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The cast from the children to the adults was amazing. The pace was slightly slow but it's forgiving because at the end, I wish the movie was longer. I wanted to see more.
My problem with this movie is that I wish they would have done it though all point of views rather than from the job-orientated father. I wanted to know how the other father felt; I wanted to know how his biological child felt; both mothers; the other children; and etc--not just pieces.
I wish the director could come out with a box series of their point of view but ultimately I know why he chose to portray the movie through the job-oriented dad: family is first and in the aspect that blood isn't always family.
Powerful film. Great performance from the cast. Again, left me wanting more.
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This Is My Roman Empire
This drama is Pizza, and Pizza is life. It’s a warm blanket on a winter night, wine and popcorn on a Sunday evening and fluffy clouds candies all wrapped in one. It’s one of the best dramas that came out this year, heck it's one of the best bl that came out of the industry. That being said, X and Namping traumatised me so much, I almost had a heart attack half way though the finale.Listen, when the first episode started I went: what in the Wangxian, ao3 tags #soulmates #hurtnocomfort fanfic is this??? And why is it bloody awesome!?! I love it, please give me more! This drama is like when you enter a random restaurant and order the first thing you can pronounce but when it comes it's like a five-course meal, tastes like happiness with a side of chocolate fountain and have a live performance by Adele, all for the price of €6.99.
What I am trying to say is that, this drama is really great. It's a gem, a unicon. And you should be watching it like yesterday. I love the premise so much. I might just be that one person and try to sneak it into every conversation I have from now on.
Random waiter: Are you ready to order? I recommend the chicken and peas.
Me: So Namping left, right? And X waited and fixed the car but then... no, you don't know them. But then... and the box had photos and his videos. He filmed a farewell... *starts crying*
Random person at the next table: See Sharon, I told you we should stay home and ordered pizza, outside people are crazy.
Me: *still sobbing*: I'm not crazy, my mom had me tested. Nampingggggg, why? why you do this to meee! waeeeeeee.
Random person at the next table: I hate you Sharon.
No but, the funny thing is, I went into this series without even reading the summary. I had no idea what the hell it was about, other than I added it from one of those lists of upcoming bls on a random Tuesday. But yeah, I clicked on the first episode and fell in love with the leads and the concept so much, I legit stalked the actors socials after the 4th episodes just to make sure Top and Mick are okay, cuz that episode broke me. Then the audacity of those two dancing and smiling on tiktok while my heart was broken. They lucky I couldn't reach into the phone screen and slap them with a rubber chicken for making us cry buckets.
Anyway, here is my review of every story arc and my ratings.
DOL & SUN: (ep1) -- 8.5/10
This episode with people seeing colour for the first time when they meet their soulmates in the rain, reminded me sooo much of a Wangxian soulmates fanfic I read once on ao3. Sidenote: Anyone else keep rewatching untamed and reading the novel? Literally, why can't I move on from Wangxian? It's been years. Anyway, the carrot washing...wait, wrong episode. I meant colours. So, this episode was straight out of a fanfic, and I loved it.
At first I was like, Dol, stop playing hard to get, look at how adorable Sun looks in that helmet. And then that loser ex-boyfriend showed up, and I felt so sad for Sun, who has been hurt and lied to, and still had to endure physical abuse from that mouth breather. So when Dol showed up, I clapped. The plot of this one was straight forward, Dol had problem opening up cuz of his childhood and Sun was naive believing in soulmates. Thankfully, they figured it out in the end.
My fav part with Dol and Sun was when Sun showed up at his work to celebrate Dol's birthday when everyone seemed to have forgotten. I knew then and there they were gonna end up together. It was like that part in a fanfic when the writer leaves a note like... sorry, my cat is in therapy so no updates this week, but next week is gonna be #fluffy #weiwuxiangetsahappyending.
Anyway, as the opening to the series, it did a good job keeping my attention. They had that one episode to tell a story that felt complete and they did it so well. Mick and Top were great leads, and they made me fell in love with the characters, and the drama immediately.
PRIN & FRIST: (ep2) -- 9/10
Imagine my surprise when this episode started and they seemed to have switch things up, and now Prin is rich, the boss, looks like a prince from one of those disney movies, and First is a clumsy adorable secretary. I was like... wow, why you two such good actors, making me believe this is a completely different drama. No, but someone give Mick and Top their flowers!
Prin and First story was so simply. It was as easy as breathing, At first I was sad First was hiding the deal with the grandma, and thought it was gonna create a nonsense misunderstanding that would make them fell apart, but then Prin was so far gone, he didn't even care when he found out. I also love how the grandma wanted Prin to find someone and legit didn't care who it was. I was so happy it was only 1 episode, cuz imagine the nonsense episode 11 we'd have gotten, making us cry.
First was so cute in this one, with his pen and notebook being all adorable and quietly quitting cause he couldn't find anyone for Prin, and the whole time, I'm like... it's you. Come on brother, take a hint! The ending of course was so cute and fluffy and I was like... awww this drama is going to be all cute and lovey dovey for 8 episodes. Good, I need some fluffy Sunday dramas. BUT BOY WAS I WRONG. I WAS SOOO WRONG.
