Reviews

This is probably the best drama I have ever watched…in its own genre. Yes, I don’t think I can label this drama at all. I mean, everything about it is random and you can totally watch everything.

The randomness starts at the episodes’ structure. The way the story is told? Random (well, sometimes it DOES make sense). The characters’ personalities? Random. Or that’s what you would think because every single one of them as a story behind, and guess what, you can buy all the explanations to the weirdness. But still, you totally get hooked to this.

Of course the main reason to watch this is comedy. Pure crack. But you want some lessons on Japanese culture and the origin of some Japanese words? Yes, you can have it here. You want some lovey-dovey scenes, you want some sweet scenes, you want some introspection scenes, you want some friendship scenes? Yes, of course. Or maybe you feel like watching one of those old black and white silent movies, yes, you have that here too.

Really, you have to give this a try. Oh, and I have to say I loved the costumes and how they did it, I mean, I couldn’t help but find Hoshi really handsome.

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I'm not sure what to say about this drama... I hate giving bad reviews and I don't want to put you off because of this review. But it was, in my opinion, so tedious that I couldn't not write this review. I suppose I should firstly confess that I did start skipping large sections of this drama, it just got predictable, tedious and a little bit dull. I managed to condense the last hour and a half long episode into a 25 minute sitting.

Initially this drama started off at a pretty watchable standard. The young versions of the characters are played by the same people who play the adults, just in school uniforms. I liked the story behind the lead guys past, how he's looking for his sister, hiding out in book shops, living off of ramen. The introduction between the characters was great. The oddball friend falls in love with her best friends brother, the popular friend and the two guys crushing on her. I like the way that the oddball friend befriends 'Peter' and stays loyal to her promises.. however. I don't like the fact that this entire drama is based on the fact Ai Li Si refused to tell anyone who Peter was, and that her so called best friend didn't believe her. That was kind of the area things started to wobble.
Fast forward to the future and Ai Li Si has turned into this cold and distant woman who works as a science researcher. Now as a science researcher I would expect her to be fairly bright, despite her obvious emotional trauma. No. No she is not. The main female lead is probably one of the most naive, air heads I've seen in a drama. Now female empowerment in general is not something I talk about, I'm all for it but it's not something I ever talk about because I don't really argue my opinions. But this... THIS took the biscuit, the plate and the tiny little napkin it came with. I can't put into words how annoyed I felt at this female lead. I know a lot of female Asian leads are meant to be delicate flowers who need to be protected by the strapping young man with a six pack and a flaming axe made out of manly things, but this.. this.. I just can't. I don't see why or how the writers thought making the female lead so urghhhhh. I KNOW she's emotionally unstable but ughhh. Okay I'll stop talking about how peeved the female lead made me I think you get the idea, but it was like.. 73% of why I started skipping.
The actors themselves weren't awful, it was mainly just the way the characters had been written. I think with the scripts they were given, the actors did a great job. Not enough to win an Oscars (or Asian equivalent) but pretty good, especially in the first episodes when they're pretending to be high school students.

I like the way that bullying can be seen in this drama, as in... it shows that bullying can affect people whether that's the intention or not. There's one scene where Ai Li Si meets one of her past tormentors to try and only her memories, but he doesn't really remember bullying him. I think the way it shows that although it doesn't effect you, or doesn't seem like a big deal, bullying can be a big deal in some people's lives. It's kind of like how in Who Are You: School 2015 she tries to commit suicide, although not as extreme in this drama, showing the side effects bullying can have on the victims. Especially in Asia where you can hear a lot of extreme cases of bullying, but no one sees what's wrong with it (I don't know how accurate this is I'm just basing it off of blogs written by people who have taught in Asia).
That's second (and last) item I liked about this drama.

The music was okay, I don't really remember a lot of it... I know it wasn't bad, but I'm not about to go and download the OST.

So to summarise:
Good things - The first episodes where they're students, the portrayal of bullying in younger generations and the affect it can have on the victim.
Bad things - Weak female lead, predictable script writing and a little repetitive. Weak female lead and even seeping into weak second female lead is a large reason I disliked this.

