Reviews

Spirealm has a misunderstood happy ending

Heavy Spoilers
Do watch the series, it's very good. A lot of people are saying it's a sad ending but it actually has a very good, albeit unconventional, happy ending.

Spirealm ended with seemingly “it was all a dream” type of ending but my interpretation of the ending was that Lin Jiu Shi , through the act of completing the game, “saved” the game as his childhood friend intended. “Saving” the game in this scenario, reverts all the tragedy the game has caused without erasing anything that’s happened… kind of. The way the story goes about it is a little convoluted but through picking up the themes of this story, is not indecipherable.
Proving that the game did all happen; there are three main points that infers this. The first, most tangible point is that, at the end of the series, LJS wakes up in the middle of the traffic. Assuming everything that’s happened after the traffic accident at the end of the series was dreamt up, it does not explain why the internet cafe boss at the beginning of the series– who’s seen the game before the traffic accident– has no recollection of LJS having played the game. The second point, if everything in the game had not happened, it would make no sense for LJS to accurately know the name of people he’s never met before. The third point, which is the most confusing one, explains one of the main themes and why the director probably chose to take this route.
One of the main themes of Spirealm is the legitimacy of the “virtual world”, where the characters have debated multiple times if everything that happens “virtually” in the game is real or not. I forgot which episode it was but, LJS in the latter part of the series pondered “If the feelings in Spirealm are more sincere than real life, what really is the difference between virtual and reality?” ( Also not a direct translation, I’m too lazy to go find the exact episode and translate it) The point of this quote is, even if the memories don’t exist anymore, the feelings and relationships that were formed during the time in Spirealm were “real” and sincere. We can see this through the way Chen Qian Li fhaving familiarity towards LJS at the end of the series, despite acknowledging that he doesn’t actually know him. This is a little more debatable but you could also argue that the differences between the depiction of the people around LJS before and after he woke up also shows the effects of the game. One could interpret Tan Zao Zao being an influencer instead of an actress as something unconsciously influenced by the events of Spirealm. While being in Spirealm, TZZ felt like she constantly had to mask herself as an actress, you could argue that her being a influencer instead of an actress in the new world as a choice she made unconsciously due to the feelings of restriction she’s felt in Spirealm. Same with instances like Chen Yi Xie watching horror movies as a hobby and Li Dong Yuan being content working as a street vendor that makes little money.
In the last scene of the show, when LJS goes back into Spirealm, he sees TZZ where she tells him “it feels like I woke up from a long dream”, referring to life outside of the game. This further emphasizes how the game is actually “real” too, since when LJS is outside Spirealm, Spirealm is referred to as a “dream”. Whichever reality they are in is the real one, so by proxy, they are both real.
Another point to consider is the relationship between LJS and RNZ. If everything was a dream, then essentially, LJS dreamed up a lifelong companion (boyfriend) in elaborate detail seemingly out of nowhere… It makes more sense if RNZ did exist, but was simply erased from existence due to the game also having been erased. The whole last arc of the story also repeatedly states that he would be erased once the 11th door was complete.
The game bringing people back to life, erasing everyone’s memory, and altering reality also seems entirely reasonable when the whole basis of the game is based on its ability to kill people and warp time. Realistically speaking, there was no real way to depict RNZ and LJS saving the game besides erasing the game completely, therefore, the erasure of everyone’s memory and the game’s existence is the intended effect of “saving the game”.
I also believe that LJS reprogramming the game essentially is the equivalent of him fulfilling his friend's wish of “restoring the game to its original state” as the game he ended up recreating was essentially the original intended game.
I believe that the ending of Spirealm was the perfect happy ending, Everyone is alive again, they get to live their life to the fullest, and in the end, LJS finishes the game where he likely decides is his new “reality” with RNZ. They all live together happily as Chen Qian Li wished for in the 11th door. This is the 12th door, LJS’s completed door of happiness.
That’s mostly all I wanted to say, I’ll probably rewatch the series when Subs (that are comprehensible) come out so I can make exact quotations and give actual episode numbers (plus there are probably more things I have missed). But for now that’s all I’ve wanted to say. I’m open to debate the ending since I feel like the ending was definitely left a little ambiguous but I feel like a lot of these things were changed from the novel with the intent of creating this ending specifically. (ex. Slight novel spoiler: TZZ being a famous and acclaimed actress in the Novel while being mildly unpopular in the series)
Add my insta if you want to talk about this show with me, it lives in my head rent free: krudy._

TLDR: Spirealm was not a dream, everything that happened got erased due to LJS completing the game. Everyone gets transported into an altered reality where they are living their happiest lives (indirectly bc of games events) and LJS reunites with everyone towards the very very end where they all live peacefully together.

Read More

TL;dr: I started this show and dropped it after like 2 minutes, because I was so annoyed by the style and biased by the negative opinions of others. But then I saw an edit and wanted to give the show another try... and I fell in love! We really need to care less about other's opinions when it comes to shows, because I watched so many shows that a lot of people dislike, while I enjoyed them. What a pity, if I would have missed all those gems!

My Love Letter to Bed Friend, lmao:

I'm a huge huge huge fan of expressed consent, because this topic is really important to me. I also don't like to be touched without permission, so shows which tackle this topic are kinda special to me, because it's not often addressed. I just feel seen when this topic comes up, and I really really LOVE it. Furthermore, I giggle and smile like an idiot whenever this topic comes up in a show.

