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This review may contain spoilers
At first I was not expecting to enjoy this from the couples perspective, but more from the university/ hazing angle. I mean another BL (when I did realise it was BL). Nothing wrong with a good BL story, but it's getting kinda long in the tooth.That being said, I did not read any spoilers before (hence not knowing it was BL). The upbeat music score (Soh Sut Soh Say performed by Keng Thachaya) was just so powerful it had to be attached to something, at lease, exciting. Boy was I in for a surprise!
The actual hazing was a bit far fetched for reality, but added to the premise and story quite well. The SOTUS acronym was really fully thought out. (Could someone Thai say if it is real?) Not starting as the typical love story was, again, another plus. Trying to cipher out where it was going was like being a detective. Would it be more about the hazing and the relationships formed because of a fear of the seniors? Would it force the juniors into relationships? The development of the characters was not predictable at all.
The magnificent performance of N' Krist (Sangpotirat Perawat) and the facial expressions of N' Sinto (Ruangroj Prachaya) really added to tension and emotion. Not in any way putting down the pool of amazing Thai actors, and having watched quite a few Thai Dramas, I don't think anyone else was more worthy to play those parts. These two played well of each other and even the rest of the cast, bringing a feeling of realness to the episodes.
The ending. Wow. It is just the perfect circles of circles. Karma, faith and such. Everything just falling together for a reason!
The only one critique I could find was the secondary characters could get a little more development. They do take a backseat to the main. By backseat I mean all the way in the back of an articulated bus! A little more time about them would have been just perfect! This, in no way, takes away from the realness or storytelling. It's just a very, very tiny gripe.
All in all a worthy story, impeccable acting and amazing music score. Well worth the watch! Has to be the best for it's year and possibly one of the best Thai Dramas of all times! Hormones set a bar, but SOTUS has raised it!
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Great Plot, Great Acting, Great Ending
Yes, I'm hooked to this drama which was almost dropped initially because I was too impatient. The opening of the drama put me off, but then 2 episodes in, I was hooked.I love the seriousness of this drama. There are no annoying, stupid nor silly characters. No stupid exchanges. No unnecessary misunderstandings except those that due to the flaws of the characters themselves. There is good character development.
The sword fight choreography is simply beautiful, so authentic and gracious. The wushu scenes are executed almost flawlessly with beautiful and elegant sequences and postures by the main leads. There are no stupid colorful fireworks (literally) when people fight, just real authentic sounds and movements.
The lead actors are new to me. Having said that, they appear to be wonderful actors and they each plays their roles convincingly. I grow to love them and empathize with them, even with the antagonist.
The romance is intense and sensual, and the hatred is convincing. The second male lead plays a controversial character which adds colors to the story; most viewers hate and love him. I love the story with strong male leads and strong female lead. It is so satisfying to see a strong female lead who is smart and kind, and at the same time, has the ability to protect herself and others because she can really fight (tired of those girls who try to be heroines but put others into danger when they try to protect the heroines - not in this case).
One can tell the production team has put in a lot of efforts in taking care of the details. There are no obvious holes and mismatched timelines. The music, cinematography, plots, acting, and editing are simply wonderful.
This is a drama well done!
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
The P'orn Supremacy
It has become clear to me, from the very first scene, that the producers of this magnificent show must have hired someone from the gay porn industry as a consultant. This, I believe, is how their pre-production meetings went.Day 1.
The Producer: Alright, everyone. The results are in, and the trends are clear. There is now a clear north-south divide in the BL audience. Those who seek chaste BLs of cute boys go to Korea or Japan. If they want stepbrothers, they go to Taiwan. If they want pure spice, they come to us. Now, the greatness that is Mame showed us how low — I mean, how far — we can go. We now have to up our game. So, I have hired a consultant, Thunder Thighs, from the world of gay porn…
Writer 1: Oh god.
The Producer: …to help us improve our offering. Let’s give him a warm welcome.
Thunder (to thunderless applause): Cheers. Now, let’s get to work. Show me what you have.
Writer 1: I think we’ve covered all the basics. At least 3 couples; tall tops, short bottoms; rich tops, poor bottoms; boss tops, subordinate bottoms; slutty tops, virgin bottoms…
Thunder: Yeah, I get the idea. Any of them dom tops?
Writer 2: One is, absolutely; the other is for chaste-chasers, or, chaters, if you will.
Writer 1: We also have the tried-and-tested office setting, token women, time jump, accidental fall-and-catch, ten-percent body fat…
Thunder: Good, good. Any openly gay guys in it?
Writer 1: Not really. "Don't say 'gay'" is sort of our policy here.
Thunder: Good. Nothing is more off-putting in gay porn than having gay men in it.
Writer 2: Really?
Thunder: Yeah, the thrill is all about seducing a straight guy. What about the other guys? Are they “straight”?
Writer 2: Well, technically, they would be bisexuals.
