A rare gem
Fast paced opening.Amazing character intros, both mains and supporting casts alike.
Good editing and camera language.
Intelligent characters that are actually smart, not fake smart.
This is rare in China produced drama.
Luo Yunxi must be commended for very believable fight and action scenes. Very clean and elegant execution. Kudos to the action choreographer as well.
Would like to add that most drama's first episode tends to infodump a bunch of faces that blur into a mass of look-a-likes. Not this one. Every character is unique, given time to show their personalities and roles, and only from the the first episode.
I watched it for Luo Yunxi, but I would probably explore more of the director, cinematographer, and action choreographer's other works as well.
The script is uneven, feels bipolar, like half was written by a pro, and the other half by a complete idiot. The main arc are sweet or painful or both. But it's refreshing to see a mature and steady couple that do not 'forget and abandon their goals' the minute they breakup or run into love-conflicts. People with jobs are still working despite the events in their personal life. Well, except the sister/doctor arc, which is the usual silly romance drivel kind of drama.
Love the use of bio-chemistry in the conversations, e.g. QJN on love, and life, and birthday wishes. Seriously, this is how science and tech people talk among themselves.
Love the friendship between the two sisters.
The last few episodes were kind of forced and with questionable logic. I think it was trying to tie back to the original novel, but no longer fit the earlier changes in the adaptation.
What would have made it better:
Many deleted scenes that could have explained the history and background better, and to allow the audience to understand the relationships and ties between ML and supporting characters, why he did what he did.
Cut out all the noisy back and forth hospital drama of unprofessional doctors not working and just gossiping and seriously, the doctor guy should have been charged with sexual harassment with his behaviour.
Should have more thrilling actions similar to what we had in 1st episode. And more showcase of ZXS's broker skills. The boy was supposed to be a genius. Why did he become so passive?
Unexpected bonux: Mo Li's actress is really good. Only reason QJX and MoLi's scenes work. Because QJX's acting is cringey.
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I am Team Yumi because let us all choose ourselves
The drama continues from the previous season with a new ML- Babi (GOT7's Jinyoung) who was introduced in the previous season. The conflict of choice between Woong (ML from Season 1) and Babi really keeps you on the edge. You absolutely cannot predict who Yumi is going to end up with because both are equal rivals with their own strengths and flaws. As a viewer, I was torn between the two and both Jinyoung and Ahn Bo Hyun played their roles to perfection. Although, Yumi as a character has her own flaws, Kim Go Eun's portrayal of Yumi was sublime. The drama is filled with fluffy moments, funny situations and excellent chemistry.The story is interesting because of the cell village which is yet again, adorable. I really like that there were some aspects in grey area and left to the viewer to decide. Online forums are a testament to this which kept buzzing with speculations, observations and stans. The side characters make a bigger impact than previous season but yet again, cells take the center stage which works for the show. The show has it's moments of laughter, wholesomeness of being in love and the vulnerabilities that relationships bring to the table. It is also about Yumi's journey of taking a chance and finding herself in the process. Irrespective of whether she ends up with Woong or Babi, her choosing herself is what I always wanted. To some extent, that was fulfilled.
The production quality is excellent, the OST is delightful. I am truly waiting for another season and I will lose my mind if there is not a season 3 because there is enough material and sufficient potential.
