The action scenes were fun to watch and well executed but I was blown away by the comedic acting that Kim Soo Hyun presented. I never thought I'd be laughing so hard when I went to see this. Park Ki Woong was perfect in his role as a aspiring musician and also provided a lot of laughs. Lee Hyun Woo really was definitely the right choice for the role of the high school aged spy and his character's back-story was my personal favourite. Also the movie really showed the difference between idol actors and "real" actors in my opinion. I just can't imagine the movie being so good if they had used idols. The acting by these 3 rising stars was amazing and they just proved yet again how talented they really are.
Although I would have probably liked a different ending, I walked out of the theater happy. In fact, when the movie ended I was simply left wondering when it will be released on DVD because it has a huge rewatch value in my opinion - and is the type of movie that I would make everyone around me watch ^^
I'd recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good action film or a comedy. While there is a little bit of romance, it is definitely not an important/big part of the story.
Warning: this movie contains a lot of eye candy. not recommended for the weak at heart ;)
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standard university Thai BL
Overall: this is a classic Thai university BL, it's not going to win awards but I was entertained. 12 episodes about 40 minutes each (I watched on double speed) on YouTube, Viki and iQIYI (dependent upon country).Content Warnings: non con picture taking, manipulation, non con touching (asleep), see the comments with a spoiler about potentially something else, stalking, kick, dub/non con kiss (asleep), vomiting, domestic abuse/slap
What I Liked
- that Ai actually had a conversation about his love at first sight
- happy to see two queer actors Arm and Porsch (who are a real life couple) are in a BL
- several cute moments
- funny moments (but some were likely unintentionally funny)
- Nhai's dad
- I dislike the circumstances of that scene in episode 2 but this was the best handled out of all that I've seen with clear check ins, aftercare, etc.
- they communicate with one another/poor communication doesn't drag on (also they avoided the ep 11 curse)
Room For Improvement
- I liked the initial set up and thought we'd see Ai struggling with Nhai's flaws but instead Nhai became reluctant and petty with Ai head over heels in love for unknown reasons
- multiple side couples were tossed in but not developed
- cartoonish villain
- that finale was...a choice, open plot threads, kind of jumped from scene to scene (still had cute moments though)
- how the dads acted in that flashback was terrible (also not a clear flashback)
- nonsense things (Nhai is in aerospace engineering?, how they packed all that stuff camping, etc)
- subtitles on iQIYI had quite a few errors but I didn't take off points for it although I think it hurt the audience's understanding of the plot
- in ep 2 I wish they didn't have Nhai directly crying afterwards because it seemed like he didn't want to, however I actually don't think that's the case. It was a combo of reasons including Nhai worrying 1. he forced Ai, 2. he ruined their friendship and 3. he got in between Ai and Ai's crush (because Nhai hadn't figured it out yet lol)
Title Information - a wonderful person explained in the comments what Long in the title means: "Fall/drown in love in thai means "ttok long rak" , "long" is the short form of this so yea the title means the story of how Ai fall/drown in love with Nhai"
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This review may contain spoilers
Destiny is all about the choices we make and the chances we take
I never liking "The Main Guy" in any version of "Fated to Love You" before, but I have an exemption for Wang Xiyi.His character is more well-written, more lovable, and more sensible 一 so, I'm giving second chance to this drama.
I love how they modified this drama into a fresh one, and less-evil schemes and characters.
From the "Marriage by Accident" to "Accidentally Married," I got good laugh by this kind of accident.
Even tho it was turned to he is cheating his girlfriend, for me it was much better than cheating his wife later on.
As we are knew from previous remake and original story, the ML is supossed to drugged by FL's uncle(in law), and that was the ultimate reason why ML is sleeping with another girl, even thinking he was slept with his girlfriend.
I'm glad for this version, they are changed the whole about that night. So, the ML is reflect on his own mistakes, instead blaming someone else for the incident to happen.
And I like the way the FL is changed thru episodes.
You can see she start to change her apparance, her character, and her confidence.
I really love this part. She is willing to change because of ML not because she was hurted by ML.
Unconciously, Xiyi is always help her to boost her confidence and ask her to change a little for his sake too. So I found Xiyi is very doting as husband; even tho he always told himself that all was because he is Ximi's father.
I also like how Jia Xin is freely to choose what is she want to do, they didn't ask her to resign, but instead Xiyi is change her position and job to make her work less and being respected by other coworkers. Even tho Jia Xin is slowly resign, not because she was asked to but she want to.
I do pity Anna, in this version, she is the victim. But I don't really feel sorry because she always put herself first.
She is the most shameless person I've ever seen. I had enough of her bullshit and useless effort towards the end.
Actually I like how Xiyi slowly to draw line between them as time passes so Anna realize that Xiyi doesn't love her anymore.
Like other cdramas, we are always got secondary couple.
Anson's finally got a loveline!!! His life isn't revolved around his boss anymore.
I love Anson is always sarcastic and blatant-ly talking to Xiyi whenever he does mistakes.
His love-story with Jia Xin's friend, Siqi (Yes, our snail also finally has a loyal-friend), is quite cute. I love to see their bickering yet romantic even tho it just a contract relationship.