King absolutely respects Ueas boundaries with no doubt. He asks for permission and takes him serious. He isn't frustrated or annoyed by Uea stating his boundaries and saying "No". Not only that, but he gives Uea the time Uea needs to open up. That made me so happy and I smiled every time. But King also doesn't shy away to vocalize very clearly what he wants and needs. But he also makes clear, that he doesn't want to pressure Uea and respects any decision Uea would make, he is endlessly caring, patient and understanding. Nonetheless: It's not like King is only simping for Uea. But he gives him safety, and that's what Uea needs after all he went through. At the first look, it seems like King puts more effort in it, but he is just the more (talk)active part, who takes the initiative, because Uea is really careful and cautious, what is totally understandable.

The respect they have for each other is just so nice to see, especially since consent is still a topic that many people don't take seriously and belittle it/laugh about. So seeing a show portraying it that way made me really excited, glad and happy, because I can relate so much to Uea.

Good communication: Both leads reflect and apologize! Not one-sided attraction or love. That's often missing in other shows, but here it's stated as mutual in so many scenes, and I love it. They both see when they made mistakes and both take responsibility for it and don't expect the other one to apologize or take the blame. You can absolutely see that they BOTH want to be together and how they put effort into it, to make things work, to understand each other, listen to each other and support each other. It's healthy, mutual, full of respect, dignity and effort and I. Am. Whipped. 

King literally devours Uea with his looks in every scene, and I love it. He looks so proud, attracted and whipped for Uea in every shot and I. Am. Melting. Get yourself someone who looks at you the same way King looks at Uea. That's so heartwarming. Overall, Nets acting is just really impressive to me. There are scenes where he only breathes in a specific way, and I'm like "Damn, he expresses so much right now" I could totally see and feel every emotion that both of them wanted to convey. 

The acting could be a tiny little bit better here and there, because sometimes it felt a little bit off/stiff. That's also because the pauses between the lines, when they talk to each other, are sometimes unnecessarily long…but that's so little, that it didn't take away from my excitement and love for this show.

Also: Important topics get addressed, just as safer sex, STDs and testing, boundaries. Overall, their communication is just really wholesome, like I explained already.

Ultimate Plus point: No "love fixes all" trope. Yeah, King supports Uea all the way, but Uea puts work in it himself in order to get better! He works for the processing and healing of his trauma! Again: wholesome. He doesn't rely only on King. He doesn't think, just because King accepts and likes him the way he is, he doesn't have to change anything anymore. Furthermore, he works constantly on different things, he grows and he opens up, step by step. The development is great to see!

Likeable support characters: Jade and Gun are great friends, especially Jade. What a cutie patootie! I know…a lot of people dislike characters like him and I can totally understand this, but I love Yim (I fell for him in Cutie Pie) and maybe that's why I have a soft spot for Jade too. I knew that Tutor will appear in the last episode, and I still smiled from ear to ear when he was finally there, because I am just abnormally whipped for them, and I am really excited to watch their story in Middleman's Love, even though I heard a lot of negative things about the show. The other people in the office are also funny and entertaining, and I laughed multiple times when Faii and Muay appeared. You really have to like characters like them to find them funny, and I am surprised by myself that I wasn't annoyed by them.

Funfact; I started Bed Friend a while ago, to get a quick look how the vibe is, and I didn't even make it through the introduction, because I was so annoyed, LOL. And now, I am absolutely in love with the show, the cast and everything. x)

Low angst: Obstacles get solved pretty quickly. It's not dragged, it's not getting boring. I love that! The pacing is absolutely to my taste. Every time when I watched a preview that shows some drama/obstacles, I was afraid. "Okay, that's the moment, where the show will f*ck it up. Now there's drama incoming, and they will drag it :(" but nope, every episode I got surprised again. The problems were solved quickly and nicely. Maybe for other people, too fast and unproblematic, but I absolutely loved this.

Lovely Soundtrack: The lyrics for the OSTs are very fitting, what I also like. It's great to think back to a show, when I listen to the OSTs afterward and the lyrics tell the story again.

Relatable characters: The characters make sense. Their behavior is understandable. Uea is absolutely not annoying! If you understand trauma, you also understand him. People who say he's annoying just don't understand what trauma does to someone. I can absolutely relate to him, and he is probably my favorite character ever. I love how he teases King and how King loves every second of it. But I also see the little moments, where Uea steps over his shadow and pushes himself out of his comfort zone, to open up to King and give him something back. To show him that he trusts King and wants this thing between them just as much as King wants it. They also share some lovey-dovey moments, where Uea doesn't joke around, just to tease King, but gives him serious the confirmation King asks for. It's a great balance of teasing, but making clear that he wants him too. Bratty characters are often written in a frustrating way, because either they never admit that they like the other person, or they take too long to admit it. So it can get annoying pretty easily. Characters like this have a high chance to frustrate me, because I want to see a relationship that shows me a mutual love story. I'm not interested in one-sided love, but shows with bratty characters have a high tendency to fail to deliver this, because it's easy to miss the chance to turn the characters' behavior just slightly, so they don't fail to sell me their love. But yeah, like I said, Uea nails this balance and his teasing always comes off as very loveable, without the intention to hurt King or make fun of him in a disrespectful way and the serious moments always come off as very sincere and lovely.