X & NAMPING: (ep3-4) -- 9.5/10 -- disclaimer (Pain level 100000000^2)
This arc sucks. It should be burn with fire. Matter of fact, throw the whole thing into the pits of hell. Dafug you mean he didn't show up the next year right when X finally brave up and got to know him?? TEARRRRSSSSSSS. And to think X wasted all those years not talking to Namping, and instead pretending to visit a random arse ghost he didn't even know. His ancestors must be proud. If only he'd had the courage to make a move faster. If only.
It's my fault, already in episode 3, I was like: hmmm is he sick? why is he dropping stuff? But then X lifted him from the shattered glass like he was the most precious element in the world, and I immediately went, 'naaah, he's fine. Look at them, adorable.' So yeah, should have seen it coming, but I was too busy going 'awwww' like an idiot.
Personally, I don't really remember the side couple in this one, did they end up together? I started sniffing when Namping broke down crying when they were about to do the devil's tango. Then, my eyes watered when X woke up and Namping was gone. And when Namping started crying without picking up X's calls, I went... no, bish no, don't do this to me. THEN... THEN... he didn't even get to see that the car was fixed. X breaking down was a process, from his realisation to full on sobbing was.... Me sitting in front of my TV on a Sunday evening sobbing was not in my plans, but that Sunday ended with me going to bed sad. I was sad about this until like the next week when I saw a behind the scene and Namping(Top) was there during that sobbing scene and went to comfort X(Mick).
Okay, but... NAMPING is the most graceful, angelic, cloud, fluffy, beautiful character ever! No, really how did Top managed to look so cloudy with a chance of angel like that? Like, even when he was sitting on that luggage he looked like an angel or some heavenly deity that shouldn't even be disturbed. It felt like it was even a sin to just touch him, cuz he came off so pure. Namping is the definition of clouds and desserts. He deserved all the princess treatment he got and more. And when they were in the river, literally those two have great chemistry, and their combined beauty seemed almost unreal.
Then of course there was X in those mechanic overalls, looking like whoever invented the word 'damn!' saw his picture at a museum one time. Like, he went from being soo clumsily cute in the last arc as First, then suddenly he was walking around like a tasty offering making those ghost brush. I'm still in awe at how amazing those two are able to switch roles so seamlessly.
I think this arc, although it hurt like a motherfather was my fav, cuz it forced me to feel, and it stayed with me for a while when it was completed. It's what a good story should do. And as always Mick and Top were amazing in their roles.
SIAN & BLUE: (ep5-6) 9/10
Now, how in the world did Namping go from being an angelic person to being a little gremlin? No, he was such a mood. When he kept sending Blue off to look for him, then he'd reopen the door looking like a beef cake, distracting the poor guy, I couldn't stop laughing. He was a little sh!t and I loved him so much.
This time it was Blue who was the cute, adorable one, painting and cooking, and just being the best brother ever to Green, while also thirsting after Sian and his hair and inability to put on a shirt. That fixing the pipe scene where he was just outside the window having an impromptu shower, while Blue tried to remember how to breathe was pure gold.
This was also a relax episode, even though there was some depth with how Sian seemed to have lost his passion with the lost of his ex, and Blue having wronged a friend. My fav part is how Blue, Sian and Green formed their own little family. And when he sang the song (Every Tears) he wrote and all their past lives was playing. TEARS. I'm gonna miss their arc so much.
Also, why the hell he always have some ex-boyfriend? Like, that dude just can't wait until his soulmate finds him? Not gonna lie, up until now, I have no idea what happened to that boy Sian wanted to marry, did he go out and never come back, or did he die? Felt like he went out to get eggs one morning and then dipped. Oh well, Blue got to see that water scene out the window, so a win is a win. Oh and, washing my carrots is gonna be interesting from now onwards.
INN & PUN: (ep2, 4, 6-8) 9/10
When these two first showed up in ep2, I was like: whomst? where are we? then the second time, I was like: ooh, so they are actors, and the arcs we are seeing are their series as partners, so no soulmates? Alright, cool cool, what a twist, but I get it, I love it, I'm here for it. When Inn asked Pun to be his boyfriend after Namping and X destroyed us, I was very happy, and went... okay, we good, no matter how the stories they are acting in hurts me, I know they are together behind the scenes and that's all that matters.
So tell me, why right after Sian and Blue got their happy ending, those two out there talking about they've been on and off and now they've definitely broken up cuz they can't change for each other? Bish then don't change? I swear I was prepared to sue for emotional damages if they'd broken my heart like X and Namping, After episode 3-4, I couldn't do the weeping alone in my house thing anymore. It was starting to feel sad and frankly, a little bit pathetic.
These two are my parents. I thought no matter what happens in the project they act in, they would be together forever behind the scenes, so then I won't be sad, so the dafug you mean you've broken up?? No, but when I saw Inn so happy with his ring, ready to propose, then Pun just broke up with him... I teared a bit. Cuz suddenly, Inn was back to being X, crying for Namping in that damn car. And the years later tag did not help at all, cuz I was like... oh, no, they about to break my heart again. I don vex when I saw the Otto Inn best couple thing... like y'all better be playing out here or something, cuz...
