The Flower That Blooms In Adversity Is the Rarest One of All
The Legend of Ming Lan is a very complex and meaningful slice of life drama. My review is split into two parts: a summary and analysis.I. Summary
The synopsis is misleading. ‘Mistreatment’ is a very general statement. That can mean anything. The titular character suffers from neglect from her family; her grandmother fills that need: she loves her and cherishes her. The titular character is both sensible and practical: she acknowledges the reality of her situation and the world she lives in and chooses to be smart about it instead of letting it define her. The titular character makes the deliberate choice to blend into obscurity: her mission is to avoid attention because she learned at a very young age that standing out can invite danger and I think this is a way of taking back her control of her life in the best way she can. She presents herself as a submissive, dreamy person never interested in the things that make others scheme. As a result people think she is nonthreatening and even foolish for not wanting more i.e. 'ambitious'. Thus, about half of the drama instead focuses on her family and the personal actions of her relatives. Like a sponge she absorbs everything, learning about peoples behaviors, tricks, motivations and good/bad choices. On the other hand Gu Ting Ye (future husband) experiences a lot of abuse from his family, but his gender means he can’t take Ming Lan’s route—there are different expectations on him—and as a male, physical punishment is far more common. The second half then follows Ming Lan after she begins married life and how she works very hard to protect her family, support her husband, and finally step into the limelight as a formidable person who will fiercely protect the people around her and is unafraid to seek justice in an eye-for-an eye kind of way (for extreme crimes) instead of burying them. The second act really steps up the ante as Ming Lan has much bigger fires to put out and the stakes and risks are bigger, especially since her husband becomes important to emperor, and that carries a risk all on its own (i.e. the higher you rise, the harder you fall).
II. Analysis
I do not think everyone would agree with me that this drama is perfect because I strongly believe that whether you love, like, or hate it boils down to personal preference. For example, I did not like the drama Love 020 because it was not my style—too light—but it succeeded in what it intended to deliver very well so I ranked it an 8. In contrast, Perfect Couple was not only not my type but I think poorly executed so I gave it a low rating. This drama more than succeeds in what it wants to do and I loved it. With these examples I want the reader to know I am trying to be frank and fair with my review but I truly enjoyed the show so there may be some bias.
For you, the reader, I think there are some important things you may wish to know before making this 70+ episode commitment:
1) The titular character does not receive the majority of screen time in the first half (in my opinion). The titular character does not receive the majority of lines. The titular character is the focus of the show though.
2)The drama uses the rigid moral rules of the day as a source for conflict regularly. Filial piety, virtue, family reputation, and roles (being a good/bad daughter; good/bad wife; good/bad son; good/bad citizen)
3)The writers/directors (I think) attempt to tell a strongly character driven drama, meaning conflict is resolved through dialogue. Characters are consistent. Events don’t disappear from the story line, they stay with people for the rest of the show. Just like people, characters remember. Characters are impacted by choices other people make, sometimes in a life changing way. The last ten episodes are more action based as big end games begin to unravel and play out.
Conclusion:
I have a deep appreciation for this story. I think the acting was amazing, the writing and presentation, down to where people stand in a given scene, was done with remarkable attention to detail. Characters are intelligent and not easy to trick. The acting was extremely believable.
If you want a love story told on a grand scale (Ashes of Love, Eternal Love) this may not be for you because romance is just one of many aspects of this drama. In addition, if you want something light, I would steer clear. But this is not a palace drama (Empress of China) because the plotting is not anywhere near that level, and throughout all 70+ episodes, only a couple of people die—people are not dropping like flies.
For those looking for romance, I cans say that an important aspect of Ming Lan's character is she never wants to inconvenience anyone or rely on others. The male lead prove through his actions that he is someone she can inconvenience and rely on so their love story is sweet.
I think potential viewers should consider these points because often people start a drama and are frustrated with plot and speed. Others may call it a slow burner but it never felt that way to me. I eagerly await(ed) each new episode and the episodes flew by. I never fast forwarded. I don't know what to watch after this!
