A flawed drama that somehow stole my heart
I don't know why, but I ended up loving this drama despite all its flaws.It definitely had a lot of issues. Around episode 6, it started to get boring, but it got better later on i guess.
I think the characterization could've been much better and deeper. Sometimes the drama would show little details about a character's life, then suddenly move on to the main story and never bring those details up again. Because of that, sometimes i didn't understand why the characters felt or acted the way they did.
It also felt like the drama couldn't decide whether it wanted to be episodic or tell one continuous story. That made the pacing feel a bit off at times.
The acting was really good, but I feel like the characters weren't fully developed. It wasn't the actors' fault—it just felt like they weren't given enough to work with, so some characters still felt a little incomplete.
What made me enjoy this drama wasn't the writing. It was the cast, the relaxing vibe, the OSTs, and the character growth.
The character growth was easy to notice, and I liked that. I just wish it had happened a little earlier. The middle episodes spent too much time on side plots, which made the story drag.
Overall, I'll remember this as the kind of drama I watched when I wasn't in the mood for anything heavy. It was comforting, easy to watch, and somehow managed to make me feel better despite all its flaws.
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Great cast and storyline
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This review may contain spoilers
Strong Start that Petered Out in the Middle But Came Swinging for the Fences at the End
Wanted something cybercrime-CSI-ish and this seemed to fit the bill. Didn't know anyone in the cast save for actor who played ZY and Xu Lu a bit from previous series. Had a strong beginning that petered out in the middle only to come out swinging for the fences in the final 3 episodes. Definitely needs a season 2 with the same cast to properly finish the cliffhanger.Pros: Probably the first drama ever that I will say had a really catchy opening theme that I didn't fast forward before I get into favorite character and other things. It made you actually anticipate what you were going to watch even when that failed to deliver. Favorite character was the ML or QH; man had the patience of a saint and his straight path towards justice and finding out who wronged his best friend and Godmother were beyond admirable. Next favorite character was Ms. Lin the lawyer; even though she didn't know until pretty much the end that her boyfriend was a class A douchebag, she never changed her morality or ethics towards her partners or friends.
Though I liked CM in the very beginning and once he got on board with QH, his whole arc with MT was very unnecessary. The two ladies who worked in QH's office were alright additions and out of the villains, the only ones that made any real sense were MPC and LB, though the latter needs season 2 to figure out. Had some semblance of comedy here and there and meaningful moments of care between the protagonists.
Cons: This plot took a nosedive in the middle and became very boring and confusing. The MT/CM arc (shoving a relationship into somewhere it didn't belong) just like the MT/General arc were unnecessary and very confusing. We assume it was the General who scammed Godmother in the beginning though there's no real confirmation or admission of that. ZY also an alright character; great in the beginning but then was dumbed down into an arrogant and dumb kid who spilled personal information to complete strangers online. None of it made any sense given the industry he worked in and the responsibility placed on his shoulders. He regrew his brains towards the end.
For seasoned hackers, they couldn't pick up on pretty obvious things and it just slowed the entire show down. When they "killed" the General off, he should have stayed dead. Bringing him back just to give the running of the bulls ending some semblance of action after a lackadaisical middle that was constantly seeing QH getting nailed by one villain after another by pretty much brain dead problems, was honestly laughable. Instead, in the last episode the General nearly beats QH and CM to death and then is just nonchalantly arrested. And still the LB plot was not exposed so the reasoning is that there will be a season 2? Writer and director must have gotten drunk together.
Would I recommend it? I'm not sure to be honest. TJC did a great job as QH, so much so that I want to see him in other, better things. So if you're a fan of his, maybe you'll like this too. The beginning and end were the strongest even with the open-ended cliffhanger finale, the middle could have been totally cut and you probably wouldn't have missed much. So decide for yourselves.
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Cute!
Watched on iqiyi under the title "How Dare You?!"This was a cute one! Even though it was a short drama, the characters were 3 dimensional, the plot was interesting, and it was a lot of fun to watch. The new drama has finished filming and looks even better. I can't wait!
