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The first 1/3rd of the drama kind of felt like a prologue to the second half because the second half felt like the main story. I liked the organization of this drama and the romance developed between the leads felt subtle, smooth, and not deliberate.The drama started with a competition and the drama ends with a competition, wrapping up the drama very well with no loose ends. The drama was extended and though the extension prolonged the inevitable ending, it gave more time to fully explore the students' romantic relationships. Thus, I thought the extension did more good than bad. Most of this drama focused on the development of the romance between the leads, the daily obstacles of high school life as a high school student, and the complications that go with being a teacher/high schooler.
I seriously loved the cast. There was no annoying antagonist at all, no revenge plot, barely any love triangles, and no disapproving parents. Nita Lei was amazing in this drama; she is the best friend I never had-crazy, hilarious, and caring. Huge props to her acting. What made this drama shine were the student storylines and of course Lego's fantastic portrayal as a teacher. Han Jie (Lego) drastically changed after meeting Xiao Rou (Allison Lin. Xiao Rou also changed after being with Han Jie. Their love for one another made them change for one another.
Soundtrack was fabulous-the songs were so catchy and appropriately used.
I definitely recommend this drama. There's barely any angst in Love Cuisine so it's a very light-hearted drama that's easy to watch. I think a lot of people didn't enjoy this drama as much as I did because the problems/obstacles felt trivial since there's no love triangles/vindictive antagonists so it became boring. However, that's what made Love Cuisine so easy to watch! If you want to laugh in every episode, watch this! (9/8.5)
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1A powerful Ode to Nature and Its Defenders (Inspired by True Events)
Context & Real InspirationThis environmental drama set in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau - the largest and highest plateau in the world, over 4,500 metres above sea level - presents the province of Qinghai’s nearly 30-year journey from "ecological vulnerability to green revitalization," with key moments such as the anti-poaching struggle in the Hoh Xil area and the pilot program of Sanjiangyuan National Park, spanning nearly 30 years since the mid-1990s.
This is an excellent, high-quality production inspired by real events. Today, the area referred to in the drama is the Hoh Xil UNESCO World Heritage site, and later others were added: the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve and the Three-River Source National Park, also known as Sanjiangyuan National Park, the source of the Yellow, Yangtze, and Lancang (Mekong) Rivers.
Before writing the script (an excellent one, by the way), the creative team interviewed over two hundred mountain patrol staff members and collected 137 true stories. The character of Captain Duojie, played by Hu Ge, is based on two real environmental heroes: the ranger Sonam Dorje – murdered by poachers – who, together with his team, fought to protect the at-the-brink-of-extinction antelope and the landscape of the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau; and Zhaxi Duojie, who was found dead from a gunshot wound in his home the day after returning from giving an environmental lecture in Beijing.
Execution: From Production to Storytelling
One of the features that makes this drama so powerful is the fact that it was filmed in real locations. The Tibetan Plateau of Qinghai rises over 4,000 metres above sea level. Headaches. Lack of oxygen. Extreme weather. High solar radiation. Drastic temperature swings between day and night. Even simple conversations while walking can become exhausting. I don’t think people who haven’t been above 2,500 metres can truly imagine what it takes to film under those conditions. Kudos to the entire crew, both in front of and behind the camera.
The landscape is not only the setting but also a character, and we’re fully immersed in it together with the Mountain Patrol team, in the overwhelming feeling of roughness, untamed and wild beauty. The cinematography and soundtrack are simply stunning.
The drama avoids the simple approach of becoming a preachy, unrealistic piece or the dry tone of a documentary. Instead, it highlights the complexity of humankind, the clash between environmental protection and development, and our place in the bigger picture of things from the perspective of those ordinary yet also extraordinary people who form the Mountain Patrol Team, as well as their families and friends.
This is an ensemble cast full of characters to remember. Even when their screen time is short, they manage to make an impact. Just as Buddhist beliefs and Tibetan customs are naturally woven into the story, the cast itself reflects that blend, with a mix of Tibetan and Han actors.
Yang Zi as the female lead is overall good, but sometimes a bit lacking in the portrayal of the youngest version of Bai Ju – she always delivers in the emotional scenes, though. This isn’t a big issue, since as the character matures, her performance improves until reaching a solid, even grounded one from the mid-half of the drama onward. If you’ve seen Hu Ge before, you probably won’t recognize him here as the captain of the Mountain Patrol; if this is your first time, you’ll believe he’s been living on the Plateau all his life.