After the miscarriage incident, actually I cried a lot.
Ofc it'd hurt to anyone who experience this kind of thing, especially they are waiting the baby to born.
Both Xiyi and Jia Xin having hard time to face each other. Both of them are blaming themselves much.
It is understandble for Jia Xin to leave, she need times more than anything.
It's ended safely but I feel a little bit unsatisfied with how they solved the paper incident.
Anyway, this one is good and enjoyable to watch. Not a really tearjerker because I find Zhaolin's crying is funny to watch.
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* Story:
Ryuzaki Ikuo and Danno Tatsuya are two orphans who grew up in an orphanage called Mahoroba. When they were there the woman who took care of them and was like a mother to them got killed by someone before Ikuo's eyes. The were threatended by the police not to reveal anything and the case was mysteriously covered up. Determinded to take revenge for her death, 20 years later, Ikuo has become a detective and Tatsuya has risen to the ranks of Yakuza, in order to find the truth and expose her murderer.
(Based on the manga series "Ouroboros" by Kanzaki Yuuya)
It may sound cheesy, but believe me it's a lot more complicated and unpredictable than what it's expected to be, keeping you on edge up to the very end.
* Acting/cast
the two protagonists: they were both very realistic and convincing. When it comes to Oguri, everytime I see him in a drama/movie, I'm blown away by his acting skills and talent and this time was not an exception. Ikuta on the other hand, did a fantastic job as well. I always liked his acting, but I think now he has matured as an actor and he was absolutely flawless.
the rest of the cast was excellent too, especially Ueno Juri, who supported her role really superbly. So were the two sweet kids who played litte Ikuo and Danno.
* Music
One word : fantastic. The main OST "no one" by ENA and Sakura by Arashi fit perfectly to the drama's atmosphere and to characters's psychology, linking harmonically to the plot
* Overall
a fantastic drama with a great bromance, much suspence, a little bit of romance and plot twists, leading to an unexpected climax as it is progressing, that will draw you in feels.
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2Cat's paw.
The disturbingly elegant and noble Lan Jue, courtesy name Peizhi, is the picture of a rising young Vice Minister of Rites. Beneath his urbane facade, he conceals a burning purpose to clear his father's name in a two-decade-old treason case. In this quest, he is quite bendable with regard to the means that justify his ends. He is stymied at each turn by Zhang Ping, an impecunious scholar, noodle maker, and truth seeker. Zhang Ping is convinced Peizhi is a villain and is determined to bust him. Peizhi is cynically amused by Zhang Ping's naive righteousness and impressed with his deductive talent. He means to make use of him if he can and if not, dispose of him. Watching Zhang Ping go from being Peizhi's cat's paw to someone he raises kittens with is the best part of this drama for me.This high-production-value drama conjures a sinister, suspenseful aura that permeates the stylish, lavish existence of the Dayong elite. Everything from the set design to that ridiculously mysterious and beautiful opening dance, to Peizhi's floaty diaphanous costumes, to Peizhi's long, sensuous unbound hair reflects, elegance, refinement, and impeccable taste... aside from Song Weilong who obviously drew the short style straw starting with the rigid wig and the way his outfits look like they were slept in. It is no wonder Peizhi's old flame is less than impressed with the goofy, big-boned, toothy peasant with a big nose to boot that Peizhi traded down to. It does require suspension of disbelief considering how utterly appealing both the ardently devoted Mowen and frostily sophisticated Shulin are. The only explanation is Peizhi must be an eyelash man.
This is a bit unusual for the mystery genre in that it is far more of a character-driven story than it is plot-driven. As far as the cases go, they are well executed and unfold more as procedurals. Outside of certain aspects of the main conspiracy, the viewer is not given a fair chance to solve any of the cases. There are plot design shortcuts such as resorting to the water illusion trick to bridge memory gaps and uncover long-lost evidence and there are logic holes, such as crime scenes staying undisturbed for too long. While the over-arching conspiracy is well conceived with decent twists, it is not that original. The villains reveal themselves early on so it is also anti-climatic. But for once I don't really mind because Jing Boran's Peizhi is just too bloody distracting. How can a man look so damn indecent, almost naked with just his hair unbound? And my mouth goes dry at the subtle multi-partied flirtations - those deep searching and revealing looks these gorgeous men keep exchanging with one another. It is such a big upgrade from the typical stunned dead duck stare of conventional romances. I freely admit my brain went on strike so often I am grateful the solutions were just spoon-fed to me.
This drama is superbly well executed and gets all the important things right. Any shortfalls in the plot are made up for in excellent character design and heartfelt, immersive performances by the cast. Jing Boran and Wang Duo deliver standout performances but even Song Weilong, whose acting is still a work in progress, is so well cast he just somehow fits this Zhang Ping character. It is a shame that his scenes with Jing Boran obviously suffered heavy cuts. After all of the build-up, I was really looking forward to seeing Zhang Ping and Peizhi shine in the final arc. Instead, it is pretty much hijacked by Shulin's unfinished business with Peizhi and his abandonment issues. Everyone else including Mowen and the emperor is sidelined. As much as I love Shulin's complexity and Wang Duo's phenomenal acting, I have mixed feelings about the final arc. The tone feels a bit off and succumbs to a tad too much cliched, dog's blood melodrama. I think that Zhang Ping's newfound pragmatism and epiphany that the right outcome can be more important than the truth is fitting. It demonstrates enormous character growth even though justice proved to be ultimately elusive.
