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Good but mismatched main leads
When I started this series I wanted to drop it because instead of chemistry between main leads we got feeling of older sister caring for her brother and forcefully adding the romance felt weird. Then I heard second leads get good chemistry and better romance than main leads could ever try to fake.As I watched it longer i started to like the story, fights and relationships between friends, comrades and family.
It would be better if they showed all fights instead of just showing animated pages of novel or manhwa, not sure what the series was adapted from. Not to mention when they made one fire saving scene half half so they made actors move but put a non moving walpaper behind them. It was as hilarious as it was lame.
Dilraba was perfect fit for female lead but in my opinion male lead should have been a bit older so we get some chemistry. Since Leo Wu was so young at that time neither of them could force it and it was clear as a day that she was like a mentor to him.
Overall series is good and it keeps you watching till the end. If you are here for the romance, you will get it but not between main leads, but between second leads yes.
After you accept disapointment in main leads "romance" ,show gets really good and second couple delivers instead.
OST is very good and hits you in the feels.
I gave it a 9 because i want to support good stories but it did have loopholes nearing ending of the series. It gave me a feeling like they hurried up to end it and didnt properly wrap out the Ashile tribe part of the story.
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1Hope is not a strategy.
The Hope is the Chinese adaptation of a Japanese manga Dragon Zakura about an unconventional teacher who takes on a class of underachieving students. While I haven't watched the Japanese television version, this Chinese adaptation has clearly been heavily localized even though it retains a manga-like flavor in certain characterizations and comedic sequences. This drama critically examines the Chinese education system and its strong emphasis on the all-important Gāokǎo/高考 nationwide college entrance exam which takes 9 hours over two or three days. In a nation of largely single-child families, nothing is more important than getting their only child into the college of their dreams. With over 10mm taking the Gāokǎo each year, the competition is intense. Even though the pass rate is very high (85-90 percent), a minimum score of 600 (out of 750) is needed to gain acceptance to the most elite universities. Less than 7pct of students are accepted at these top universities and the acceptance rate at Qingbei (Tsinghua University and Peking University) where the crème de la crème matriculate is less than 0.1pct.After a series of entrepreneurial setbacks, star lecturer Lei Ming returns to teaching. He teams up with Sang Xia, a psychology teacher on an experimental program to turn around students that are not living up to their potential. His handpicks five students for his experimental Class 11; an orphan Li Ran, a math whizz Cheng Yushan, an aspiring rapper Jiang Qinglang, gossip girl Bian Xiaoxiao and the browbeaten Yu Yang. With Gāokǎo just a year away, his lofty boast of getting all five of them into Qingbei is widely ridiculed. His biggest skeptics are the students themselves and Sang Xia. His methods though unconventional are hardly trailblazing; much of it involves tried and tested methods used by successful students including time management, minimising distractions, identifying focus areas and being tactical about selecting courses. The drama makes it clear that hope is not a strategy and that while there are smarter, better ways to study, there is just no way around putting in the hours.
This is an exceptional drama that makes a poignant and compassionate case for students who have fallen behind. It exposes how they are failed by an indifferent sink or swim kind of education system. Each of the young actors does a fantastic job portraying their hardships, self-doubt and how they discover their best selves in their struggle against overwhelming odds. I don't have a favorite among them because they all have their own special talents, their own crosses to bear and blossom in their own ways as they learn to take ownership over their own destines rather than just being victims of circumstances they can only change at the margin. Lei Ming and Sang Xia are like fairy god parents who can help but can't make their lives perfect. Rather, they impart upon them the invaluable gift of learning how to cope and the ability to feel compassion for others. This is seen in how the understanding they show poor little rich boy Shen Yao and Lei Ming himself when he lets them down. In saving them, in many ways Lei Ming saves himself.