Finally,
I am making a project to review every episode, so if you have questions about plot you can find them there but just be warned these episode summaries contain massive spoilers. Because of a bug that has not been fixed yet, I can't have paragraph breaks so I have used the (.............) method to delineate breaks.
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From A Webtoon Reader’s Perspective
Please take note that I have read and I am a huge fan of the webtoon, but for the sake of your watching experience, I suggest you don’t compare this to the webtoon at all.THE STORY: The director only took some elements of the story and plopped it into a whole different scenario. Right off the bat, you’ll see a bunch of difference and from episode 5 and up, there’s almost little to nothing that’s similar to the story. However, if you’ve read the webtoon this should not scare you away from watching. Just keep in mind that you should try your best not to think of the webtoon, because I did that and over time it just ate me up. The show in itself is not bad at all. It is a good drama, but I think it failed to adapt the webtoon successfully. The main issue that I had with the show is that they made the characters more “distant” to each other and none of them had the relationship like in the webtoon. The chemistry each character had is what made it so special, and the fact that they cut this element out is so disappointing. Eunhyuk and Hyunsu’s friendship was my favorite. Their interactions was one of the best parts of the story and I’m mad they took out Eunhyuk’s nerdy side. I also didn’t like how you couldn’t see the thought process whenever they transformed into monsters. By that, I mean Dusik and the husband. Seeing how Dusik wanted his legs just so he can see his wife and son made it so much more meaningful and made his death a lot more sadder. The same goes for the husband. He is self centered and that ate him up in the end, so even if he annoyed you, you still kind of sympathized with him in the end. Now, like I said you shouldn’t compare the show to much to the webtoon (like what I just did now) because there are so much more things I can point out about the show that the webtoon did better. But I don’t want to be unfair because the show is good. The story is a bit more on the action side and had some focus on the outside world instead of just the residents of Green Home. The ending is also open, so it gives room for a second season. In my opinion, the CGI isn’t bad as people make it out to be, and is actually a lot better than you’d see in most shows. I really loved how the Protein Monster looked like and I don’t think they butchered any designs of the monsters at all. Overall, the story itself is good and you shouldn’t shy away from this if you’ve read the webtoon.
ACTING: The entire cast did a phenomenal job with this. Song Kang never disappoints and I don’t think anybody could’ve pulled Hyunsu as well as he did. The rest of the cast also did amazing so I have no complaints on this end.
SOUNDTRACK: The soundtrack is a bit weird ??Every time they played Warriors by Imagine Dragons I would try to tune it out of my ears because it felt so out of place.
REWATCH VALUE: I’m not the type to rewatch types of shows like these, but it is pretty short and you could rewatch it again.
OVERALL: Compared to the webtoon, this show isn’t that much. But it is a good watch as it is pretty short and the story itself isn’t bad.
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Glad I stuck with it
After the first couple of episodes I was tempted to give up on this one. I thought it was lacking in lots of ways and really wasn’t keen on the flashbacks. I kept hanging on because I liked the actors and wanted to know Amber’s backstory. Also, it’s a long time since I watched a Taiwanese BL and I like the vibe. With a small budgets they rely heavily on the story being good as they don't have the money to gloss over / disguise a bad one. In this, they literally walk you through some scenes (the slow motion car crash for example - no spoiler - it's the very first thing you see) to tell the story. As a viewer, it is perfectly do-able to fill in the gaps and makes a refreshing change after being spoon-fed so often. It was imaginative with the way they framed the shots too - it’s a bit like reading a comic. Some of the things I initially felt were lacking in the production I decided to embrace as part of its charm. I sped through the flashbacks which are mostly at the beginning of each episode. By ep 6 I was into it, and after that it just got progressively better.Cast/characters:
I really liked Tannie Huang as Yu He. She's a bit in your face and surprised I didn’t find her irritating – but it was cute her being unfiltered and direct - came across very human. The way she behaved after discovering Amber’s secret was a disappointment to me but it was (sadly) the most realistic reaction. It was true to her friendship with Ah Le and maybe turned out to be the catalyst everyone needed in the long run. I liked how honest she was about her feelings and thought her relationship with her brother was really touching - esp during their conversations in episodes 9-10. The actor playing her brother is also in Plus & Minus but I'm finding his role in that a bit limp, so wasn’t expecting to like him so much in this.