The Ending: Usually I don't like time skips at the end, because I feel disconnected from the story. It is just not connected to the rest and the smooth flow is lost. But in Bed Friend, I didn't mind them much. Maybe because they happen on a casual basis, so it was kind of part of the whole vibe. I also don't like it much when they pack the last episode full of sudden happy events. Like wedding, Pregnancy (well, more in straight dramas, but if you know, you know) etc. It just feels kinda off. I know that dramas don't need to be realistic, and I don't have this standard either, but somehow it often feels like too much and not fitting to the rest of the story. It feels like the writers try to use everything to push the happiness to the maximum level. But here again, I didn't mind it at all. I am so in love with KingUea, that it really made me happy, that they got the full package of a happy ever after in the end, because - especially Uea - they went through so much shit, that they just deserve every inch of happiness they can get.

Bed friend became an absolute comfort show for me. I enjoyed every second and I love love love it. I felt so relaxed, watching the show. KingUea are both freaking attractive, cute, adorable and sweet characters. The show gave me so many tropes that I just LOVE and adore (and don't find often in other shows, so I was even more excited). I was glued to my screen, devouring the show just like King devoured Uea and I definitely don't regret it.

Kudos to everyone who actually read all of this. I don't even know how this could have happen. That's for sure my longest review ever. :'D

Read More

I'm not really sure how I feel about this drama. I don't want to say that I really enjoyed it but I don't want to say that I dislike it either.

Great things in this drama:
-the acting
-the chemistry between the main lead actors
-it's loosely based off a real person in history
-formidable villains
-the pace generally isn't too slow unlike many dramas
-some character development
-happy ending unlike many Chinese historical dramas
-well thought out uses of symbols and cinematography

Bad things in this drama:
-the setup for the ending
-frustrating villains but this is what the drama intended so it's not actually a bad thing

In comparison, the good things should outweigh the one real bad thing, which is the ending. However, the ending really decides how good the drama is. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the drama writers kinda pulled a deux ex machina from their butts at the end which I wasn't particularly happy about. I appreciate the effort to end the drama on a positive note but still...

In any case, the journey through most of the drama itself will probably negate the weird ending. I'm rating the rewatch value lower because I'd skip all the angsty villainy parts and just rewatch the good romantic scenes. Overall, pretty good drama!

Read More

"Times make the wrong choices, but history does not."

Song of the Bandits was a 1920's historical set on the border of China with a decidedly modern feel. It combined the Joseon independence movement with elements from a Sergio Leone spaghetti Western. Gun slingers and bar fights set to a raucous score led by the talented Kim Nam Gil made for an entertaining drama.

Lee Yoon is the freed slave of Lee Kwang Il. Together they joined the Japanese army with Kwang rising in the ranks. Upon receiving a letter with the name and address of a man from Yoon's past he leaves and heads to the border settlements. He is given the gift if not of forgiveness, at least purpose to his life. He puts together a band of talented but misfit bandits. "They wouldn't come here if their brains worked right." An assassin is sent after him and as the days go by and the bandits' missions become more dangerous, the past, a love interest, the assassin, the Japanese, and big badder bandits are all set forth on a collision course that will leave a sea of spurting blood in their wake.

The cinematography and scenery were beautiful. Some of the sets might be familiar to Mr. Sunshine fans and there were also ones that came right out of a wild west town. I enjoyed the variety of music in this drama. The music was engaging, some songs rousing and others more quietly emotional. Spanish guitar was used as well as the whistling from old spaghetti westerns. The fight scenes were creative, blood spurting, and fast-no blurred knives. Much of the action was highly stylized. I particularly liked that the female assassin stayed competent and strong throughout the film with her own code of ethics.

The acting ran the gamut. Kim Nam Gil perfectly fit the conflicted bandit leader. Yoo Jae Myung made for a badass grandpa Legolas with his own checkered past. Lee Ho Jung held her own in scenes with KNG and she made Eon a compelling character. The bandits were archetypes-an axe wielding nimble ex-clown with sticky fingers, a drug addicted sharpshooter, and a mountain of a man. Each actor made their role their own. The relationship between Yoon and his ex-master Kwang felt ill-developed as if the writers couldn't decide if they truly wanted to cut the ties and make them bitter enemies despite Kwang's reprehensible actions. Seo Hyun was the biggest let down. She was unable to bring any depth or interest to her role as Hee Shin, leaving the character as bland as sand. There was no chemistry with Kim Nam Gil which meant when scenes focused on them or the fledgling romance the story ground to a stop.

I enjoyed this drama that for the most part was fast paced and coherent even if it became repetitive and ran out of steam near the end. The ending was abrupt leaving some questions unanswered despite the historical boundaries. That's not to say the drama wasn't entertaining, it was. The chemistry and camaraderie between the bandits and Yoon and Eon were fun and captivating. The scenery was stunning and the music was emotional and enthusiastic. Song of the Bandits brought to life the struggles and fragility of life while being occupied not only in Joseon but in communities on the border. Even though it would take another 25 years to drive the oppressors out, the drama showed how people long to be free and are willing to risk their lives in the face of insurmountable odds to protect their homeland, family, and friends. Whether you are a Kim Nam Gil fan or of historicals in general, this is one to give a try.

