Best Melodrama of 2021!

I never thought that I would enjoy this drama as much as I did. I went into this entirely for Lee Do Hyun, but now I am in love with all of the actors/actresses in this drama! Everyone really became their characters and left such a strong and deep impression on me as a viewer. Lee Do Hyun also definitely did not disappoint with this drama! Such a TALENTED ACTOR!! I've watched 3 of his works now and he never fails to further amaze me with his acting skills. I can't wait to see his next work. I am addicted to his precious smile and I am so missing Hee Tae right now T_T Go Min Si also was AMAZING! She conveyed the emotions incredibly as Myung Hee and it was so sad to see what ultimately was her end. I already expected the drama to be sad, but it was sadder than I expected. I can dare say that it is the best melodrama of 2021 so far! Definitely recommend it!!

As for the plot and script, it was written very well throughout the entire 12 episodes. I think I wouldn't have minded if it was a 14 episode drama just to get to see more of Hee Tae and Myung Hee be happier and not suffering. The story was paced extremely well and developed steadily each episode, and it was easy to follow along. It actually felt quite fast-pasted and there were no filler scenes to drag the drama out. The characters were well written and viewers can see their progress and changes clearly. The relationships were also expanded on nicely, making viewers able to get attached to each character and their ultimate end. I particularly liked seeing Jung Tae and Hee Tae clear up their misunderstandings and having Jung Tae run to save Myung Hee. I'm so sad to say goodbye to all of them- Hee Tae, Myung Hee, Jung Tae, Myung Soo, etc. It's such a shame that the ending couldn't have been a happy one for Hee Tae & Myung Hee, but their story was wrapped up nicely at the end with their 2021 selves. It was also ended nicely for the other supporting roles, but I wished that I got to see more of what happened to Jung Tae, Myung Soo, Soo Chan, and Soo Ryun at the end. Although it was a really cool and nice transition of seeing each of them in 2021 and their younger selves transition in the scene. I am also so curious about what happened to the evil Hwang Gi Nam at the end because we are left not knowing exactly how it ended for him after Jung Tae.

NOW THE ROMANCE WAS AMAZING! I absolutely loved Hee Tae and Myung Hee together! They had so much chemistry together and just fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Hee Tae's smile always brightened up my day and ugh, he was just amazing. Hee Tae is such an ideal boyfriend- so sweet, considerate, and caring. I so wished that Myung Hee and he didn't suffer so much and enjoyed happier times. It was absolutely heartbreaking when Myung Hee insisted on waiting at the hospital after Hee Tae was taken by his father because that's where he knew where to look for her. But, there were so many other sad moments like this in the drama that it really just breaks my heart. Their only truly happy moments before the chaos were their 3 dates :(( I'm devasted that they didn't get their happy ending together and it hurt so much to see Hee Tae so broken after Myung Hee disappeared. Such an ill-fated couple. :( I hope to see them as a happier couple in another drama one day.

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A Short but Sweet Reunion of Hee Tae & Myung Hee in 2021

I was so excited when I heard that Lee Dohyun and Go Minsi would be reuniting for a mini-drama, so I was a bit disappointed that it turned out to be a 6-minute long episode (if you can call it that). However, I am still very happy to see them reunite for this small project even if it is so short and an ad for something. It's so nice to see a happy ending for Hee Tae and Myung Hee even if it's in this way. I missed this couple so much so it made me really happy. It is also very nice that there were small indirect and direct references to Youth of May so it was fun noticing them as I watched. The storyline for this short "drama" was also written well to be interesting and funny despite it being only 6 minutes long. And, Lee Dohyun and Go Minsi's acting of course did not disappoint in this, even though it was a short "drama". Lee Dohyun is also adorable in this as he is with his other projects. Besides it being too short, this reunion was sweet and what I was looking for in their reunion. So, even though this is a very short reunion, I enjoyed it and it was fun to watch them in the modern day. But I really hope that Lee Dohyun and Go Minsi can reunite for a full-length drama or webdrama next time though!

