're just sitting on the couch reading and cuddling, or taking care of each other in their own little ways, are more romantic than any cheesy love declaration or fluffy silliness. I do wish Wan Peng can kiss better because Evan Lin seems like he would be a good kisser. I can see all that love in Evan's eyes.

Things I don't like:
1. Plot change/Plot holes - There are just too many convenient circumstances that broke our couple apart. Both fathers in the hospital at the same time, losing cell phones, and all the lack of/miscommunication are just too convenient. The 3-year time skip is not a favorite of mine. If they were going to stop talking for 3 years, I would like to see a longer courtship from ML in order to win FL back. What's with the surprise death of a friend and PTSD? It came from the left field and was subtly and easily resolved by watching the movie and coming out of a dream. FL is a psychology major and although I don't expect her to know everything, she did not seem to be doing a good job at the Autism research center. And why does she have to ask others to analyze her boyfriend's actions? I thought her EQ was pretty decent.

2. BGM - There's this one particular instrumental piano piece that comes up each time and sounded like the music of doom. Whenever that song is played, I feel like something bad is going to happen (but not necessarily). I also find BGM comes up quite often, and often a little too loud for my personal taste.

3. Secondary romance - This has to be one of the most uninteresting and boring secondary romance I've seen. The acting of the actor/actress isn't that great either, granted they are pretty inexperienced. You can totally skip all their scenes, and won't be missing a thing.

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