A Bit of A Mess
STORY:If you’re looking for a series with an intricate, thoughtful, developed plot line, then you might want to skip this as I don’t think it’ll be your cup of tea. However, if you don’t mind a bit of nonsense, silliness, and fluffiness, then I think you’ll find The Best Twins enjoyable. I’m on the fence about this one, finding it funny and endearing at times but frustratingly stupid at other times. Some would argue that the point of the show is that it makes fun of stereotypes, fantasies, and fetishes, and that the writers don’t intend that this be some deep masterpiece. I totally get that. It’s pretty obvious from the first episode that the writers aren’t taking themselves or this show too seriously. But it doesn’t change the fact that the series is poorly written and virtually lacking in plot. There’s a way to provide smart, satirical commentary, but The Best Twins does not do that.
More specifics: First, the writing could have been tighter. A lot of the scenes contained nonsense that dragged on without really advancing the story, as if the writers wanted to include silliness just for the sake of being silly (which I found tiring). Second, lot of the humor is very obvious and slapstick, and I prefer more subtle, clever humor. Finally, I found the endless playing of sound effects whenever something was funny a bit grating. However, I know that all of these are techniques often used in comedies (which aren’t my favorite genre to begin with), so these may not be as huge of an issue to you as they are to me—I do think it’ll come down to preference.
Humor aside, I also didn't like that so many side characters were introduced, but for what purpose? They were given virtually no story arc at all—and anything that was there was incredibly shallow. Moreover, some storylines seemed to be dropped after just a few episodes. As a huge a huge fan and proponent of Chekhov’s Gun, I found these things frustrating and a waste of time and material.
ACTORS/CHARACTERS:
The actors were kind of hit or miss. The ones who really saved this drama for me—and the ONLY reason I continued watching—were Mild and Pak (acting as Pond). I’d only every seen Mild in What the Duck, where he played an adorably awkward minor role, so I wasn’t too sure what to expect from him going into this. I fell in love with him almost immediately. His character is so sweet and endearing, so easy to empathize with him as he yearned for Pond. Also, the chemistry between him and Pak was so good—they made my heart melt in every little scene together. They get a 100 out of 10 from me. Seriously, their dynamic is one of the best I’ve seen in Thai BL, and I’ve definitely found a new ship.
As for the other characters—shallow, two-dimensional, stock like. Their roles and story lines weren’t given enough time to develop, so I didn’t really care about them at all. They were just there for filler I guess.
OVERALL:
I know this will come down to personal preference, but overall I don’t think I’d recommend The Best Twins. Without a doubt Mild and Pak (and their amazing chemistry) were the ONLY saving grace for me; without them, I probably would have dropped this drama. There were parts that made ma laugh and parts that made me go “aww” but I just don’t think it can hold a candle next to some other Thai BLs out there (and yes, this is taking into consideration the fact that it’s a comedy).
Was this review helpful to you?
Kang Ji Hwan, I now have a totally worship of his acting ability. Sure, I had liked him in various movies and have watched a couple of dramas that were watchable but in this he totally shined as a consummate actor! He showed us joy, laughter, happiness, and even sadness very effectively! He is truly a comic genius.
Hwang Jung Eum, I was already in love with her and my love affair will just continue! Her portrayal as Jae In was hysterical! I enjoyed watching her transform from the unsure of herself daughter of a powerful woman to a woman willing to do anything to save her man.
I could list all of the cast at this point to espouse about their great acting but let's just say, the right actors were picked and they did their jobs!! Everyone was great!
Overall, if you have not watched this, you must!!
Was this review helpful to you?
Take a interesting character give his amnesia then make him with most boring persona. Voila!
I waited for this one... for a long time, ever since iqiyi released that special, and when it came out, I watched the first episodes, I thought it was worth it. Even though it starts with pretty much shitty CGI the overall look, story, pace, characters, acting... acting in acting was very good in the start.I was fully enjoying both the historical-modern parts, the traditions between then almost perfect.. and of course Jeremy's antiques, reasonable characters, budding romance, their interactions, chemistry, relationship dynamics everything was going so well, I was immersed and impressed just till it went boom to bluff.