9/22/23

Read More

A great drama, film, anime, manga, or any form of media has many elements to be considered to determine whether it's worthwhile or not. Therefore, I need to preface this that I didn't come here to see check this site before I saw this film. If I did I wouldn't haven't take note of the tag anyway. I sooner would have read the review & the comments - maybe.

There is RAPE – very GRAPHIC. This is not a spoiler, this is a warning. If you cannot stomach that, then don't watch it. I found it as unexpected as I did in A Round Trip to Love – very GRAPHIC and Together With Me.

This is an manga based movie. Of all the mangas, yaoi mangas, they could have picked from to turn into a film they chose this one boggles the mind. I went to read the manga* after this travesty to see if I could rationalize this travesty, however two things seemed to happen:
Questions:
1) did the scriptwriters feel they had to remain faithful to the manga?! 2Moons scriptwriters felt the same to their doom.
2) why choose such a poorly conceptualized story? - was it b/c of the popularity of Nodame Cantabile?

I didn’t have a clue for no.1 b/c really that leaves the characters utterly one dimensional and useless. As for no.2, It covers 2 points. The massive craze over BL that has taken over East Asian girls and international girls and men across the board. fujoshi fandom love. In addition, you get to tap into the Nodame Cantabile craze. Mentally it's a win-win. Problem is everything else.

This is a horribly conceptualized story about obsessive love, control, rape, cognitive dissonance, and abuse. We have an individual who will leave everything in his world behind, everything he has owned and search to the ends of the Earth to find this fig mental "thing" he has deemed his love. Then he will take what he "loves" and FORCE it to "love" him back. DEMAND it. The absurdity of it all is that everyone around the victim seems to believe the victim was blessed to be loved in such a way. The victim sees the absurdity of the situation but then falls prey to this thinking and believes the lie of those around him.

** You don't need to read the manga to understand film. I never read before the film. I just read it to see if I could rationalize something. However, it was a direct copy. It did help me in thinking through some of the ideas a bit. Not much.

Read More

If Kar-wai's Chungking Express is an ode to romance, longing and 90s Hong Kong then In the Mood for Love is an ode to 60s Hong Kong, nostalgia and desire. Watching In the Mood for Love will make you in the mood for love.

This film is about details. From small gestures, to quick looks, ringing of the telephone and shots of the clock to show the passing of time, it allows you to venture into a unrequited love story that's not painful but not overly dramatic. Kar-wai channels his use of details to move the story forward without too much effort just with simple rain, simple change of clothes or simple montage that exert such beauty it takes your breath away.

He knows how tell a story not through grand dialogues but through body language which is through cinematography. Not much head space here, much head space there, blurred wall here, never showing the face there, it leaves you guessing but also doesn't leave you in the dark. You know what's happening because it's being shown before it's being told. Repetition is also key here. Repetition blends well with time which blends well with setting and ultimately dances around the story.

If Chungking Express' aesthetic is filled with exotic colors, In the Mood for Love is vibrant and exhilarating with different colors even exhibiting some traces of noir style. Similar themes with Chungking, In the Mood for love portrays a more intimate type of longing, one that's filled with utmost desire that excites us through actions and not words spoken. We are plagued with a nostalgic 60s Hong Kong setting detail by detail and it entraps us into this alluring tale filled with cinematic beauty including slow motions and simple focus on blowing smoke; it is sexy without needing to be.

Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung exhibit such tension that we feel the love without needing to do anything passionate. Cheung's beauty transcends while Leung's restrained depiction is admired. There is delicateness present when they act together that just leaves you hungry for more. Of course this is all made possible by the soundtrack, handled by Shigeru Umebayashi. The music exerts feelings and flirts with Kar-wai's mastery of cinema together with the actors' vivid emotions makes everything a complete package.

Read More

I loved this one so much! The chemistry between the two leads is amazing, and they're both fantastic even on their own. It's a relatively gentle pace throughout and just such a good story I was always looking forward to seeing them face their next challenge. There's lots of similarities you could draw between this and Something in the Rain - it's got a lot of the same cast even, same ML but different FL and other parental roles moved around a bit. Having literally watched Something in the Rain just before this it was a little surreal with husband and wife from one now in separate families in the other but... that's ok :)

Where Something in the Rain tried and failed, One Spring Night tries and scores a home run.

He is "flawed", he is a single dad of a son. She's got a boyfriend at the start and are starting to talk about Marriage, but she's not on the same page and frustrated with the relationship. This sets up the tone for a story with lots of factors working against the couple, whether it's the notion that she might be considered to have "cheated" on her boyfriend, or whether others will accept that she wants to get involved with a single dad and all the "baggage" that brings. Parents on both sides bring challenges but they're different, the ML's parents are over protective about things that might bring him the kind of sadness that left him a single dad and the FL's parents are traditional and "difficult".