The story and pace remain impeccable from start to finish, with some exceptions around episodes 26 and 29, where the end and the beginning of the two main arcs collide.
The first arc, action-packed, is set in the mid-90s, with the Mountain Patrol fighting against poaching and illegal mining in an impoverished county, while the first controversies between development and environmental protection arise. The simple, stoic, rough, and poetic soul of the mountains flows through every scene and dialogue. This arc, ending at episode 25, is a powerful and unforgettable masterpiece on its own.
The second arc, set 17 years later, remains excellent and solid, leaning more toward an anti-corruption crime thriller that organically grows out of the central theme and events of the first arc, as well as the natural course of development that followed. The sudden change of vibe and setting strikes the viewer with the force and unpredictability of lightning, and it takes a few episodes to adjust to it. Keep watching, because the last ten episodes are gripping in suspense, and the climax and ending are another powerful display of very good writing and directing.
I think this is one of the great achievements of the drama. They took a very high risk with this decision, but the payoff is worth it for two reasons. First, they create another immersive experience where we, the viewers, share the same turmoil and feelings as the characters — it’s more than just understanding what’s happening. Second, the drama avoids depicting a simple, idealistic fight to protect nature and instead shows a more complex and realistic conflict around environmental and development issues.
Final Thoughts
Born to Be Alive, or Tree of Life as the original title in Chinese, is a high-quality show full of meaning and humanity that manages to move the viewer and provoke reflection while also paying a respectful tribute to our nature, the communities deeply rooted in it, and those who dedicate their lives to protecting both. A powerful drama that captures your soul while watching and lingers with you long after it finishes.
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This review may contain spoilers
Thailand's Best BL to date!!!
Drop everything and go watch it now!!~~ STORY ~~
Thailand has created a lot of BLs, but all of them have been very repetitive and easily predictable. Not Me, however is different. Not Me is mysterious, thrilling, and romantic all at the same time. There are so many twists and turns that I was left on the edge of my seat the whole time!
Unlike typical BLs that are more light hearted and romantic, Not Me is very dark and gritty. There is some romance thrown in, but the series could have gone without the romance aspect and still been a fantastic series. Not Me primarily deals with a lot of social issues and politics without getting too preachy. It also does BL without too much fan service. It's a great series in that aspect.
Not Me does have it's flaw and plot holes, but it's really irrelevant in the long run as they are hardly noticeable. If there is any big complaints about the plot, it's that the final episodes were a little too jam packed with action that story did get a little lost in the commotion. While the ending was satisfying, if you start to think about the parts of the story that got lots in the action, then you might be unsatisfied since technically the gang's fight with Tawi and Todd haven't actually ended. I do think that the series ended where it should have, sans the Dan and Yok couple. Everyone got together with their respective lovers, and got the public to start looking at Tawi's corporation in a bad light. It's really the calm before the storm type of ending where you know the fight isn't over, but it's still a satisfying ending since realistically fighting corruption is never ending.
Black & White
I am a little confused about Black and White's relationship. I understand that they are twins and that White cares for Black, but Black is confusing. At first he seems to be upset that White is back in the picture, but then he does a 180 into caring big brother. I really think that the writers really didn't put much thought into who Black's character and his motifs. Because Black's character wasn't put together well, his relationship with White wasn't as impactful as it should have been. They have a strong 6th sense where they can feel each other's pain. Utilize that in the plot!! Don't just use it in the beginning and forget about it later!
White x Sean
I enjoyed their relationship when White was pretending to be Black. I wish I could have seen more of Sean's relationship with Black before White started pretending to be him. I also would like to see Sean being more suspicious of "Black" and how White broke down that barrier. Without this, White and Sean seem to get romantically together a little too quickly. That being said, Sean and White are adorable together.
Yok x Dan
They are my favorite couple. I honestly want to see more of them and I want a full backstory on their relationship. While I don't want a sequel for Not Me, I wouldn't mind a spin off with these two. Dan seems to have a lot going on that I think would make for a good spin off. Similarly, Yok's issues about his mother being discriminated for being mute also hasn't been completely told. I would love to see more of them.
Gram x Eugene
I appreciate how their relationship blossomed from beginning to end. They didn't overshadow the plot, and I'm glad that Eugene wasn't portrayed as a toxic woman since most BLs portray women very toxically.
