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This is my first review so please be patient with me :)I have to say I was hesitant going into this series cause I'm a huge fan of the manga and I didn't want to be disappointed by a poor adaptation and shitty acting as is the case with many live-action adaptations
However I was hooked from episode one because the actors chosen for Takane and Hana actually played their parts so well. Takasugi Mahiro-san completely captured the essence of SaiabaraTakane and was able to beautifully portray his character perfectly. He completely captured Takane's narcissism and his exaggerated way of speaking and acting. Apart from his height, which was a bit short compared to Takane but hey you can't have everything, he was the perfect choice to play Takane. He was really able to showcase Takane's unique traits and also why I found him loveable in the manga. I'm happy to say that I honestly felt like I saw the real Takane come to life
Takeuchi Aisa-san did a wonderful job playing Nonomura Hana. She acted out Hana exactly as her manga counterpart and I never found her acting lacking. She completely captured Hana's spirit, determination, strong will and strength alongside Hana's low-key savage personality which I loved. As with the case of Takasugi-san, Takeuchi-san really brought out the best Hana she could and it totally fit with the character in the manga. Her interactions and relationship with Takane, her family, Luciano and her friends were really well done.
The supporting characters were all played really well too however I wish they had more screen time. My favourite of the rest of the cast in the manga is Luciano and Ito Asahi-san really played him how I wished he was played, he really captured Luci's playboy ways and how he interacted with Hana and Takane.
I also loved Okamo Souma's character. He was really well played and I really could feel his one-sided love for Hana in his actions. I loved how he handled the circumstances and the interruption into his peaceful world. Hana's two friends Ogawa Mizuki (short-haired one) and Fujiwara Hikaruko (megane-chan) were also portrayed well but didn't get enough screen time as to what they deserved.
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Especially Mizuki's relationship with Luciano. In the manga they have a lot more interactions and she falls in love with him, especially after a certain incident that happens, however that was totally skipped over in the drama. They honestly had some really cute moments together, it's a pity we didn't get to see that here
Speaking of the drama skipping over things, well boy did it skip a lot. In fact the last two episodes completely condensed 6 whole volumes (7-12) into two short episodes. Souma's confession which happened end of episode 7 doesn't actually happen till much later. In fact after Takane get's stripped of everything and made to live in that shoddy apartment a lot more stuff happens and it's actually a while before he gives Hana the key. Also with the key the first time Hana uses it is when the whole gang (Luciano, Souma, Mizuki, Hirakuro and even Yukari [Hana's older sister]) decide to throw a housewarming party for Takane and just barge into his place.
Man I have so much more to say but I don't want to spoil even more, however I will say this: Souma confesses to Hana after a certain major event takes place that disrupts the lives of Takane and Hana and her family again. In fact that event is the catalyst for his confession. I'm kinda bummed that they rushed it forward.
Also in the manga Hana does have a love rival (although Takane has no interest in her at all) but she's not too bad of a person, and actually adds depth to the storyline too
What can I say? It was a good adaptation, I loved the characters and the choices of actors but it was still a little too fast-paced for me. If only they had slowed it down a little, or added more or longer episodes, or even made room for a season 2, then it'd be great. Still a solid performance by our actors so a round of applause and a pat on the back to them
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First I have to say that music was awesome, that opening song was one of the best video interpretations I have ever seen. Fits so perfectly in the whole story.
Then the story itself was good, nothing too much but different from the other dramas. Scenery was so beautiful, I would have to say I was literally stunned by the beauty of the various scenes. It seemed like the majority of the scenes were directly outside or where you could see outside. I would say this is one of the best shot outdoor scenes I have ever seen.
Characters were fantastic, from him as a main lead to the little girl played by Suzuki Anne, the girl was just so brilliant, she was the light and the sun of the whole drama, I was mesmerized by her acting. Shibata Yoshimori has to be one of my favourite characters of all time. I don't know how Toyokawa Etsushi did it, but I'm in love. Tall and gentle, but strong... and silent. He moved and walked in a quiet space and it was so peaceful to watch him. He had such powerful chemistry with Suzuki Anne, who was serious a child prodigy; the way she drew you in and made you forget you were watching an actress and not a real person...I also liked the character of Kahori, she was like a bird, craving for freedom and wanted to love and to be loved as the purpose of her living. And she succeed in that. You could easily see how she was unhappy in that marriage and how she wasn't in love with her husband, he was more like her savior who helped her and her daughter in a tough time of their lives. I wouldn't say that she was bad because she seduced Shibata and made him to escape with them, she was only very lonely and suffering, you could see that through the end, especially in that most important scene in episode 7, and yet she showed her love for him. I don't agree with that kind of choice especially if you have a child who you love but she was too weak and her love was too strong to continue and accept to get back with her husband, that was something the worst for her and that's why she chose that kind of ending for her, in some way that was her freedom and in the same time she saved Shibata from being killed.
