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romance at its core
Overall: I gave this a 9 because even with plot holes/nonsense stuff the romance remained strong throughout and I enjoyed the series. 12 episodes about 40 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala in: US, UK, Germany, Australia https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4709/kidnap-2024-e01 ; Netflix Asia http://www.netflix.com/us/title/81927 ; YouTube in some countries https://youtu.be/KhSyfKC06J4Content Warnings: murder, attempted murder, blackmail, violence, kidnapping, mental health struggles/trauma, past death, blood
What I Liked
- an engaging intro that for once wasn't a flashback or a flash forward
- clear and unique premise
- subverted meet cute
- tension
- supportive sibling/sibling relationship
- sweet/caring moments
- characters were aware of their own and other characters' feelings
- ongoing physical intimacy
- a character went to therapy and their partner was extremely supportive
- that the villain had consequences (though I would have preferred it had happened differently)
Room For Improvement
- the beginning scene needed a little more light
- why did the guitar have to make an appearance in episode 1
- a ton of nonsense stuff (ie had all the lights on when going to sleep, being in the rain led to colds, doing villainy in broad daylight, talking about illegal plans in a public place, a character didn't run away with another character in the past, and a lot more)
- "comedy" sound effects like the quack noise didn't make things funny
- the trailer made it seem more of an action series when it's mostly a romcom
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An Unexpected Spring Treat
True love is not possession but fulfilmentPlot
The plot is simple. This drama is a light romantic comedy with a heavy focus on the romance and comedy so adjust expectations accordingly.
What doesn’t work:
Some viewers might not like the simplicity of the plot. Some may not like the slow down to focus on romance and plot after the rush of comedy in the first third of the show.
What works:
Expecting heavy plot and intrigue will lead to disappointment, however, even though the plot is simple, it gets the story from A to B in a coherent and logical manner.
This does not mean the story is without charm though. It’s cleverness lies in its delivery, clear sense of character growth, and setup.
To be honest it’s delivery is a bit of a surprise in that the story unfolds like a mystery rather than a romance. It leaves the viewer with questions and those questions rope the viewer in because they want answers. It’s a brilliant and daring move because some viewers may disregard the story thinking it’s full of plot-holes but the story surprises viewers again as those same plot holes in the front of the story are explained slowly throughout the drama in a way that ties up everything neatly by the story’s end.
To achieve this, the drama is full of foreshadowing, details, and setup. In fact, despite being a light romantic comedy, it has some of the best foreshadowing and setup that I have seen in years. It has foreshadowing that gets paid off dozens of episodes later. Chechov’s guns are a constant and tiny things that do not seem to matter become massive a-ha moments later on, which makes the story fun and raises its rewatch value as viewers find themselves wanting to go back and follow the clues. The setup doesn’t lose to the foreshadowing either. It effect often delivers what would be illogical and unbelievable cliche moments believable and innovative ways. A great example is the kitchen fire scene. In an ordinary drama, Ji man might just trip on thin air trying to escape and fall on Ning Yuxuan but instead, the momentum of her trying to use a beam to break the door just as it opens sets the moment up in a more logical and believable way. This works with the characters as well. The setup of some characters early in the drama leads to a great twist in the last stretch of the drama. The details are also fun. Some like calla lilies being poisonous or horse dung containing antibacterial fungi are weird bits of trivia that are used in a hilarious way. The callbacks are also great with one leading up to an amazing gut punch later on in the story. Plus, the end will make you bald to make up for all the setup.
Story:
This show was adapted from a novel titled, Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir. However, in order to pass censorship and entice viewers, the show made some deep changes. For book fans, it’s better to think of this show as very loose adaptation or as a different work entirely because a lot events and characters have been dropped or changed.
What doesn’t work:
The complexity of the house-fighting and politics is gone. The villains are flatter(this is a censorship issue though). The tension of Ji Man losing her life if she makes a mistake is also greatly reduced. If you like Ning Yuxuan as a scumbag, his scumbag very is pretty much annihilated (also a censorship issue).