As for Zhang Ruoyun, he once again shows his uncanny ability to pick fantastic scripts. As always, he leaves so much runway for his young co-stars to shine and lets this story really be about them without defaulting into simply being a plot device. Because his Lei Ming is far from perfect; he is cynical and beneath his confident facade, deeply damaged by his resentment of his father, the great teacher Lei. In helping Class 11 in their struggles with Gāokǎo and their personal devils, he gains perspective on his own journey many years ago and gains some understanding of his father. My heart was in my throat watching Zhang Ruoyun portraying this role so movingly in light of his own difficult relationship with his father. Probably largely due to Zhang Ruoyun's powerful charisma, I found Sang Xia's constant baiting and argumentativeness to be pompous and super annoying initially. But she grew on me and I came to appreciate how their relationship actually thrives on calling each other out and challenging each other to do better.
This drama for all intents and purposes ends at episode 29 and it is fine to just stop there. The episode 30 "twelve years later" epilogue replaces the young actors with older vague lookalikes. That broke my connection with the young actors that I grew to love so much. I didn't mind the sober tone of the epilogue. It delivers the right message that there are no absolutes in life; that even Qingbei is no guarantee that all's well that ends well. The biggest lesson learned, the one that stands the test of time beyond all the academics is about coping with life's ups and downs. And they are still young enough that the whole world still lies ahead of them so their journey continues. My biggest issue with it is I had hoped for better for Lei Ming. But I guess that is what makes this drama so special; this ability of to be so incredibly inspiring yet so unbearably realistic at the same time. If you wish to skip the realism, then call it a day at episode 29. It still falls short of a fairytale but at least there is an abundance of hope.
This is a highly recommended and very memorable watch that I enthusiastically rate 8.5/10.0.
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Game Changer
At first I didn't know what to expect but...they got me. Excellent series. I don't know what else to say but let me start with the basics...First up - the performances. Gun's double performance absolutely caught me off guard. Two completely different characters, both of them top notch performances (Gun as a badass action hero...whoa! Who saw that coming?). And the rest of the cast isn't too shabby either. Watching Off go from dripping with contempt for Black, to wondering what the heck is up with Black to falling for Black to - THE BIG REVEAL! - his expressions just say it all. There's the second tier couple - Dan and Yok - that are so well written (down to the bitter end) that I was rooting for them no matter what turn the story took. They're my second favourite side couple of...ever(!)...right behind Uncles Cheep and Dej in "My Ride" (but that's for another day). Then there's the understated performance of Papang as "Gumpa" - the glue who holds this entire thing together. Love him.
On top of that here, is so much that I did not expect: - Politics, Disillusionment, Rebellion and Art as a means of Protest. There's so much more, but I refuse to spoil the experience for anyone.
Well, 2022 has been an exceptional year for GMMTV, that's for certain - with their stories of Anarchy in Thailand, Ageing and facing one's own Mortality "55:15", a Romeo and Jules Love Story ("Bad Buddy") and their Epic
production of "F4 Thailand". I hope they can keep it up 'cause I'm rooting for them.
There's so little else to say about "Not Me" except I love! LOVE!! L.O.V.E!!! it!!!!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
HI! This is my first time writing review, I normally don't like to write a review, I prefer to read other reviews that leave mine, but on this one, I really had to. I saw all the comments and reviews about this drama, about the lack of many things, but in my case I really Loved it! I really love Romance dramas, it just my cup of tea.I read some reviews about the lack of chemistry or why the ML & FL love each other so much in so little time, I normally see those comments on the modern dramas, but on Costume/History/Period dramas they are just like that , they fall in love at first sight and they barely touch each other hands and they give each other lives like there is no tomorrow and they still get good reviews.
Going to the point, I really liked this drama, the story line, the actors where amazing, they had great chemistry, the OST just beautiful, for the ML & FL I understood their love for each other, I was happy with them and I was sad as well, I could feel how much he loved her, despite how little time they had since they met, every time they see each other again, they hug so tidily that made cry, I will feel the same way if my beloved one is been missing for days with out not knowing what happen to them, for me every time they were together it felt real( I just missed probably few more kisses in the forehead or cheeks every time they meet).
How can someone be so young in his actions and at some point and them so little change to be this strong king like that , but I see why, He loved her, and will fight the world and time for her love. FL has strong character and she is a girl in love as well, she can't act like nothing has happen, when she hasn't see him in some time, knowing that something might happen to him, she escaped from danger and din't back down that easily, and still fight for her love as well, knowing that might not be tomorrow.
