Small Town Stories (2024)

What Actually Matters…

A truly must watch if you are a sucker for slice of life theme that triumphs on meaning making plots and characters.

I started this with low expectation and purely because I have seen Katrina’s (FL) past works and thought will just try this out. It’s my first drama with ML, to my surprise, his acting is really good, spot on and made the whole character lively and relate-able. He is not an idol but definitely a good actor and should be given more recognition. After watching, it was beyond my expectation, there were no dull moments in the main or side stories narrated.

It is a slice of life theme but not overly dramatic, stories were realistic and the plot were characters’ driven. The growth of characters are organic and progressive with lots of learning moments and very touching.
The conflicts were resolved quickly and no ridiculous fillers.
Normally I don’t pay much attention to side couples, but this drama, I even enjoyed watching the development of the other 2 secondary CPs storyline.
Overall it’s extremely therapeutic and healing for me, like my daily chicken soup reading.

The gist of story…
I won’t give too much spoiler, the synopsis already mentioned the main storyline. It’s about a talented, self-centered, prideful, small town girl who plays Suo Na (an instrument that I always thought it’s too loud to listen solo and only works in a group with orchestra). She always have a fixated dream, one goal in mind which is to be a Principle Suo Na player with the reknown National orchestra group, however during her audition, deal to stress and pressure, she couldn’t perform and developed an auditory condition.
In despair, she decided to go back to her hometown to recuperate - there she found new friends, love, and rediscover what she truly value and her growth. We will also understand later that her fixation of this goal was also related to a deeper value she longs for, a connection whether with self, family or her instrument.
Apart from FL’s journey of growth, redefining her values, finding love, reconnecting with family, there is also a background theme in this story which is to flourish the rich Chinese culture in this small town and to create more awareness.

The mini stories of the town folks were tear-jerking in both flavor of joy and sadness. The stories narrated the two major life changing events which are marriage and death.
The main ML holds businesses in both wedding and funeral arrangements.
He is a very sensible and sensitive character (well-written), who struggle with limited life options and circumstances yet never gave up his positive and constantly manages his challenges with resilience.
The message in each mini stories were touching and show us how we can be kinder to each other even when life is hard. There are so many good mini stories, one has to watch it to feel it. I will share one touches me, it is the first few stories that was also a turning point for FL. It was her first case of helping out to re-arrange a song and she played it at the funeral of a child who died from a car accident. That story left me so sad but the story resolution was so meaningful and healing, that cannot be explained through words.

The ending was nicely wrapped up on a joyous and warm note, with a progression of the main theme and the characters. I have a feeling that with all the given struggles and challenges that this characters have overcome. I believe the town, the people and the couples will do well.

The only complain for international viewers is the poor sub., so hopefully this drama receive more recognition and gain more publicity, where better streaming platform will take this up and provide good subtitles for more international audience.

This is a 9/10 for me.

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Love it

I think I have watched enough episodes to write up a review. This drama is excellent. If you enjoy any of the cast and enjoy music then this is a massive YES to watch.

Before the drama started did watch many Gao ZhiTing dramas. Rain Lu did watch plenty of her shows. I watched abit of Karlina before in Ode to Joy. I think the cast works well together. Gao ZhiTing is really a sweetheart, he was a sweetheart in A Love So Beautiful so everytime I watch him always hope he finds love and always does.
Will I trade Karlina for Shen Yue to have Gao Zhiting? never lol. However Shen Yue is another little cutie

Karlina as female lead been very impressed. Her as the centre of the drama worked well with such a unique instrument with beautiful sound was amazing. Gao ZhiTing as a Master of Ceremonies male lead with the plot being Karlina as the focal point was complimentary. I really wish to see these two doing dramas again in the near future as together both work so well. Chemistry is a word in drama really overused but you just see it with these two.

I found this drama pace to be very fast and trust me this is a good thing. I watch so many dramas and most feel long. You feel like things are happening every episode rather than a lot of nothing. The support cast seem satisfactory, nothing spectacular but solid. Solid is good.

This drama might lack a strong second couple but honestly doesn't matter. The mains do the job and the music within the drama fills the holes. I recommend to watch this.

