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A Simple but Beautifully Well-Done Drama
My worst habit is watching/binging c-drama half way through & dropping it cold turkey (whether if I loved it, if it dragged, long drama, or short drama). This drama kept me through the very end without skipping or 2x (another habit I do). Honestly, the 2 main lead’s chemistry was what made me came back to the drama despite the storyline being predictable at times.Cast: The 2 leads did great for their roles (They were a total eye-candy/pleasant visual with no overdone makeup). The male lead had me screaming through the screen (literal green flag). There are a lot of close up shots & the way their facial expressions & gestures just makes your heart flutter. They don’t say much but their facial expressions says it all. If I really had to nag much, the female lead’s facial expressions on some scenes were a bit stiff BUT she did great for her 1st lead role & a BETTER job than some top-tier actresses in the industry. The elder princess pulled off her role well (You could feel her bitterness). Same goes with the 2nd male lead and the male
lead’s family.
Storyline: Some plots were predictable (like you knew none of the main lead would die) but the story as a whole is straight to the point. You don’t feel like it wastes your time (no misunderstandings, no running in circles). This drama is limited to it being a short drama & pretty tight budget but they managed to pull it off. It wants to tell their love story, a political power struggle, gender roles/hardships, female empowerment, a fallen rising family, top/rich male lead & poor/servant female lead. Its touches base on the surface level with some topics but I am glad it mainly stuck with the main lead’s dedication, love, & hardship.
What I Love About the Drama: (as an avid C-drama viewer)
- Not making a love-triangle with the 2nd male lead. (He was a lovable person & a green flag. You could tell he likes the female lead but wasn’t pushy/knowing his boundaries. In an alternate world, anyone would have chose him as the one).
- The chemistry between the leads sold this drama. The mutual understanding despite being apart & having their own struggles. The glances they had at each other. Their chemistry was the selling point for me.
- The creative direction/production quality. THIS I APPLAUD TO THE TEAM WORKING BEHIND THE CAMERA. Whoever the director was brought out the best of the 2 main leads for their roles. The camera language & editing/cuts was a chef’s kiss. Their budget was well spent & the outcome was better than S-tier dramas. (I guess this came at a cost of having a fresh face cast).
- Having very memorable moments/objects & using it as references. The red bracelets, the red ribbons on the tree, the dumplings, the pearls, his handkerchief, etc.) It is symbolic of their love story & adds meaning to their subtle attraction to each other.
- The drama makes logical sense and characters have logical/reasonable feelings & decisions. You understand why each character made there choices & they had a valid reason to do so. As a viewer, the drama didn’t make me feel dumb.
What Could Have Been Better:
(NOTE: This a short drama)
- explaining the backstory to the Elder Princess’s character (She was a pivotal role more than 50% of the drama & had a lot of screen time. Had there been a backstory, viewers could empathize what lead to her tragic state. The drama already tries its best to hint at it but there just isn’t enough time/length to have its spotlight).
- The 5 years gap. 5 years just sounds like a long time & you’re telling me they just didn’t cross path till then. (I guess you can say it makes logical sense as the younger sister is getting married. Therefore she needs to be at a marriageable age.)
- Having a more complex female family setup. Yes she is poor & that is fine but you could tell the female lead’s father/brother role was written to be a hinderance for the plot.
- Same could be said for the political struggle/fight. It was the most surface level fight I have ever seen in a drama but somehow it got the job done. However, I’m glad they kept it that way. (We ain’t spending 3 episodes on a coup for the damn throne.)
However, with that being said, I still wouldn’t change much of what was presented in the drama. It is a short drama with its limitations but beautifully done. If it was a full length drama, I feel that I would have dropped it in the middle. I don’t feel cheated for my time watching this drama. Though it is predictable that the lead would end up together & neither would not have died. I watched it to the end to know/see how the production team play out the ending for the lead. This is the first drama in years that I finished start to end. I highly recommend to check the drama out.
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This review may contain spoilers
Perfect Kisses!
Kiss x Kiss x Kiss ~ Perfect Scandal ~ is all about kissing.It's not a drama or show or anything, just literally scenarios where the characters find themselves kissing.
You get maybe a minute or two of character background via captions on the screen, then maybe 3-5 minutes of lip-locking.
Honestly, from the straight couples to the gay couples, all of the kisses and scenarios were good.
Some kisses were better than others, but it's all based on preference.
I kind of wish they would extend the episodes to 15-30 minutes so we could get more character backgrounds and build up to the kisses. They do amazing with just the scenario and kisses, but having a little more details would make the series more memorable and give the actors a bit more time to act.
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Much of the appeal can be attributed to Shin Ha Kyun himself; his "Killer" is a mute who only communicates physically with other characters and through internal monologue with the audience. It's amazing how much he's able to convey with just body language and facial expressions! In particular, there's a scene with the female lead where you could tell exactly what he was thinking...just by a few subtle physical cues. His narration is also incredibly charming and often hilarious. Another interesting character is played by Kim Min Joon: an ex-ballet dancer with a philosophical heart...and wicked knife skills. "Ballet" had the best action sequences in the film as well, since he incorporated his dancing into his battle style. It's too bad there weren't more of them; while Shin Ha Kyun did a great job on his own fight sequences, they weren't nearly as compelling.
On the story front, all is generally solid. It's unremarkable aside from the characters, quirks, and instances of strangeness... but these are enough to keep it all afloat. The comedy even works well and generates genuine laughs. A specific grace this film has is its ending, however; it is a satisfying, though bittersweet, conclusion that works great with the rest of the story.