Somewhat reasonable characters become unreasonable, chemistry almost non-existing, bombarding of cliches and annoying characters (I mean who likes bitchy sfl thrown in the mess in the middle of the drama who's supposed fashion designer with horrible fashion sense).. and the story eventually turned up boring and draggy... it could easily become 24 episodes drama than stretching it to 30 episodes.
As I was aware of amnesia having a large chunk of drama from the synopsis but was disappointed as MLs original persona came as much more interesting than his amnestic persona who was very typical 2-d character almost bland for my taste, Ming Wei's character isn't much of fun either that's why their pair was one of the most boring things that's why their tons of cute moments weren't heart-fluttering to me... and I mean if I can't even feel the main cp what's the point of the whole thing.
Though the acting in acting part was well done... but damn two prominent actors in the industry falling for the newbie female lead in her debut drama while starring with her isn't a bit.. or a lot lacking professionalism lol but then course FL should be the most beautiful and interesting person in the world as everyone ends up liking her. I adore the second couple... they were cute with a kinda typical but interesting and entertaining buildup.
I like Jeremy.. especially after the autumn ballad, he has his charm, his unique expression, and the eccentricity he adds to the character he plays.. but sometimes he outdid himself to the extent that it felt like overacting with repetition of the same expressions again and again, but excluding that overall, it was a good performance. But I missed his voice... production team did dirty by dubbing him. Zhou Jie Qiong did better than I expected but then Ming Wei wasn't a very complex character to play.
The production quality is very good, the sets, styling/costumes, and cinematography are well done, I liked the osts too not brilliant but pleasing.
It's well-produced but poorly executed... it had a lot of potential but lost due to repetitiveness... first episodes are good but don't raise expectations based on just that coz you'll end up getting disappointed as me. But if you like female lead getting treatment as princess throughout with many shinning armors saving her grace this it for you.
Was this review helpful to you?
Also , for the record, it's been a while since I've seen this drama.
Anyway.
I was prepared to like this drama. I really, honestly was. But for me it missed the mark - by several miles .
First off, Yang Xue Wu is the biggest Mary Sue I’ve seen in drama (any drama) so far. She has absolutely zero flaws and needs constant rescuing from Lan Ling Wang. For all her skill with fireworks and healing she can’t even save herself ? Sorry if I find that to be a little unbelievable. No, scratch that. It’s totally unbelievable .
The costume design was amazing , but that's unfortunately the only redeeming thing for me. Special effects were rarely well-executed, instead looking obviously out of place in this historical fantasy setting.
Pretty much every other female character was either eeeeeeeevil or disappeared quickly, save for Yuwen Yong's niece who I didn't really see a whole lot. The other female characters only served to enhance Xue Wu's already ridiculous Mary Sue - ness.
I hope by now you know I absolutely hate Mary Sue type characters.I know it's never the fault of the actresses playing them, but just lazy writing. Really, what is so difficult about writing a complex main character who actually has to work for what they want?
The ending theme was repeated way too much throughout pretty much every episode . Sometimes it's just fine to let a dramatic moment speak for itself but no, every single one of them is "emphasised" by repeating the theme over and over again.
What I hated the most was that everything seemed to revolve around the idea of 'Xue Wu gets in trouble , Lan Ling Wang rescues her' . The rest of the plot is secondary to that .
Lastly, what's up with that ending ? After 46 episodes you just want to have a happily ever after for the main characters , but clearly the writer(s) had other ideas.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I Liked this drama. A journey to a happy ending (explained)
A revenge plot with a single inside man.The drama narrates the story of Prince Jing He (MRJH) whose army was killed alongside 100.000 civilians in the Qinzhou Great arson. In order to take revenge, MRJH decides to train the female assassin, Mei Lin (ML). She will be tasked of the killing of MRJH.