The second couple were sweet and funny and wholesome. They didn’t dominate the story and I didn’t feel I wanted more or less of them but was glad they existed. Lin Wei Jie is so fricking cute.
In love with Eric Lin's performance as Amber. His acting was understated - and the character came across painfully lonely in his self-containment.
I don’t want to slag Lukas Huang's acting off because I got a strong sense of Ah Le as a character - I was convinced of his good nature and he carries this reassuring solidness - but the scenes in which he needed to convey extreme emotion seemed a little pained - particularly during the scene with his mum in the final episode. That conversation though was really moving – the words just kept rolling out of him. Really beautifully written.
The relationship between Amber and Ah Le is so gentle and pure - it's the main reason I liked this drama so much. Pre final episode (which I loved every minute of) my favorite part of the show was in episode 11 - their conversation and hug, followed by the teddy-shaped coffee. It felt like a real interaction and comforted me.
Also loved the music.
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Let me begin that what I really like about this series is that it is fantasy, science fiction based story that didn't used Computer Generated Images or Computer graphics with blue/green screen behind. They utilizes editing, lighting and cinematography that can rival any sci-fi/fantasy series/movies out there. Even with a better with some movies/series in the same category.
What I also like about this is that the series was able to showcase a student's potential dedicating an episode for each, except of course ... I don't want to spoil, and culminates towards the end of the series. It gave depth and richness to each and every character.
The symbolism in each character's background and potential that you can relate to real life situation. Like Wave, being smart doesn't always make you to be on the top. One way or the other, you will need someone's help. Namtarn, no matter how hard to try to forget something in your past, there will still be a way to catch up with you in the present. Ohm, when the world seems to be against you, it doesn't hurt so smile and be happy. Punn, there's a demon in every one of us that we battle every day to keep it at bay and the strive to be the best in whatever field we want to. Claire, that we can not please everyone and people will drag you down on your way to the top. Korn, for some, it can be consider a gift but for others, a curse; and the risk of trusting someone too much that that person could actually hurt in you the most unimaginable ways. Mon, sacrifices are need to be made for other's sake.
It makes you wonder, given a potential, what are you going to do with it? Will you use it to better the system, the society? Or make use of it for your own gains and advantage. I will end this part for I will borrow Spiderman's line, "With great powers, come with great responsibility."
ACTING/CAST
I will review them on how they progress/mature by giving what series I HAVE WATCHED before and how did they do in this series.
Sing (Ohm) - Love Sick, Slam Dance, My Dear Loser.
For me is the most versatile actor among the cast but under-rated. I saw him in Love Sick how he potrayed a confused boy, unsure of himself. In Slam Dance, he is more of a serious, headstorng character. In My Dear Loser, showed his jovial, goofy and happy-go-lucky side. In this series, he took his acting on a different and upgraded level in the episode where his potential was focused. Still the joyful, happy-go-lucky, serious, angry and cried. His character in this series is not stereotype of being goofy, which by the way I like about him, but showed a serious side too.
Fiat (Korn) - Slam Dance, SOTUS S.
It feels like that he is being stereotype as being a longer, anti-social character as evident in the previous 2 series that I watched and as well as in this. But no way that he is less effective in portraying that character.
Chimon (Wave) - My Dear Loser.
One of the versatile actor of the series. In My Dear Loser, he was able to show how docile, vulnerable and gentle he can be. But in this series, his played a character that is way different. A laser focused, goal-oriented and confident character. And given these two series, I am definitely looking forward as he renew his role as Sun.
Jane (Claire) - My Dear Loser.
As I watched My Dear Loser, right there and then I knew that I can see her in a queen bee role. Admire by many, envy by many too. And I was not disappointed with her acting in this series as it confirms my suspicion.
Plumek (Mon) - My Dear Loser, SOTUS.