I was absolutely delighted with the FL's mother in this, you can see her growing and evolving around the changing situation around her and reacting in a really great and supportive way - even if it takes her a bit to get there. The same actress played the absolutely nasty mother in Something in the Rain so this was a redemption from my perspective, as odd as that might sound :)

Initially I was confused about why the FL wasn't being more direct about breaking up with her boyfriend, and I must confess that I'm married to my first love (24 years now) so... i'm totally inexperienced in this kind of thing... but as the story progressed I grew to appreciate that it hadn't been a binary switch-off, it made the time that things properly change that much more valuable when it happened, and also meant that her previous relationship wasn't trivialised and thereby her attitude to relationships in general wasn't.

It did also somewhat talk to one of my other general meanderings - if someone cheats, betrays a partner, and goes to someone else... surely the new partner must always have in the back of their mind - that person has already demonstrated that they have the capacity to change, to betray and to move on, what worked in their favour today could happen again but against them. The ML's insecurities about this surface at an important point and it creates some tension but I thought it was dealt with well.

There are other arcs in this as well, I think that the general arc that follows her and her sisters around and the things happening to them is probably just as important as the main love story.

I struggle to find flaw with this, I was just so happy watching it all the way through, other than towards then end when I realised I was going to run out of show and this amazing couple were no longer going to be in my life, but, i'll probably get over that when I start my next drama :-P

Highly recommended, and as the flow is not really ruined by knowing what happens, it makes it all the more easy to re-watch again if you want 16 episodes of lovely warmth to keep you company on a cold weekend.

Read More

The last time I reviewed a politically tinged romance (that one being All About My Relationship), it seemed fitting to compare the drama to a dessert. In an odd coincidence this analogy works here as well, though without some of the positive connotations. Prime Minister and I begins as an enticing little treat, whose sweetness will draw the viewer in despite preconceptions. However, as if finishing touches were neglected in the kitchen, the last few “bites” will leave one a little hungry and unsatisfied.

“Charming” describes much of this series well. Contract marriages are nothing new to our beloved world of dramas; surely, viewers could also point out dozens where the unavoidable presence of an outsider begins to positively affect a fractured family. But what made Prime Minister and I quite nice was not any presumption of originality, but rather its lighthearted, laid-back shuffle of quirk and classic cliches.

Pacing between dramatic, romantic, and comedic elements typically held up well. There was even a refreshing honesty between characters and even quickness of resolution that I rather enjoyed. Da Jung (Yoona) interacted so naturally with Kwon Yul (Lee Bum Soo) and his children; this entire group of characters were a joy to watch, especially together. Early episodes might have exhibited cinematographic awkwardness, but any such issue was quickly ironed out. Basically, until the final episodes, few problems presented themselves.

All that changed with the poor handling of a certain plot point. As a result, the last three or so episodes seemed to develop anemia. The innate charm still existed, but the drama became paler, poorer, and less fun. This happened to various characters as well. One moment had me sad the series was ending, the next wondering what went wrong with the basic rhythm of the show. Even with this unfortunate turn of events, Prime Minister and I stayed cute and entertaining for most of its run. Even with the big anti-climactic "blah," I have no regrets having watched it to completion.

Lee Bum Soo has often been described to me in glowing terms. It’s shameful, but this is actually my first encounter with him. But what an impression he made! His Kwon Yul felt fully realized and remarkably attractive, despite being depicted as a little stiff and unbending by the writing. Warmth and gravity is important for romantic leads, and he delivered well. Leading lady Yoona generates controversy whenever the subject of her acting pops up. Many say she improved from previous encounters, but my own inexperienced commentary to this point would be useless. For the most part, I found her Da Jung likable and found no real problems with the portrayal. She worked well with Lee Bum Soo; there *was* chemistry, just the quiet sort. Scant physical contact, as well as script failings, dashed the potential in this case.

Yoon Shi Yoon broke my heart somewhat. Not because of anything that befalls his Kang In Ho, but rather the role itself. Character trajectory makes it difficult to like or sympathize with him much, even though the actor looks great and performs well. Ryu Jin (Park Joon Ki) is also gorgeous and caught my eye more often than not, but suffered from the same problems. Returning to the positive, all three child actors were not only perfectly adorable, but competent as well. Little Lee Do Hyun as Man Se, need I say more?

Several instrumentals caught my ear over the course of Prime Minister and I, but truly memorable tracks landed with the vocals. These include two very nice ones from SHINee’s Tae Min (“Steps”) and Yoo Gun (“I Love You To Death”). But as with the cinematography, I found some musical choices a bit messy in initial episodes.

Read More

What an underrated, unexpected gem.I highly recommend, give it a chance! You won't regret it.

I give it 10/10! If I could I would give it 20/10! It wasn't the most perfect drama to ever exist by any means, it had multiple issues but! It made me VERY VERY happy! Constantly and consistently from beginning to the end, on multiple fronts.
Amazing casting and acting. All the characters are very human and down to earth. None of them were perfect and all of their flaws and plus sides were shown equally in every ep. Sometimes they are progressive, sometimes not, but the show never judges them too harsh and instead sheds a sympathetic and understanding light on them which added SO much gravitas and strength to their characters.
It showed that period dramas can have women that are more than the "weak, pitiful, purpose is to marry well and make babies" stereotype and the "21st Century feminist who doesn't give a damn" stereotype.
Marvelous Women ladies were none of those, and both of those and also more at the same time. Even the most minor character got their own storyline and it was integrated well to main plot, so it wasn't forced or distracting.
From the premise I mainly just expected a typical pretentious Yu Zheng drama about Suzhou weaving and a dash of GL, but it ended up being quite the thoughtful discussion about period typical sexism, patriarchy, misogyny, polygamy, sex work, what does it mean to be "virtuous" and where does the woman's choice lie among all that, and much more to various but quite satisfying degrees.
I think it just shows how rare this kind of storytelling and how much I've been craving for it, when I think back about my initial impression of this drama, how unsure I was about what to make of it. I couldn't even pinpoint that this was exactly what I wanted at the beginning! Because I haven't seen such a work in so long, I was unused to it.
And now I think it spoiled me for period dramas. I'll be subconsciously judging and dropping 2x more dramas than I used to in future.🤭