Writer 1: But we don’t acknowledge them. Or use that word.
Thunder: Promising.
Writer 2: Do you want to hear the story?
Thunder: Oh, no one cares about that. People just fast forward to get to the good stuff.
The Producer (puzzled): Why then have it in the first place?
Thunder: To give the illusion of reality. You have to be able to believe that there is a world in which you can “pay the pizza guy back” by servicing him, or that you can “convert” a “straight” guy gay…
Someone at the back: Ah, so this is another form of “conversion therapy”?
The Producer: You’re fired.
Day 2.
Writer 1: So, this is how the story begins. An inexperienced youth is initiated into the rites of gay romance by a brash senior. Time pulls them apart. But then, a few years later, they end up working at the same office, and…
Thunder: How does the initiation happen?
Writer 2: What? Oh. Well, we thought that they could spot each other across a Buddhist temple, know that they were meant for each other, bump into each other -- literally -- the top will then catch the bottom...
Thunder: What the fuck is this? The Hallmark Channel? This won’t do. Here’s how you do it. The old’un’s the top, yeah? Have him wank off secretly in a public place…
Writer 2: Secretly… in a public place?
Thunder: Yes. Then have the bottom catch him in the act, by hiding clearly where the top can see him.
Writer 2: Hiding, where he can be seen?
Thunder: Yes. Then the top catches him watching, pulls him in, and says, ‘You’re so hard! Come, I’ll give you a hand shandy and make you come." He'll go: "But I thought you were straight?" Wait… can the top be his stepbrother?
Writers (together): No!
The Producer (at the same time): Sure!
Thunder: Never mind. You’ve seen gay porn. You know what comes next. One of them says: “Have you ever done this before?” The other guy says: “no”. Then, "Do you want to try?" Then, "Sure." Now, you must avoid kissing if possible, yeah? Kissing is “gay”. But if they must kiss, have the top say: “Can I kiss while I wank you off? It’ll be hotter.” The bottom says: “What if we get caught?” The top goes: “We won’t…”
Writer 1: You want us to put all of this in the first episode?
Thunder: Are you kidding? This is the first scene!
Day 3.
Writer 1: Should we talk about the other couples?
Thunder: Must we?
Writer 1: Yes.
Thunder: Okay. What's the deal with the other gays?
Writer 1: Well, we were going to have them as a sweet, romantic alternative to the spiciness of the first.
The Producer: We have to cater to the non-horny people, Mr Thighs. Otherwise, they’ll go to Korea.
Thunder (looking at the cast photos and finding Yoon): Wait… Isn’t this the guy from Unforgotten Night? Are you telling me we're not going to see his back tattoo? That he won't fuck his chump against a desk in his office?
Writer 2: His Champ. And you do know that wasn't a real tattoo, right?
Thunder: What's your point?
The Producer (getting up): Perhaps now would be a good time for a break.
Writer 1: Wait, what about the lesbian couple? (To the Producer): Are we allowed to say “lesbian” in Thai BL/GL?
The Producer: No.
Thunder: Sorry, love, I’ve nothing to contribute to that. If you want to fetishise or demean lesbians, go to straight men.
Day 4.
Writers (walking into the room and slamming the table): What the fuck are you doing to our script?
Thunder: There was a script?
The Producer: Let’s all calm down.
Writer 2: Why have you butchered half the scenes? And why does each episode read like a sex-ed class from a gay porn star?
Thunder: Because, darling, it is. What else have I got to work with?
Writer 1: Plot? Characterisation? Dialogue?
Writer 2: There *is* a story here, can't you see? Jun is the only one with integrity. Sorn is lying to himself and to Jun. But as the story moves along, their roles will reverse. Sorn's girlfriend...
Thunder: Can you show me where in the script you've written all that? Because I can't find it. The only thing I can find is horniness. If sex is what brings them together, why not make it front and centre? No one's staying for the dialogue.
Writer 1 (to the Producer): You hear that? That’s the nail in my coffin.
Day 5.
Thunder: Alright, where are we so far? We’ve had the handshake, the kiss, the steam, and the straddle. We now have to do the… Wait... Wait a sodding minute. (Thumbing through the whole script.) This thing has 12 episodes? How the fuck are you going to drag it out that long?
Writer 1: Oh, don’t worry about that. We have it refined down to a fine art.
Thunder: How’s that?
Writer 2: We'll start with some denial. That long river in Africa. We'll then introduce an unlikeable girlfriend for the top, and a gentle love interest for the bottom. We'll make them all jealous. Then, we'll use the two most powerful weapons in our arsenal...
Thunder: Which are?
Writer 2: Misunderstanding and miscommunication. Believe me, you can mine these two babies to keep the plot turning for at least six episodes.
Thunder: And the rest?
Writer 2: That’s where the side couples come in.
Thunder: So, what you’re telling me is that this time, you don’t even have enough material for 8 episodes that you had to bring me in.