What works:
The drama keeps the essence of the story and characters. There’s still an essence of growing up and growing together as a couple for Ji Man and Ning Yuxuan. Ji Man keeps her tenacious spirit (She’s almost feral in the first part to hilarious effect). Ning Yuxuan still transforms into a love sick husband but retains his sense of conflict between honour and love with 95% less scumbag. The house fighting is replaced with a sisterhood storyline and the ableism issues regarding one of the main villains are also gone. This makes the story more palatable to viewers.
Acting/Cast
The show’s cast is drastically cut down from the book. Neither of the leads, Ding Yuxi or Peng Xiao Ran, are traffic stars and most of the rest of the cast are either non traffic, newcomers, or old drama bones.
What doesn’t work:
Sometimes the acting does not work. The expressions are too extreme or the acting is too hard but I believe this an issue with the Chief Director having seen the director’s other works. Xie Ze is prone to directing his actor to exaggerate for some strange reason, maybe to maximise the comedic/soap opera effect or offset the smoothing factor of filters. Some viewers might not like the agile style acting of Peng Xiao Ran, which is made strange sometimes by Xie Ze’s lens.
What works:
Xie Ze pretty much always chooses a cast that can act and these actors carry the show. The leads, Peng Xiao Ran and Ding Yuxi, are great. Peng Xiao Ran is beautiful despite plain styling. Ding Yuxi is handsome and boyish. They are not afraid of making big or weird expressions. Best of all is that they can both act- there are no scenes where one partner drops the acting ball and ruins the scene; and their characters, Ji Man and Ning Yuxuan respectively , both have a clear sense of growth by the end. Their chemistry is also amazing. Strong, sweet, and most importantly believable-Jinyumantang is really on top and the pair have moments that can be rewatched several times over without the sweetness ever turning sour.
Another highlight is that all of the main characters undergo growth or transformation giving them a sense of three dimensionality. Ji Man and Ning Yuxuan go from enemies to lovers, but in a way that really feels like a young couple fumbling their way into a serious and mature relationship where they support and love each other. Gui Bai overcomes his hesitations to fall in love. Miss Shui leaves the past behind and Qian Xue develops the confidence to become businesswoman. Even Muxu and Sang Shen, transform a bit - going from squabbling pettiness against each other to occasionally working together for the benefit of Jiman.
Costumes
What doesn’t work:
The women’s costumes are plain. Their makeup also looks very plain, which sometimes reveals facial flaws. This could be due to filters as it looks fine in the tidbits or it could also be due to Xie Ze’s way of shooting which is not friendly to actresses. The lack of eye makeup is the most detrimental as it makes it harder to see the actresses’s eye skills, especially if they have a thick filter.
After seeing the makeup video, it’s strange that the stylist didn’t go with Peng Xiao Ran’s original look.
What does work:
The lack of women’s makeup strangely makes the actresses stand out more because their individual characteristics haven’t been standardised or covered up with makeup. It also makes the viewer focus more on their acting because the viewer isn’t being distracted by fancy costumes or a great red lip.
The men’s costumes are okay. They may not be innovative but all the main young male stars all look handsome and attractive, which is the basic requirement for an idol drama.
The biggest complaints come from Peng Xiao Ran’s styling but she has a pretty enough face to support the look and when she is shot well, her clothing takes on a fairy and flowing effect that gives her a fairy like or xianxia appearance. In fact, the effect is so good, that the choice of mostly gauzy outfits seems wonderful in those moments.
Direction:
What doesn’t work:
Xie Ze. It’s better than Jun Jiu Ling and Fuyao so he’s learning but sometimes watching the show and comparing tidbits, I’m not sure why he still has a job. His vision ruins some key scenes that under other directors would have positively gone out of the circle.
What works:
Xie Zie. He has impeccable pacing and as much as I complain about him, his dramas are also the only ones I finish without skipping😂. The complaints about the pacing of this show fall a bit flat considering there are highly rated shows where 10+ episodes or entire arcs can be missed without touching the story. In fact, with this show, if you skip, you might miss out on a detail which could lead to confusion later.
There are also some amazing shots. The water play is gorgeous. Some of Peng Xiao Ran’s running scenes are very pretty. And, the boat raid scene with Ding Yuxi is really fast paced and cool. The only caveat is I’m not sure they were taken by Xie Ze because the lens language is different and I’ve never seen such camerawork in his previous dramas. Episode 9, 15, 16, and 30 seems to be shot by some one completely different but the styling and atmosphere are also best in those episodes. 16 is especially a highlight.