Read More

The Sound of Wulin with A Lot of Romance

This is a delightful wuxia drama which I almost skipped because I wasn’t very fond of Yu Menglong after The Love Lasts Two Minds. However, the overwhelming positive comments on the MDL page urges me to watch for myself, and I’m glad I did. The storyline of this drama is very typical of the old days wuxia stories whereby wǔ shù (martial arts) practitioners leave their sects and go to the world for experience and do good deeds by helping anyone in need.

The Story
This is a story about a very young girl, Zhan Qinghong (Xing Fei aka Fair Xing) leaving her home and sect with her closest friend/maid to see the world. She comes to meet Lin Fang (Yu Menglong) who is the most handsome man in the country. Lin Fang doesn’t date women but somehow he falls head over heels in love with her secretly. For her, she falls in love instead with another man, Wen You (Merxat Yalkun) with whom they have gone through life and death together, helping and saving each other. Their romance continues for more than half of the drama before they separate due to circumstances beyond their control. Zhan Qinghong is devastated but Lin Fang is there with her all the time helping her getting through her pains and heal. She begins to fall in love with him. Together, they discover a greater conspiracy and eventually save the country.

I really enjoy watching wuxia stories like this about wulin, having all wulin virtues and values with “yi chi” as the utmost quality. Many of the wuxia heroes would sacrifice themselves for this virtue. Like the government providing a formal law and order for the country, wulin provides an informal law and order for people in the “jianghu” (pugilist communities). In this story, the flexibility of wulin is interlaced with the discipline of the government military, making it a formidable soldier with an intriguing story of supervillains, ingenious super doctor who can cure anything, mysteries, treason, espionage, conspiracies, battles, and more.

As with many wuxia dramas, the logic and dialogues are at times over-simplistic, shallow and repetitive, and yet, there are moments they are deep, endearing and intelligent, especially when it comes to the principles of sword fighting and the duty of wulin.

The Characters and The Acting
Zhan Qinghong is a forthright, naïve, happy-go-lucky girl with “yi chi” being her main calling. With a pair of forever-wide-open eyes and a frozen smile, Xing Fei’s portrayal is cute at the same time receiving a lot of criticisms from viewers. Despite this (flaw or not), Xing Fei gives the viewers an air of energy and as Zhan Qinghong, with her everything-is-good charisma, she always manages to turn anything bad into good. Together with her best friend maid, they create silly and happy moments, making the viewers laugh out loud; their dynamics are incredible and endearing, and earn the honor of being called stupid and dumb from Huo Yang (Zhang Kaitai). Flanking Lin Fang's side, Xing Fei makes a convincing protector, and her sword fighting choreography is also beautifully executed and very believable.

Lin Fang is an intelligent and meticulous strategic thinker. Having a sickly body due to poor health (he has been poisoned), he doesn’t know any wukong (martial arts), but he understands the principles of wukong as his father was one of the prominent wuxia heroes leading the wulin as its “Mengzhu” (united master). He outwits everyone and becomes the “Mengzhu” himself and has two top fighters, Wen You and Zhan Qinghong, flanking his sides as protectors. I have not been impressed by Yu Menglong because of his poor performance in The Love Lasts Two Minds, but in this drama, he seems to have improved slightly. Perhaps it’s the character that he’s playing, he still seems rather stiff, moving not unlike a robot. Despite this, I still love the Lin Fang character. Though sickly, he’s a mastermind of everything, always a few steps ahead of the antagonists. He feels like Mei Changsu (Nirvana in Fire) without the latter’s charisma. In later episodes, Lin Fang does transform into a more animated person, joking and moving around more freely and naturally.

All the other cast members’ performances are equally good and believable, in particular Tong Chun Yip (aka Kent Tong) who portrays the supervillain Wang Dun and Merxat Yalkun who portrays Wen You, each bringing out life in their characters on the screen.

There are multiple very adorable second couples here, with one couple ends in tragedy. My favorite couple is of course the Huo Yang / Xiao Lan pair with a super handsome cool guy and a direct innocent silly girl. The pair is simply hilarious and brings a lot of colors to the scenes especially when things are going intense.

My Verdict
This is absolutely a very well told story deserves our attention and precious time. It has all the tension and suspense coupled with silly actions and dialogues from the main characters. The cinematography is great and the CGI is convincing. Perhaps the only obvious flaw (among others which I don’t really mind) I find is the attention to details in particular the unmatched wedding gowns worn by our main characters. Overall, this is a very wonderful wuxia story with a lot of romance.

