Reviews

sapphic slice of life

I often mourn the fact that lesbian series don't have the financial backing to make longer productions and that feeling just multiplied several folds after watching this drama.

Tucked away in some unknown corner of South Korea is a small bar which openly welcomes lesbians; it's proprietress, a lesbian herself, welcomes all with the iteration “welcome to the lesbian bar.”

In these five short episodes averaging six minutes we get a look into four stories of love stories in different stages. The lives of closeted lesbians intersect in surprising ways.

Apart from this we learn how the conservative society of Seoul has affected these women who are simply searching for a way to protect their love. The lesbian bar becomes a cosy nook for them. And despite everything, these women find happiness.

While these are admittedly not cohesive stories, and they left me wanting for more more m o r e,,, but it's a nice way to spend half an hour, especially if your motto is like mine: seeing happy lesbians makes me happy!

And a plus for the butch representation, like thank you!

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A hidden gem!

This drama hits all the right notes. Folks who trivialize saying 'this is Moneyball version of K-drama' are grossly downplaying the depth of this show. There is so much happening in each episode. The first episode instantly sets-up an intriguing plot and every episode unravels something interesting or tackles a deep rooted issue.

Although its set against a Sports (Baseball) backdrop it isn't simply a Sports story. Please don't turn away thinking its a Sports drama. Infact there is hardly any on-field action through its 16 episodes length. It focuses more on the management side of the team and the problems that pop-up after years of under-performance. Along the way you may even pick up few useful tips on topics such as negotiation, presentation skills and general management.

What I loved:
- Great storyline (unusual and unlike anything I have seen before)
- Fantastic acting (Namkoong Min is a Korean treasure, however he was aptly supported by Eun-bin Park and others)
- Good explanation of important Baseball stats (on Viki) and not dumping lot of numbers on our face (easy to follow for a novice like me)

It's a pity so few people have watched this drama. It deserves much more recognition and love.

Go Dreams!

P.S. There is no romance in this drama. Just so you know ;)
It also won the Baeksang Arts Awards for Best Drama for the year 2020.

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Why is it that the Thai bls with potential end up being short?

Cute, ordinary, uncomplicated. Nothing significant is happening but it's still kind of refreshing in a way. I think I just like the simplicity it came with. The guy playing as Smart is adorable and his eyelids comes together when he smiles just like Jimin.😅

Two things tho, number 1 - I found it weird that Peach was asking Smart who the song was for. Like dude come on, who did he eat, play and grow up with? You guys literally grew up together, did the "neighbor" thing not ring a bell? Or was he pretending not to know?

Secondly, what was that ending? It didn't even feel like an open ending, did they figure out they have feelings for each other? The show literally just ended 🤦

Overall, I don't regret watching this. It's a lot better than Coffee Melody so yeah it is not that bad.

PS : Why is it that the Thai BLS with potential are always the ones that are short? Tsk tsk....

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A fun drama with romance, comedy and a heart.

This is an entertaining drama with romance, comedy and heart-touching moments. The story as well as the chemistry between Zhang Han and Zhao Li Ying get better and better as the story moves along, there is good character development, and it has enough romantic/swoon-worthy scenes to make you root for the main couple. There were some characters that caused conflicts for the main couple, but they're not over-the-top, and there were no drawn-out misunderstandings. It has a solid supporting cast, such as Shan Shan’s best friend and cousin, and Feng Teng’s family and close circle. One thing this drama has plenty of, is Shan Shan’s internal monologue. While these internal conversations were often humorous, sometimes it became too much that I wanted her to just say her thoughts out loud.

There were a few plot lines that didn't seem realistic or seemed exaggerated, but the overall flow and storyline were well-executed. The ending is nicely wrapped up for everyone, and my only complaint is the last scene, which seemed to have been filmed at the same time as an earlier scene in the drama (Shan Shan's clothes in the last scene were different from the previous scene, but both scenes were supposed to happen on the same night), thus taking some points away from the overall impact. The OST is good, and my favorite is the opening theme song, “Wind’s Promise”, sung by Zhang Han. As a whole, this drama is an enjoyable watch for me.