Overall:
I think outside of the acting and main couple, the best part of this drama is it’s themes. It’s hard not to fall in love with the message of self improvement and fulfilment it carries throughout the whole story. The leads may be in love but they also focus on their career and it’s extremely touching to see them using their talents to support and help other. Ji nyumantang are worthy of the emperor’s praise. The way they insist on communicating with each other, respecting boundaries, and trying to understand each other make them such a sweet pair. Best of all they don’t start out perfect at it, it’s a gradual and warm hearted development.
I also have to say that I love the way the drama handles women. Ji Man is flesh and blood. She has depth, duality, and complexity. Many viewers might write her off as just another cutesy FML but she’s an astute businesswoman, supports her friends into gainful employment, and eventually breaks out to start achieving things with her own strength. What’s not wonderful about that? Add to it her scaredy cat personality and her desire to be babied by Ning Yuxuan and there is a refreshing sense for those who are tired of the trope of strong women needing to be fortresses 24/7 without any vulnerability or softness at all. There are many ways to be a strong woman and I’m glad RoaTF showcases this with its message of sisterhood, self improvement, positive love, and having your own career and achievements-even the villainess,Wen Wan, embarks on a career. I love it and I think it’s a great message paired with Ji Man and Ning Yuxan’s journeys of becoming the best version of themselves before they get together.
Rewatch Value
It’s high. The details make you want to rewatch. The a-ha moments make you want to rewatch. Most of all the sweetness of Jinyumantang makes makes you want to come back again and again.
Not recommended for:
- Those looking for deep plot and intrigue
- Those who do not understand what a romantic comedy entails
- Those who carry preconceived notions of what an actor should act in or those carrying heavy filters from other shows
Recommended for:
- Fans of Peng Xiao Ran and Ding Yuxi who love to see them branching out
- Those who looking for something lighthearted or soapy to relax to without too much plot
- Those who love quirky, goofy girls like Sailor Moon and and Bea from Bea from Bea and Puppy-cat
- Those who love sweet romances
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I mean, I know they both can act and I love seeing Mario-Davika pair, Kimmy with Mark or James Ma... But after I watch this, I can say that Mario-Kimmy chemistry are amazing..
NongBest who plays Chaba lil sis is so cute and funny.. I love her!
What I like about this drama :
1. It's not just a romance comedy, but we'll get to know about Thai herbs and medication (I learn along with Chaba ;p)
2. The storyline move fast, not like most of dramas, they don't drag the story until we're frustrated (too fast until I don't realize it almost ended).
3. Not Slap and Kiss kinda larkon
4. Great chemistry of the main couple
5. I laugh, I cry, and I smile throughout the drama..
6. Thong Ake character is funny but smart and kind hearted at the same time, Mario plays it very well.
7. Kimmy is out of her the regular brat and spoil character's type, she plays Chaba really well.
8. No crazy ex girlfriend/admirer..
What I don't like...
Well I can say I like most of the storyline.. I don't skip any of the episodes.
Although I think the insertion of Nichkun & Maggie on this drama is not necessary, but it doesn't annoy me (they were there together with Mario and Pat Napapa promoting Dr. J*ll skincare I think).
I just need more sweetness scene on Mario and Kimmy :p
I wish they both can be pair in modern drama (maybe a romantic action comedy will do)
Overall, for you who like romantic comedy you should try to watch this lakorn. Believe me it's worth your time!
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1This review may contain spoilers
Can definitely be watched multiple times, preferably on a big screen
This was so good. China should be very proud of this movie. The cast, direction, editing, music, cinematography was on point. The movie had great pace from the very beginning. I wish I had watched it on the big screen, what great visuals it had.I could totally see how well they used their budget.
I love that Yibo is making great choices for his projects. He could have easily kept on doing the same kind of roles in dramas and earn a good living but he chose to take on challenges and work with good actors and directors to hone his craft. It's no secret that I watched this movie coz of him and he did not let me down.