Black & Todd & White
I'm so confused over Todd. He's the mastermind behind everything, but his story isn't told properly. The entire backstory as to why Todd ordered his men to beat up Black was confusing, especially since they are supposed to be best friends. Also, Todd just forgets about White as soon as Black wakes up. Why? Is Todd in love with Black or something? Are we supposed to read between the lines?
~~ OVERALL ~~
Not Me is an amazing series. The acting was fantastic. The cenematography and music were also superb. I really appreciated how Not Me told a BL story in a genre that wasn't normal for BL stories. I want to see more of these non-student, darker genre BLs.
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great show but you must put yourself in the kdrama mindset
this is a really really good show..it deals with a lot of real life issues.. no matter how old you are.. some of these things are real...
yes its true.. u probably wont like anyone in the drama for the first half of the drama.. even maybe till the 6th episode.. except the male lead and his best friend..
and even more so if your not in the kdrama mindset.. (ie suspend real life thinking.. ) then you probably would hate EVERYONE except the forementioned male lead and best friend...
but if u can get past reality (or just suspend it) and just listen to the story and see the growth of all the characters.. it really becomes a joy of self love.. self discovery and acceptance.. of who you are and what your limitations are.. whether its real or imagined..
the acting from the male lead is great.. the fl lead is decent.. was the chemistry between the two.. depends.. on how u see it.. its not lovey dovey.. and in my opinion. it shouldnt have been.. its acceptance. that.. your partner may be lacking in areas.. but.. u still consider them.. wonderful enough to be with.. as in real life
the music was good..
the support cast was fun and good.. though.. the sister.. i just wonder why they wrote her.. in.. headcount..? :)
really really good show.. yes.. it has its issues and yes in real life..what some of these characters did.. should be and would be despicable.. but.. thats why i watch kdrama.. to escape real life.. and to suspend my belief in reality for a few hours at a time
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It's not a tragedy. It's a story on
how to laugh your way through pain;
how age does matter but then again So What!
how to celebrate being Alive
It's funny, it's sexy, it's painful and it's thoroughly Satisfying. I left the room with a Happy Sigh.
Married people Shud behave like This and I want to have friends Like That!!!!
The rest is just your personal preference after you've invested in at least 4 - 5 episodes of your life.
1 from my many many Favorite Bits.... lets me make it 2:
So Nagging Can Be Sexy too :D
Check for the keys 1st :D :D
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Regrets and second chances
When we're young, we often picture our future exactly the way we want it to be. But what if one day you realize those dreams you've had never came true? Those chances you didn't take turned into regrets, and you feel like you've wasted most of your time waiting for the right moment? Well, usually that's the part where you might wanna consider therapy, but since we're in dramaland turning into your younger self sounds more like it. The premise is nothing groundbreaking, but I've a thing for time travel and second chances kind of stories. It's typically a story about personal growth and living your life to the fullest. It's an inspiring theme that has been used over and over since it gives us simple humans hope. Hope that in the end everything's going to be ok."Never Too Late" is a simple story with themes you can relate to no matter your own age. While the show might lack some complexity in its storytelling, it makes up for that with likeable characters and charming unlikely friendships. The first few episodes focus on each of our leads, taking enough time to establish their backstories. Personally, I think the show really benefitted from this approach, since the character development and friendships were the strongest aspect of it. While there is much to love about "Never Too Late" it does have its flaws. At the beginning of the story you might have to suspense your disbelief a bit and the storytelling feels slightly disjointed. Some episodes were oddly paced, giving insignificant and predictable scenes way too much screen time. Nonetheless, it was delightful to watch these characters grow together, and I appreciated how they balanced the different storylines.
The acting of the main cast was solid whether it was the younger or the older cast with View, Khaotung and Nanon delivering standout performances. Their acting was the most nuanced, and resembled their older counterparts. The support cast was a hit or miss, with certain acting being way too over the top, which took me out of some scenes. My personal favorites were Bomb, Phiphu and Noinae. Not only did I love these characters, I also really enjoyed the performances of the actors.
"Never Too Late" is a light, fun and heartwarming second coming-of-age story. While not without flaws, the wonderful ensemble cast make it a worthwhile and fun take on the turning back time for a second chance in life formula. It's not a fairy tale, but life hardly ever is, and that's probably part of the reason I enjoyed it so much.
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Fear and Paranoia, Moral Ambiguity, Identity and Ideology, Survival and Sacrifice - Nostalgia!