The Producer: That is correct. So, what’s next?
Thunder: How bold do you wanna go?
The Producer: I mean, we opened the first episode with a handjob…
Thunder: Then how about we open the fourth with a flatiron?
Writer 2: What's that?
Thunder: Google it.
Day 6.
The Producer: So, we're all in agreement? We’ll keep Thai and Chump — I mean Champ — for the softies: soft, gentle, and with flags so green that all of Ireland would be offended…
Writers: Fine.
The Producer: Now, as for Sorn and Jun…
Thunder: You’d better let them breed like rabbits if you want the people hooked. You've got to put the Dom back in Condom; the Ass back in passive.
Writer 1: Oh, does that mean we’re allowed to show some realistic elements of safe gay sex on screen? Condoms, lubes, preparations?
Thunder: Don't be a douche.
Writer 2: Yes, douche too.
Thunder: Funny. But people don’t wanna see all that mess, yeah? They just want a clean shot. Geddit?
Writer 1: I'll add that to my list of reasons to die.
Writer 2: So what's next? What do we do with Sorn and Porn? I mean, Jun?
Thunder: Well, you've vetoed 'stepbrothers'. We’ve done 'straight-to-gay'. So, I guess the next big thing would be ‘roommate' porn, and almost ‘getting caught’. Run with those.
Writer 2: Right in front of my salad?
Day 7.
Script Editor: I quit. There is no meaning to life anymore.
(Storms out of the room.)
Thunder: What’s her problem?
Writer 1: Let’s see, we've gotten so bored with Chai — Champ and Thai, that is — that their storyline's now as bland as camomile tea. Penny breaks up with P'Sorn in a scene so amicable that Gwyneth Paltrow would look at it and say, ‘that’s bullshit’. And then, all of a sudden, Penny is just ready to scissor Jun in the middle of the office…
Thunder: Oh please, as if you BL writers were ever interested in the romantic life of lesbians.
The Producer: I mean, that's fair.
Writer 2: But you’ve mangled the script so much that nothing makes sense anymore.
Thunder: You loved the nipple play though, right?
Writer 1: Yes, the dialogue is scintillating. “Don’t mess with my nipple.” “But it’s so tiny and cute.”
Writer 2: I can’t believe I’m about to say this: but the writing is better in porn.
Thunder: Why, thank you. I'm flattered.
Day 8.
Writer 1: What next?
Thunder: Cottaging.
Writer 2 (to the Producer): How far are we willing to push it?
Thunder: Swallowing, if you want to be demure. Cum shot, if you want to be bold.
Writer 2: Jesus Christ.
The Producer: Meanwhile, please welcome our new addition to the team... Chad.
Thunder: He’s straight, isn't he?
The Producer: Yes. I’ve brought him in to advise us on the GL scenes.
Thunder: You do realise I was joking last week, right?
The Producer: So?
Day 9.
Thunder: Missionary Accomplished!
The Producer (raising his glasses): Here's to Oat and Boat!
Everyone: To Oat and Boat!
The Producer: How did you come up with the scene against the mirror? It was inspired.
Thunder: It's from one of my movies, Willy Wanker.
Day 10.
Writer 2: Oh, you haven’t shredded our script for the next two episodes?
The Producer: I’d argue that it reads somewhat better than before.
Writer 1: How come?
Thunder: Here’s the problem with you ladies. You seem to think that sex is something supplementary to a story. It isn’t. Sex is an integral part of the story. The human story. Evolution shaped us for it. And sometimes, as here, sex *is* the story.
Writer 2: What’s your point?
Thunder (sighing): The emotional connection between the boys is built on sex, innit? It ain't books or music. It 's also their main way of expressing trust, distrust, pleasure and pain.
Writer 2: That's suprisingly thoughtful.
Thunder: So, when their physical relationship falls apart, their emotional relationship falls with it. Even if the reasons you give for it are daft, as is the case here.
Writer 1: Daft?
Thunder: Please, you thought Sorny’s backstory would convince anybody? Why don’t you give him a spray-on beard while you're at it and show people how sad he is?
(The writers look at each other, wondering if it’s not a bad idea after all.)
Day 11.
(Back from the actors’ workshop):
Thunder: No, no, no, no, no. Nope. I can’t work with those two. I can’t.
The Producer: Why not?
Thunder: Did you take a look at their "acting"? There was more sexual chemistry between oil and water than those two. They touch each other as if they had visible eczema. Can’t you abandon them, like you abandoned the lesbians? Subtle, by the way. What, did you fire Chad after one day?
The Producer: But Yoon & PunPun have signed a contract saying they’d do at least three sex scenes. We’ve already paid them for it.
Thunder: Baffling. Who’d want to watch those wet wicks instead of real fireworks?
Writer 1 (sighing): I told you. We could have done without the side couples. And we could have spent that time to properly allow the characters to come out and be happy together. But no, you insisted on at least three to cater to everyone.
