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Song Wei Long is Adorable!
This is a sweet, sweet, sweet little rom-com. Sweet in every sense. Though there are some conflicts, nothing too outrageous or unsolvable. Song Wei Long who plays the character Yuan Song has definitely brought life into this lovely drama and his character. I'm normally not a light-headed blurry eyed person, but Song Wei Long has turned me into a silly teenager basking in his youthfulness.When Song Wei Long made this drama, he was still a teenager (18). Despite his very young age, his acting is mature and convincing. As Yuan Song, he doesn't hold back with anything, especially when it comes to intimacy. He dares to kiss and love. Young, handsome and sunny, he is a heart throb. I just can't have enough of his scenes because I love watching him from the start. I love his youthfulness that doesn't lack maturity.
When He Fanxing (played by Victoria Song) meets Yuan Song, she's attracted to him. Fighting back her own emotions, she doesn't know what to do. On the other hand, Yuan Song falls head-over-toe in love with Fanxing and he knows this woman is exactly who he wants in life. Compared with Yuan Song, Fanxing is like a little girl emotionally; she doesn't have what a normal woman her age has. Though smart and strong, Fanxing is naive and clueless when it comes to intimate relationships. Yuan Song however, is mature and devoted. Despite a huge age difference of 10 years, the pair looks perfect for each other.
Of course nothing sails smoothly in life. Comes the killjoy Ye Lu Ming (played by David Wang). He tells Fanxing that their friendship is only platonic, she believes him and treats him as her confidante. But he uses this opportunity to winning the hearts of her parents and making her indebted to him. He creates dates after dates pretending these are their innocent hangouts, and she is oblivious to the facts. He plays her naivete to the fullest. At this point, many viewers curse the Fanxing character, and inevitably the actor herself. This is silly because Victoria Song should not be condemned for being such a good actor that brings the Fanxing character to life.
Initially I questioned the writer for giving us such an emotionally naive character as in Fanxing, and such a foxy character as in Ye Lu Ming; I thought such characters were unrealistic. However, when I searched deep into my own experiences, such characters do exist. I used to know someone who used the same tricks as Ye Lu Ming does, and trapped a girl that he had been pursuing without the girl realizing she was being trapped.
I love the side couples here, in particular Cai Min Min (played by Esther Yu) and He Can Yang (played by Zhang Yu Jian). Cai Min Min is so adorable like a little toddler. He Can Yang's relationship with his twin sister He Fanxing is simply so cute and silly. It's rare for Chinese dramas to portray parents as open-minded as the He's - both of their children have a penchant for very young partners, like at least 10 years younger. The family dynamic is amazing and nostalgic for me.
Many viewers show doubts in following a story that involves a large age gap between the main couple. To this, I'd say, keep an open mind. It's always socially acceptable for a man to marry a very young wife, but not so the other way round. I understand the rationale behind such norm as there is a limitation within a woman's body when it comes to the biological clock and reproduction, but who were to say a couple must always produce offspring in a relationship? Intimacy in a relationship can be expressed in many forms. How Yuan Song plays out in this drama makes me believe that happiness does exist despite the age gap.
I hope through this drama, some single ladies take up the courage to start dating younger men of which I'm supportive. Discard any social pressure or traditional norms. Follow one's heart. Find one's true love. Don't make do with just any men. No one can tell how one should live one's life.
What a wonderful sweet drama this is. Worth watching.
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With the popularity of "A Love So Beautiful", I see a lot of people hoping to find a similar drama to fill the void now that it has ended. There are similarities in the two dramas in the sense that they are set in high school for a majority of the run time and take place during the same time period. However, outside of those similarities, the two dramas set out to fulfill different purposes. With "A Love So Beautiful," I feel that it is a love story first and foremost and the life of a student is given secondary focus but "With You" focuses more on a student's life and how those formative years in high school set the foundation on who we become as we grow older. Of course, love is one of the things that students first start to experience in high school but that is just one of the many items that preoccupy a student's time.
For instance, this drama also looked at how students are tasked with huge responsibility at a young age to make a choice that can very well affect the rest of their lives, deciding to focus on liberal arts or STEM. However, instead of leaning one way, it is implied that one should do their best to be well versed in both in order to be a well rounded individual. We come across many different characters (students, teachers and parents) throughout this drama, each with their own hopes, desires, fears and dreams. And just like in real life, they will come and go but there will be those that leave an impression on you or impact you in some way.
What I also liked about this drama is how helpful and supportive everyone was to one another whether they were friends or "only" classmates. There was a real sense that high school is just one of many stops in your life and how it prepares you to learn and grow throughout life.
Next, I will speak about the Romance portion of this drama which is what I think most people are curious about. And once again I will speak on this in relation to ALSB. In ALSB there are more displays of physical affection and because in that drama they have known each other since childhood they are more comfortable with one another right from the start of the drama. However, in "With You," I enjoyed seeing Yu Hai and Geng Geng's relationship develop over time especially with the way they got off on the wrong foot in their initial encounter. It's not to say one drama is better than the other in the way they portray love but that they portray different forms of love. In "With You," I feel that the writer wanted to portray how blissful it is to simply be together with the person you like/love. Whether that means being "desk buddies" and helping each other with math/physics problems or playing video games together. No matter what the activity/event was, as long as they were able to do it together, made it all worthwhile. Similarly, both characters had their own strengths and weaknesses and complemented each other well and were each other's pillar of support when they needed it. This drama is not really about the grand gestures (at least in Yu Hai's case) but about the little ones. For instance, risking the chance of incurring a strict teacher's wrath by asking him to repeat his explanation of a problem that you already understand because you notice that the person you like is having a difficult time catching up but is too afraid to ask.