For the readers, who wanted to watch the re-enactement of the novel : bad news. The drama diverges completely from the novel. MRJH does not rape Mei Lin and all the questionnable actions he did in the book wasn't included in the drama. In my opinion, this is a good thing because, this way MRJH is redeemable and can be loved by the viewers and acces a happy ending.
The pros :
- The violent encounter of 2 strong leads:
I liked that the story started with Prince Jing as an anti-hero paired with a strong female assassin. The first 3 episodes were breath taking. And that sadomasochistic scene in the pool was the climax of this encounter.
Because behind all the stabbing and the stranggeling, I could see Prince Jing's attraction for Mei Lin and her relentlessness.
The acting is that good, that LXY and WJY was able to convey two emotions at the same time; wrath and attraction.
- The character development psychologically believable :
I was even more seduced by the drama when I witnessed Prince Jing's development.
From a cold and frightening "master of shadow works " who had to supress his emotions to survive killing attempts.
He is now, slowly openning up his heart to love thanks to Mei Lin.
Love blooms without him knowing it. And that's marvellous and poetic.
From the moment the hidden message of his mother freed him from resentment. He started to open up his heart to love. And this is beautiful.
- The forshadowing of the happy ending during the all show :
I believe in an happy ending. The undying flower is a very important element of the plot. It is showcased in the opening credit several times. More than a symbol of resilience and strength. The leads talk about their next life all the time. More than that, MRJH and ML almost died several times during the show. This was done to prepare the viewers to see their next life via reincarnation. Now that we know that. It is not difficult to see that the last scenes of the drama, tell the viewers that they were reborn and meet again in a different time and space.
- The beautiful visuals :
The aesthetics of the show, it is just gorgeous. The colours, costumes, make-up. Everything is beautiful.
- Great acting and directing :
LXY (MRJH) and WJY (ML) are giving us such great performances. That those characters are alive thanks to their talents. The rest of the cast is great too. And the camera moves are very good.
BWJ (Prince YQ) was excellent. He managed to portray this cunning and tormented character amazingly. The audience either hated him or pitied him.
BC (Crown Prince MRXL) was excellent, at times I couldn't stand the sight of him. So brilliant.
- Flavor of a BL couple Su Muo and Yin Que:
YQ and Su Muo : One of the few times YQ was really patient and loving. I heard some people saying that they had the vibe of a BL couple. I did felt the kindness of each of them toward the other. I felt the genuine love and admiration Su Muo has for YQ. But, Su Muo still lost his life to make sure the love story of his master could leave the dream stage to become a reality. This couple has no status and no real "lovers" feelings. A marriage would be impossible. But the sweetness of their interaction lingers.
- The duality :
There is a duality between : what is seen as the truth on the surface, and what really happens behind closed doors.
MRJH has multiple personalities : "The playboy", "The Master of Shadow Works", and the mischievous MRJH.
All of these personalities are regarded as dark and hard to deal with. Whereas his quest is virteous and he acts for the greater good.
Prince YQ on the contrary is a dignified heir of Xiyan state, best friend of the emperor and benevolent before every one. Whereas, he colludes with CP Murong XuanLie and tries the frame MRJH from the multiple murder of 10 Xiyan beauties.
- Fighting scenes :
Mei Lin is such a badass. All her fighting scenes were amazing. I only regret not seeing more of Luo Mei's martial arts skills during the drama. Generally speaking all the battle was great. They even add CGI sometimes, and that's for the best.
- Yin Que, more of an antagonist than a Second Male Lead :
Yin Que was always cunning and he lied when is vowed to give to Mei Lin the freedom of choice. I spotted his dark personality from the very beginning and I was waiting for him to show his true colours.
He is not an average SML with an unrequited love for the FL.
He is cunning and evil. Moreover, Mei Lin doesn't even have a clue of his obsession for her. He is more of a powerful antagonist to me, who does all is misdeeds without anyone knowing it.
