Hands-down best 2020 drama for me

It feels a bit unfair how this drama is so underrated relative to its awesome quality, because this has EVERYTHING that a great drama should have:

1. Powerful and Meaningful Themes
This show revolves around finding your passion, facing and succeeding over obstacles, knowing and improving yourself, learning from one another, and friendship. Go may just be a "game", but we see the characters discover themselves a bit more through it and witness them grow for the better.

2. Character Development
Shi Guang, the main character, goes through a MASSIVE character development throughout the whole series. He isn't even bad in the first place, maybe immature at worst, so it makes the viewers root for him a lot. As mentioned by some side-characters, he is "like a sponge", and his willingness to learn from others and acknowledge his weaknesses significantly contributed to his improvements. Not only him, but we see other characters (actually, almost all of them) grow as well which is very satisfying.

3. Friendship
The amazing thing here is how fiendship is displayed in different ways: 13th High School Go Club friendship which is about mutual support, Yijianghu Go Club friendship which is about encouraging and strengthening each other, Fang Xu and Bai Chuan's friendship which is about making sure the other doesn't stray from the right path, Shi Guang and Yu Liang's friendship which is about rediscovering one's passion and setting an eternal goal to pursue, and of course Shi Guang and Chu Ying's friendship which is about finding a purpose to one's existence.

4. Acting
There is literally no blackhole in all of the characters despite most of them being young actors. Huge props especially to the lead actors: Juck Zhang who made Chu Ying impossible to hate but can also make you cry (I DARE you to watch episodes 32-34 without crying) and Hu Xianxu as Shi Guang who is undoubtedly THE STAR of the whole drama, one of the best actors of his generation to be quite honest. The young actor who played young Shi Guang also deserves a special mention as well.

5. Production Quality
The drama's timeline is from 1997-2006 so important details like clothing, appliances, places, even vehicles need special detail. There's definitely no weak point on that aspect. The cinematography and music are also very beautiful as well.

This drama may not be that famous internationally because there is no romance and doesn't ride the coattails of the ever-famous Hallyu wave, but you'll DEFINITELY miss out if you don't give this one a chance.

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Story is 7.5 but production is 10/10

In summary: Games are good but actual story and side stories are probably 7.5. Production though is awesome! The best I've personally seen in Japanese media and tbh the saving grace for me to give this drama a rating higher than 7

Characters

I actually dropped it at first after episode 3 because there are no longer interesting characters for me. The main character Arisu is sadly not doing it for me and I couldn't really care more about his survival. However I've seen Japanese Twitter mostly talk about Niragi (a character that appears in later episodes) so it prompted me to pick it up again. Nonetheless the main characters that appeared in the first half (Arisu, Usagi) are uninteresting but the others in the second half (Chishiya, Kuina) are more charismatic and will definitely make the season 2 worth more looking forward to.

Story

The comments here were right that it kinda dwindled down during the second half. If you're looking for something similar, a stronger alternative would be Liar Game.

All in all it's not a bad watch but I'm not head over heels over it -- I don't feel like my time is wasted but I don't think you'll miss much if you don't watch it either. I'm ecstatic though that this got a Season 2 and is helping pave the way for Japanese dramas to get the hype it deserves internationally <3

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A healing no-cringe romance drama that you can binge in under 3 hours!

Sometimes the best gems are the ones that are buried deep in the ground, and this one is definitely it! There is not much hype (or at all) for this cdrama which is a waste because this is one of the best watches I've ever had this year.

Things I liked:

1. A Very Unique Premise: Tbh I think this is my first time encountering a cdrama with this concept. It literally starts with a guy trying out different ways of su*cide. (Don't worry, there is nothing graphic.) Multiple times I have caught myself asking, is it okay for Chinese media to show this?

2. Flawed and Realistic Characters: There are no perfect characters in this show. The ML is antisocial and a borderline hikikomori, while the FL is a conwoman. But you'll see their humanity and end up rooting for them to rise above their circumstances and become better persons.

3. Life Lessons: "When is it 'too late' for a person to change?" "Can someone be kind to you without any conditions?" "Is there a purpose in living?" These are some (and there are plenty!) questions asked throughout the show.

4. Dark Comedy: While the main idea of the drama revolves around dying and just YOLO-ing without thinking of the consequences, it's not too heavy. The comedic moments are golden and it doesn't stray away from the overall theme of the show.