Moral of the story: Don't be a cat's paw - be careful who you date!
Overall a feast for the eyes and the senses - 8/10.
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A Journey of Discovery
Growing up is a process of discovery. You discover what you like and what you don't, who you are, who you love….. A million questions asked. Some answered, some not. Hopefully with the few answered, you’re prepared to face the world. You may still be searching for answers throughout your life. And that’s how life goes. This is a story about three best friends growing up together in the same neighborhood, their friendship through high school, college and working life. This is one of the best youth dramas I have ever watched.The Chinese title Shàng Yóu means upstream, depicting also growing up is not easy, having to face challenges and making the right choices. The story is so well written, directed and acted - funny, cute, nostalgic - with characters elaborated with depth, from the main to the supporting leads. The attention to details is immaculate, capturing all the nuances of the era (Gameboy, concern of Y2K for computer systems, flip phones, huge bulky computers with floppy disks etc). The story has a span of 10 years from 1997 to 2007, starting from the characters’ final year in high school, throughout all 4 years of their life in college, and the final 2 episodes on their adult working life, marriages, relationship, each living a separate life. Nostalgic? This is life.
Xia Xiaoju (Hu Yixuan) has just moved into the neighborhood. She has no friends and hates her new home as she has to share a room and a bed with her little brother. She always feels her mother being unfair and always loves her little brother more (many Chinese families prefer boys to girls). Two boys from the same street quickly become her best friends as they help her adapt to her new environment and catch up with school work. One is gentle and kind, the other is rough and childish. Naturally Xia Xiaoju falls in love with the ‘nice’ boy. Little does she know that the other boy standing behind her, quietly doing everything for her, is the rightful one for her. Xia Xiaoju may be naïve and has overly low self-esteem at times, but she is determined and is always a friend one can count on.
I have liked Hu Yixuan’s acting. I find her very genuine and natural without having to try too hard. Her acting as a teenager in this drama is so impressive. I have always thought Tan Songyun (Seven Tan) the best actor who can look and act like a teenager. Here, Hu Yixuan is equally good if not better. As teenagers, Tan Songyun is tomboyish, whereas Hu Yixuan is a very convincing timid teenage girl who is not confident of herself and fearful of showing her inner feelings. I love her interactions with her friends and her family. Hu Yixuan has absolutely nailed the role.
Lu Shiyi (Richard Zhang), an aspiring doctor who is hemophobic (fear of blood), tall, good looking and intelligent, is playful when it comes to his childhood friends. He doesn’t miss an opportunity in teasing Xia Xiaoju whom he has a penchant in getting his satisfaction out of her misery by pulling her ponytail, palm-turning her head (watch this https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1hP4y1a7Uc), bear-hugging her under his giant armpit, bickering with her and calling her names (like Pig); he simply ‘roughs’ her up all the time like treating a boy and the bickering is non-stop. How Lu Shiyi treats Xia Xiaoju would have been called out in today's cancel culture, but here, his actions are cute, innocent and heart-warming. To me, that's how people, especially good friends, should interact with each other, sincerely and lovingly.
Richard Zhang has a very unique look with almond shaped eyes. He may not even be considered as good looking by many viewers but he embodies youthfulness, energy, mischiefs, rebellion that fit perfectly into the Lu Shiyi character; he brings the character alive.
Cheng Lang (Chen Bo Hao) is the gentle boy with straight ‘A’s in class. He is kind to everyone especially to his best friends to whom he would give up anything for. He always tries to mitigate between Xia Xiaoju and Lu Shiyi when they brawl, and Xia Xiaoju has a crush on him since she first meets him. I have never watched any of Chen Bo Hao’s work, but here, he aces his role making the Cheng Lang character so lovable, a perfect white horse prince for any girls.
Even though the romance is not the focus, the dynamics of the main leads are remarkable. I love how the main leads are smart and caring for each other. Their utmost trust between each other throughout the drama does not falter. Having said that, there are some slight misunderstandings between Xia Xiaoju and Lu Shiyi that lead to their separation for a rather long period of time after college.
Official Soundtracks (OSTs)
Despite this drama produces a number of new soundtracks, none as memorable as the two oldies:
“Do You Know I’m Thinking of You?” (你知道我在想你吗) by Taiwanese singer/composer Chang Hung-Liang (张洪量) in 1997. This song stirs up a lot of memories for many viewers. It also captures our lead characters’ feelings during those growing up years, from teenage to adulthood. It’s fun to watch how our character struggles to learn singing the song so that she can perform it to the one she loves.
“Love You”(喜歡妳) by Hong Kong musician Wong Ka Kui (黄家驹) / Beyond in 1988. Sung in Cantonese throughout, this is another well-loved song that took Asia-Pacific by storm during the era. It appropriately expresses the adoration of our characters for each other and the moments they have together.
