Story- The first episode was so original. I liked that we got to see a backstory of how fate will play a role in them meeting again, although for a bit they don't know what we know. This drama was heavy on the romance and the story is predictable but I just found it so fascinating. I love that the feelings the main couple had for each other never wavered. Now there was plenty conflict especially towards the end but it never got too angsty to the point of frustration. My only complaint about the story would be the arc about the tug of war team, it really could have been done without. The ending was happy=)
Acting/Cast-The leads really carried the show. Their acting especially by Janine was really really good. She had a lot of crying scenes and managed to make them very believable. Peter and her had such an AMAZING chemistry. Now a lot of the supporting characters I thought the drama could have did without, like Xiao Xiang’s friend she meets competing for a job and her tug of rope posse. They were so annoying and also Xiao Xiang’s family especially her mom(the overacting was really too much). Other than that I liked the supporting cast.
Music- I don't usually notice a Taiwanse OST unless its to the point where I can hum the melodies of the songs outside of watching the show. So I can say without a doubt, I really liked the OST and score because they were memorable.
Rewatch- I can see myself watching this once a year just because the drama is short and I loved the leads. I could never get bored with watching this.
Overall Ring Ring Bell might seem cliche and silly at times but it was such an enjoyable watch. This is my top Taiwanese drama even beating out Autumn's Concerto & Devil Beside you. That's saying something!
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The story actually had a great start. Instead of skipping the two main leads Zheng Xiao Xiang(Chang Janine) and Ren Jia Kai( Ho Peter)the writers allowed us to see their background story and how they met before they are separated due to events. When they meet again the love they had for each other, but never blossom blooms as they face problems to keep the love intact. I loved the story. I thought it was original and fresh.
I had no major problems with the story with the exception of the tug of war girls, but they are not the reason I gave Story a 7, the pace is. The show started with a nice pace, yet towards the end in my opinion the pace slowed as the twist and turns surfaced. The ending was a nice one I just wish the pace didn't slowed down as much as it did. You could tell they were trying to drag the story on around episode 13. Other than that great story.
The music is similar. At first I loved the twinkle little star song and it played at appropriate times, yet towards the end it played seemingly whenever. One of the hardest thing about a show is the music. If there is no variety in the bgm(background music) it becomes repetitive and people start to hate it. I think that if they added a few more songs it wouldn't have been so bad.
My favorite thing about this drama is the acting! All the characters held an important role in the story, well except the tug of war girls. Ho Peter is a great male lead and him and Chang Janine had great chemistry. You would think they were a real couple. The chemistry between Chang Janine and the second guy Wang Ke Jie(Xiu Jie Kai) was also good, however the adorable little girl Duo Duo stole my heart. Deng Tracy is one of the best child actors in the Asian drama world. When she cries you cry with her, she is that believable. Never had I felt so much raw emotion from a child actor her age at the intensity I did in this show. I hope I see more of her.
I hoped I explained well enough about my scores. Overall, I liked this show and I would watch it again. I'd have to skip Duo Duo parts to avoid crying. Its a really nice show and regardless of whether or not you agree with this review I hope you check it out.
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Acting/Cast: Oh gosh were to begin. Well all I have to say is Peter Ho so damn H.O.T and Jannie Chang is so beautiful. They make a beautiful couple and they have great chemistry in the drama. I give that acting another 10.
Music: I love the music in this drama, I even went to go listen to it for 3 days. It's just to touching, especially the twinkle twinkle song. I give it a 10.
Rewatch: I watched this drama 1 time and I got hooked that I even rewatched after I was done with the drama.
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And yet... and yet... I’m reluctant to admit it, but there is something addictive in the drama. Something that pulls you back in and makes you watch it despite wanting to tear all your hair out because of the sheer idiocy of the character’s actions (and a lot of stiff acting). I think that draw may rest solely on Peter Ho’s shoulders, to be perfectly honest. He has a charisma on screen that can’t be denied, and he is very good at switching from being terribly heartbroken in one instant, angry in the next, and portraying such poignant self-hatred at himself in the last, all without having to say a word. It was awesome. He had so much control over his acting in this drama, I was duly impressed. I’ll definitely be looking more into his other works in the future.
All other performances, though, were questionable at best, something to be snickered at at their worst. I’ve seen the lead actress, Janine Chang, in one other drama — Sunny Happiness — and I don’t remember her being this embarrassingly bad at overacting. Or maybe it was just a pure /lack/ of acting. Her performance felt fake and cardboard-y most of the time, only coming through as natural when she was paired with Peter Ho in scenes where they weren’t fighting. I agree with the rest of comments on MDL that say they have good chemistry in this drama, because they do. They really do. Their scenes together as a couple are some of the best moments to look forward to, really.