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One of the Best Thai Lakorns
Having watched quite many Thai lakorns, I got to say this is one the best Thai drama's I have watched. The acting of the cast- main leads & support cast were all amazing, story is interesting , good editing (I have noticed some Thai drama's the editing is sloppy) & it was well executed. The male lead's character was really non toxic, kind, loyal & dreamy.- he's really hot - I don't know why I haven't noticed him earlier - after this drama's I have become a fan of the male & female lead. It was a happy ending for the main leads, but the death of brother was quite sad. There is great chemistry between the leads & the height difference between them was cute.Was this review helpful to you?
I hated this drama, Vin Zhang is the only good actor in this drama that why I sticked to the end
I like Esther Yu acting better in Moonlight than in this drama. The character she played in this drama was annoying, and the nasal voice didn’t help much. The storyline is so stupid and ridiculous. The drama could have been better if it was 20-24 episodes; instead, it dragged to 30+ episodes. It was too painful to watch, and I hated Esther Yu's character in this drama.In addition, the script is bad, and the 2nd CP for more screen time than the main CP. 2nd CP's acting is horrible, especially the 2nd ML. Overall, I am disgusted at this drama. It was a waste of my time.
I am giving it a 4.0 rating.
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An Interwoven Tragic Tale with Majestic Scenery
I think this is the first drama ever where what first attracted me was the gorgeous scenery. I knew both leads could hold their own in a wuxia and I was prepared for an SE; which was done so skillfully and artfully. This was an interwoven tragic tale with a majestic backdrop.Pros: Wherever they filmed other than Hengdian was absolutely stunning. I'm a photographer by hobby and though not a fan of the cold, that scenery was too beautiful to resist honestly. First time probably ever that that was the thing I spoke of when starting off a review. Also I wanted to point out how well they wrote and created the SE and not just for the leads but other characters as well. The near constant tragedies like of siblings reuniting after unknowingly living in the same location and hating one another for over 20 years only for one to be killed minutes later. Or of an entire family to be slaughtered just because a son in law said the wrong things at the wrong time and it was found out only years later. Our leads love story was more spiritual than obvious; it was never spoken but their bond was almost telepathic as each time HZB would be near death, something would fall over near XZY or the wind would blow harder.
Even if the prescription was fake, it saved 3 lives for at least 8 years and everyone was in some way, shape, or form intertwined; be it through blood or other ties and at the end though the closeness of the miss of ML and FL was almost painful, we knew it had to happen. Doctrine leader was by far one of the most sadistic antagonists I've seen in a while, killing whole communities and destroying, framing people just to steal gifted kids who then were raised to be as savage as beasts while unable to get away from him in a Stockholm Syndrome type of manner especially for MF/YM; as he himself said "unknowingly, I took the enemy as my father and ignored my sister's suffering." Only when MS revealed the truth did he truly understand what a monster he protected. Losing his sister seconds later and then ZY was almost more than he could take. After knowing all or most of their stories, you could forgive 3 of the assassins creed people because they were harmed, used, lied to almost their entire lives. As ZY said, "the only one to blame is the player" or the one who uses others as swords for his own monstrous deeds.
ZY was truly a hero here; even though it took the three of them to take the nearly immortal doctrine leader down; she had her cold disease, plus the king of all poisons already in her system from saving her brother and yet she still repeatedly fought until that thing was dead.
Other great characters included all of the brothers of the sect except 6th brother, MJ/Tong, the valley girls and granny, the other valley chief and the MVPs being the snow harrier and horse of HZB lol. The utter emotions of everyone especially HZB at the end when he realized ZY was dead was heartbreaking but powerful. Joseph did very well in all of his scenes; from the great fight ones to the total emotional breakdown at the end. The story itself was a bit repetitive (find medicine, fight, nearly die, get healed, repeat) but it was meant to bring their subtle but strong love story to life. Also the subtlety of them not being meant to be together in several scenes like missing the northern lights by seconds or the breaking of the hairpin in the snow, these were such great touches. As well as at the end HZB sharing the wine meant for the two of them with MJ and YM as they honored her in their own ways before her tomb; HZB being the lover calling her "Ziye", MJ the brother saying "sister Ye" and YM she being his redemption "Chief Xue." I'm actually totally ok with YM becoming the new chief of the valley instead of SH because it's something he can do well plus he's got an internal power he can use.