The use of harmonica and guitar to play the background music, simple and nostalgic, further captures the mood and conjures up memories of the time by-gone.
My Verdict
Growing up means changes. Things may not always turn out the way we plan, and our plans may not be as perfect as we have hoped them to be. We all need to learn to adapt to changes. Our characters change over time as they begin to understand life better. Not only they become stronger, they also become better for themselves and others.
Everyone can relate to this story one way or another. If you're a youth, you'd love this drama because you can relate to almost all the characters here - they can be your friends, your family, even yourself. Whoever you may be, you'd love this story too because it helps bring back all those memories of youth. Superb acting and captivating writing bring you back to those by-gone years of innocence.
I don’t usually watch youth dramas, but this one is a gem. Everything is so natural. It is so funny that I laugh so hard, and yet, I cry when I see my characters struggle. However, I have to point out that, like in most other Chinese dramas, lazy writing towards the ending spoils the whole otherwise wonderful drama. I wish the writers have been more thoughtful towards this end. It's such a pity because the whole drama has been so good. The last 2 episodes are just not keeping up with the initial momentum and quality. There are so many lost opportunities that the production team could have made this drama so stand out.
Despite from the "less than perfect" writing for the last 2 episodes, I still love this drama nonetheless. All the scenes are tastefully shot. I particularly love the scenes when Lu Shiyi rides a creaky bike taking Xia Xiaoju at the backseat. That beautiful screen shot encapsulates the whole story, Shàng Yóu.
Must watch! TWO THUMBS UP! BRAVO!
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The only alternative of MGIAA is MGIAA itself
MGIAA (My girlfriend is an alien) is one of the most popular Chinese modern dramas amongst the international fans . I really didn't have that much hopes for it cause most of the time second season can't beat season one.But this one did.Yes the storyline of season two is better than season one.Actors Bie ,Wan Peng,Wang You Jun all did an excellent job again.Especially Bie.The part he portrayed to show the sweeter part of Fang Leng alongside the cold part of that character just melted me.He has become more cuter .Second lead couple is not annoying at all . They are so adorable. Since this types of push and pull romance are one of my favorite genre so after watching first season about 3 years ago I have tried a lot of sweet rom com,but not a single rom com couldn't replace it . Finally season two replaced or suppressed it. Sweeter enough.The cinematography and visual effects were so much better than previous season.Feel the same chemistry between leads . This is a must for sweet rom com lover.A lot of scenes make me feel that the romance in this drama is nothing but magical .Not a single boring moment.Very heart warming, fluffy,funny. Just loved it.The main difference between first and second season ~ First season basically focused over Fang Leng's amensia and sweet romance.While second season basically focused over love, relationship, romance.This season give a lot of informations of relationships.This drama is a full package tips to get into a relationship .It is a must for current and future lovebirds to get some tips .And the good thing is second season didn't focus over Fang Leng's amensia part that much.It is a plus point for me. The only thing that bothered me in the whole drama is the new third wheel character "Jiang Shiyi". But his parts are not that much before the last 10 episodes so his irritating part is quite negligible.
Warning ~~~ The amount of sweetness is too much to handle for singles.
My one and only request that never judge this drama without completed it,you are gonna miss a lot of twists.
Ignore my grammertical mistakes please.
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The listener and the speaker
Republican era, around 1930.Rain is pouring down that fateful night in Jingcheng City. As we watch the good-natured Dr. Chen Yuzhi cycle his way home, seeking shelter under the eaves, we're diving headfirst into a plot full of viscious crimes and interhuman relations.
-It's the moment Chu Ran and Chen Yuzhi step into Jiang Yuelou's life and decide to stay, that we realize that Jiang Yuelou is the unspoken center of the story. -
It didn't take me long to light ten stars, as I got so attached that I might be devoting my first written preview to this drama.
Background music
One of the reasons to call this a classy drama is beautifully drawn tapestry of sound. The show decided upon subtle background music, the original soundtrack composed of very decent melodic ballads and only a couple instrumentals that are very well timed, accompanying sequences quietly, giving more importance to emotions and spoken dialogue. This gives it a pleasant, mature vibe.
Production
Omnium-gatherum summary of everything that caught my eye from episode one.
•Killer and Healer is free from overdrawn sequences and cheesy-slowmotions.
•The cinematography brings in gorgeous shots, developing into beautifully framed sequences here and there.
•As we're situated in the republican era, we get to see tailored suits and beautiful attire. Women are wearing gorgeous dresses and every single citizen that we see roaming the streets of Jingcheng has their own, beautiful outfit of the day. Even upon close proximity, the costumes look thoroughly authentic and high in quality.
•The drama leads us through a collection of sets that are very well thought through (however wow, it is cold!).
Plot & Characters
The plot itself is relatively solid. Various other points make up for the ones lost to a common storyline. The plot isn't particularly new, yet unravels a beautiful story of faith. It's told by steadfast characters, and also introduces a brave and clever female lead, Chu Ran, that wonderfully concludes the trio alongside Police-Chief Jiang Yuelou and Doctor Chen Yuzhi.