It’s not only the acting that’s like cardboard, though. The story is also predictable, full of clichés, and terribly managed. I liked where they were going with it in the first 2 episodes maybe, but then we got to the meat of the story. The core of the story is essentially making our cardboard heroine go through all these “trials and tribulations” that make the male lead notice her and gradually want to “put her on the right path” where she could actually, y’know, succeed in life and raise her child properly. Except, of course, she doesn’t want to be “on the right path,” she wants to be on the “noble idiot, self-righteous path” that only makes her and everyone around her miserable in the end. And then the ex’s come back. And then someone’s sacrificing their “happiness” for the person they love — hurting the other person terribly in the process — because that’s what “good people” do, right? Riiight? -.- Gah. I can’t tell you how many times I almost dropped this drama because of the ridiculous scenes it kept showing me one. After. Another. Over. And. Over. Again. Like I said before, 99.999999% of this drama’s problems all had one simple solution : Communication. Simple, effective communication. The problems they were dealing with weren’t even that severe; the writers just kept making so many mountains out of molehills to keep the story dragging on. (I can’t even count how many insignificant, meandering side stories the drama has...)
Let me take this moment to mention the OST as well. 4 words: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” How much do you like this song? No matter your answer, I’m sure after watching this drama, that like will drop about 10 notches. From now on, every time you hear those sweet beginning verses, it’ll dredge up shuddering recollections of a story so full of holes and directing so shoddy, the music will change tracks like 5 times in one scene to fit a general, repetitive sequence of events —> Chase scene! Dramatic accident! Romantic follow-up! But No! I can’t love you! I’ll only hurt you! I must run away! I won’t even try to explain my reasoning! And how dare you ever ask me why!~ Cue : “Twinkle, twinkle little star...” -.- This drama, I swear...
But! when it was good, it really was good. Mainly when Peter Ho was on the screen, but sometimes he could also improve Janine’s acting if they were together and all she had to be was happy. You’ll find yourself routing for them even as female lead does everything in her power to destroy her own happiness (for the millionth time.) The little girl, Duo Duo, was also cute to watch. A little too mature to be in kindergarten, but whatevs. That was the least of the drama’s problems.
It’s a good drama if melodrama and characters going through abysmal situations is your thing. (I admit, I have a weakness to this... heh, probably how I pulled through completing this diamond in the rough). And if you like fairy tale-type stories where everything is tied into a neat little bow at the end, this is also the drama for you. All of our main characters get an epilogue at the end showing how they’ll pull through in the future (and potentially stop making themselves miserable!) That was nice, I guess...
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A outdated and very melodramatic series, barely bearable despite Peter Ho
PLOT:8 years after meeting during a quarantine, the ML, a PR CEO in the middle of a divorce, finds FL, a single (adoptive) mother, abandoned by her boyfriend. They will support each other, face obstacles,... and end up falling in love.
PROS:
+ 1 excellent lead, Peter HO, who bursts into the screen and even manages to have good chemistry with Janice Chang (whose talent I don't question, but her character is unbearable).
BUT all the flaws of "old fashion" TW dramas:
- terribly melodramatic, dramaland story, with ALL the clichés, poorly done.
- lots of overplayed / useless characters
- repetitive music that ends up being annoying
- ESPECIALLY, the FL's character is frustrating: the simple girl, with a heart of gold, "innocent",... NO, her character is pathetically stupid (she give her localisation at an anonymous phone call) !
=> Watched the first 4-5 episodes with pleasure, then stopped out of exasperation.
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PLOT:
8 ans après s'être rencontré pendant une 40aine, un CEO de RP en plein divorce, retrouve la FL, mère (adoptive) célibataire, abandonnée par son boyfriend. Ils vont s'épauler, faire face aux obstacles,... et finir par tomber amoureux.
PROS:
+ 1 excellent lead, Peter HO, qui crève l'écran et arrive même à avoir une une bonne alchimie avec Janice Chang (dont je ne remets pas le talent en cause, mais son personnage est insupportable).
MAIS tous les flaws des TW dramas "old fashion" :
- story terriblement mélo, dramaland, avec TOUS les clichés, mal amenés.
- beaucoup de personnages surjoués
- musique répétitive qui finit par être agaçante
- SURTOUT, le personnage de la FL est frustrant : la fille simple, au coeur d'or, "innocente",... NON, son personnage est d'une stupidité à pleurer !
=> Regardé avec plaisir les 4-5 premiers épisodes, puis en pointillés par exaspération.
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