But thank the eff, everything ended on a happy note. I was sad Pun let them break up, saying it was was for the best, but then the flashback happened, and I understood. He gave them a chance to become the best version of themselves, so they could come back together and grow stronger. That proposal was the best ever. Like one random morning over breakfast, Inn just saw Pun as the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and then, he went down on his kneels and Pun said yes. Ahhhh tears.
The story of these two was such a rollercoaster. They were on and off, then off for years even though they loved each other. That workshop scene was amazing, really showed what good actors Mick and Top are. They said so much with just repeating the same words. Talented indeed.
It was interesting, knowing that while playing Sian and Blue, two people so lovey dovey, all that ish was going on backstage with the actors. Also, Pun, darling, that's not a face for being behind the scenes. You need to be center stage in front of the cameras. Then Pun was talking about not wanting to see Inn's work, cuz he'd be jealous of his co-stars, girl, who's fault was that, huh Mr. Cool Director? But all ended well, so I can't even complain. I loved Inn and Pun as much as I loved the other characters, perhaps even more, cuz there are OG.
OVERALL:
Yes, everything wasn't flawless, because they had limited time, some things were not expanded on, or were vague, or felt rushed. But, we had enough to make every arc feel complete and keep our interest. The production team on this did a really good job, and I'm sad we get only 8 episodes. It's not enough, this deserves like 5 seasons and a reunion season in 2030. Usually, I rant and nitpick, but I simply enjoyed this drama way too much, so imma just let all that slide. The stories we got were great, the characters great, and the chemistry was chemistrying. Mick and Top were really versatile and such greats actors. They made each new character their own, and completely made me immersed in them, without even comparing the previous characters. Where do they live? Imma use my last couple of dollars to send them flowers, and an angry note for making me cry in episode 4.
One thing I also liked was that, normally there's a clear top and bottom, but it took me until episode 3 to realise they are switching in this, and it was amazing, cuz it gave the actors room to be versatile and portray different characters with different set of emotions and actions
I can't wait to see more work from Mick and Top. I pledge to watch whatever they put out, even if it's them watching grass grow. I HIGHLY recommend this drama to all bl and drama lovers. It's a unicon, a true gem, and you need to watch it like yesterday. This is now my most favourite drama this year, and perhaps all time fav bl drama. GO WATCH IT, trust me.
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for this Drama. Because it deserves it!
I have always been a great fan of high-school-dramas, especially when they have
a "hero-like" main-lead :)
(maybe my addiction to them comes from Gokusen)
But for once I didn´t even plan to watch this Drama. By accident I clicked on it on a streaming website and I must say that this is one of the Dramas which are unexpected gems!
The plot was very well-done and it served it´s purpose. I was glued to the screen each time I was watching the episodes. I even put on-hold currently airing dramas such as "Kill me, heal me" only in order to watch a new episode of this Drama. Besides being a light watch, it involves a few darker themes as well (such as disappointment, bullying, betrayal etc). In my opinion it was the perfect mix of them. My favorite part weren´t only the held speeches but the presidents encouraging of her classmates, teachers etc in the middle of each episode were really touching as well.
I didn´t feel the need to stop to watch the Drama, like I tend to do with many melodramas.
But still it was enough to evoke excitement in me. Especially in the middle of the Drama.
As for the ending it didn´t quite satisfy me (no I won´t spoil it don´t worry) but then again it made me happy as well. You will see what I mean when you have watched it :=)
The female leading role (the president) seemed sweet and sincerly in her role. Her acting portrayed her innocence and ever growing strong will well, though I wouldn´t say that it was outstanding.
It was enough for me that I felt along with her and I really enjoyed her role a lot :)
The male main lead was more like a mysterious side-character who played a major role in achieving her dreams. At first I thought he would only play a gloomy, minor role but it turned out to be different.
I wouldn´t say that I will miss his role as much as from the sweet president, but I really enjoyed the interactions between him and her.
As for the other roles I personally really liked the "platinum" group, the student rulers of the school. I would have wished for even more of their screen time. Instead they more likely became side-characters.
There was no actor/actress whose acting I found to be "bad" and therefor I gave 9 points for the cast.
This definetely isn´t a cheesy drama as you might expect from the synopsis and I am glad that I came to watch it. I can assure you that most likely won´t regret giving it a try as well. It will be worth the time!
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I don't know what it is about C-dramas, but I accept their corniness and over the top acting more so than any others. It's like they're in on the joke with the viewers, so its ok by me. The story overall has a lot going on! There is LITERALLY something for everyone: Romance, friendship, action, fantasy, ALL the different time periods, vampires, werewolves, magicians... just to name a few. But the overall story is about a master and his disciples who time-travel into a person's past-life to fix a problem they are having in the present. It's a nice plot that introduces all sorts of mayhem and time jumping, and every time its a different story. So if you don't like the time period and plot in episodes 4-7, then maybe the plot and historic period in episodes 8-10 will do it for you. The common thread through it all is Ye Yin's meetings with past-lives of the people she knows and one very clingy vampire she keeps running in to. The awkwardness, the cuteness and pure comedy that follows will make you stick around just to see what happens next and how Ye Yin will get out of the problems she started in the 1st place!
Even though this doesn't have a romance tag (as of right now) there is some romance. An eternal love triangle to be exact. There are hints that there is some huge history between the two main men in Ye Yin's life, but we only get flashes here and there (probably saving it for season 2!)