Every other character that gets introduced throughout the story isn't any less holistic and just as vital.
While the storyline itself contains alot of criminal action, it pays special attention to interhuman relations.
With a strong focus on the steadying relationship between Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, it opens up on more then just bringing peace to Jingcheng City. We follow Jiang Yuelou, as he learns to regain his trust in the people around him and finds his safe-place within Chen Yuzhi, who meets him with unconditional faith. With every episode, the picture grows bigger, as we slowly get to know Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi as a person and start to sympathize with the characters introduced to us.
The ending: The ending comes around very unexpected. Yes, initially, it is bad and very tragic. This might be a spoiler. However, the ending lies in your power. For a happy ending, hop out from ep 37 at timestamp 29:15 and click here for a seperately uploaded end
https://youtu.be/FC696_RYeEw
Acting
Completing this with the strongest asset.
It's the actor itself that eventually shapes the character, forms it and introduces it to the audience. The characters I see are consistent and compelling, each drawn with their own unique features. The acting is impressive, the whole cast stunning. Every single actor within Killer&Healer convinces with performance. The chemistry between the leads grows extremely palpable as they enter each others lives and naturally learn to trust. Eventhough, due to censorship, scenes got shortened (not harming the plot), emotions are portrayed beautifully through micro-expression, faces full of emotions and long lasting glances. So much so that more isn't needed and it lies in the perception of the audience to view their relationship.
This drama is and was a very, very pleasant watch. I would rewatch it all over again. The biggest joy lies within the unfolding, unspoken emotions between the leads and the quirky supporting characters.
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1An intriguing drama that captivates from start to finish!
I chanced upon “The Glory” (雁回时) airing in WeTV when I came home from a trip more than a week ago. The summaries I’ve read intrigued me, so I started it and I was hooked! I was binge-watching episodes during my free time such that I quickly caught up to the latest happenings.The story is about Zhuang Han Yan, who was sent away as a baby due to some supposedly prophetic words from a Taoist master, saying that she is the barefoot ghost (赤脚鬼) and her birth caused her grandfather’s death. She was raised by his father’s friend and his wife in Danzhou, both of whom mistreated her. Due to some turn of events, she was able to break free from them and come back to the capital, falling unconscious at the gates of the Zhuang residence in the cold winter. Her sudden return threw the entire family into an uproar, and she also caught the attention of Fu Yun Xi, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, with whom she has a marriage agreement that was decided by their parents. These led to a series of events that unfolded one after the other, with secrets being exposed and the truths eventually coming to light.
STORY / PLOT 📚:
“The Glory” is a drama that encompasses many themes. It is a story about one woman’s quest for a family that had been denied from her when she was born. It’s about her quest for justice/revenge and her goal to break free from the “barefoot ghost” reputation that had followed her from birth. It focuses on the mother-daughter relationship, friendship, the sometimes complex family dynamics, and even romance, albeit the romance is slow-burn and somewhat subdued (more on that later). Then there are the political and investigative aspects in the case of the fallen Pei Da Fu, the powerful eunuch who, during his lifetime, had amassed a fortune and had many cronies in court, the most prominent of whom is the so-called adopted son.
As I watch each episode, I can feel the excitement and anticipation since there is no boring moment. It’s like when one episode ends, I’m drawn to continue, and before I realized it, I’ve been watching for hours and I’m way past my bedtime. Indeed, the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. There are also a myriad of other emotions and reactions such as happiness, surprise, tenderness, sadness, intrigue, anger, and indignation. There are some emotional and touching scenes where I cried a bucket, e.g., between Zhuang Han Yan and her mother Ruan Xi Wen, between Zhuang Han Yan and Ah Zhi. Other relationships also tugged at the heartstrings such as Zhuang Han Yan and Chai Jing’s friendship, the push and pull between Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi, the father and daughter dynamics of Fu Yun Xi and Ah Zhi, among others.
As I mentioned above, the romance between Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi is slow-burn. There are definitely sweet moments and affectionate gestures between them. Some are subtle/indirect, such as longing glances and lending support behind the scenes, while others are more obvious, such as holding hands, intercepting marriage proposals, jumping in to save her from a raging horse, the hugs and the few sweet kisses, etc. More explicit displays of their affection is very much welcome, but I'm still happy with how the drama portrayed their relationship's progress. They started out with distrust and suspicion as they schemed and pushed their own agenda, developed respect and admiration for each other, vacillated between doubt and trust, and finally learned to trust and love each other.
As for the ending, I'm satisfied with how they executed it. Everything tied up nicely, and even if there is a question or two, they’re minor and does not affect my enjoyment of the drama. What Zhuang Han Yan said towards the end is a fitting wrap-up for this series: “Any place full of love can be my home.” (有情之地, 处处皆可为家) ❤️🏠
ACTING / CAST 🎭:
Chen Du Ling’s star shines very brightly here. She gave an outstanding performance as Zhuang Han Yan 👏. She conveyed different kinds of emotions through her facial expressions, eyes, mannerisms, and tone of voice (kudos to the voice actor too). Zhuang Han Yan is an emotionally scarred woman who has experienced a lot of pain and trauma during her young life. All these molded her into the kind of woman she is – smart, savvy, independent, strong but with a soft spot, kind and compassionate but not a doormat, and does not easily trust others.