Honestly if you can find it, give it a try. No Mercy For The Rude should keep you entertained for a few hours at least. Just be careful if you're weak with blood, because there's a decent amount!
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This review may contain spoilers
"I Will Always Be With You"
I first saw LXY in the role of Wu Xin in TBOY and this actor intrigued me. I added this show to my watchlist and waited. Since then I had seen the actor in a few other productions and though not the best of scripts and I don't like Xianxias, was still looking forward to it because though completely unfamiliar with the FL, the rest of the cast was pretty solid. This review will combine both pros and cons because you really couldn't pull them apart.The show in itself for most of it was just chugging along steadily, no real meat and potatoes until conspiracies started to come to light and fall apart. ML or YZ was played so well by LXY; he handled every emotion including PTSD, outrage, love, jealousy, joy, and ass kicking with a simplistic approach. YZ's original misguided plan was to rid the world of the five sins or basically destroy the world was swatted by the FL or JTY because though she didn't say it, she came into his life to protect him as well as teach him and herself love. What started as a divine mandate from the elder Gods to stay with YZ until he died of natural causes, protect him and then take his divine hand back to the Gods where it supposedly belonged. Except what no one knew at the time that the divine hand really did belong to YZ as the God who cut it off himself was trying to save the world from what two villains had unleashed.
YZ endured hell of being stuck in some lock by the supposed leaders of his clan especially a middle villain who then kept him captive in a cave for 40 years even though he won the war. Which is when he came up with those 5 sins to keep from going insane. After he was released he and his 5 spirit weapons whom he sealed in random locations not to fall into the hands of Leader of the clan. Meanwhile until TY arrived, he was being tortured for his divine hand's blood and power. And they wondered how he was able to manage being treated as a prisoner. But he figured it all out and was biding his time to leave and begin his plan.
With TY's arrival as just a handmaiden but in fact the goddess of craftsmanship, creator of the city of Yandu, having made 3 vows that she would never tell him who she really was, why she was there, or fall for him. All of which by episode 35, she courageously spoke into words. Because prior to that she could only say "I will always be with you"; had she broken that oath, she would dissipate. The beginning episodes were very funny because she died quite a few times and then would come back to life a bit later to the bewilderment of YZ and his guard-spirit weapon 1. YZ was the embodiment of Oscar the Grouch and it took him a while to thaw.
It was pretty cool that regardless of how frail or injured her mortal body was, she would give her life a thousand times over to save him. There were side storylines like that of the third wheel aka QL who before he became enlightened, spent more time knocked out than conscious, which was funny in itself. But though he supposedly liked TY, he didn't make a move on her and I feel like it was more unrequited love than anything else. As he grew and smartened up, he came to admire YZ as he's the one helped QL become the perfect War Demon; super powerful that he was able to ultimately kill his side's evil chief in the end after giving her a verbal bitch slap for using their people (his brother and mother included) as sacrifices for her own greed, he was team good all the way pretty much since TY kept saving him.
The second couple's story was a sad one, but one that was quite lovely from a storyteller's perspective. ZD was human and met TH in her prime but sadly after she rescued him and he recovered, he left her and she spent the rest of her youth searching for him but by the time she found him, she was old and grey and he had forgotten all about her. So at a supposedly random temple she prayed to the Goddess of Embroidery (the dumbest name for a goddess ever especially since she was the main antagonist); who gave her youth back on the condition that if she ever needed anything, ZD would do it. Back then ZD was all too willing to accept because she had no idea of the dire consequences that simple agreement would bring in the future. Ultimately her youth card ended and she grew into an old woman and couldn't spend her days with TH as he was essentially immortal and still youthful.
TH meanwhile had spent 100 years seeking forgiveness from YZ for not telling him his family was killed by the clans people while he was in the middle of the God/Demon war. They started as best friends but they were at odds. It wasn't until the leads left the mountain in search of the spirit weapons, that they finally came to a truce. TY taught YZ a lot in those times like understanding that his spirit weapons were human too and had emotions and feelings; they weren't just objects. Especially after the whole Pei Jiu/Lu Chen arc. Lu Chen didn't forget his lady love even though by the rules he was supposed to. Love is stronger than any oath. As A Xiu told him very smartly "we're connected to you by the oath we gave you. But we are a part of you so we feel what you feel. If you feel sad, we feel sad. If you are happy, we are happy. If you are tired, we are tired. If you hate, we hate. If you let go, we let go." Such an important and powerful speech.
Small characters that ended up helping a lot like TY's Master who secretly hit YZ with a Lotus skill that helped him wake up at the end when the Demon Lord took over. Or the 4th wheel who was a spirit weapon lamp that TY created, he was part of the spirit weapon group that was holding onto YZ's consciousness as the Demon Lord was trying to assimilate with him. Even though they gave up their bodies/lives to help wake YZ up, ultimately he did live and we could deduce that they also returned as we saw A Xiu as a little kid run around YZ at the end of the series. Going back to that speech; "if you live, we live." So he's got the divine hand and all of them. I'd like to think Lu Chen went back to his lady love. Poor MS spent 40 years enduring lightning tribulations to ascend to Godhood but the day he did, he died protecting YZ and TY against HN aka Goddess of Embroidery and the final/main antagonist of the piece. But at least he got a chance to spend time with YZ and others and I do hope that in the aftermath he still got immortality. Plot hole was where did ZD's right hand man go after he delivered a message to her and then we didn't see him again until Master Yan ordered ZD's brother's arrest? A solid 10 episodes he wasn't around while before he was always by her side.