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Unique & Cute Historical-Contemporary Romance Mix

The plot of this drama was quite unique to me and I gave it a try. The first few episodes were pretty interesting and funny, and I enjoyed watching more than I had expected. There are a number of funny scenes but they were not overly comedic. The storyline developed steadily for the first half of the drama with Zhu Xuan Wen's illness and his treatment by Luo Kai Huai. However, halfway through the drama (like episode 11-12), it started to focus more on the male lead's company power struggles more and there is a big reveal. There is also too much of a focus on the two supporting characters' love lines ( Luo Kai Huai's bro and Zhu Xuan Wen's secretary). I had to skip much of those parts because their stories were not as interesting. And, because the plot lost its focus, I skipped through much of the last half of the drama and only watched the main couple's scenes.

On the other hand, I really liked the loveline of Luo Kai Huai and Zhu Xuan Wen. I really felt their chemistry since they first met in the drama even though I did not really like the male lead at first. They're cute together but not in a too sweet/cringey way. The actor and actress playing them did a great job at these two roles. ALSO, I really love the OST of this drama. It always played at the right moment and added to the mood of the scene.

Overall, I would recommend it as a drama filler if you are waiting on some other ongoing dramas since it was still a pretty cute and interesting drama to watch. You may need to use 1.5x speed in the second half though.
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SPOILERS AHEAD
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Things I liked:
1. Main couple's loveline
2. THE OST!!
3. Unique storyline (first half at least) - it was refreshing to see a drama where it was a mix of historical and contemporary because the male lead has mental illness [although in the end it was all an act]. It was also fun to see their past lives being told during Luo Kai Huai's dreams.

Things I didn't like:
1. How their past lives story seemed to have been forgotten after half of the drama
2. How it turned cliche and they have a childhood connection which Luo Kai Huai has a trauma over
3. Too much focus on supporting characters' lovelines- they were boring to watch

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A Heartbreaking & Incredible "I like you"

I was pulled into the story the moment I watched the trailers for this drama and it sure did not disappoint. It is a great time-traveling romance and suspense story that is brilliantly told. I went in thinking I knew what would happen but the story turned out quite different than I expected so don't go into the story with any judgment. The actors did an amazing job at bringing their characters to life and the soundtracks helped complete the story. They cast great actors for Wan Sen and Bei Xing because they were able to make the story touching but not pushy. There are definitely many drama cliches in this drama but they were used in a way that breaks your heart and makes you feel for the characters, Zhang Wan Sen and Lin Bei Xing. The romance between Wan Sen and Bei Xing is also written so beautifully tragic, which makes you can't help but keep watching them because you want a romance like that. You won't be able to stop yourself from hurting for Wan Sen and Bei Xing. Also, the script was written consistently despite the time-traveling element so there were no plot holes. The details of the main storyline did not change and you start to notice the smaller details. I totally fell in love with Wan Sen after watching this drama and now I feel empty and sad. There are certainly angsty moments in this drama and I cried a lot, but it is all worth it. The love story is an emotional journey that was worth watching how it unfolded. I would say enjoy the first half because the second half will break your heart. It hurts that a Wan Sen doesn't exist in real life. T_T But just enjoy the drama when you're watching because you'll be so sad when it's over. An "I like you" never hurt this bad. ALSO this drama is NOT DUBBED so all of the actors are using their real voices which is such a great thing because I hate it when a drama has a dubber who does not match the actor. So, I TOTALLY RECOMMEND this drama if you like time traveling and a cute romance! Once you fall into this drama, you won't be able to get out.