Xin Yun Lai was able to portray the serious, stoic and somewhat mysterious Fu Yun Xi quite convincingly, though I would prefer more facial expressions in some instances. But one could argue that his character is supposed to be that way. I like how he poured his heart out when he confessed his emotions and love to Zhuang Han Yan in one of the latter episodes.
As for the couple’s chemistry, it’s palpable and they truly make a good pair. I can feel the tension from their first meeting. There is this push and pull in their relationship especially when they were getting to know each other, which adds to the tension (see above on their relationship’s growth). They are well matched, both in looks, wits and temperament.
Wen Zheng Rong is a seasoned actress who has appeared in many dramas. She gave an excellent performance as Ruan Xi Wen, Zhuang Han Yan’s long-suffering mother. She showed those raw and pent-up emotions brilliantly. At first, I was mad at her, and then I came to sympathize with her as I learned of what she went through all those years.
Yu En Tai nailed his role as the manipulative, self-serving and duplicitous Zhuang Shi Yang. Some think his acting is exaggerated and overly dramatic, such that it’s distracting and annoying. But I think that’s what makes his portrayal so effective. By the last few episodes, I was strongly rooting for justice to be served.
Jinna Fu was able to capture the essence of Chai Jing. She is Zhuang Han Yan's loyal and trusted friend, her support during her difficult days in Danzhou and even when she arrived at the capital. She is skilled in martial arts and protects her whenever she can. Their friendship is precious.
I couldn’t write this review without giving kudos to the talented and adorable Huang Bo Si, who played Fu Ling Zhi / Ah Zhi, Fu Yun Xi’s daughter with his first wife. Ah Zhi is such a sweet and loving child. She is so innocent, smart, and yet also mature for her age. She never fails to touch me with her favorite line, “When we miss our mothers, I can hug you, and you can also hug me” (我们想母亲的时候，我可以抱一抱你，你也可以抱一抱我.) 🥰. This kid has potential, and I look forward to seeing her in other dramas.
The other supporting cast gave great performances as well, such as: Wang Yan as the 2nd wife Zhou Ru Yin, He Hong Shan as the competitive Zhuang Yu Shan, Li Sheng as Noble Consort Miao, and Song Pei Ze and Chen Kang as Fu Yun Xi’s reliable right-hand men Mu Feng and Mu Yan, respectively. They add depth, excitement and some humor to the drama.
OTHER THOUGHTS 🔮:
I’m satisfied with the overall production and costume design. The costumes look good, and the color combinations are nice.
The soundtrack is excellent and fits the drama so well. Hats off to the team who chose the songs 👒! The ending theme song, “Blade” (刃), is Zhuang Han Yan’s anthem. The song is written for her! It sums up her journey fittingly. “Flame” (焰) is Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi’s theme song, while “Cut” (剪) is a tribute to Zhuang Han Yan and Ruan Xi Wen’s relationship.
FINAL VERDICT ⭐️: “The Glory” is one of those dramas that left a lasting impression on me. It’s worth my time and attention, and I highly recommend it!
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Fun, but a "pretzel" ending
I'm a critical because I have a background in production, so you may think some of my opinions are harsh. First, I want to comment on the actors. My criteria for good acting is, if I can suspend reality, immerse myself in the story, and emotionally connect with the character, the acting is good. If the audience doesn't relate to the characters, everything else is irrelevant, because the viewer won't care about what happens to them. I cared about these characters. It was especially fun watching the FL and ML bicker and banter as their relationship developed.The plot had good doses of mystery and mayhem, romance and evil, comedy and tragedy. The production values were good; the sets were believable, decent camera work, the CGI wasn't obvious, the costumes were attractive, etc. I liked the music because it was well integrated into the scenes, and didn't distract from the action. The genre is Wuxia, which I watch because I love martial arts choreography. I particularly liked the small details that made the ML's "wolf" abilities more realistic, like how he could whisk around so fast he was almost invisible, how his ear twitched when he used his augmented hearing, and how he could transform. There was only one instance of seeing his full transformation, which was disappointing. His character arc was well-defined, however, because he went from stone-cold to warm and affectionate. The FL had less of an evolution, but was a good contrast to the ML.
Unfortunately, the last two episodes were disappointing. Great writers can write great endings; mediocre writers can't. I like it when the audience gets rewarded with a cathartic moment at the end; sometimes it's joy because it's a happy ending, or a sigh of sadness because it was tragic, or they have a flash of insight because, although the ending may not be what they wanted, it was appropriate. Instead of a climatic moment, I felt betrayed. The reveal of the villain in episode 35 used an old, worn out, plot device to supposedly create a surprise twist. But the plot had to be bent into a "pretzel" in order to make the twist work. Instead of the twist being a dramatic moment, it was laughable, probably because I'm not Alice in Wonderland who "believes as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
After the reveal, the writer tried to stuff too many emotional ups and downs into the last episode. Some of it was satisfying, and the "dénouement" was good. However, after I managed to stay immersed in the drama's fantasy world for 34 episodes, I couldn't sustain it during the last two episodes, and crash-landed back into reality with a giant thud.