- The symbolism and foreshadowing of a married life :
This is role playing time at Jeinbei: MRJH is a lustful playboy and Mei Lin is a lethal "femme fatal".
In this white troubled water pool, after Mei Lin, (very seductress) told Prince Jing that she just wanted him.
The latter pierced her throat with her own hairpin. The same hairpin she wanted to use to assassinate him. Suddenly a drop of blood fell in the water.
Like the virginal blood falls on the « proof of virginity » on the wedding night.
We had there a hint (through this symbol) of the marriage between the two.
MRJH's hint is delicious :
« Bleeding should be on the wedding night in ZhaoJing »
This foreshadowing of their wedding amazed me :)
- Mei Lin Must not die, a promise to her moribund father :
While exfiltrating her from the fire, her father tells « Live, You must live well! »
This represent a promise done to her dying father and we know how important are moribund's last wish for the ones they left behind.
This is why Mei Lin kept repeating it. She respected her dying father's last wish. "She must live".
The con :
- The unfair death of Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie :
His death was too peaceful. CP was a criminal against humanity with more than 100.000 casualties. This is not fair that he died drinking wedding wine with Luo Mei, his wife-to-be. It is even annoying. Easthetically the scene is beautiful, but how annoying it is.
I was so pissed. But like in real life. People with higher mobility don't face the same justice *sigh*
And unfotunately, this is cast-iron truth.
Thinking about it, I think that, this is the message the writers wanted to convey.
- The disgusting romance between the Old Emperor and the Teenaged Consort Yan :
I know that it is historically accurate but I don't want to see it. They at least avoided the kisses and the two were never together in the same frame with longing glares at each other. I am thankful for that. At least they spared us.
- The destruction of a great Female General Luo Mei:
I was first amazed by the righteousness and the strength of Luo Mei. And I had high hopes for her character to bloom in this drama. Unfortunately, even if I understood that beeing rejected by the love of her life demolished her spirit. I was disappointed when I saw her willingly surrender to the so-called love of the main antagonist, the Crown Prince Murong XuanLie. It was almost inconsistent. How could she, out of the blue, fall so deeply in love with that murderer. Mystery o_O
- Not enough sexual tension :
I would have liked the sexual tension and the push and pull to last more that 3 episodes. Although I loved the chemistry of the Leads. The great sadomasochistic start fell short on that aspect. And that's unfortunate.
- Side stories :
The side stories are almost non existing. Too bad, this would add to the quality of the plot. Big guy could have had a story of his own. I would have liked to see his romance.
The ending :
On Episode 1 we saw that, as soon as Mei Lin appears asleeped and her father saves her, she wears the same outfit she wore in the happy ending sequence. We also see the Weibei army and Qingzhoun in fire.
Wich means that it is really their story that begins again in the ending of the show.
The drama ends with a happy ending. After all the hints about rebirth in the credit song, the allusion to their next life during the conversations of MRJH and ML. We see the Lead Couple together when snow starts to fall. And we know that the "Momai Poison" in them can be cured by the ''Snow dragon whisker seed" that blooms only in the snow. Now the snow is falling and the two of them are alive. We did not see anybody dying. This tells me that, they might have send people to harvest the Dragon Flower and cure themself.
Then jump in time. The color palette is yellow-ish. This indicates another reality. MRJH and ML are younger. There is no war in Qingzhou. They meet in a happy time when they are younger. And those who died in the previous paralell world are alive in this world.
This is the next life MRJH and ML spoke about so many time during the drama. They meet and fall in love on the spot. This is the happy ending.
Then the drama announces "The End"
Then jump to 15 years after that snowfall. MRJH is alone. And we understand that ML has died during this period. We don't know when. MRJH dies looking at the red fruit tree and dropping her hair pin. The color palette is blue-ish.