But please keep in mind that this is my opinion and that I did start skipping because it bored me. It is possible that the parts I skipped had information to make this drama better, but in my personal opinion I highly doubt it. I was going to drop this drama, but finished it due to sheer will power. I wanted to give the drama a chance but it just didn't do it for me. I know a lot of people are fans of the innocent romance style, and if you like that kind of thing it might be worth giving this drama a try. But if you came up to me and asked me if you should watch this.. I'd say no. Or at least watch the scenes as kids and then just read up on the rest of the drama. There were a couple of good parts but I don't think that they were quite worth the other 10(ish) hours of not... very.. exciting script writing.

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Good Love Story

What a lovely and refreshing drama!

I watched this drama not only based on the beautiful pictures but also the storyline. Even though it is 24 episodes at around 11 minutes each it is well done and worth the watch.

A Mu/Shen Yu Xi infiltrates the Red Stone Villa for revenge on Chu Jing Chen's father who killed her parents. How she does that is by disguising herself as a man and becoming Chu Jing Chen's personal bodyguard. We all know that she will get discovered sooner rather than later. But when she is poisoned while taking a bath, he discovers her "star tattoo" on her shoulder and realizes this is the girl that saved him when he was kidnapped as a child.

His oldest brother who is in a wheelchair resents everything about Chu Jing Chen but hides his true feelings. But when Chu Jing Chen tells his father and brother that he will not marry the girl that his father has chosen for him to expand the villa because of his feelings for A Mu, we think we will see happiness. But alas, just when he tells A Mu that he wants to be with her, she finds the note that he says that he will not fall in love with her. A Mu tells him to go ahead with the wedding. Chu Jing Chen is so angry that he agrees to marry his father's choice even though he has told everyone, even the bride that he doesn't love her.

The wedding commences and we find that the bride is A Mu. We never know what happened to the original bride. A Mu attempts to kill Chu Jing Chen's father at the wedding but is stopped by Chu Jing Chen himself. After telling her to run away, A Nian is fighting off the guards from the villa. Chu Jing Chen arrives and finds an injured A Mu. He takes her to his mother's hidden place that only he and A Nian know about. Explanations are made and he reveals he knows who she is. They then finish the wedding ceremony.

Chu Jing Chen goes back to see his father. His father is agreeable with his marriage, now with her true name of Shen Yu Xi. He goes back to tell her that all is well. But that at his brother's suggestion he will go to the sect of the girl he was supposed to marry and apologize in person. He tells Shen Yu Xi that he won't be long and left A Nian with her for protection. But they didn't get far after all of his guards are poisoned drinking tea at the rest stop. But luckily A Liang, his other personal bodyguard, stopped Chu Jing Chen before he drank his. He then thinks about Shen Yu Xi and races back to her only to find her and A Nian gone.

He eventually finds her and A Nian. They both had been drugged with a powerful aphrodisiac in which A Nian took her hairpin to cut himself so that he would not lose control and attack her.

They find out it is the brother that was the real killer of Shen Yu Xi's parents and not Chu Jing Chen's father. His father after finding out that his oldest son had killed Shen Yu Xi's parents had cut his wrist and his tendons to walk hence him begin in a wheelchair. The father and brother do die.

The sad part was that A Nian fell in love with Shen Yu Xi. He never revealed his love to her, but I believe that both Chu Jing Chen and Shen Yu Xi knew how he felt that is why he left in the end. Then we had A Liang who was with the wheelchair bound brother who was so disappointed and upset that he no longer wanted to stay at the villa either, so he left as well.

But there was happiness for Chu Jing Chen and Shen Yu Xi because she discovered that she was pregnant, and they were going to have a child.

In the end, I found this to be just one of those nicely done dramas that has plenty of kisses and beautiful moments that can send your heart racing. The ML is really nice on the eyes, oh and always kissing her. The FL is a good compliment to him as well.

Very enjoyable and is definitely rewatchable.

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it just clicks with me

I think that this is Wong Kar-wai's cinematic masterpiece. It is a dreamlike exploration of love, loss, and the human condition. It's a film that lingers in the mind, a haunting melody that plays on repeat. I remember the first time I watched it, I was mesmerized by its beauty and complexity.

"The past is never over. It's just a story we tell ourselves."

The film is a tapestry of interconnected stories, each one a poignant reflection on the complexities of human relationships. Tony Leung's portrayal of Chow Mo-wan is nothing short of iconic. His nuanced performance captures the character's loneliness and yearning with a haunting intensity.

"Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late."

Zhang Ziyi's performance as Bai Ling is equally captivating. Her character is a mysterious and alluring figure, a woman who seems to embody the very essence of desire. Her chemistry with Tony Leung is palpable, and their scenes together are electric.

"Time is a thief, stealing the present from the future."

The film's nonlinear narrative structure adds to its dreamlike quality. It's like a puzzle, with pieces scattered across time and space. As the viewer, we're invited to piece together the fragments of the story, to connect the dots and discover the underlying meaning.

"Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late."

At its heart, 2046 is a film about the human condition. It explores themes of love, loss, memory, and the passage of time. The characters are constantly searching for love and connection, but they are often doomed to disappointment. The past haunts them, and they struggle to let go of their regrets.

"In love you can't bring on a substitute. When the Peony blooms, she stands tall. Does she mean no or yes?"

Wong Kar-wai's signature visual style is on full display in 2046. The vibrant colors, the stunning cinematography, and the evocative music create a truly immersive cinematic experience. The film's soundtrack, composed by Shigeru Umebayashi, is the perfect complement to the film's melancholic tone. It's a haunting melody that lingers in the mind long after the movie ends.

"Maybe one day you'll escape your past. If you dream hard enough."

2046 is a film that demands patience and attention. It's not a straightforward narrative, but a series of interconnected stories that unfold slowly and deliberately. But if you're willing to let yourself get lost in its dreamlike world, you'll be rewarded with a truly unforgettable cinematic experience.

"I once fell in love with someone. I couldn't stop wondering if she loved me or not. I went to 2046 hoping to find her there. But I never found her."

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Ok I like Kat-Tun so I thought why not watch Jin in a drama? I am glad I did because I certainly wasn't disappointed. Yukan Club is about a bunch of rich kids who like to solve crimes instead of going to class. Each one of them has a special talent or specialty that helps in solving the mysteries or problems of others. This is a feel good comedy with light romance and light mystery. The characters learn something new each episode but its nothing that is life -changing. Yukan Club isn't a drama that will make you watch it as a marathon, but is a good drama to watch after a drama with really heavy adult themes. Generally you can tell that everything is going to go well for the characters so it doesn't have much suspense, you can almost always tell how its going to end. As a light comedy its fun to watch and it doesn't take itself too seriously either.

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Girl from nowhere? Nah

Before we start, yes there are indeed similarities between GFN and this drama however at the same they are quite different from one another in terms of plot. Each episode is a continuous storyline so not to worry about having a different plot in each episode.

Story;
The story.., ah how to describe, I wouldn't say predictable but for me it lacked a little something but that's just my preference maybe because I have watched a lot of thrillers. Some scenes are creepy but nothing too heavy or any jump scares so don't be scared! It did feel very short though I hope they added some elements into it because It did make me want to watch the next episode immediately.

Acting;
Loved it. Nothing too much or unnatural, everyone played their part well.

Music;
I FUCKING LOVED THE TRACK
Incase anyone needs it, its 断面 by Dios.

Overall, just go for it. Its just 23 mins long, 7 episodes; good for a late night watch if you're bored.

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wasted potential...

cw/ spoiler warning: sa, abuse, harrassment, plot in general

First of all I want to say this series had major pacing issues, the first 6 episodes could've been 3 episodes and the last 2 should've been 4-5 episodes. I know the most of the plot happens in the first episodes but still.

I really liked the cast, they did their best with what they were given.

Now, the wasted potential comes from Tae-Yi and Juha, both of them were way too problematic to be redeemed with one shitty apology. Juha had like 3 scenes where he harrassed/ borderline assaulted Se-Heon (given his internalized homophobia his actions are more nuanced and his hug scene with Doyoon is a great start to redemption), but Tae-Yi??????? He assaults Se-Heon physically and verbally and then s*xually?????? For no good reason????? Foul. I can't believe Se-Heon forgave him so easily because first his reaction to that kiss and then his action outside the bar were absolutely horrible and his apology was just "sorry that I hurt you" like be fr.

If we only saw Tae-Yi verbally warning Se-Heon and then warming up around ep 4 it would've been excusable because his mental state was still bad because of his brother.

