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Second Wind
A refreshingly cool wind that blew a young, heart-fluttering love my way.This far exceeded my expectations. I expected mediocre and was greeted with the memorable innocence of a first love, sincerity in words, actions, and music, conflicts that hit and weren't dragged out, and a beautiful dream small enough to carry in your pocket yet expansive enough as to fly out into the world.
This felt like a secret so gorgeous I wanted to keep it to myself. But I believe it deserves to be seen by many.
Side Note: Don't worry, the chemistry is there and romantic moments aren't brushed aside. This couple shines wonderfully and makes you root for them all along the way.
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A Masterpiece. Allen and Bai Lu rocks!!!
When I saw the cast announcement of Bai Lu and Allen Ren together, I was so interested to watch it. I'm a fan of both actors. It's so unique and amazing that we got to see both of them in both historical drama and modern drama. This historical drama is melodrama with touching love story. I even read the novel so I could get better understanding in stories and characters. Trust me, this didn't disappoint me at all. This is a masterpiece in every aspects.THE STORY: It was a balance between political and romance aspects. The leads had Master-Student relationship with each other. The plot is so original and unique. It was so excellent and well-executed. I feel so much emotion in every episode. Only 24 episodes, it's worth the time.
THE CAST/ACTING:
Both Allen and Bai Lu are very talented actors. They've even made better together.
Their acting seems really natural, nothing was out of place and I could feel the emotions they tried to show with their acting. The casting team choose all the actors with outstanding acting abilities. Everyone in this drama performed so well in their roles. There is no acting hole at all.
CHARACTERS:
Zhou Sheng Chen - He is the war general who owns Western Palace with high status and respect. He is the younger brother of the former Emperor, the uncle of the current Emperor. He is loyal, strong, determined and caring. He's always kept his emotions and personal feelings inside and his country matters more than his life. He makes every decision with no regrets.
Cui Shi Yi - She is the only daughter of the most prestigious family Cui, she has been engaged to be a crown princess since young. Because of her father's passing, made her mentally affected and she was mute since then. She has been sent to be Zhou Sheng Chen's student. She can talk again because of his caring and warmth.
THE CHEMISTRY:
Bai Lu is the chemistry Queen. I know she could look good with every co-stars. With Allen, their chemistry is crazy good. Their eyes talk to each other. I'm amazed by their genuine and excellent acting and chemistry.
MUSIC:
The soundtrack was enjoyable and emotional throughout the drama. It works so well with the story. My favorite OST are "As Usual" by Zhang Bichen and "Unworried" by Jing Long and Mimi Lee. My heart is so touching every time that songs feature. Allen's OST was very good too.
REWATCH VALUE :
It think I will rewatch it again after the modern sequel "forever and ever" finish airing.
OVERALL
In conclusion, this drama is a beautiful tragic romance. Please watch it if you survived and enjoyed dramas like Good-bye my princess, The King's Woman and Moon lovers.
So I can say that this drama is definitely a masterpiece. If you like this kind of genre, it is a must-watch. Can't wait for "forever and ever".
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I'm around 30, and this drama is exactly on point. It really is about millennials, our hardships and the best time of our lives.
I'm so glad I've decided to watch it.
I think it is a masterpiece.
It's not for everyone although - some people will think it's too boring or maybe won't get some storylines.
But if you're 30-ish, you MUST WATCH it.
Thank you so much for your work!
And please! I'd love to see season 2 :)
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1
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1This is the first time I've watched any of the main actors except Yoo In Na. I have now officially developed a Gong Yoo crush and understand why drama fans are enamored of him. Gong Yoo as Kim Shin/ Goblin was mesmerizing. I could listen to his voice for days. Every scene he was in was a treat. Every emotion that his character had was palpable, and his smiles could light up the sky.
And Kim Go Eun as Ji Eun Tak was super cute. She had a lot of detractors and the writer got a lot of flak for making her so young. But the character and her age were perfect for this story and how it unfolded.
Lee Dong Wook as the Grim Reaper had the perfect deadpan (heh) delivery. And he may be the best male "crier" I've seen yet.
The story will make you laugh and make you cry. Not only is the love story epic, but so is the bromance between Goblin and Reaper. I've found that I'm quite fond of this fantasy genre and this has been done so well. I have hardly any criticisms of this show at all because even the flaws faded into nothing noticeable for me. It's sweet, funny, romantic, sad, tragic, beautiful...