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A little fantasy time-travel story
So this is how it went… it's a little movie of just 28 minutes. Nothing special or amazing here. But this isn't bad either…… Wasn't expecting much as it's so short and then it's not appreciated so much by others too… started watching it with no expectations and it just went medium like that… I loved the twist in middle. Was not expecting something like that would happen at all. I bet no one else could guess that too lol… I had a slight confusion in the beginning with a dialogue and I thought that's just a small error. But who expected it's actually well planned…This is good in terms of the time-travel theme cause so far at least I haven't seen a concept like that. Ending could have been better maybe (or what I was wishing for lol). Some people may not get this kind of ending tbh. So, it ended little confusingly… a thing that I can't help but notice was that girl's hand in the ending scene. Her hand was so red. Was it because she was nervous in acting or they made it look like that intentionally…
This story could be expanded I guess. This could form the base story for a long 2 hour movie. Maybe there's something like that already. No idea about that…
To conclude ~ Not bad. Give it a try if you're bored or in a mood for a small high school short film… Also, it's available in YouTube already with English Subtitles…
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This review may contain spoilers
A historical, emotional journey
This isn't my first time watching this drama and probably won't be my last simply for the acting of Zhou Xun and Wallace Huo. Don't get me wrong, the supporting cast is outstanding but the two main leads embody their characters; it's like watching the real emperor and empress alive in an unfolding story.The hardest part of this drama is to observe the cruelty of a king and husband in middle age. He goes from youthful hope to bored tolerance and it is Wallace Huo's very nuanced portrayal that leads to a viewer understanding the heart of a king. In mid life, he rebels against the idea of not being allowed a choice of behavior. The empress calls him out on his callous indifference to a privileged life and the ensuing clash of dialogue is one I could watch daily. Masterfully written, directed and acted, it is a true to life scene between an exhausted wife and bored husband with the concluding split resulting in a husband and ruler slowly facing his flaws.
As a female viewer, it's hard for me to watch the history of harems. To love your husband and observe his pleasure with another woman is something I cannot imagine but, the history was real (pretty much in all cultures) and the emotional damage is displayed. This drama takes an unflinching approach in writing to their family dynamic and I would recommend it for anyone wishing to see a palace drama. It truly is a masterpiece.
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i loved the acting. my oppa, kang Ji hwang is an amazing actor and played both the nasty looking and suave looking sides very well. The supporting actors did very well, Yuri was convincing. The story concept was realistic, however the details were not. In most stories Ji Hwangs character would have been fired before the halfway point but as the main character in the story, he could do what he wanted.
It is a comedy and it makes you laugh, but be prepared to watch some slapstick because thats what it comes down to. although there are poor jokes, penis innuendos, and other tom foolery, runway cop is chuck full of man eye candy (with their shirts off!!) so watch just for that.
As a Ji Hwang fan this is a must see! seeing him in a fat suit with great fat makeup made me love him even more. I squealed the whole movie and at the end got a bloody nose. no matter how poor the storyline was it was a worthwhile watch for me and i will probably rewatch the end a few times.
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The titular Sakura is played by Takahata Mitsuki in a rigorously disciplined and idiosyncratic performance which is similar in some ways to that of her Sachiko in Boukyaku no Sachiko, but here the script takes her character much more seriously, and she is allowed to go much deeper. I am no expert in neurological classifications, but Sakura appears to be autistic, rarely smiling and unrelentingly honest for which the large construction firm which hires her repeatedly punishes with demotions and transfers.
The episodes themselves are highly structured. Each tells a story in Sakura's corporate life from ten successive years told by her co-worker friends to her while she is in a coma in 2019. Through repeated encounters and motifs in each episode we learn about how she became their friends and the positive impact she has had on their lives.
The series is unquestionably good through episode 9 where the episodic structure is intentionally broken, and there is a very interesting tension well into episode 10 of whether the show can actually stick the landing without betraying the spirit of its characters. Surprisingly, it does so. A bit unrealistically and conveniently, perhaps, but the show does remain true to Sakura's character while providing a satisfying, if a bit pat, ending to the series.
In the end, the series makes a fairly clear case that the company would be better were it more open to Sakura's way of seeing the world. The story talks about corporate power and intention, and provides an interesting though probably simplistic view of what the source of that power and intention should be. Sakura comes to her company with a dream of building structures with her friends that will make the world a better place, and ends with her having helped those friends define their own dreams. They become more Sakura-like, and she becomes more empowered by their increased authenticity.
It's worth checking out.