The Producer: I need to hedge my bets, okay? I'm only in it for the money. So stop hounding me.
Day 12.
The Producer: Alright, everyone. It's the last day. Let’s go out with a bang, shall we?
Writer 2: Two bangs, according to the script.
Thunder: A bang and a whimper is all you'll get. Can’t make a horse drink water, can we?
Writer 1: ChatGPT will soon take care of that. But what do you suggest for now?
Thunder: Tell Yoon to stop poking his tongue out like a goldfish. That would be one. Then, standing doggy in the staircase?
Writer 2: For whom?
Thunder: Both. I don’t care. Nor will the audience. They'll have tuned out by Ep. 10, trust me. So, just wrap it up, and churn the same stuff -- jealousy, aggression, possessiveness, horniness -- one last time.
Writer 1: Done.
(The Producer sighs.)
Thunder: Just make sure Boat’s shirt is unbuttoned, yeah? It leaves something to the imagination.
Writer 1: How about we also drop Oat’s trousers as well? To further fire up the imagination.
Thunder: My work here is done.
Reader's Digest:
DO SAY: Your Oat Floats My Boat
DON'T SAY: Bring back the back tattoo
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This review may contain spoilers
This is my first time writing a review for a Chinese drama and Scarlet Heart has an honor for it.I don't even know from where to begin with. You know when drama leaves you spechless, with many emotions that even after finishing it you can't gather yourself and keep replaying that song that reminds you of every single moment of a drama. Yes, that's how I am right now. Here I am sitting on a chair with tears in my eyes and writing a review for this wonderful drama.
I liked everything about this drama. Literally. The story-time travel, historical, romantic one, princes and Ruoxi who had so many beautiful relationships with them. One phenomenal story that will move you to bones. Beautiful China, deep, passionate love, season changing, scenery, every single detail is done in the most professional way that you totally forgot about the time and enjoy in this magnificent piece. Cecilia is a beautiful woman, so beautiful that I couldn't take my eyes of her. They way she acts, cries, loves is the wonderful enjoyment for my eyes. Everyone did a fantastic job in their own roles just like as it is written for them.
The part that made me bound for a drama is Ruoxi's relationships that she had with all princes. With one she was a drinking buddy, the one who understands her the most, with the other she was goofy and happy, with third she felt protected and with last she was in love with. Their interactions with each other, words, gestrures, glance they shared with each other simply crawls into your skin and you become a part of it.
Another thing that fascinated me is that every character in this drama has it's faults, nobody is perfect. As the story progress you see them change eather good or bad, precisely they changed in a way which their ambition led. Nobody's perfect, we all know that, we all make mistakes and regret later, we all have that moment of glory that makes us forget how we really were before, that moment when we all want to go to the past and correct things is something we all have and this was exactly the case in this drama. Their decions, mistakes, pain, sadness, happiness are made in such a stong way that you can feel it, understand why they done that and simply connect with every character in there.
***** SPOILER ALERT!*** ( About her relationship she had with princes, so if you want to know nothing, don't read it).
13th prince was the one for me. Right from the start. Their relationship was real, they understood each other completely, for him she didn't need to say anything, he'll understood her with one single gesture she makes. She liked him as her drinking buddy, but I, I felt that that is the real relationship between man and woman. He was there in her the most hardest times, happiest times, he was always there as a loyal friend. Soulmate friend. The scene when he deeply hugged her, directing her this words: "When the grass is green next year, old friends will no longer look the same. The sea holds our closest friends and the ends of the earth are our neighbours" moved me to bones and that's why it'll be carved in my heart forever.
14th prince has a special place in my heart. Principle man, weighed down by deep sense of honor and loyalty, kind, strong, He liked Ruoxi as a friend, even married her just so he can help her and that was what I appreciated the most.
Ah, here are her two loves 8th and 4th prince. 8th prince is her first love, the man whom she experienced the meaning of a love. He is romantic, protective, she felt safe when she was with him. They both know that it is a forbidden love, love that hurts, but what do you really can go against the feelings? Rouxi and 8th loved each other, but not enough to give up on everything. Later, their love was replaced by respect towards each other.
As for 4th Prince, well he was her true love, love 'till her death. Their chemistry was breathtaking, passionate, intense. It was so stong and powerful that when they were apart, their longing makes your heart break and you can't help but cry. He is calculative, with secrets, but towards Rouxi, he's different. He can be honest with her, tells her openly that he wants the throne, he was like himself with her. And that was love. Love that can last 'till eternity even when they're not together. But, when 4th Prince became Empreror their minds and opinions changed. Like they are strangers they didn't understand each other. The more they didn't understand each other, the more their love hurt. They were so close, yet so far, under one Heaven, but like miles away. They hurt each other, wanted to hate but they couldn't, longed for each other. He didn't care for anyone, only for her. Ruoxi was her everything, his soul, heart, mind, love. I vividly remember when he told 13th prince: "She cares for other, I care only for her."That was the proof how much he loved her. I wasn't that fond of him, cause he became selfish and tyranic, but their love was truly the strong one and it will always stay with me.