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I came across this movie because I was bored. I was not in the mood for something boring.
As soon as this movie began, it had my attention.
It's a pretty basic plot that if it were any other movie it'd probably be boring. But this movie had me laughing and going OMG! because of all the antics and trouble that Sophie would get into.
It was so entertaining! I was only 20 min into the movie when I texted my cousin to tell her to watch it.
And then out of nowhere, there's a twist on the basic plot.
It was refreshing.
The characters were amazing. I wish we could've seen more of her friends or even some other supporting characters because they were such rich characters with a lot of potential.
But this is Sophie's Revenge and therefore it revolves around her revenge.
All in all it was a cute, fun, entertaining movie. I'm so glad I stumbled across it. If I could find it, I would totally purchase it.

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Its About Rose…

I watched this because I always like Crystal Liu YiFei’s acting, very natural and down to earth. Every role she takes, she is always able to represent her character well, furthermore this show has a few good MLs.

The story…of Huang Yi Mei (a.k.a yellow rose).
This is based on a novel and although some small parts of the story is modified to better fit in drama expression but the storyline, characterization and ending is true to the original novel.
Thought also shared this:
Yellow roses symbolize friendship and joy. Often represent feelings that are associated with relatiinships such as warmth, delight, gladness, caring, and affection. These blooms were once used to communicate jealousy, during the Victorian era.
We followed the life of Huang YiMei Rose, our FL, a young vibrant, talented, but still naive, and yet knew very well how to use her valuable beauty assets to trap bees (men).
First infatuation on poor Rose, was by her internship boss (her brother’s friend) who is already engaged and planned to marry a long term girlfriend. He fell head over heels, one-sided love, thinking that Rose will reciprocate his love. He became a scumbag to loser, who broke off his marriage, lost his job and yet he pursued Rose. She openly rejected him, humiliated him and also gave a strong advice to his fiancé. Although many viewers felt he is dislikable because of his betrayal to his fiancé, but I felt he couldn’t help himself, as he is like a fly attracted to lights and willing to die for it. In the story his life destroyed and has to go back to his hometown to start over but he claims he could never forget Rose, a rather self delusional love.

Rose actual love line began with these three other guys that cross paths in Rose’s Journey of life.
Rose first love, Eric, self-centred, narcissistic, self-confident and successful. Their relationship was fiery, intense, passionate and impulsive but ended quickly as he will never prioritize love over his own goals. Through him, Rose was truly hurt but she learnt the important of self-respect and who she wants to be.
Then came along the convenient second guy, Fang Xie Wen. Most hated by viewers because of his character flaws and terrible mother, played by Lin Geng Xin, he did such a great job that many hate him. When he chased Rose, he was self sacrificing and persuasive, not even sure Rose love him but she was at this phase of her life looking for stability. So he proposed and she marries. But not realizing her husband
is the most narrow-minded man, holds a male chauvinistic view with strong insecurity and tends to put a fake front. When Rose marries, she was in a phase of looking for stability, I always doubted that she loves him wholeheartedly but she marries him, thinking it was the right thing to do. Subsequently, Rose became like ‘a frozen rose’, preserved or kept alive in a glass’ without natural sun and breath of live. Rose tried to be a good housewife and mother, that’s where she started to discover her husband’s flaws, his selfishness, insecurity kept her trapped. A struggle that many women fear to do, she made a courageous decision to divorce and fight for her daughter’s custody.
Finally, she met the third guy, played by the actor Wallace, in the show, he is her soulmate, most similar and aligned to Rose’s personality.
But it’s also the saddest part of the story and the peak as well as a turning point of her change and growth. I shall not provide too much spoiler but we all knew it ended because the guy has a terminal illness but their love is the most profound, intimate, an strong emotional connection which every women would long to have.
Although the story ended with possibility of a last younger guy that came into her life, we don’t know as Rose wouldn’t need love to live her life to the fullest.
Our Rose has learnt acceptance of life and letting go.
She develops her true potential in her career and becomes a successful person, living a carefree life and embracing the present moment.
There is also a side touching story of Rose’s brother and his love line which there were also quite a lot of exploration of theme of trauma, abusive parents etc but achieved their happy ending.
In Rose’s life, she has good friends, supportive business partners, parents, brothers who are always there for her despite her struggles.
Personally I feel that not every woman would envy what Rose has gone through but the different phases of Rose’s experience may resonate with some of us, hence this is partly a very realistic healing story. Every sadness there is hope, growth and self-discovery, we can only focus on what we can control and learnt to find the courage to let go of those we can’t. Many chicken soup type of themes, slice of life.
A good watch if you are in the mood for a melancholic journey to a positive message.