The maid servant refers to Mei Lin calling her the Empress. It means that Mei Lin survived at least 5 years until MRJH's coronation as Emperor. She was crowned Empress and received the decree while she was alive, because the only title that can be bestowed posthumously is the title of Dowager. So Mei Lin was alive at the Emperor's coronation. She might have died during MRJH's reign between 5 years to 15 years after the first snow. Consequently they lived a married life after their marriage for at least 5 years being Prince and Princess and then they became Emperor and Empress.
I have the impression they gave viewer a happy ending followed by a bittersweet/ kind of happy ending to please everybody. So there is 2 endings.
Overall :
I really liked this drama. I was moved by the endearing relationship of the Leads.
From the violence of a dark encounter to the beauty of love after healing from the past. Moreover, the drama is very satisfaying visually. I recommend this drama if you understand the concept of past life and you want to follow the epic love story of this couple to there next life, this drama is for you.
PS : I know that some viewers felt discouraged by the lack of sadomasochistic and gore scenes in this drama.
But, let's just be honest. Do you really think a S+ drama would feature : BDSM, gore and the sadistic MRJH's actions like the novel did? .... Really
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Music, Friendship, and Second Chances
Rearrange has been such a pleasant surprise. The band can actually sing, and the best part is there are no over-the-top comedy or cringe moments. Although it’s set in high school, the writing carries a maturity that makes it stand out. I especially love how the story shifts between the younger Win and Nut, and then jumps 27 years later to show the older Win, who regrets never confessing his love earlier. It’s another time travel story, but one that I’m genuinely enjoying every minute of.The series also makes you think: what would you do if you had the chance to go back 27 years to when you were 17? The cast, acting, and plot are excellent so far, and the attention to detail in the “back in time” scenes is remarkable, from the old cars to the heritage houses.
By episode 8, we finally got the long-awaited first kiss, and it was worth the wait. Win climbing the ladder into Nut’s room mirrored an earlier scene, but this time it carried new weight because Nut already had feelings for him. Their kiss was sweet, natural, and full of charm, easily the highlight of the series so far.
That said, I do have two complaints. First, the build-up to their romance felt rushed. For most of the series, there were just small hints, then suddenly Nut liked Win. With Nut also spending time with Lin, it almost felt like I missed an episode. A bit more focus on their one-on-one moments would have made the progression smoother.
My second complaint is with Win himself. If I had the chance for my 44-year-old self to go back and meet my 17-year-old self, there are so many things I’d want to change. That could make for such a powerful plot. But in this series, Win doesn’t do much with his second chance. History simply repeats itself. He briefly admitted his feelings to Nut, but then brushed them aside as if they meant nothing. For twenty years he regretted not confessing, yet when fate gave him a chance to change everything, he still didn’t take it. It makes you wonder, what’s the point?
Overall I really enjoyed this series. It’s super cute and I liked it even more than High School Musical. Everyone got the happy ending they deserved, and it left me smiling.
I love both Nut and Win and wish the story gave them more time together to build their chemistry. The show has everything: school life, music, friendship, and family conflicts. I just wish Win made bolder choices, especially given the title Rearrange. Still, it’s a beautifully made series.
Rating: 9/10
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Not Perfect But It'll Have A Special Place in Your Heart!