The music was perfect and perfectly lovely. I don't always pay much attention to the music, but this show utilized it so well and chose the perfect songs. So many people loved even the intro song that they made a special recording of it to make it a full length song (Round and Round, but may also be found under Never Far Away). Beautiful by Crush was the best song in my opinion, and I believe that it was the theme song for our main couple. And Stay With Me by Chanyeol and Punch was another favorite.
Rewatch value is high - if not everything, then there are many, many favorite scenes that I'll go back to and relive the feels. :)
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This review may contain spoilers
After a while of not being hooked into any drama, this drama series was a refresher for me. It continuously made me more excited for the upcoming Fridays and Saturdays as these were the days when new episodes premiered. I just finished the series this morning, and here are my thoughts about this drama:Story/plot: -9- The storyline had many cute moments between the characters, and there was not really any huge climax or conflict that lasted for several episodes. This plot was, more or less, very bubbly and cutesy with many squealing moments; it felt as if the main characters were living in their honeymoon phase the entire time due to the amount of innocence they had. Unlike with other Chinese dramas, I did not feel like the middle was intensely dragged out and was instead filled with more sweet and funny moments. Now, for the ending. Yes, the ending was a good ending, so that was a plus; however, I did not feel like it was a satisfying one. I felt the last few large events, starting with Si Tu Mo visiting Gu Wei Yi in Germany, were too rushed and had holes in between. The last scene with their kid though... glad they had a kid, but the kid seemed like he was 5 years old meaning the viewers just lost 5 years right there! It is understandable why they can't fit everything in 24 episodes, but compared to the rest of the drama, I felt the ending could have used more attention when it was made/directed. The hidden egg scenes at the very end of most of the episodes were cute considering the viewers were able to see some scenes from Gu Wei Yi's point-of-view.
Acting/cast: -9- The height difference between Gu Wei Yi (played by Lin Yi) and Si Tu Mo (played by Fair Xing) is absolutely adorable; it reminds me, and probably many others who watched, so much of A Love So Beautiful with Jiang Chen (Hu Yi Tian) and Xiao Xi (Shen Yue). Gu Wei Yi is a physics genius/nerd who sincerely cares for Si Tu Mo, both before and especially after they started dating. There were many times when he was clueless about how to please her or what to do in a relationship, so he had to search them on the internet which was cute and funny to watch. Lin Yi's acting could use some work, but for being the very first drama he acted in, his acting definitely has potential. He is also very attractive, in my opinion! Throughout the series, I had some frustrations and was annoyed with the character of Si Tu Mo, particularly the beginning and towards the end, because of her unwillingness to understand certain situations from Gu Wei Yi's perspective, but overall, her character was still independent and strong. The side characters were ok; they didn't play too much of a role in the drama except for Fu Pei (Xiao Tian Tang) and Wang Shan (Zheng Ying Chen). I enjoyed the character development of Fu Pei after he met Wang Shan, but their last proposal scene felt out of placed and rushed, as well.
Music: -8.5- The music matched the cuteness and bubbly-ness of the drama, so I had no complaints. Although none of the music stood out to me, they fit the flow of the drama. The dog and cat noises throughout the drama were really cute though.
Rewatch value: -8- Honestly, I don't think I can rewatch the entire series from beginning to end, but I might re-watch some cute scenes (there was a lot of those in this drama).
Overall: -9- This drama was definitely a refresher for me in the abundance of dramas, that I can't seem to find interest so much, premiering nowadays. The series kept me on the edge of my seat as I had to patiently wait for the new episodes every Friday and Saturday. The storyline was not extreme and was one that guided the audience through the life of the main character's love story. I honestly didn't have any problems with the storyline until the end, and even then, I am not mad at it.
I recommend this series to those who are looking for a drama with a cheerful and lovey-dovey storyline to wind down, maybe for those who just finished watching a frustrating drama. Sorry this review was a tad more lengthy than I intended, but I wanted to share my thoughts. Hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading!
Chào for Now!
Lily L.
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This review may contain spoilers
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
The Legend of Fei is an intriguing drama.This is a show that has been highly anticipated since early 2020, and for good reasons too. It is headlined by two of the biggest stars in the Chinese entertainment industry today, Zhao Li Ying and Wang Yi Bo. This is also ZLY’s comeback project since her leave of absence due to her maternity. The drama is an adaptation of the novel Bandits by renowned and award winning fiction novelist, Priest who will be having several more of her novels adapted to dramas in the coming year.