I wish the story moved faster and we didn't have a lot of just step at a time. You knew who the villains were pretty early on though how far the plan went and why was pathetic. Chief War demon, a bunch of the older chiefs of the YH clan especially the old fart, ZD's own brother, Master Yan, demon lord and HN were the antagonists. I'll list them out as what they did, why, and their deaths if they happened:
-Chief War Demon: Nearly brought her clan to extinction, Greed, taken out by QL.
-Chiefs of YH Clan: Would follow anyone as long as they were allowed immortality, Greed, killed by Demon Lord or Team TY rushing up the mountain.
-Old Fart Dingxu: Tortured YZ for his blood and divine hand power, killed his and everyone's families; Greed and self preservation, killed by TH, ZD, and QL.
-ZD's Brother: Created Wushang Society in the name of the goddess but in reality were helping the demons thrive and kill. Also killed his own father (father and daughter never got a chance to reunite; just despicable) and was planning to do the same to his sister to take over city lord position to rule the human race. Superiority complex and greed. Was jailed awaiting execution.
-Master Yan: Trapped YZ even though he worshipped her as a goddess but he believed the words of ZD's brother because he was his disciple. So in order to escape she was forced to take out her own divinity bone making herself even more human as the old bastard understood who he trapped and she told him some choice words after breaking his statue of her. But he didn't break a sweat, just rebuilt the statue and went about his day even when her friends came to seek him for advice, he never told him the unprecedented evil he did. Power hungry and greedy just like his disciple. He should have been struck by lightening at least. I felt this was getting away with a heinous crime.
-Demon Lord: Laughable for an antagonist. He was the dominant soul of the primordial God Taihe who TY originally created the Devine hand for. He possessed YZ for a bit and with the help of TY, the spirit weapons, and YZ himself upon waking up, fizzled out of existence. He spent most of the series as smoke or a talking map. Just ridiculous really. He wanted the world to live in fear and resentment as that's what he fed off of. Ultimately killed by TY and YZ.
-Goddess of Embroidery or HN: Everything was her plan from the beginning. When she was a human 3,000 years before, she was betrayed by her sister for loving a playboy so they set her up as a witch and burned her at the stake. Because of her flawless embroidery, upon her death she ascended to heaven. Her heart filled with hate, after trying to turn good and failing, she found out Lord Taihe who was cultivating forgiveness and peace also had a very dark side. So she unleashed it which led to the 1st God/Demon war (when TY was hurt for the first time and YZ as a little Fox woke her up from a deep slumber and took half her pendant) and Taihe in a desperate attempt to kill the evil, cut the divine hand off which floated to the mortal realm and to the YH clan where YZ was the only child that was able to appropriate it. TY met YZ as a kid a second time where he prayed to her. In the meantime, while trying to find the right host, kids and families were killed. Another war broke out, this time YZ as an adult used the hand to end it and TY took a blow meant for him. Both wars were instigated by HN to get the divine hand to the demon lord. She wanted to kill YZ ASAP but it didn't quite work that way. Eventually she used ZD's promise and a downhill snowball, the demon lord was reborn in YZ's body for a bit. The reason for her doing everything was for revenge on her long dead sister and to end the world for her bullshit grievances. Obsessed and blind she then took a stupid and cowardly way out by turning YH's mountain into a piece of embroidery along with herself. It was very anticlimactic.
I love ZL who played HN because she can pull off a flawless antagonist. But her ending here didn't do her justice at all. The ambiguous OE ending was very blah. YZ and TY traveled for several years and then eventually after telling him everything else, she disappeared. But there's hope because there's her lingering spirit in the world. Plus the bit she gave him in episode 6 and the lotus her master gave him. Unfortunately, though an extra episode was filmed with her returning in human form and it being an obvious HE according to the screenwriter, production decided not to use it. I find that very dumb. People will talk about the show regardless of the ending but depriving us of that isn't fair at all.
Would I recommend it? I would; though not an obvious HE and lots of plot holes and confusion, ultimately this was a good watch and you got all of the emotions out of it you needed.
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Came for the horror, stayed because everything else was incredible.
Recommended for: Fans of supernatural mysteries, emotional storytelling, and beautifully crafted BL dramas with strong cultural elements.ONE-LINER QUICK THOUGHT: A masterpiece of storytelling, culture, and atmosphere, a horror series that even non-horror fans can appreciate.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT: 5/5
STORY SETTING: Modern life, rural areas, nature
Immersion: A beautifully immersive world with strong cultural elements and an atmospheric setting that pulls you into the story.
CINEMATOGRAPHY: 5/5
GENRE: Supernatural Horror / Mystery / Thriller / BL Romantic Drama
VIBES / MOOD:
⚔️ Intense
🌧️ Melancholic
👀 Suspenseful
👻 Haunting
🌑 Atmospheric
🕯️ Unsettling
🩸 Horror Factor: Moderate (Jumpscares are impactful but not overused)
REWATCH VALUE: 10/5
PACING & EPISODES: 12 episodes 4.5/5
A well-paced emotional roller coaster with a good balance of mystery, flashbacks, intense moments, and sweeter character interactions.
CHARACTERS:
Overall: 5/5
Likeable protagonist 5/5
Supporting cast 5/5
Character development 4.5/5 (Lower rating for Khem)
Best supporting character(s): Jet & Charn
STORY QUALITY: 5/5
ANGST FACTOR: 5/5
EMOTIONAL IMPACT FACTOR: 5/5
MUSIC / OST: 5/5
The soundtrack elevates the emotional moments and creates a haunting atmosphere that stays even after finishing the series.