Briefly touching on Juha and Do-Yoon's "kiss": obviously kisses aren't the most important part of a bl, and actors shouldn't do it if they don't want to, but this excecution was just really lazy, in my opinion it would've worked exactly the same if not better if it was a kiss on the cheek. I'm also a bit dissappointed we never got a conclusion to their story, even if they just remained friends they could've shown up at the end.

That was all I have to say I think, in conclusion it had a lot of potential but they lost it near the end.

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Can my review simply state...please read Amrita's review below mine? No? By the description of this drama I wasn't sure what to make of it but 2 episodes in I had already grown very fond of it. By the time it was over I adored it.

It is by turns silly and touching. After all, the stories are set every week at a Child Welfare center and they involve stories of abuse, neglect and abandonment. Those working at the center take their jobs very seriously but the situations are handled sensitively and with a light touch with emphasis on the help the children are given.

There is also the very comedic "Freaky Friday" like situation of the two main characters switching souls. I, like most was wondering...do those two scenarios even fit together? The answer is yes, they do. Because watching a timid, by the book earnest social worker switch bodies with a hardened gangster with a reluctant heart of gold turns out to be a surprisingly winning combination.

Let me also say that Matsuda Shota is turning out to be a talented chameleon-like actor who can pull off amazingly dramatic moments while also having a real talent for physical comedy. You can see it if you watch Meitante No Okite, but in Don Quixote, he perfects the skill. His 'old Gangster in a young man's body' persona had me in stitches. He curses and grumbles and gets dragged into situations he absolutely does not want to be in and that is comedy gold!

The supporting cast was great. I loved all of Shirota's co-workers at the Child Center and I loved the quirky family like loyalty and atmosphere of Sabashima's crew. They all had their own personalities but weren't over utilized and didn't take away from the main story lines. I liked the episodic feel of the weekly situations and problems solved at the Child Center.

This show is dramatic but not overly so with tender and touching moments. There are moments I laughed out loud and actually rewound to watch and laugh again. At 11 episodes it didn't drag on and was just the right amount of time for a story of this nature. If you haven't seen Don Quixote, I really recommend it. It is a charming drama about family, friendship, honor and doing the right thing; both for those you love and for those in need.

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Every country dramas are similar in one way or another. However, this Japanese drama is a re-make of a Hollywood popular drama "Cold Case", that is incredibly unique. They have inserted and blend in a more interesting plot with exciting cases of detective investigation. This drama is strongly recommended. This Japanese is also sponsored by Warner Bros. Yo Yoshida, the experienced actress, plays the main role in this drama. A mature actress that plays the same in Hollywood version in Cold Case as well.

Set in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, "Cold Case" follows Yuri Ishikawa (Yo Yoshida) and her team as they try to crack unresolved cold cases.

Drama: Cold Case
Romaji: Korudo Kesu: Shinjitsu no Tobira
Japanese: ?????????????
Director: Takafumi Hatano
Writer: Takahisa Zeze, Yasuhiro Yoshida

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This drama is truly a work of art in every sense of the word. Never have I seen such flawless, intricate and well-constructed plot with exceptional acting skills in a drama... It is so well written that every after episode, the suspense builds up and the plot keeps getting better. There is a complete balance of romance, drama, action, suspense tangled with love, friendship, betrayal, war, politics and revenge. The drama depicts many flaws of human nature so there will be times when you get so frustrated with the story but then again it teaches you the subtle meaning of life. There are a lot of clever twists in the story that you will never guess what will happen next. I absolutely love these twists because they keep you on your toes and keep you captivated to this drama ‘til the very end. It is also remarkably fast-paced that never will you experience a boring moment. The ending was good and very endearing to the heart.

The cinematography was good. It was able capture the life at the time of Joseon era in vivid colours.

The acting was outstanding. Each character portrayed their roles exceptionally well. I love all the characters in this drama. The female lead who is willing to sacrifice her own life and fight for the man she loves. The male lead who is conflicted and torn between his loyalty to his family and for the love of the woman he shouldn’t have. The antagonist for being so good at being the evil villain. The supporting characters were also good and endearing. They’ve become vital part of the story that without them the story would have been incomplete.

The Princess’ Man is undeniably the best drama I’ve ever watched so highly recommend it to everyone.

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Oh Thats it?

Its fluffy and nice, and probably too short for its own good. Even if its something you will forget after a few days, I stiill enjoyed it though.