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Finally something decent (even more) for our hungry brain after Crows Zero era.
HIGH & LOW: The STORY OF S.W.O.R.D is a comprehensive entertainment project by EXILE TRIBE that encompasses various forms of content media. Aside from the members of EXILE TRIBE, there are a lot of high quality cast for this drama, not only actor & actress but also other musician & models. So visually, you will be pampered with a lot of candy eyes with great acting too.
As written in the synopsis, it’s all about fighting between organization in a certain town. But the core story in this first season is about friendship and brotherhood, and more like a prologue to introduce each organization and the story base. Later, there will be HIGH&LOW Season 2 and HIGH&LOW The Movie. Let me summarize all the organization first:
=Organizations Before SWORD=
1) MUGEN
In this story, MUGEN was told start from the second generation, led by Kohaku. Other main members: Tsukumo, Cobra & Yamato. The strongest organization.
2) AMAMIYA BROTHERS
Only consist two members, Amamiya Masaki (Kyaaa Takahirooo! *oops please excuse my fangirling) & Amamiya Hiroto. They’re fighting against Mugen.
3) HYUGA GROUP
Hyuga Group is a part of GURYU GROUP (I think Guryu Group is kind of strong group but in outside of Mugen’s domain) & they’re not that popular. Hyuga Group fought against Mugen in order to make their names well known, but Hyuga Group lost and abandoned by Guryu Group.
=S.W.O.R.D=
1) SANOOH ASSOCIATION
Or Hoodlum Squad, led by Cobra (ex Mugen). Other members are Yamato (ex Mugen), Noboru, Dan, Tetsu and Chiharu. Cobra, Yamato & Noboru are childhood friends. Sanooh doesn’t have specialty or aiming any particular thing, the association just made naturally by the members who are good in fighting.
2) WHITE RASCAL
Their specialty is always white (as white as their name XD). Led by Rocky, his main subordinates are Golden Bomber* members (Bito, Aizawa, Shimura & Enari). Despite being famous with their madness, White Rascal also known for always protecting woman who have been hurt by men.
*) A visual kei rock band
3) OYA KOUKOU
School of Yankees!. The leader or they rather call it as Class Rep (lol) is Murayama Yoshiki. Just as other typical Yankee school, the one who rule the school is the strongest one. Murayama Yoshiki played by Yamada Yuki, he can pull his yankee expression but his height sometimes a little bit distracted me. He looks much shorter & smaller than his friends, in contrary he is the the strongest and unbeatable.
4) RUDE BOYS
They dominate and protect a Nameless Street, a town where people who abandoned by their parents lives, hidden and dirty. Led by Rocky played by Kubota Masataka (Kyaaa *oops once again please excuse my fangirling ;-). They declare themselves as a family who protect each other. Their specialty is parkour, this is that makes their fighting skill more artsy. This drama use a lot of camera angle, epic setting and a lot of ikemen with abs XD. Visually, I like this team, maybe because the members are actually athlete and model, whenever they walk together and make a way, it looks like they’re walking in runaway even with rag-like fashion that they wore, they can pull it off nicely. Kubota Masataka looks so charismatic with messy hair, too bad he has a weakness,what is that weakness? Well you better watch and check it by yourself :p.
5) DARUMA IKKA
Led by Hyuga Norihisa, forth son of Hyuga (played by Hayashi Kento). Alongside with Totetsu Brothers (Toutetsu Ukyo & Toutetsu Sakyo, both were kicked out from Mugen in the past) they formed Daruma Ikka to make a way for their revenge towards Guryu Group and the remaining Mugen member. I think this is the most unique organization. As their name, Daruma is their icon with blasting red color. Even when they fight, they’re using Daruma and drums as music accompaniment. Hayashi Kento looks deep but madly and vengeful here, for me it’s such a rare to see him in that kind of character, so it’s cool!.
=Organization Outside SWORD=
1) IEMURA GROUP
Iemura Group is one of the Guryu Group, the main leader is Iemura Tatsumi. With other 8 leads member, they’re called themselves as Nine Dragons. This organization is more like executive people who dominate a lot of field, including black market and greedy, so they own a lot of money. Basically they’re a bunch of rich uncles with suit and necktie.
2) MIGHTY WARRIORS
Led by Ice. This organization hasn’t been told a lot in this season, their main movement will be told in season 2 later. So, more Exile Tribe member are coming, yaaaay!.
2) STRAWBERRY MILK
The one and only girl gang. 4 members, Junko as the leader (she's so cute and funny), Asuko and Twin Towers (member of E-Girls). I love these girl, they're so funny!
There are so much red line right? All SWORD organization make their own world, never touch each other in order to keep peace in the town. The main story is started in Sanooh, Sanooh is the center of the whole story that connects all of the organization. The conflict appeared between childhood friends (Cobra, Yamato and Noburu). Noburu who just released from prison, but rather than go back to Sanooh he joined to Iemura Group. Feel betrayed, Yamato tried to persuaded Noboru to go back to Sanooh. Because he knows that Iemura Group is greedy and merciless. Noboru is trusted by Iemura to take over SWORD authority, but each SWORD organization refuse. This situation raised misunderstanding and betrayal between them. In other story, Chiharu (before he joined to Sanooh), who is actually a student in Oya Koukou, beaten up by his fellows but then he was accidentally helped by Yamato. Chiharu pled to join Sanooh, but this makes a conflict between Oya Koukou with Sanooh.