In addition to that, the involvement of a highly experienced production team led by director Ng Gam Yuen who had previously directed Princess Agents (also with ZLY) and, somewhat surprisingly although not uncommon, a team of nine screenwriters were engaged to write the screenplay based on the critically acclaimed source material which had won the Network Literature Biennial Award in 2017. All of this points to a potentially successful blockbuster drama in the making, right? Apparently, as it turns out, not many would agree.
Within the first few weeks of airing, this drama ended up becoming extremely maligned and divided opinions of viewers not only in China but also among international audience, so much so that even on the drama’s MDL page, debates and differing opinions were intensely magnified in the comments board. Personally, I feel that although the drama certainly is imperfect, there are redeeming aspects that warrant folks to cut it some slack and maybe shower some love instead.
In a nutshell, this is a wuxia drama that tells the story of Zhou Fei (ZLY), who hails from a renowned family of pugilists and the 3rd-generation heir of the Snow-Breaking Blade technique created by her grandfather, as she leaves her home in the mountains known as Fortress of the 48 to explore the Jianghu world. She meets Xie Yun (WYB) who joins her on her adventures as they encounter colourful characters, both good and evil and from various sects and affiliations.
This is essentially a coming of age tale typical of the wuxia genre where Zhou Fei, as the FL, meets many martial arts masters who help improve her skills to become stronger and finally battle the villains. Along the way, she finds love but also experiences the tragedy of losing loved ones. Themes of chivalry, heroism, brotherhood and loyalty are interwoven with the underlying romance, overarching mystery and, of course, the climax of the story - the epic final showdown. I’m not an avid reader of the recent wuxia novels but I notice the trend of late where the ML of the genre appears to be physically weaker and less of a fighter compared to the FL, as is the case in this show and another similar one, The Moon Brightens for You. But, I’m not complaining and I think female empowerment is a positive trend for a change.
Production
The production values displayed somehow does not seem to reflect the rumoured big budget of the show, with certain set designs that appeared inferior in quality and even obviously fake. For instance the settings of the forest where majority of the action takes place, the setting of the Spinning Wire Formation of the Ximo River (specifically the “rock boulders” which do not seem all that “solid”), and various other scenes, where the lack of authenticity is visibly apparent.
Probably the biggest gripe of all is on the direction, screenplay and editing for this drama. Contrary to most criticisms that are directed at the acting especially of the leads, I think the directing of the interactions between the characters as well as the pacing of the storytelling should take the most blame. Actors can only work with what they are given and how they are directed to act their scenes. Furthermore, how it is that so much fillers and dragging out of the plot were shoehorned into the story seems rather surprising considering the quality of the production crew. Additionally, the transitions between scenes and framing of certain sequences did come across as somewhat disjointed, which is attributed to the editing department. A mitigating factor was mentioned where principal filming had to be halted midway through due to the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020. However, this is where the final editing and post production process should come in to make the necessary adjustments.
Choreography
The martial arts choreography is not the finest of the genre, it has to be said. A number of the action sequences do not flow smoothly in terms of the swordsmanship, acrobatics, and overall movements. When it works, it can be spellbinding but when it doesn’t, it becomes painfully obvious to see. Granted, there were reports referencing ZLY’s lack of fitness while performing her own stunts and other physical exertions, having just recovered following her maternity confinement. Perhaps, this being the first time a blade/ sabre (dao) is wielded by ZLY’s character instead of the usual sword (jian) resulted in the execution of a different and more challenging fighting technique, the Snow-Breaking Blade.
The same observation applies to all other cast members involved where at times the fighting appeared contrived rather than naturally free-flowing. The awkwardness is exemplified in other techniques such as the Taoist Tao Teh Ching Mayfly formation, Guanxi Yellow and Green Palm, Floating Palm, and Water-Cutting technique. On the other hand, the Lotus Palm, Cloud Impelling Palm and Mountain Sword technique do at least appear more believable and convincing.