The acting was over the top, and corny... but it fit the tone of the show and had me LOLing the entire series.
Like I said before, I was in a certain mood to really enjoy this series. So I understand that it may not be for everyone. But for getting me out of my drama slump, making me look forward to a 2nd season, and forcing me to watch some episodes RAW (bc I just couldn't wait for subs) this was near perfection IMHO.
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Chinese Game of Thrones with a Great Brotherhood
I've been anticipating this one for a long time; now not saying I had high expectations especially since it sat on a shelf for nearly three years. Now that part one is over, I feel something is missing. Watched primarily for LYN and I knew a few other of the supporting casts though not the other leads. But the vibe of this was the Chinese GoT with a great Brotherhood.Pros: I loved the brotherhood; them three together on screen or when they could know what the others were thinking when they were so far apart. The comedy in the beginning was nice. LYN played ruthless DiLin very well and yet had a soft spot only for his two sworn brothers, his precious wife and unborn child. The rest of the world be damned. Pretty proud of him as the role was done early on in his career. SYL was the sexy hero of the trio and the woman he fell for molded him to a T. Their sexy time was very well played and left my iPad smoking. ML was the goofball with the secret ninja powers not even his brothers apparently knew about. He comes off as a playboy but has a great strategic mindset; so he's their hidden weapon.
Part 1 revolved around the GoT like power struggle and rebellion of one of the older keepers of the country. As well as the invasion of North Clan who are barbaric in nature. The one in control however was the one who pitted people against each and was the real mastermind to keep power for himself. Even ML's Shifu who never planned on rebelling was made a pawn of just so the old fart could stay in power. The old fart chief who looked feeble and sickly was really hellbent to keep everything to himself; doesn't matter who he destroyed and how. He had DiLin kill one of his "most trusted" spy's entire family just so they wouldn't form an alliance later against him. The actor played a very conniving and scheming antagonist pretending to be a protagonist very well. But all of that scheming, has made him more enemies than I'm sure he's aware of. His main phrase was "I trust you the most." That's how you knew he didn't trust you at all. Thankfully two out of three brothers have figured out that he is not who he appears and are very wary of him.
The budget was definitely on the lower side with major edits done plus a title change but the GoT low lighting atmosphere and that kind of world setting was only missing a few dragons and looked really cool. OSTs, costumes, scenery otherwise were all on point. I really hope they release part two soon.
Cons: One word: Ning! Her character though as completely unimportant as it was took up so many episodes, we feared instead of it being about the brotherhood, it'll be about this royal poodle gorilla glue and her childish crush on ML. While I understand this story had to show her childish behavior but not for 15 episodes. Oftentimes, only one brother would make it into an episode and it grated on everyone. The 12 year old tantrums she would throw thinking the entire planet—especially the nails on chalkboard "Xiu gege" she would whine—revolved around her and her needs was mind boggling. Her country was at war where people died left and right but all she could think of was the pretty dresses she hasn't worn etc. She ran away from home just to whine to the ML about how he had to cater to her like she was on some vacation while the man was trying to keep people alive. It was disgusting and she had way too much screen time where for a while, the story hiccuped a lot. Instead of wasting time on her, they could have told more about the brothers upbringing and how they became sworn brothers in the first place. Would have been far more interesting. Or even on the story of North Clan and why they couldn't keep still in their own territory. Anything but her. I hope in part 2 she takes a very serious seat in the back row.
The fact that there was more talk than action other than the very beginning and ending, we can attribute to the low budget as I would have preferred more fighting scenes then just the aftermath with explanations. Or after DiLin massacred an entire battalion, he just stands there, covered in blood. Would have preferred to see that actually play out as opposed to what we saw, same with SYL's battles.
Would I recommend it? Despite the lord awful Ning and lots of talking, it's actually a pretty decent watch and does grab your attention. It is an OE as there's a part 2 that's apparently already been filmed and needs to be released; so hopefully soon. I say give it a go.
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A warm, comforting hug on a rainy day
This drama is pure comfort in its sweetest, most nostalgic form and I absolutely loved it for that.Each episode had me smiling like an idiot while watching, desperately wanting more yet feeling so fulfilled and satisfied with each piece of the story. The two main leads, Jyun and Zhen Hao, have astounding chemistry. I was especially impressed to learn this is Zhen Hao's debut as an actor! His performance at times did not have the most depth, but he did great with the script he received. Jyun on the other hand, perfectly embodied the character of Qi Zhang. He is just such a beautifully open, warm and comforting person - watching him just made me want to give him the biggest hug. I loved that their characters were so different, and by interacting and getting to know each other, they both learned and grew in wonderful ways. Their interactions and the build of their relationship were so endearing!
The side ship, Ray and Ah Jian, was such a well-written contrast to the main couple. The two actors also had fantastic chemistry and their scenes, while at times feeling a little disjointed from the main story, were so well done that you can't help but root for them and enjoy their story. I don't feel it happens very often that I love all the ships in a drama but this one really hit it on the mark. The other additional characters all had depth and personalities that were great to see - I particularly loved Qi Zhang's band/friend group. The love and care they have for each other was just so good.