5. Character Development: I can write a whole paper about this but, just watch it!!

All-in-all it's indeed a healing romance as they said. It's not just about falling in love, but finding yourself and a will to live in the process. Best of all, you can watch the whole drama in under 3 hours!

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I rarely give all 10s for a drama but this IS it

I stumbled upon the show's OST on Spotify and immediately fell in love. Then I finally decided to watch it and I fell harder. This isn't even a "BL" story to me; it's a heartwarming and touching story about how we as people can positively influence others and how we can find our place in the world.

The main character Tian who was a typical rich spoiled kid with unhealthy partying habits (and even vices) finds the true meaning of "home", ironically, in a place where there is nothing. Now this may sound cliche, but the way the drama presented it is so realistic -- things don't always go the way he wants it to, he gets into trouble, he sometimes gets hated, he almost gives up -- it's not all sparkles and rainbows but because of all of these, we see his character grow.

What I love the most though is Torfun's character. She is one of the most beautifully-written characters I've ever seen. She is kind, easy to get along to, her heart is pure, everybody loves her. It was truly inspiring to see how she has left a strong impact on all the people she was able to connect to, even after her death.

This has quickly become one of my favorites because not only it has left me with a beautiful story and characters, it has also left me with a message: Live a life that leaves a legacy.

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Feels fortunate to have this legendary cdrama in our lifetime

The story is unlike anything I have ever seen before. Every episode there's something big happening, a character gets unraveled deeper; I felt like I watched years (or even decades)- worth of history in just 50+ episodes.

Admittedly I took longer to finish this because I don't have much patience for slower-paced dramas, much more political ones, but once I got to it I couldn't stop. The first 20 episodes really just lay the foundation (and a strong one at that!) for the next episodes, and hopefully those who plan on dropping this watch at least up until then because not only the action gets going, but we will really appreciate all the work and planning that went on in those "slow" episodes.

The acting is on another level, there are no blackholes. I've watched other dramas before and I also liked the acting there, but here I came to understand that this is what happens when a cast is made up of veteran actors. It almost feels like I am watching actual figures in history.

I hope everyone gets to watch this once in their lives.

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Just one word: AMAZING

Now I started watching this after seeing the gripping trailer and had pretty high expectations, and I can't believe the actual drama exceeded that and so much more! The suspense was unbelievable and each episode has something new to bring to the table. And it wasn't even just the suspense, but the heart that goes with the storyline.

Things I liked:

- The mystery. What really is happening? Why are things happening? What do they need to do now? Where do they go from here? Every episode I am left with many questions and while we learn something new at each step of the way, the thrill is so intense that we are still left wanting more. I watched this while it was airing and really, the 1 episode per week is not enough lol

- The characters and their personal storylines. If you happen to see my other reviews, you'll know that I am a huge fan of good characterizations, and this drama did just THAT. And you know what's even better than a well-written character? It's well-written characterS. I really liked how each episode focuses on different characters which teaches us a lot of things on how we should view and treat the people around us. Special shout-out to my precious cutie pie Lu Di <3

- The subtle romance. The main point of this drama is the mystery, and while the love line between the main characters could have been easily, well, "exploited", I'm so glad that didn't happen. The development of their relationship just happens in the background and didn't take away from the story. Granted I'm good even if there's no romance at all, but it still makes sense given the grand scheme of things and seeing what the leads went through together.

Tbh if this was shown on Netflix, it would definitely be a huge hit. Nonetheless I am so glad I watched this and even if we're already halfway through 2022, this is still the best drama of the year for me. Huge kudos to the whole team and the actors.

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5x the action of The Untamed, and a must-watch for those who have finished the drama

There wasn't much in the story to be quite honest, but it was very effective in showing the bond between the Nie brothers and the virtues of Nie Huai Sang. On the other hand Jin Guang Yao, albeit having only a few scenes, managed to turn the events around.

The actors of the Nie brothers were excellent. While they also acted well in The Untamed, they really shined here. We only mostly saw Nie Huai Sang's cheeky side in the series, but here he shows a full range of emotions. In fact it wasn't only his acting that got to shine, it's the depth of his character as well. Not disclosing much, but he has strong virtues (and the stubbornness) that reminded me of Wei Wu Xian, which is also why he probably quickly warmed up to him. Nie Ming Jue, as always, is bad-ass. And in this movie, multiply that bad-assery by 5x.