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In light of a charming story, questionable values become (almost) irrelevant. (Part I)

I was pleasantly surprised by "Small Town Stories", an easy watch that left me feeling warm and had great pacing overall.
Not once did I think about dropping it (which I usually do with every drama, even if I like it) and I would even consider re-watching at some point. 30 Episodes went by super fast and there is almost no dragging or detours.
Similarly to "Rising With The Wind" it finds it's charm in flawed characters that are likable nonetheless and follows a small group of regular people achieving success through hard work as well as their journey in love. (not me almost making a AJTL reference, LOL - that drama really did a number on me)

Gao Zhiting (ML) is a great actor, he has natural charisma and an easy-going energy around him that makes his character feel real and three dimensional. The character is a bit rough around the edges and has traditional views on life, but nevertheless someone who is reliable in love. The event managing company he runs is very much living from paycheck-to-paycheck but their constant hustle to make a quick coin is endearing to watch and adds a lot to the comedic side of the story. Some of my favorite moments were the little steps of growth and realism of people working together. Hint: Naps are important but money talks :D
On the other hand we have the FL who returns to her home "town" and while she is dead set on returning to Beijing after healing from her Tinnitus, everyone tries their best to keep her in Weihai. Although it could be considered a flaw I actually liked that her problem was resolved quickly and nothing that dragged on. The leads went from strangers/enemies-to-lovers in a very natural manner, I liked how both of them never imagined to be a couple but slowly grew their feelings. Their bickering was funny and cute. The drama has a "character development" tag and I'd argue they mean them as a couple because the way they go from enemies to genuinely supporting each other is nice to watch.

Although I wasn't always a fan of her parents, I found both of them to be refreshingly youthful. Yes, they can bicker and nag but they're also funny and after a few beers both of them become quite chatty. Also high-key relatable how the wife reacts whenever the husband invites someone over and she had no idea.

In the name of making this a more realistic drama, beauty filters were kept to a minimum and a lot of the scenes are recorded live, adding to the natural feel of the story. I hesitate commenting on people's body size but I liked how the usual body shaming comments were absent in this drama and both leads have a slim but not super skinny figure. Having a tan male lead with a buzz cut is also not typical but so refreshing!

I liked STS a lot despite some underlying issues (more on that below) and would recommend it as it has a lot of charm without much struggle and an idyllic setting. A bit like "Meet Yourself" and "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha".
Overall it's a warm slice-of-life with great pacing, enjoyable chemistry between the two leads and a beautiful ending for everyone.
The biggest hurdle of watching this drama is choosing between watching it with bad subs but good audio(IQIYI) or good subs but muted song audio(YOYO channel). I opted for the later.

random fun fact: this is a dream for graphic-tee fans! I never counted so many graphic tees with random english words or paragraphs in a drama, loved that :D



PART II of the Review (Listing all the flaws and inconsistencies, SPOILER!) :

https://mydramalist.com/profile/9228969/feeds/xoE0KHl (clickable link in comments)

Unfortunately it was too long so I had to post it on my profile instead, feel free to read it if you want to know the underlying issues with this drama that I think need to be called out.

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So Good. So Real. So Honest. So Fun. So Everyday Normal Lives.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.75

“Small Town Stories” is one of those dramas that is underrated because it has no popular idol actors, no flashy plot and it’s just about the everyday life of the regular folks. Aside from high school dramas, China is really good at producing dramas such as “Small Town Stories”. Although there is nothing flashy about this drama, it brings me warmth, tears, hope and love. This is definitely not a drama for everyone, but it’s one that touches me.


What I Like:

1. Bai Lang (ML) - I am in love with Bai Lang. I am going to include him in my ‘Male Characters I love… Ideal man!’ custom list. He’s definitely not perfect in the fairytale kind of way, but he’s perfect in my eyes as a regular guy. Bai Lang is smart, hardworking, considerate, caring, loyal, dependable, responsible, and funny. He’s not cute or handsome in the traditional sense, but I love his tan skin and adorable smile. Gao Zhi Ting, who plays Bai Lang, has matured quite a bit. I’ve only seen him in “A Love So Beautiful” as the green flag 2ML. But in “Small Town Stories”, his acting improves, he has more screen presence and is a lot more charismatic.

2. Main Romance - I love the chemistry between Bai Lang and Mu Di. I am a fan of bickering leads who don’t like each other in the beginning, then slowly become friends and then fall in love. This is definitely a slow burn romance and you would be disappointed if you are looking for cute and fluffy love. The romance here is gradual, subtle-yet-not-subtle, but it’s full of fun, laughter, and tears. I like the development of the romance more than the actual romance when they finally get together.

3. Main/Supporting Cast - Every character in this drama feels real to me. No face smoothing, no super white make-up, no backlighting. These characters could be your next door neighbor, your uncle or aunt, or a classmate/friend. The characters are flawed and very ‘human’. They make mistakes, they act irrationally at times, yet you can’t help but root for them and not hate them. Yes, there’s an annoying girl who just won’t take no for an answer, but in the end, she’s still a good person at heart. Ok, she’s just a tad annoying and got on my nerves a little bit. But aside from that, I like everyone in this drama.