I genuinely enjoyed this show. It's not perfect and it may not be the best drama you'll ever watch but it'll have a special place in your heart. Cinematography was well done. Filming locations were beautiful. There are some things that are different from the other versions of Meteor Garden and that makes it really exciting because it keeps you guessing what was changed in this version. The story is still the good old Meteor Garden tale that we all loved. As someone who grew up watching Asian dramas, this particular story (Meteor Garden, Boys Over Flowers, Hana Yori Dango) is a classic and timeless tale. It's always fun to watch the modern remakes of this story and I'm glad this one didn't disappoint me. Everything cliche in an Asian drama is in this drama lol but I mean, it IS Meteor Garden, so it's expected. This story is basically the foundation of all Asian drama cliches lmao. But it's always so refreshing to go back to this story again in a different setting & with a different cast. If you truly want to enjoy this show, I highly recommend NOT to compare it with the other versions and nitpick on the inexplainable and ridiculous things that happen in this show. Just take it lightheartedly and you'll be able to truly enjoy it. It has 50 episodes (49 on Netflix idk why lol) but it never felt like it was a task for me to finish it because it was so much fun to watch (besides the side story that dragged on for too long *cough cough*). Just don't have extremely high expectations or else... that'll ruin it for you. Other than that, it's really enjoyable to watch. There is a lot of comedy, romance, and it shows the value of friendship and family.ACTING
Acting was just okay, nothing too spectacular. Most of the cast members are new to acting so I wasn't surprised that they were somewhat lacking. It didn't bother or annoy me, though, because the characters were still very likable and cute. It's so fascinating how much Dylan Wang suits playing as Dao Ming Si. I'm so glad he was chosen to play as DMS because I honestly can't imagine anyone else playing it. Dao Ming Si is such a difficult character to pull off, so I give props to Dylan for doing a great job, despite this being his first drama ever. Out of the 5 main characters (F4 & Shan Cai), only Shen Yue and Darren Chen had some experience acting in dramas prior to Meteor Garden. Shen Yue is an excellent actress (became a fan of her during her previous drama!) but for some reason, her acting here felt a bit unnatural sometimes? But she is amazing in dramatic scenes. Her tears fall down so quickly and she makes me wanna cry too ;___; I liked all the F4 members but my fav was Darren Chen/Kuan Hong. I fell in love with him while watching this show. His smile and dimple is to die for!
MUSIC
I LOOOOOOVEEEE THE OST OF THIS DRAMA. I love how they included old songs from the original Meteor Garden. It brought back a lot of memories of my childhood so I was really pleased to hear them again. They included old songs like Qing Fei De Yi by Harlem Yu, Liu Xing Yu by the original F4, and the new version of Ni Yao De Ai, which was still sung by Penny Tai. The songs that the 2018 F4 sang were lowkey cheesy lol but they're really catchy and I found myself listening to them a lot! Honestly, most of F4 can't really sing besides Caesar Wu (Ximen) lol but they're super cute so it's okay hahahaha. There are two English songs that was played throughout the show: Say Something by A Great Big World, which really set the mood, and Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake), which really ruined MY mood bc it's such a terrible song lol.
OVERALL, this wasn't such a bad show at all. I would wait for the new episodes every week and had so much fun watching it. It kind of became my stress reliever since I enjoyed it so much. A lot of my friends enjoyed it as much as I did too.
So now... the final verdict: SHOULD YOU WATCH IT? YES. Absolutely. Go for it. It's funny. It's cute. It's romantic. It's dramatic. F4 members are eye candies. What else could you ask for in a drama? I highly recommend it. Like I said before, it may not be the best drama you'll ever watch, but it'll have a special place in your heart. PLUS, it's on Netflix so it should be easy to watch for a lot of people!
(don't read past this if you don't wanna get spoiled lol but I just wanted to share my personal thoughts)
SPOILERS/MY THOUGHTS
- Shancai and Dao Ming Si's relationship is bipolar and cyclic af lol the same shit kept happening over and over again, just with some minor changes lol BUT THAT DIDN'T KEEP ME FROM LOVING THEM. THEY ARE WAY TOO CUTE.
- JING AND LEI'S STORY OMG idk why but it had so much impact on me in this version. Darren and Sun Yi Han are so shippable! Til the end of the show, I still kept waiting for Jing to come back to Lei so that he wouldn't be alone... at least in this version... ;____;
- Xiao You and Ximen deserved so much more screen time ;___; I'm literally craving for more of them ;___; they're so adorable
- Cai Na and Terrence, a.k.a, the most irrelevant characters and have contributed NOTHING to the show, had so much screen time, I almost went insane. SAVE YOUR SOUL AND SKIP THEIR SCENES.