Ultimately, if you're looking for a drama replacement for ALSB, I suggest you look elsewhere. However, if you're looking for a drama that primarily focuses on youth/school and the growing pains associated with that time period of our lives, I think you would be hard pressed to find a better one than this one.
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Here is the more positive review you were looking for
I guess the reviews are mostly so negative because a lot of people had high expectations in the cast and the fact that it is an adaption. Not saying that the drama is bad, but that people probably just expected something much different.I mainly knew what I was getting into, though I hadn't watched the original adaption, but there is not too much of a twist to expect about a drama that focuses around rich people. The Greatest Seducer was a good drama. I loved it. I felt a whole lot of emotion from happy, anger and sadness. It is definitely not the greatest drama that is out there, but it has all the qualities all good dramas have. A good cast and good acting, and an interesting plot.
I know a lot of people hated Joy's acting, but she did very well, actually. Most people just dislike seeing popular idols in lead roles, what I get to a certain point, but I could also give you the names of three "veteran" actresses who are in my opinion worse and loved by millions.
The storyline was nothing new, a lot of intrigues, tragedy and drama but also a lot of cute romance and funny side characters. Since it's an adaption after all, I am really surprised by most of the reaction to the plot, besides that, just the fact that this drama is about chaebol problems gives you enough information about what this drama was going to be - like I said.
What I liked the most was our female lead. TaeHee is a strong character from the beginning, and she mainly stays true to it. I read quite a few reviews about TaeHee being annoying and dumb, but I guess the world is just not used to a female character that is strong but also vulnerable. I never doubted TaeHee's decisions because it all fitted with her experiences and morals. SiHyun was a character with very good character development, and it was very nice seeing him grow up and embracing his problems. The romance of the leads is built very nicely and in my opinion pretty realistic for a first-love type of story. As much as I loved most of the drama, I do disliked some parts. My biggest problem lies with the side characters. For me, it seems like the writers gave much thought about how they wanted to develop the main couple, but gave very little thought about every other character. Especially our antagonists, they were all just driven by love which blinded them to a point that it was ridiculous. Even though they had major story lines, a lot of characters were just so unreasonable that it was difficult to understand where their problems, angst and difficulties lied with. Also, a lot of the problems stay unresolved, and I feel like even quite a few characters get forgotten throughout the ending.
After having watched the original, this is still better.
Overall, The Greatest Seducer did stress me out at parts, but I kept coming back for all the tea. I don't regret any minute of it.
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This review may contain spoilers
It took me 5 days of mind wrecking just to decide on an overall rating for Empress Ki. The eternal reviewer's doubt whether it is fairer to value a drama using the brain or the heart is maximized here: this is an epic tale where almost every single aspect is at the same time exceptionally good and glaringly bad. In trying to elaborate this, what follows may become very long, and for this I apologize in advance.First, the pace.
If you are preoccupied by the length, be assured the rhythm of the narration is so fast you'll come to the 51st ep. wishing you could have another 10. There isn't even one moment of boredom among the hundreds of little and big events that follow one another. By the end of each episode, I sat there wide awake wishing it wasn't already 4 a.m. and I could watch another. The downside of such a fast pace is that it never gives you respite. I wanted to linger, now and then to bask in the sweetness, or simply see these people being happy for a while, but it was not to be. Every time an issue is concluded the next is ready to shatter that glint of satisfaction it was so hard to finally obtain. The infamous last 10 episodes I've read many criticize, could have been the most poignant part of the drama if they hadn't been so incredibly rushed, to the point that events seem to make little sense. As a matter of fact they do make a lot of sense – with the glowering exception of the silly Maeback botch – but you have to think the entire journey over in order to see it.
Which leads me to the script and its characters.
This isn't a journey to begin in search of historical dependability, not in the details, at least. Little to nothing is known about the woman who became the Empress of Yuan before she entered the palace as a tribute from Goryeo, and there isn't much information about the single steps that were taken in order for her to sit on that throne. The writers have taken many liberties both in characterization as well as chronology, but I personally think they did a great job in always making those steps exciting and suspenseful and when you reach the end you will realize the plot is rounded up very well, with a couple of exceptions. This is why I think knowing a little about Empress Ki's true story in advance can actually enhance the watching and explain the choices some of the characters make.
For instance, we can assume Crown Prince Ta Hwan was exiled to Goryeo when he was only a teenager, which perhaps will make you judge his character with some indulgence. King Wang Yoo of Goryeo, on the other hand, is by all means the most fictionalized of all the main characters, so much so that knowing his true story is not only unnecessary but extremely counterproductive. My humble advice: stay well away from the true known facts about him if you want to enjoy the drama.
When history is taken into consideration, a lot of the twists invented by the writers acquire significance, since the opening scene tells us in advance where we are heading and curiosity is all on how they'll get there. History also explains why so many characters in this drama change side, go from good to bad, from bad to worse or are suspended somewhere in between. It obviously does not explain or justify the fact that everyone speaks Korean, but I am aware that having the huge cast speak different idioms would have rendered the watch almost impossible.