Now, some points that I really liked and didn't like:
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Things I liked:
1. The cinematography- All of the scenes were filmed in a way to add emotions to what was going on. It makes the scene more tragic or happy. I couldn't help but screenshot some moments because it was filmed so nicely.
2. The acting!! - I have to compliment the actors who played Wan Sen and Bei Xing for their incredible job at playing the role. Wan Sen was so adorable and timid, which was only possible because Qu Chu Xiao did such a great job at embodying the character. Karlina Zhang was also just as amazing at playing Bei Xing and doing the emotional scenes so well. I can't imagine anyone else playing these roles because no one could have done it better.
3. the romance - Wan Sen and Bei Xing are so cute together. They are a cute dynamic that was fun to watch with cute scenes that were not too cheesy. My heart always fluttered watching Wan Sen be completely in love with Bei Xing and happy to do anything with her. Wan Sen's smile was so cute to watch. It's such a shame that Bei Xing took so long to notice him.
4. the music - the soundtracks were absolutely amazing! They all had lyrics that pertained to the story and characters. Noteably, the song titled "The World is Behind You" and "The World is Behind Me" and "Goodbye" were so heartbreaking to listen to. The first two of those songs were sung in different perspectives; one from Bei Xing and one from Wan Sen. When you listen to the lyrics, it'll make you feel even sadder for the characters if you weren't already. I have been playing these three songs on repeat because it just hurts so much.
5. Styling- I also liked how Wan Sen and Bei Xing always had different outfits when they were not wearing their school uniforms. This is the first time I have seen a drama do that which is nice to see. The outfits made Wan Sen more adorable.

Things I didn't like so much:
1. Supporting romance line- the romance between Gao Ge and Cao Yang was a bit boring and unrelated to the main storyline. so I skipped some of their scenes sometimes
2. Open ending- I wish that the drama could have ended with showing Wan Sen and Bei Xing meeting again and having some interactions because it ended so sadly.

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A Cliche Done Right!

The premise of this drama is totally cliche but wow, they sure made it fun and cute despite that! I am usually wary about trying cliche dramas like this but I watched the trailer and sensed their chemistry immediately. It was also a plus that all episodes are released at once and it is only 10 episodes.

After watching episode 1, the plot picks up quite fast; there are many funny scenes and many sound effects. Normally I don't like those sounds but it added to the scene and I actually found it quite enjoyable. It could be overbearing to some though. I liked the way the plot developed the characters and their relationships, and it was clear the motives behind their actions. There is a lot of comedy and absurd funny scenes throughout the 10 episodes but they weren't too bad to watch and I laughed a lot at some of them. Some of them really cheer you up. The romance was also nicely paced but I would have liked them to have more sweet moments and fake dating moments so I can see more of this couple. I felt that they could have had more sweet moments :( The second couple was a bit lacking but they were still cute sometimes too. It was my first time watching both of these actors and they did great! There weren't any moments where I felt like they didn't deliver the emotions or were disconnected from their characters. The friendships are also quite touching, especially the male lawyers at the firm. The drama overall also focuses a lot on the problems in society with patriarchal beliefs about women, which I found nice.

As someone who usually stays away from romcoms like this, I have to say that this drama was a pretty good watch and I enjoyed it a lot. It was nice to see this couple and their cute moments. I recommend!

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Funny & Somewhat Relatable Family MeloDrama

The first episode hooked me on this drama right away with its nice setup of the characters' personalities and relationships. There was a mix of funny, sad, and interesting moments in that one episode to keep me watching each week. However, around the halfway point of the drama, I started getting bored so I would skip through some moments in the episodes. Soon I even started watching at 2x speed because the characters would speak slowly and the scenes dragged on. Despite this, I would still say that I enjoyed watching this drama and that it was written pretty well. There were some very relatable things said about being a family that made me realize that other families are similar to mine. Though the family's situation is a bit dramatized, it was nice to watch how they unraveled their complicated problems in each episode.

Good things I liked:
1. Amazing acting by the entire cast! (they seem like a legit family from the chemistry and interactions they have on-screen)
2. The ending was wrapped up well - I was pleased with how they ended this family's story :)
3. Interesting plot with unique characters and story set up (Eun Joo, Eun Hee, and Ji Woo had personalities different than other siblings I have seen in other dramas)
4. GREAT ost!
5. Relatable things said about being a family (how family don't tell each other everything, but only things they want)

Some things I didn't like:
1. Some moments in the drama passed by so slowly/were boring, hence the 2x speed, but this could just be my own impatience at how the story was going
2. How sometimes I really didn't understand the actions of some characters (Eun Hee dating Geon Joo when he didn't break up with his current gf yet)
3. How it got draggy about Eun Hee and Chan Hyuk's relationship although I can understand why Eun Hee was hesitant (like just date already!)