The supporter characters where amazing, just on the down side for me, they where a lot of them, sometimes it was hard for me to follow some of their stories, but it wasn't anything major problem for me, the main support characters I liked their stories, and help the story line as well. They only one that I find that has to much screen time was the Prime minister and she didn't help to much in the story, if she would be the main villain that would it be understandable.
The story line about time and parallel universe, I really liked and liked the ending, because I understood why is that ending ( Not a sad ending at all), but I understand, I can see the point of view of the writer. The ML/FL put the well been of everyone, not just their own lives and still manage to be happy.
The OST! I loved it so so much! The song My Love by Gummy, I felt in love with that song and Maze too, they are so beautiful.
Rewatch value, Yes! I probably rewatch it in few days, just in case I missed something the first time and will rewatch all my favorite parts of the drama again, I felt like if there were questions they answered it. If I don't understand a part of the drama, I go back and rewatch again, so I can understand, why not? That is why I like to watch the dramas once they're finish, so I can replay the parts that I might not understand.
I really recommend it, if you really like romance that goes beyond time and space, I wish that they had more beautiful scenes together. they were beautiful on each of them. I really enjoyed this drama!
Thank you!
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An underrated series that serves as an inspiration to not just women but also life and ones' career
Realistic and Relatable : An underrated series that serves as an inspiration to not just women but also life and ones' careerThe best drama that I've watched that truly has an exceptional female lead. Out of all the dramas I've encountered Shen Rouxin is definitely a character that can be an inspiration to not just women but also people striving hard in building their careers. In our society today in which ones' career depends on its success, one may face troubles such as stereotypes, discrimination or even racism in the work place. Every now and then, these situations hinder people's career and I find it admirable that this show has characters that have more depth and that show what really happens in the working industry.
Applause also for the actresses and actors who portrayed their characters well. Not to mention, the cinematography as well as the soundtracks used in the series that fits the theme of the series.
In addition to that, I also love how the main couple's relationship in the series is mature but also adorable. Shen Rou Xin and Qi Xiao talked their problems rather than having miscommunication troubles which is common in most teen / youth dramas. We also get to see the struggles of the other relationships that are portrayed in the show. Like for Song Zi Yan and Zou Cheng, we see the problems they have in their marriage and how they overcome it. We also get to see the insecurities of Su Yang and by accepting and learning from those insecurities, his relationship with You Si Jia had developed. What's more, I also commend the struggles of not just a mother but parents in general in the society - how parents have demands for their children and how these demands affect their child etc.
The Rational Life indeed is a series that gives us a unique taste for it portrays different relationships that are breaking the stereotypes that they have to face in the society while also staying true with their ideals and not minding what society says about their relationship.
Furthermore, the series also gives each characters a time to shine for we get to see their individuality and complexity (how each of them struggled with their insecurities and how each of them grew and develop as a person). Props to not just the main characters (Shen Rouxin and Qi Xiao) but also to the supporting characters Song Zi Yan, Zou Cheng, Su Yang, You Si Jia, Mother Shen and Mother Qi.
While the plot is slow burn and the romance between the main couple takes time to develop in the series, I find this to be appropriate for the highlight or focus of the series is not just the relationship but Life in general : People's career as well as issues in the modern society which can be an eyeopener to young people who haven't yet entered the working industry.
Some viewers may also claim that this show is too old fashioned and I personally and strongly disagree with this one. The reason for it is that first of all, the series shows what is really happening in the real world most especially the working environment. It gives a lesson to viewers that not everything in life, love and work is all about sunshines and rainbows. People striving to build their career may encounter problems and it is important to have a positive mindset about it . There are also the demands and expectations that people have. Not to mention, having a relationship or not even having a relationship can lead people to be prejudice towards others. Moreover, as a person who is still in my youth and who just recently started in building a career, I can definitely relate with the characters in the series for I have also encountered these complications which is why this series is definitely not old fashioned for it is Real and Raw and relays lessons that are useful especially for the youth.
While I also see that this show might be targeted for older viewers / audience, it actually entirely depends on the viewer's taste or perspective. Some youth may like it, others may not. That is why I won't be discouraging people in watching this. If you're interested in watching it then you might as well give this one a try. Don't let reviews or other people's perspective sway you in watching this for its a matter of choice.
