STORY:
The story itself was a fairly basic one (with a few twists here and there). The young and innocent daughter of a powerful sect for various reasons has to take up the responsibility that goes with her birth right. There are people who think she's incapable or think they would be better. There are those who side with her and want to help her succeed. There's the Big Bad who is the root cause of most/all of the problems that the characters go through. As fairly basic as the story was, that wasn't really my problem with the drama. Maybe it was because I didn't super binge watch it (mostly because I couldn't get invested in it enough to watch it endlessly and partially because it wasn't fully subbed when I started watching), but I found myself just coasting through watching it half the time - not really paying attention to what was going on because I wasn't that interested.
A lot of it also was probably that I didn't necessarily feel like the main leads had great chemistry together (and I love both Dilraba and Vic) so I didn't get invested in the drama because I didn't particularly care for the main romance.Nothing in the drama was particularly mind blowing or exciting. There were a few "Oh wow" moments, which thankfully they had or it'd be even less interesting, but overall I just really didn't care for this drama all that much.
ACTING:
Dilraba Dilmurat - though she's actually a favorite of mine, I'm starting to really agree that she's really only good at playing that cute, young, innocent girl character. This drama was focused on Lie Ru Ge growing up and taking over the reins of Lie Huo sect, but her character never really seemed to change for me. There was never that moment that I was like "oh snap, here's Ru Ge." Especially for her being so heavily associated with fire, her personality definitely never really moved past that young, naive girl for me.
Vic Zhou - probably one of the highlights of the drama (and being one of his returns to acting) but even so, I had mixed feelings about his character at the beginning (though I'm not sure if it was an acting choice or if it was because of how his character was written, While his playful personality was a good contrast to Zhang Bin Bin's cold personality, it just felt like a weird choice for a character who was supposed to be part of the immortal sect (and who had previously been a part of the Dark River sect). Might have just been me though.
Zhang Bin Bin - I always think Zhang Bin Bin does a good job at playing the character he's given. That being said, the actual character of Zhan Feng was definitely pretty one note the whole drama. He was just the quiet, cold "hero" type.
Overall:
I really just had very "meh" feelings about this drama. The story wasn't exciting enough to keep me intrigued and the chemistry between the actors wasn't intense enough for me to really invest myself into the drama. I wouldn't call it a bad drama, but it's a very unmemorable one for me.
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Didn't Work For Me
I didn’t like this, unfortunately. It just didn’t work for me. All it really had going for it was the great acting, some nice visuals, and solid chemistry between the leads. That’s it. The plot and story were just bad. I found myself skimming through a lot of it, to be honest.The first episode was intriguing and gave me some hope, I was actually looking forward to the next one. But it just went downhill from there. Each episode got worse plot-wise. I don’t mind men crying (actually, I like it), but I do mind the main lead going through some new trauma every single episode, over literally nothing, and then the issue just gets dropped like it never happened, just to make space for the next. It got tiring. I considered dropping this way too many times but stuck around purely for the leads.
And seriously, if your NC scene is the best scene, that’s not a good sign.
Speaking of, the way this show handled sexual assault was disgusting. It was used as a plot device and then brushed off like it was just cheating??? No. That’s not cheating — it’s rape. Whether they end up sleeping together or not doesn’t change that. And of course, like always, the predator faces zero consequences. The whole Johnny arc made me so mad I literally dropped the show when it was airing. I only came back a month later because everyone kept calling it a masterpiece. (and too many smart boom videos on my fyp)
Also, sorry but… I found Jin a bit creepy too.
So yeah, all I have to say is: the plot was TRASH.
But, credit where it’s due: the acting, especially Boom was great. The leads had really good chemistry, like they genuinely fit. The visuals and cinematography were mostly nice. Some of the outfits were nice.
And Naru was an absolute cutie. I just had to say it.
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don’t watch it if you’ve read the novel
if you’re not going to follow the original story and make so many changes then you shouldn’t have made the movie in the first place anyone who has read at least one chapter knows that this movie has insulted the original plot of this story I honestly feel bad for the author of ORV I mean what do you mean yo sangha is a healer her whole character is an assassin literally olympid is her counsellation she is like one of the top ten strongest characters and what do you mean yo joonghyuk is a side character mfWas this review helpful to you?