*** SPOILER END***
Oh and to say that Rouxi is the one of the strongest female characters in dramaland. She is intellegent, brave, unselfish, when she loves she loves till her core. The burden she carry is big, but wasn't able to share her story. She was a true survivor after all. She smiled, cried and loved to the fullest and that makes a woman strong, that even know it hurts, you're trying to get the best out of it. And that job was done by Cecilia whom I just have a words of praise and admiration.
I'll for sure rewatch this drama cause it's totally worth it. Even though it is sad, I took a positive side of it and placed some hope at the end. It is truly a beautiful story about love, friendship and passion. I laughed, cried, felt happy. I simply lived with this drama.
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The drama also follows the stories of the other occupants of dorm 232 Song Qi Qi, Bai Lin and Xiao Tang as well. Each face some sort of crisis at one point in their life but the thing that makes it so great is that all the issues the girls faced were all problems that everyday college students might face. They always had each other backs. I highly recommend this drama it's a really nice discovering yourself light and warm coming of age drama but it also has some tough moments, Enjoy!
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First and foremost because I have total trust in the production team and actors (Jiang Xin, Liu Tao, Yang Zi, Jin Dong, Zu Feng and so on ...) and well when I read what it would be about I was filled with too much happiness, I mean there's Jiang Xin and she'll be a main character I was really overjoyed because of that and this time she could finally shine and show what great outstanding actress she is which I never doubted <3 furthermore I've always wanted to watch a drama about strong friendship between women from different background and age, to see how their relationship will evolve throughout the drama, in the end I can tell you that it exceeded my expectations, it was more than just friendship, it was sisterhood and a friendship filled with so much love, respect, funny and cute moments. And I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of Chinese Modern Dramas but now I can definitely say, this one is the best I've seen and among my fave dramas right now.
Of course what made this drama such a wonderful and unique journey is the friendship between all of them : Sheng Mei, An Di, Xiao Xiao, Ying Ying and Guan Guan, how they all get to know, accept, respect and love each other, it was simply beautiful and magical to see, everything feels so genuine, it's like they've known each other since a very long time and were able to confide in one another, joke and do lot of amusing activities together like true friends would do and yeah it did take a little bit of time for at least two of them to open up more and accept the others girls however in the end they were themselves when together, all 5 of them.
Friendship is definitely not what this drama is all about and I love this drama for many other reasons :
-The writing, I was so impressed and since the first second when I saw how the dialogues were so well thought- out, rich and intelligent, I love all those quotes Sheng Mei, An Di and some characters like Lao Tan ( Tan Zong Ming) said, very realistic, deep and sometimes pretty bitter.
-Different genres mixed so well in only one drama such as : friendship, drama, comedy (mostly scenes with Ying Ying and Xiao Xiao), romance, slice of life and also family. This is true that some situations were a bit too unreasonable but overall it was such a refreshing and realistic drama and as a big Slice of Life fan I couldn't resist and and love with all my heart all the characters and their stories, sometimes it felt also too real that I couldn't help but cry (from both sadness and happiness).
-Also love how the writer doesn't only focus on one or two characters but takes time to develop all of them and show their own stories, struggles and family problems. Just this is such a pity I still don't know much about Guan Guan and because of that I couldn't relate to her nor her story but it doesn't mean she's not likeable and that I didn't like her.
I really have too much love for this drama that will be hard to explain with words but anyway I'll try to convey my thoughts and affection for Ode to Joy without being too subjective. You know since the very first ep I already felt attached to Fan Sheng Mei, An Di and Ying Ying, I really love the way they were introduced to us, one is very mature and have such strong opinion about love and life situations, the second one is straightforward and can be very badass as well and the latter so cute and naive but also very foolish at times but I couldn't help but fall for her kindness, gentleness toward other girls. They do really have their own qualities and flaws and that's what make them humane and alive.
Of course I know If I start talking about all of them it will take me hours so I'll try to make it as short as possible and go straight to the point.
~If you don't want to know more about the character's personalities you can skip this part~
[Fan Sheng Mei : who's my absolute favorite of the show and the reason is because she's so mature, so elegant and classy, strong, independent who only relies on herself to live and survive in a big city like Shanghai, she's particularly pessimistic when it comes to love and relationship between human being but we can only go along with her as she's always stating the awiful truth.
An Di : Smart, quiet, elegant, mostly wears black and white clothes and for like 25 eps it always bugged me a little bit but that's her style :p, discreet about her life and once again for good reasons because it's hard for her opening up to others and trusting them.
Xiao Xiao, the real light of this drama, so eccentric, also sometimes very awkward with others and the words she uses to speak to people and which leads her to be misunderstood in my opinion, this can be both an asset and disadvantage. Anyway she's considerate, adorable and cool, and for that I like her a lot.