Totally recommend to watch their reaction video also to hear the boys share more about the production and story, and them letting their intrusive thoughts win like how we as viewers would LOL.
CHARACTER THOUGHTS:
- spoilers ahead -
CHARACTER THOUGHTS: Khem
Some viewers felt that Khem gave up too easily, but looking deeper into his character, his decision feels much more understandable. He spent 21 years trying to survive, not just physically, but emotionally, while being constantly tormented by spirits. Even though he had people who cared for him, the fear, pain, and isolation he carried were something he had endured for most of his life.
Paran becoming part of his life was both a blessing and a source of vulnerability. For the first time, Khem had someone he truly cherished and a reason to hope for a future. But after Grandma Si’s death, something he blamed himself for, the guilt became unbearable.
His choice to give up was not because he stopped fighting, but because he was exhausted. In his mind, leaving meant the pain would finally end. And if he somehow survived, he could still find his way back to Paran. It was a heartbreaking decision, but one that reflected how deeply traumatized and emotionally exhausted he was.
tldr; Khem’s decision to give up may frustrate some viewers, but understanding his 21 years of suffering, guilt, and exhaustion makes his choice painfully human. He wasn’t weak, he was someone who had been fighting for far too long.
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Sweet Drama with Contrasting Characters | Hot Male Lead
I love this drama from the beginning. It's so cute! My first reaction was, OMG! Another Chinese drama with hot men -beautiful long eye lashes.The main female character, Chun Hua, is so cute, innocent, and silly. All she cares about is love, at least initially. She is so funny and upstanding at the same time. She captures my heart from the beginning. Though silly and girly, she brightens one up, unlike some similar characters in other dramas that may cringe one up. Zhao Lu Si is indeed a fantastic actress.
The male actors are new to me, but they are awfully good looking. I love looking at them, especially Qiu Yue played by Li Hong Yi; his long eye lashes simply mesmerize me. The Qiu Yue character is a bad boy kind, breaking every conceivable rule. He is powerful and ruthless, and yet has a soft heart for the woman he loves. This is a complex character as it has many facets which are not easily understood. At the same time he exudes an air of sexiness, loneliness follows. I love this mysterious and sexy character, and I'm constantly waiting for his appearances, and yet I also fear him.
In contrast, the second male lead, Xiao Bai played by June Wu, is handsome, powerful and righteous, and yet he lacks the romantic side. Everything is according to the book with him, including love. As much as I want to see him win the love of his life, I'm also torn between my love for Qiu Yue.
The fighting scenes and choreography are simply beautiful and authentic. I'm always amazed how these actors can 'fly' so effortlessly and yet set such incredible awe inspiring poses. The flow of their hair and clothing is simply so beautiful and surreal, and the intense of their faces tells a million words.
The pace can be very slow at times, to the extent that can feel like time has stood still. During such times, the camera tends to zoom onto the actors' faces, trying to capture their emotions. Qiu Yue's face is immaculate. He is so beautiful to look at, in black or white hair. His expressions are very subtle and yet capture exactly the mood, and make viewers empathize with him. Every sentence he utters towards the woman he loves, it is always full of longing and passion. His kisses are always passionate, unlike many kiss scenes in Chinese dramas - just a peck on the lips. He is one of the most sexy characters I have encountered so far in Chinese drama.
I'm impartial with the opening song, but I love the ending song and the others within the drama. This is a very well done drama. Don't miss it!
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This review may contain spoilers
If the shoe fits & Never give up on your Dreams.
::::::FAMOUS SHOE QUOTES:::::::::
"Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” - Marilyn Monroe
" A woman can carry a bag, but it is the shoe that carries the woman.” - Christian Louboutin
"It doesn’t matter how great your shoes are if you don"t accomplish anything in them.” - Martina Boone
'Momma always says there's an awful lot you could tell about a person by their shoes. Where they're going. Where they've been.” - Forrest Gump
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::::::::STORY::::::::::
The feel of this series is quite like the novels of 'Danielle Steel' Probably because the novels were based on business, family heritage and struggle to keep the heritage.
Good collection of OST's, there are quite a few of them some are peppy and others soulful and melodious. Gong Jun, Zhong Chuxi and Wu Xuanyi, the actors playing prominent characters in this drama have each sung an(Wu Xuanyi sung two) OST in the series... My personal favorite is " Song of Faith" sung by Wu Xuanyi, very empowering lyrics for women.
::::::::::::::(Rising against the wind. Beginning with Jiang Hu (**)When rising with the wind, Zhaoyang(** )will be there for you. :::::::::::
**note📝 on meaning of Jiang Hu and zhaoyang at the end of review)
This is the story of Jiang Hu(Zhong Chuxi) who along with Zhaoyang(Wu Xuanyi) forges a new future for old brands.
The story starts with an ambitious investor Xu Si (Gong Jun) wishing to acquire, Industrial site of an old shoe brand 'Tengyue' for his land acquisition deal with Yuanfeng Logistics. Tengyue is a company under Free Unicorn group of companies managed by Jiang Qi Shen. Jiang Qi Shen's only daughter, Jiang Hu(zhong chuxi) the Apple of his eye whom he lovingly calls "little butterfly" wants to revive 'Tengyue' brand because the brand has deep connection with her family. 'Tengyue' company had been established by Jiang Hu's maternal grandfather and later her own father, Jiang Qi Shen became famous because of the Tengyue brand, however since the 1980's and 1990's, Jiang Qi Shen focused more on expanding the Free Unicorn Group of Companies which manufacturers clothing and shoes, Tengyue has just one product left and it is just a nostalgic reminder, rather than a profit making unit.