Dramas has two parts, the first part until the episode 7 where Shiori was a little kid, and the second part, after the episode 7 where she was a grown up young woman. First part was so touching, the three of them running and hiding, living a life like a real family, they had such an amazing chemistry. I was hypnotized by the first part of the drama. Also the first part was a true pure romance and the chemistry that Kahori and Shibata had was incredible, I would have to say that those kissing scenes between them went right on the top of my favourite and most passionate kisses. ;-)
And then some tragic happens, everything gets a different sadder, darker tone and you could see exactly all the struggle and emotions of the main characters in that times. I felt tormented and so emotional at the end of the show but I wouldn't have in any other way because that was it, the ending scene which shows you that there are real love that exist on this world and that there are freedom and happiness.
At that same time at the end of the drama, quite suddenly, you realize that the love story wasn't between Yoshimori and Kahori at all...
I would definitely recommend this for any person loving pure human dramas and not afraid of touching moments.
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Not worth it
I have no idea who comes up with the titles for the series but this thing was anything but a brother trap. What we have in the series is essentially a clearly grown up woman who meets a person that she likes sadly she discovers that he is a younger sibling to somebody she dated while she was in high school. This is where the supposed Drama begins. I will not rate this series higher than a six simply because although it showed that the siblings had a sense of humility it also portrayed the characters in a way that seemed inconsistent. I fail to understand how you would supposedly surrender your love to someone else as if they were yours to give away. I see that cliché type of thing happening often in these dramas however that is a major no-no to me.There was no mystery in the series. There was no real romance in this series. There really wasn’t even a love triangle. It wasn’t like two men were really fighting for this one female. It was simply a realization and oh well I’ll surrender you because my brother still likes you. That type of stupid stuff. The only positive spin on this series is that the female lead wouldn’t accept being pissed off. The negative side of this is she actually went back with the person that tried to hand her off like she was a commodity. Normal people would’ve walked away from both completely. Alas neither she nor this series were norma.
I was trapped watching this thinking that it was really a trap..
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Started of strong but went down hill
The first half was engaging and calming even though extremely slow, you might have to push yourself to complete the series.The second half is quiet disappointing for me tbh specially the ending it felt like they themself don't know what they should conclude so just left it like that.....Personally I loved the actors as they have done a phenomenal job even the bgm is soothing....But I don't know what to feel as after competing it
I will not watch it again for sure...Give it a try if you want to feel the silence..Lol
I wish they had done a better job with the ending it truly disappointed me
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Great story, cast, acting, filled with action, corrupt society. Really kind of like what is happening today.
Story very interesting two babies (Song Seung Hun and Yun Jung Hoon) switched at birth by a vengeful nurse.
I got s attached to this drama, I had to remind tell myself repeatedly that it would soon, then I could go back to my life and resist punching my screen was not an option, lol.
towards the end I started having feelings of resentment towards Lee Dong Wook, as I could not believe that he was so stupid and I actually thought him selfish and ungrateful (as I said I got too attached).
Would I re-watch? No, even though it's a great drama, I was upset with the writers, for making the ending like that. You can't just take a good person out of a drama like that, especially one that everyone depends on.
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The best thing to do is to go into this drama blind
TL; DR: It's a drama that deals with a lot of difficult issues, particularly surrounding child abuse and adults' constant abuse of power, which ends in a lot of people (especially the victims) being let down. And for the most part, it is a revenge story with main characters who want the truth to be revealed. A really interesting and eye-opening watch. (I'm sorry this review is soo long)---
You know how you’ll accidently tangle your earphones and try to undo the knots, but every time, a new, much smaller knot appears? You can’t just simply unravel it, that’s now how it works. It takes precision and dedication. And that’s how I sum up this drama. And if that sounds interesting, give it go! 🙂 And the fact that the end has to mention that children and animals were kept safe during the shooting should indicate the type of drama that this is (i.e., it deals with heavy topics which I will include in a trigger warning at the end, so no one is accidently spoiled).