4. Acting - I am very impressed with Gao Zhi Ting (ML) and Karlina Zhang (FL). I see a different side of Rain Lu (2FL). Wu Xing JIan (2ML) might be the weakest of the four main leads, but he’s still not bad. I enjoy the acting of the supporting cast, especially Song Jia Teng (as ML’s BFF/Brother), Xu Shao Ying (Cop friend), FL’s family and all the musicians. The cast of “Small Town Stories” is full of veterans and very experienced actors. They really bring the characters to life.

5. Mini-stories - I really enjoy the side stories of weddings, celebrations and funerals. For the most part (except the last two subplots), these stories are touching yet don’t take away from the main plot and main leads character development. Through these stories, we see the growth of Mu Di (FL) from a self-centered and proud musician, to hitting rock bottom, to slowly realize what makes her happy and what her dream is.


What I have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like:

1. Last few episodes - I feel that the older couple’s love story, and FL sister/bro-in-law banking fiasco are the weakest subplots of the series. They don’t jive with the vibe of the drama in the first 20+ episodes. They also don’t contribute to the general character development of the leads, the music journey and the event business. I was worried that this amazing drama is going to tank in the last few episodes and I will end up being disappointed. Luckily, episodes 29-30 picked back up and ended on a high note. Those two episodes brought back touching tears, silly laughter and hope for the future.

2. Chinese Government - I wish the drama could have focused on the cultural aspect of the music without bringing in all the government talk. Maybe that’s also why I don’t like the banking subplot as that introduced more government involvement to the drama, and the boring business talk of the new Cultural Street/Development.

3. Dubbed correction - It was great having all the actors use their real voice and with live recording as well. But then, there are quite a few lines that are dubbed over the original. Is that possibly due to censorship? This happens more than once or twice, and it takes me out of the zone and interrupts my viewing pleasure.

4. One-sided Love - There are three different one-sided love storylines in this drama and all three individuals are quite persistent. One just wouldn’t take No for an answer and is annoying as heck. One goes above and beyond to impress the family shamelessly. One is not even friends with the love interest and is obsessed with them and almost ruins 12 years of friendship. If all three of them stop sooner, then one of the other romance storylines would have time to develop and make me root for them.

5. Kisses - There are a few not-so-great kisses. The camera shot these kisses at weird angles and you can't really see much. The ones that you do see are in the last episode but they are definitely for fan service. They’re not particularly romantic and did not evoke any positive feelings from me.



Overall, I had a great time watching this drama. I wish more people would take notice of it. It’s not perfect, but if you are in the mood for small town stories of normal people’s everyday life, this is a good one. However, the city definitely doesn't feel small town as it keeps on showing me scenes of tall buildings and city lights. LOL. So, don't think this drama is about rural life and townsfolks. "Small Town Stories" is about a very interesting event planning company.


Completed: 3/29/2024 - Review #421

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Loved this initially but halfway through and was ready to drop it. A drama with a group of the pushiest people ever… which is the problem… pushy people. ML, Mother. Sister, Music friend. business partner.. everyone!!

I love ML as an actor and he’s one of my favorites. BUT in this drama, FL is like a glass figurine and ML has a savior complex. He’s a man that can’t accept no and thinks he alway knows what FL wants. Actually everyone is out to “save” FL cuz she has to make copies at her new job and teach music to children. ML uproots everyone else’s life to make FL happy … I mean these people have families and jobs. What’s worse is FL agrees to everything without a thought to their circumstances. FL is a spoiled and entitled porcelain princess who isn’t actually very sweet or nice… at least imo. sorry!!!

Drama made music out to be a ride or die thing but it wasn’t convincing … at all. I am bummed cuz I was really looking forward to this drama.

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小城故事多 - Small town has many stories

Where is home?

Is it the bustling city where there’re many opportunities?
Or is it the small hometown where we are born and raise?

For folks that has their origins from smaller towns, this may not be an easy question to answer. For Mu Di in Small Town Stories, she was very sure of her answer until she was not, after having to return home to heal from an injury.

Small Town Stories is one of those family centric stories that ask us to remember pausing and pay attention to life’s little things. It asks us to enjoy life and care for ourselves. It subtly shares that passion and ambition can come in many forms.