The story is nothing wild or crazy, but it isn't trying to be anything other than warm. That's the best way I can describe it - like getting a warm, comforting hug on a rainy day, when everything around you feels like it's falling apart, but the hug helps warm you up and keep you stitched together. There is fluff, there is angst, there is a lot of hurt and comfort. It portrays toxicity in family and relationship dynamics and promotes healing, learning who you are, what you want and how to stand up for your ideals. The OST is also fantastic! I've added both the intro and outro to my regular playlist.
This is definitely going to be a comfort series to re-watch for me!
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heartwarming
The drama follows Qing Ye and Xing Wu from their high school years into adulthood, allowing viewers to witness not only the evolution of their relationship but also their personal growth. Rather than focusing solely on romance, the story explores dreams, family struggles, friendships, and the difficult process of discovering who you want to become.What Dazzling offers is a warm, heartfelt, and refreshing journey filled with growth, friendship, first love, and the feeling of finding your place in the world.
Without a doubt, my favorite aspect of the series was Zhazhating. More than just a setting, the town becomes the soul of the drama. Its streets, its people, and its strong sense of community create an atmosphere that feels incredibly authentic and comforting. The coastal scenery and small-town charm give the drama a unique identity and contribute greatly to its nostalgic and healing atmosphere.
The romance itself is sweet and easy to root for. Qing Ye and Xing Wu complement each other beautifully, and their relationship develops naturally over time. I particularly appreciated that the drama allows them to influence each other's lives in meaningful ways. Their story is not built on endless misunderstandings or unnecessary drama, but on mutual support and shared experiences. Guan Xiaotong and Li Yunrui also have a very comfortable chemistry that makes the romance feel genuine and effortless.
What surprised me most was how relaxing the drama felt. There is a lightness to Dazzling that makes it incredibly easy to watch. It captures the emotions of youth, summer, and small-town life without becoming overly sentimental. The story has a gentle pace that allows viewers to simply enjoy spending time with the characters and their world.
That said, I do think the final part of the drama was weaker than the rest. Some developments felt rushed, and a few storylines could have benefited from more time and attention before reaching their conclusion. After such a carefully built journey, the ending occasionally seemed eager to tie everything together too quickly. However, while I was not completely satisfied with every narrative choice near the end, I still found the conclusion emotionally satisfying and consistent with the overall tone of the drama.
Overall, the charm of Zhazhating, the warmth of its people, and the gradual growth of the characters created a world that was easy to become attached to. It felt like spending time in a place you wouldn't mind visiting again.
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It's Either The Three Of Us, Or None Of Us
This show was such a fun and sweet experience. I genuinely looked forward to it every week, I liked these three weirdos and their chaotic softness.The premise is kind of wild in the best way, it starts off with a child narrator talking about Takuzo, a lonely guy who’s starting to think about marriage. Then there’s Mia, his ex, now dating a younger dancer named Shinpei. Things get interesting when the two attend a lesbian wedding, and Shinpei just casually suggests, “Hey, what if the three of us got married?”
At first, Mia’s thrown off (understandably), and instead of confronting it directly, she takes her boyfriend to her ex’s place, hoping it’ll stir some jealousy and kill the idea. But surprise, Shinpei and Takuzo actually hit it off. Not even a hint of rivalry. They get along so well it catches Mia off guard.
The sweet twist early on is that the child narrator turns out to be Pakhun, the pet rabbit Mia and Takuzo raised when they were dating. He’s been watching over them from rabbit heaven this whole time. That reveal mid-ep 1 was such a funny, touching moment and instantly made me love the tone the show was going for.
Throughout the episodes, we slowly unpack each character, we got some focus on Takuzo, his past, his insecurities, and his lingering feelings for Mia. We meet Sayo, a co-worker who shares his random hobby of building Lego cities. She believes in platonic friendship between men and women, but the show teases her as a love rival. Honestly, I wish they’d kept her strictly as a friend. The trio dynamic was strong enough, and her romance subplot felt unnecessary.
One of the highlights for me was how the show portrayed the trio relationship. It had its ups and downs, but it wasn’t over-dramatized. The three of them actually talk, support each other, and even argue in a realistic way. When Takuzo gets sick and Mia and Shinpei come over to take care of him, I was like okay, these three are already kind of living like a family. You can really feel how their connection grows, slowly and believably.
The final episodes bring everything together. There are a few emotional stumbles, some pushback from people around them, but nothing overly cruel or unrealistic. Even the mothers’ reactions were done well, shocked but not villainized. They take time to process, then try to support. It felt grounded.
And the ending was So cute. The trio basically says: it’s either the three of us or none of us. And they actually go through with the marriage. The show doesn’t treat it as a joke or phase, it gives them a real, soft, happy ending.
My only real critique is that while the show depicts a poly relationship, it doesn’t feel like it was written by someone who’s poly or queer. There’s a slight outsider lens, like it’s more of a thought experiment than something personal. It’s respectful, yes, but not quite as layered or lived-in as it could’ve been.
Still, overall, Sannin Fufu was a warm, charming, and refreshingly odd little gem. It didn’t always hit super deep, but it knew what it was doing: telling a story about people figuring out how to love each other in a way that works for them. And that’s honestly enough.
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Unlike most Asian dramas, they actually act like they love each other. They are very touchy and the female lead actually admits her attraction to the male lead. The characters are all quite unique and interesting.