So, why is it called blind? Because in a world where children are most vulnerable, they are not being protected by adults. Instead, they are broken down by the adults around them. These adults are easily able to turn a blind eye to their own wrongdoings, both in the past and present. So much so, that when karma is coming back around, they still maintain a level of blindless where they refuse to accept responsibility or even acknowledge the fact that they are shitty human beings, like literal scum. The main characters, however, refuse to be blinded by this. They work to protect people who have been wronged and get them the support they deserve.
Now, on to the actual review…
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Hm... I almost slightly regret starting this during the first week. It's a thriller. And it's confusing. Not because it's complicated, but more because you don't really know ANYTHING. But despite all that, it's very intriguing.
/PLOT/
I don't have much to say because it's a very mysterious plot. It's a drama that relies on flashbacks at the start of episodes that slowly reveal more and more like a jigsaw puzzle … that just never seems to end..? I'm eager to be able to understand everything that has happened between the flashbacks and present day, and finally connect all the puzzle pieces, yet nervous to know all the bad things that have happened.
The best one sentence synopsis I can give you is: A revenge story focusing on hurting the people around the targets/puppets, rather than the puppets themselves, with an unknown puppeteer controlling everything/everyone.
To add to that, I do think the pacing is okay. It's fast paced in the sense that it feels like the side characters are doing more of the work whilst main characters are in danger. Although this does change, it doesn't exactly feel like the plot is progressing, but I will expand upon that a bit in the next paragraph.
I did have a small gripe early on with how everything seemed so contrived. And I will say that I managed to figure out how it was possible toward the end, and it was then confirmed in the last few episodes, so I'm happy about that. They did manage to fit everything in nicely, in my opinion. Other than that, I also have to bring u the fact that SUNG JOON kept doing his police duties ALONE. He would randomly go meet up with a perpetrator in the middle of the night to arrest him by himself, despite spending the day with his team trying to find said person. Why does he not have a partner??
But since then, another annoyance came into existence (to do with choice the writers made). This will probably count as a spoiler so BEWARE and just skip this paragraph if you want to
⚠️ So, as I previously mentioned, rather than targeting the real baddies, they targeted their children. And in every single case, their children were daughters. And the kids all locked up in Hope Welfare Centre were boys. And I'm not sure why, it just feels icky, especially since nearly all of the baddies were men. So, in order for a character to exact their revenge, they targeted the children of the people they hated, without thinking about how it would affect the children of the buddies' children, for example. I can't quite explain why, but it rubs me the wrong way. Also, one girl who was killed had no connection to the Hope Welfare Centre other than knowing EUN KI. I also just don't understand why she had to be killed, or the events leading to her being in danger in the safest place for her. ⚠️
This begs the question then, when is revenge taken too far? At what point do these innocent victims exacting revenge on behalf of their childhood selves just become just as bad the perpetrators who caused them so much grief? Definitely a bit of a morality thing to consider. Also, the plot twists were good.
/CHARACTERS/
The main characters that we follow seem slightly unique compared to other thrillers. We know who the protagonists are, but as for the antagonists, they remain, to some extent, a mystery. There is also more than one antagonist. But we're not following the person exacting revenge, instead we're following three people who are also just trying to understand what is going on, just like the audience. In that sense, it's very refreshing, but it's easy to wish that they would hurry up and figure at least one thing out. I feel like the side characters know more than the actual main leads at times, which can be frustrating, especially since I'm waiting for the characters to be on the same page and understand they have a common goal.
the FL (EUN KI) is the rational mind, the third-party perspective that - for the most part - doesn’t necessarily have any personal ties to most of the characters. The two MLs on the other hand are a bit different. Whilst one is more rational (SUNG HOON) than the other, he’s still involved in a way that causes him to fight with the other ML, who happens to be his brother (SUNG JOON). Despite the annoyance some of the characters bring me, I still enjoyed watching them, and I did for the most part like them. SUNG JOON is definitely annoying towards the start because he just does not listen, but I do tend to root for him more and I like him. SUN HOON was definitely a bit boring. He did have some nice interactions with YU NA (a side character connected to EUN KI) which I appreciated for its wholesomeness. And EUN KI, EUN KI, EUN KI. My favourite character by far that pretty much just became a background character. Towards the end, she just started slowly disappearing and there were less and less scenes with her. And her contribution seemed to also dwindle and her role as a character, role in the story, and her role as a social workers became less significant. And I truly did miss seeing her by the end. I think that once more information was revealed, she writers of this drama kind of put her in her place and didn't really let her move.
/MUSIC/
In most thrillers, the music tends to be subtle, and this is no exception. It's not constantly there, but I like it when it is. If anything, this has more of a film score than anything. It's eerie and quiet and it works. For the actual OSTs that exist, I really like them. There is one song that kept being played in the final episode which I'm trying to find still.