What I enjoyed most about Small Town Stories was Bai Lang and Mu Di’s dynamics. Mu Di was a headstrong lady who felt stuck between her ambition and family subtle pressure to give it up. Bai Lang was a “rascal” she unexpectedly and unwillingly got entangled in, yet, seemed to be the “medicine” she needed to heal from her injury. This is an opposite attracts couple that’s rather charming to watch. I especially like Gao Zhi Ting’s portrayal as the street smart, savvy small medium enterprise business owner who was good at taking care of his people.

I also enjoyed the music performances in Small Town Stories. With utmost respect, I am not a fan of loud sounds and folk musics - thus, finding myself being captivated with Mu Di’s Suo Na was definitely a pleasant surprise. I appreciate folk music a little more through Small Town Stories.

What fell through for me was the slight draggy pacing and cliche plot lines. I wasn’t able to fell completely drawn in with the people in Small Town Stories besides Bai Lang.

That said, it’s still an enjoyable show if you are in a drama drought or want something simple. After all, there are many stories. And Small Town Stories is one of the many.

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Healing with Great Traditional Chinese music!

I discovered this hidden gem after hearing about its good story and pretty decent ratings, so I decided to give it a try. I went through the first half of the drama in a blink because it was so good. Got a lot of great laughs and teary eyed.

The story was pretty fast paced and did a great job at introducing the characters and their motives. The love line between Mu Di and Bai Lang is a cliche of enemies to lovers but the drama did it in a refreshing way that made you grow to ship them slowly at the same time that Mu Di also grew to like Bai Lang. I really liked that the drama respected the aesthetics of the small town and also didn't focus so much on the actors' visuals. They casted people based on talent which is obvious with the male lead who isn't the typical handsome and successful style in most rom-coms. He was great at bringing Bai Lang to life and was pretty boyfriend material. I will keep an eye on his future projects and hopefully he gets more main leads. He has a lot of potential. I really liked that they explained a lot about his background and motives so you could understand his actions at the beginning. His group of friends were also pretty likeable, although they didn't show much of their background.

The script and story was also written well for an original script. The writers clearly respected each character and tried to develop the main ones fully. I wish they did try to show more of the second male lead though since he is also shippable with Mu Di. I also liked the whole background story of the band with traditional Chinese instruments and Bai Lang's event company. His events made the show more interesting and there were many funny scenes. The writers did great with the comedic timings that felt very natural. The characters overall felt very real and not like a plot device. My only complaint is that the last 5 or 6 episodes were so focused on the side couples who were not really interesting in my opinion. They did have character growth but just were not interesting to watch. Mu Di's friend and the William guy were just not too fun to watch, so I skipped their scenes in the end. Besides them, I liked all the other characters. Their chattering and dialogue were very fun to watch, noteably Mu Di's family and Bai Lang's friends.

The love line is also not the main focus of the drama, which I appreciate. They focus more on healing and the topic of dreams and music. I do find it regretful that we didn't see more cute scenes of dating Mu Di and Bai Lang. They are cute together! Their best scenes were when they were starting to like each other so I wish we could have gotten more.

Acting wise, the main leads were great and the old actors were great too. The supporting were the weaker links, like William and Mu Di's friend. They did not feel that natural with their lines and body language. I couldn't get too into their roles compared to Bai Lang and Mu Di.

Overall, a healing drama with great music and a cute love line. It is an underrated drama since the budget isn't super big and not very well known actors. However, would totally recommend it even though it wasn't perfect because there are great funny scenes and it was really addicting to watch the first 2/3 of the drama.

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Dropping it after 4 episode, the story and acting didn't lure me.

Small Town Stories is a melodrama of a small-town girl who returns home after an injury and broken relationship. She met up and fell in love with Bai Lang.

The Synopsis:
Mu Di, a Suo Na professional woman with a high education and ability, returned home to recover from an injury. There, she meets Bai Lang, a smart and capable company boss. Due to an incident, the two are forced to run a business together.

While building the business together, Mu Di felt a different kind of human warmth and was welcomed with open arms by the town's local people, which inspired her to combine traditional art and pop culture.

Mu Di has a new understanding of the folk music she once loved. She has made continual progress in performances and has received much praise. She has also changed her rocky start with Bai Lang for the better.

In the end, Mu Di and the members of the folk orchestra took the opportunity to create traditional folk music that is known and loved by many.

Under the influence of Bai Lang, Mu Di put down her walls and faced her heart. Not only did she find a career that she loved, but she also found a home that she loved.

My Reviews:
1. I watched 4 episodes, and I found it boring and not engaging at all.
2. The main CP did not lure me in with their acting, and the story could have been more engaging.

I am dropping this drama and giving it a 4.0 rating.

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