- the last ep was a big wtf lol but it's weirdly NOT disappointing?? lmao
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Decent with the typical clichés
The story was simple, but only the hunt for the "store" left a lot to be desired. It's not really clear what the hunt was for... Otherwise it was a more light-weighted series with some serious undertones and some silly clichés...Chemistry and acting was more than decent and it was quite fun to watch, but nothing earthshattering. I have not much more to say because it did not leave that much of an impression. It's a decent show, but nothing more. So if you like something to turn your brain off, this will fit nicely.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I so long looking for story line where male lead has secret and pretend to be (just like in healer,city hunter, Fall in love with me, Are you human too..) .Drama has romance mystery , future technologies, has everything.
Male lead is so hot and with female lead are so cute.
I like he pretend to be neighbor and holo so funny and cute (when he straight his hair i dyieng of laught¨)
I like Gong Nan Do more than holo and Iam so happy because female lead choose him and love him from episode 3( even though she thought she loved holo)
Story has amazing watch it
(sorry for my english)
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I watched the anime, but I didn't read the manga, so here is my review:Story: 9
The story is really good, and people who watched the anime will not be disappointed. The ending (no spoilers) is a little different than the one in the anime, but still worth it. It's a story with good characters, and a envolving plot. I don't give it a 10 because there are some minor plot holes, but nothing that will affect the main story.
Cast: 8
Some of them were really good, and some didn't convince me. But it's still watchable.
Music: 10
The music is really good, it suited well with the series.
Rewatch Value: 10
Yeah, I would definitely watch it again.
I also want to say the photography and sceneries are amazing. They did a really good job! It's a good J-drama, it has been some time that I watched one so good.
Was this review helpful to you?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Let me start by saying that I liked the show. I never felt the need to fast-forward or even had to force myself to continue it (which has been happing with quite a number of shows, especially towards the second half).
Having said that, The Lies Within was simply "okay". The plot and execution were nothing extraordinary, but it's also way above average. The plot and characters were consistent, the leads were likable and the problems they faced were resolved in a believable and logical way.
This is one of the few shows which didn't weaken as we crossed into the second half and, even better, the writers provided a satisfying, well-thought-out ending.
Perhaps the biggest issue was the show's length. The plot had enough meat for a movie or an 8 episode drama (at most). Which, of course, means that characters took too long to make connections or find things, which slowed down the pace.
On that note, I'd like to give fair warning that this is a slow show, leaning more on the investigation and less into the action. So you'll need to be in the right mood to enjoy it. If you're tired and trying to watch late at night, you might just fall asleep to some episodes.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Good
--------------------------------------------------------------
I think the ML and FL did a great job with what they were given. They felt like real people caught in a sticky situation but rising to the challenge regardless. They were both likable and had a strong moral compass, which made their team effort feel organic. However, it's precisely that sense of normality that results in the development of characters which we might not remember a few months from now.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Okay
--------------------------------------------------------------
The support characters were okay. It took me quite a number of episodes to warm up to the female detective (the ML's sidekick) because, as one reviewer pointed out, she was incredibly immature and treated as the butt of a joke.
It would've been less jarring had there been another female detective in the team (or even in the department!), but there wasn't. So that part took some getting used to. By the end, though, I had grown to like her. Mostly because she showed that she could get serious and had an actual purpose outside of providing comic relief.
Still, I would've liked to have seen more female characters being integrated, since there were really only two involved in the plot.
OVERALL: Recommended as a one-time watch
--------------------------------------------------------------
This isn't a unique or particularly strong drama, but it's a good watch nonetheless. There are aspects of the plots that are certainly memorable. Not to mention that the plot is well-thought-out, explained properly and the ending fits perfectly. The shifts in tone, few as they were, were also well-executed and the art direction was spot-on.
The only real flaw is the length of the show. Had it been shorter, the quicker pace would've made for a more dynamic show. And not drawing out certain parts of the investigation might've kept it from being predictable.
All in all, this is a good watch for crime lovers.
Was this review helpful to you?
The ending so many room for imagination that leaves me dreaming for more happy moments for these two.