/REWATCH/
Thrillers in general can be fun to rewatch because it's nice to be able to go back and pick up on small things and understand them better. And with a drama like BLIND, I can't wait to be able to binge watch this (probably years later) but be able to pay attention to detail a bit more, particularly the characters themselves.
/OVERALL/
I actually liked the ending, in terms of where the main characters ended up. But at the same time, I feel like justice wasn't fully served. Certain people were just slightly tossed to the side to make room/screentime for the main characters, and we didn't get to see them being fully punished because of it. And I kind of feel numb now. I'm sat her just wondering what to rate it and how I even feel about it. I am sad that it has come to an end. I had high hopes - 2022 has given us a lot of thriller kdramas, and I hope this can be added to my list of favourites with a satisfying ending! But still, I think I just want to forget about this drama for a few weeks, come back, and really deduct how I felt about this.
I also want to mention the importance of a character like EUN KI. As SUNG JOON mentions in the final few minutes, if those kids had someone like EUN KI to support them and guide them, a lot of things could have turned out differently. But of course, at the end of the day, the fault is on the people who ultimately abused their power by either abusing others, by turning their head the other way and ignoring those in pain. And I think that this drama raises those very important points.
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[02/10/2022 update - some comments I have after watching eps 5 and 6 - no spoilers] I just didn't know how to fit it into the review...
I'm almost annoyed with how slow certain things are progressing.
Also, I have a few theories on who's who but because the side characters are hardly ever seen, it's easy for us to suspect them since we hardly know them.
And some of it seems SOOO contrived and obviously fictional. E.g., what are the chances that the victims and perpetrators of a case, along with the police and judges involved and the jurors are (nearly) all somehow connected through their past (which is extremely dark). I'm expecting some very good storytelling when it comes to the mastermind behind all this considering this person has managed to get them all in the same vicinity and is messing with all of them to this extent.
I will say that SUNG JOON is so freaking impulsive that it began to bother me. He's that one character in a horror film who goes through the door when we all know he'll be killed. Like, come on!! Your brother tells you to make sure you tell him before doing something, and you just decide not to? He's constantly putting himself into situations where he could be seen as suspicious, and he doesn't seem to care...? Or realise why it's such a bad decision.
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tw // child abuse, murder, kidnapping, torturing, mentions of sexual assault
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The most boring trending drama
I have high expectation for this drama since I saw the cast. I love Zanillia Zhao in Princess Agent although I dislike that drama for the ending. And I also expect Wang Yibo will deliver his developed acting since I admire him in The Untamed.However I am very disappointed with the result.
Story: Even after I finished watched this drama, I didn't know what is the main plot of it. Too many stories they wanted to fill in this drama therefore not even one strong plot to outline the conclusion. Plus the slow pace of character development and too many comedic side stories which are unnecessary make this drama really boring. I thought after 20 episodes this drama will get interesting since we will get into the main plot, on the contrast even the story get a little spark, still too weak to make me hook to it. You can find romance, politics, badass hero/heroine, adventure because this drama mixed it all like a sprinkle on cake but you didn't really know which one is the main line of this drama.
Acting: Imho, Zanillia and Wang Yibo has the same acting habit. They are slow to burn their energy. They have to relied on their partner to make them get into their character and act as it. As a result, we will see their developed acting after episode 20. They only have a little bit chemistry, more like friendship than couple. And this drama is lack of emotional scenes hence there is no memorable scene for me.
Overall: Actually they can make a better drama since the main topic of the story is pretty interesting and the casts are actually good actors. Maybe they were too rush on the production thus failed these assets.
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We did cross many of these kinds of movies, and if you like those, you really going to like this one.
It is not new or refreshing but I really liked the chemistry between the two main leads! Their acting was convincing and I liked it.
Because the story is same old same I didn't find the movie that interesting, I could easily put this movie on while doing homework or if you just want to fill in your time with this. This movie just has something that didnt make me go: Wooow, cute, adorable or omg.. so I do feel like something is missing.
I would not rewatch this movie because I liked it like this and it isn't a kind of movie that I would rewatch.
Watch this: If you like romantic movies with a easy to follow story and an ending that is predictable.
Skip this: If you are looking for something with a good/interesting/deep story or a romance with heavy emotions.