There are some twists and turns, some angst, and the most adorable male lead of all. Acting is on point, especially Chen Zhe Yuan. He totally became Zhen Jun and brought him to life. I cried and suffered and smiled and felt happy with him. I don’t cry watching dramas, but dang, this boy ripped out my heart. Anyone who has ever said anything negative about his acting, know that during the filming of this he got so into character during a dramatic/sad scene that he actually passed out. That’s dedication.
I highly recommend giving this a try. The music is amazing. And the opening sequence and song are so good I could just sit watching it on repeat. I’m going to miss this drama so much.
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A love so pure, it burns throughout adulthood lasting a lifetime
Definitely not your average fluffy high school drama. It has mature themes and deep story-telling which got me hooked right from EP 1! I went in with zero expectations only to be left wanting more after completing the drama..it was that good and I barely even write reviews..I just couldn't pass on without writing one for this. It deserves a review for me.I watched the drama and just finished reading the manhwa. I liked both versions but I definitely have a soft spot for the drama one. The live adaptation was very well done and the story was executed nicely. I especially liked the fact that in the drama they touched on the letter that seme had left in the DVD and expanded on how uke wrote an entire novel as a response to seme's letter. And how uke's novel was then turned into a movie that seme wanted to make as his final project before graduation..it was heartwarming that they didn't forget to add it in the drama. In the manhwa..the letter was never mentioned again after uke had read it..and it was forgotten just like that..I thought it was quite a pity..
For reference, I am using the term "Uke (Minase/Jinhyuk) & Seme (Hirukawa/Heechan)" here as I'm talking about both versions of the webtoon and drama..so this helps avoid any confusion with the characters' names.
Another change was that the bullying wasn't included in the drama..which I felt was the right choice..instead they shifted the focus on seme's domestic violence issue that happened. The drama depicted real life struggles of DV..that was quite triggering but this also raised awareness about how common this problem is and how there's more to what meets the eyes; you never know when someone is being abused and they never ask for help..its a vicious cycle and hard to get out of unless you have someone you can rely on. The drama showed exactly that..the uke was a light to the seme during his most challenging time. I'm not saying the manhwa didn't show this either but just pointing out that the drama chose to focus on DV instead of the bullying.
We're introduced to the roles of aggressors, victims & bystanders and some might say that the bullying was important to depict this theme. However, omitting the bullying to represent these 3 roles with DV was enough in the drama. I felt that the director knew it didn't really need to have the bullying to portray these and that the domestic abuse was more than enough to show us the 3 roles. Aggressor being seme's father, Victim being the seme and Bystander being Minase; there were 2 scenes were uke was a bystander while witnessing the abuse. One was when he first found out about heechan getting beaten and 2nd was when they were watching the movie at seme's house and the father burst into the house and uke had to run away..he wanted to do something about it but didn't due to fear of all the complications that will arise once he called the police..him being interrogated..his parents having to be called in because what happened etc...So I feel that the director choosing to just have the domestic violence centered in the drama was enough to not only highlight the 3 roles we know of but to also raise awareness of an issue we've don't always see as "common" because bullying is something we always know that happens in school and the audience are more than familiar with it..However, DV is not always touched on.. because it's such a sensitive topic and triggering for others too. And like I mentioned there's more to what meets the eyes..because we don't always know when someone is being abused..it just goes unnoticed until someone discovers it..so I respect the director's decision and understand why he chose to focus on DV for the drama. It was quite a solid choice in my opinion.
Overall..because of how they managed to tie all this up all nicely in the drama..I fell for the live adaptation and it'll have a special place in my heart. They really did an amazing job following the manhwa closely for the drama..I have no complaints whatsoever because the special episode that we got was basically the side stories after the manhwa had ended. They gave us the whole complete package. The casting was perfect. The acting was great, especially Minase's crying scenes and the chemistry between the two of them was just overflowing from my screen..the tension was unreal..everything again just felt natural..not cheesy nor cringe. Also the longing and yearning..it was so much more in depth..its no wonder people said they bawled their eyes out watching the drama..including myself of course. Definitely a great Japanese bl story, and I'm usually very picky with bl but this one definitely deserves all the attention it was getting. I can see why it was worth the hype.
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Great Educational Drama
First off I'd like to say that this is mainly an educational anti-fraud drama. Don't expect action packed drama, sizzling romance, thriller, or any of that sort. If you're here looking for action or romance you will be disappointed. Don't bother watching if you get bored easily at lectures, Reba's character and other characters will try to lecture you in various Chinese laws and saying it out loud many times! Watch this only if you want to learn about Chinese laws and how the people's procuratorate work with the public safety bureau in handling cases. If you like Chinese crime drama, this is worth a shot. This drama has a theme of female empowerment, and like what her character says in the end, there are not many female prosecutors in real life. The drama is mostly told from the FL's pov and she has much more screen time than the ML, her character is powerful, independent, and intelligent.Reba's acting in this drama is very good, she uses her own voice too. I am happy to see that she took this challenge and performed admirably, and I can't wait for her next upcoming realistic drama which is already announced. In general every actors and actresses perform their job well. The plot is quite interesting, grounded, and realistic, it is not as convoluted or epic like in some fictional detective drama because it is based on real cases after all. However it is not very predictable, and the show will make you keep guessing what each character is actually like. The topic is interesting, cyber crime fraud is a pretty recent phenomenon and there are not many shows that deals with that, compared to more traditional crime such as fighting illegal drugs. While not as epic and deep as those anti-corruption cdramas with high douban rating (eg. The Knockout, In The Name of The People), I think the story is good enough and most importantly, this drama serves its main purpose which is to educate the masses in the form that is more palatable. Unfortunately, this purpose also mean that there are a lot of lines in the script which serve to "educate" the viewer rather than being interesting or advancing the plot, which will bore some viewers.