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When Your world populated by full of powerfull people, to the point your world makes you feel small, your dream seems so BIG and you seems unable to achieve with of what you have, you face real struggle and the weight seems getting heavier each step you take. The obstacle getting bigger and your small body and mind is no longer can handle it. Without knowing, you are looking the light in a dark of a cave , You seeks Opportunity and hope when you face full of pessimism people that almost take you down. Every people need escapism, These student find their escapism in dancesportsgirls, a club which almost getting eliminated in their school Girls commercial due to less people interested in, and getting overlooked by others. In the end, this club is the one who give them the happiness they crave even if it's just for a brief moment, and the little glory that give their hope up. For every reality you face : Money, powerfull and selfish people, pessimism, bad environment. There is Escapism, and someone/something you can rely on as your grip. Shie EUn has it in Dances sport girls club, Great Teacher, Seung Chan. In this worlds is hard to find it. But when you find it, , try and achieve your dream, so might be someday, you will be the one people could rely on, and become their hope among endless array of pessimism.

This drama have great message. Each episode, you will be an awe of each the storyline and the realism the writers put in each character. This is one of many aspect that makes a drama special. There is a lot of writers who seems excel to create a believable and cohesive story, but they lack soul and heart that make a good story become great. This drama has both from the first scene until the last one credit rolling. without giving us useless gimmick, more focus to the overall narrative . . The only aspect I think is lacking is I wish KBS give the writers more episode to give this drama more justice, so some conflicts would be unfold more subtle and believable. But overall, another great project from the writers among her other drama KBS Drama Special. I hope My Favourite writers will get another awsome project from KBS or any TV station despite the low rating this drama got. She is awesome.

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TW;:ABUSE/ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING

First of all this drama disgusts me.The man tricked her into thinking she had to get a transplant and basically manipulated her to be with him. And then made it seem like it was ok like it was just the thing to do. and then towards the end of the drama one of the characters kidnapped her even though she was a pregnant women and constantly threatened her he would grab her by the neck and others and threatened to shoot her with her baby honestly I felt disgusted the whole time and I felt that the people who made this drama took it way too far and honestly wouldn't recommend this to anyone. and then its showing that all men have to do is make someone think that they are sick and force them to marry them and have a baby.He treated her like she was an object and only wanted her for his own benefit and then covered it up by saying that he "LOVED HER" absolutely horrible don't watch this if you are sensitive abuse,manipulation etc

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Love, family, friendship, and politics in flames of war and uncertainty

"Love in Flames of War" (良辰好景知几何) is a Republican era romance and political drama that covers the period from 1917 to 1937. It follows the story of Lin Hang Jing and Xiao Bei Chen, their growth individually and as a couple, as well as that of their families and friends as they navigate their way during this uncertain and tumultuous period in China's history.

 STORY / PLOT 📚:  

I finished this drama more than a month ago, and I'm glad I watched it, despite knowing about the melodrama and angst. This advance knowledge is good in a way because I had braced myself for the heavy scenes.

 The drama builds up the romance, the political/military development and the different relationships quite well. It kept me invested and interested to know what's going to happen next. Admittedly, the romance and the main couple's chemistry are big factors for me to watch this drama, and they don't disappoint. There is also steady and strong character development. It's interesting to watch their change and growth as the story progresses. Xiao Bei Chen and his friends’ time in the military academy is portrayed well. I like how the drama connects the characters' stories to the political events of the time.

That said, some things could have been better. For one, they could have reduced the angst and misunderstandings between Xiao Bei Chen and Lin Hang Jing, and showed more of their sweet moments. I saw some of these sweet scenes that did not make it to the final cut!

ACTING / CAST 🎭:

Shawn Dou nailed the role of Xiao Bei Chen! I feel like the character is made for him. He was able to show it in his bearing, expressions, proud and humorous personality, and his emotional vulnerability when it comes to Lin Hang Jing. He did some things that he thought was in her best interest, but it caused more rift between them. As Aunt Qi said, sometimes when you love someone too much, you will make mistakes.

 Chen Du Ling was able to bring out the naiveté, idealism, strong-willed and sometimes feisty personality of Lin Hang Jing. She is the right choice to portray her.  I don't agree with some of her actions (e.g., what she did the night of their anniversary), but that's part of how her character was written. I think she did justice to Lin Hang Jing.