To this drama I own the realization that I possess a dark side too. There have been moments when I wanted to see blood and wished some characters would not only be killed, but killed with pain. It's such an alien feeling for me, it shocked me. It goes to the credit of writers and actors to make me hate with such an intensity, but I'm not sure I want to experience that kind of emotion again. Attachment and love to some characters, though, was equally intense and I swam in it with gusto. It's going to take a very long time before I can get these people out of my system. While it kept me highly entertained in the first half, in the second this drama almost broke my heart. It has very little to do with characters dying or living, and a lot with them losing their innocence. At some point I almost wished the leads had died on that exile island and remain forever what they used to be, before being scarred and marred by that terrible imperial palace, "a place with no blood, no tears and no mercy". to quote Lady Park.
When it comes to the much talked about love triangle, I must say I jumped on Seung Nyang & Ta Hwan's ship very early on and never wavered. I could not see or feel any chemistry between Ha Ji Won and Jo Jin Mo and while my brain kept on telling me these two characters had a lot in common and it was logical for them to fall for each other, my heart never agreed. In fact, my heart unyieldingly refused to accept it. Ha Ji Won and Ji Chang Wook, on the other hand… I could have watched them waltz one around the other for the whole 51 hours run without complaining even once. Some of the most poignant moments in the entire drama involve these two and they are the main reason why I enjoyed Empress Ki so much.
This said, the love triangle was not only central to the story, but dual purpose too. Because on final analysis the true seesaw is not between a woman and two men, but between a woman and two countries. The issue of eradication underlines the whole narration and should never be forgotten in order to understand Seung Nyang's choices. This is, after all, her story, how she's initially forced to abandon her country and her roots and gradually develops an attachment to her adoptive one. The more she distances herself from Goryeo, the more the story focuses on China and takes the viewer along.
Spectacular acting by Ha Ji Won - no news here, not for me, at least. I doubt any other actress would have pulled off such a role with that seeming ease; Ji Chang Wook - yes, I'm just a little obsessed with him right now, after seeing him in two very different dramas I loved and being impressed by his ability to convey such a varied range of emotions. His Emperor is so controversial I could write a review only on him, but let's go on; Baek Jin Hee – Danashili, my most hated and beloved villain was terrific too and Jin Yi Han, who possibly didn't deliver the best performance of his career, but whose charisma alone made him into an all time favourite, unforgettable Tal Tal. The rest of the cast did great too, although I was more impressed with the young actors than the older ones.
A word needs to be spent on the villains. There are a lot of them here, all evil for different reasons. A few of them are very consistent; others are such since the beginning, but the viewer is manipulated to the point of thinking otherwise; some suffer from inexplicable 180° turns. What they all have in common is the unyielding conviction they never did anything wrong, which for me is the saddest trait of this drama and even when they got what they deserved, I was left feeling… empty. Their evil logic is at times extremely lucid and makes the line between good and bad blur.
Music is the hardest aspect for me to rate and perfectly mirrors this drama fluctuating between good and bad. The instrumental pieces are hauntingly beautiful and extremely powerful. Listening to them with closed eyes might be the biggest spoiler of all as to how this story is going to end, which is an achievement in itself since an Ost exists to tell the story via music. The songs, on the other hand, were not only very annoying to my ears (personal taste) but also inserted too abruptly at times when not completely random for the scene they soundtracked. I ended up using good old maths: instrumental 12 + songs 5 = average 8,5.
To come to such a high overall score despite the glaring shortcomings of the script, I took the whole picture into consideration. A 51-hours long story that manages to keep the interest alive till the very end is commendable in itself and the fact that I already know I will definitely re-watch it in the future is proof of the high level of emotion it made me feel. Furthermore, this is not a book, and the visual means is used at its highest, with stunningly beautiful sets, costumes, colours and camera work. If you are able to suspend belief at times and focus on style and emotional impact, you'll no doubt enjoy Empress Ki as much as I did.
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1Cute and Inspirational From Beginning to End
I have to admit, I was not one of the countless drama-watchers waiting tirelessly for the premiere of this drama. But it’s true that some of the most unexpected things are the most precious. As a sucker for Cdrama rom-coms,I can confidently and lovingly say this about Falling Into My Smile. It has stolen the hearts of many many people, including myself. I can’t exactly find any words to describe this drama; It’s perfectly cute, funny, and inspirational, tackling both problems that normal people like us face daily and problems that idols encounter during their career.Story-9.0
There haven’t been many E-sports Cdramas, but most of them that aired were very much enjoyable to me. Falling Into Your Smile doesn’t have the most unique storyline, but I was pleasantly surprised to be presented a drama with minimal plot holesn and boringness, and that kept its strong foundation from beginning to end. (The gaming scenes were also very cool, but were also quite skippable. Fans were brought ‘into’ the computer, and we watched the fights take place.)
Adapted from the web novel ‘You’re Beautiful When You Smile’ by Qing Mei, Falling Into Your Smile delves into the world of E-sports, a professional online gaming sport that started to show prominence around the world, especially China. Just like the drama, the novel is full of sweet moments, and although some bits here and there have been tweaked, the drama is a pie served to us with just the right ingredients and the right amount, with no piece missing.
As I’ve watched more dramas, something that always stands out is how much inspiration this drama has given me; The motivation to help someone or do something for myself and the world, the inspiration that emanates from a certain character or the story itself. Right now, you’re reading a review of a very inspirational story. Perhaps not everyone will feel this way, but Falling Into Your Smile provided so much inspiration and happiness to me.