In conclusion, The Rational Life is a series that is more of a melodrama than romance for it does not just gives Life lessons but also serves as a Revelation to viewers for it depicts Realistic situations that people face and reflect upon in the modern society.
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very short and messy review
THEY SHOULD OF MADE THIS FUCKING LONGERok im upset i thought we were getting a 10 ep gl to only find out its 4eps long . i love both actors and they really did well with their role i like that they didnt shy away from the kissing i wasnt expecting it i thought they would just peck for like 10 seconds or something idk. its nice to actually see a good gl with good rep most gls have bad stereotypes and toxicity in it and sad endings. not only did we get a happy ending but a gl where the actors actually are convincing most gls seem like the girls dont even wanna be near eachother. they had great chemistry you could feel the tension
now what i didnt like
since this is a small low budget i wasnt going to pick out anything but their editing was messy and these mistakes could of easily been looked over but i couldnt help but notice a few frames had things missing or out of place or them leaving the bag dumb things but it doesnt affect you watching it unless u critique shows u would notice. it should of been longer and the ending didnt feel like a ending maybe there will be a season 2. i felt like this could of been a great gl if they extended it.
rewatch value is high its like 30mins long not even its a easy watch if your looking for a good gl.
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This review may contain spoilers
Myung Soo Hyun, babe, we need to talk about that ending you wrote up cause what the fuc-
There are some people in the comment section who interpret the ending as a happy ending. They're right if you think about it, no one died, the characters all became successful ( all owning real estate they wanted which was the primary theme and focus of the drama) and even the leads met again. But boy oh boy do I have a bone to pick with this "happy ending". This is essentially a rant and not a critique. I will not be eloquent with my words, the ending has left me too frustrated for that.I feel the need to let anyone reading this know how I watched this show. There were two episodes each week and for eight weeks I tuned in first thing in the morning to watch them before doing anything else. This show was a part of my life and routine for 2 months. And I loved it. The show was your standard Kdrama with lots of warmth, love, romance, laughter and in this case lots of pretty houses and many heartfelt insights of home owners living in those varied, beautiful homes. I think I speak for all of us when I say the the numerous cliches used were a bit much sometimes. But a lot of experienced watchers like me who have been watching since before kdramas became more ' refined' and 'palatable' for western/netflix watchers, are very much used to the cheesiness and predictablity of the plot details. I could certainly do without the numerous breakups, misunderstandings, sacrificing love for you friend/ family and all the little chiches in between but I don't hate them. And I certainly won't fault a romcom for being cliched.
SO WHY IN THE FUCK DID THEY NOT TAKE THE CLICHED ROUTE IN THE END????? I can only guess that they wanted the FL to be 'successful' and 'independent' on her own and prove that she did not rely on the ML in anyway for achieveing her dreams. And I suppose they wanted to explain them not ending up together due to their father ( being compulsed I must remind) to run away from paying back the ML 10 years before the leads met. Which the ML understood and acknowledged might I add. Sure, he'll be " reminded of the incident everytime he looks at the FL" but that's how it's supposed to be???? It doesn't mean he'll hate her and treat her badly for her father's mistakes. You can't cut an entire person ( your significant other in this case) just because you don't want to think about it. The show put all this emphasis on " money can't buy happiness" and " House+Love= Home" but at the end completely ignored it at the end. It showed the leads being sad looking loners who live in their big empty houses by themselves with their piles of money and presented it as a 'makeshift happy ending'. It was giving me " See? They can be happy by themselves too!". It's honestly a bit distasteful. These characters were always showed to be hardworking social climbers who always wanted a better llfe for them and their loved ones. And they were shown to be putting a lot of importance on relationships and love for their emotinal fullfilment and happiness. Particularly the ML was shown looking kind of depressed even after three years.
The ending didn't match with the overall theme/vibe of the show at all and was utter bullshit.
If you're going to watch it, go ahead and do until episode 15. I'm sure if you like this genre you'll enjoy it. It was done well and at times REALLY well until the ending. Personally I would like my 16 hours back and a compensations for the emotions I wasted. Thanks.