In her role as Ainam in My Dear Loser and in SOTUS are can be easily forgotten, perhaps she was not given enough airtime to showcase her acting skill. What I like her about in this series is how she looks. A boyish type of girl especially in her action and looks. After all, given the club she is in, it is a must. She was able to give justice with her role.
Victor (Pom) - Water Boyy the series.
When he appeared in the very first episode, I was really surprised and made me excited. Comparing his role as Min in Water Boyy where his role appears to be just chasing after girls. He was able to showcase a more matured role and was able to live up to it. Guiding the Gifted students to be the best in what they can be.
Lilly (Namtarn) - None.
I haven't seen any series she appeared before so I can only based her acting in this series alone. She played the role of Namtarn pretty darn good. A nerd, weak girl that is loyal to her friends that is willing to do antying for them.
Nanon (Pang) - My Dear Loser.
In his role as the dorky Oh that has the potential to be cool, ravishing and handsome guy in My Dear Loser. I am not surprise that he was able to carry the lead of the series. Charming, adorable and serious type of role suits his face and acting too. And his cry is credible enough for me to believe that he is actually hurting. An acting that "acts" like a glue for the Gifted class and that of a true leader.
What I am really looking for acting is not just how they deliver their own lines, but with the corresponding facial expression that gives you what their are really feeling that time. And every one of the cast was able to send those emotions across.
Lastly, all of them brought their acting skill in a new, higher and better level.
MUSIC
The opening score will definitely set your mood into something that you need to focus on. Every detail, every line they speak. I get this vibe that this is about mystery and not so much of suspense. The sound effects too is spot on, especially when Wave is using his potential.
REWATCH VALUE
Unfortunately, once you gone through the series, from start to finish, there is really little need to rewatch it, not unless you know that there will be a season 2 for this. Since by the end, you know all of the gifted's potential, and you can already anticipate the "surprise".
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Loved It
Three things you should know about me: (a) I don't cry while watching movies and tv shows.; (b) I don't clap at the end of the last episode of a tv show; and (c) I rarely ever re-watch a drama. Once Again nearly made a liar out of me with (a) and did with (b). I thought, 'Why am I clapping? I don't clap at the end of dramas.' smh As for (c), well, I could start re-watching right now and I just finished the last episode 5 minutes ago. In other words I truly enjoyed Once Again.This is a great family drama. The storylines are nothing new. If you even watched soap operas, there's definitely nothing new. The writing had heart though. Lots and lots of heart. It was funny. It was sad. It was annoying and even made me angry from time to time. The writer did a good job with character development. At approx 35 minutes per episode the story moves quickly. The production team did an excellent job at keeping the story fluid.
The cast is fantastic. Honestly, I started the drama because I really like Lee Sang Yeob. Of course I was happy to see a few faces I recognized not just because they've been in dramas I've watched, but because they stood out in dramas I've watched. I loved the bromance(s) between the stunt guys. The 3 child actors were very good as well. Everyone pulled their weight. At no point did it feel like any one actor was being supported by the other actors in the scene. It was truly an ensemble in every sense of the word.
The music was pretty good. I tend not to pay attention to the music unless it annoys me, but I actually liked the themes. I liked everything (ok almost everything) about Once Again, which is why it has a high re-watch value.
In all fairness here are a few cons: (1) continuity. (Oh boy there are some glaring continuity issues, mostly surrounding scenes with food. A sausage re-grew itself. It was almost gone and 2 seconds later it was back. Personally, I wouldn't mind a neverending sausage. ) ; (2) relationship between Ga Hee and Hyo Sin (most probably ship them, but not me. I was happy to see an older women with a younger man as we ALWAYS see the other way. However, it's obvious that she was just lonely and he saw her as the caring mother he wished he had. It would have been more honest if while separated they realized they should just be friends and dated other people.); (3) Jae Seok's fake laugh. (JS is such a great character. I loved him. But that fake laugh was just awkward and annoying.); and (4) food. (OMG will Once Again make you hungry. I wanted fried chicken with every episode. I'm thinking about getting delivery from a Korean place now. Watch it with snacks. Seriously. ) I've tried to think up a 5th con, but I can't.