The ending was also done very artfully with HZB as an old man coming to ZY's tomb every year and drinking with her while the rest of time he's bringing justice to the world. MJ becoming a monk and YM the new chief was the hope for the story. Though with great loses and lifetime parting, the sun still rises and we must keep our loved one's memories alive through good deeds; I think that's what the story was trying to convey overall.
OSTs, costumes, were all pretty awesome.
Cons: I know that there wouldn't have been an original story if the Junior sister hadn't essentially created the problem by breast feeding her son when he was in isolation and specifically off limits. It's like going into a hospital room when you've been told by the doctor that it's life threatening and doing something irreversible. I wish there had been another way to go about that because she never really acknowledged that what set all of these things in motion was her own negligence. She said it once and it was never brought up again. Meanwhile, HZB is out there risking his life for them. I don't blame ZY for the fake prescription as she really didn't know one way or the other because it gave them all 8 years of extra life and experience.
Also the 6th brother was very much like his wife; arrogant and selfish. He volunteered to go undercover but that only added to his jealousy. That storyline was very weak. And I think it was the weakest arc of the entire thing plus the ending because you have 7 brothers racing to eliminate the threat while it's pretty much already been eliminated by ZY, YM, and MS. They don't know this and as Tong said, 6th brother should thank Sword Sect for giving him a few more hours to live because had Tong not known 6th brother had betrayed them and he was planning on trapping them, he would have killed him before. And of course this was also done to let the leads miss each other one final time. I think I would have just done it a bit smoother without such a burgeoning arc and let down.
Plus the Snow Harrier, couldn't locate either people that he was so good at doing for receiving messages so that was inconsistent. I also wish we knew at the end how much time had passed between HZB saying he didn't want to be chief to returning to the valley and drinking the wine because though he was wearing the same outfit; YM was already chief of the valley with vast medical skills which he couldn't have acquired in less than a year. So that was a plot hole. A few others were obviously deleted scenes where HZB found medicine and than was returning with it but we never saw what happened in between.
Would I recommend it? Yes, I would very much. Even if you don't like SE's, they're the most memorable if done right. The acting, storytelling, and again scenery is very worth it.
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One of the best verticals
This drama lacks these common vertical drama traits:* a stupid/ unrealistic plot
* a weak walk all over you FL and controlling ML
* the use of date rape drugs /
* slaps (lots of slaps)
* domestic violence that is condoned by the family
* endless misunderstandings caused by a lack of trust and/or communication
* terrible acting.
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Anthology is a freaking love story that we might dream of but will never happen in our damn life. One was a surprisingly good actor and his voice was just.... hawt
He is already in his middle 20s but he went on well with being a student and I loved it.
The chemistry between the two main characters were something I don't even have to mention (Duh man duh
The only thing that annoyed me (SPOILER ALERT)
should have shown a little grown up of him at the end... It was such an open ending...... UGH
anyways for a romance lover I watched this about 5 times? and Im still not sick of it. RECOMMENDEDDDD
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I love the fact that it's not about the main characters but it's about love, and for each episode there's a new couple.
The main characters manage anyway to grow somehow, but through their very peculiar work.
This drama also doesn't lack humor, which I always enjoy!
Just try to watch it, I'm sure you'll love it!
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Yet when those dreadful expectations of mine were ultimately dashed, it still surprised me. What I had just encountered was somehow much better than initially imagined. You see, I had the impression Top Star would be a seedy melodrama or, at best, one of those dank and miserable discourses on the evils of celebrity. This film could be described instead as a character study and human drama: the bittersweet tale of two flawed men and their wildly unbalanced friendship. If you like western film, you might compare this one to The Talented Mr. Ripley with Matt Damon and Jude Law (or other adaptations of the same). Instances of deja vu were undeniable.
Most impressive about the execution of Top Star must be the fact it was not at all over the top. Its characters are very human and dark in the way people sometimes are, especially the privileged or overly ambitious among us. They have both good points and bad, but the things they do are not outside the realms of reality. Of course, fame does play a role in events depicted in the film; however, it is neither deified nor demonized. Rather, celebrity is measured by the quality of the person wielding it—and the choices they make, while possessing it.