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Lighthearted, Witty Republican Era Detective Drama (with beautiful costumes)
Overall, great drama - characters, acting, and cases are all very interesting. It's a fun, light-hearted detective drama set in Shanghai during the Republican Era. Highly recommend if you're looking for a drama with a good story and acting that's not too serious. What I really like about this drama is that it has a more mature undertone against the overall lighthearted, fun vibes - the director did a nice job here. I often find that lighthearted dramas sometimes end up being too childish or immature. I just want to smack some reality into those characters. Here, the characters are more mature. Though the Miss S (FL) is flirtatious and witty, she has her life together. Detective Tan (ML) is also a smart, serious, and hardworking professional. Though there is romance, FL and ML are not running around like teenagers obsessed with love. Note - romance is not the main focus of this drama. There are cute scenes, but this is primarily a detective drama. See below for more details and a brief comparison with other detective dramas.Acting
Ma Yi Li (FL) and Gao Wei Guang (ML) are terrific. It's so fun watching their interactions. Ma Yi Li plays the witty, flirtatious, and beautiful Miss S. It took me a few episodes to get used to this character because of her lasting impression as Zi Jun in First Half of My Life. Gao Wei Guang's acting has improved a lot since Ten Miles Peach Blossom, and his more serious personality is a nice contrast to FL's. Second leads are also great. They are cute, less mature, but fun. I'm impressed by the number of extras that they have for this drama.
Costumes
AMAZING. FL's outfits are stunning - she has beautiful qi paos (traditional attire) and Western formal wear. Ma Yi Li's outfits are amazing. I don't think I realized how beautiful she is until this drama. ML has sleek attire as well. I would say there not as eye catching as FL's, but then again, Gao Wei Guang looks good in anything.
Story
Interesting overarching story with romance. You learn very early on what the overarching story is and get fed bits and pieces as the drama progresses. The last episode wraps everything up, and I think they did relatively good pacing towards the end. It's a little rushed at the end, but not that bad. Ending is plausible. I wonder if there's a season 2...Regarding the romance mentioned earlier - romance is nicely incorporated but not overpowering either. FL and ML are so fun to watch. I would say that don't watch this drama just for romance. At the end of the day, this is a detective/ crime drama.
Opportunities ("Cons")
- Case complexity: I thought the cases overall tend to be a bit too complex. There was one case that completely did not make sense to me (granted I'm watching raw and Chinese is a 2nd language...). The positive side of complex cases, is that you can't really figure out who the actual criminal is early on. This keeps the case interesting. However, sometimes I find they are unnecessarily overcomplex. It doesn't necessarily give the vibe of 'draggy' but more of unnecessary.
- Music: I found this a bit weird, but most the memorable songs are in English...not sure why this bothers me a little. I give them kudos for finding English singers without an accent. My biggest pet peeve is when they find people to sing English songs but have heavy accents - might as well just use Chinese lyrics instead.
Detective Drama Comparisons (also recommendations if you liked Miss S)
1. My Roommate is a Detective (MRIAD): both are Republic era dramas set in Shanghai. I prefer Miss S 100xs over MRIAD - the only reason I didn't drop MRIAD is because I got really bored during quarantine. Leon Zhang was the saving grace of that drama. FL drove me nuts - she's so immature, noisy, and unreasonable. I almost dropped it because I couldn't stand her bickering. Also, the cases there were too simple. Once you figure out the pattern, you can easily figure out who the criminal is early on. The ending was also too rushed in my opinion.
2. When a Snail Falls in Love (WASFIL): both are detective stories and I think the balance of detective/ crime story vs romance is similar. Romance in both isn't overpowering but a secondary theme. I like both Miss S and WASFIL - hard to choose with is better. WASFIL is more mature than Miss S - I feel like it's a bit heavier, probably because of the types of cases they deal with.
3. Love Me If You Dare (LMIYD): Miss S is much more lighthearted and fun that LMIYD. Don't get me wrong, LMIYD is a really good drama (Wallace Huo is fantastic!). However, it's a bit heavy and has elements of a thriller drama. There are a few parts that are a little disturbing - not to the extend of Criminal Minds, but it's not lighthearted stuff either. Would recommend LMIYD if you're looking for a good detective drama and you know what you're getting yourself into (aka watch the trailer first).
