Wonderful surprise
Well, I must admit, I really was taken aback by this serie. Since the characters untill the graphical effects.The story was (as expected) a little rushed, but in my point o view was well developed taken in consideration the time of the entire serie. Lines well acted by the actors, I really liked the chemistry between the ML and the FL.
The ending was kind of expected for me but even so, the plot twist caught me off guard, hahaha.
In resume, the story was simple, direct, effective, warmt and for those who like short stories this one put a "must see" tag on it. I recommend.
PS: I gave 6 on rewatch value because i seldom see a serie again.
Was this review helpful to you?
Enjoyable and funny mini-show with time travel theme
What a wonderful mini-show. This is one of these small hidden gems I’m sometimes lucky enough to stumble upon. The storyline of traveling between two worlds (or time travel) isn’t new but I don’t think I have ever seen one where the portal connects a living room in modern time and a bedroom in ancient time - allowing them to go through time/space any time they want.Character wise we get this sweet FL that is a bit air headed but resourceful, a ML who is strong and clever, a not too smart princess and a general that is kind of a genius but also soft hearted. There are also a couple of interesting side characters.
Acting wise this might not reach the top but the actors all do a good job portraying their characters. Since it’s a comedy we always have to take into account that the characters are supposed to be a bit silly. Especially the general’s Kung Fu, is hilarious. I also loved the princess the King was originally supposed to marry - what a strong woman, LOL.
I enjoyed this mini-show a lot and since the ending is kind of open, I hope to see a season 2.
Anyway, if you like a sweet and romantic comedy - with a parallel world/time travel theme - this is well worth watching.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A nuanced take on queer intimacy
Symbolic and a macabre--exactly what we're used to from Filipino indie cinema. I liked it; it's a daring and nuanced take on the dangers that young queer people must face when navigating hook-up culture. Unlike their straight peers, who can happily frolic out in the open, the gay dating scene is shrouded in secrecy. It is in dark allies and dingy bathrooms that guys connect with the strangers they've met online-- and just like the city of Manila doesn't bat an eye at the decomposing bodies littering their streets, nobody really seems to care about these young gay men risking their lives in the pursuit of intimacy either.Was this review helpful to you?
You've got the whole "lakorn to go" set in this one: possessive ML, secretes behind FL actions, plotting evil female, confused characters, mentor characters.. all well rounded up in a story that has enough energy to push you across the finish line. And we all end up cheering for our OTP (darn, I cheered for them from day 1, but it took them a sweet while)
WHY I LIKED IT?
I picked this one up because it had a good idea behind the story: while trying to help her friend get out of a forced wedding, our FL ends up messing it up so had, and they are now BOTH married. The good thing is: the marriage is only the beginning of the plot.
There is dramatic moment in every episode. That said, there are times the ML is a cold-blooded and vengeful guy, but the good thing is how he melts away in duration of a single episode. There are times FL is a scheming nuts (well, actually, that is her BEST feature) and she makes mistakes that aggravate not only ML, but it's cute how she warms up to every apology.
I liked it for the two of them.
And Mr. Writer knew how to give us the "fan service". Even when they were seemingly having fights, we were joyful, because that would lead to another cute/shy/*I'm rolling on my sofa laughing* kind of reconciliation.
Hats down for FL and her ability to do makeup: from re-creating fake bruises to drag-queen-gone-wrong, she did them all.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE
As a matter of fact, I didn't like the rest of the cast. :)
I didn't mind the second leads story, because it had some value to it. It's about how bad it is to lie about your baby-daddy and make a whole world of mess for everyone. Then, we get to see the actual reasoning behind this, and as we peel more layers, we get to understand everyone's action in that *backstabbing!* family.
The family itself is on a high level on insane. I can forgive the intensity of their madness. However, I didn't get the answer on what in the world happened to Pink's mom?! Where's my "who's done it" moment?! nothing? Fine.. live us in the dark.. it's not like this is the only drama that left me stumbling for answers and making up my own stories just to tie it all up.
