This coming of age, opposites attract, character driven drama is not my usual binge-fluff. Good performances from the cast. A good variety of supporting characters, providing the story with richness. A bumpy journey with a hopeful ending. Oh and a Zhou Shen soundtrack I love!
I sympathise with FL, she suffers from a lot of noise; her parents, self doubt, lack of clarity and direction. Her life is privileged and secure but she is numb. The Lighter sets off a spark within her, she starts to believe her own ability and takes risks. Her growth is subtle but not without value. That spark is more than romance, it's challenging and gives her purpose.
She found security in ML's brilliance. He always has a plan. She's kept in the dark a lot, which is problematic, definitely, but his actions show he always had another plan.
ML is a brilliant AH that makes for an interesting watch. He does grow and mature enough to wrap up the story, but he still has a lifetime to continue growing. I liked that he doesn't say "Don't worry, I've got this" he says "You worry. I fix it." I didn't like the tickling 🤮😅 I don't find that endearing.
Someone commented they could do with therapy. Most people could benefit from therapy 😅.
A shout out to "Ling Ba" (Go Ahead reference) for kind of adopting this troubled kid.
9/10 recommend
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If time could stop at the moment we first met.
“Lighter and Princess" is a captivating Chinese drama that tells the story of a selfish yet brilliant young man and a kind-hearted, innocent young woman who meet in college. The male character is always seen carrying a lighter and affectionately refers to the female character as his princess. Initially, the male character's selfishness can be frustrating, but as the story unfolds, he learns valuable lessons and becomes more considerate and compassionate towards others.The two lead actors deliver stunning performances that beautifully portray the depth of their characters' emotions and the challenges they face. Despite the obstacles they encounter, their love ultimately conquers all.
The drama is filled with both heart-wrenching and heartwarming moments, leaving the audience on an emotional rollercoaster. The ending quote, "If time could stop at the moment we first met... she may be the last person I see in my life," speaks to the profound love shared between the two characters.
Overall, "Lighter and Princess" is a great love story with amazing characters that will have you both crying and laughing. It's a must-watch for fans of Chinese dramas.
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the best cdramas!!
Personally, I was hooked when I first watched the first five episodes of Lighter and Princess. I watched this twice and all I can say is that this drama will really melt your heart and make you feel that love is worth fighting for. Even if the ML and the FL had gone through a lot of obstacles together, they never gave up on each other and still found their way towards each other's arms. The friendship, the romance, the drama and everything in between are all worth watching for. So to speak, this drama deserves to be watched.Was this review helpful to you?
Lighter & Princess' is the Perfect Rom-Com for a Feel-Good Watch
2021 Chinese romantic comedy drama that tells the story of two people from different backgrounds who fall in love despite their differencesThe acting in "Lighter & Princess" is good, and the chemistry between the two leads, played by actors Wang An Yu and Zhang Ya Qin, is believable and cute. The drama is well-paced, and the storyline is engaging, although it does have some predictable plot points.
The drama also touches upon themes of social class, discrimination, and the importance of family.
Overall, lighthearted and enjoyable romantic comedy that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. While it may not be the most groundbreaking or original drama out there, it is still worth a watch for fans of the genre.
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This review may contain spoilers
Lighter and Princess is enemies to lovers done right. The tension between the two main characters was next level and their chemistry was obvious in every scene. When the story starts off in present day, it’s very intriguing and you want to know more, but then it quickly jumps to flashbacks and stays there for much longer than expected. Parts of the flashbacks to college dragged on and there was a bit too much focus on school projects, but their evolution from strangers to rivals to friends to lovers was fantastic. The two of them felt like opposites in most ways but for some reason they seemed to get each other. The development of their relationship felt really organic. It was a little disappointing that they got together and the story immediately flashed forward three years, as it would have been great to see more of them as a happy couple in college, although what they did show was adorable.
The main conflict that unfolds at the end of the college storyline was a little strange. For two supposed geniuses, neither the villain nor Li Xun seemed to have particularly good plans. Li Xun could be very impulsive and hotheaded but, since they showed that he did plan his revenge, I would have expected it to be better. The way that he treated Zhu Yun felt pretty unnecessary.
At this point the story flashes forward another three years, to where they started in the first episode. One thing I found kind of bizarre was that they chose to have only three years pass since the end of the college storyline, but the characters really acted like it had been at least 10 years. Zhu Yun helped Li Xun get back on his feet and even though he really didn’t deserve it, it was satisfying to see her use her accomplishments, skill, and charm to get what she wanted for both of them. The company they both begin to work at became one of my favorite parts of the show. All the coworkers were shipping the two of them so hard and it made for a lot of comedic scenes. The chemistry the two of them had in the scenes when they are older showed how they had changed and it was darker and more mature than before. I really enjoyed the second half of the show because of their sizzling chemistry.