Ying Ying : cute, loving, caring, she also has an eccentric side but now in same way as Xiao Xiao, it's more in her behaviour and her cheerful personality.
Guan Guan : She's also a very understanding and compassionate person and always there for Fan Sheng Mei and Ying Ying, she's hardworking too and a bit too shy, has hard time expressing her feelings to others but once she's with her friends she can fully be herself.]
5 unique, interesting and colourful women :p
I'm really impressed to see that those 5 women who are so different can share so much and support each other during hard times, such endearing, caring and loving characters, for me it was impossible not to love and admire them though I have my personal favorites and I know all of you who watched this drama have your own favorite characters as well for personal reasons and that's what makes Ode to Joy so unforgettable. And yes my fave is definitely Sheng Mei and I love her .
I now need to say a few words about the OST which definitely became one of my all time favorites, I absolutely love all of the songs : I'll post my favorites below. But I won't say more cause I hope people who're gonna watch the drama will discover all of them by themselves and enjoy them the same way I did, and being surprised the way I was too otherwise it would not be fun for you.
My faves :
The ending song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEmSGIaT4Rg&amp;list=PLlxGEDlRe5WNN-_2n7giCKga4V5YHa8-1 Love
Hui Gu Niang/Cinderella : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fGAWMfO7HQ , definitely my favorite and I love the lyrics, so beautiful and true.
Wo Yao Ni/I Want you : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL_QJkbrCKE&list=PL9ct9xr9-KGQtUXpZDeec-oi5WXSz9oNc&index=7 so punchy and addictive
Pei Ni Zuo Yu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9R4gKWn9W4&amp;amp;amp;list=RDsY6u6NbtTlE;index=2
It was overall a very great drama as I said above and I just can't wait for the next seasons to see my girls again *0*. Very very recommended as it will definitely bring you lot of smiles, laughter and food for thoughts as well. And I have to say it was really addictive, I still can't believe I completed this show :(.
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When a Cheeky Bastard Meets a Goody-Two-Shoes
It's absolutely ridiculous, cheesy, makes you scratch your head and ask why, self-obsessed with a mix of laughingly-bad-side-character-acting, a dash of awkward fight scenes, a healthy dose of suits and abs in rags, chemistry that chemistrys, leads that act like the rent was due two months ago and the power bill is coming in the mail on Monday, and, above all, just a shit ton of fun.When you have a drama with nonsense characters, over-the-top plot points, and cheap effects that is self-aware of its soap-operaness and also has a main romance with sizzling chemistry and sly grins from both parties (one more mischevious Cheshire-cat and foxy than the other though), you have yourself some quality entertainment.
I had a blast not only watching this but pondering what could possibly be awaiting me in the newest episode.
My recommendation? Pop some popcorn, kick your feet back, hit play, and have a good time.
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CAUTION: WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Don't watch this show while you're eating, because you'll be laughing so much that chances of choking and dying are a lot.Don't watch this show if you don't want to fall in love with a team of characters that are badass, adorable, witty and will forge a bond with you to the point you'll never want to let go.
Don't watch this show if you like strong badass female characters that kick ass, dominate the screen when they come and have amazing hair to match their amazing intelligence.
Don't watch this if you want to die due to the shortness of breath the titular character Kim Hae Il will cause you by being one of the most iconic characters in K-drama history.
Don't watch it if you can't stand the brilliance that is Kim Nam Gil's acting that gave birth to the baddie of the baddies: a fiery priest who is more like a grim reaper/ death angel 'cause when he comes to you, honey it's judgement day.
Don't watch it if you're someone who gets jealous of the extreme chemistry between all the the characters, don't like bromances, sismances and hilarious antagonists 'cause this show has an abundance of that.
Don't watch it, if you don't want to be addicted to the perfect OST of this show even when it's finished.
Don't watch it if you want to be proved wrong when you said that K-Dramas are just not well- written anymore.
Only watch it, if you are strong enough to take the wholesome awesomeness this megabrilliant masterpiece of a show offers and still remain standing by the end.
You have been warned.
Take care.
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Best xianxia since ten miles of peach blossom
the sound design in this drama is GORGEOUS, like god tier. really you can always tell a drama is going to be explosive when the crew excels with the sound and i am big on sound design. especially being an avid fan of western works like Dune, Game of thrones, Westworld, Instellar (and literally every single Christopher Nolan work).Haven't been this engrossed in a xianxia drama like this since Ten miles of peach blossoms so that's telling enough. the cinematography, visuals and acting is just *chefs kiss*.
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That said, I couldn't give it this movie a 10 because there are some problematic ideas about beauty expressed, specifically about skin color. As I watch more Thai movies, I'm realizing the prejudice against darker skin is in fact very real and pressing in Thai culture. Although this isn't a focus of this movie, the idea that darker girls are ugly is clearly present (whether it's completely endorsed or not,.) That makes me concerned about younger girls of color seeing this film without discussing it first.