Overall, this drama was a good watch and although I would not rewatch this, I would recommend if you're looking for an interesting melodrama about an unfamiliar family. I do suggest at least 1.5x speed if you get impatient at the story's pacing because it really gets through the episode faster ;)

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A Deep & Real Look Into the Heart of Cardiology Doctors

First things first, I have to say that I had my doubts when I first heard about this medical drama but that all went away the moment I watched the first episode. I thought it would be another rom-com disguised as a medical drama but it truly is a real medical drama focused on the doctors' and patients' stories and personal growth, while also focusing on the journey of healing. The romance is not a large part of the drama and doesn't overshadow the important story about all the medical staff and patients. It really is what the drama promotes itself as and I really love that. It is no wonder why this drama has such a high rating on China's Douban drama rating site but it is a shame that not more international audiences are watching. It is really a hidden gem!

More detail on why this drama is such a great watch:

First, the story! The script was thoroughly written and you can tell that the writers put effort into making sure all the medical procedures and terminology are correctly portrayed. I also saw online and in interviews that the writers spent 2 years working on this script and the main cast spent a month learning relevant cardiology information at a real hospital. The writers also regularly consulted real cardiologists to write the different scenarios with the patients so that they are medically correct and not some plot device. The patient's stories are dramatic but feels like it could happen in real life. As you watch all the surgery and hospital scenes (which is almost 90% of the drama), you can immediately tell that a lot of time was spent on getting everything accurate, whether it is the actors or the set. It is very obvious in every scene in the hospital that there was a good effort put into everything, and that is why the story is even more engaging and real. Even without knowing all that, the patients' stories themselves were heartwarming and touching as well. They manage to make you connect with each patient and get you emotionally attached to them so you can't help but feel anxious, worried, and engaged in each episode. That is how I ended up binging almost 10 episodes in a day because I just couldn't help myself. Not only that, but be prepared to shed tears (lots of tears) as medical dramas always involve talking about life and death :(( I cried multiple times throughout the drama and it still hurts to think about it. Get tissues ready and be prepared to love these patients! However, also be ready to enjoy a good dose of humor at just the right moments! The writers did not forget to add some sunshine in the middle of the heavier topics. Moreover, the story also includes the hospital politics between doctors and also makes you ask questions about a doctor's motivations. The drama really covers all topics related to the doctors and patients in a very fluid and

Next, the actors! I haven't watched Mark Chao since Ten Miles or Mao Xiao Tong since Princess WeiYoung but I know their acting skills so I knew that they would be pretty good. But Jin Shi Jia was a pleasant surprise to see. All three had amazing chemistry together and I really enjoyed all the scenes they had together. I really love the Xiao Feng x Xiao Ran x Lin Yi combo. I could not get enough of their scenes. Whether it is bromance or romance, they pulled it off incredibly! Xiao Feng and Xiao Ran are very cute siblings while Xiao Ran and Lin Yi are adorable bickering. All three actors were convincing in their roles and performed above and beyond in conveying the complex emotions of being a doctor and their character's struggles and backgrounds. I really felt for each of their personal stories, particularly Xiao Feng and Lin Yi. The writers did amazing and fleshing out each character so that you can relate to their decisions and dilemmas. You will find yourself loving each character. The love lines were also nicely done! The coupling between Xiao Ran and Lin Yi felt natural and they are just too shippable. I wish they could have had more sweet scenes. However, I didn't enjoy Xiao Feng and Chen Yue love line as much but it wasn't too bad. I just loved seeing the personal growth of Xiao Feng, Xiao Ran, and Lin Yi in the episodes and I miss them already. The supporting roles all did great as well. They are not well-known actors but they really brought their characters to life, whether they had a lot of screen time or not.

Another thing is the OST, filmography, and sets. The bgm and OST were written beautifully and with deep and relatable lyrics. My heart hurts each time I listen to it yet I can't stop playing it on repeat. The bgm was also nicely composed and played at all the right moments to pull on your heartstrings and make you bawl. It hurts.. :( The director also did great in building the sets and filming the surgeries and hospital. I saw a behind the scene and some of the drama was filmed at a real hospital to make it look more real. I really appreciate the crew's hard work in making every little detail as real as possible. It really made everything feel more real and pull you into the story.