The main character, Gong Min (played by Jing Bo Ran) is such a Dreamboat that i for sure would like to change this drama title to "My Dreamy Man From Another Century". He is such a great lover that i hope they show a little bit longer in the ending. The acting by the actress is a bit mediocre but its okay as long as the lead and the supporting actors are good. I cant help to have a crush on Han Yu Fei and Wang Mang eventhough i extremely love Gong Min. Huhu.
And lastly, almost all the scenes that have moments between Gong Min and Xiang Xiang is so sweet and i really love it. I can rewatch this drama again (as i already rewatch QIHM for 3 times already) just for their moments. Hey, i even cried when they broke up. Lol.
Was this review helpful to you?
Rollercoaster that started off strong and finished meh
This series shouldn't be tagged as romance as the majority of the story lacks any sort of romance, it should be tagged with "slight romance". Instead the genre should be mystery and drama. The first 19 episodes is quite good, keeps you at the edge of your seat but then 2 to 3 filler episodes show up which feel forced and sudden just to let the FL make some allies and pull some strings. This could have been implemented earlier. After that the script suffered quite a bit with so many coincidences and things just magically getting fixed jut at the right moment. After episode 19 you suddenly feel like you're watching a makjang things become over dramatic, FL's personality wavers, etc. But at least it had a happy ending (though I'd say the ending was a bit weird because some ppl that weren't supposed to be there were there, I understand its a sentimental/artistic choice but still felt weird)What I loved about this:
-Hanyan's mother's acting. *standing ovation* it was superb! You really hate her in the beginning but she slowly grows on you and for a lot of ppl you might end up loving her
-The leads were actually rivals/enemies of sorts and they didn't back down and trust each other for a while. I like slow burns like that because their union feels stronger than anything else.
-Both leads were somewhat morally grey, leaning towards white. I feel like ML wasn't even that grey, he just kept secrets. But FL did some scheming and was ruthless at times which I quite liked
-all bad guys got what was coming to them.
-Happy ending yeyyyy!
-cute babyyyyyy
What I disliked:
-Hanyan's father's acting. omg! just see it and you'll know
-This series is all about girl power actually and I love that but! the forced fed feminism in some scenes... I'm a feminist and they really put me off and ruined my immersion, the message was great its just the way that it was handled I think was terrible and not at all something that fits in a Historical fiction. Yes, its fiction, but if you set a rule for your fictional world you should stand by it and not break it only for a few characters/when its convenient.
-the rollercoaster of a script it had. like it was great one second and super cheap and cheesy the next (especially in the last couple of episodes)
-the FL's personality is this: Kind but willing to do anything for her loved ones (who are very few) and to survive herself. At least that what it was set as from the very beginning throughout most of the series. BUT... around the 3rd quarter her personality shifts back and forth and it feels like a different character each time. I understand ppl have complex emotions and they don't act the same way all the time but for fictional characters they need to have a very very plausible reason for a sudden change and her reasons didn't convince me enough.
Overall, I do recommend you watching this, but don't be expecting way too much. Its great when you underestimate it and don't try to think too much about how X happened when Y.
Was this review helpful to you?
My first Historizal cdrama.....
This was my first historical cdrama and I absolutely loved everything about it.Both the leads had such great chemistry with each other that it's no wonder many are "shipping" them to be together IRL.
I loved how the story wasn't riddled with too many complicated political issues. More often than not, dramas like these, (be it Kdrama or cdrama), have too many characters and wrought with intrigues. Sometimes it's too hard for me to follow. It doesn't help that these robed characters almost always look alike. LOL
And just because I adored the ML, I will try to watch his other dramas because I simply cannot get enough of his screen presence :)
Was this review helpful to you?
Recent Discussions
-
Funny Names Explained - Wang Cuihua and Zhang SAN10 minutes ago -
Role Reversal (RR) Drama Lovers Club20 minutes ago -
BL Drama Lovers Club23 minutes ago -
Last NON Asian Movie you watched? #232 minutes ago -
What was the last ASIAN movie you watched?34 minutes ago