Falling Into Your Smile is perhaps the cutest and loveliest drama I have seen to date. (girl who has seen 90 Cdramas speaking here!) While other Cdrama rom-coms focus heavily on the love story between the main couple, Lu Sicheng (ML) and Tong Yao (FL)’s love story is also perfectly balanced with the strong bromance. This powerful friendship between the members of ZGDX not only provides smiles and laughs, but also shows us all the sides to a friendship, from trust, teamwork, and forgiveness.
Unlike other E-sports dramas, though, Falling Into Your Smile explores a more sensitive and harmful side of idol fans. The characters had to overcome major criticism on social media that threatened their well-being, confidence, and careers. Although this is no new problem for us veteran drama-watchers, tension was everywhere during these scenes as we rooted for our favorite characters.
Cast-9.5
Boom! Xu Kai does it again. Amazing acting? You bet! (Not to mention those smiles and teasing...) This talented actor portrays Lu Sicheng, a supposedly cold male lead, so well. Unlike other Cdrama cold male leads, though, Lu Sicheng gives off quite warm and especially caring vibes, attributes that make us a lovable male lead. Xu Kai certainly proved to us that he can slay any role, from those perky male leads in historicals to a cold but very caring modern male lead. As Falling Into Your Smile was his first modern drama (besides the Republican drama Arsenal Military Academy), he certainly has started on an amazing note.
I do not usually follow the lives of Kpop or Cpop celebrities, so I had minimal knowledge about Cheng Xiao when I started this drama. But, like her lovely singing, her acting was very natural and extremely cute! But even though Tong Yao is cute and sunshiney, she is not at all a damsel in distress. Her expressions and actions are direct. Cheng Xiao executed Tong Yao to her best, and although her acting wasn’t the most breathtaking, she took a major step in her acting career when she chose to portray Tong Yao. When the scene becomes intense, so does her expression. Tong Yao’s stern and persistent expressions can also shut someone up, while her bubbly but intelligent side makes you want to pull her to your side. I will definitely follow up on her future dramas because she certainly deserves more praise and attention from drama-watchers, not just Kpop and Cpop fans.
This chemistry is bloomingly strong and fiery. Xu Kai and Cheng Xiao couldn’t have done better showing us Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao’s cute and loving times together.
Without the supporting characters, Falling Into Your Smile would not have had that exploding spark. The pie is served to us on a golden platter: A cute main couple, another cute second couple, powerful bromance (from all teams, really), caring friendship between Tong Yao and her ‘gui mi’ (best friend) Jin Yang, and familial love as well. Did I really just list almost all the most important relationships in our lives? This drama is so well rounded when it comes to these relationships.
Please allow me to take some more time to gush about Lu Sicheng’s teammates and best friends. They. Are. The. Best! Rather than providing awkwardness when it comes to our leading couple, they were necessary for their relationship to progress. Don’t even get me started with Lu Yue or Pang Zi. These boys are a necessity, not just some supporting characters you can throw into the mix, and they were expressed so well. We followed them on their journeys of growing up, realizing that success is never without failure. Oh, the lessons we learn from dramas that seem so simple!
OST-11
FIYS’s OST deserves a solid 11. I never expected to fall in love with this soundtrack this much, but I have. Don’t be surprised when you look into my listening history and find all of the songs played over and over again. Or if my non-drama-watching friends complain about me forcing them to listen to these songs and them also falling in love with them. I think I’ll never be tired of them. With heartfelt emotion and meaningful lyrics, this rom-com’s songs are the toppings of this magnificent pie.
Rewatch Value-8.5
Oh, those sweet scenes? A definite yes! As someone who rarely rewatches dramas, so many scenes in FIYS tempt me.
Overall-9.5
Countless hours and days gushing and blushing over this drama wasn’t for nothing. This pie is wonderful, amazing, magnificent. Perhaps Falling Into Your Smile will be my favorite Cdrama rom-com of 2021, and we’re only a little over halfway through the year. The drama was cute when necessary, hilarious in other parts, and most importantly, inspirational.
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Fantasy Healing Fable
I will preface this by saying that this is in all likelihood the best drama I’ve seen all year. By a strong margin. It’s certainly one of the best I’ve seen in the last 12 months. Until Shards of Her, I hadn’t watch any Taiwanese dramas in several years. Yet in the last couple of months, I’ve discovered a treasure trove of good shows. This is perhaps the best one with the widest appeal. While it has whodunit elements, there’s no gore or violence to deter the faint-hearted. It’s a gloriously perfect blend of coming-of-age, fantasy, a touch of horror, detective and family drama. The weakest part I’d say is the police procedural side of things occasionally played for laughs (which doesn’t help especially from the perspective of a seasoned watcher) but all is quickly forgiven because this show is driven by great storytelling and is imbued with plenty of heart. It’s the kind of show that the Koreans call a “healing drama”. Which usually results in an outpouring of eye water once the waterworks are turned on. Good grief. I don’t remembered the last time I cried this much in a drama.The star of the show is Pu Yiyong played by Tseng Jinghua, an underachieving high school graduand whose only talent is calligraphy. It’s hereditary. His grandfather is a renowned calligrapher and a teacher in the art. But that distinct family trait has a habit of skipping a generation. Calligraphy however is a dying art form, quickly being superceded by technology. On the other hand Yiyong’s only ambition is to be a comic book artist after completing high school. One day on his way to a calligraphy competition, Yiyong, his father and grandfather board a bus which unfortunately falls prey to an incoming airplane. The lad survives but wakes up after being comatosed for over 2 years. His grandfather barely makes it and is still unconscious in hospital even after all that time. It is left to Mother, Ye Baosheng (Cheryl Yang) to pick up the pieces.