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A Modern Day Lady and Her Gentleman
Anong, our spirited FL, was a modern-day girl navigating the fine line of tradition in Thai society, during a time of rigid gender roles and cultural expectations. Born into a wealthy family, she grew up surrounded by four protective brothers and two delightful aunts, old-school in their values but refreshingly open-minded. Thanks to their support (and a dash of their unconventional thinking), Anong got to study abroad and eventually took charge of the family store, a rarity for women in her community. Unlike most, she embraced modern ideas, daring to challenge what was considered "proper" for a woman of her background.But life with four brothers? Oh, boy. While they adored her, they were also walking, talking ego machines — proud, opinionated, and chauvinistic. Naturally, they wanted Anong to marry a man who’d elevate the family’s social standing. Sompong, the eldest, took it upon himself to search for her "perfect" husband, mainly because he wanted the best for Anong but also to compete with his other brothers for the most suitable brother-in-law. In his efforts, he roped in Wichai, our ML, to help vet potential suitors. Little did Sompong know that this mission would spark the beginning of a love story that no one, least of all Anong and Wichai, saw coming.
Wichai, who was a judge, should have been the kind of guy who could make heads turn and hearts flutter—a true gentleman through and through. Handsome, charming, and armed with old-school values like honesty, principles, and unwavering consistency, ir was no surprise that Anong noticed him and fell for him hard and fast. However, Wichai came with a tragic backstory and a harsh upbringing courtesy of his strict, selfish snob of a mother. He thought of himself as being boring and, worse, undeserving of love. Talk about a tough nut to crack!
Yet, Anong was no quitter. She took on the challenge with flair, determination, and a sprinkle of mischief. Watching her "chase" Wichai was an absolute delight. She was flirty, fun, and effortlessly adorable, pulling off every playful move with charm. Not once did her antics veer into cringey second-hand embarrassment territory, and her attempts often involved her MVP brother, Prasit, the ultimate wingman. Honestly, one couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way.
Of course, Wichai eventually fell for Anong—how could he not? But being the self-doubting, emotionally constipated guy he was, he convinced himself that he was just a fun little challenge for her. Cue the "will-he-won’t-he" phase that tested not only Anong’s patience but ours too! The frustration we felt increased when a generous helping of misunderstandings was added to the mix.
Luckily, perseverance paid off, and Anong’s unwavering belief in her choice was proven right. When Wichai finally committed, he leveled up in every way possible, becoming even more swoon-worthy as the male lead. It was such a delight to see Wichai break out of his usual proper pragmatic self to do something purely based on emotions and his love for Anong. Together, they were pure magic — a couple that was not only endearing but also rock-solid, inspiring relationship goals.
Yaya absolutely nailed the role of Anong, bringing to life a fearless, norm-defying lady who wasn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers. She didn’t just play the part—she owned it with flair, sophistication, and just the right amount of sassy confidence. And let’s talk about that vintage glamour — chef’s kiss! It wasn’t just her look; it was her whole presence. Honestly, half the fun of watching each episode was waiting to see what she’d wear next. Every outfit? A masterpiece. Every scene? A runway. She didn’t just walk onto the screen; she strutted, serving looks that had me bookmarking mental Pinterest boards each time. Total icon energy!
The show hit the jackpot, pairing Tor with Yaya. I mean, visually? They were an absolute dream, and they had awesome chemistry! Tor didn’t just rely on his good looks, though; he brought his A-game to the role, nailing the part of the gentlemanly judge like it was tailor-made for him. His facial expressions were spot-on. You could practically see the tension and restraint when he was holding himself back from Anong, all stoic and reserved. However, when he finally let his guard down, his face turned soft, heart-meltingly sweet.
As for the second couple, I was not too interested in them. Their romance just didn’t have that spark and it felt like something was missing.
Other than the main leads, the rest of the cast played their parts very well, with each actor bringing so much to their character. Special shout-outs to Peterpan as Prasit and Kik, as Wichai's mother, whom everyone loved to hate. The show’s aesthetics were another plus point! The cinematography was well done, and the attention to details of that era, including the styling and set design, was superb. Add to that a well-executed plot, great dialogue, and, best of all, a proper, satisfying almost-full-episode ending that wrapped things up beautifully.
In typical Thai style, redemption was the ultimate answer for the nasty antagonist, the mother. Even though very few would find her redeemable, the fact that Wichai, who valued his family very much, was able to keep them together was like the cherry on top of the cake!
This show deserved way higher ratings, no question about it! The glowing comments and reviews say it all. This gem is an absolute must-watch.