I will have to admit that i got to watch it years after it was aired -as there were mostly not-so-great reactions to it during the original airing, that i simply just brushed it off. Also it was aired at almost exactly the same time as some of the most famous and praised BL of the time (Semantic Error, Cherry Blossoms After WInter and Blueming ) so this series just simply didnt stand a chance that time.

I finally got to see it (right after One:High School Series was aired), and at a time when i was looking for light series to watch. it was a blessing to see all episode in one bingeing because id probably like it a lot less if id have to wait for two 15 minutes episodes per week.

I really liked the whole tone of the series - the lack of budget was pretty obvious, and it looked like the whole series was probably shot in less than a week's time at the most. It was obviously intendedas a movie that was divided into 8 mini tiny episodes - with very little to non-existent cliffhangers after each episode.

What i liked:
1. Cute leads, even the second M-F couple looked good too.
2. Sung Kyun is probably only one of the few Korean actors who has noticeable natural groin on screen (loved the gym scene)
3. Characters are all likeable so they all made up for the small details and inconsistencies.

What i dislike:
1. No real character development especially for the 2 main leads - Ye Min and Bong Deok at least got a little backstory scenes where there is nothing for Cheol Soo and Seol Won.
2. You call those kisses? For real? Dont cast actors for BLs if they dont want to engage in actual kissing.
3. As much as i liked the lead actors, their limited time onscreen together hasnt really made me feel attached to their characters and budding love.
4. Also as much as i liked the M-F second couple, the problem was that they took precious time away from our main couple. The series should have focused more on Cheol Soo and Seol Won.
5. Who in their right minds decided its ok to shower with the towel wrapped around your waste? Dont make shower scenes if you are too prude to even do it right.

With the onslaught of so many trashy new BL contents being aired right now - some of which are taking themselves too seriously (and too racy) at the cost of being convulated, its at least refresing to go back a little bit in time to find something that is so basic, simple and entertaining. I would probably enjoy it better if the episodes were at least 10min longer so we can actually see real progression and would have loved to see at least a full episode of the 2 leads as actual lovers
.
Easy to watch and rewatch!

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DAYUM

How do you even review Not Me The Series when it fundamentally altered your brain chemistry and then handed you a Molotov cocktail?

This show really looked at the BL genre and said, "What if we added political corruption, class inequality, police brutality, social activism, identity crises, found family, motorcycles, and enough emotional damage to last a lifetime?"

Gun Atthaphan walked in, played twins, and casually reminded everyone why he's one of the best actors in Thailand. Black and White were two completely different people, and somehow my brain forgot they were played by the same person every single episode.

And Sean? Angry, stubborn, emotionally constipated Sean? Watching him slowly fall for White while simultaneously trying to overthrow the system was an experience I was not prepared for.

SeanWhite wasn't just romance. It was trust, healing, understanding, and two people learning that they didn't have to carry the weight of the world alone.

Then Dan and Yok showed up and collectively decided that happiness was overrated and emotional devastation was the superior option. First and Gawin delivered a storyline so beautiful and heartbreaking that I still haven't financially recovered.

Gram, Eugene, Namo, Tod, Black, and the entire gang felt real in a way that very few shows manage to achieve. They argued, they failed, they made mistakes, they fought for what they believed in, and somehow they made us want to fight alongside them.

And can we talk about Director Anucha Boonyawatana for a second? Because she didn't just direct a BL series — she created art.

The graffiti.
The symbolism.
The colors.
The camera angles.
The mirrors.
The lighting.
The use of space.
The way every frame looked like it had something important to say.

This wasn't just storytelling. This was filmmaking.

The writers somehow balanced political commentary, social criticism, action, suspense, friendship, and romance without losing the heart of the story for even a second.

The production team absolutely refused to play it safe, and thank God they didn't.

And the soundtrack? Criminally underrated. Every song arrived precisely when it needed to either make you feel invincible or emotionally destroy you.

One minute you're screaming over SeanWhite.
The next you're crying over DanYok.
Five minutes later you're googling activism movements and questioning capitalism.

Not Me wasn't a BL.

It was a protest.
A love letter to activism.
A middle finger to injustice.
A cinematic masterpiece disguised as a television series.

10/10.

Would absolutely hop on the back of Sean's motorcycle, spray paint a wall, overthrow systemic inequality, and get emotionally attached to this chaotic found family all over again.