Enjoyable watch. Don't miss it!

Read More

Not an average "sickness plot" movie!

This movie is outstanding. I didn't expect it to be this good. I thought it will be just those average Japanese movie where the female lead sick and stuff.. maybe this will be like Ishuukan Friends, as their main plot are Amnesia.

BUT IT IS NOT

Before I talk about the plot, let's talk about other things.
Don't worry I won't spoil anything especially the plot because it's more enjoyable when you know nothing. You're welcome.


This movie is aesthetically pleasing. Every scene is beautiful. The soft colours and how the sun shine through, it's really fit the concept and story.
The music is really good, but nothing special in my opinion.
The cast is perfect, especially the trio. They reprised the role perfectly. I don't think I should talk about both main leads, they did perfectly, a really cute couple. But I don't expect much from Izumi-chan yet she "stole" the show. Finally someone do justice to the couple's friend lol
I cried twice and one of them was because Izumi-chan's scene.

Now the plot, this is what makes this movie is not an average Japanese movie with sick lead.
The plot dynamic is perfect. Not boring at all despite it's slow pace. I love how it's actually a flashback, and being told simultaneously between Maori, Izumi, and Tooru. I also love how this movie bring up Tooru's family problem in a very neat way. This movie catch me off guards with the plot twist, it has been a long time since I cried because a movie! I just cried twice lol
Comparing with the trailer, I really love that it doesn't give any spoiler and no one would know what's coming. The 3 rules of Tooru and Maori relationship mentioned but finally explained at the end of the movie.
The explanation about memories and the system is really make sense too, I'm not an expert but it's not cliché and not romanticized the problem here. This is really matter when a movie, drama, or whatever it is took a plot about any kind of sickness.
As expected from a novel adaptated movie.

Now I'm not surprised with the fact about how successfull this movie even in South Korea.
So proud of my baby Micchie! (Yes, I actually watch it because of him)

Lastly, I hope Netflix could pick this movie for their platform! This movie fit Netflix style... and of course I would like to let everyone in this world enjoy this movie and know that Japanese movie is really good lol

Read More

A Decent Watch - Came for WXY, Stayed for… Well, Mostly WXY

Shadow Detective was a decent effort, and the show was carried almost entirely by WXY’s performance. He was easily the strongest part of the drama for me—not only because of his effortless good looks and charisma, but because he keeps expanding his acting range as he takes on more projects. This was his first attempt at a Republican-era drama, and he showed that he has the star quality to headline more shows in this genre. He looked especially sharp in his three-piece suits as Inspector Guan Cen.

For a show with a low budget, the costumes were good. The men looked dapper in their suits and mandarin-collar outfits, and the ladies were lovely in their qipaos and Western-style clothing of the era. The sets were also fine and the props looked authentic to that era. The OST, on the other hand, was not memorable.

Since this is a shorter-length web series, I can forgive the plot shortcuts and inevitable holes, but the main storyline was much too predictable. It honestly felt like the director and writer wanted viewers to identify the villains early. Whenever a character who ultimately turned out to be bad appeared, the camera lingered, the lighting shifted, and ominous music kicked in. By episode 19, every one of my guesses—including the final villain’s identity—was correct simply because the show was not subtle about handing out clues.

On the flip side, there were also cases where the culprits came out of nowhere with little or no buildup. Not surprisingly, I liked those more. Even though viewers didn’t get any chance to guess, at least the writers injected some unpredictability into the story. What kept me watching was mostly WXY and the police investigation aspect. I wanted to see how they would catch the villains, and that part stayed engaging.

One memorable antagonist was a villain who smiled through everything and seemed almost impossible to defeat. He reminded me a bit of Jaws, a James Bond villain —minus the metal teeth, but with the same “you can’t kill me” vibe. It took an impressive amount of plot armor for our leads to finally bring him down.

The dynamic between Guan Cen (ML) and Du Ling Feng (SML) was one of the highlights. They had great chemistry, and I wish the show had given them more scenes solving cases together. Their teamwork—half serious detective work, half comedic bickering—deserved a lot more screen time. Dong, Dr. Ding, and Chief Huo also added their own flavor and kept things entertaining. If we could get a spin-off, I would want one focusing on the ML and SML’s bromance while they take down bad guys.

As for the FL, Lu Yi Zhen… most of her scenes had me rolling my eyes hard. I don’t think the character was written or portrayed very well. The actress seemed to interpret “tough” as “abrasive” at first, and “looking intelligent or serious” as keeping a constant, frowning, constipated look. The FL may be smart, but the show kept putting her in situations that made her look incompetent in the field. More than once for each of the following: she got drugged, dragged away (because she can only act tough with the ML), exposed while spying, and generally needed to be rescued multiple times—usually by the ML or SML. One bad guy even had to give her a break by literally handing her a clue because she couldn’t get it on her own.

The good news is that the character (not necessarily the acting) did improve in the last four episodes, and she ended the show on a better note for me.

Overall, despite the predictability and an FL who didn’t quite land for me, I would still recommend the drama—especially if you’re here for WXY. He made the watch worthwhile.

Read More

Sweet and hollow as a marshmallow!

I am almost as disappointed as Mark was by how this drama turned out to be.