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Happy ever after
After watching Episode 35 of The Sleepless Princess I was on tenterhooks waiting for the epilogue. Thankfully it was a happy ending. It’s 31 minutes duration with first half of ML, FL , their son Xue Meng ( 盟 meaning Oath) and XC . It was 4 years after Dongshi released the poisonous smoke. The second half was for the rest of the second leads and their happy ending. The second half could have been shorter, I prefer to watch ML and FL. I enjoyed the main theme song Sleep ( opening scene in the carriage)sung by ZYC and HYX.Was this review helpful to you?
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This review may contain spoilers
Strong murder plot that is hampered by terrible pacing and lackluster acting.
It's your typical manga turned Jdrama adaptation. Hire actors where specs trump acting capability. What starts off strong as a murder revenge plot quickly turns sour due to terrible pacing. It was actually good in the first half, especially around episode 4 or 5 or so, but then becomes mediocre due to a shoehorned love triangle and a pregnancy. It's supposed to be romance but there was no chemistry at all between the leads. The female lead was marginally better than her male lead who wears a poker face the whole time. I felt nothing when they broke up. On the one hand, it was supposed to be a murder mystery but on the hand, it was a bad soap opera. The ending was at least ok. I ended up caring more for Tsubaki's mom than his whole relationship with Nao.The gist of drama is Hanaoka Nao goes undercover under a false alias and a fake marriage contract with her childhood crush Takatsuki Tsubaki at the Kogetsuan, the place where her mother last worked. Her mom was wrongly accused of a crime she didn't commit. Nao wants to undercover what really happened to the late heir to Kogetsuan and why and how he was killed and ultimately salvage her mother's name. From there, the pacing just falls apart. On paper, the plot sounds great.
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I am aware that this is a remake of a Korean drama and the production team did not have the liberty to change the plot as they please. I usually only watch remakes of Kdramas that I loved but I made an exemption for this one. I don't have a comparison with the original story line in this review.The storyline is not novel but I am a sucker for older woman-younger man romances (noona romance!). It did not have so much plot to offer compared to other noona romances that dealt with external factors of the relationship. It was more focused on how Najai would accept her feelings for Tofu. A bonus though is that I have unexpectedly liked Rachanu and her baby daddy. They looked so cute together. I wish we got to see more of that relationship too. Kan and Kiss shouldn't be back together. I was so happy she returned that necklace to dump him but I was wrong.
I wished they could've cut the chase about Najai's feelings and gave us more cute scenes with our leads and we see how their relationship progressed. It felt like they pushed everything on the last episode. But I still loved the slow-paced tone of the drama though. No major highs and lows. The opening score in every episode fits the show perfectly. It lowkey feels like a warm cup of coffee on a rainy day.
New always have had great chemistry with his co-stars. He and Pancake are good actors but they kinda lacked that burning chemistry I was expecting. This does not have so much fluff so if you're looking for something like that then this is not the drama for you.
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A few thing that I cannot stand in drama
1. long misunderstandings - misunderstandings were resolved fairly
2. fake kisses - the kisses in this drama were steamy! :-)
3. female leads acting all shy and coy - not a problem in this drama
I loved that the male lead was an emotional person. His love language was definitely touch. This drama gave you a glimpse into fan girls, which I found extremely interesting.
If you like steamy kisses; hot male lead that can add; minimal understandings then this drama is for you. If you do not like those things..umm keep it pushing and move on to the next drama.
Happy watching!! :-)
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not as good as its predecessor
I really, really wanted to like this series. I loved the first one and I thought sure, surely, the writing for this one will be just as good.Sadly, I was wrong.
And it was the writing that let it down. All the acting was on point. The entire cast knocked it out of the park, so to speak, even if the script they had to work with was dodgy. The music was beautiful, the editing good and the story itself, if it had been translated into the script better, would've worked.
The plot involved Shi De and Shu Yi meeting again after five years. After unexpectedly having to stay in the U.S. for two years, rather than two months, Shi De comes back and runs into Yi's father, who has confiscated Yi's phone. He tells De, in less subtle terms, that he's not good enough for Yi, which brings back a whole lot of insecurities that De already had about their relationship and he agrees to stay away from Yi for five years.