ACTING/CAST: They managed to make the characters seem as they should, although the supporting characters were really shallow.
MUSIC: Regular
REWATCH VALUE: 6/7
OVERALL: I liked it and the story was pretty consistent. It's a typical japanese BL and the ending is quite warming.
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Twinkle, Twinkle But Not A Gem..
The Story; Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol ( roughly translated to ‘ Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’ from Romanised Korean), tells the story of an affluent girl who is a dreadful pianist, Goo Ra- ra ( Go Ara). When her life hits rock bottom, she ends up running again into the mysteriously hardworking Lee Jae- wook (Sunwoo Joon). Together with Jae- wook and her new friends, Ra- ra might just find the answer to getting her life back on her feet through the kindness of strangers and new love.The Characters; The show offered an odd mix of characters both endearing and lacking characterisation. As our main protagonists go, Ra- Ra was mostly driven as a weeping heroine with little emotional depth. Considering Ra- Ra lost her mother, father and has gone through Hell and Back, there was so much potential for the scriptwriters to induce a level of pity or teaching her character about the realities of life. Instead, any hope for Ra- Ra to be a realistic female lead is thrown out the window in pace of her romance with Jun. Even small actions regarding Ra- Ra by the scriptwriters such as her mysterious multitude of outfits ( and not considering even in the beginning of the show to perhaps sell them to help pay for Jun), the expenses of her hospital fees and her seemingly remaining oblivious to the Doctor and Jun’s secrets, added little to her character. Moving on to our main lead, it’s fair to say that he was perhaps slightly more tolerable for audiences as he seemed to realistically carry emotional burdens upon his back as well as mysterious secrets. Sadly, rather than trying to allow Jun to face his own demons by spending time with Ra- Ra , the scriptwriters tried too hard to add obstacles within their relationship through the strange plot twist near the ending of the show. Whilst this did help for Ra- Ra and Jun to explore their relationship, it seemed just to point out that none of the characters in the show were truly grounded in reality.
Relationships between characters; Perhaps my one appraisal for the show is the Mother- Daughter bond between Jin Sook-kyeong ( Ye Ji- Won) and Jin Ha-yeong ( Shin Eun Woo) . For a show grounded in romance, there was a surprisingly familial turn upon learning that the seemingly daft and flirtatious hair stylist , Jin Sook- kyeong, got a surprising moment of characterisation through learning of her hardships and her actual affection as a single mother for her daughter. Similarly, it was equally sweet that Sook-kyeong, Ha- Yeong and Ra-Ra developed a strong bond between one another as the show progressed. I have a couple of complaints, however, about the need for Sook-kyeong and Ha- yeong to have romantic interests in the show. Whilst there’s obviously nothing wrong with either character having their own love interest, it seemed out of character at times when there could have been more focus upon the characters as individuals. For me, this was seen especially with Ha- yeong. Whilst the scriptwriters dropped the hints, the ending seemed to deny a lot of Ha- yeong’s potential to continue with a successful career.
On other notes, there were other signs of familial love within the show such as Jun and his mother ( Seo Yi Sook) and , the child prodigy, Jae- Min who develops a familial bond with our characters. On a romance level, the show was a bit of a mixed bag. Once Jun’s secrets were exposed it did put a bit of edge for viewers between their relationship, but, perhaps one of the things which didn’t entirely add up for us as viewers, was the revelation towards Ra- Ra not recognising Jun from the past. Whilst it’s natural her memory might’ve been a bit hazy, it seemed a little strange that she didn’t even mildly recognise Jun at the concert hall or at the wedding either. Naturally, there is of course the ‘ second Male lead syndrome’ of the tired Doctor Eun- Seon ( Kim Joo- Hun) . Whilst there were a couple of factors which made Eun- Seon a little more appropriate for Ra- Ra, Eun- Seon came across as a little too forceful of Ra- Ra’s privacy at times, something which struck a nerve with me. The other evident factor was that once Jun swooped in, his “ fanatic feelings” seemed to mysteriously disappear. Whilst the scriptwriters evidently didn’t want to spend hours upon Eun- Seon falling out of love, it was another case and point of bad characterisation that we didn’t get to see Eun- Seon’s reactions as a human being.