Domestically this drama is well received, and they are considering a sequel. The MDL rating in this drama is very unfair, and best ignored if you like this genre. There are too many people who review bomb this for various reasons:
- People who only come here for Reba and they can't handle a serious non-romance drama. Serious drama in general is underrated on this site.
- People who watch dramas for handsome young actors. Dramas without good looking actors are also underrated here.
- People who get triggered by the positive portrayal of Chinese government.
- This drama starts slow, and many cases are introduced making it quite confusing in the beginning and therefore people don't have the patience for it. However it gets more interesting after the country F arc and eventually more and more things get clearer.
Overall this drama is not perfect but it definitely is not worse than many of those idol romance dramas with better rating here. Always keep in mind that the target audience for this are domestic audience, not foreign fans.
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I loved Sprout because it really captures the essence of that first love, and it does so with great cinematography, beautiful piano music, catchy rock tunes, and lots of eye candy. The intense feeling that you're destined, the incredulity that you're not the one for the one you love, the fact that you can feel both agony and exhilaration at the same time when you catch a glimpse of the person you like when you're going down the steps in school. It also shows quite well how one refuses to accept that one has stopped loving someone and moved on to someone else--that first disappointment in oneself and in love in general.
The show is very slow, but I think this is because with the fixed images, the piano music, the seemingly simple scenes, they want you to savor how intense and unique the commonest of moments may seem to you when you're first in love. Perhaps this series works better for those over 30 who know love changes flavor after a few years, who knows.
The acting is a bit off, particularly in Jesse Lewis, who is gorgeous but has much to learn. Miku is awkward, but it does not go poorly with her character, and Chinen Yuri displays all the warmth and charm that one would need to fall for a boy in high school. All in all, I think this relatively young cast did a pretty good job.
I encourage you to give it a try if you enjoy romantic stories that are slow, understated, and emotionally honest. But it is certainly not one of those exciting shows that have you gripping the edge of your seat.
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1
1A Brilliantly Written Republican Drama on Financial Warfare at Macau During WWII
THE PREMISEThe story set in Macau during WWII spesifically after the Pearl Harbour bombing on how our male lead: He Xian, on his efforts in saving the economy of Macau from collapsing. What made this drama different from other Republican dramas are due to its focus on the financial and economy side of war in the battle of getting resources, maintaining value of currency and also exchange of intelligence at Macau at that time.
And what made Macau such an interesting place? This is because Macau is an 'isolated island' that are not occupaid by Japanese Imperialism. Thus it maintain a free market and law and due to its 'free' statue, lots of Chinese refugees find refuge on this Island during the war which made the Island's population tripled at that time.
UNITED FRONT
Another reasons on what made the drama so interesting due to how openly the people there practice their political ideologies. Usually, in Republican dramas, most people are so secretive whether they are Communist or Nationalist but here, they are very open even in front of Japan army and they can even openly conduct events to collect donation for war funds. This is because Macau is a 'free' nation under the Portuguese during that time which allowed this kind of free dynamics that are so different than rest of China at that time.
I think what makes me appreciate this drama the most is that it's not the usual Communist VS Nationalist political ideology but simply a united Chinese people fighting oppression by the Japanese Imperial Army. Mostly all of the war resources they get in this drama are given to the nationalist front army that fought the war at that time. No prejudice, no shade and no propaganda to show who is right and who is wrong.
HISTORICAL ACCURACY
The historical accuracy that the production team wanted to potray in this drama is simply amazing. They constructed 20 old buildings for the shooting of this drama. The writer also went to Macau 20 times in order to study the events that happened during that time and also interviewed the remaining descendants of He Xian which is our male protagonist in this drama. Since this drama based on his life and how he saved Macau at that time, the writer ensures that he properly wrote his life story during this period accurately to preserve his legacy and contribution he did that earned him the title of 'King of Macau' by the people there.
THE ACTING
This is the first time Ren Jialun is acting in this kind of role. He usually playing the cool, aloof and restrained characters but here he is just a banker and a normal citizen getting caught in war and fighting to survive with his family. And he gave He Xian such layers and emotional depth and narrative that we truly see him as He Xian instead of Ren Jialun the actor. The way he actually trembles when gun are pointed towards his head, how you can actually see fears in his eyes on many critical situations to how his whole body trembling with fatigue after carrying 1 whole boat of grain are simply amazing. He embodied the character to the fullest -- he made He Xian so human, yet so extraordinary at the same time. Then we have Lan Ying Ying as Yin Wan. She is playing the same resilient and strong woman role as she did in This Thriving Land and she did it so well. So can see the strength in her resolution and how she is so calm and steadfast even in difficult situations. She made Yin Wan such an intelligent character and it's so easy to root for her. Then we have Li Chun as the sweet and lovely Qi Wen. So so beautiful despite all the tears that she shed and she has this silent strength in her that is so admirable. She play the passionate wife so delicately that you can see her love for her husband in everything that she does - - standing beside him unwavering no matter how impossible are the situations. She is a scene stealer everytime she appears on screen. I love how the writer made her so lovely despite having her own mind.