Two men share the screen in Top Star: Kim Min Joon and Uhm Tae Woong. Between the two, despite being a fan of the latter, the former captivated me most. Min Joon looks the part of an A-Lister, switching between masks of charm and thoughtlessness without difficulty. He can be warm or hateful, desolate or bright, all with surprising depth. Uhm Tae Woong isn’t called “Uhm-force” for nothing, though; he stood on equal footing with his co-star. I’m a little used to his goody-two-shoes image from dramas, but in film he seems to spread his wings a little more. The Tae Shik character was “nobody” reaching toward the stars, but I believed him completely…even if it was strange to see this “top star” playing such a role. Great chemistry between the two, with an okay check-in by So Yi Hyun as the less developed Mi Na.
Top Star has such a lovely soundtrack; I enjoyed how well its various tracks were interspersed between stretches of silence. Many interesting cinematographic sequences stood out in no small part to the accompanying auditory cues. Some viewers may like the rendition of “You Were Always on My Mind” and its off-vocal insertion a little less. However, as time rolls along and one takes the lyrics out of context, the usage suddenly makes sense. I liked its unique orchestration anyway; it may not be the original, but it’s still pretty nice.
Please note the crisp and pretty cinematography as a whole. Everything looked gorgeous and glitzy, from the surroundings to the main cast. There are a couple cameos near the beginning, too: who can you spot?
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Story: Unpredictable like you won’t believe. Sure there’s cliché situations that may turn people off but dramas in general are a cliché. As long as you accept the things that happen then you will be able to enjoy it. My favorite thing about the story was the laughs. There were a ton of funny scenes and it was cool how they were sometimes used to offset the more dramatic scenes. One major thing I wish the writers focused more on was the lovelines. I’m all for switching lovelines but there has to be a point after halfway but well before the ending where the love lines are clear so the viewer can connect and understand why that happened. What I'm getting at is by the end you still have no idea who ends up with who until the last 5 minutes, which I felt made the ending feel rushed and sort of a letdown in a way. Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy with the way things turned out, its just the HOW I would have liked to seen. The story also could have benefited with a shorter episode count to make it less frustrating.
Acting/Cast: I had no idea who any of the actors were at first. But I was pleasantly surprised that the 4 main leads could actually act! Not only that, the 4 main leads all had chemistry, which made the switching of the loveliness very believable. I did think the two female actresses were stronger actingwise than the men. The supporting cast was a bit weaker and a lot of overacting (to be expected in T dramas) but I came to appreciate their characters.
Music: So another surprise is the fact I liked the OST. I just found it fit perfectly for this series and they played a lot of the same songs so they became memorable that I wanted to download it to my ipod.
Rewatch: I would like to watch this again for all the funny scenes and when I want to come back to these characters, but not for a few years just because it really does feel like a long drama.
Overall, you can really tell Love Forward tried to separate itself from other romcoms but there was plenty that could have been done better. Still, I found it one of the more enjoyable Taiwanese watches.
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An entertaining experience from beginning to end
In the beginning episodes I almost dropped because I thought it was childish, but putting that aside this was definitely worth every second. The pacing was amazing, the characters were enjoyable, and they didn't waste time or bore me with too much filler. While the romance wasn't the main focus, I was entertained enough just by the amazing friendship of the main trio and the mysteries surrounding their families and friends. Not to mention everyone had chemistry with each other, no ships were totally meritless.Story: A group of friends go on a long adventure to discover the truth about their families and about themselves, finding love along the way.
As I said before, romance was not the main focus but instead individualism, plot, and friendship. Most of the romance only started near the end, so don’t expect tons of kiss scenes or romantic moments. That's not saying there wasn't romance, the main couple is definitely one of my favorites now. My biggest problem with the plot was that Lingsha was always getting harmed in the beginning, I didn’t find that fair with her character development. I also wish they focused a little more on Zi Ying’s backstory. It felt rushed and incomplete compared to the other main characters, although he also had less screen time than them in general. Lastly, China is definitely stepping up its game when it comes to cinematography and aesthetics. I was very impressed by the CGI and quality overall.