Obviously my cons don't outweigh the pros. I enjoyed Once Again from episode 1-100 (or 50 as it shows on streaming sites). If you like family dramas, a little mischief, a bit of heartbreak, I think you'd enjoy, too.
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Overall, I have mixed impressions of the drama. Weirdly enough I enjoyed watching it (in terms of entertainment factors), but I will definitely say that this drama had a LOT of issues and weirdness about it, but a few good points to almost balance it out.STORY:
The plot line for this drama was honestly all over the place. I know it was based off of an IP novel, so maybe it made more sense in writing? IDK. I also know that it's supposed to be an "Odyssey" which I guess it really was, it was just such a convoluted path to get there.
The story began easily enough. Rich, young, beautiful daughter of a court official buys an amnesiac boy from a market. Girl also meets a city detective and together they solve crimes around the city with some help. Ok, cool. There's a bit of fantasy involved (obviously), but for the most part, it's relatively logical (for a Chinese drama at least xD)
Fast track to the middle of the drama, the slave boy remembers his true identity, has stolen a precious treasure, and returned to his original homeland. The female lead (IMO) has been getting more and more immature as time passes and is just downright whiney most of the time (I still love Janice Wu though). The second male lead is weirdly one of my favorites at this point in time (he's mature and brave, but still has a bit of a playful personality behind him). The fantasy aspects pick up more, and things start taking a weird turn.
By the end of the drama, we have people turning into dragons, bats, and moths. There's "soul splitting" occurring (Hey, Harry Potter), time travel (multiple times), and magical spells running amok. Relationships are fully formed by this point, and just overall there's honestly a lot going on that you somewhat get lost in the mix.
The romance is super slow burning, which isn't a problem (there are still a lot of cute moments that happen throughout), BUT my biggest issues are how they played out the various romances.
*** SPOILER *****
*** SPOILER ****
The writers spend basically the first half of the drama with Yuan'an having a crush on Lan Zhi, (which honestly I kind of preferred because he was matured and balanced out her somewhat stubborn and child like tendencies). And at the same time, she showed that she cared for Mu Le, but wasn't really in love with him (even though other people just kept saying it to her as the writers way of making people care about Yuan' an and Mu Le's relationship). They keep this going for more than halfway through the story, up until the point that Lan Zhi is no longer an option. So basically this way, whether it's true or not, it feels like Yuan'an is only going to end up with Mu Le because she couldn't have Lan Zhi anymore. Not because she actually chose him.
And to make matters worse, it's not until after Mu Le remembers who he really is that Yuan'an and him get together (so now she not only chooses him because she doesn't have another option, but she only realizes her feelings when he's not her slave boy anymore. Cool.)
Obviously this isn't how the writers want their relationship to be portrayed - probably aiming more for a "she didn't realize until he wasn't her slave boy anymore that she was in love with him and loved him no matter what his real identity was." But honestly, I personally feel like it backfired for them because it undermined her credibility for falling for him.
Also I really disliked Ming Hui as a character for the fact that she spent the majority of the drama being an adversary to the characters and never REALLY redeemed herself (to anyone but Lan Zhi), but gets to have a happy ending by the end. Bleh.
Overall, the story made sense (I guess), but it just wasn't well paced and fluid like I would hope. You're taking your audience on this epic journey, so making things make sense and fit together is a big part of that.
ACTING:
Overall I think the actors were all pretty good.
Janice is very good at the cutesy and stubborn personality types, though there were a lot of times I couldn't take her seriously when she got angry and what not. (I do think it was refreshing that her character was so blunt and somewhat sarcastic. It's not super common in Chinese dramas).
Zheng Ye Cheng - very believable as the loyal and loving Mu Le. Had a very innocent charm to him. As Ah Ying, (and it might have been his age playing into it for me) but I certain times couldn't take him seriously as a powerful prince. But he was very good IMO.
Zhang Yu Jian - it might have been more of his character (kind of my type lol), but I honestly really liked him as an actor. As I mentioned, he was a very matured character with a strong sense of justice and loyalty, but he had his moments of being romantic and also being playful/flirty which balanced him out well. I personally think he was the most well rounded of characters because you saw his strengths and faults more clearly and ZYJ did a good job portraying those different parts.