Three years after that, De is running the successful Hua Cing Technology company on behalf of this mother, when who should walk in the door to oversee the company's merger with Cheng Yi Group?
What follows is the rekindling of Shu Yi and Shi De's relationship along with some incidental corporate espionage thrown in to make it all more dramatic.
My main problem with this series is the writing. I don't know what Lin Pei Yu was thinking with this. I was confused so many times about when scenes took place in the timeline. Non-linear storytelling is fine, but it needs to be clear and concise and this was neither. Scenes were just thrown in and we were just supposed to, what? Intuit that they were set in the past?
Also, whilst in a visual medium you always want to try and show rather than tell, you have to actually show things so people understand them. I don't want to just make assumptions - I want it to be clear that I'm making the *right* assumptions. And I shouldn't have to go on social media to find out what the writer is trying to show. I shouldn't have to reference other media to understand the one I'm watching.
Why did Shu Yi suddenly forgive Shi De between one episode and the next? Why did Pei Shou Yi go from (apparently??) rejecting to accepting Yu Zhen Xuan in the space of about five minutes? Come to that, why is Pei Shou Yi running a bar instead of being a Doctor? Did I miss the explanation for that?
Was that blonde woman actually Ashley? I assume so. Is Ashley Shi De's stepsister? Is she the nanny? My assumption is stepsister. Why throw in that special episode and answer no questions about it? Because Shu Yi has decided that he trusts Shi De (apparently out of nowhere) that means we, the audience, don't get to know?
Tell me how I did with my assumptions, show. Tell me!
A smaller, yet as important problem, is also the casual ableism that runs through this series. Yu Zhen Yuan has real feelings for Pei Shou Yi, but they are dismissed as him being "crazy" because Shou Yi thinks Zhen Yuan suffers from filial imprinting, paranoia (which we see no signs of) , Aspergers, mild depression and prone to autotomy (which apparently means Zhen Yuan is prone to cutting his own limbs off.)
Pei Shou Yi makes all these diagnoses despite the fact that he wasn't a psychologist and hasn't been an actual medical doctor in years.
It's like the writer just went for an out-of-date DSM and randomly picked things she thought would make the character as woobie as possible.
And, even assuming that all these diagnoses are correct, that still wouldn't mean Zhen Yuan's feelings for Shou Yi aren't real. To claim so is ableist and wrong.
Pei Shou Yi himself says he suffers from an affective disorder (but never specifies which one) but if he suddenly declared he had feelings for Zhen Yuan, nobody would call him crazy.
A third series was teased, and I'd like to see Bing Wei and Zhe Yu's wedding, because that proposal scene was lovely and they're the most sensible couple on this show.
I can't give this as high a rating as 'No. 1 For You', but I still rate this highly and I did enjoy most of it. It is fairly re-watchable and I give this my sincere recommendation.
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I would say that it's not an overly original drama but that it doesn't feel cliched in a bad way.
Now, there are characters you don't even need to watch. I fully admit that once I got to episode 6 or so, I just started fast forwarding straight past the rich mother/father pair (who were meant to be humorous but all of their scenes were either the father cheating on his wife, or the wife screeching about something), the douchebag and mistress pair, and even sometimes the evil witch and his cronies. It's the kind of drama where seeing those scenes at triple speed and not reading every single subtitle is fine because there's nothing you can't figure out when Ton and Vana are next on screen anyway.
The special effects were about what you'd expect. I've definitely seen worse.
I would rewatch this but just Ton and Vana's scenes, just to watch them stare into each others eyes and look beautiful. Those actors had chemistry, I hope I can see both of them in more dramas to come. It helps that they're both very attractive.
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Over the top camp (cheese, what ever you want to call it) story involving love for your crappy home town even though everyone else thinks that place is the pits. Great Cast, great shout out to huge names in Japanese entertainment From Chiba and Saitama. I love a movie that doesn't take itself seriously and is made out of love and fun.
Make sure to watch then end credits and song lyrics.
This review will self destruct in 5 seconds. ; )
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