THE CONFLICTS & COMPLEX CHARACTERS
I truly love the conflicts! It is just so nerve wrecking as the stakes are always so high and very realistic based on real life situations. I love how all characters even the Japanese are written with nuance as they all felt very human and complex. Everyone has their own troubles, goals, and objectives. He Xian has his own worries that he faced with ensuring the survival of his family to staying true to his principles to the later part in the drama where he is trying to save the economy of Macau from collapsing. Then we have the brotherhood gang with their own goal to capture their traitors and He Xian seemed to unintentionally assist the said traitor. Then the officer who took bribes and was caught and his own way of seeking justice. Then we have the espionage side of the whole political sides of the Chinese people. Then add to the mixed of the neutral Portuguese government who in charge of Macau. And this didn't include the Japanese who is the biggest enemy of them all. This drama covers the depiction of lives of people during the war from the elite, merchant, authority, police, spy, resistance army and normal citizen.
THE AMAZING WRITING FULL OF SILVER LININGS
I love how everything just seamlessly woven together between all these parties. The drama opens with He Xian applying for banking license at Macau and how his lives intertwined with all these people later. I like how the drama established from the first episode how brilliant is He Xian with the forex exchange scene since we need to know that and understand why he is able to open his own bank despite his unprevileged background. And I feel bad for him regarding the US dollar plot since it did paint him in bad light especially among his peers. Then add the destruction of his bank which makes him penniless at the end with 4 mouths to feed. So many thing happened yet there are silver lining in all these conflicts since he touched people everywhere with his kind and good hearts. And the scene where the boat dweller people comes and saved them, how awesome is that scene? This is usually a very good indication of well written dramas where the writer mixed happiness and tragedy equally that made watching experience highly satisfying.
I like how they show us the brutality of war and how it affect different people. Like how the British people used prisoners to do really dangerous stuffs or how they just left Hong Kong to fend on its own after the bombing. Or how the banking people cope with the Japanese takeover of Hong Kong and their failure in destroying all the notes and it ended up with Japanese getting 100 millions of cash for free just like that. To how useless is the Portugal government when they supposed to be neutral. Then add the foreign businessman that only interested to get more profit in the war.
I also like how the women are written here. The main characters are still men but despite that, they are not written as simply in support roles but active roles. Whether it's the female lead; Yin Wan and her help in getting funds for the war to He Xian's wife; Qi Wen which is written as more than simply his backbone. Her worries, her attempt to ask him not to go for the last day to hand over the last deposits, to asking him to help her in preparing to move to Macau made her simply human with her own thoughts despite her lovely and supportive nature as a wife. And how she has her own money, knowing how to manage the difficult situations and how she is ready to defend her husband even in front of hooligans -- and most of all, her trust in him has never weaver even at the the lowest point of their lives. It made sense why He Xian can affort to be 'reckless' sometimes since he has a really reliable wife to support him physically and emotionally.
And everytime I thought He Xian can't go anymore low (like how his son got sick due to malnourishment), then the drama gave us another scene that makes us question the brutality of war and how it affect normal people. When Mr. Ma comes to his house and see what his family prepared for New Year dinner, I swear my heart sank with him. 😢 He must feel very guilty how the small favour he asked from He Xian makes him hits rock bottom like that.
Then the scene where He Xian broke down in front of all his friends and family, I think many of us didn't realized how horrible the things he had to go through that day. Having to go through mass grave to find Xiao Yu, the girl who saved his entire family and later run away from his house due to his inability to provide for her and her mother is some crazy stuff you can't get over with. That kind of rock bottom place you reached in your life that basically kill all your desire to live. And that's whats war did to normal people.
I love how everytime they show rock bottom scenes like this, the writer never fail to write silver linings to the whole tragedy and make the drama so uplifting and full of hope at the same time. Amazing amazing writing.
THE ROMANCE
I love He Xian little family. ❤️ I love how He Xian always tell his wife everything - - or even when he wants to make any business decision that will effect the family, he always tell her as well and ask her permissions.
In one of the episodes, you can know how Qi Wen was worried to death for He Xian. She always had her eyes on him before he leaves then when he comes back, she just burst to tears with how relief she is.
Usually in Republican dramas, husband and wife always have kind of distant relationship but I love how the writer portrayed He Xian and Qi Wen as such affectionate couple. They always holds hand, they always hold each other's hands lol, reassuring each other and despite having 2 small kids, they still seemed like a newly married couple when they are alone together.
And even when they are with friends eating together at different table, He Xian will look at Qi Wen and smile at her. I just love all this tender and soft gestures they always reserve for each other. Their relationship makes the turbulence time they are facing at that time seemed bearable.
CONCLUSION
Everything about the drama has been amazing so far especially the acting, writing and directing. Don't miss this gem of a drama if you want to watch soemthing truly well written that made you gain knowledge whether in history or finance while watching this.
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