Xu Si tries to get a meeting with Jiang Qi Shen to discuss the sale of Tengyue's industrial site however is unsuccessful to get an appointment so Xu Si tries to approach Jiang Qi Shen through Jiang Hu. Jiang Hu has arranged a party at the factory of Tengyue inviting influencers to start her revival project. Xiang Zhaoyang (Wu Xuanyi) an award winning shoe designer at Aneda, moonlighting as a masked influencer who is also long time high school rival of Jiang Hu, is invited intentionally by Jiang Hu to be an influencer at this event. As per Jiang Hu's plan to boost her online sales of Tengyue shoes, another influencer present at the event exposes the real identity of Zhaoyang..... As a result Zhaoyang loses her job at Aneda due to non-compete agreement.
Soon after this event Jiang Hu's father dies due bad health compounded by sudden financial problems in his business, immediately leading to Free Unicorn being bankrupt. Jiang Hu falls to bad times and is now reviled and preyed upon by the same society vultures who at one time revered her... Jiang Hu decides to take charge of her life and in a desperate bid uses all her leftover inheritance money to buy the Shares of Tengyue and trademark for Tengyue shoes.
Jiang Hu decides to revive the 100 year old brand Tengyue, she shifts into factory premises.. She doesn't have funds to continue current manufacturing operations, She meets many challenges to revive the brand and she tackles those problems head on, she has to negotiate with Xu Si to allow her to continue operation at the industrial site of Tengyue that now belonged to his company purchased during the bankruptcy auction of free unicorn. She forms a new team of personnel:
*Yang Jian( Gao zhiting) and his merry band of boys operating online website help her with online sales at the starting of her company.
*Zhaoyang becomes the shoe designer for her company
* Ms.Yue from her father's old company joins in as Account manager
* Mr. Pei her maternal uncle becomes the production manger.
* Jiang Hu herself handles marketing and sales.
* Boss the old factory dog becomes her constant companion in this new journey
Jiang Hu with the help of her new team, overcomes various problems faced by an outdated brand... She successfully handles HR problems created by some old workers, redesigns the shoes, tackles the problem of distribution and sales by using innovative marketing strategies. Growing influence of e-commerce in current market scenario is highlighted in this drama. She continues to plod on by using the motivational quote "going against the wind".
Along the way she finds love, Xu Si... Makes new friends, Yang Jian and reconnects with her old rival turned BFF, Zhaoyang. This show has shown quite a realistic depiction(text book version) of business problems and their solution.
Besides Xu Si and Jiang Hu's love story there is also a secondary love story of Zhaoyang and Yang Jian, Zhaoyang's step brother who has been in love with Zhaoyang since last ten years.
As much as this is a story of the successful revival of an old brand in a new market, it is also a story of human connections and team building.
As per my understanding, this series is focusing on TWO business issues.
1. Growing impact of influencers and internet in generating sales of any product. It is necessary for old brands to use new methods to survive in current market.
2. Small old businesses shutting down due to lack of funds and lack of modern technologies that other big companies have at their disposal to manufacture more at cheaper rate due to having deep pockets and accessibility to mechanised impersonal technology......
Handmade, indigenous products and labourers are suffering.... Saving these business is another theme of this series. What a country needs not not few big brands but diversified national brands.
**************************************************
::::::::RELATIONSHIPS:::::::
First Leads
Gong Jun(XU Si) x Zhong Chuxi(Jiang Hu)
The headstrong CEO meets an arrogant daughter.. Their story is combustive with sparks flying everywhere, they have a spicy and confrontational love story. In the beginning there are lots of trust issues, Jiang Hu has been betrayed by people closest to her so it's quite difficult for her to trust an 'Investor' who might take away her company. Slowly their relationship transitions into reluctant partnership morphing into trust and finally love.
Second leads
Gao Zhi Ting(Yang Jian) x Wu Xuanyi(Xiang Zhaoyang)
Sweet designer with her step brother, they have known each other since childhood. Their story provides a breath of fresh air on a sunny day... Their love story is more tender. Yang Jian has always cared for zhaoyang. Standing like a rock beside her, ensuring she is safe, happy and silently removing all obstacles in her path. He showers his love by ensuring zhaoyang is always well fed, making delicious food, taking care of the household chores leaving her free to pursue her dreams, encouraging her creativity and progress.
BFFs; Zhong Chuxi (Jiang Hu) x Wu Xuanyi (Xiang zhaoyang)
Both these girls have known the other since high school. They are competitive to the extreme, they like the same food, music and both had a crush on Gao Yi. Due to zhaoyang's humble background and Jiang Hu's privileged upbringing there were lots of hostile situations causing friction between the girls in their earlier years.. After Jiang Hu lost her father and decided to revive 'Tengyue' shoes, she and zhaoyang a shoe designer who wanted to bring authentic chineses designs back in the market joined hands and became a formidable team, tackling all hardships and forging ahead in their own paths to success, achieving their personal goals while securing a glorious future for 'Tengyue'.
Both love stories provide a mix of sweet and spicy while all them together struggle to even the odds stacked against them...Also there is a plausible and realistic platonic relationship between Jiang Hu and Yang Jian who become confidants having trusting work relations because both have warm and outgoing personalities. Xu Si and Xiang Zhaoyang also share admiration for the other's ability, recognizing the other's capability but they always maintain a cool efficient business relationship due their reserved nature... All these relationships were in tandem till the 100 year anniversary of Tengyue (first 32 episodes) then suddenly lots of angst, non-communication made their relations seem strained and filled with lots of melodrama in the latter part of the series... But in episodes 39 and 40, concluding episodes the series tied everything in a pretty bow and gave a Happy Ending for both the couples.