As for the romance, Shawn Dou and Chen Du Ling have great chemistry! They were able to show Xiao Bei Chen and Lin Hang Jing's passion for each other, the angst, their banter, and the push and pull in their relationships. Their initial interactions were not the most pleasant ones; but he fell for her first (fast and hard!), while she eventually developed romantic feelings for him as she got to know him better. Both characters made some choices that are not ideal or the best, but these pushed the story forward and enabled them to grow as persons and eventually strengthened their relationship.

Leon Lai captured the intelligence and humor of Mo Wei Yi, and Ran Xu showed the straightforward character of Xu Ji Zun. They grew up with Xiao Bei Chen and these 3 men are very good friends and are sworn brothers. Their bond is very strong, despite having gone through some challenging situations. I like their camaraderie and loyalty to each other, and how their friendship grew stronger through the years, in good times and in bad.

Zhao Ying Zi was convincing as Zheng Feng Qi, Xiao Bei Chen’s childhood friend who is obsessed with him. Zheng Feng Qi is scheming and pretentious, and quite an infuriating character. I was ecstatic when she was finally exposed for her wickedness and the truths came out. That woman needed to see a psychiatrist!

Another character that has shown a lot of growth is Xiao Bei Chen’s younger sister Xiao Shu Yi, played by Guan Xin.  She started out as bratty and quite annoying, yet also funny at times and naïve. What’s good about her is that she dared to confront Lin Hang Jing in defense of Xiao Bei Chen and makes her realizes things. Although sometimes, she goes overboard because of her bias against Lin Hang Jing.  As the story move along, her character matured into a wise young woman.

Hu Jun and Dong Xuan are excellent as Xiao Hai Shan and Aunt Qi, respectively. Xiao Hai Shan is a man of integrity, a military leader and the pillar of the family, while his wife, the amiable and wise Aunt Qi, is the mediator and go-to person, the one who holds their family together.

Yuan Hao is Mu Zi Zeng, Lin Hang Jing’s good friend whom she met in Beixin city.  He is in love with Lin Hang Jing but she treats him as a very good friend only. His portrayal was average for me. It's not bad, but not great either.

OTHER THOUGHTS 🔮:

The production quality is good. I like the locations, settings, and the costumes and accessories, which are well paired and consistent.  The songs are well chosen and fit the mood and theme of the drama.


FINAL VERDICT ⭐️: If you like Republican era stories with angst-filled and passionate romance, great chemistry between the leads, memorable friendships and family ties, and with traces of political intrigue, then do check out this drama. Despite some things that could have been better, it’s still an overall good watch for me.

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Once again, instead of sleeping, i can't delay writing a review...
Let me start from the end - it's an absolutely must watch drama. At first I hesitated whether I should watch it or not, because it was a little bit long, but I'm glad that I started watching it and even wished it didn't end so soon.
The story, the music (though there were not that many songs), the acting - everything was just perfect... Shi Yoon and Joo Won did a great job, and how admirable was the child Tak Gu (by the way, I think the child Tak Gu looks like Joo Won and the child Ma Jun looks like Shi Yoon, so they could have switched the actors).
The story captures you, and there is not a single unnecessary scene, everything goes so fluently.
So don't delay it any longer, and start watching... :)

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One of the recurring themes in this drama is how children are different from their parents and how they shouldn't aspire to be exact versions of their parents but should instead carve their own paths. In a way, this could also be applied to the drama itself. Nirvana in Fire is considered by many to be one of the best dramas and with that comes high expectations but also in my opinion, unfair expectations to be another version of its predecessor. What I mean by this is that I've seen people wanting another drama to be led by a highly intelligent character as he methodically matches wits with similarly intelligent characters in the quest to clear his family's name. However, I am for one glad that the writer decided to switch lanes and attempt something entirely different while also touching on themes from the first Nirvana in Fire such as justice, brotherhood and family.

One of the interesting themes this drama examines is the collision between tradition and modernity. It is clear that the times are indeed changing throughout the kingdom and country. Many of the characters that will soon wield a great deal of power are young in age. In response to this, a lot of the adult characters seem reluctant to relinquish their power and do no trust that the youth are equipped to lead. Some of the adult characters even have no issue in manipulating the younger characters for their own personal petty reasons.