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Moving mountains, one muddy step at a time

‒Overview‒

If you are wondering whether to watch 'She and Her Girls', hesitate no longer, queue up the first episode, and prepare to lose yourself in this captivating story. Even if this isn't your typical genre and the synopsis lack the usual fantasy or glamor, you will find a hidden gem whose unvarnished substance outshines any gilded tale. In this drama you will find a timeless, universal story about the dogged spirit of a headmaster and her equally tenacious girls, who are changing the lives of others and their own in the most impoverished and anguished of circumstances. Along the way, you will fall in love with the stellar acting, production, organic comedy, emotional moments, and most of all, the touching group of individuals who made the impossible, possible. For many viewers, not only will this be an excellent introduction into the world of serious, 'proper' CDramas, it may even secure a spot among the top dramas of 2024, if not all time.

‒Review (modest spoilers)‒

You are 14 years old, one of the top students of your class. You are hardworking, responsible, with a whole life ahead of you. What do you do as the high school years approaches? Attend fun summer camps, hang out with friends, engage in hobbies and sports, or party and do teenager things? In Gu Yu's case, you drop out of school, work from dawn till dusk until your face and clothes is creased with mud, raise your sibling, pigs, and your pig of a drunkard dad, and prepare to sell the rest of your life for the bride-dowry of 30,000RMB because that's the brightest path in your future.

Such is the life of girls in the villages of Huaping, a remote, impoverished region in China's Southwest. Secluded from the cities by barricades of mountains and forest, most residents of Huaping have never been outside of their villages. For all they know, the only thing beyond the mountains are just more mountains. Modern facilities appear decades away, the same for modern values. Girls are often married off at age of 14, become mothers not long after, and spend their life not much different from the livestock they raise. If they are fortunate, they will have married a decent man, who will toil alongside her, and the cycle repeats. And if they are not fortunate, the husband will be abusive in all sorts of pre-modern ways, and the cycle repeats. To change the lives of these girls and villages is a herculean task of moving the mountains of ragged poverty, stultified structures, and ingrained mindset. Behind each mountain, are only more mountains.

And that's the crusade of Zhang Guimei, a no-nonsense teacher transplanted from the Northeast to Huaping. She had lived in Huaping for too long, and seen too many girls cut their education and future short. Too many parents pull their girls from school at the end of their 9 year compulsory education, and sometimes before then. If a family had some meager resources, they would use it for the education or dowry of their sons. By tradition, a girl's role was to be a wife and mother, the sooner the better, and education only got in the way. Zhang Guimei knew that the only way to give them a fighting chance was to open up a completely free high school for the girls. One that offered not only free tuition, but also meals, board, and living expenses. One that would not only have the girls graduate high school, but also prepare them to succeed in China's notoriously cutthroat Gaokao college entrance exam, so that they could finally scale the mountains and see the world beyond.

With unnerving stubbornness, she begins to move mountains. She hounds dropout students, cajoles skeptical parents, begs and coerces local officials just to get the school constructed. Then came more mountains: attracting teachers to such a grueling and hopeless job, keeping the school running as they scrummage for funds, leading the group of overworked, burned out teachers. And moving the biggest mountain of them all‒marshalling the under-schooled students through the long march to Gaokao, while they are outgunned in every dimension and frequently ambushed by family turmoil. But as she moved mountains, the minds and hearts of others begin to move as well. Soon, she would be joined by a tenacious group of teachers, officials, parents, and most importantly, the 100 precious souls in the initial class of Huaping Girls School. Each battling their own struggles, each a heroic inspiration. As they stumble through the muddy hills of Huaping, literally and figuratively, mountains are slowly moved, one after another.