Acting; Go Ara struck me as an unusual choice to play a romantic female lead. Typically taking on more gritty or melodramatic styles such as Black and Haechi, it wasn’t that Ara was necessarily bad within playing Ra-Ra, and in fact, exposed herself as an actress by not being typecasted as the action heroine. ( An ironic reversal for most female actresses). On the other hand, to put it simply, , she just didn’t add anything new or illuminating to her role. (Admittedly, this was also the fault of the scriptwriters as well) Moving onto our Male lead, Lee Jae- Wook has really been rising to providence as a romance actor after his appraised role in Extraordinary You. Whilst I wasn’t a great fan of the show, Jae- Wook’s acting did peak my interests as a potentially good actor. It was clear to see that Jae- Wook put his heart and soul into the drama within his role as Jun, however, in a similar manner to Ara, Wook didn’t bring anything new or exciting to his take on the Male lead. (Perhaps a personal thought upon Jae- Wook is that whilst he took the role on within the popular genre of romance, he should explore outwards into different genres in order to explore his boundaries of acting).
OST/ Cinematography ; Whilst the show plays upon classical music and standard panel shots, there was a lot which could’ve been explored with the usage of music and cinematography hand in hand.
Plot thoughts; In all honesty, the actual plot of the drama isn’t terrible. What it certainly isn’t is overwhelmingly impactful, original or intriguing for audiences. The cliches have simply been seen and done before; the sanguine and dippy rich girl who learns life lessons, the hardworking Male lead , illnesses and hidden pasts as well. The biggest fault within playing upon these cliches is that the audiences rarely get to see the characters as human beings, rather than merely plot devices. As a consequence, whilst sugary sweet with a bittersweet ending, the drama was overly unrealistic and easily forgettable for the next Korean Romance Drama succeeding this one. .
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Story: I felt like this could have been longer- if there was more plot and back-story involved "Another Parting" could have definitely been a normal 16 episode drama. AP felt too short and choppy- there wasn't enough reasoning behind certain events and actions, and it felt like I was being jerked around. The overall effect was entertaining, but the whole thing gave me whiplash. The story itself was original and new, with surprising bits of comic relief thrown in.
Acting: No surprises as far as Seo In Guk was concerned- I already knew he could act. I've never seen Wang Ji Won before, but she had nice chemistry with him and carried her character well. The other characters had so little screen time they were practically nonexistent, so I don't think I need to comment there.
Music: Since this drama was less than an hour long, total, the music wasn't really a huge part of it. I can vaguely recall some ballads, but that's about all I can remember.
Rewatch Value: As of now, I don't really have much reason to, but I definitely do want to skim over it again in the future.
Overall: A bit strange and choppy, but still interesting enough. I'd recommend "Another Parting" if you have some spare time or really love the cast.
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This review may contain spoilers
Don't watch it, just read the original novel
This movie is god awful and if I could, I'd give it a 0/10 but alas, it has to be a 1/10.They changed the very core of the story AND the characters. Like, if you just wanted to make a loose adaptation of the original, then at least make it better? It's not even good as just a standalone film with cheap looking CGI and poor acting. Money was definitely spent on just getting big name actors.
They took out everything that ORV stands for. Changed SO many backgrounds of all the characters. Like Kim Dokja is not a savior. He's a suicidal calculative guy who will do this to his advantage. And then them completely changing his background just to fit their own narrative? Way to take away from who he is. He's a lover of TWSA, a fan of this book and literally survived for 13 years because of this book! It's what kept him going through life. I mean the start of the opening was already b ad so I'm not surprised it's just trash.
Anyways, don't waste your time watching this or spending your money on it. Save your money, let it go to doom so they don't even attempt a second movie.
Read the original source.
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Honestly if I had to recommend a kdrama for someone who had never watched one before, this would be it. A high budget, well-casted, well-written, exciting show that keeps you on the edge of your seat eager for more. It’s too good, too good!!
The romance was top tier. I'm aware it's been a topic of controversialness, but for me - Jung Tae Eul x Lee Gon are one of my new favourite couples. Especially the scene at the end of Ep 11. Had me on the edge of my seat!! That scene >>> any boring love scene ever made
Their dynamic was just so fun. A post to summarize (courtesy of @lavenderbyun):
Tae Eul: take your clothes off
Lee Gon: *undoes 1 button*
Tae Eul: I DIDN’T SAY STRIP YOU IGNORANT SLUT
Lmaoooo, they give me life ♡
And Lee Gon! My man. We love (1) romantic, skilled, handsome science nerd. Someone who travels across time and space for his love, asdfghjkl; A king worth stanning.