Characters
The action stunts aside, I have no complaints with either ZLY or WYB as far as their acting is concerned, and both characters I thought were well written. The issues as I mentioned earlier relate more to the direction rather than the cast themselves. The quality of ZLY’s acting and character portrayals are never in question while WYB possesses much potential to soar even higher through his upcoming projects. I like FLs that are written to be consistently strong not just in terms of physical strength and martial arts prowess but also in mental resilience and fortitude in the face of adversity and tragedy. Zhou Fei is a character that I enjoy watching and she does not succumb to the usual tropes of losing her sense and sensibility or transforming into a damsel in distress that needs rescuing. Likewise the character of Xie Yun as the happy-go-lucky charming and supportive sidekick who hides a traumatic past behind the facade.
There were grievances regarding the perceived poor dubbing particularly that of ZLY and I have to agree. The voice is provided by Liu Rui whose previous works focused mainly on modern dramas like Flash Girl/ Our Shining Days, which sadly lacked the authority and depth needed to elevate the character of Zhou Fei to more imposing levels. WYB’s voice dubbing is provided by Hu Liangwei, whose works include Heaven Official’s Blessing donghua, which is marginally better and probably matches the playful tone of the character Xie Yun.
Regarding the chemistry between the two leads, so many viewers complained about 2 things - that they are incompatible due to the 10-year age gap (ZLY is 33 while WYB is 23) and hence lacks the natural chemistry, and that the FL looked so much older than the actual age of her character who is supposedly a 16-year old teenager. Personally for me, there is no such thing as age gaps when it comes to romance, and therefore I’ll take this as a variation of noona romance which works fine for me. 10 years isn’t a lot even if the female is older and from what I can see, particularly towards the tail-end of the show, the chemistry is apparent to be seen and throughout the entire story progression, the development of their relationship has been slow burn but no less resolute.
As for the second argument, I have to agree somewhat. No matter how much make up applied or soft filters used, it is what it is and there is no escaping that. But look, this is not something that is shockingly unexpected or unprecedented. Tang Yan (37) played a teenage Xiao Yan Yan in Legend of Xiao Chuo, Zhang Lu Yi (40) depicted a 13 year old boy in Qin Dynasty Epic, Tang Wei (38) acted the role of a teenage Sun Ruo Wei in Ming Dynasty, Tan Song Yun (30) played a teenage Li Jian Man in Go Ahead, while Zhang Zi Yi (41) is currently portraying a teenage Wang Xuan in the airing Rebel Princess. For me, good acting with seasoned actors should be the benchmark and that is acceptable to me.
The supporting cast of Zhang Hui Wen, Chen Ruo Xuan, Zhou Jie Qiong, and Zhang Xin Yu gives a decent account of their respective portrayals of Zhou Fei and Xie Yun’s band of friends. In particular, the character development of Wu Chu Chu and her romance with Li Sheng is quite remarkably depicted. Li Yan, however, represented everything I dislike about the annoying females in historicals but fortunately her role isn’t significant. She and the character Yang Jin are truly made for each other, as part of the 3 romantic couples in the show.
It has to be said that a number of villains do not appear all that imposing and intimidating. I’m fine with the colour coordinated costumes and scary masks used to distinguish the bad guys but the respective leaders of the evil clans are simply not all that villainous, in form or substance. Case in point, the Demon Manor’s section chiefs comprising Blessed Dog, Giant Leopard, and Sparrow. The Four Guardians of the Mountain’s Dragon and Tortoise masters are more hilarious and comical than menacing. On the other hand, I do appreciate the Timber Wolf Shen Tian Shu as the leader of the Demons, played by Geng Le who does possess the gravitas for this role. Guo Xin’s Mu Xiao Qiao, the Phoenix master, is one of my favourite (semi)villains in the show and brilliantly gives off Dong Fang Bu Bai vibes. Other villains such as the Snow Wolf and the evil Eunuch are very interesting characters but unfortunately only had limited screen time.
As far as good guys go, I actually enjoyed watching Che Xiao’s compelling portrayal of Li Jin Rong, Zhou Fei’s mother, as a strong woman and competent leader of the Fortress of 48. Dong Xuan’s Duan Jiu Niang is a very likeable character and I suspect she had as much fun playing the slightly deranged role as viewers did watching her albeit for a short portion of the show. Hu Bing, who usually plays the villain, delivers a very charismatic depiction of the legendary grandfather, Li Zheng. I’m a big fan of Zong Feng Yan, who plays Zhou Fei’s father Zhou Yi Tang. This seasoned veteran never disappoints and he seems to excel particularly in historical dramas.