"Deep Lurk" serves as an intriguing exploration of a critical chapter in Chinese history, intertwining themes of loyalty, moral ambiguity, and the pervasive atmosphere of distrust that characterized the Chinese Civil War. A more nuanced critique of the drama reveals several layers of complexity that merit consideration:
Balancing Act of Historical Representation
The drama's strength lies in its ability to weave personal stories with grand historical narratives. By focusing on character arcs amidst significant events, "Deep Lurk" illustrates how the political turmoil affected individual lives. However, there is a fine line between dramatization and distortion; the portrayal of historical figures and events should stimulate audiences' understanding while retaining a fidelity to historical facts. When historical accounts are manipulated for dramatic tension, it risks oversimplifying intricate situations and potentially misinforming viewers.
Character Depth and Development
The characters in "Deep Lurk," all well chosen (FL too wooden) embody the struggles and ideologies that were prominent during the Civil War. The depth and complexity of their motivations in part reflected the harsh realities of the time. Not sure if I connected with all the characters as one should. A well-rounded portrayal allows viewers to connect with the characters' dilemmas, fostering empathy and a deeper appreciation for the consequences of their actions. If characters resort to clichés or lack credible development, this undermines the show's capacity to reflect the historical environment authentically.
Representation of Ideological Divides
“Deep Lurk”hints at the stark ideological divide between Nationalists and Communists. Not knowing the historical facts, viewers today should have a critically, portrayal of these factions presented in a balanced perspective rather than falling into black-and-white portrayals. It is crucial for viewers to grasp the motivations and struggles of both sides, as this adds a layer of realism and complexity to the narrative. Such representation can encourage discussions about the nuances of loyalty and betrayal, transcending mere entertainment to evoke thoughtful engagement with history. Having said that, I was gripped and was on Wikipedia checking the history…
Cultural and Social Context
"Deep Lurk" must also be scrutinized for its reflection of societal norms and daily life during the Civil War. How the drama encapsulates the interplay between public sentiment and personal choices can serve as a microcosm of historical realities. Showcasing the diversity of experiences, from the bravado of espionage to the quiet desperation of civilians - enhances the portrayal of wartime China. In this aspect I believe the drama fails to capture this spectrum adequately, which gave audiences a skewed understanding of historical events.
While primarily a work of fiction, "Deep Lurk" potentially reflected contemporary issues within Chinese society, such as national identity, the legacy of past conflicts, and the ongoing exploration of loyalty in an era marked by rapid change. These reflections has the ability to provoke conversations that challenge audiences to think critically about the lessons of history and how they inform the present.
My Final Thoughts
Overall, "Deep Lurk" is a multifaceted examination of a pivotal historical period in China. To garner both critical acclaim and audience engagement, the drama must carefully balance compelling storytelling with a responsible portrayal of history. By doing so, it can serve not only as an entertaining piece of art but also as an educational resource that invites audiences to ponder the complexities and consequences of the past. As viewers immerse themselves in the world of "Deep Lurk," they should walk away with not just a newfound appreciation for the drama itself, but also a deeper understanding of the historical realities it seeks to represent.
Ultimately, I believe that this drama "Deep Lurk" is a success, filmed in 2019 pre Pandemic, low budget (based on my research) editing, continuity poor in places - still evoked the emotional resonance. The sheer brutality of war, coupled with personal loss, sacrifice, and moral dilemmas, spoke to the audience on a personal level. These emotional elements to me were portrayed authentically, they elevated the narrative, ensuring that the historical context was not merely a backdrop but a living, breathing element of the story.
Loved the costumes, houses, furniture, street scenes and especially the old telephones ( which I remember) this all gives away my age!
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Exceptionally disappointing
May 2025Oh dear. Amazed I didn't drop it, but I like Kim Jung-hyun, and the rest of the cast; plus I wanted to see the outcome.
Pretty awful, sadly, with dreadful dialogue, lots of shouting, plus one of the MOST irritating, unlikeable, STUPID, FL characters ever!
The actress (whom I liked in 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty'), was pretty bad too; very unnatural and poor acting in this part.
I did like the character of Kokdu (which KJH brought to life wonderfully), and his 2 assistants (plus the actors; Cha Chung-hwa as Gak Shin looked great!)
Totally underwhelming, I've forgotten a lot already (reviewing late). Too few characters that I liked, mostly stupid humour and I don't even remember the ending, but think it was poor.
I do not recommend this, sadly. Not even the wonderful Kim Jung-hyun could save it!