And: it got a bit too draggy on all "let's not tell anyone about our secret mission" thing. Sure, fine, keep FL crying for a good long while (just so you know: I'd slap your face so hard for that.. you'd fall over!)
THE MUSIC
Good.
It has followed the story.
The couple theme was appropriate.
But, let us give applause the special sounds producers added in conversations, emphasizing the intensity of some looks. That was a nice touch! I approve it :)
RE-WATCH VALUE
Some parts, some funny/adorable moments - yes
The entire Mad Family Plotting scenes - heck, no!
OVERALL
What would you do for your family? How far would you go?
If you want to know - give this one a go.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Entertaining but rather weak in comparrison to other cdrama of this trope...
Si Jin offers a decent viewing experience, though it’s not without its flaws. The acting is quite solid across the board. Zhang Wan Yi brings his usual reliable performance to the role, though I wouldn’t call it his best work. Having watched most of his other projects, I feel he’s capable of more. The female lead, whose performance was my first full experience with her, actually surprised me in a good way. Previous dramas featuring her had either been dropped or indefinitely paused due to her acting or the lackluster plots. However, in Si Jin, I was able to finish it, and I can say she did a good job in this particular role. The supporting cast also deserves a mention for their performances.When it comes to the script and editing, though, this is where Si Jin starts to falter. The character development of the emperor is inconsistent; he’s initially portrayed as a wise, cautious ruler, yet the plot forces him to make decisions that undermine that very characterization, particularly when it comes to his blind devotion to his sister, which makes him seem foolish. The random appearance and disappearance of the Namwu storyline and characters seemed like nothing more than a plot device, only there to fill time and create unnecessary drama. Similarly, the human trafficking subplot came out of nowhere and served little purpose other than to provide a reason to kill off side characters and add drama.
I also found the portrayal of the female lead’s family, especially her grandmother, troubling. While the grandmother is supposed to be respected due to her age, she repeatedly wronged the female lead, Jiang Si, with no consequences. Yet, she remains highly regarded and untouched by any repercussions. With only the aunt being turned into the villain and the grandma/2nd uncle getting away with all their minor misdeeds overlooked. So even though family drama and clichés are common in historical dramas and one of my fave parts in this type cdrama, here they were handled poorly at times.
On the plus side, the chemistry between the main couple was a highlight, and I found both the main and side couples sweet. The final episode was satisfying, and despite all the gaps in the middle of the drama, it delivered a proper conclusion. The show managed to pull it together in the end, making for an entertaining watch if you’re looking for something to pass the time or if you're a fan of rebirth historical storylines.
Ultimately, Si Jin is enjoyable as a one-time watch to pass the time, but it isn’t a drama that stands out enough to warrant rewatching. If you're someone who cares deeply about a well-crafted, meticulous plot, this one may not be for you. The acting might be strong, but it isn’t enough to redeem the weaknesses of the story and editing.
Was this review helpful to you?
The drama has it's share of absurdities and annoying people. At times during the first half, you have to throw away logic and reason. At other times, you become intensely frustrated with some people. But,none of it is a reason to not like the drama. And those people do redeem themselves in the end.
Gong Yoo and Gong Hyo Jin are reason enough to enjoy this drama. And the ending makes it worth the while.
Was this review helpful to you?
There are many reviews online that are better than anything I could write. There are scenes which touched me...One: at night in the reformatory a boy asks to be told a funny story and another boy relates a short anecdote about fish cakes which sends them into fits of giggles. Young men who, in all likelihood, never had a parent or grandparent to read them bedtime stories. My heart clenched as I remember the joy of sharing those moments with my own son and the wonderful memories both he and I carry of those times. At all times while watching this movie I could not stop thinking how different could some of their lives have been if they had just one person who loved them unconditionally and completely. It's true there are those who are true sociopaths without empathy or any ability to understand right and wrong. But this movie shows the sad reality of societal and family breakdowns and the repercussions on the children as a result. It's a theme the director and writer portray beautifully.