Music
The OSTs for this drama is probably the only aspect done to perfection. Each track seamlessly captures the essence of the story and the scenes throughout. The opening theme truly sets the tone of the show while WYB’s rendition (with accompaniment by the Dizi, which brought memories of The Untamed…) evokes feelings of a dreamy ethereal romance.
1. 《逐浪 Chasing the waves》by 尚雯婕 Shang Wenjie (Opening theme)
2. 《无华 Unadorned》by 张靓颖 & 刘宇宁 Jane Zhang & Liu Yuning (Ending theme)
3. 《熹微 Weak rays of sunlight》by 王一博 Wang Yibo
4. 《如翡 Like Fei》by 王晰 & 赖美云 Wang Xi & Lai Meiyun
5. 《结 Knot》by 胡夏 Hu Xia
6. 《红尘莫欺我年少 Don't deceive me when I was young》by 希林娜依 高 Curly Gao
7. 《采莲曲 Picking Lotus song》by 陈珏 Chen Jue
Overall
Despite the numerous drawbacks, The Legend of Fei does manage to get certain aspects done well enough that even things out and, in my humble opinion, ultimately redeems the entire production. How the drama starts off may leave much to be desired but the improvement towards the second half and the strong finish at the end, with the HEA ending where all that’s well ends well, gave me the satisfaction of completing this drama. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but I did enjoy myself by looking past the flaws only to discover a rainbow after the rain.
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Probably best historical drama in 2022
After enjoying Who Rules The World ( first / only Cdrama to enter Netflix Top 100), I searched similar costume dramas with the same leads, and this is how I stumbled upon Love Like The Galaxy.I believe from all I've seen, this is the best wuxia of 2022 - in a galaxy of dramas, this one shines the brightest !
Story - epic, based on the novel Splendid Stars
Cinematography - spectacular, and note that some of the images you will think are CGI are actually real ! For instance, the fire at the Lantern festival - they built the restaurant frame and burned it..
Director Fei's attention ti details of the era, from costume, to different hair style girls/ ladies, up to the small pieces placed on the floor to hold the mats - it's amazing !
Casting - perfect ! I can not say there is any actor evrn lowest support role, that does not fit the character described in the novel.
OST matching the atmosphere of the drama, has just been released on youtubd fir your listening pleasure..add ti it the flute songs played by the FL.
Acting - best performance award goes to Wu Lei and Zhao Lusi, who succeeded in portraying very complex characters. From microexressions to grand fighting scenes, from stunts performed by themselves to riding horses, they did it without fail - and they are in their early 20's !
Their characters are totally original for Cdrama - both are " damaged" from tgeir childhood and had to rely on themselves, ehich made them smart, cunning, secretive, untrustfull and revengefull. Kindness from others is always viewed with suspicion in the beginning, but their heart is in the right place, discerning right from wrong, irrespective of being family or strangers, they don't condone injustice and betrayal from anyone.
In the midst of rebellion, war, palace fights, family disasters, these two learn to trust and love each oth - their romance is slow burn, but it sets the screen on fire !
The side characters are well developed, bringing both comic relief ( in good taste) like her village grandmother and his sidekicks, tragedy and even misstreatement from her mother ( tough love?!), the array of emotions in each episode range from tears to angst, hate, frustration, pity, laugh until you tear again.
Rewatching value - 10 ! I already rewatched the first season, even changed the setting fir lower speed, because are so many magic moments I might miss while reading the subtitles.
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Story- The first couple episodes sets up the plot and storylines for everyone. I’d say it took me about 5 episodes before I saw myself wanting to see more. I do have to say the writers did a fantastic job. When the story was funny it was hilarious and when it was dramatic you felt the emotions. My favorite part of the writing though was definitely the subtle comedy. I found myself laughing like an idiot whenever something random happened. I liked that each brother had their own loveline and enjoyed watching each one develop. Although the UEE/Joo Won pairing was just too cute! In the end everyone gets their happy ending. That’s not to say it was all sunshine and rainbows throughout, cause everyone had their fair share of drama…
Acting/Cast- Perfectly casted. I liked that everyone got their time to shine. This family felt like they were really a family in real life. I wanted to live on the Ojakgyo farm! Lol. I thought UEE did a fantastic job playing the naïve but temporal Ja Eun. Loved all the brothers. The rest of the supporting cast was awesome as well. Just loved everyone=)
Music- Really liked the score. When it was suppose to be light and funny they had this awesome weird music played that really added to the effect and when it would come on I knew something hilarious/random was about to happen. The ost was good but nothing I’d listen to outside the show.