While time has moved on and everyone else with it, Yiyong is lost at sea with no paddle. Or map. Metaphorically. He has no idea what’s next for him until he becomes entangled with supernatural beings who insist that they need him to settle unfinished business on their behalf. So an almost 20 year old unemployed Yiyong reluctantly takes on “cases” that contain at their heart a riddle that needs to be unravelled. Enter Chen Chuying, a junior police officer (Vivian Sung) to lend him a helping hand and takes the lion’s share of the credit for clearing up these mysteries in front of her colleagues. Still cracking these cases is a team effort. Along for the ride is former schoolmate and med student Cao Guangyan (Peng Cianyou) who coincidentally moves next door with his dad (Mario Pu) when Dad’s days in publishing comes to an abrupt end.
Yiyong becomes a reluctant sleuth as he wrestles with his own future and the loss of his father which has left a gaping wound with guilt at the centre of it. He has nightmares that he can’t make head or tail of. There’s also a shadowy figure in the background determined to test his mettle at every turn. Unlike others who have come before, Yiyong is a reluctant superhero. He would rather get on with life and not be haunted by beings that only he can see. Until he starts drawing them that is.
On a deeper level, like many crime shows, this is about the forgotten people in our communities. Those who have suffered loss. The lonely. The homeless. The victims of crimes. This where the show tugs at the heartstrings effectively. The rollercoaster of emotions that I feel in this comes only very rarely. Beautifully intertwined with all of this is also the message that everyone has something that they’re good at. Even a designated “loser” by current social standards can contribute in unexpected ways. Academic smarts aren’t the be all and end all. Everyone has a part to play in the social engine regardless of social status, education, smarts or rank.
This journey of course isn’t Yiyong’s alone. Chen Chuying and Cao Guangyan, his so-called “superiors” who accompany him have a lot to learn from him as well as these out-of-this-world experiences. Chuying understandably is desperate the climb the ladder and break glass ceilings in the police but is forced to confront her own motives for wanting to a respected detective. And Guangyan, for once in his life doesn’t have all the answers regarding his future.
I am new to most of the cast and Tseng Jinghua who leads the cast is definitely brimming with potential. He brings the right balance of confusion, grumpy frustration and a reluctant compassion to the role. Despite Yiyong’s brusque demeanour Tseng Jinghua manages to keep him relatable and likeable.
To give credit where it’s due, I leave my highest praise for the script and by extension the writer. It’s the kind of story that could easily lose its way or get derailed by all the moralizing but unlike many others it’s unusually disciplined by keeping the main thing the main thing. The result is a coherent piece of storytelling which is undergirded by a surefooted direction. Once it takes off it never falters. Furthermore they also manage not to butcher the finale in order to leave the door open for another series. Which is entirely doable if the will (and a decent script) is on the table.
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Both leads are seasoned actors already but this puts them under a different light -- Seo Jihye, who is almost always "the rich and proper/cold second female lead," plays a completely different personality in this drama; and Song Seung-heon, whom I honestly only remember vaguely from Autumn In My Heart, also gets to show off his comedic side with this drama. Both the chemistry and the comedic timing are impeccable, and the show has me laughing really hard every week. The two second leads are also well-chosen for the role, even though it's my first time watching either of them act!
And omg the older couple (you'll know who I mean) -- comedic value A+
There aren't a lot of songs in the OST, but the few songs truly convey the vibe of the scenes they're associated with, and I would put the songs on repeat! Would also rewatch the particularly funny scenes -- omg those CLOY references are A+!
I would say this is a great show in the rom com genre, and is a must-watch if you liked Seo Jihye in Crash Landing On You!
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The most beautiful period Thai Queer series of the decade
It is only September as I'm writing this review but I believe it's safe to say I Feel You Linger In The Air (IFYLITA) is the BEST Thai series of 2023 for me. Everything from story, plot, pacing, acting/cast, music, rewatch value. 10/10. IFYLITA deserves all the hype in the world and it was absolute worth the wait of over a year since the cast announcement back in March 2022, the actual production period spanning over 8 months from November 2022 to July 2023.STORY
Being transported back in time isn't an unfamiliar fantasy trope but this is the first time I've seen Dee Hup House pulled out all the stops for their production. Based on the popular novel "The Fragrance of Love" (หอมกลิ่นความรัก) by Violet Rain, IFYLITA tells the story of Jom finding the true destined love of his life in the most unexpected circumstance and after being heartbroken by a cheating ex. Even though I've been a fan of the novel, I think the series is outdoing the original work because it's been able to adapt the novel to fit with the pacing of a series without losing the spirit of the novel. The supporting characters who pretty much disappear by the time Khun Yai and Jom get together in the novel are all now given their own background stories and subplots. The team has done so much world building to create an immersive experience but still shows respect for the original work (especially the iconic dialogues between Khun Yai and Jom have been adapted exactly as is). So far, everything has been perfect. The drama in each episode just gets better and better as the plot starts to unfold for every single characters.