Also props to another actor who was really into the scene even if he was just in the background. Again I wouldn't want to spoil much, but he is a random Nie Clan disciple who just stands in the background. The other disciples simply wear blank faces (since they're not the focus of the scene anyway), but I noticed that there's one who was really giving his all. I'd like to appreciate all the actors, both the main ones and the "extras".

The strongest aspect of the movie for me, aside from Nie Huai Sang's character arc, was definitely the action. The CGI wasn't really better than the series (it was worse in a few scenes actually), but the suspense was topnotch. The movie ended before I knew it, and that says a lot of good things about this kind of movie that had like 80% action scenes. I really wish I was able to watch it in the theaters because it was that cool! (But thankfully I made a right random choice of watching on a 40-inch screen instead of my phone lol)

All-in-all it was a great side-story to the series. In fact I strongly recommend it to those who have finished it, in order to get more understanding about the ending and Nie Huai Sang's motivations.

AND DID I ALREADY MENTION NIE HUAI SANG'S ENDING SCENE?! THE MOVIE'S ALSO WORTH WATCHING JUST FOR THAT FINAL SCENE ALONE TBH

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Powerful story and characters, Beautiful visuals and music

I have to admit I kept my expectations low for this drama despite its high rating here because, 1. The leads are idol actors, and 2. I'm not really a fan of xianxia dramas. But this blew me out of the water. The story was really intricate and the characters are well-written.

Story:
What I liked the most about the story is, obviously, the evolution of Wei Wu Xian's life from being known as a carefree genius, to a black magic craftsman, to a hated person, to a "idgaf does it matter after all" mature character as he took in what he learned in the world.

I also liked that aside from the main story, there are multiple side-stories where the other cast become more than just side-characters. These are the side-stories I like the most:
1. Coffin Town arc (Xue Yang / Xiao Xing Chen / Song Lan / Jing)
2. Wen Qing and Wen Ning
3. Jin Guang Yao's whole storyline starting from the little subtle scenes at the Lan Clan lecture
4. Lan Si Zhui

Characters
I think this is the strongest part of this drama. The characters unleashed the full potential of the story. What I appreciated the most about the characters is, as what Lan Xi Chen said, everyone shouldn't be categorized as simply "black or white", "good or bad"; what matters is the intentions of their actions.

Of course there are evil characters here but we were also shown why they ended up that way, e.g. Xue Yang and someone from the Chang Clan who cut his finger simply because the poor boy was hungry, Jin Guang Yao who had been verbally, physically, and mentally abused because of the circumstances around his birth where he had technically no control over, Wen Qing who seemed evil at first but only cares for her brother more than anything in the world, etc.

Wei Wu Xian's character is undoubtedly my favorite. His maturity improved in what I think are three phases:
1. Jiang Clan's playful young master where he has all the leisure in the world to pursue his moral principles
2. Yiling Patriarch where he had to turn back from everything, including his family and friends, because he wants to stand up for what he think is right + Him holding on to black magic despite everyone's criticism because it is the only thing he can do now
3. Post-reincarnation. You can really see here how he is no longer the young man who plays around and near the end, he even takes on an indifferent viewpoint towards the hate around him because it doesn't matter for him now as long as his conscience is in the right place and he has someone who believes in him.

Lan Wang Ji's development is worth its own show as well. First when he started to support Wei Wu Xian, he still managed to stay within the rules and stay respected by the clans despite his association to "evil". Then post-reincarnation, he just throws everything away to pursue what he thinks is right. Granted I wanted to see more of him without Wei Wu Xian, but his character was a great complement and support that the hero needs.

Acting/Cast
I only know Xiao Zhan from Oh My Emperor where he was swoonworthy but pretty stoic, and Wang Yi Bo as a K-Pop group member so I have pretty low expectations for their acting. But WOW I was proven wrong. Xiao Zhan embodied Wei Wu Xian well. Characters like Wei Wu Xian are so easy to mess up if the actor is bad, because he can simply be acted out as a good guy who can do no wrong. But Xiao Zhan's Wei Wu Xian is so complex and human and we can really see the different facets of his character, both the good and bad. Wang Yi Bo also did wonders to Lan Wang Ji because of his microexpressions. Not on the same level as Xiao Zhan, but really impressive for an idol actor. The other actors are also amazing, my other favorites would be Wen Ning and Jiang Cheng.

Over-all it was a really great experience and I really enjoyed their world.