One of the highlights in the beginning? When we're in the Kingdom of Corea and people were just shocked cause no one is allowed to touch the king but he lets Tae Eul touch him HAHAHAHA
Considering his well-known 'I don’t like being touched by people', he is certainly shouting out loud here to everybody around him 'I'm crazy about this woman and I just want to touch her all the time!!!!'
I loved all the characters in this drama. Especially Jo Young & Eun Sup, their scenes were always a highlight. Woo Do Hwan has the range, give him all the awards
And his bromance with Lee Gon!! Love them sm
I will admit my brain started to hurt with all that time travel, multiple universes and that place where time doesn't flow. It is a lot to get your head around but just don't think about it too hard is my advice lol
Otherwise, this drama deserves all the praise. I could rave about it forever, please give it a shot!
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This is the worst they ruined a masterpiece
I would like to express my deep disappointment regarding the recent adaptation, which, in my opinion, does not reflect the essence of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint (ORV) at all. With all due respect to the cast whom I genuinely admire my frustration lies not with their performances, but with the way the adaptation has significantly altered the source material.
ORV is a beloved masterpiece, cherished by many readers, myself included. I first encountered this novel during my first year of high school, and now, as a college student, it continues to hold a special place in my heart. To see such a treasured story transformed beyond recognition is truly disheartening.
The extensive changes made in the adaptation stray so far from the original plot and characterizations that it no longer feels like ORV in any meaningful sense. It would have been more appropriate to present this project as a separate, original story rather than labeling it an adaptation of ORV. Calling it such does a disservice to the original work and its devoted fanbase. Watching the trailer left me feeling disillusioned and upset. This adaptation lacks the heart and integrity of the novel we came to love. I sincerely hope that future productions will treat the source material with the respect and authenticity it deserves.
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Story- Unexpectedly fascinating! Really the plot isn’t anything flashy but I still found myself glued to the screen from episode 1. The writer did such a great job of showing what it takes for a drama to be made in a way that is informative but not boring whatsoever. I will say the romance in this was quite weak. A lot of the good stuff only happens in the last 2 episodes. And even then the romance between LBS & Kim Ha Neul’s character was kind of disappointing. I mean there was no confession scene and its not definite whether they are a couple at the end. I did like that the loveliness were quite clear and everyone ended up with the right partner. The ending was satisfying.
Cast/Acting- It was perfect. The 4 main actors are veterans so I cant really say anything bad. They all had good chemistry with each other. Like the two female characters hate each other in the beginning so they made you believe they really hated each other. I liked the supporting cast they really added something to the show. I will say that the two main female characters are kind of unlikable at times but you’ll get used to it.
Music- I actually liked a lot of the songs enough to put them on my ipod to listen to every now and then.
Rewatch- I’ll watch this again but not for a few years just because it wasn’t heavy on the romance.
Overall, if you liked the writers past dramas or are a fan of any of the main actors I would definitely recommend On Air.
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An Academy Award deserving series!
This is the 4th Chinese drama that I’ve watched but it is by far the best. The professionalism and chemistry of all of the actors is hard to beat. Coming from the US, being a writer of fiction myself, I love the amazing character development. The directors and producers absolutely did a fantastic job with casting. I’m one of the few fans out there that do not view WYB and XZ or their characters as a couple though I understand that’s what the novel said. Instead, theirs is a brotherhood and bond rarely seen nowadays and brings memories of the 1940s and comrades in war (and I mean that for both the actors and their characters). The younger generations today aren’t used to this. I do wish there was better continuation within the series as many scenes were a bit out of whack. Thank you for a wonderful series Tencent that I can’t stop rewatching since mid-December! This series deserves an Oscar because it rivals many shows on TV from many countries especially here in the US. I can’t wait for Oath of Love, Legend of Fei, Doulou Continent, and every other production these young and talented young men will do. A million times thank you!Was this review helpful to you?
Left Wanting . . .