With 23 minutes average duration, you can enjoy fighting scene around 50% of its duration with great music accompaniment. HIGH&LOW also contains some sentimental, sad and funny part.
The editing, I’m so sensitive when it’s come to this point whenever I watch movie/drama. HIGH&LOW succeed this series with dramatic color correction, point of view and angle for each organization differently which is emphasize each organization’s character.
The fashion, since there are big companies who backing up the casts, they give all out in fashion too. Each organization has their own fashion style. No matter how you look at them, it does look pricey and detail from head to toe. They use a lot of expensive motorcycle and cars. One more thing, all the cast are looks neat and clean, this is one of the reason that I enjoy this drama. Or maybe they‘re just handsome and charismatic :D.
And now about the music. The music itself plays as the biggest part here, it makes this drama looks more appealing and nice. In fact, EXILE TRIBE’s album is also part of this HIGH&LOW project. There is not much I can review here because it so cool and perfectly matched with the drama. It’s EXILE TRIBE you know, what do you expect is what will you get. Each organization has their own special music background. The combination between music, fashion, editing, camera view and the cast themselves makes this drama looks like a MV. I love to re-watch this drama especially in some part like when a certain organization present themselves with powerful soundtrack, or just enjoying the each actors acting, their close up face, their cool movements even their poses. Sometimes I feel like are they doing photo shoot or what??. Seriously, their visual is on high quality level despite this is about delinquent story.
And here the list of the songs that included in this drama, it could be more than this but these are so far that I know:
J SOUL BROTHER - MUGEN ROAD
PKCZ feat EXILE SHOKICHI - WHITEOUT
GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE - RUN THIS TOWN
DJ DARUMA from PKCZ [VOICE OF RED feat.GS] - DARUMA FAMILY
THE SECOND from EXILE - ONE TIME ONE LIFE
DOBERMAN INFINITY - DO OR DIE
DOBERMAN INFINITY-JUMP AROUND 8
E-GIRLS - STRAWBERRY SADISTIC
ACE OF SPADES feat HIROOMI TOSAKA- SIN
Ryuji Imaichi - FOREVER YOUNG AT HEART
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The plot for the story was very tightly written so there are no huge holes or what the heck moments to deal with. It was also a great romance as well as providing the viewer with great historical context. If you are looking for a historical drama to watch this would be my #1 suggested drama.
Also the episodes are short so the 108 episode count is misleading. It is not at all a hard drama to get through.
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You'll fall in love with it slowly
when I started this series I rly liked the synopsis and the little twists and turns of the storyand now after completing, it almost feels magical , I always loved this actor but felt like he needed a story and a partner that matches his emotions in the same way he does every time.
I finally found it , the actress rly did such a great job portraying the FL's emotions the story rly suited them ( it was my first time watching her drama)
I loved the pacing of it as well, contrary to popular believes that it was too slow , it's just the right amount for an introvert I do connect with them they're rly so cute together and perfectly matched each other.
the post credit scenes after most of the episodes were just as beautiful
the side characters and their story were so good as well not too weird characters just the right amount
even the SML was adorable
I consider it a rly wholesome comfort watch for when I needed the most
waiting everyday for episodes to release was a joy in itself
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This drama has both its pro's and it's cons. The cons being the loops in the plot, the "unnecessary" drama and dare I say, the acting from the main leads who can sometimes come off as either annoying or "what is that face you're making!?" (Though I have to say I have to give Tseng Pets her cred for rocking that ugly bowlcut and old grandma getup/toe socks throughout the entire series while still acting out Xiao Xi in a way that was realistic and fun.)
The story starts off really well and builds nicely towards the romance. For all the romantic drama lovers, if you are like you me, (a crazy fool for cute romantic skinship and words) you will definitely enjoy the romance that takes off here. While the beginning and the romance makes for the beginnings of a good drama, the downfall comes near the end where you may or may not feel content with the ending.
While this drama doesn't exactly hit right out of the park, it is still a good watch and I'd recommend this show to anyone who is looking for something to watch. There is humor, romance and action all in one. This drama also shows the growth of Ming Xiao Xi as she tries to find her place in a new environment and adjust to the blissfulness and sourness of love. This isn't the type of drama you would take seriously, seeing as there are many similarities here with Boys Over Flowers, however what makes this series stands out is the main heroine Ming Xiao Xi and her great resilience to overcome different obstacles that occurs in her life and through her special relationship with the 3 princes of Gaung Yu.
Overall I give this drama an 8.0 for making me the crazy drama fangirl I am for skipping study sessions just to watch each episode as it was released. The music was excellent here (The Intro is hella addicting and the ending music is my most favorite song from this OST [Sung by Pets Tseng]]) and this is a drama I can say for certain you will want to re-watch.
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