Now, there are two kinds of “no plot fluff” dramas. One that wraps you up in cozy, feel-good vibes and makes you feel warm. And then there is the other kind where it is so sugary, overloaded with sweetness and cliches, it gives you a sugar crash (metaphorical). This lands in the 2nd category for me.

The drama is light and fluffy, but it leans so far into cliche and surface-level storytelling that it forgets to offer anything remotely substantial. It started out promisingly with fun banter and a playful tone but quickly spiraled into repetitive campy comedy that we have already seen so many times.

Instead of staying in its fluff lane, the drama tried to juggle too many arcs with little to no payoff.
Romance? Check.
Jealousy arc? Check.
Family drama? Check.
Emotional growth? Well… it tried. Kind of. But none of it landed properly.

By the time we reached the last four episodes, it felt like someone had cut the script into pieces and taped them back in the wrong order. The editing was choppy and a bit incoherent.

Chemistry-wise, I will give credit where it’s due. The leads did have sparks and with a better script, I believe they could have delivered something memorable. But this script gave them so little to work with.
Still, their playful interactions and NC scenes were done tastefully well. Those moments did bring a silly smile to my face despite everything bland going on.

Another bright spot was Jimmy as Captain. He swooped in with such charm and even though he brought the classic jealous second lead trope, it somehow worked for me. He gave the show the energy it desperately needed.

I also enjoyed the OSTs here. Make me smile is my favourite from the lot!

In the end, this was a classic case of "style over substance", like a perfectly rich cake but when you cut into it, it's just air and disappointment.
Recommended If you are looking for fluff and fluff alone, this might scratch that itch. But don’t expect anything more than a cute smile and a lot of filler.

Read More

My Favourite Chinese Dramas of 2020

This drama has just ended timely for the year for me to pick as my favorite C Drama of 2020. Everything I love in a drama is here; touching human situations, unforgettable music score (a sucker for that), interesting story developments, great looking casts and stunningly beautiful prop and cinematography. The story and filming location is based in Dali, Yunnan which is my favorite province in China (I'm a Chinese Malaysian). You may notice the high quality setting and gorgeous interior design which I treasure a lot in the drama.

The first few episodes may be a bit slow for some people especially with the dreamy location of Dali's lake district and laid back, vacation vibe of Erhai lakeside town. I was soon drawn into the series when I noticed the dual perspectives, that go on until episode 14., have been cleverly done . The whole drama wins me over with its non-predictable plots and three dimensional characters; there is no totally evil main villain here.

The two male leads are very handsome and act brilliantly while the female lead is beautiful in a mature and graceful way. All the supporting casts also give excellent performance. Zhan Yu's character is empathetic and you will be happy to rewatch his scenes in the finale. This is one drama you will not think 40 episodes are too long because many characters are given enough screen time to make an impression including the adorable interaction of Zhao Ting Hui's (2nd Male Lead) subordinate cop in the last few episodes.

I hope other Chinese directors take note of this drama by not showing spoilers in the intro song and use original voice which make the watching experience so much better. In one of the climatic scenes involving a bomb, you could hear the music score changes from poignant to heart throbbing to heroic. The brilliant music scores move me many times to tears throughout the series and the few songs featured are also very melodic.

The last 15 minutes of the finale could have been rearranged to please more people but since this drama has been quite different from others, I guess the director wants it this way.

Thank you director for the fantastic series! I will remember the leads fondly and look out for Li Qing's (Zhan Yu in the character) future work. I was pleasantly surprised to see extra scenes of him!

PS: This has been a strange year for C Drama where my favorites are all modern dramas; this drama, Ordinary Glory, Hikaru No Go and 安家 as I gave up many period dramas with childish leads and ridiculous cross dressing FL.

Read More

another light, fun, and pretty entertaining drama!

I was so happy because Chinese drama are getting better these year, especially in this quarantine time. From the first episode, this drama is very attractive and have a different kind of story. Not like your typical CEO drama, because the character of CEO in here is very stingy but it’s not a problem because this is the most funny and laughable part.

This drama is a something new for me.. because the story in here is very different. The female lead, Meng Hui is a make up artist, but suffering a PTSD and it makes her become another personality at random and she has a scar in her face (oh yes, a scar on the face is really big problems in china) that make her suffering for years. She got this because of an accident when she was a kid. Although I don’t understand anything about physiological things, but this kind of story is really interesting yet confusing because I can't imagine how the female lead going through this kind of pain for years. And the male lead, Shen Yi is the main reason because of it. He is the CEO of cosmetic company, and he tried really hard to make a liquid foundation to cover the scar for the girl who he hurt before. Both of them have their own difficulties and struggles, and when they both fall in love, you know that it will make a different kind of emotions.
So, watching this drama you will feel happy, sad, regret, and cried too. You want they are together but at the same time you will feel bad to the female lead too.

However, you should watch this drama because it has a very beautiful and amazing story, all the main leads and supporting leads are very handsome and pretty! Every character is so good and all their acting are amazing too. The doctor, her friends, his assistant, the parents and even all the coworkers are great! Love their relationship. Another plus point is the supporting lead, which is Sui An (the doctor and the male lead's best friend) is very good looking and I am looking forward to watch his drama as a male lead.

Totally recommended because this drama definitely one of my fav drama too and surely will rewatch it later!

Read More