If Yibo was a Hollywood actor, all our media would be telling us how a young actor is so talented and has done such a variety of work...There's no need to write how good Hu Jun is, he is a veteran. But, I've never seen Yu Shi before, he was good.
Lei Yu is scared of dogs. Those who know will know :P
Zhang making Lei eject but choosing to stay back is not fictional. There have been many pilots who made sure their plane wouldn't crash on a residential area, they sacrificed their life to protect innocent civilians. I knew he would not make it the moment they showed his family but damn it hurt. The first time Lei ejected was so funny but this one was heartbreaking.
Lei's mother told us how risky this career is by just 1 dialog, you can't fix the plane while it's in the clouds.
One can't pretend that there's no propaganda in the movie. In real world, China intrudes into the air spaces of another country while the movie tells us how they get worried when someone else does the same. Movies from other countries do propaganda as well. So let's not pretend a Chinese movie is doing something new. We ignore or pretend when movies of our countries do it so give leeway to another as well.
Everyone knows what China has done in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and other smaller countries. I'd like to see someone brave enough to make a movie or drama in China that shows the ugly truth. But we know it's not possible in a country that decides what its adult population should watch.
The movie is about test pilots, what they do, their lifestyle and the massive risks they take. The movie successfully shows it to the viewer. If such a story doesn't interest you then don't go complaining about it. The movie delivers what it promised.
Comedy was at the right time and in the right amount. The CGI was incredible. I didn't care about romance coz I was engrossed in the story of test pilots, thankfully the movie didn't make romance as the core.
There aren't many women test pilots in the real world so I was hoping the movie would have gone a different route. It would have been interesting to watch them make changes to the planes to suit women. Maybe another movie which shows the struggles women test pilots face.
I'll definitely watch the movie again. It was totally worth the wait.
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Surprisingly, what I really cared about the most wasn't the main couple but EVERYONE. All the characters were important in my eyes *whispers* especially Kim Min Ki. That drama is more than "and they rekindled their romance". It's about accepting past mistakes (yours as well as others') confronting your fears and moving forwards (toward your very own happiness). It's about taking care of the people you love and understanding them.
You will laugh, you will shed a few tears (or buckets) and in the end, once the drama is finished, you will happily say goodbye to these 21 hours of well spent time. Because yes, maybe Emergency Couple is not a piece of art per say but it is the kind of drama that makes you feel good about life, that reminds you that whatever mistake you made in the past, it doesn't and shouldn't define you and if that you try hard, you can succeed in anything.
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This review may contain spoilers
A geek and campus beauty story just like any other. It's an enjoyable romantic comedy about a person who cares too much about what people think of her and a guy who just wants the person he loves to understand him. It was funny and sweet and definitely worth a watch with a bunch of friends hanging out because that's the kind of feeling this movie hasHowever, I can't help but feel like this film was directed and/or written by somebody who does not understand " geeks ". I say this in quotation marks because that's just a negative word for the people who are over zealous in their own hobbies; video games, engineering, art, computers, science,history,etc/ Most of these are actual professions. In this movie, these people are portrayed to be creepy socially inept emotionally weak people who are the vermin of society. Not only this but the male lead is the prime example. Why? Clearly in the real world this is not the case at all
The " twist "at the end was not a good idea and I want to kill the person who thought it was. It's like they took a page straight out of M. Night Shamalyan's films. Forcing a twist at the end of a film just for the sake of having one. Except in this case, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Read further below if you want to find out exactly what I mean
SPOILERS
So in the movie there's this legend that if two people fall in a lake while it is dried up, they will become happily ever after. So the two leads fall in and you see how they end up together throughout the 90 minute movie. However, it turns out at the end you discover that it was all a hoax by the male lead. He manufactures the legend, the draining of the lake, the fake happily ever after stories from the legend, as well as a number of things just so he can get together with the campus beauty. After finding out about this, she breaks up with him. And what does he do? Almost kills himself. Fade out to 7 years later and they're married and together. The End.
What. The. Fuck? If it weren't for that stupid ending, I would have thoroughly enjoyed this film but as of now, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. IM going to washing it down with another episodes of Game of Thrones.
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The story is marvellously written, in the movie the topic that was handeled can be seen in the real life food industry and that makes the story utterly sad. It is an unique movie, because it is realistic in a certain way.
