I never watch youth dramas because most of them are about poor girl and rich, stupid and arrogant ml who have a toxic relationship. But this is a far cry from that. Time travel sci fi dramas are mostly good, but this had a really very touching plot that keeps tugging at your heartstrings.
Never imagined that this alternate universe drama had a majority part about coming of age and youth, and it was so wonderfully done. Youth never felt so sweet in a cdrama.
The support characters, the side couples, were all so nice. The ml was a gem of a character. He surely is in my top 3 mls in modern cdramas. He was strong but not arrogant, shy but not distant, quiet but not non communicative and had his own charm and attraction without being the most handsome in the room, such amazing was his character. The love ml had for the fl was just so pure and true and selfless, she cared so deeply for him and didn't realise her own love for him until late. They had a healthy and beautiful relationship which didn't deserve to end in a tragedy. Only a first love that pure can last in the long run.
The series of heartbreaks begins after ep 15 until which it was all rainbows and unicorns, though there was no explicit heavy romantic scenes, but subtly sweet enough to bring a big smile on our faces. The monologues of the fl after she returned, her mad search for him, her reminiscence and all her emotions, his innumerable sacrifices, the pain he suffered, their past that she didn't know of, was so touching, heartbreaking. I laughed with them, i cried an ocean for them. It was an actual rollercoaster of emotions and the ride was ultra wild. It was just so painfully beautiful. I wish they had more time, and in the present day he really came back somehow and it was not her imagination. I am thoroughly convinced that they are a pair of star crossed lovers, soulmates that aren't meant to be, yet who can never love someone again with the same intensity that they loved each other.
I want someone to love me like Zhang Wansen loved Beixing. My interpretation of the story is that she time travelled to a different alternate universe every time, and in each of them, he loved her just the same, while the other events happened differently, so here lies the concept of multiverse. "No matter how time changes, i will always like you".
The main leads had beautiful chemistry and their acting was on point, realistic enough to make us feel whatever they felt. In fact i liked all the cast. Maizi was a character that grew on me, just like Gao Ge.
This show touches beautifully on the themes of friendship, family, coming of age, and most importantly unconditional and unending love.
The cinematography, editing, overall production is also great. The osts were very fitting with the story.
I'd definitely recommend watching this if you're looking for something that makes you feel everything and aren't afraid of sad endings. I will wait impatiently for the movie sequel to this because that open ending was far from enough to satisfy my buckets of tears.