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Great Acting by the Entire Cast But Plot Took a Nosedive in the 2nd Half
I'd seen a retro tribute modern drama already with ZLY this year but this one had a totally different premise, so I wanted to see how she would handle a harder plot and though she and the rest of the cast did a wonderful job in their respective roles, the plot took a serious nosedive towards the second half and the end.Pros: I can't say enough about the acting of this very professional cast. ZLY did a terrific job as XBX, a stubborn, enterprising, reflective, yet very flawed character and everyone else followed. At first, I wasn't a fan of GXY as she appeared like a spoiled rich girl going through a rebellion but it became clear after a handful of episodes that though she was spoiled and bratty, she had a big heart and really cared about TXQ. The "steel trio" of XBX, TXQ, and CYZ were a great bunch who sincerely loved one another even if that sometimes came across as tough love or protection in the form of lying which backfired more often then not. The intent behind it was real.
Other favorite characters were ZL, President Gao, Dr. Su, Su Computer Nerd, and manager Jia; all were wonderful supportive people to XBX and each other wherever they fit. When it came to the good guys, all of their parts were done accordingly. The scenery and OSTs were on point and appropriate.
Cons: While I understood this was a propaganda tribute drama and that it would have a lot of that included in it, what absolutely shocked me was the hamster wheel plot of the antagonists would completely overshadow even that. There were a total of 4 really bad guys, one coward, and one insignificant idiot that came and went. The plot essentially took a nosedive in the second half when the 3 main antagonists/business partners and XBX plus her ex routinely sent each other to jail. It was a literal revolving door of prison sentences. They'd set each other up, beg for someone else to take the fall, or manage to somehow twist themselves loose so many times that all of their illegal deeds combined would probably equal a 25 year minimum for each save XBX.
Everyone of them ended up with some sort of redemption arc in the last few episodes that they didn't deserve. Even though Mr. Wu did turn himself in, in the final 15 minutes of the last episode, the amount of illegalities he'd done throughout the years should have seen him in prison for more then just a year. I didn't like the antagonists at all in this series, though their acting was on point 100%, it was because every time one would get into trouble, he'd get himself out by setting someone else up, rinse, repeat x maybe 8! The storyline hindered them completely which was very sad because they could have really done something more believable in terms of how the law worked.
Speaking of the law, how is it that TXQ got 5 years in prison for kicking XBX's ex in the balls while the latter was choking her to death (murder attempt number 1) and the ex 10 years later only got 1 month after he ran her off the road and threw a metal pipe at her head causing a head injury (murder attempt number 2)? So saving another person from near death is illegal but actually trying to kill someone isn't. In that second case plus with the antagonists, was XBX Mother Theresa? She gave the ex a debit card that she'd deposit money in each month to help him and the kid he adopted. She felt like she owed him; for what? Trying to kill her? Same with Wu, Qiu, and even Dong, they'd set her up but there she goes trying to bail them out. That kind of backwards logic was confusing. Lastly on this topic, they essentially spent the last 4-6 episodes spouting various domestic and international laws that the average viewer wouldn't have a clue as to what was happening.
Another point of contention was with poor CYZ, once it was obvious he had terminal cancer and had little time to live, they kept dragging his death out. It was brutal to watch; they could have had the pier sunrise scene maybe 6 episodes earlier then they did. Made me wonder if they purposefully did it as filler but that's like the really wrong way of going about that. Because even to the last episode, they brought him in as happy and in flashbacks. That would have been way better then what was done with his character at that time.
The introduction of Russian speaking characters that couldn't speak the language fluently like Nina was ridiculous especially to someone whose native tongue it is. The entire Russian arc in the beginning, I fast forwarded because it was off historically among many other things. The last part that bugged me though it wasn't huge were the costumes especially XBX's wedding dress which was straight out of the 1980s instead of the year 2000. Some ppl said she didn't have enough money for a new one but that didn't jive either as by that time she and ZL lived in a huge house and her car was a Mercedes, she didn't drive herself but had a driver and assistant with her at nearly all times.
So though the acting was very well with a professional cast, the storyline/plot started out strong but then just unraveled. Hadn't it been for the great acting, I would have given it a much lower score.
Would I recommend it? Honestly, only if you like ZLY or anyone else in the cast. Otherwise, plot wise it's not strong at all with many factual and historical errors.