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UHHHH
Ok, so in all honesty I have no idea how I finished this show. It was a struggle, no lie! Watching it on LineTV there's a few spots in each episode that aren't subbed, but I assure you it's not enough to miss out on anything. Moving on... I gave it a shot since most of the cast were new actors and my ratings isn't caused by their acting, but by the awful storyline. The plot was a hot mess! I mean scattered and smothered all over the place. I legit skipped a good portion and I know for a fact I didn't miss much. The ONLY thing that helped me get by were the sex scenes(no shame)and they were few and far between. The actors were attractive af but that only gets you so far. I wish them all luck in their acting careers but I gotta say....My re-watch value is ZERO but I might consider recommending to my enemy.Was this review helpful to you?
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This review may contain spoilers
The story of the lil bro trying to chase the older sister ((not blood related)
Seriously someone should update the summary of this drama,..Female lead studies psychology and contemplates whether to do grad school. Male lead is 6 years younger than the female lead. The female lead was always there to take care of him. He has always had a crush on his "sister". He;s obviously a little more naughty and playful , while the. female lead is more calm and collected. The dad always tries to set her up with dates. In order to stop the dad from setting more dates the male lead claims the female lead is pregnant! lol starting their fake romance!
Although their relationship is super cute! like you could totally feel the love of the male lead for his sister..... They kinda have a weird relationship. Weird in the sense... is like i thought they were together, wait they actually arent,,,, they have miscommunication, break up, get back together. They get their marriage license... yet the male lead still proposes to her. It just seems like a back and forth chasing...Like the female lead likes him but i dont even know when they were offically together.
The story development is a little lacking in the sense that it just goes back and forth between the leads. I didnt feel much character development from the female lead or male lead. Also they made it mysterious as to why the male lead eats candy /sweet he gets an allergic reaction They dont really explain or elaborate on it.
She starts her own dessert shop after...And it wasn't successfully initially. Joey chua is cute in here but her personality is to wishy washy.... Can't believe the actor is born in 2000.
I definitely would not rewatch... but for first timers its decent.
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enemies to lovers, secret identity, identical twins, good boy/bad boy
(Thailand, Jan-March 2022 on YouTube)Starring very established holy trinity pair, OffGun in possibly their final BL. Also Mond (Water Boyy), First (The Shipper), Gawin (Dark Blue Kiss), Puimek (SOTUS S), Gigie (2gether)
Another one that is joining the growing cornucopia of shows that I’m not sure I should really review as a BL fan, because I’n not not sure they’re really BL. (For me, Manner of Death really started this trend and dialogue with myself. I see Not Me as its successor.) GMMTV gave us a dark disestablishment narrative (in a time of civil unrest) with established queer award-winning director Anucha and starring OffGun.
Let Me Be Perfectly Clear
THIS IS AN AMAZING THING to get to experience in the BL world - nerve racking but remarkable. The politics of it rather overshadowed the art (just like for Dan’s character) and certainly overshadowed the romances. But the dialogue it generated was cool. This is the dark, gritty gang-set BL series we all expected from Motorcycle (before it disappeared from the radar) with some supped up soap opera tropes (twins, secret identity) and some crazy talent behind the wheel.
But was it ACTUALLY BL?
Not Me had a lot of BL elements, but in the end that’s not what the show was about, or even what it was genuinely trying to be as a show. (A BL series MUST use the main relationship arc as the plot driver.)
In fact that’s an issue I have with it. What was this show ultimately about? What did it want us to take away? Because as a piece of queer cinema and activism it was fine, but VERY heavy handed and clumsy. I can’t rec it to my cray queer artist or film industry friends they’d find it laughable, but I can’t really rec it to my BL friends either, it’s a lot for the sweetness-and-light crowd to swallow. Who was this for? What market? A few of us in this one corner of Tumblr? But who else? Netflix isn’t going to pick this one up, that’s for darn sure. And does that ultimately matter critically? (I think yes actually, because it won’t be profitable without an audience. But that’s an issue arthouse cinema has struggled with for a very long time.)