The story picks up fast and in the last hour it leaves out no time to proceed fast, I wished they stayed on some scenes longer to give more of an impact but that is just a minor flaw in my opinion.
The cast was amazing and I really appreciated the collab between Korean actors and American ones. It was difficult in the beginning because Jake's acting was too much, but that is the way Bong Joon-Ho produces its movies and I am happy he stayed true to himself.
The music was beautiful at certain scenes, not all of them.
Overall I really liked this movie, certainly ones that impact me (it left me crying) but also made me think about the food industry. In my opinion I don't see this as a propaganda but as a supernatural movie with a deep message, it makes a valid point.
Watch this and you won't be dissapointed, try to look over the over-reacting actions from some actors but see the message behind this movie.
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The main reason for this is the character of Daimon Michiko played by Yonekura Ryoko. She makes the wide-eyed, constantly calm, mysterious and confident character (she goes dancing every night!!) so captivating that u just want to know more about her. The story seems extremely realistic but different at the same time.
The other actors too have done a pretty good job in playing their parts. This drama mainly shows us how Daimon Michiko does her job as a doctor without being hindered by the bureaucratic nature of the hospital.
This drama is a MUST watch because trust me it will always keep you interested. (She is kinda like a super hero :P)
I'm eagerly waiting for the next episodes!!
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This review may contain spoilers
A Dark Fantasy That Goes WAY Further Than Expected
I was bored and randomly opened GagaOOLala, and the poster and premise for Proxy Driver caught my attention. I thought I was getting a mature BL with some drama and romance, but I was VERY wrong. I genuinely did not expect this series to go in the direction it did.It is only three episodes, so everything moves incredibly fast. Hun is struggling financially and works as a designated driver, driving drunk customers home in their own cars. One night, he picks up Hyeok, who falls asleep in the front seat. Hun notices the cash in Hyeok's pocket and, tempted by his situation, tries to take some. Unfortunately for him, Hyeok wakes up and catches him.
From there, things become extremely dark. Hyeok threatens to report Hun to the police, and Hun begs him not to. Hyeok then uses the situation to control him sexually. Honestly, I was shocked by how far the series went. The fantasy itself is obviously designed to be provocative, but I was NOT expecting such explicit visuals, even with the blurring. It definitely caught me off guard.
Later, Hyeok contacts Hun and tells him to come over, threatening to report him again. When they meet, Hyeok apologises and explains that he was drunk and dealing with the discovery that his wife was having an affair. Their relationship becomes even more complicated when the tension between them turns mutual and they kiss. However, the scene then crosses into sexual assault, especially because Hun had already said it was his first time and Hyeok ignored that completely.
The final episode takes things in another direction again, with Hyeok driving Hun home and their dynamic changing once more. By this point, the series has basically thrown every dark fantasy trope into three very short episodes.
What I found interesting is the idea of two men who presumably see themselves as straight suddenly experimenting with each other and discovering an attraction they did not expect. As a fictional fantasy, I actually found the premise pretty hot and surprisingly entertaining. At the same time, the series does not romanticise everything that happens. The blackmail, coercion and assault are obviously very dark elements, and unfortunately, situations involving power, manipulation and sexual violence can happen in real life.
Overall, this is definitely NOT a cute or fluffy BL. 😂 It is short, provocative, messy, uncomfortable and very much built around dark fantasy. I went in expecting one thing and came out thinking, WHAT DID I JUST WATCH? 😭
For only three episodes, Proxy Driver certainly made an impression.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Wang Kaimu best film in 2025
I though Wang Kaimu in Secretary Qiu was his peak in 2025 and I COMPLETELY WRONG.Everything in this drama was *chef kiss* MASTERPIECE. Xu Zhenzhen surprised me with her inner voice that not cringe and her character is so adorable. The plot on the vertical drama view is the best despite minor flaw that we can forgive it. It giving Sex and the City vibe.