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::::::::ACTORS PLAYING THEIR CHARACTERS:::::::
Gong Jun playing Xu Si :
Gong Jun played the part of a dispassionate and shrewd investor quite well. He was able to display a wide range of emotions through his character. In the beginning his attitude was arrogant for the goal oriented Xu Si... Later in the series with the change in Xu Si's character, Gong Jun 's eyes reflected his turmoil, sadness and hurt. He also revealed during the promotional campaign for the drama and his own personality was quite introvert compared to Xu Si's extrovert nature, so as an actor he did a fabulous job.
Zhong Chuxi playing Jiang Hu:
Zhong Chuxi looks stunning as Jiang Hu the rich heiress who dresses in expensive designer shoes & dresses and drives a fast red car, she portrayed the haughty and imperious side of Jiang Hu 'To the T'. Her body language exuded her confidence, then she was equally believable as a 'fallen from grace' startup entrepreneur, who uses her wit and intelligence to forge ahead... .Zhong Chuxi's charming smile and genial attitude makes Jiang Hu's struggles to achieve success in business relatable.
Wu Xuanyi playing Xiang Zhaoyang:
Wu Xuanyi was remarkable in her depiction of Xiang Zhaoyang.. Zhaoyang with her tenacious nature, achieving success with her hardwork, appearing detached and indifferent but very warm hearted and loyal to the core. Wu Xuanyi successfully Portrayed the minimal expression of zhaoyang used to keeping her own counsel. Her demeanor was professional and reserved giving professional vibe. Body language was closed.. This is good acting because Wu Xuanyi in her real life is more of a vivacious, outgoing personality. As wu Xuanyi discussed in the promotional campaign she herself is an extrovert playing the role of an introvert zhaoyang. ( If you like wu Xuanyi, do read my highlights in the comment section of this review about, why I like Zhaoyang in spite of her imperfections. )
Gao Zhi Ting playing Yang Jian:
This is the first time, I am watching Gao Zhi Ting's work... His portrayal of Yang Jian is very candid.......When he smiles it is quite wholesome and genuine and his crestfallen face when Zhaoyang is not happy with him is full of emotions.... Gao Zhiting is a very natural actor, all emotions of his character are well conveyed through his face and body posture. He carries out "the boy next door" image quite well.
Honorable mentions
1. Wei zhe Ming who played the part of Gao Yi did not have much screen time but he managed to capture audience's attention with few scenes, his character was also a more distant personality, fre scenes that he had to showcase his emotions were with his wife... There his tearful anguish filled face evoked sympathy in viewer's heart.
2. Wen Zheng Rong who played the character of Yue Shan was brilliant in her ultra efficient, tolerate no nonsense manner suiting a woman who has spent majority of her life navigating the business world.
3. Morni Chang who played the character of Pei Zhi Yuan, a true veteran actor realistically brought to life the supportive maternal uncle of Jiang Hu who was equally miserly and opportunist while still retaining his love for his niece.
4. BOSS the dog was the showstopper, he was such a well trained animal, so many BTS of actors having a great time playing with him are uploaded on the net.. I don't know how the trainer manages to get the dog to display different postures and emotions at different time... For me BOSS was 'THE BOSS' of this series.
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OVERALL: A unique drama depicting realistic business scenarios while superbly telling a story of revival of a brand and struggle of two ladies Jiang Hu and Zhaoyang, rising in their own spheres, defying the odds stacked against them., though after first 32 episodes things turn more melodramatic like a soap opera.... However the show got back on track in last two episodes 39 and 40 and managed to resolve the whole story in a satisfactory manner.....A must watch.
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:::;:Note📝 on Jiang Hu and Zhaoyang meaning:::::
Zhaoyang means 'rising sun'(☀️).I did a little google Research on the name Jiang Hu, it is a bit more complicated to understand...... But simply speaking it translates to 'rivers and lakes' in terms of wuxia. The meaning of the name Jiang Hu, that I think is most suitable for this drama is a band of virtuous outcasts of society grouping to form their own parallel society with their own code of rules.... Isn't that what Jiang Hu is trying to achieve with Tengyue?? Bringing together a band of outcasts to form her own version of perfect society.
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PS: If anyone is interested in reading more;
1. I am leaving clickable links to my episodes summary and musings in the comments section of this review(each episodic comment has two parts, general thoughts and another spoiler tag comments including details of those episodes)...... I have given a brief overview of the episodes along with my personal musing in them.
2. Also leaving in the comment to this review, my explanation of certain business situations pertaining to this drama.
3.My 'Minority Report' why I like the character of ZHAOYANG, inspite of her imperfections... Main highlights only.
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I found this story to be uniquely original and took a Rom/Com to a whole new place and added in a good dose of humor into the mix as well. Lee Min Ki's performance is excellent as always showcasing both physical humor as well as touching emotional scenes he is the best character actor. I would call this a unique romance. I was prepared not to like this and found it a very touching story with both chills and thrills.
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Cute but uninspiring and forgettable! Same old, same old!
This is cute and everything, but it’s pretty much the same stuff I have seen before. It follows all the typical tropes, so while it's fun to watch, there is nothing to run home about.Park DoHa and Woohyun had chemistry but it felt very fragmented and lacking in depth.