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This is dog poo
Never watched the original story so I thought this was an engaging plot with lot of potential. In the end, there is a few good thing and huge bad bad things.1/ STORY
Romance part: The cause of the pregnancy is convoluted but the evolution of the story is interesting. It was a good and understandable progression considering the personalities of the three characters involved. The story of the original couple SML and FL drifting apart and breaking up was well presented. The part of the FL and ML getting closer was badly told and even totally unbelievable. And the end is.. omg... You would have wanted to mock your audience you would not have done anything different.
Thriller part: Very convoluted from start to ending. Chasing after a drug dealer, SML and the other cops go through events and clues which appears out of the blue. At the end, the writer gave the nice role to Kang Jae when he did wrong all that time... lol... of course.
2/ CHARACTERS / ACTORS:
Woori : Interesting character with a quiet personality and not confident. She is not assertive and let others take the lead professionally and in her couple. But pregnancy makes her take decisions and evolve to become confident about her baby, her life and happiness and her job. And suddenly in the end .. taddah!!! I owned you.
Raphael : Allegedly grew without loving parents and cured from a cancer so he is a very human guy who cares about family and wants to build his own. There was a wrong characterization of him as the writer put most of the goofy and silly tone on him when he was the ML. He appeared very inconsistent, not likeable and the actor was too wooden face to make him endearing.
Kang Jae: Not the right guy for Woori but strangely the most wholesome guy of the drama. From start to finish, he is himself: selfish, self-centered, workaholic, reckless … he does plenty of bs but in the end taddah! He is now the greatest guy ever because suddenly the writer gave him a great Deus Ex Machina background story out of the blue.. Poor guy was raised by not his father... OF COURSE!!!.
Ma Ri: Silly daughter who is an accomplice of a bigger schemer to con other people but finally has a conscience and saves herself. The most interesting character in the end who ultimately did right. I love her.
Woori’s mom : super annoying
Woori’s dad : useless character
Woori’s colleague: She is fun and supportive.
3/ OST
OK, nothing specially out of place
4/ Rewatch value:
Zero.
5/ OVERALL:
A very good idea in the beginning but spoiled and wasted by terrible directing with bad editing, scenes badly cut, convoluted situations, uncontrolled misplaced goofy cartoonesque moments. ML’s actor was a bad choice of leading actor, or they asked from him what he could not do. SML was the worst and then in the end it is a miracle of the writer, he is the cream of crop because these stupid idiot writers understood how lame they turned the ML to be so they gave the big prize to the SML...
Seriously? This drama just mocked the audience. 1/10 because I could not give 0/10. Fck them.
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The story is about how Mel Be, a science geek gets dumped by her boy friend who is also a science geek. His reason for his break up was that they were too much alike.
Hippy witnesses the break up and comes to talk to Mel Be and asks for her Beatles T-shirt as he's a fan of the band. After that Mel Be decides that she wants to prove whether her ex-boy friend was right about dating similar people by asking Hippy, a singer who is quite the opposite of her, to date her for five days in exchange of the shirt.
This is a great story about falling in love with the 'seemingly wrong guy' in college.
The five days are full of trips and stories that is full of fun and drama that just touches your heart.
And the way they meet and fall in love is believable and touching.
The songs were actually really written and produced by Kun the main actor in real life which makes them even more meaningful.
Loved it!
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his is about obsession and Trauma depicted hauntingly beautiful yet disturbing
Let me start this by saying these actors NEED to get more recognition. Their performance and chemistry was DIVINE!This story never aims to be a romantic journey of love and trust.
It starts with Fan Xiao, who sees the world as painful and cruel. Good does not excist in his view of the world. When You Shulang shows signs of Goodness Fan Xiao is sure that that cannot be real. And to an extend he is right. You Shulang might be composed and polite, but he too has a different view on the world.
Fan Xiaos hate/obsession/love towards You Shulang stems from a deep hate of the world and his own existence in it.
His fear of You Shulang leaving him ultimately causes Fan Xiao to torture him (more than he already has to that point) by taking away everything from You Shulang including his will to live. But surprisingly that is where Fan Xiao draws the line. Because if You Shulang had committed suicide, Fan Xiaos only reason to be on his earth would have been gone. And as Fan Xiao has so nicely put: Fan Xiao will surely go to hell, but You Shulang won’t be there.
To wrap this very confusing review up: This is a masterpiece in Storytelling and slowly escalating obsession stemming from Trauma. I might even go as far as to say that To my Shore is not a Romance BL but a Psychological Thriller told through the world of BL. And I think it was perfectly executed!