The plot is quite fast compare to other same theme drama with mature conversation that realistic on real life (How ML have same exact sex position for more than year lmao). The romance growth for stranger with marriage arrangement to become dependent for each other is natural without any force chemistry. I like how the couple solve the problem with proper conversation (FL wants to divorce ML because found her secretary lipstick on his coat while ML tried to defend his right by checking the CCTV and fired the secretary, ML jealousy of FL coworker, etc) Wang Kaimu- Xu Zhenzhen chemistry is like river flow-natural and not being force sweetness. The supporting character aka FL best friend are biggest helper to clueless FL and ML about love (and sex).
I like how ML backstory of being robotic and how to overcome his trauma with FL. While FL tried to understand ML more better without siding her main priority as human being.
One of the best vertical drama in 2025. I am not even kidding with that statement. I will recommended to anyone who passed 18 years old, even not c-drama enjoyer can enjoy this.
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This review may contain spoilers
This movie is up there with TLT2 (the Neo Hou/Cheng Yi outing) as my favorite DMBJ thingy. No silly het romance of an unnecessary insert (I'm looking at you, Providence), just good old tentacles and Bromance - with the B being very silent.Till this movie, Heihua did nothing for me. It didn't ring any bells, it left me cold and shrugging on the outskirts of this fandom. But Ji Chen and Ji Xiaobing as Hei Xiazi and Xiao Hua, respectively, did A Thing(TM) to my perception of this pairing. Like... wow.
This movie was everything I hoped for. Yeah, yeah, grave robbing (sorta), tentacled Cthulhu wannabe, that was all nice and whatnot. But the relationship between Hei Xiazi and Xiao Hua? That was perfection pure.
Like...
- when Xiao Hua first came to Hei Xiazi and Hei Xiazi learned why Xiao Hua was headed into the jungle - and then he stole Xiao Hua's ugly statuette and threw it into the pond to protect him.
- when Hei Xiazi paid the armed wannabe bandits to let Xiao Hua's expedition pass but he placed himself right next to Xiao Hua, just in case, to protect him from bullets.
- when Hei Xiazi was told that the cops found a dead body and he feared that it was Xiao Hua, remembering his words, "Are you not afraid that we will all die?"
- when Hei Xiazi immediately packed his things and ran to Xiao Hua's rescue.
- when Hei Xiazi realized that Xiao Hua was poisoned - well, the rest of the expedition too but them folks could just keel over and die for all he cared - and kept on checking on Xiao Hua for the rest of the movie every time Xiao Hua was sick or dizzy - Hei Xiazi's Look(TM) when he saw the insect sores on Xiao Hua's arm!
- when Hei Xiazi decided to open the sarcophagus, not really caring what was inside, just so Wannabe Cthulhu would stop killing Xiao Hua.
- when Wannabe Cthulhu smacked Xiao Hua off the platform and Hei Xiazi screamed with rage!
- when it looked like they might die after all and Hei Xiazi simply lay down next to Xiao Hua, fully intending to just expire together with him right then and there.
- when they escaped through the river and at some point, Hei Xiazi let his young fellow of a friend go, despite the boy being knocked out, to drag Xiao Hua up.
- when Hei Xiazi's young friend told him, "Why don't you go with [Xiao Hua]? He obviously cares about you a lot."
- when they then ran off together, doing unseemly things in Russia.
This movie just pushed all the right buttons when it came to whump. There wasn't just a lot of hurt, there was so much care on both sides. It's the most lasting impression of mine after watching this movie: they CARED for each other. They cared so much. You could truly feel the depth of affection they had for each other. Smitten, I was smitten!
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Watch It for the Supporting Couple
I don't know why Xanxia dramas always need a second couple to take the attention away from main leads, but I guess it's necessary to make a longer drama. I was really disappointed with this drama, first off, because there is just no chemistry between the main leads. Dylan is such a bad actor in this. He just does not look like he was enjoying himself. The one scene where he actually looked alive was with young Liuyang in the Kunlun mountain arc. Zhu XuDan is a wonderful actress and I have loved her since TMOPB, which was a great part for her as she is capable of quite a range of characters. Although, I am glad that she gets a lead here, it just wasn't as well written a part for her. I don't particularly care for Mary Sue's or grown women acting like 4 year olds and, with the exception of the lady general arc, I was mostly disappointed.This brings us to the secondary/supporting couple who are different as night and day to our main leads. Once again we have the serious guy opposite the flighty female. But, in contrast, they were better actors. Xue Qian Xun, brilliantly played by newcomer Deng Wei, may have been a cold fish, but he was ALIVE. The lights were definitely on in that pretty head of his and when QingQing was angry at him or sad about something, he was genuinely mortified. I loved watching their banter, the stolen glances, the loving looks. This was missing between our main leads, and that was the biggest shame. Because of this, they single-handedly stole the show from Dylan and XuDan. I looked forward to the episode that would finally reveal their story.