ACTING/CAST
Nonkul and Bright are absolutely phenomenal in their respective roles of Jom and Khun Yai. Nonkul has been playing mostly "alpha" brooding male roles in his more recent works so it was refreshing to see him in a completely new light as a shy, heartbroken, gay little architecture who just wants to find love. Bright is bringing Jane Austen Male Lead A-GAME for his FIRST ML ROLE EVER. You can tell Bright practiced a lot to portrayed Khun Yai as close to the novel as possible (the way Khun Yai walks with hands behind his back, his posture, him speaking in the different local dialect but at times speak in the dialect that Jom can understand...). From their acting alone,one could tell how much love Nonkul and Bright have for the original novel and the amount "homework", care and dedication they have to crafting their characters to be as close as possible. It is not easy to act with so little dialogues but their lingering gazes, the subtle touches, the micro-facial expressions... absolutely immaculate acting to make their characters come alive so vividly. I won't go into details about the supporting characters but I do want to point out how incredibly detailed the production team is in the casting to have everyone speaking in that old local dialect to accurately portray Chiangmai in 2023.
MUSIC
IFYLITA has some of the most beautiful OST songs. I love how every time Khun Yai and Jom has their cute, lovey dovey moment, the OST 'Jom Kwan' by Asia7 starts playing! The lyrics are so lovely because it's written from the perspective of the lovesick Khun Yai who's so endeared by Jom that I just melt into a puddle every time. As the Plumeria/Frangipani flower is a huge symbol of the show, I love that the most important moments are accompanied by the OST 'Plumeria' by Cocktail. In addition to the OST, the scoring and sound editing is excellent as well. IFYLITA has very dramatic score and I can honestly say some thrilling scenes are hard-carried by the horror-movie type score and sound effects.
REWATCH VALUE
I think I will come back to watch this series every year. It's the perfect series for autumn weather and it's one where you can fully immerse yourself to be transported back to Thailand in the 1920s. There's just so much cultural, historical lessons one can get from this series. IFYLITA feels really authentic and invested. Honestly speaking, IFYLITA is like the famous time-traveling Thai lakorn Love Destiny but make it BL, get rid of the CH3 lakorn editing and infinitely better cinematography. Like they are COUSINS to me.
PRODUCTION
Gorgeous, beautiful cinematography, color grading, brilliant writing. There are so many things to praise about the production of this series but if I had to choose one thing, it would be the excellent details of this production. Making this queer period series is an ambitious project for Dee Hup House. Nonkul mentioned in an interview that one of his biggest worries for this series was the visual effects because in order for this book to come alive, it would have to be much invested for everything to look nice and Dee Hup House DID IT! Every shot is dazzling, cinematic like watching a Netflix-level budgeted period series. Small details like props, outfits, cultural events are also paid great attention with a view to craft Thailand in 1927 as close as possible.
OVERALL
While IFYLITA is enjoying moderate popularity in Thailand, I still think it's an underrated gem for a queer series that deserves much more international recognition. I think anyone who is looking for a well produced, invested period series with two eye candy for the leads, should give I Feel You Linger In The Air a chance. If you're looking for a fast-paced, plot-driven queer series, IFYLITA may not be the series you're looking for but it is the perfect one if you're in need of a refreshing multiple queer romances plot with decent pacing and looking to be transported back to Thailand in 1920s with our protagonist, Jom.
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I watched this purely for Kim Young Kwang, I was thinking i'll just skip through to see his face and itll be fine but honestly? this wasnt a bad drama at all!
Don't get me wrong it is not a Perfect drama nor is it up in my absolute faves but it delivers every aspect of a great drama with a decent simple storyline.
The acting isnt too bad, it's actually pretty believable..!
Each character no matter minor they were, played their part very well and fulfilled their character's role.
This drama had it's comedic moments, family teary moments, a bit of mystery to it which isn't dragged out, secrets are let out at the right time and it helps move the story a long, there's a bit of tension, the romance is cute and it was an enjoyable watch.
I didn't have to skip any of this drama, I was content with the beginning, middle and end. But I was thoroughly affected by the comments I saw below and I'm glad I still went ahead and watched it!
I probably won't watch this again no, purely because I know what happens in it now and the pull isn't strong like my 10 score dramas but it's one that makes me happy to be reminded of it, a chilled out easy drama to watch :)
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1If u are undecided if u must watch this drama, this is the sign. WATCH IT ❣
At first I was reluctant to watch this since it is another fantasy/all about gumiho type of drama. However after the first 2 episodes id say it's very fun and hilarious to watch. Hyeri is made for comedy! The way she exaggerates her movements and facial expressions makes me laugh so hard. Also it is good to see somewhat another side of Jang Ki-yong; didnt really peg him for comedy but his character suits him. Loved Kang Hana from Start Up, and seeing her in this drama with a completely different vibe is a treat.Updaaate! Just finished ep 16 This drama is worth your time!! The main actors (and second leads) are just so perfect for their roles. Their chemistry is on point.
The story has good pacing too! Altho it's a gumiho/ fantasy drama; the writing is good and not boring at all.
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This review may contain spoilers
A pleasant but ultimately unsatisfying adaptation
This Kdrama version of a well-known Cdrama is a retelling for tweens that softens the male lead's character while over-infantalizing the female lead. In this remake we have a series that could easily be rebroadcast on Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel. Whether or not you like it might depend on which male lead you prefer -- the Kdrama's or the Cdrama's -- or whether you can tolerate the Kdrama female lead's lack of maturity as she gets older and enters into adult life.While from the beginning the Kdrama version of 'A Love So Beautiful' has a male lead, Heon, who is quite likeable, his counterpart in the Cdrama starts off as very hard to love, and who must face and acknowledge his own deepest flaws if he has any chance of prevailing in the end. The Cdrama scene where this acknowledgement finally happens is one of the most powerful in the entire series, and is all the more moving because we know how far the male lead, Jiang Chen, has had to come in order to get there.