OVERALL:
Again, I didn't severely dislike this drama. I honestly think it was relatively captivating and fun to watch, BUT there were just a lot of plot issues and character problems that I wasn't a fan of, hence my lower score. It seemed to be a fairly popular drama while it aired, which I can see why, but looking at it overall, there were too many core problems I had with it for me to give it a higher score.
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A must-have for makjang-lovers. A roller coaster of evil where you end up feeling for the worst, too
"Five Fingers" is a must-have for all those who love "makjang". A roller coaster of evil... and it doesn't stop. The spectators are allowed to tear their hair, wriggle, turn, annoy themselves to the bitter end... It's about the piano, too - some battles take place while playing, being around and doing business with the grand piano.This is about family and South Korean family values/virtues in particular. Submission to the value system is declined as a virtue in all its fatality. In the interweaving of events, the viewer inevitably faces the question again and again: is it virtue or stupidity, virtue or impertinence, virtue or arrogance?
The series dates from 2012 and makes a cunning attempt to challenge viewers to confront the value system. The rebellious thoughts inevitably arise in the minds of the viewers, because the well-meaning decisions that the protagonists make over and over again drive the values surrounding family (love) to the absurd and trigger suffering one after the other.
The ambivalence inherent in this is exploited perfectly. The actors do their part.
With 30 episodes there may be a tendency to flee in between, but I don't know anyone who didn't stick it out to the end. The ending may not be the classic happy ending, but it may be the true happy ending: the wheel of fortune comes to a standstill. Peace.
At first glance, the greed for money and power seems to be the driving force behind all evil. But actually it is the greed for love and recognition. The wheel of fate and suffering has already been turned on long before the protagonists - the two half-brothers In-ha and Jin-ho - compete against each other. To a certain extent they live out the unresolved conflicts of their parents. If you want to ask who is to blame for everything, then the root goes back a long way. The father pulls the strings out of the grave and it goes even further. A nice psychological study. Especially since you can't help but feel sympathy for everyone, even the worst troublemakers.
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If I were to describe this story, I'd say, imagine tossing a stone into a pond. This drama is about the ripples extending outwards from the stone; but not only are we looking at these ripples, we are also prompted to ask ourselves why the stone was tossed in the first place. It's of interest to note that the title is translated literally as, "The Distance Between Us and Evil," which really says a lot, because a major theme in this series is examining the distance between labels: good/evil, victim/perpetrator. In the end, the story serves as a wakeup call for society, a reminder that we all tread between the lines.
I would recommend this to those who prefer serious, heavy dramas that bring important topics to the table and enjoy character studies. This is produced by HBO Asia, so those with HBO subscriptions may be able to access it; if not, hopefully subtitles surface soon.
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I like the way the script tells the story, nothing very fancy but it is presented as it is. God knows I hate stories that try too hard to move the audiences to the desired emotions. In Amachan, (almost) all happens as it is natural. It portrays everyone's tendency to change minds, as what Amano Aki does in the story. At first, she wants to be an ama diver, then a deep-sea diver to an idol and finally saving her hometown. But wait, don't we do change minds as much as hers? Yes, she is determined and passionate but she is by no means regular asadora heroines, who are all focused in one aspect of life or dreams. The character, as well as others in the show, is multidimensional and more intricate compared to most dramas.
The cast is very strong, from the veterans to character actors (surely the arsenal of character actors in this drama is extravagant) to the youngsters. Even the cameos are fascinating. As the lead, Rena Nonsense...errr... I mean Rena Nounen (lol I find it's very funny that her name rhymes that way) does a superb portrayal of Amano Aki. Her range of emotions are awesome and she plays her role with heart that is rare trait for a teenage kid like her. She reminds me of young Ueno Juri a lot and I bet she is the next big thing in Japanese TV and movie scene.
Music-wise, it has a plethora of nice background music. But it is the opening soundtrack that stands out of the rest. I'd dare to say that theme song is one of the best opening theme ever made in any TV shows. Props to the composer who has done a great job.