Some of the plot lines were annoyingly predictable. I felt like I was watching rehashes from previously better-written dramas. That kind of laziness is inexcusable.
The OST was the best part of this whole production. I could listen to it all day. It was perfect for the situations and gave scenes their appropriate weight. Background music was gorgeous, as was cinematography and costumes.
The ending was sad and disappointing. After all the reincarnations and tribulations I hoped for better for the main couple. If anyone can recommend better Xianxia dramas, please leave a post in the comments.
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Daily dose of laughter
If you're looking for a regular drama and would be disappointed with a sitcom, please give this a pass. Don't say you weren't warned, giving this a sucky rating because it's not in the format you wanted. But if you're the open, adventurous type, give yourself a treat and tune in.The series is packaged in 30-minute sitcom-style episodes. It revolves around Planning Department 3 of Gaofa Electronics Group that is responsible for coming up with new products for the company. While the prevailing theme is comedy, there are also heart-tugging moments. As with any other sitcom, some episodes might not be your cup of tea, but there are many that I consider masterpieces, like the costume/historical segment in episodes 33 and 34. And even episodes that are not spectacular are useful in getting to know the characters better.
Here are the flawed but endearing members of Planning Department 3 who can tickle your funny bone and warm your heart if you let them:
Li Tianran (Zheng Kai) - wishy-washy but cool guy whose ambition is to be a team leader
Fan Si Si (Chen Yu Qi) - competent worker who has had enough of being duped into working overtime thus gets herself transferred to Planning Department 3 after noticing that the team area is usually dark after 5 pm indicating nobody works overtime there
Bai Ma Shuai (Dylan Wang) - incredibly rich intern who does not want to depend on his dad's money to get ahead in the world
Ji Wa Wa (Liang Chao) - devoted family man who sometimes has to choose between home and work
Yu Qi Miao (Zhang Shao Gang) - the department head with a fiery temper
Jiang Mei (Zhong Li Li) - pretty, earnest and pleasant but turns wild after a few sips of alcohol
Yao Si Wen (Wu Ya Heng) - lonely bachelor who forces his officemates to have dinner with him
Wu Yi Mei (Cheng Zi) - beauty-obsessed professional whose face has been rendered expressionless by too much plastic surgery
Wu Ming Shi (Zhang Yue Chi) - introvert who oftentimes feels invisible but is the team's unsung hero
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The Light in Her Eyes!
'The beautiful journey which keeps you engaged till the end, giving you pain still you have a smile left on your face.' if someone asked to be to describe this show in one sentence. Well, it's an emotional roller coaster where you experience every emotion itself, you cry, you laugh, there's pain, you'll shock, in short you'll experience everything in this small ride. But the main thing is you'll get more than just entertainment, bitter truth, or reality you can say. Surely it's not a fairytale but none the less than that.The story itself was phenomenal, you cannot predict anything, and the twist you get near the end was more than any surprise. I've seen in any thriller, suspense drama. The execution, the direction was perfect. Characters their emotions, sentiments were amazingly conveyed. The humor was to the point till not absurd, nothing was perfect, every character had it's pro and con, and that's the specialty of this. Its realisticness opens our eyes to see the real world where we live.
Hat's off for the acting, Kim Hye Ja absolutely nailed it, like this role was made for her. I can say I saw a really good change in Nam Joo Hyuk's acting he did a great job portraying his character and last but not least Son Ho Jun wow he's gonna be one of the characters which made me laugh most.
So this was a whole package having a great story, cast, execution, beautiful cinematography, and more than just a drama face to the reality which can teach you the real value of life.
"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange"
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If you liked the main story, watch this.
HINT: Google "Yandaixiejie Additional Chapters". They are on YouTube.
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