Li Xun was definitely a bit of a red flag and he did say some very hurtful things to Zhu Yun. Even if you could tell he was trying to push her away and that he felt bad, there was never enough of an apology to her. She gave and gave to him and he really needed to grovel instead of giving a short apology. However, even before they got back together, this couple was really the definition of a couple that would burn down the world for each other. Even though Zhu Yun did put up with a lot from Li Xun, she wasn’t willing to take any bullying from others, whether it was towards herself or Li Xun. I love seeing a protective female lead. Towards the end, the couple was very cute, I just would have liked them to get back together a little sooner.
Old Gao, their classmate turned villain, was a classic insecure man and I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for him. Li Xun definitely screwed him over a few times but Old Gao’s level of anger felt way too high for the situation. It was obvious that he actually resented Li Xun so deeply because he was jealous that Li Xun was smarter, better, and attractive to women. Li Xun’s trust in him felt insane to me when it was obvious how much Old Gao resented him. The resolution of this storyline in the end was such a disappointment and felt like a total cop out. I wished they’d gone a different way with it.
I could not stop watching this show and I binged it so fast. The chemistry was fantastic, the music was amazing, and there was a good balance between darker, lighter, and more comedic elements.
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Lots to Love, a few things to hate
Where to start with this, because overall I felt like this was such a much needed improvement on typical cdrama fare.Arthur Chen proves that good looks and incredible acting skills can go hand in hand (Leo Wu is another example). In fact when you consider how young these guys are, they both should have an incredible future ahead in adult roles. The intensity that is required of him in this role plays a huge part in the credibility of the script, so kudos to him. Job well done.
Likewise, a lot is askes of Zhang Jing Yi, who for the most part plays it well. There are times when her silence or inability to respond feels extremely frustrating but this could be the constraints of the script or the directing.
Be warned, it gets very heavy and serious with topics like revenge, obsession, tragedy, the usual cdrama tropes of 2FL delusion, rude controlling parents, jealousy that gets twisted to never be the perpetrators fault but everyone else’s.
There are moments in the show where it all becomes a little unecessary and actually damages what could have been the best cdrama I’ve ever seen. Instead the low blows and cheap shots the writers throw into this show randomly is destructive to it. That’s where my disappointment ends.
The other friendships that form, between college friends through to the awesome gang at Flying Network help support the two leads who really need it throughout. When you lack family support the friends need to come through and there are some touching scenes.
The romance is genuine, and the chemistry between the two is amazing.
Occasionally it felt draggy, but all dramas do at times. I would have loved a little more variety with scenes, it gets very top heavy with college classes, programming group - I do think they could have got the message across about who dominates who without 50 hrs of classroom/club scenes (over exaggerating but you get the drfit) and towards the end too much tedious office scenes, but thats just balance and you kind of tolerate it when the story is good.
Loved the music, the OST was top notch, however I supose it will be hard to find? I never can find full drama OST’s for chinese shows on the streaming services.
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Well-written and well executed
It is nearly a year since I watched this, but found I hadn't written a review. That means this won't be very detailed, though.This was one of the earlier C-dramas I watched, and I will say this is a quality production through-and-through.
Well-written script, interesting story, good acting; even if I don't remember everything, this is a drama I do remember, and might actually consider re-watching at one point (that is not many!).
What I believe made this memorable to me, are for example:
- Interesting characters and good character-development. How FL changes and matures, and ML's depth and complexity are some factors
- Not too plot-ridden/scheming acts (although there are some)
- The cast (ML and FL), and their chemistry
- A bit of frustration - but in this case it implies a well-written story
- Good mix of slice-of-life/growing up, business and romance
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worse than a schoolplay
I really wonder why this drama has got such high scores, it is really bad in so many ways that i dont know where to start... The ML and FL are both unnecessarily aggressive while pretending to be smart and "genius"... The FL pretends to hate the guy but she is always stuck to him? Also, the FL seems to have no real interest in life/ career other than bickering with the ML who obviously is not seduced by her wit, but by her all package, to put it politely. The plot is sooo repetitive too, the ML insults the FL, she realizes his intentions were "right", he insults her again, the FL realizes it was just out of concern etc. It is honestly insulting for the intelligence of all men and women out there - intellectuals or not - to believe that love is about mocking the other all the time.I cannot believe it's a 2022 drama!
Only recommended as a challenge for CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING WORSE?