The ending is a bit unsatisfying, somewhat rushed and a bit too optimistic, the last story arch needs at least 40 episodes to complete while in fact there are only 20 or so. That's why I settled with overall point of 9, it could be another 10 if the ending is good. I hope they have a plan to make a special episode to rectify the "fault", but in my scoring algorithm, 9 is enough to warrant a "must watch" label.
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Upon looking at the promotional posters and trailers, I instantly thought this would be the sex comedies that I had come to expect from some gay Thai dramas. After watching the first episode, I was pleasantly surprised.
The story is simple but unique in its premise. The characters are all so different and have their own flaws that the series doesn't feel ashamed to make fun of and exploit.
Under the sexual humor, there is a very serious message. It explores homophobia, infidelity, sexually transmitted diseases, and complicated love.
If you want something different from your dramas, I recommend this drama. Diary of Tootsies makes you laugh, cry, and cringe.
It's absolutely amazing.
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The story comes in waves, at times there is a feeling of melancholy and helplessness of the situation while at other times you will be jumping in your seat from excitement!
Intrigues changes all the time, what was once a dear friend or ally becomes an enemy and vice versa. It's a very complicated story with a big cast which might make it difficult for some western viewers to follow if the series is not watched at a high frequency.
Watching the acting in this series is a treat, the characters become very much alive and they are deeply written. You will always understand why a character behaves as he or she does. There are always motives behind their actions, and even if you might hate a character for some action they did, you will often find yourself later also feeling pity for them because you will see their reasoning behind it.
One of the most popular series in China, give it a try you won't regret it!
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A little too much chemistry and a little too much of my obsession towards this!!
Set against the backdrop of racecars, winding racetracks, and high-stakes competitions, this series gripped me from the first rev of the engine. I personally liked this premises and the way it's presented, even the whole Alpha X Alpha set up. The drama cranked up quite a bit in the later half of the series plus the stakes were really high and I won't say everything was executed perfectly but regardless I enjoyed watching this. I ain't an avid Omegaverse reader and I don't even know if this can be called Omegaverse but trust me even if you don't know a thing about Omegaverse you can just dive in, it's still interesting because even I just know a thing or two about it.Starting with Babe, I absolutely love him. Pavel nailed his role as Babe. Whether he's delivering a cutting remark or revealing a softer side, Pavel keeps you invested in Babe's journey. Babe is savage but the good kind of savage- if you know what I mean. He seems cold and rude but that's not all there is to him. There's a depth to his character and he is really charismatic. He is impulsive and he's been manipulated his whole life which describes why he can't trust other easily and he is one hell of a jealous type.
Then, we have Charlie, his cuteness blinds me. He is so freaking cute and it makes me want to protect him but then again it seemed like he had a hidden motive and I was scared. I was torn between wanting to trust Charlie and the nagging fear of a potential betrayal. Pooh did a really great job in portraying Charlie. And every time he was treated wrong I felt so freaking bad. I really really love him.
And then there's the chemistry between Charlie and Babe, which is nothing short of electric. They are all over each other. Their chemistry is seriously insane and what makes it more intriguing is their contrast personalities. I absolutely love them. Their papa mama talks were so cliche but damn they are absolutely adorable.
Then we have Alan, the garage and Hunter X owner, I like him so much especially his scenes with Jeff. Jeff is a cold on the outside but soft in the inside kind of genius kid and I absolutely adore his bond with Charlie. Also him and Alan are seriously adorable. Their interactions, subtle moves and glances towards each other, damn I love how their story was portrayed. I loved Charlie and Babe but I was dying to see Alan Jeff's scenes. They had really captured my mind as well as heart. From their very first scene, I found myself rooting for them and I was the happiest seeing their scenes.
Moving on to Way, he is Babe's best friend but he is in love with Babe and Babe doesn't know. All he is ever thinking is about Babe Babe and Babe. He might come off as nosy and sometimes annoying too but no doubt he is a good friend and I just wanted him to move on. I was genuinely rooting for Way and Pete and- urghh I don't want to spoil this. Watch it yourself to know. Also, North and Sonic, they are those likeable support leads who no one can hate and they are best friends but their equation didn't seem like that of just friends. I enjoyed their bond and them too.