I DO think Not Me will have impact on BL as a genre going forward. Whether it technically belongs to it or not.
This is a lot of waffling from me, already a champion waffler.
Oddly, some of this is because I feel a lot about this show as I did about Bad Buddy. (Let me be clear: Bad Buddy was definitely a BL.) I appreciate both for the same reasons. And I will not be re-watching them often, if at all, for the same reasons. And that’s why I am not able to give either show a 10/10. Rewatch value is a huge deal for me.
So I’m going to say, 9/10. Just as a rating. Let’s move on from numbers and just talk more about this show.
Production Values Assessment
If I have one major critique of Not Me it’s that far too many scenes were filmed too dark. I get that we are meant to take this show super seriously, but when will filmmakers learn that serious doesn’t have to be executed by forcing us to squint? Metonymy has a lot to answer for.
Otherwise the staging, music, and all production values were high, if not pristine. It was closest to 3 Will Be Free or A Tale of Thousand Stars (which also had the darkness issue) than anything else from GMMTV.
Style and filming it matched to the best that Taiwan can do, so not as high quality as Korea or Japan, but then neither of those cinematic styles would have suited this narrative. But for Thailand, we can consider this top tear.
Story, Characters & Pairs
If you go in expecting this to be BL then the pacing is off on the romance arcs (but not the rest of the narrative). They’re rushed and uneven (like a Korean BL). For example Dan crying suddenly was... odd and jarring. The first SeanWhite kiss came outta nowhere. However, this was definitely OffGun’s best kissing ever. It only took them 6 years the get here.
Like Bad Buddy, Not Me seems to be pretty explicitly and intentionally going against problematic narrative choices that prior GMMTV series made/highlighted - from consent, gay-for-you, husband/wife language, heterosexual dysmorphia and more. They made certain to have explicitly queer characters positively represented (not for comedy).
I loved Not Me’s queerness and grit. I liked that it dealt with things that other BLs (let alone Thai BLs) haven’t. And I was prepared to forgive it a lot because of this stance.
DanYok
For me the DanYok couple, despite limited screen time, outshone SeanWhite (as a PAIR). Their chemistry is superior in almost every regard. They were so well acted and I appreciated their story as a true representation of enemies-to-lovers. It delivered on ideology, class, and social position conflict in a much more humane way that ToddBlack. They had an excellent arc and ending, if, at times, their romance felt a bit rushed - the intensity and suddenness of it suited the narrative and the characters.
SeanWhite
OffGun did a fab job on a romance story that, to be fair, wasn’t much of one. But that’s because it also wasn’t the point or driver of the narrative. Them being comfortable boyfriends was great and this was very much a queer relationship.
But to have truly ended this show narratively full circle, it actually should have concluded with the White & Black scene.
But instead it ended on a BL moment, or, to be more precise, on an OffGun goodbye moment.
Do I think that ending was for us… for the fans? Yes, I really do.
Am I grateful? Yes, I really am.
It’s been a wild ride.
Do I think you should watch Not Me? Yeah. Yeah I really do.
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2Forever in My Heart
Just like Zhu Yun will forever have Li Xun in her heart and Li Xun will forever have Zhu Yun in his heart, Lighter & Princess will always have a special place in my heart. This is my 4th watch and I don't know why it has taken me so long to write a review. Every time I watch L&P, I am stunned by the sizzling chemistry and the depth of love the leads have for each other. If you have not watched this drama, do not believe the criticisms against the ML and the FL's character. They could not be any further from the truth. Watch for yourself.The ML's character is one that if you come to understand him the way Zhu Yun did, you will love him. He is not the usual sensitive ML but rather rough on the edges due to his rough life experiences. The way Zhu Yun softened Li Xun made their romance even more compelling and believable. Li Xun’s dream was the basis of the company he founded called L&P. His dream was to build a system to provide medical service to the public in order to reduce the cancer death rate. But due to circumstances, Li Xun ends up losing it all. After a break up and time skip, the couple works together to regain all that was lost and it is through this collaboration that we see how the couple's romance develops in their love for each. I watched every minute of Lighter and Princess with no desire to fast forward except through Gao and his wife's marital problems. And as Li Xun's back story is revealed, I loved him even more and it was entirely convincing that Zhu Yun would love him because she understood him. She was the light in his life, the "princess" who is someone innocent yet also someone willing to take risks.