There is also the scene by the river where the mom promises her son she will not abandon him again, and the heart wrenching look on his face as he listens. What is he thinking? That nothing she says can be believed because she is a chronic liar and user whose own life is completely out of control? The sad understanding that, no matter how much he is wishing for it, she will never, despite her fantasies, be a real mother to him and he will spend his entire life being either another caregiver to her or being betrayed? It's a look full of pain and disillusionment and hopelessness.
The ending pretty much matched the tone of the entire movie and is very fitting with the message the director and writer are trying to tell. No easy answers. Nothing tied up in a pretty pink bow. Is there any hope on the horizon for either of them or that poor little girlfriend of his? What happened to them? I think there are thousands and thousands of children out there you can ask that question about and it absolutely breaks my heart that, while there are lots of answers, there is never any real solution.
I paid no attention to the music. I would not rewatch it purely because my heart can only take so much angst. I HIGHLY recommend it. As a person who gets way too emotionally involved in her movies and dramas, you can tell I'm not very objective. If you can watch this from the perspective that it is a beautiful piece of work that succeeds mightily in telling its story, you will be glad you shared in the experience.
Was this review helpful to you?
comedy is comedying
i went into watching this with no high expectations, but...- comedy bits weren't over the top
- full of action
- great cinematography
- easy to follow storytelling
- too predictable antagonist, but i can let that one slide
- happy ending
i would call it a great film for movie night.
Was this review helpful to you?
How hard it is to forgive the one who lost you and filled your place with somebody else? How insecure one feels knowing that he fills somebody elses place receiving love ment for somebody else?
How grateful you can be to the one filling your empty space easing the pain of a person that lost you?
I saw this drama firstly not as a love story between a man and a woman. But a story about child's love for his parent.
Was this review helpful to you?
Dance is just a cover for watching hot men make out... and am I happy about it?
No, I am not.Oh my god. I was so excited for this one.
When I saw the trailer, I immediately subscribed to the notification bell.
We have to start from somewhere so why not with the title. Why this title? The title was referring to the competition and it becomes increasingly irrelevant as the movie progresses. Not to miss pointing out that this competition does not take place by the end of the movie (is it spoiler? what am I spoiling exactly? we don't even know why the competition is not in the movie after which movie was named).
My frustration about evident laziness is reaching a boiling point
....what will take it there is not weakly developed main characters, female dancers portrayed as useless and expendable nor randomly placed blond plot twist which was not twisting...
it is that the trailer gave off this impression that dancing is their world and they manoeuver this intrinsic mystique, sensuality and dominance that dance possesses the best.... and that would lead to explosion when the two bests meet each other.
I ate it up and couldn't wait to see this clash. Because the only special thing about this movie is the DANCE aspect. That they are dancers. We have seen BLs with rivalry, bad upbringing etc. etc. but professional dancers from different sides falling in love? Not that I know of!
They instead exploited this intrinsic sensuality of professional dancing to hide lack of plot and cliche' characterisation. First of all, the dancing does not look clean or professional. I can tell you I was not convinced by their dancing at all.
Secondly, male leads are developed weirdly chauvinistic, both of them. Sugiki really was not likeable character at all. And all of his motivations scream chauvinism to me, that does not make sense that they serve dance narrative. Dance is sport with two parties that are essential to the other. The whole movie is portrayed in a bit of hmm discriminatory manner? It is paradoxical cos it is supposed to be breaking traditional role of couple in dance and life.
Then, I understand Suzuki is supposed to be polar opposite from Sugiki, but what is with this representation of hot/wild latinoamerican dancer? Too obvious my man, there is subtlety to everything. Like what is with those reactions in every dance and then literally wielding the female dancer as a tool? I am kind of also slightly offended that they used the concept of dancing in service of what? audience seeing hot men making out?
I thought the dance was the igniter to the fire, not the burned down object..which it ended up being.
I would still put it as a recommend to try out, but it is not a rewatch for me. It has a nice cinematography. Actors are okay. A lot of thirst traps. And some cringy plot wrapped in dance.
Thanks for reading. Bon appetit! :')
Was this review helpful to you?
I was very excited for this drama when I saw the trailers for it but after starting the drama I was just disappointed. I ended up skipping through the first 5 episodes because the princesses attitude was pissing me off so much that I couldn't enjoy the story.
