xmag

I know, right? There's been three dramas these past months that I watched (one casually, one I loved and this one, which I like very much) and the ratings those dramas got baffled me.

Like... why??? How??? Two of them had mature leads (Parallel World and The legend of Zhuohua), another was a rom-com with more, let's say normal main leads characters, shot in a beautiful place, quite a lovely and warm drama and this one got a 7.6. "The legend of Zhuohua" got a 8.3 and "Parallel world" a 8.1.

I'm no longer trusting the ratings on MDL. I prefer to read reviews. It's like dramas with famous idols will get good ratings no matter what and others are just trashed for no good reason.

Question: does anybody know where I can watch previews for "Parallel worlds"? The last episod ended up on a cliffhanger and I would love to be spoiled about the next episodes.

Okay, I'm late but since I love being spoiled, here’s how I see things:

- the sandstorm which killed the ML's friends and fiancee took place two years ago and was caused by the scorpion cult attacking the museum to free the demons, which triggered this huge sandstorm inside and outside the pass and shifting the city’s spirit (whatever that means, maybe it means shifting the entry of the pass, therefore the scorpion members cult were able to get the bodies of the ML’s friends to feed them to the golden ants and steal their cars ?)

- the FL is in fact the leader, with Jiang Zhan (or at least she was working with him or was involved romantically with him) of the scorpion cult. In one of the flashback, the FL remembers the attack which killed her parents and she had a scorpion on her shoulder, saving her life. On top of that, she is probably the reincarnation of the character who, 1000 years ago, had also tried to free the demons from the pass so she did the same again in this time period,

- After the attack, Zao Guan Shu, leader of the black city, created this plan to get rid of the scorpion cult and the FL, by sending a spy, Long Zhi, who brainwashed Jiang Zhan into thinking that she was Ye Liu Xi and our FL was the spy. She was (I believe) brainwashed into forgetting her indentity and then « killed » but since she is the chosen one, she can’t die so she was sent outside the pass to be rid of her,

- If what I wrote above is right, does that mean that YLX is the one responsible for the deaths of all of the ML’s friends and of his fiancee ? Damn, talk about some roadblock on their happiness. No wonder they got together in the middle of the drama since there’s going to be violence and angst later on.

- Is it based on a novel ? If so, how does it end ?

- Aaaaannnn the old man is back, the one telling the story. Funny how he is always back in an episode where old sorcerer Long is in, even for a short time. I wonder why.

Parallel world is great! A bit confusing but in a good way. World building is fantastic, the characters are unique, it's definitely a drama to watch, IMO, especially if you love paranormal, fantaisy, mixed with a more normal world and mystery, too. Plus romance. Plus adventures.

So far for me, PW is a 9. But it's only 8.3 right now. Very weird.

Thanks for the tip, I edited my review to correct my mistakes.

At least, with this drama, plus two other ones I'm watching which got ratings they didn't deserve, IMO, I'm going to start reading the critics instead of just seeing on a drama page: "Oh, 7.5? 7.6? 7.7? not worth wasting my time".

I think I must have missed great dramas because of those ratings which are the first thing we see when we land on a drama page.

"Parallel world" got a 8.3 rating so far. It's mind boggling. I just don't get it. I know the actors are more on the mature side with a complicated plot but damn, it deserves much higher ratings, too!

Yeah, I think I have finally opened my eyes to the ratings on this site and I should trust my instinct more and the critics, which are more valuable, IMO, than the ratings. Because when I see a drama like : "You from the future" getting a higher rating than "Dear Mr Hermitage", I feel like I'm an alien on MDL. I loved the first drama with the actors from "You from the future" (I think this drama is the 3rd collaboaration with the actors) but damn, was this drama a chore to finish, cliché from beginning to end with mediocre acting and predictible plot.

And if I have to watch a 20 something FL with a job with a childish voice, childish clothes, and childish behavior, I'll break something! That's why "Dear Mr Hermitage" was such a welcoming change, for me.

PS: do you know how to edit a critic posted? I noticed that I made two mistakes that I would like to correct but I don't know how.

I think it works because the actors, as you said, are professional and knew that they weren't shooting a serious time travel drama but a comedy with romance and fantasy elements. But a comedy first, IMO.

On top of that, it looks like they had fun shooting the drama.

I don't watch much costume/period dramas but I have never seen such an ... affectionate ML !