The chemistry between the leads sizzles...and sizzles...and sizzles. The match between Chen Fei Yu and Zhang Jing Yi is amazing. The person who selected this cast deserves an award. They are comfortable with each other. I am a big fan of Zhang Jing Yi since Lighter and Princess. She makes it all believable because she is a natural actress who looks comfortable in intimate roles. The way she hugs and cuddles with her ML made me believe she loved him. You can feel the connection. Chen Fei Yu's gazes as he looked straight into his Jing Yi's eyes conveyed deep emotions of love. There is this yearning that is a mix of love and regret but one that said he loved this woman with all his heart and soul. His eyes deserve a special award for L&P! It is this chemistry that left me with the feeling that I never wanted it to end and now over a year since I watched L&P, I cannot move on. I feel it calling to me all the time because I miss this couple when I am not watching L&P.
Lighter & Princess is a masterpiece. You can watch it on the surface or look deep into significant details. Lighter & Princess. Two words you might wonder how they go together. The lighter Li Xun carried with him was his father's. It was broken at one time but Zhu Yun had it mended. But perhaps he no longer needed it as she became his light drawing out of his painful past and bringing him into her innocent fairy tale existence of a "princess." I loved the way he called her "Princess." And yet he didn't treat her as if she was nothing but a princess. He allowed her to grow and learn on her own by guiding her and giving her hints on how to achieve her goals. And she understood him.
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Without spoiling anything I can't say much about it, but you should watch it and be surprised. :)
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This review may contain spoilers
“Misunderstandings” with atypical characters just hit different
Hear me out.While it has all the elements of a cliched contract marriage romcom, the characters’ personalities and values set this story apart from the rest. The male lead is somewhat neuroatypical. He has an almost over-logical way of thinking, and is unable to express himself to others. The female lead is passionate about her career and doesn’t consider marriage an important part in her future plans, which is slightly unconventional in “traditional” Japanese culture. This light romcom when viewed through an atypical lens can make for an easy, yet thought-provoking drama about understanding. The popular song 「Heart」 by Aimyon serves as its theme.
“Misunderstandings” is probably in my top 5 things I dislike about any drama because most of the time it’s used as an easy way to add conflict in a story and separate the couple for no good reason. But here, it’s used to highlight how the male lead struggles to communicate and understand what most consider to be conventional behaviour and feelings. Most of us take this understanding for granted. Think about it - we can say “I love you” to a best friend to mean platonic love, and say “I like you” to a new acquaintance to mean romantic love. How do you *KNOW* when is which?
Aside from the leads, supporting characters also explore their own version of unconventional “love” and “relationships” — which (in my opinion) Jdramas do best! What does it mean to be married? Is that really the only way to be “happy"? [SPOILER WARNING for side characters] A man wonders why his wife wants to get divorced in order to have a common-law marriage (where you are still lovers/partners in every way except on legal papers), A women who chose her partner not based on love, but to start an “ideal family”. A fangirl devoting her love to an idol. I loved these mini-insights that can easily be overlooked.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE CHANGED:
Of course, any drama has its flaws.
The last three episodes might be frustrating and slow for some, but I still found those episodes to be interesting. If you consider these two people not fitting into the mould of “normal”, there’s a need to explore a relationship that works best for them! Isn’t that the most important thing?
I also understood the reasons for the cliched setup and abundance of misunderstandings but could have done with a few less, especially the meddling love interests. And finally, I felt the leads could have had more build-up and chemistry with each other, and I wanted it to end slightly differently, but overall I was still satisfied with the romance.
TRY IT IF YOU LIKE:
The contract marriage trope, 『Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu』 (Japanese, 2016), "Because This Is My First Life" (Korean, 2017)
It’s not a character study on neurodivergence, but if you watch it with this open mind, you might gain a new perspective. Even if you’re not interested in the atypical angle, there are enough sweet doki-doki moments to keep a romcom fan entertained.
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