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Sparks Flying Everywhere
"Lighter and Princess" is a heartwarming drama that tells the story of Zhu Yun and Li Xun, two university classmates who fall in love despite their different personalities. While Zhu Yun is warm and friendly, Li Xun is a computer genius who is often aloof and cold. However, their chemistry is undeniable, and viewers can't help but root for their relationship to grow and overcome the many obstacles that come their way.One of the strengths of "Lighter and Princess" is the way it slowly builds up the characters over time, allowing viewers to really get to know them and understand their motivations. Zhu Yun is a particularly admirable character, as she endures mistreatment from Li Xun but still remains by his side, supporting him and helping him achieve his goals. Her unwavering love and dedication to Li Xun is truly touching and serves as a reminder of the power of love to overcome even the toughest challenges.
The acting in "Lighter and Princess" is also top-notch, with the two lead actors displaying excellent chemistry and emotional range. Their portrayal of Zhu Yun and Li Xun's relationship is authentic and believable, making it easy for viewers to become invested in their story.
Overall, "Lighter and Princess" is a highly enjoyable Chinese drama that explores the power of love and perseverance. Its well-crafted characters, strong performances, and compelling storyline make it a must-watch for fans of romantic dramas.
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Do you care about programming? I don't :)
Let me give some context before you read this review. This was impromptu, this was meant to be my personal notes that I made while watching. I wasn't planning on sharing but I felt like the review section was filled with glowing 10/10 reviews, and while that is wonderful, it did not represent my experience. I am so glad for the people who thoroughly enjoyed this, I wish I was there with you. This review is intended for those who are not enjoying the show and feel as though they are the only ones who aren't.Episode 18- I feel so bored. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT PROGRAMMING! The only thing that has gotten me this far is the romance and they only started dating in episode 17!! I don't feel like I'm in this for the long haul. Maybe it's just my mood lately, because it seems like everyone loves this. Am I missing something? I think the romance has a lot of potential and I think they have great chemistry. But, I don't care about programming and I don't care about the side characters. Jianhong is SO GD ANNOYING CAN A PERSON BE MORE PATHETIC! I started skipping through a majority of the computer bits a couple episodes ago. I feel as though as I'm writing this I am convincing myself to drop it. I mean I'm not even half way through. At this point I don't think I care about the 'mystery' of how Li Xun got into prison and how they got to that point at 25. let's get things freaking moving!
I just went back to continue watching episode 18 and I can't do it. I went and read some reviews of the few people who didn't rate it a 10/10 and I feel even more irritated. It has only confirmed that It will be even more annoying. I think maybe I just hate this type of angst. The only decision now is should I put it on hold or should I drop it. I am a person who gets FOMO easily and I do really like the couple. Their potential HURTS ME. But, I think I will drop it because there is no chance that this will get a high rating from me.
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Melodramatic Love story
Watchable love story with melodrama added in the series. The series has good love story but somewhat predictable scenes and series feels somewhat long for 36 episodes. Series has elements like romance, business, betrayel, youth college setting and wonderfull characterization.As for performances male lead Chen fei yu and female lead Zhang jing yi did very good job in there respetive roles as well supporting characters Zhou zi wei, Jenny zheng etc. The male and female lead are watchable because they are young and fresh pair.
The Music of these drama is adaptable to the situation in the dramas. The music is fresh, melodies and entertaining. I personally loved the music in the drama. The lyrics are also adaptable, meaningful and poetic.
If you want melodramatic ,campus setting, good girl bad boy, love story then i recomend these drama to you.
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This review may contain spoilers
Bad character, but not really
The main character Li Xun is talented, but can be arrogant and blunt. It is hard to like character such as this. However, if you can stay with it, you will find out more as the story unfolds.Spoiler alert
He is mean to to Chu Yun (but in later part you will find out he knows her a while back and the reason behind). For a really bad character , he won't make so much effort to save his mom, he won't put himself at risk for sister; he won't plead for friend who is expelled. Provide finance support to his friend. Even the lighter has its own story.
He won't give false hope to girl who likes him (there is a way you can tell he is aware of Chu Yun's room mate interest).That is his character - he cares, but he may not say it. He has a dangerous side- a law breaker for his loved ones, I hope he will change , learn to handle things differently, that the drama will show character grows as it goes.
Perhaps the person he shouldn't hurt so much or at least respect is Gao, otherwise won't contribute to what happened at later part, the price he has to pay far more than what he owed Gao. Hopefully they will reconcile at the end.
So far so good, don't give up the show when he appears to be a "bad guy" in the beginning , as the story unfolds, you get to know the character better, it brings me tears. Not overdone, not over sentiment.
Especially don't miss episode 17
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