Rewatch- The episode count is quite large so because of that I’d probably put off watching this for about 2 years.
Overall I’d say Ojakgyo Brothers is the best family drama I have seen and it’s a must watch. You will definitely be entertained and fall in love with all the characters=)
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This review may contain spoilers
All aboard the angst train. This is going to be a bumpy ride!
This show started light-heartedly. A bit of awkward meet-cute sets up the love line between our OTP. I have to give credit to the FL for her portrayal of a 16 year old even though she is 30 in RL. In fact, most of her roles tends to be in that late teens to early 20's range.While the romance is a slow burn, it is engaging and quite cute. It did turn dark when the FL "accidentally" poisoned the ML. He fell into a coma for a long time and when he woke up, he has the mind of a child. That is a shock for all concerned because he was an intellectual giant before the accident.
This brought about the second phase of their relationship. In his dim-witted state, he latched onto the FL like a chick onto a mother hen, In turn, she dedicated all her efforts to cure him and be with him. Around this time, the show really went to the dark side. The melodrama dial is turned up to the MAX when the FL's whole family was killed. It is excessive, but not 100% shocking when you consider the historical setting. It was designed to hit us with the feels, and it works.
I'm shipping the OTP at this point because they both suffered so much and yet they are trying their best to be happy in their little world. However, the show starts making questionable decisions from this point onwards. They piled on the angst and dragged out the ML’s plot. While his childlike innocence was a novelty at first. It went on largely unchanged for 1/3 of the entire run. What was cute earlier is now wearing.
If that is not enough, the moment the ML recovers his memory and mental capacities, he plays the noble idiot card. As expected, the OTP suffered even more. I still don't quite understand his logic. At first, he thought she has feelings for her senior. However, after she clarified the misunderstanding and declares her undying love for him, he continues with the charade even though he is in pain and pining for her. The brakes are off the angst train by now.
There are a number of opportunities to reunite the leads. The show could have profited from their love and longing. Hit an emotional high and gift us some much-needed fan service. Alas, it was not to be. I'm not going to spoil the last few eps, but let's just say the writer doubled down and went all-in on their sufferings.
Before we all reach for the Suicide Help Line, the writer parachute in a happy ending but it was literally in the dying seconds of the show. There is no preamble nor extra fan service. The scene is so contrived, I'm speechless. I can only imagine the writer being told by the upper echelon to cough up a happy ending or else. In hindsight, maybe it'd have been better if the writer decide to die on that hill and insists on delivering a torture porn unto the bitter end. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Acting wise, the cast did ok. The FL was in her element. The ML is handsome and not too wooden. I like his earlier portrayal of the man-child. However, the same-y role becomes boring to watch eventually. The ensemble cast is standard issue for a costume drama of this ilk.
I was ok with the angst . . up to a point. It is that type of show after all. However, the last few episodes really throw everything at the OTP including a weaponized kitchen sink. We have all manners of weird plot twists inserted solely to pull the leads apart even though they more than earned their rights to be together. That was too much for me. I am posting a lower score as a warning to others. Peace out.
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Youth, friendship, family, love, and school. This drama was so heartwarming, light and realistic. It perfectly depicts the beauty, the joy, the sadness and the stress of being a teenager.
I loved how all themes were developed equally, there wasn't too much of anything, everything was perfectly dosed. Everything took its time to develop which make this drama more realistic. You will find yourself rolling with laughter at the friendship the characters had, smiling at the small selfless acts of kindness towards each other, getting angry at the trouble they had to go through, sympathize with them, and having your heart skip a bit at the sweet moments. A lot of the things these characters experienced, we have also experienced during those years of our life. With all this, I can assure you that this drama is so light that will make your heart warm and leave you clicking on the next episode with a huge smile on your face.