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Well I'm just glad to be watching a show in which REDACTED doesn't die by the end!
I really loved watching this show. In fact, I couldn't stop watching it! It's possibly (probably) one of the best shows of the year. With a raw storyline, amazingly complex characters, and competent production, this show is a good option for a mature and gut-wrenching experience.Throughout the watching experience of this show, I noticed a lot of viewers were upset by characters not being easily categorized as good or bad, or judging characters too harshly, or just being upset that the romances were not cute. So just upfront, let me tell you. This is not your next Love is Sweet or Begin Again, or even Go Ahead (though that show is pretty close, content-wise). This show is raw. It's like an open wound. It goes for realism and it exposes the characters' faults on purpose. Actions have consequences in this show and everyone is a bit more complicated than meets the eye. I could write pages on character studies alone but this is a show review, so I'll stop!
You should watch this show if you like:
1. Mature stories. No black and white morality to be found here or cutesy characters whose bad decisions only lead to quirky shenanigans. Nope. You make a bad mistake here, you go DOWN!
2. Good acting
3. Later 20th-century history
4. Family dramas
5. Generational stories
Summary: The show follows the Qiao children as they struggle to survive in their father's home after their mother dies in childbirth. Yi Cheng, the eldest, makes a silent vow to never lose his dignity no matter what he faces in life. He struggles to raise his neglected siblings, keep them fed and in school while also following his own ambitions of raising himself out of his bad situation through education, all while maintaining his pride. As the story progresses and their lives get complicated by mistakes and tragedies, the siblings stay close together like the threads of a knitted sweater!
Plot: The plot is simple. It's life. It starts in 1977 and ends in 2005 and the show is committed to historical accuracy but other than that it shows the characters, their love life, their triumphs and failures with little judgment. You will hate some decisions and you'll love others. It's chaotic and illogical, the way that real life is. In real life, sometimes people make bad decisions and they commit to them longer than it makes sense to do so. It's the same in this show. I personally found everything in the story tolerable and nothing made me so angry as to make me want to stop watching. Everything flowed naturally. Nothing was dragged out and nothing was wrapped too fast. The pace was great and it helped to keep the viewer interested. Each episode is packed with one event after another to the point that missing one episode might lead to missing entire arcs!
Acting: Perfect. All across the board, everyone was amazing. Special shout out to Liu Jun who played their father. His character was a jerk but he played him so well that I was just so impressed by this veteran actor. Also, the young actors playing the Qiao kids in their childhood, especially the young actor for YiCheng, were amazing. Guo Zi Ming made me tear up more than any other character in the show. Kudos!
Music: I actually loved the music for this show. Especially the song called Wild Bird which I have been listening to on repeat since I watched the first episode. I can sing along now!
Production: It was near perfect. Gorgeous cinematography, meticulous location setting, attention to details, historically accurate objects but also experiences, symbolic lighting (happy homes colored with warm colors and unhappy ones with cold ones), (almost) perfect continuity. Most importantly, I think the production wasn't as expensive as it seemed and that it was just very well-budgeted.
Rewatch: I wouldn't say no. It was a very endearing watch and I particularly enjoyed certain parts that I would love to watch again.
Negatives: Characters make bad decisions a lot but I thought they made sense in context. While bad decisions, they still made sense for the characters. It's a bit hard to keep track of the passage of time. It's probably easier for Chinese people to figure them out because the show touches on important historical events but even so, there were certain points where time moved in loops (as it so often does in cdramas!) and it was a bit confusing but it didn't harm the show. It was just surprising to learn how much time had passed, once we did get a date. Some scenes were censored and there is some propaganda in the show. The censored parts do not redact from the quality but they do raise questions of "what if"s. The propaganda is light and harmless for the most part. One or two subplots lead nowhere in particular but given how packed the show is, it's fine. Qiqi gets WAY less screen time than everyone else. Not sure if it was a good thing or not because what we got from him was so sad and upsetting that I wish we hadn't had that either!
Overall: Highly recommended. I don't usually enjoy modern cdramas. This show stands out with its near-perfect everything.
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Cute but couldn't avoid cliches
"Hello I'm at your service" is a lovely office romance that is both binge-able and cringey. One of those sweet, sugary dramas that we get every year from China but it still has some elements that you would enjoy. For me, it was a unique CEO male lead and the concept of your workplace being your family.Our ceo male lead, Lou Yuan (Miles Wei) appears like a cold, aloof, very typical at first but he is rather friendly and nice. He is not a total introvert either. Behind this perfect ceo is a down to earth, frugal guy who dotes on the female lead.
Contrasting to him is the female lead, Dong Dong En (Xu Lu) who is quirky and efficient at her work. As a customer service representative she is good at flattering people too. She is just too smart and knows how to talk through her way.