Because the Kdrama's Heon starts off so nice, there is little distance for his character to travel as he faces his own shortcomings -- shortcomings which, of course, are minor in comparison. Unlike the Cdrama's Jiang Chen, Heon is not troubled by abandonment issues that have caused him to develop an almost impervious layer of emotional armor. Instead, Heon comes off more like a guy who's just a little too shy and needs to come out of his shell.
I know many viewers will prefer this non-threatening kind of male lead, and who am I to say they're wrong. However, in making Heon so comfortable from the start there is much less of a reason for him to strive to better himself. Nor does he help us to understand the reason for his unwavering dependence to Sol Yi. Heon is a character who, after all, we're meant to believe can't live without Sol Yi. Unfortunately, because Heon's eventual redemption in the Kdrama is less necessary than in the Cdrama, it's also less impactful, and deprives the Kdrama of an essential emotional turning point. We never really learn who Heon is or why Sol Yi's love has meant so much to him.
As for Sol Yi, there are two issues: (1) she is perky and over-animated to the point of constantly maxing-out my Cringe-o-Meter, and (2) from the get-go the actress who is cast in the role looks too mature to play a high-schooler. This impression is made even worse by the way the director has Sol Yi constantly exploding with child-like exuberance, squealing with delight at little provocation.
If this is the woman that Heon can't live without, I wish the series would make more of an effort to show us why. As it is, his approach to Sol Yi has a brotherly vibe that it never quite shakes off. In fact, toward the end when he kisses her on the lips it feels uncomfortably close to watching someone kiss his own sister.
Kim Yo Han, who plays Heon, is a K-Pop idol. He does a serviceable job in his acting debut and is cute enough to inspire the fantasies of viewers who wish they could have their own Heon in their lives. Enjoyment of fictional media -- be it books, movies, or drama series -- usually involves some degree of identification with the characters, so with such a handsome and cuddly leading male I can understand why in some corners the Kdrama version of 'A Love So Beautiful' would have a lot of appeal.
The other actors cast in the major roles fit the toned-down nature of the series very well, and are worthy counterparts to the characters in the Cdrama version.
The Korean remake of 'A Love So Beautiful' is worth a look if you want something fluffy to fill your time between other, better-scripted and better-directed dramas. While I have to admit that I was disappointed by it, I can see where it will provide some pleasant companionship for viewers who are more romantically inclined.
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Beautiful drama
I like this drama super beatiful the way of act specially the leading actors of this drama(fair xing and Hu yitian) super gentle and good acting skill. Hoping for season 2 or maybe another drama for this two actor. It's so cute and more lesson for this drama like you need to be true in yourself. The team is super supportive for the love team of two players. And Hu yitian the way he understand the problems of one of his team mates. And also how fair cxing help him to overcome his problemsits such a big HEART for me.Congratulations for the team of this drama. Love you all
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So what is this about? It’s a story about “Benri-ya” which literally means “handy men”. The two main leads are given certain jobs to accomplish and they get involved in various adventures through their clients’ requests. It’s a concept that’s not very unique since I am sure that many of you saw dramas where the main leads are “problems-solvers” where they get into contact with many characters and go through various situations to achieve their missions.
However, what shines in that episodic pattern is that our main leads don’t get involved in their clients’ lives to be sacred savers, heroes or creators of happy ever after endings. Even the side characters are Mahoro’s ordinary people and job requests don’t demand anything heroic to pull through. In this drama, the situations are handled quite realistically than any other non-detective episodic drama I saw, it deals with some of the life’s dark cases such as prostitution, stalking, AV’s, Yakuza, alcoholics, etc. I was actually surprised in a good way with its pattern.
Another point that attracted me about this drama’s screenwriting is the great slices of humor; I always appreciated Japanese style of comedy and silly hilarious situations so during this drama, I always had to pause and laugh out loud for a while.
The acting is realistic and very believable; I wouldn’t choose any other actors over Eita and Matsuda Ryuhei for the main roles; they did great jobs with their characters’ portrayal. Even guest actors delivered good performance although I am not familiar with half of them.
The characterization is top-notch. As a stated above, the main characters in this drama aren’t sacred saviors; they’re actually anti-heroes without dreams, ambitions, a real life or even families and friends. In short, they have nothing so they need to take job requests that allow them to eat meals even if many of them are hard to accept. Although Tada is a straight gentle character, Gyôten is a real slacker who’s always hanging around in pajamas pissing Tada off just for fun. He’s also a rudely honest character who throws his words without counting the consequences but everything he says is practically pure joy and he always make me laugh whether it’s the way he runs, the way he talks or the way he imitate zombies. That guy is surely going to get a spot in my “favorite characters list”.
The music managed to catch my intention although I don’t really focus on drama’s music but the “Happy Janai, Lucky Janai” and “Matomo ga Wakaranai” songs were really enjoyable and perfectly suited for this drama’s theme.
Watch this drama if:
-You like Japanese style of comedy.
-You like to watch light-hearted drama with great life-like situations.
-You like Eita, Matsuda Ryuhei or both.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike Japanese silly sense of humor. I know that many people don’t appreciate it.
-You dislike Matsuda Ryuhei.
To make the long story short, Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi is an enjoyable piece of Japanese humor with greatly chosen life-like situations and realistic acting skills that deserves to be watched by the fans of this genre. It’s definitely one of the best dramas made this year.