Overall, this drama is a great way to learn more about the cardiology department and about doctors' struggles. For example, I had no idea there were two different departments within cardiology- cardiac and cardiology. So, it was an eye-opening experience to learn about how those two departments work together. The drama does an excellent job at talking about the relationship between doctors and patients, and doctors with doctors themselves. It touches on doctors' career prospects on top of all this as well. Basically, this drama covers so many different aspects in a very real and grounded way. It really makes you ask your heart, or wen xin like the Chinese title says. Please give it a try if you like medical dramas!

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Dramatic Story & Characters

I was not interested in this drama at all when I first saw the poster, but then I stumbled across the OSTs for this drama and they sounded too good. So, I gave the drama a try and the first episode grabbed my attention. It was somewhat like your typical romance drama with the cliches and evil supporting characters, but it somehow kept me watching until the last episode. However, I did watch it with 1.5 speed the entire time with the occasional skip when the evil characters kept talking. Despite this, it was a good watch because of the love lines.

Be warned of spoilers below!


So, the good points were:
1. Cute chemistry between Ju Xiang and Yosuke, and Yue Niang and Chen Xi
2. Great OST to bring out the emotions
3. A decent plot that didn't get boring (sometimes..)
4. Good acting of main characters
5. The female characters who called out the traditions of women and marriage (charity, arranged marriage,etc)
6. Nicely shown Baba and Nyonya culture

Some bad points were how:
1. So many evil characters who were so hateful to the point that it was super annoying whenever they showed up on the screen- like why so many bad people ganging up on the main girl?? (Huang family men & women, Xiu Feng and Xiu Juan, Charlie Zhang & son, etc)
2. The bad characters for a long time kept winning by bullying the female lead which got so tiring to watch; even though those characters eventually got their retribution
3. How the men were so weak in controlling the women while sometimes they just don't listen to the women
4. Some characters were so easy to manipulate (Zhen Zhu) or were too easily swayed by others' lies (Chen Xi's grandmother and his grandmother's servant- they keep trusting the bad people too easily?)
5. The ending could have been better even though it was mostly wrapped up; there were loose threads that were left unresolved and not mentioned again (Yue Niang's grandmother who was pushed down the stairs, Ju Xiang and Yue Niang being pushed off the ship by Huangs)
6. (my opinion) The evil characters did not get punished enough and were not apologetic nor remorseful; Yue Niang was too generous to them considering how poorly they treated her mom, grandmother, and herself. They never properly apologized to Yue Niang for their cruel treatment either, yet were so eager to accept her help when she was successful with her business, such as when she bought back their old Huang house.
7. Unrealistic, though it is a nice concept, how Yue Niang is forgiving and has a big heart but it just bothers me how they never apologized but she treats them like normal-- a family that treats you like that is not real family even if you have a kind heart (there are times when the line needs to be drawn).

Despite this, I would recommend this drama if you're interested in a dramatic kind of Cinderella story but you would need the 1.5 speed to help make this faster because it is 45 episodes.

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Interesting Premise With Potential

I am always looking for dramas with strong female leads and this drama's plot caught my eye from the beginning. I wasn't sure about trying it because of the length of the drama (42 episodes!) but gave it a try nonetheless even with my doubts.

The drama began with a strong start by introducing us to the characters slowly and I could see where the plot was going. The first 10 or so episodes were actually really interesting and entertaining (with some good laughs), but it started going downhill from ep 15 onwards. The romance line was developing very slowly although the other storylines were still decently paced. However, halfway through the drama and the plot was got slower with more filler scenes and some scenes that didn't seem to make sense. By that point, I just skipped through those scenes and kept watching. BUT I was disappointed at how the story ended. I would definitely not recommend this unless you have nothing better to watch and lots of time to spare. This drama would be good to watch while eating or when you don't want to think too much.

More details below:
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The strong female lead fizzled out towards the end by making very illogical decisions and being somewhat weak. For example, that wedding she did for the celebrity was a complete risk yet she took it because she wanted to bet on it. She was so rational and logical before but suddenly the miscarriage left her without her brain?? I just couldn't understand what kind of decision making process she was using to agree to do that wedding. And then she lost everything after the wedding fell through. The romance also built up super slow with none of the typical boy chasing girl but instead the characters somehow suddenly fell in love with each other, which I could somewhat see possible since they were working together for so long. It would have been nice to show more moments of them falling for each other rather than going straight to it because of their baby. I liked the couple so that was sad to miss out on the process.