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This review may contain spoilers
I've a love-hate relationship with this one
Loves:1. The character, Shi Lei, is such a darling. He's one of those "straight guys" who fall in love with men that are common in BL, but I like how honest and cool he is about it. No silly gay panic moments
2. The cat in the cafe
3. The allusions to The Little Prince
Hates: The sheer wasted potential:
1. First of all, the side couple is really cute together. There are hints regarding Zhao Gang's past (which cause him to be hesitant to commit to a relationship for fear of being hurt), but that's where it stops. The side story could have been more moving and the side couple taken more seriously, but the potential went down the drain.
2, The story of the main couple is also not developed properly. The story actually starts off pretty well. But it fails by the time the fake crisis comes in. It is more than just hinted that Yu Zhen has been through a sad relationship, which serves as the main obstacle between him and Shi Lei. But it just doesn't add up. So he got into a serious accident while trying to get to his boyfriend who was leaving the country, and that was the end of their relationship for some reason. The accident, which is made to seem important, doesn't seem so important in the end. And it is not convincing that this guy would just end up imposing some ridiculous singlehood rule at the workplace.
4. The fake crisis: Yu Zhen's ex-boyfriend suddenly turns up, seemingly to win him back. By the end of Episode 11, however, it is obvious that there isn't time to develop the plot in this direction, so there's only one predictable direction for the plot to take: the ex-boyfriend is really here to help Yu Zhen and Shi Lei get together. I was hoping to be proven wrong, but I wasn't.
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Story
Oscar-winning story! It is about the tale of 1 Former-Exo Tao and 101 girls competing. You can watch Tao "amazing" hosting skills, which include half-assed praises, confusing monologues, and untimely comments.
As the story progresses, you start to see alliances: the foreign group, the 25 & older group, the girls that stayed on for no reasons, the popular girls who have slightly above-average capabilities...
Acting/Cast
I do not know you would call them actors, but they were entertaining! Each contestant is hand carved for their role. When you watch this show you have to keep in mind these people were chosen for their talents.
Music
The music inspired me! I now truly believe even me, who get 10% on the tone-deaf test, can become a singer. My bar for music has altered, I now praise any singer who knows when to start singing a song.
.
Conclusion
For reference, I actually heavily enjoyed the show, watching it every week and voting almost every single day (as a female college student). The show had a handful of good singers and like 3 good songs.
In addition to the show itself, I highly recommend watching the ?? ??101 showcase, which truly displays the top 22 talents! In the end, my ultimate bias became the sound crew! Pick the sound crew!
This show lets you believe you can do anything if you set your mind to, as long as your face is above-average.
- Love, someone who was heavily addicted to the show for no reason!
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*Story (10/10)
This drama has done a wondrous job keeping faithful to the original story while incorporating parts of its spinoff "The Pillow Book" about the secondary lead pairing.The Chinese title of this drama is "Three Lives Three Worlds: Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms" and like its name suggests, tells the story of Ye Hua and Bai Qian - gods who are separated yet bounded by fate to find each other in their lives again throughout the course of three arcs, for a memorable journey of emotional highs and lows balanced with good action and drama. Though there are 58 episodes, it is filled with plots to leave one consistently guessing what the next development is from beginning to end.
Just as one score settles, another rises.
Characters are fleshed out and although the main couple gets the bulk of the focus, secondary characters and their relationships are not cheated out of a good storyline either.
*Acting/Cast: (9/10)
Yang Mi's Bai Qian may be the protagonist, but Mark Chao is the highlight. To express so much with so little is what Mark does wonderfully, and his ability to portray two similar characters (Ye Hua & Mo Yuan) so differently with their set of own characteristics, mannerisms and reactions is impressive. As for Yang Mi overall she did well portraying the different personalities of her characters - from playful,mischievous Si Yin to naive and innocent Su Su and finally the aloof with an attitude Bai Qian - by far her best performance. Together these two produce the chemistry to keep audiences thrilled and satisfied. Overall the cast is well put together with several other memorable faces (Zhang Bin Bin, Dilraba etc) making the drama that much more enjoyable
*Last thoughts?
- All the sets, props, scenery and people are simply eye-catching, which keeps one visually interested all the way through.
- Aside from the visual fest and story, Mark Chao is another reason to rewatch
It's been a while since I enjoyed a romance-fantasy genre this much, this will be going straight into my archive of favorites. No doubt one of the best Chinese dramas have to offer
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