I loved the romance but I'm aware that it's subjective. What I like, someone else can dislike.

I think the romance is more on the normal/sometimes romantic/sometimes a bit down to earth side.

ML and FL make love before the end of the drama and live together for 3 years before getting married.

On top of that, beautiful scenery. Someone in this thread told me that the drama was shot in a chinese province close to the Laos and Thailand border, and the people living there are from the Dai ethnic group. So the landscape, houses and the village are beautiful and not what I associate with China but more with Thailand.

But we learn something new every day, right?

I loved the romance but I'm aware that it's subjective. What I like, someone else can dislike.

I think the romance is more on the normal/sometimes romantic/sometimes a bit down to earth side.

ML and FL make love before the end of the drama and live together for 3 years before getting married.

On top of that, beautiful scenery. Someone in this thread told me that the drama was shot in a chinese province close to the Laos and Thailand border, and the people living there are from the Dai ethnic group. So the landscape, houses and the village are beautiful and not what I associate with China but more with Thailand.

But we learn something new every day, right?

The FL flirts easily with the ML and I think they start dating around episode 12. "Official" first date on episode 15, followed by a break up but solved the next episode and the couple is together until the end.

SML and SFL have strong crushes on the main leads but they are more on the funny side even though sometimes, they can be annoying. But they aren't villains or dangerous. In fact, the SFL even surprised me, in a good way, in episode 15 and 16.

No annoying exes in this drama.

Main leads communicate with each other which leads to solving problems quickly. They are also behaving like normal 20 something (meaning they won't freeze if they touch each other's hands, in fact, they make love in episode... I don't remember, around episode 19 or 20? And they live together for years before getting married)

Happy ending for main leads and SML and SFL. The third couple is on-off, apparently. Open ending but it's obvious that sooner or later, they'll end up together.

It's strange, the comments here are mostly positive. The critics from some are that it's a bit bland for them.

The ratings, for weeks, remained around 8/7.9. Not many people were watching so not many people were rating it. Then in less than 8 hours, 50 more people started rating it, putting the ratings at 7.6.

For a comparison, during the airing, there were mostly 2, and sometimes 0 people rating it, per day.

More strangely, those "new" votes started after two positive critics were posted.

Is that an example of the brigading I have heard of, on other MDL dramas topics? I have read somewhere that the main actress was getting some backlash because her last dramas weren't good so I thought: "Oh, well, at least with this one, which is rather good, her luck should turn" but could it be possible that there are some people who really dislike her and vote against her?

I have seen that recently (this week) for another drama so I'm wondering if it's common on MDL?

I don't remember exactly when they start dating. Maybe around episode 12? Before that, there was flirting but I think around episode 12, it started being a little more official. First "official date" and first break up in episode 15, solved in the next episode and then there's no break up at all. The 24th episode is a nice epilogue telling the next 3 years.

Disco as a new martial arts weapon, lol!

Thank you for your answer. I have watched enough modern Cdramas to see parents behaving this way and understanding that it's cultural and therefore, very different to how parents behave, in general, in the western world.

But it's one of the reasons why I love watching Kdramas and Cdramas: to see how people from a totally different culture live.

She certainly makes him pay all the years he tormented her as her boss. The guy has to earn her back the hard way, that's for sure! But she is a strong lady and I think that she will cave.

Doesn't that remind you of Mr Darcy's first impression of Lizzie, not handsome enough to tempt him?

Kind of like Pride and Prejudice. Mr Darcy fell for Miss Bennet because she is different from the other women he knows. Same here with this drama.

It's an enjoyable drama. It's one of those drama on the cheap side but don't let that stop you. It's funny, the actors are great, they have chemistry so I would recommand it. In fact, I would recommand more the less known dramas because there are really enjoyable ones which many people miss because the ratings or comments on MDL aren't good. Too bad. Some are really great.

Maybe it's a cultural thing? As a french, I'm always shocked about how parents, in Cdramas, think they can dictate who their children date or which college they can go to or which cursus to apply to.

I'm wondering if many chinese parents are like that? In that case, yeah, it's shocking for a western woman like myself.

Pfff, right until the end. He is only starting to see that he has no chance. The thing is, the FL was his boss, and older than him so there was never a chance for her to unfriend zone him.

Also, his crush is played more on the funny side than the serious side. Even if it can be annoying sometimes.

Kisskh