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Inspiring for Entry Level Career/Business, but Lost in Translation
I picked this one as my first drama of the 2022, purely out of expectation. It has a less than 8.0 rating, so I was ready to drop it even before started watching it, lol. However, I finished Episode 1, and ended up keep watching one episode following by another. My guess why it has a low rating for such a pretty good romcom, is: one, poor translation from MangoTV, which is the main issue; two, misleading synopsis; three, no popular cast; and four, Chinese romcom drama watchers have had toothaches from all sweet Cdramas being released last year. Let me address the main issue first, the second issue in the Character section.MangoTV produced quite some good Chinese romcoms, unfortunately many are machine translated, including this drama. This is very unfortunate, since business term and Chinese idioms/slang get mistranslated or even no translation (especially for notes, emails, text messages, etc). Luckily, if you watch in their official YouTube channel, there are kindhearted people who translated the non-dialogue part. As I put in the title, this drama is especially inspiring for audiences who are at their entry level of career of business, since there is a lot of uplifting advice given to motivate people in their career development. Unfortunately, the inspiring life lessons are watered down with inadequate translation. So, unless you understand modern spoken Chinese, or can read between the lines of bad sub, probably don’t bother to watch this drama.
STORY: In my opinion, there are two plots that run side-by-side: the romance and the work/business plot, both intertwine harmoniously between Party A and Party B (hence this drama title). Party A/Party B is a legal term when two entities get involved in business.
The main couple’s plot starts from both ML and FL being bickering strangers (short term), to being landlord-tenant, neighbors, two business-related company representatives , friends, best friends, lovers, to being engaged (short term). It’s a slow burn romance, they don’t get together until the ¾ quarter of the drama! However, their friendship and teamwork development are amazing to watch. Even before they get together, they’re so comfortable with each other, like an old married couple. The second couple plot actually has more sparks as their romance develops faster, so it’s quite interesting. Their romance starts about half of the drama. The third couple romance is a filler, in my opinion, since it’s quite short. There is also a married couple.
I actually am more interested in the work/business plot, unexpectedly since I don’t like business drama. I think because of its advice given to working adults. ML and FL both go thru work problems each encounter, from insider sabotage to sexual harassment. They work together to solve those problems. Misunderstandings don’t get prolonged in their relationship, they clear up their issues pretty fast. There is also the main theme of chasing dreams of most characters: people leaving stable jobs to start business, moving to big city to pursue career, changes job to a different company, working on your dream job instead of just-a-job, saving and investment, life priority, etc.
PRODUCTION: The scriptwriting is pretty good. The writer, which at this time I don’t know their name, managed to write a flowing transition on the main couple’s love story and the Female Lead’s prowess development. There are witty dialogues too, that make the plot development and the characters’ growth enjoyable.
CHARACTER: The scriptwriter also did a good job in creating likable main characters and some key supporting characters. The FL, Ye Xuan (weirdly in the end is translated into Michelle Ye), freshly graduated, comes from a smaller city to metro Shanghai. She’s hopeful and energetic, but faces the reality of the workplace. She is lucky enough to land her first job at 88Ed, what I called a dream company. Although it’s small and has problems, it ends up to be the ideal company in dramaland. Her other luck is ML, Li Ze Nan, who is not only her landlord/neighbor. The company where he works, Aoke, is also 88Ed’s major client.
Now this is where I want to correct the misleading synopsis I read at this moment. It says that Li Ze Nan is “the domineering Party A” but he’s not. He has been in the big city and has worked longer than Ye Xuan, so he gives her work advice but he’s not domineering. In fact, when they become a couple, I see sometimes Ye Xuan is bossy towards Li Ze Nan. Starting their relationship as a landlord-tenant, he’s actually has been supportive to Ye Xuan all along. He also comes from a poor background and works hard his way up at his workplace. He is not an ML who “has been making things difficult” to FL, since he makes her grow and become stronger as a working adult. For example, when he knows she has worked hard on a business proposal for his company but her company doesn’t credit her, as a client he has a power to fix the mistake but he doesn't. Instead, when he finds her crying in disappointment, he gives her a cotton candy and later tells her to be strong and try harder. Another misled term is that the couple’s relationship starts with “endless bickering” but I see they just tease and playful with each other, and actually the second couple starts with “endless bickering”.
Important to mention in romance drama is the secondary characters who potentially ruin the main couple’s relationship. There is none. Second FL is ML’s ex-girlfriend, but they broke up because pursued different dreams. Although when she shows up initially ML and SFL are a bit uncomfortable with each other, there is no hate/love feeling left for both parties. SFL ends up becomes their company’s business client and FL’s friend. Second ML is FL’s co-worker. He and ML have a healthy competition for FL’s attention, but when SML sees that FL, subconsciously, prefers to be with ML he backs off and becomes supportive of their relationship.