A little bumpy ride but I would definitely recommend this!!!
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This was so good!
Wow, I can’t believe I already finished this drama! I loved it so much and genuinely enjoyed every part of it. Honestly, when I first started watching, I kinda regretted picking it up while it was airing because waiting every week for a new episode was actual torture.I loved how the story developed, the romance, and OMG—the chemistry between the actors was insane. I would’ve loved an extra episode just focused on their dating era, but I’m still pretty satisfied with what we got in the finale. I adored their moments together and how slowly and naturally they fell in love—especially the ML. And the kisses?! (//ω//) There were only two scenes, but they were absolutely unforgettable, lol.
The romance was very soft and subtle, built through quiet moments, shared silences, and emotional safety rather than big dramatic declarations. It’s in the small, everyday interactions where their bond really shines—lingering looks, gentle teasing, and the way they slowly learn to trust each other. So when we finally get a confession, a kiss, and a compliment, it actually feels earned. Their relationship works because it grows with healing, not despite past trauma, making it feel genuine, comforting, and emotionally satisfying. ♥
I also loved the OST—especially It’s Me by Kim Jae Young. I’ve been playing it nonstop because it’s just so beautiful. And his voice?! Gorgeous. I had no idea he could sing that well. It’s also kind of wild that he’s friends with Byeon Woo Seok and that both of them sing and have dramas where they play idols.
I also enjoyed the mystery surrounding the bandmate’s murder. We were all out here making theories, and in the end, it was such a twist! (At least for me) I did suspect the real culprit for a second, but then everyone (myself included) got distracted by the manager and the CEO. So yeah, I liked the twist—even if the mystery side was a bit weak, as a romance? I’m fully sold.
Overall, I loved this drama. It might not be a masterpiece or the greatest thing ever, but within its genre, it really stands out. I’d 100% recommend it, and I’ll definitely be rewatching it in the future! (･ω･ﾉﾉﾞ
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I loved the original story line. Yes..I do believe it is an original story line: The fact the Jae Hui is rich but a self made man and not a chaebol, the fact that he was a nice man...simply a bit messed up from his past, the plot point of Cha Bong Sun and her need to see a counselor and her very stubborn personality and their coming together as a couple. Also, Cha Bong Sun may have had problems but she was a strong independent woman who had her own career. All of those elements came together in a very non standard Kdrama way. That pleased the heck out of me.
I loved the acting. Yoon Si Yoon was really good in King Of Baking and he was even better in this. He came into this part as a last minute add on and OWNED this part! He was excellent all the way through. Lee Ji Ah was a dichotomy of likable, sweet girl and grumpy jaded woman. And I liked that! I found her a refreshing change from the typical overly happy and good heroine. She felt real to me.
The acting was solid by the whole cast and I gave it a 10. The character development of the two leads was solid all the way through. Their chemistry was addicting as a viewer. I was rooting for them every step of the way.
Up until about 1/2 way through this drama I was a voracious addicted fiend...practically going through withdrawals until the next episode was subbed. But then something happened to the writing that went a little off for me and wilted the flower. The character of Hwa Young and the decision to set into this original story the very non original element of a scheming jealous woman. That is regrettable and why I can't give Me Too Flower a higher score than 8. She killed some of my love for this drama and I absolutely hate having to say it, but it's true.
The technical aspects of this drama were great. All except that one aspect I mentioned in the writing so I have no other complaints.
The OST is excellent! Right down the line..every song was lovely and fit this drama to a T. Especially "Dreaming" I loved the soundtrack to pieces.
My re-watch value I place at a 7 (good) because there are so many episodes of this drama I would re-watch in a heartbeat...especially 1 through 8 and again the last two. The chunk in the middle I want to rage at.
Do I recommend this? Highly. This drama is really good. I think if I had waited until it all aired and dramathoned it, maybe those episodes in the middle wouldn't have felt quite so agonizing. Give this drama a try...You won't regret it. There is so much to like about Me Too Flower.
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