Was this review helpful to you?
I am glad that I ended up watching this drama. There were math problems that I have never heard of before & the cases kept you interested.
The thing is I love the leads! They so opposite of each other, but they make a great team. I haven't seen the female lead in anything before, but she was great. I think I have seen the male lead before, I don't remember which movie or drama that I have seen him in, but he is a great actor as well. He is also hot. . . I had to say it. . . The only problem with the drama is that we didn't get to learn much of their background at all. They have great chemistry despite the age difference. But don't let that turn you away from watching this drama.
The music fitted in the right spots, theme is catchy, but I don't remember much since it was a long time ago when I watched this drama last year(2013).
I would re-watch this again when I have time.
Overall, I definitely recommend this drama if you like crime genre, math, comedy & cases that keep you guessing, then you will like this one.
The only complaint besides the one I mentioned above, is that it should of been longer.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Wo Ai Ni?
Overall, while it's not a masterpiece, this is a fun little drama you can watch whenever you have a few minutes free or while commuting by train to and from work. The action was questionable at times, some of the characters never grew on me while others became annoying, and it dragged a bit for me towards the end. However, while the story is not amazing, I did find it funny sometimes, some of the fights are entertaining, and Li Jiu Lin, whether shirtless or not, is always a plus and I giggled a couple of times like a giddy schoolgirl when he was being adorable.Was this review helpful to you?
Story:
Set in Tianjin in the mid to late 1920s (Republican era), we are introduced to Huo Zhen Xiao, who is the estranged son of legendary mob boss turned business tycoon Huo Tian Hong (a character in the main drama) - and his mom, who left his dad years ago and raised Huo Zhen Xiao on her own, is also descended from a long line of gangster bosses. As a result, nineteen year old Huo Zhen Xiao is a young man who grew up in wealth and was raised to fear nothing and no one - and to make things even more interesting, he happens to be enrolled in military school in a time when much of China was in turmoil due to the May Thirtieth Movement (wiki it if you want to learn more - it's an interesting part of Chinese history that isn't covered all that much in dramas or film). Huo Zhen Xiao and his three military school buddies don't actively participate in the anti-foreign demonstrations, but they make their stamp in the movement by using their fists to fight back against the foreign police and protect their fellow citizens from the terror.
As punishment for fighting back against the foreign power, Huo Zhen Xiao and his buddies are sentenced to Tianjin's most notorious prison for four months. And that's where the bulk of the story lies - Huo Zhen Xiao's adventures in TIanjin's cruelest prison, and his encounter and budding friendship with fellow prisoner Chen Zheng, who is an orphan and grew up on the streets.
If there's one thing Chen Si Cheng is really good at with his scripts, it's pacing - and while you can never say his storylines are original, he's able to inject something fresh and innovative to it. In the case of Twin Dragons, he took advantage of the fact that this is web-exclusive and isn't necessarily held to the same restrictions that dramas shown on satellite TV are held to - so he pushed the boundaries a bit both in terms of the storyline and the characters, which I really enjoyed. Not to say there aren't bugs or holes in logic - but the fast pace of the story and the interesting characters (and phenomenal acting) makes it easy to overlook the issues. Plus - it's a short, side story of a drama - we really don't need to think too much about logic here.
Huo Zhen Xiao was a fascinating character - he was the protagonist and had a patriotic bent due to his military school education, but at the same time there was a cruel streak in him that was the result of his background as the son of mob bosses. While I loved the heroic side of him - he's an awesome fighter, intelligent, and so, so fangirl worthy - I also loved that he saw the world differently from most of the Republican-era heroes we are used to due to his unique background. He very much follows the philosophy of an eye for an eye, and had some moments that just made your jaw drop because of how...mobster-like it was.
The character of Chen Zheng was also really interesting. Much like Chen Si Cheng's Hong San Yuan in the main drama, Chen Zheng's character is an ode to Wei Xiao Bao of Jin Yong's The Deer and the Cauldron. He's a ruffian with street smarts in spades, and probably has committed many petty crimes in his past - but he still has somewhat of a moral code. While he's at odds with Huo Zhen Xiao initially (mostly because he can't beat him), their budding friendship and respect is awesome to watch, and I really, really hope that Chen Si Cheng saw the praise that Twin Dragons got online and will allow us to see these two characters and their adventures again one day.