While they did tried to capture the essence of first-love jitters and the youthful charm that often accompanies the first teenage crushes, it didn’t feel convincing or genuine enough. There wasn't just enough chemistry on the table for me to ignore the plot holes.
As for Woohyun’s crush on his homeroom teacher, it came across more as a plot device than a meaningful subplot. There was little to no emotional depth in that storyline, making it hard for me to care about.
Also, I'm still not sure how or when Woohyun fell for DoHa. The pacing felt off and it seemed like they needed to be together just because there were only two episodes left. The pacing felt all over the place especially in the last 2 episodes.
Honestly all the connections felt very surface-level and superficial.
That said, I did enjoy the friendship between Woohyun and Sori even though their friendship wasn't explored much. The banters were cute.
This is my first time seeing the actors and with what is given, I think they did a decent job. The problem for me was more on how the characters were written than acting here.
Overall, this was enjoyable for a one time watch, but it doesn’t really bring anything fresh or stand out in any way. It's cute but ultimately forgettable in the end.
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To my surprise, the first episode had me completely absorbed. Before I knew it, I was past the point of no return and found myself rooting for Empress Dowager Chun Chu to get control of Goryeo's throne; for Kim Chi Yang's duplicity and betrayal to be revealed; and for the Empress Dowager of Khitan to prevail over her son, the Emperor, who wants go to war and make Goryeo a tributary state.
The story obviously had me engrossed. Among the characters and the actors who portrayed them, the actor who plays the role of the mad king, whom Chun Chu marries, stands out. The role requires the actor to be rude, boorish, churlish, etc., and I can only imagine how fun that was for the actor to play and it shows in his acting, which is at times both electrifying and laugh out loud funny. As to Chae Shi Ra, she plays her lead role with consummate skill. She has to lest the entire drama crumble and collapse.
Finally, I learned something watching The Iron Empress. I had no idea that the Khitan or the Liao Dynasty was a massive and influential power that rivaled the Song Dynasty. I learned they were a nomadic tribe that transformed itself into a civilized culture and military superpower, a precursor of sorts of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire.
Two more things: I gave the drama an overall rating of 8 because there are about 15 episodes that are fillers or padding, and the fighting scenes showing the character Gang Jo wielding his spear is the most awesome display of martial arts I've seen in all of K-Drama.
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The drama itself is good, I loved the leads because personally I'm a hard fan of Kim Hee-Ae. Is a familiar drama condensed in 20 episodes and well carried but I have to say sometimes it was a bit long to me.
Where I should to start? If you are searching an adult drama without these childish moments in others of the same genre this is your drama.
Mature actor/actresses portraying mature characters. Good!
To point:
- The plot is very common, but the secondary characters personal stories add salt to the drama.
- The locations are beautiful or at least to me! A way to meet new cities or landscapes in korea.
- The family theme is cute, and probably one of my favorite things in this drama maybe because my family is very similar to them and I love these kind of bonds.
To REMARK:
If you like Kim seulgi.. Just watch this drama, I dont know why but this girl has charisma as actress and I think she could make easily others roles apart of romcom.
Aaaaaaaaaaaand I wanna add one thing more, I finished this drama because I I got so used to the stories of the others couples. Don't disappointed *thumb up*
Personal opinion:
No my favorite drama, maybe it will go to that '' re watch some parts'' list. But if you are bored give to this a try!
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One thing I thought was very well done and hadn't really seen in a teen drama is the story line that follows someone with a true mental illness. It's only in one episode and I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say more than that except to say I was impressed that the topic was even brought up and that it was faced so "head on." Thumbs up to the writers on that part of the story for sure.
There were two things I felt were a bit off about this, but I don't want to use spoilers so I'll be vague. However, when you watch the series I think you will easily understand and then I'd be interested to know if you agree...
1) There was a character that I thought I would see more of, but didn't...and it seemed like the story line for that character was left a bit in the air. I found it a bit annoying that there wasn't closure for that person...or at least a proper connection to the end of the story.
2) There is one question that isn't answered that I really wish had been. Perhaps it is answered in the 2nd season? I don't know. It's not a deal breaker thing, just something I found myself wondering about and wished an answer had been given.
All in all, I really liked this series and I recommend it for anyone who just wants a bit of light drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Rise of Phoenixes lingers in my head: beautiful cinematography, remarkable art and design, and excellent performance and acting. There are lots of implicit story details hidden in Chinese dialogue, actors'/actresses' lines, their subtle performance, and sets/props, which could be easily overlooked. If one tries to find something entertaining, simple, and straightforward, this is not a good fit for that purpose. However, with an imagined historical setting, this drama challenges many Chinese traditions and Confucianist norms. First, The Rise of Phoenixes presents a new level of gender equality in the protagonists' relationship. Although they had romantic feelings towards each other in an ancient setting in which women were subordinates to men, the male protagonist always respected the female protagonist's decisions and intelligence, and she always considered herself an equal to him -- she never asked for help, protection, or acted as an appendage in the court politics. Second, the male protagonist has an interesting modern (also liberal) personality: a challenger and an idealist. His utopia was ALL ARE EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW. This ideal was shared by the female protagonist (hence the strong bond between the two). It is also an interesting reflection of social reality in China and can be discussed in depth in terms of Chinese view about social justice without the system of democracy. In terms of his personality, he is not afraid of confrontation. He is also aggressive and true to his feeling and emotion. He does not compromise. These are not considered to be positive qualities in Chinese and Confucianist culture, and many Chinese stories and TV drama portray that in order to succeed, especially in politics, one must endure pains, hide emotions, and avoid confrontations. Finally, this series presents the emperor/father as a real human being, rather than just a symbol of power. The emperor/father was a man who always chose power over his family, but he was also hurt, had weakness, and felt the pain when he was a father. Unlike other Chinese historical drama, in which the emperor often functions as a symbol of power and is always cruel, I really enjoy the actor's performance, complicating his role between the emperor and father. Highly recommended! This work is worth of going back again and again. Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I don’t think this is the kind of drama either you will like or hate. I personally am pretty confused whether i liked it or not. It GREATLY depends on who you want to watch it for. Bc the story revolves ONLY around Ka Suo(Feng Suo) and Li Luo(Luo Luo). My favorite characters always were Yue Shen, Ying Kong Shi, Xing Jiu and Pian Feng. AND i’m really not a fan of Ka Suo so it bothered me a little. I mean if you’re thinking of watching it because of any other character OR for a great happy ending i recommend you to slowly close this page and never look back.I really want to talk positively about it because it made me feel things, you know? And there were pretty meaningful messages. But i want to talk abt negative things first.