Acting/cast: I wasn’t too impressed with Chen Zhe Yuan in Hidden Love but this drama shed a new light on his acting for me. While this was my first Jing Yi drama, I am excited for her and She Yuan’s future works, all the hate was definitely uncalled for. The acting might not have been top tier, yet it wasn't unbearable and you get used to the playfulness of it after a couple episodes. For the most part I felt emotionally connected to everyone and that definitely makes me a little biased when it comes to the acting and everything else.
Other Pros:
- The Mystery aspect of the drama was entertaining and it was fun to watch the trio figure things out even if it was just filler from the main plot. Filler is not bad when used in the right way and Sword and Fairy did not disappoint. I loved watching everything piece together like a puzzle, almost everything had a purpose.
- The Ending. I was worried since there was a lot to wrap up in the last couple episodes, but they managed to do it nicely. The last episode was like a whole movie.
Others Cons:
- The story slowed down when they got to the sect, especially after the story was moving so quickly. I think they could have cut some things out and extended others.
- There were a couple things that were hard to follow when it comes to the story, mostly involving the stuff that happened in the past. That might be my fault for not being able to wrap my head around it although they could have simplified a couple things.
That being said, it was/is worth the watch. I usually cannot stay focused when watching longer dramas (I.e. most Chinese dramas) so if you're like that too, this was fast-paced enough that you won't get bored.
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Firstly, I was very much skeptical to watch this movie since it kind of felt like it would be a real let-down, but because I adore a good zombie film and the trailer seemed a bit promising, I gave it a try. Honestly, the beginning of the movie is pretty weird and gotta say, quite awkward. It could be just me, but it was pretty awkward at first. But later on, things started to become better and I was able to enjoy it more than I imagined! I had 0 expectations for this movie, but it turnt out to be pretty good and quite a refreshing film with the comedy and it's been pretty long since I've watched a zombie film.
The story was very unique for a zombie movie, in fact. Most zombie movies would revolve around a certain group of people amidst an apocalypse and how they survive it, but the story of this movie is different and special. I guess the story makes this movie most charming.
The actors were great and they all played their characters reallly well. I knew they were good actors, so I wasn't expecting bad acting whatsoever.
There's not much of a music in it, but there is a song which suited the movie a lot.
I don't rewatch movies unless I really LOVED it. I enjoyed this one a lot, but I definitely didn't love it to the point that I would rewatch it. But probably, I would rewatch some years later or so when I completely forget what happened in it XD
In conclusion of this long and boring review, I recommend you to watch it! It's refreshing, unique, funny and would be great if you're bored and you're looking for something to spend your time! :)
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Something refreshing about this latest entry into the action genre must be its noticeable lack of shoot outs and martial arts. Our hero is no "Superman," lacking in most offensive skills; while his talents in escape are second to none, the limits of his body still check him. Jumping through glass storefronts is impossible for him, as is walking away unscathed from falls and hits. The damage steadily accumulates as the movie goes on.
Despite few surprises or shocking developments in the conflict, we're gifted with something unlooked for: a touching father-son relationship. This provides much welcome character development, adding another layer to the entire experience. Genuine humor also colors the script, with several laugh-out-loud moments strewn throughout.
Shin Ha Kyun slips right into the role of Cha Jong Woo, adopting his immature and crude persona seamlessly. Even his physical frame suits the character, as a former con-artist with a need for lithe and smooth movement. On another note (one that speaks to his dedication as an actor), Shin suffered rib fractures which he worked through for some time -- even continuing to do stunts. In the role of his son, we have Lee Min Ho. His Cha Gi Hyuk often served as straight man to slapstick or the foil to the flawed parent he must tolerate. Both of them took on more emotional scenes as well, performing believably apart and brilliantly together.
Fans of Special Affairs Team Ten (and its sequel) will instantly recognize Kim Sang Ho, still portraying a cop. His character seems tailor made for comedy as were his scenes; when paired with the actor playing Chief of Police, they were golden.
Many action films adopt simple soundtracks and Running Man continues the trend. At times, one might only hear natural sounds paired with silence; at others, suitable themes for mystery and brisk action. There are no songs here to add to playlists, but nothing to detract from enjoyment of the film either.
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