She works for a small company called Ba-Er (Eighty two studio) which has less employees but they all are like family members who go through hardships together. An amusing company which barely makes any money but stays up for nights to meet the client's requirements. The founders are like elders of the family where an employee is casual enough to nag or stare at the boss. They even dine together daily. Her bonding with them was one of the parts I loved in the drama.
Now coming up to what took 2 stars away. Its the stereotypes of a Chinese Romcom. You get a CEO, rich ML- poor FL story (which gladly is the main highlight here although they presented a very healthy relationship since Lou Yuan was not domineering and rather understanding), you also get a bitchy childhood lover out of nowhere (with zero self respect obviously), a toxic Ex (who you wish could die bald, many might enjoy this arc tho becoz I laughed a lot at the end).
But anyone watching this for the romantic story wouldn't get bored for sure. Along with these adorable leads we also get two second lead couples who have interesting stories going on parallely.
And all throughout this drama one thing you can definitely learn is how to butter up people. Like no one here is talking in a sane way without adding compliments. Its so cheesy at some scenes but its funny too. Comedy makes this drama light and an easy watch.
Overall, it was quite a mid, okayish drama that you can binge watch over a weekend or keep as a side dish for a strong ongoing angsty historical you're watching.
Sweet, a lot cliche yet fun!
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Tree with Deep Roots
44 people found this review helpful
A vividly told emotional story about the creation of Hangul and its impact. Absorbing. Gripping.
Of course, this historical drama is (as many others) full of intrigues, power struggles and revenge. But King Sejong, the 4th Joseon king, who is the historical subject of this KDrama, was indeed a bright shining star in the Joseon sky. So is this KDrama.King Sejong created the Korean alphabet. Not just him alone. But this great achievement goes back to his driving force and his vision of a mature people. The story impressively tells of the bumpy road to Hangul. It also tells of how important it is as an identity-creating medium for self-confident citizens. Previously, Hanja - the canon of sheer countless characters of Chinese origin - was the country's binding writing. Not only that, but a whole range of Korean words are loanwords of Chinese origin - to this day. At the same time, this reflects the asymmetrical balance of power between the Korean dynasties and the Chinese dynasties. The use of the Han signs not only symbolizes the hierarchy among the peoples, but also within one's own people. Scribes and scholars were needed, who had the muse and time to learn these characters (more than 100,000 in total). Thus, they had the authority to interpret. It was hardly possible for ordinary people to learn. A scripture that connotes words and meanings in characters is based on a completely different concept than a scripture composed of a compact alphabet. Based on the phonetics of the Korean language, King Sejong developed an alphabet finally consisting of 14 symbols for consonants and 10 for vowels. The writing system to apply those in a way to form words and sentences can be learned comparatively quickly, even by ordinary people. What a progressive concept at the time! What a threat to the elite of scholars and noblemen!
The title "Deep Rooted Tree" refers to verses from the 'Songs of the Dragons That Fly to the Sky' - the Yongbieocheonga. This contemporary document about the Joseon Dynasty and its legacy was the first book that was ALSO written in the new Hangul writing system.
"Deep Rooted Tree" is (among many other truly exciting dramatic events throughout the story) about the impact of scripture for the people of Joseon - a story vividly told in an absorbing manner. A truly fantastic presentation. With gripping protagonists. Multidimensional. With high emotional impact.
The dramaturgical setting introduces the king (from the perspective of the male protagonist) as the bad guy. But the 24 episodes (analogous to the alphabet?) provide an impressive insight into the fascinating life´s work of that great king - embedded in the excitingly increasing momentum of the vendetta of a boy from humble origins who grows up to become an outstanding warrior and finally ends up as royal guard.
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The world of banking portrayed in this drama is one of deception and treachery. Bankers don't care about their customers or even the integrity of the their banking institutions; they seek only to improve their positions by manipulation and betrayal. The senior banking officers make bad decisions and their underlings have to clean up the mess or risk demotion or even worse relocation.
In walks Hanzawa Naoki. A brilliant banker who cares about his customers, his bank and his friends. He is thrown under the bus by his boss and must clean up the mess or get transferred. There are so many hurdles in his way but Hanzawa is a fighter. His catch phrase, "If you screw me, I'll screw back. Double payback!" It was exciting to see him get fired up in these situations.
The story was a bit predictable but it was so well told that I don't mind that at all. The acting was astounding with the exception of the guy who played the inspector from the tax bureau (gross over actor) and the only thing about the drama that i didn't like really. Sakai-san was in one word SUPERB; the best actor overall in the cast. I wish we got more of Ueno Aya but what we got from her was great. She played the role of the strong dedicated wife well.
I live in Japan and people can't seem to stop talking about this drama. It is one of, if not the best drama for 2013. It is a must watch for jdrama fans. And with Hanzawa's tenacity, the fan love and the way this drama ended I fully anticipate a season 2. Hopefully we will get it next summer.
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