On the other hand, you had characters like Pingjing and Feizhan who were free to and encouraged to explore life outside the palace to acquire new knowledge/perspective. Similarly, there's an acknowledgement that women in particular lived harsh lives within the palace. Often, they had their lives set out for them with no say in the manner. Girls as young as 12 were sold and expected to be servants. It is expected that women put their fathers/husbands first and live to serve them. However, there are characters like Qian Xue who is a formidable fighter in her own right and has a husband who accepts that she may be an outlier but loves her all the same. There's also Lin Xi, who has her own aspirations and hopes to make a positive contribution to the world even if it's not ready to accept them from a woman.

Even though I empathized with Mei Changsu, I also liked following the journey of a more "human" character like Pingjing. In the beginning of the drama, we meet Pingjing as he is living his life carefree at Langya Mountain. A world away from what awaits him if he has to follow in his father/brother's footsteps and assumes his role in the Chang Lin Army which is more strict and rigid. It takes him a long time to adjust and he is constantly reprimanded by his father and brother but it's necessary because what he is fighting for is bigger than him. Above all us, I appreciated the fact that Pingjing just wanted the option of being able to choose to live his life the way he wanted to. Much like how the two main characters are strong in their own right but also having overlapping qualities, the two dramas should be appreciated on their own merits. If you go with wherever the wind takes you, especially if it takes you to Chang Lin (sorry), you'll be rewarded with what I consider to be one of the best dramas.

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Huh, so that’s what consistency in a period drama feels like...

Occasionally you’ll come across a series that’s so unique in terms of quality, yet for reasons it shouldn’t be the case. The Wind Blows From Longxi is a comparatively short drama that succeeds in everything it goes for, that most period dramas these days fail to.

Now before i get into a overview for those that are interested in trying the series without spoilers , a forewarning. TWBFL isn’t for those that aren’t a fan of dramas not trying to grip their audience immediately with bright and vibrant colors, doll like characters, straightforward beginnings, or the trendy dynamic pacing that you regularly see in other series. You’re thrown into a gritty, detailed period setting that takes its time to draw in the viewers at a steady pace with its bold narration and realistic characters that are brung to life by both the great cast selection and airtight writing surrounding their background and motivations.


Wind Blows From Longxi doesn’t hold your hand with simplified explanations nor one layered characters. Which may leave some confused given the seemingly large cast you have to get accustomed to within a 24 episode span. Everyone has a purpose, many having 2-3 faces to achieve their true goals that are revealed over time. But fret not! One of the underrated strengths this series has is the very helpful, humorous, yet repetitive recaps at the end of each episode to assist viewers with staying aware of everything that’s going on that are both told and sometimes not easily shown to viewers that aren’t used to the hidden details and agendas. And ofc it’s optional, if you don’t need any clarification or refreshers you’re more than welcome to skip over them with no effects on your viewing experience.

You’re given a spy story that naturally becomes the focus in a relatively short span after being shown the cause of later occurrences in this drama. Keeping you on the edge of your seat with great fight choreographies, thrilling backed into a corner moments where your intelligence and quick thinking is your only friend, hidden agendas, betrayal, along with its fair share of sudden heart wrenching moments.

The gorgeous,dark, very still cinematography is one of the strongest aspects of this drama, buuut can also be one of it’s weak aspects depending on the viewer. Backgrounds rarely bares the light needed for some to see exactly what’s going on at times, which can become quite bothersome depending on the devices used to watch. An aspect i can for sure say is the weakest that this drama bears is the BGM. Not once, but several times over the course of these 24 episodes the BGM is blasting when it isn’t needed, as if they’re trying to distract you from what’s actually going on in front of you, which is weird...because that isn’t the case, yet it’s there, just to be there? Some times not even matching with the tone of the current scenes that are happening. When some scenes are way better off dead silent or subtle, the bgm rumbles. You become used to it over a few episodes, making you unaware of how often they’re constantly slinging tracks behind the scenes that can break your immersion. Luckily, this is the weakest aspect of this drama. Oh, and there’s Angelababy.. uh yeah.

The Wind Blows From Longxi is likely to be a hidden gem as time past from it not catering to what period drama audiences are now used to and favor , causing many to rather be uninterested in trying out or dropping. What i can say is that for those(like me) that still prefer a well written story with a much more serious tone at a realistic steady pace, The Wind Blows from Longxi is a beautifully handled drama that is most certainly a must try at the very least.

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