A bonus: the director, Sha Wei Qi, also made a guest role appearance as a fake director, lol! The scene with him in it is the most hilarious in the drama! He also directed some decent Chinese romcoms (rating 8.0+) such as Gank Your Heart (2019), A River Runs Through It (2021), and To Fly With You (2021).
VISUAL: The location of metropolitan Shanghai is always a charm. I like the adjoining balconies where ML and FL often seen chatting at night after work. I also like the company setting where FL works though. It’s a renovated warehouse building made of bricks and has a warm and casual feeling.
OST: Nothing stands out.
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short sweet/bittersweet romance, need a season 2
Overall: this could have easily been a 9.5 or 10 from me except how they handled the ending (information in my comment under a spoiler, I'll bump it up to 9.5 if they have a season 2 and explain things more clearly). Aired on YouTube. Watch the extra scene after the credits.Content Warnings: threatened violence, past pet death, stalking, mental health struggles, kick
What I Liked
- cute and funny moments
- some subverted tropes*
- Jung Woo's very realistic reaction to the situation
- the actors did an amazing job
- excellent production value (feels very Kdrama with blurred backgrounds, close ups), the music was very well done
- cameo from Long Time No See actor
Room For Improvement
- the explanation for how it all happened is in a separate video and it would have been better to incorporate it into the series itself
- they spent some of their valuable screen time in unnecessary plot threads like the blind date
- *the ending was a letdown and I'll say more in my comment under a spoiler
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Masterpiece, award winning worth drama
Masterpiece, the best chinese drama for me so far, even better than similar theme kdramas (start up, maybe?) in terms of closeness to reality, the chemistry of the casts, life lesson and the struggle. I dont watch many chinese dramas nowadays, i watch a lot k dramas and some lakorns, but since i watched cdramas, taiwanese drama since 1990-2000an era (F4 era), i can say that this is the best chinese drama ever. The c dramas i watched before has a lot of fillers boring scene, uncontinuity storyline, unrealistic story, but this one change my mindset of how a good chinese drama can also be made.Finished watching it and i wish i could erase my memory just to rewatch it over and over again!
Plus points:
- amazing cinematography, aesthetic sceneries, how they shoot the camera angle are at the top notch level
- beautiful soundtracks
- engaging storyline, minimal filler scenes, even almost every little thing means something later
- success story always encourage us and motivating, how our FL never give up
- plot twists, and many of it, story telling runs smoothly consistent
- chemistry between the lead, the flirting, both of ML and FL are bad ass in nature
- ML and FL visuals....clothes..who would argue with this?
- character developments, they all learning to become better person in the end, nobody's perfect
- side characters such as aunt Yue, workers like uncle Zhang, who stays beside and help Jianghu during her lowest time - very touching
- smart ML and FL
What i don't like
- last episode is not enough for us - can we get extension episode please
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This show has it all: family drama, birth secrets galore, business makjang, murder, White Trucks Of Doom™ which may all seem cliche and typical but you know what it also has? A bad-ass, strong, don't-need-no-man female lead who gets whatever she wants done through her intelligence and diligence. Her only flaw? The desire to be loved by her adopted family. While the first few episodes may just seem like her suffering, believe me when I say it gets better.
Like I said, it's a sleeper hit. A lot of people either dropped it too early or they just skipped it all together (hence the comments) but THIS. SHOW. IS. GOLD.
The OST is amazing (please do your ears a favour and listen to You Are by KLANG), Lee Yoo Ri and Song Chang Eui kill it as the leads and the bad guys are so bad, you want to hurl things at the screen. However this show gave me so much adrenaline and the ending was just PERFECTION.
Please don't just take my word for it, watch it yourself and get to at the very least half of it before judging it. A lot of people are missing out and I really hope people see this show for what it really is, an amazing story about a badass woman who finds people who truly love her and discovers her self worth instead of letting her status as an orphan get in the way.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Cathartic Journey
Zhang Zhehan tells his story through snapshots of the people he meets and of the natural wonders he sees on the journey to Lhasa.The result is a documentary full of warmth and happy discoveries, with an undertone of the director's struggle to embody that joy himself as he used to. And what perhaps matters the most when discussing topics such as mental health and healing, Zhang doesn't portray the story as a cookie-cutter, happy ending fairytale.
Throughout, the documentary is visually gorgeous. The power of nature is shown in full, and so are the hopes, dreams and daily life of the people encountered on the way. There is no artificial dramatization of the events or emotions, and no attempt to turn human experience into a consumable.
Zhang Zhehan lets the genuine happiness, confusion and love of the journey speak for themselves, all the while carefully listening to them himself.
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