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From the start it should have given you an idea on what you should be looking for, the every possible EFFECTs of the things we say or do. As for Newton's Third Law of motion states: "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". For every EFFECT there is a CAUSE. One does not do an action without a reason behind it. The reason may be obvious, deliberate; but it could be also hidden or unaware to the person doing the action.
When the world you know suddenly was turned upside-down, will you able to handle it even as if the problems of the world rest on your shoulders? How can you recover when your world is seemingly shattered into pieces? Will you be able to rebuild it the way it used to be, or even better?
STORY
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This is a 10 for me.
The show unabashedly and in an unadulterated way features topics that seemingly people just sweep under the rug. (1) rape, (2) rumor mongering on social media, (3) suicide and (4) implied mental issue. Yes, number 1 and 3 have already mentioned in other BL series, but the way this series presented those is raw, graphic and it did not sugar-coat it. For the forth topic which is "mental health" is not that obvious, you need to analyze every detail from the start down to the very last scene. One needs to be very objective and it will be hard to do it with this very emotional show to see things through. It is presented in a way to raise awareness. The kind of EFFECTs any of the mentioned above could have is what the series wants to focus on.
This shows the rape also occurs in the same-gender world and not only exclusive to the male-female relationship. It is traumatizing when a person is subjected to rape, let alone to relive it when you are opening it up to another person. That is why victims of rape tend not to tell anyone or report it to the authorities.
The power of social media. This is what consuming the society nowadays. With the information age at hand, it can bring out the bests in people as well as the worsts. It can be a tool to create a beauty or destroy. The problem with social media, specially with pictures, it does not show the whole story. It just capture the millisecond. Even shared videos aren't 100% accurate if it doesn't show what happened before and after. Social media can rally for a cause, or spread rumors like a wildfire. The question is, will you share right away something that is not validated? This reminds us to be more responsible in what we do and say on social media because we might not know, someone is hurting and dying inside.
They say the people that commit suicide does not want really to die, but just want the pain to end. Often times, they think that ending one's life is the easy way to end the suffering. We should not judge people that commit this kind of act as we never walked in their shoes, lived the life and fight the everyday battles. Rape does not necessarily result to death, it is the depression the one goes through that would make someone to take his/her life.
Episode 1 is the very typical love story, the beginning, the progression of the feelings and finally, saying the three magical words, "I love you". But is life really all rainbows and sunshine? After all, that is the vibe you will get from the premier episode. Or is there a storm brewing in the horizon?
Yes Episode 2 ended very dark, darker than the night. But if you bother to stop for a while and analyze things, things that happened before the despicable action, you will see that it is not just one event that led to commit such horror. From the home, where you should be the safest, to your school, where you spend most of your time, in the hope of finding your happiness in the person you love. Tragically, when jealousy, gossips/rumors and rejection come become a factor, no one can tell what a person affect by it will do next. Especially if that person have not experience that situation before one tends to ease the pain the best and easiest way he/she thinks can.
Episode 3. Just when you thought things couldn't get any darker or painful as Episode just felt some did a gut punch to you. As you progress the episode, you will realize that is it not only the bruises or swelling of the punch, but a bleeding cut that you didn't notice at first. You tried to put a bandage on it, only to be ripped away and pour alcohol on it. It is that painful. It will be a long time for me to get over the series of events happened in this show.
On the implied issue of "mental health", one can say that the both leads suffered a mental condition in one way or the other. As one expressed this condition outwards by inflicting harm to others, while the other is to himself. And without the right intervention, it clearly shows the very ugly side of it.
This show struck very near to my heart as I had a cousin who was raped that eventually bear a child, my nephew. And now, that nephew of mine is suffering from a mental condition that at a tender age of 11 is already taking medicines to control his behavior.
(Addendum, after watching Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 5, when Dr. Jo Karev is in session with a therapist)
I found this written on the board:
CORE FEELINGS
1. Fear
2. Anger
3. Shame
4. Sadness
5. Guilt
6. Pain/Hurt
7. Safe
8. Happiness
9. Love
10. Pride
11. Willing
12. Hopeful
13. Peaceful
You can see it the feelings that you can consider bad, affect someone negatively, destructive. On the other hand, you can identify the feeling that can build someone up. What if you are feeling more of the negative ones that the positive ones are seemingly drowned? Can you still live? When fear, anger, sadness, guilt, pain, pride, coupled with the lose of being safe, love, hope intensifies all at the same time, surely one will be broken down beyond repair.
ACTING
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Unlike novels or something you read, where every action, reaction, expression can be told, when watching you are limited on how the actors convey certain emotion and image.
That is why I applaud OAT as KENG. His features will sway you to think that he is incapable of any such evil thing with his charming, innocent looks and unassuming behavior. As they say "Don't judge a book by its cover", could be more appropriate for him here. Is he really capable of a dispicable actions? Or events triggered the inner demon in him that he for eternity tried to keep it at bay or prisoned? HOWEVER, Oat could have shown more emotions when he is annoyed. When a character is the antagonist, and you feel disgusted with the character, this mean that the actor who played the role did a great job.
JAMES as SHIN - you can really see in his face the admiration to Keng without saying anything. And the time he felt betrayed, the pain resonates in his eyes. Opposite of a antagonist, when you feel the pain and happiness, then you know that the actor was able to deliver what is needed of him.
MUSIC
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I like the piano accompaniment on the key scenes. It heightens the emotion. But it could have been better if a voice is heard as it can further the emotion of the listener.
REWATCH VALUE
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This is way too traumatic that even myself would not dare to watch this again. Perhaps after a year or so, I will revisit this.
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