The acting was great! these young actors did a great job at depicting all emotions a teenager goes through, from falling in love to having worries about family issues. The chemistry between the main characters was impeccable. I always try hard to stop myself from having a second lead syndrome because I know that I will be the only one getting hurt in the end. "When we were young" did not even let me have a second lead syndrome because Hua Biao's character is so great that it's impossible not to ship him with Yang Xi. On that note, I must admit that Hua Biao is such an inspiring character. Usually, someone like him in dramas would be a cold-hearted asshole but Hua Bio was PERFECT! Yes! he is the embodiment of perfection. From his beautiful smile to his caring attitude, his intelligence and bubbly personality, he is perfect. I LOVED how hard working and independent he is, how he always tried to solve misunderstandings as soon as they arise and how selfless he is. His character is inspiring and I think I personally should learn more to be like him.
I LOVED the 1990s vibe, very similar to the REPLY series and A LOVE SO BEAUTIFUL. Just like there is some drama set in different eras of history, I hope setting dramas and movies in the 1980s and 1990s will become a thing. I am in love with the aesthetic and the whole vibe just bring about a lot of nostalgia.
AWESOME Chinese drama overall. If you know anything similar to this please hit me up :)
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Special for ‘She Fell First He Fell Harder Trope’ sucker like me?
I simply love it!For those who are sucker for she fell first, he fell harder trope, this is perfect for you.
Acting:
I personally think both leads have very good acting. They acted so well together with good syneryg. I’m a fan of ML, Miles Wei and I can confidently choose FL here Huang Riying as his best leading lady in term of acting and chemistry. He’s quite a king of chemistry but it’s on another level here imo.
I had watched 2 works of Huang Riying before this, both were more to comedy that she’s good at but in this drama I can also see her nailing emotional scenes very well. She’s very expressive actress imo. I look forward to watch her more. I’m glad to see her list of upcoming works and she’s getting better projects in S+ level drama.
Miles Wei & Huang Riying nailed Tang Yu & Tang Xin perfectly since I also read the original book.
Good acting, good chemistry and a big bonus…. they’re so visually pleasing to looks at when they’re together. Gorgeous couple imo. My eyes have been blessed watching them towards the end of the year 2023 lol
Plot:
As you can read from the synopsis, the plot is simple and you don’t have to expect extravagant plot twist whatsoever. Just enjoy the romance, occasional comedy and most important…expect to watch push and pull before they get together. FL is someone insecure and in disbelieve that the ML that had rejected her suddenly courting her back. Some viewers get annoyed by her stubborness but I understand her POV so I just enjoyed the ride.
Yes this is cliche romance but some people watch romance for the clicle anyway. I personally think this drama is cliche done right.
OST:
One of plus points for this drama!
The OSTs they used, I love it all. I sometimes purposedly listened to the opening and ending credit songs while watching because they’re nice listening to. The choice of bgm music was good, they fit the scenes most of the time.
Rewatch Value:
I will definitely watch it back just for Tang Yu & Tang Xing especially their sweet moments when they’re finally together.
Recommended drama from me, I also promote it to my friends and they like it.
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Very dark, very painful but exceptional acting from the whole cast!
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS MOVIE CAN BE TRIGGERING AS IT DEALS WITH VERY DARK TOPICS SO WATCH WITH CAUTION SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO!I really don't know how to critique or review a story/plot that was so deeply disturbing and uncomfortable for me. Was it good? I don't know. Was it bad? I don't know. All I know is my heart ached for these characters (specifically the twins and their friend) and loathed everyone else. I suppose in a way that makes it a great story because I was soooo immersed in it; every dark turn made me physically sick.
And that was kind of the problem. There were many parts of the story I hated but did I hate it because of the triggering nature of those scenes? Or is there something to critique about the plot itself? It's hard to distinguish for me. I do think the story flows well. The way they showed the present with the flashbacks of Wolwoo is done really, really well. There wasn't ever a point in the movie where I thought "huh this is jarring". Like I said, I was genuinely, intensely immersed.
I went to watch for Jinyoung. As a fan of his since Got7, I've followed his career pretty much from the beginning, and this was truly something special. He was phenomenal as both Ilwoo and Wolwoo. I forgot he was Jinyoung. I forgot everything and just wanted to jump into the screen and protect these boys. His heartbreak, pain and trauma were more than just believable, like I said, it made me really uncomfortable (due to the nature of the topics).
The whole cast was phenomenal.
So that's why I'm giving it a 10 solely for the acting.
I really can't say more about the plot than this because... there's a reason why the synopsis is so vague. Let's just say that.
Would I recommend it? Yes, if you are a fan of Jinyoung or any of these young actors. Or if you're a fan of dark, intense movies about vengeance.