Also - can I just say I love the cinematography of this? I looked it up and apparently that's the director's specialty. The whole thing just felt very film-like.
Acting/Cast:
A thousand cheers for Liu Hao Ran, who basically elevated this short drama to another level with his potrayal of Huo Zhen Xiao. The storyline is interesting, but its various flaws and bugs would have been a lot more noticeable if it wasn't for the sheer magnetism of Liu Hao Ran's acting as the young mob boss prince who doesn't back down from anyone. This drama was filmed shortly after NiF2 wrapped up, and the progress that Liu Hao Ran has made as an actor is extremely noticeable here - and he has a presence and charisma that makes you forget he was only nineteen when he shot this. This is the performance that made me want to see him as an antagonist one day - because there are several moments when Huo Zhen Xiao's mean streak peeps through that makes me think Liu Hao Ran would be able to handle a character on the dark side.
Chen Hao is awesome as well - it's pretty much his first introduction to the industry as his other acting projects haven't come out yet, and he was absolutely fabulous as the wise-cracking Chen Zheng who has big dreams but feels dragged down by his reality. While Liu Hao Ran's Huo Zhen Xiao got the cool parts, Chen Hao was responsible for carrying the comedic element of the show and he was able to do it well without overacting.
Both young actors also definitely benefited from the fact that the screenwriter is their boss, haha, as he wrote the characters with both of them (and their acting abilities) in mind.
The other cast members were great as well - particularly the antagonists, who were so, so creepy and twisted - but man they carried it well. Also Huo Zhen Xiao's mom is all kinds of fantastic.
Music:
I'm impressed because despite the fact that this isn't an official drama, the music was great and matched the scenes perfectly (props to the editing team).
Overall:
I absolutely loved this - not just because of Liu Hao Ran, but because I really do think that you can see the effort (and budget) put into this reflected in the quality of the production. Using only six twenty-minute episodes, we got a pretty complete short story with characters that felt alive - and I walked away from this wanting to see more of Huo Zhen Xiao and Chen Zheng, and how they take on Shanghai. If you like the premise and are in the mood for something fun and intense in the early Republican-era, I absolutely recommend checking this out.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Amazing korean indie film vibes, but it tried a little too hard at the end
This movie definitely has a lot of shortcomings, but it does one thing really right. Which is to capture the feeling of nostalgia and innocence. And this was definitely what made me give this movie a rather high rating still. It did not fail to convey the genuine feelings of youth... and personally, that was enough to make me fall in love with this movie. The wonderful emotional impact was largely due to the actors’ chemistry, the awesome soundtrack, the 35mm-Film colours and the 90’s -00’s fashion/set design... but it definitely wasn’t the plot.The plot was a whole mess. It’s almost as if they spent the whole year paying attention to the details of the set design and the fashion and the cinematography and everything else *EXCEPT* for the plot. There was not enough depth in Mi-Soo’s character for us to sympathise with her...
And I totally get what they were trying to do with Hyun Woo’s character - mysterious, brooding, hesitant, and how like Mi-Soo wants to like him but she’s actually secretly scared of him and is sceptical about his criminal record... and how no one has ever trusted him bcs of his criminal record... I get that, but I could only get that in the second time watching and it wasn’t fleshed out very well either. It just felt kinda premature instead of real character growth. It’s a good point to explore though, just not executed well I guess- Since the audience did not have any trust issues with Hyun Woo and was expecting an “innocent cute love story” instead.
All in all, the feeling of nostalgia was so well developed that it will probably last you for the whole two hours. You won’t feel accomplished after watching it, nor would you feel like you’ve been enlightened about some higher level knowledge about life... instead it’s kinda like revisiting an old friend, or finding a dusty photo book with photos of your past... it’s that warm feeling that will be in a little corner of your heart for awhile 💛
Was this review helpful to you?