The female lead KEPT ON bugging me for 16 episodes straight. Something was really wrong with her my eyes always kept on searching Victoria. Her acting was off too. Idk if it’s bc of the characters but even the Ice Fantasy casts acting wasn’t as good as before.
The storyline was also a bit messy but that is in a tolerable level.
*From this point the review may contain some spoilers.*
I. LITERALLY. REALLY. HATED the reincarnated versions of the other tribe leaders and that was the biggest con for me. I mean i was so happy when i first saw Yue Shen why would you destroy that?? And that elegant Chao Ya was thinking all about money and stuff.. I don’t want to accept that.
Like i said if you’re looking for some kind of happy ending just forget it. I personally always thought the ending as a happy one like all the tribe leaders are together and drinking wine or sth (I DON’T even like happy endings that much). Although this (quasi) wasn’t a sad ending it definitely wasn’t a happy ending. If you cried in the final of Ice Fantasy i’m telling you i cried x3 times more in this. They just TRIED (but failed) to create a happy ending at the last 15 minutes or something but what’s the point of a little tittering when you’ve been crying for hours.
I also have some question marks for example: How did the grandma gained her powers? Why was Xing Jiu the only person that was living in the Snow Blade City?
Honestly speaking, i don’t think everyone can love Ying Kong Shi in Ice Fantasy (even though i adored him) but in Ice Fantasy Destiny you won’t be able to help but fall for him. Ying Kong Shi... my sweet little bean.. I’m so sorry for what they did to you. You and Yan Da at least deserved some happiness together.
If we are to talk about positive things i must say they are quite fewer of them.
I loved the message about fate; no matter what you do, however hard you try, even if you’re an immortal with superpowers if something’s destined to be you can’t even prevent it in the 7th life.
I’m telling you THE BOND Ying Kong Shi has with Ka Suo and Yan Da was the only thing that kept me watching the drama. It may seem little bit if it wasn’t for this i don’t think i’d even rate Ice Fantasy Destiny 5 out of 10. And i was quite happy to see Ying Kong Shi gained the love of at least one more family member, he looked so satisfied even just with that.
Do we even need to talk about XING JIU’S ADORABLENESS??? He was the cutest in this drama, trying to sit in the refrigerator and so on, i’ll assure you you’ll even fall deeper for him.
ALL IN ALL if you really liked Ice Fantasy and Ka Suo or if you’re interested in reincarnation you definitely can (SHOULD) give it a shot. I’m not unhappy i watched it but it definitely could be better.
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Going down the hill
It started very promising. The first few episodes up to like the sixth episode were truly entertaining. I especially enjoyed that playful bond between team players and Sam and Tom's friendship—absolutely the cutest thing ever and a reminder for the BL industry that two people can be very close and touchy while staying friends and not developing any romantic feelings. Honorable mention for characters having consistent personalities, which is rare in Thai industry. Now the couples, during those six episodes, we've got to see a very original story of Sprite and Zee. I absolutely loved the acting of these two. It's actually admirable to play two people at the same time and still make them very recognizable and visibly different. About Jack and Mike: great chemistry, finally we're starting a relationship from a mutual attraction instead of hate or random mutual love at first sight. Sam and Tan—overall, they were pretty cute.I know many people thought they were awkward, but personally, I think it just added to their charm. New relationships tend to be awkward and imperfect sometimes.Then we got past the sixth episode, and the downfall had begun. Truly random, unnecessary problems; chaotic scenes that didn't really make sense chronologically. I feel like I've watched them, but I didn't—the director just poured whatever to fill up the space between the 6th and 12th episode. I could let this go if the 12th episode was really worth all the bs, but I'm afraid it wasn't. I mean, I like how they mentioned some issues and resolved them, but bro, they had 6 random episodes that gave nothing just to overfill the 12th episode with every possible plot point they found. They could've further developed Tan and Sam's storyline, shown us more about Jack's family, and, in general, more about Mike and Jack's dynamics (during those 6 episodes they appeared maybe like 4 times are you fr). They could've shown us more about the relationship between Zee and Sprite getting better, it seemed like they suddenly just let all the bitter feelings that we've learned about in the summary go. There were many, many possibilities, all wasted now. I set the rewatch value as 5, because I'm definitely watching those six episodes again, but I'll act like whatever comes next never happened. I suggest y'all just come up with your own ending; I bet it'll be more interesting.
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