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"Suppress the heart of evil, spread the virtue of kindness"

The above is the motivation behind the main characters' actions and the ideal which strongly bonds them together. Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan's story which spans tens of thousands of years (and potentially more) has never strayed the path of protecting everyone and holding on to what is right.

Cast/Acting

I only have good words for the cast and acting especially the main characters. To be very honest, the whole drama is worth watching for their acting and strong chemistry, even if you're not interested with the plot or the mystery-supernatural stuff (like I was). Bai Yu is a very charismatic actor and I have to admit he is one of the main reasons why I got hooked to this immediately. Zhu Yilong is VERY amazing in his portrayal of different characters. The chemistry between them is off-the-charts, the strongest I've seen in dramaland. The other amazing thing is some of the drama's most iconic scenes have been acted out impromptu(!!!) by them. Although for me the best actor here is Jiang Mingyang who played Brother Chu. His dedication to really understand and portray the character is amazing.

Story

There are some plotholes here and there but it shouldn't take away from the whole experience. The drama suffered from censorship laws so things had to be changed from the source material (gods and ghosts -> human-like beings with special powers, romance -> brotherhood, etc.), but there was a great effort from the production team. Nonetheless it stayed true to Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan's principles, brotherhood, and sacrifices, which is a compelling story on its own.

Production

I'm usually lenient to CGI and visual effects but strictly speaking it's very weak, probably 6.5/10 for me. But the acting really made up for it. Plus we have to understand and accept that the team did the best that they can despite losing budget (I heard that the company went bankrupt halfway through the filming) and tiptoeing the lines of censorship (things are stricter for modern dramas). Plus the drama was TAKEN DOWN by the government a few weeks after it finished airing and needed to be re-edited before it can be re-uploaded, which shows that they encounter much more troubles than we know about.

In any case the amazing performances of the actors, the STRONG chemistry between the leads, the beautiful story of the main characters, and the perfect OST (I have listened to the whole album on-loop without skipping because it is that good), among other things, are the reasons why everyone should give this drama a try.

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Idealistic but surprisingly realistic. A more than perfect prequel

I believe this is really just a prequel to The Gifted Graduation where I'd expect the real fight to happen, and The Gifted does so much more. For a prequel, this is actually more than perfect. Here we are introduced to the characters, most especially Pang, and their potentials. Afterwards the story moves from the characters to the discovery of the school's secret, and finally we got a headstart to the fight against the system.

What I like:

- I am a huge fan of an ensemble cast. I love how we got an episode dedicated to each of them and their potential. It gave the show more life than have it simply follow a one-tone mysyery suspense mood and plot, and also gave us a deeper understanding of the characters.

- The diversity of the issues tackled. There's only one main plot, but because of the focus on each character, we got things like mental illnesses, friendships, rivalry and competition, discrimination, "villainification", and more. Special shout-out to Gun's episode about mental illness and the message on how it is caused by high expectations, neglect, and intense pressure. This must have been groundbreaking for Thailand which has a pretty rigid education system.

- The unhappy ending. This actually has many facets for me:
1. Pang's classmates' "betrayal". Not all who empathizes with you support your ideals. I especially appreciate the part during the end where none of Pang's classmates stood up for him, because that is reality. It is human nature to want to receive the best thing possible, and to not give it up for the sake of other people you don't even know.
2. Pang's plan losing. Given the previous happenings, there was NO way for his plan to succeed. And I'm glad that the writers didn't go out of their way just to have the lead good guy win.
3. Pang regaining his memories. Now I did not expect for this to happen this season, but I was so taken aback and very, very pleasantly surprised!

What I look forward to:

Since The Gifted already set a good precedent, I expect a lot of things for the second season:

- Utilization of characters. The characters were all well-introduced, but the latter half of the story was centered on Pang. I hope that the other characters have more place and impact on the plot to satisfy the build-up that was given to them in the first season.

- Clearing of plot holes or rather, the answering of questions. Why are Mon and Korn still part of the Gifted class? Why did the Gifted students still have memories of Pang and the chaos that had happened? Why are they suddenly helping him when they do not approve of his ideal in the first place?

- "Bigger" fight. The fight in this season, while already very gripping, lacks that "meat" that hopefully the second season would have. Honestly I don't mind if the ending still doesn't end well for the main characters, because it would still make sense for a system to be unshakeable, but I look forward to a smarter, larger fight uniting all the minds and talents of the Gifted students.

All-in-all I really enjoyed this show (as evidenced by the whole essay I just wrote lol) and I look forward to The Gifted Graduation!

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