She and Her Girls is a triumph of the individual spirit melded into an even stronger collective. The remarkable story on-screen is mirrored by the collective performance of a superb cast, for whom many recognitions and accolades await. This is the kind of drama where you are convinced the villagers walked onto the set and doubt how any of them could be actors. There are too many excellent performances to list, so I will only highlight a few notable ones. First and foremost, Song Jia (宋佳) as Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) seamlessly embodied the mannerism and personality of the real-life Zhang Guimei‒one who is stern, quick-tongued, stubborn, but also profoundly warm-hearted and devoted. The other best performance no doubt goes to Lan Xiya (兰熙雅) as Gu Yu (谷雨). Portraying the 15yro Gu Yu, the 25 yro Lan Xiya's performance was simply flawless. This is an extremely challenging role for any actress to play, and I'm still astounded how she pulled it off. The two government officials‒Zhou Shanqun and Ma Yongqiang‒played by Nie Yuan and Jiang Chao were predictably excellent in portraying the aura and mannerism of do-good officials who are nevertheless balancing competing demands in the system. Among the teachers, I was most impressed by Chen Sihai, the school administrator played by Zhang Tianyang, and Wei Tingyun played by Huang Miyi, who might be mistaken for a Zhou Xun doppleganger as she brings the soothing etherealness of the famed actress.

The production, writing, cinematography, editing, and music complete the all-round excellence. Each episode seamlessly balances laughter, emotions, and a gritty, realistic window into the triumphs and travails of the characters and society. There was no lull or filler to be found and I binged through 23 episodes in just a day and half (granted I watch all shows on 2X speed nowadays). As someone who would rate most 8.5+ MDL shows below 7, my overall rating is 8.6 (adjusted to 9.5 for MDL). This is most certainly a top 5 CDrama in 2024, and one of the best school, youth, rural China dramas of all time. For reference, the typically stingy Douban gave this a 9.4 on over 100k votes, likely crowning this as the 2024 rating champ. (This concludes Part 1 of my review. I hope to continue with a part 2, that goes into my very picky critique of the show and some relevant cultural observations.)

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 8.6
- Plot / Execution - 8.5
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 9
- Acting - 9.2
- Visuals - 8.5
- Audio / Music - 8.5 (bonus for local dialect and undubbed recording)
- Rewatch - 8.5
- Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8 (some platforms are better than others)

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Probably the best drama of all time

After binge watching Yanxi Palace in three days three nights it has done quite some damage to my emotions towards dramas I watched after that. My feelings getting attached to dramas takes time but this.. This drama had me hooked instantly like never before? The romance really saves the drama honestly

STORY: 9.8 It's not face paced nor slow paced but perfectly right in the middle. I feel like if more characters died I would've been more emotional but it's a good thing that the drama didn't lose too much of the characters like xueman and yizhou. Ngl I do enjoy dramas that contains misunderstandings and jealousy. Just brings spice into it, this drama didn't had much but it's still really good. Nothing bad about the story, I'm honestly happy about the ending, still sad that the main couple lost their first unborn child so was wishing to see them have kids or have some scene in the future! (Really really hope they have a S2) in general and overall, no complaints

ACTING: 10 The acting is just *chef kisses* allen's acting did NOT disappoint. I love how he fits the young, free, and funny role to a more darker mature role. He rely suits it, and I'm looking forward to watch Under the Power after this! Zhang Hui Wen's acting is wiite good, may need some more skills and practicing but she has a lot of potential! All the other characters wether its support or the main role did an AMAZING job. not to mention the martial art scenes where they fight is so fucking clean and high quality. It's almost like it's very different from other dramas, its so cleannn. In geberal and overall: 10 would'e took 0.2 points off bc of zhang hui wen's acting but I'll just let it slide

MUSIC: 10 Loveeeee the osts!! Absolutely beautiful!! And the bgm really fits the situations. And the sounds are very high quality too. No complaints honestly

REWATCH VALUE: 100/10 There were SO many memorable scenes I can't even count how many times I've replayed it before even finishon the drama. (Never knew facial expressions would make me replay it 10x tehe) From my journey of starting to watch C dramas actively from 2017 until now, I'd never thought of finding a drama that I get so attached to until now. It's been a while since I've felt like this. Debating if this is #2 or #1 favorite dramas of all time..

Overall: 10/10 It was good, although didn't make me cry from previous dramas (probably because of after watching yanxi palace) Until the final episodes where rong hua got killed and nalan yue running towards her crying just made me so emotional to drop a tear. What really got me was rong su and yizhou. They deserve a happy ending.. (Can we talk about how pretty rong su is in that formal *lady like* costume?? The baby blue and flower pins and that hair downnn suits her so well *ched kiss* She looks so good :() I'm really satisfied with this drama but will take me a few days to get over with. I reay wished to see them with their future kids tbh was really wishing that, then I would've been completed.

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