A longing that in its infancy couldn't be realized. Brimming over with desire and shame, The Time of Fever captured the curiosity, confusion, and fear that often come with the experience of young love for Queer people. Chosen isolation, violent battles waged alone in your mind, denial, hesitant steps forward before sprinting away, jealousy, and parental abuse/distance.The cinematography and sound design lent themselves to becoming the two MLs' senses, directing our attention to where their attention was. When Dong Hee picks up on Ho Tae's breathing and everything else goes quiet, when in a tension-filled moment, after allowing his gaze to linger, Ho Tae notices Dong Hee's eyes nervously flitting away from his own. The overwhelming grip of Ho Tae's hand on Dong Hee's shoulder, the taste of citrus on Dong Hee's tongue, and the scent of rain surrounding them and soaking both their clothes.
I was beckoned in and captured. Every moment was raw and real enough to make my own breath stop or send a shiver down my spine.
The only reason I considered giving this less than a 10/10 is because it sparked a longing in ME for more.
What are you doing? Go watch it!
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This review may contain spoilers
Major spoiler, read at your own risk.Gosh, I just finish this drama and I got a lot to say. I'm so angry at the writer, I mean is it really the intention to write it this way or is there some kind of accident happen in the middle of writing or maybe its somehow a mistake? Lmao, pardon my rage, I kinda have a huge expectation for this drama but they slapped me with a disappointment instead.
First of all, TOO MANY PLOT TWISTS. I love plot twist, really, I would cheer in happiness for a good plot twist whether its bad or happy ending, but this drama really take it to another level. It really feels like this writer took every plot twist exists in dramaland and crammed it in this one. The first part of the story was fine then they just decided the leads need a new life to show that a mere human act really can't bring down a couple who are match made in heaven, but that's where it all started going wrong.
I wouldn't bother to explain the actors and actresses acting, they were not great but they were not bad either. The female lead acting is pretty good, her character and her acting didn't really have the awkward moment, and especially her facial expression, I kinda impress with her though the male lead is a one dissappointing act but it's kinda acceptable, he is not one who express feeling anyway so I don't really expect great acting from him. And personally I think, there are too many unnecessary characters. Like the evil character who didn't really do his job or a good character who have bad ending or stupid plot twist in the end. So unnecessary.
And finally, TOO MANY LOOSE ENDS. Like I said, there are some characters that here before gone without any explanation just because the leads got new life. And in the end where the leads can 'finally' be together they just decided it will good for them to start where they 'actually' meet for the first time without even bothering to return their old memories, like how could Rong Zhi know about that place, why he choose to hide there and why Chuyu just decided to visit her house secretly in the end (AND WHY THE HELL THERE ARE NO ONE KNOW RONG ZHI LIVE THERE THAT'S THE PRINCESS'S HOUSE FORGODSAKE). I'm trying to make sense every weird things that happen in this drama, for example that problematic ending. Like, maybe since they're in the middle of the war, so guards wouldn't bother to protect the empty house anyway. Or why the 'caretakers' didn't know about Rong Zhi, well he is Wei's so maybe Song's people don't know about him even though Wei almost take over Song(and the fact he used to live there). But then my logic step in and yelling, WELL PRECISELY ITS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WAR, IF SONG'S HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER, SHOULDN'T THE ROYAL HOUSE THAT GOT SECURE FIRST? AND THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WAR, WHY THE HELL CHUYU WOULD RETURN TO HER HOUSE RISKING TO GET CAUGHT EITHER BY SONG'S OR WEI'S PEOPLE? lmao this drama making me crazy I'm sorry.
Not just they didn't return the leads memory, they didn't have many skinship. I mean I don't even expect any kiss, but they are the leads forgodsake, and they are married AND they love each other. If they want to show an innocent love, they should've execute it better than this. I just couldn't feel their innocent love. All I can feel is their love life are so wasted I wish they just never meet again after they forget each other and live their own life.
Good thing about this drama? Maybe OST? I like the opening and the ending songs. When I watch drama I usually skipped the opening and ending, but I actually enjoy the songs that I stopped ff-ing to watch the ending and the opening just to hear the songs.
Rewatch? Not a rewatch material, but if someday I miss them, I'll probably just watch their cute moments together and end with it.
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