Would I rewatch it? Absolutely not. I'm so sorry, Jinyoung, but once is enough. My heart can't take more.
Anyway, I don't know... Good luck if you do watch haha.
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The synopsis has already revealed that a female lead lost her family and was seeking revenge or justice. This plot of hers is how our leads cross paths. Initially you will find their banter really cute and you get the feeling that this is only going to get better and better. I honestly had a hard time figuring out our mail lead. This man did an amazing job portraying a strong person, a smart person, a weak person and a cunning person. His facial expressions were second to none.
What I liked about the series is that it is a historical film and I really do enjoy watching historical fans and if you manage to tie in a little bit of romance that is just a big bonus for me. I am truly not a fan of political plotting however the relationships of the royal family was so unique that you really somewhat hope that everything worked out fine. For me I found it somewhat odd that I actually like the villain. Not because they were feelings but because of the scene they were in with their brother and father and even their nephew at times were quite hilarious. This is rare that you get to see our villainess people in a somewhat comical yet plotting manner.
Now for the hard stuff. What I did not like about the series was that thing that hooked me in somehow died off. That’s right it was completely eliminated. That banter between our two leads that was funny and get you wrapped up for more of their entertainment died when or female lead entered the palace. Our feisty, brave, outspoken and tough female lead turned into a submissive palace person. It was a complete 360° change. I am really not exaggerating. It was just like she made a decision and that decision meant she was humble submissive and whatever else you want to call a person that don’t talk unless spoken to. That most certainly ruined it for me because her personality and our male lead personalities were on fire to begin with but because her personality change it just turned bland..
In addition to this, watching the beginning of the series you would naturally assume that there was gonna be this great love, great chemistry but oh was I wrong. There was no amazing love. There was no amazing romance. There was no amazing chemistry. There was no amazing anything about the relationship between the leads. It was just awful. She essentially turned into just another person that is obedient to the emperor and it was no longer fun to watch. After a major turn of events, I don’t want to spoil anything, our smart cunning and strong male leave turns into someone who does not handle pressure well. It was so conflicting and confusing at the same time.
If you’re into historical films and politics you’ll like this one. If you’re into historical romance I would advise you not to cheat yourself because you won’t get it here. This is 62 episodes of politics and plotting. Don’t go looking for love in this place. It ain’t here. Lol.
90% politics
10% palace/harem/romance
The acting was good in the first 22 episodes and it was entertaining. Anything after the 22 episodes was just a blur for me. A blur of going to war and plotting. Not exaggerating.
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Everyone is a walking meme
I've been waiting for this for a while, mainly cause of FL and also cause I wanted the haters comments to blow up in their faces. And I'm glad it did!! I had expections and I was not let down. From the comedy, to the acting and the production quality everything was satisfactory. Expect for the controversy regarding the Japanese clothing.The chemistry between the couples were good like even the secondary couples made me root for them. Would have liked more romance tho. Most of the characters being a shipper for the main couple. I like how no one is necessarily the villian, regarding the FL father, I genuinely thought he was downright evil but his relationship with the FL mother and main leads was so cute to watch. It's definitely not a serious show, the dialogue is witty which makes it a easy watch. I died laughing a couple of times.
The characters actually got some decent character growth, the FL started as a lovestruck girl and was oblivious to anything except the ML but she learnt to hold her ground with issues she cared about. Her smile and laugh is so infectious. I love how the ML fell for her without even realising, and he fell hard. The way he winks just cracks me up.
The OST is good and catchy, caught myself humming it a couple of times.
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Antis are jealous fr..
I was literallty waiting for this movie to air, after watching bit of its scenes from its trailor .. also recently i fell in love with Chen feiyu and his acting in Lighter and princess which is definitely a must watch and can be the best drama of the year, not only because of its story but its acting too was a chef's kiss. When this movie aired, i decided to watch it but got disappointed after seeing this much low rating here * is 6.9 when i am writing the review * and I usually skips those dramas and movies that have rating less than an 8 even if it got the amazing cast. but then i read some comments that this rating is fake and antis have done it , then thought to try a shot and watched the movie and was quite surprised that story was quite interesting and acting was amazing too as both the leads are amazing actors .. so all the watchers who are planning to watch it but got scammed with the rating here should definitely watch it because its worth it.Was this review helpful to you?