Some illogical scenes were how the female lead's friend did not know she was dating the female lead's ex-husband. If they were so close, how is it possible that the female lead never mentioned her ex-husband's name? Or that she never saw that picture of them two together in the female lead's house? (because I saw the photo in her living room)

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A Well- Written Fast-Paced and Exciting Story Packed with Amazing Characters & Romance

I tried this drama because the ost sounded heartbreaking even though I was not interested in this drama at all when I first heard about it. I am so glad I gave this drama a chance instead of making a judgment on it and giving up on it without even trying. Once I tried the first episode, I knew I was wrong before and that this drama had the potential. I would have never known what I missed out on if I hadn't given this drama a try. Now that I finished binging the 30 episodes, I am so sad it is over and I have to say goodbye to Mu Chuan and An Ran. :((

This drama really surprised me with its reasonably paced plot, storytelling, and casting choices. I felt like every episode was exciting and there weren't any filler scenes. I couldn't stop myself from going on to the next episode every time I finished one. I especially loved how they incorporated the flashbacks into the new timeline because that is how you tell a flawless story without wasting any precious screen time. Every scene had its reason and connection to the past. The filmography techniques were also done very nicely. They used some narration for some scenes with the characters painted and those parts really added to the story. Also, I did not notice any obvious plot holes or dumb plot tools which is so good! Every scheme was well-written and logically thought out from that character's point of view. I was on the edge of my seat for so many moments of this drama and there were many times I did not see what was coming- which was super exciting. This is the key reason why the drama was so good because there was no dumb parts- everything flowed smoothly. I am surprised about this because as a time travel drama it is very difficult to pull that off. Another key is that none of the characters were stupid or written flatly without any depth. I liked how An Ran was a strong female lead and that Mu Ze was more than your typical antagonist while Mu Chuan was more than the male lead. Every character was written with a lot of thought and excellently played by their respective actors. Even the supporting roles were well-written, such as Ling Xi and Dong Qing, and other villain roles. I could understand their motives and they made some very unpredictable moves that I never saw coming.

More importantly, I think that they cast the right people for all the roles. Xing Fei really brought out An Ran to life and I hadn't expected her to be so good at the crying and emotional scenes. Her acting pulled me into the story deeper and I kept emphasizing with An Ran. I cried many times when I saw her cry. She showed me through this role that she can do more than those cringy sweet drama roles and move toward these serious and deeper characters. I now really want to see her in another modern or historical drama with a complex character like An Ran again. She really proved to me and the audience that she can be more than the sweet romance main character. Next, Zhai Zi Lu was so adorable and lovable as Mu Chuan! I haven't seen any of his previous works but this role really showed me his potential. He needs to be cast in more dramas as the male lead and play more of these serious and melo roles. As a rookie actor, I was surprised that he conveyed the emotional scenes so well, especially his eyes, which really helped me fall into this story and the love line between An Ran and Mu Chuan. I really loved the chemistry between them and I wish I could see Xing Fei and Zi Lu in another project again. And Jing Chao was also so great at Mu Ze. As a villain of the story, I found Mu Ze had a deep background that Jing Chao did an amazing job at pulling off. He made Mu Ze more than a villain and I found myself understanding some of his decisions even though I sometimes really wanted to smack him for things he does. I never fully understood Mu Ze's choices but it was fun to watch him nonetheless thanks to Jing Chao. Mu Chuan and Mu Ze's bromance was also so good. I felt for their kinship and loved that one scene with the wooden bird and toys that Mu Ze made for Mu Chuan. I was very sad that they had the ending they had considering all the things they went through and how much they care for one another. Besides these main leads, I felt that all the other characters were casted well and I can't imagine the drama without those same people.

And now the music was SO GOOD! I can't explain how much every song hit me so hard every time it was played in the drama. It brought the emotions to life and made my heart hurt so much depending on the scenes. There were many moments where I cried for those characters and really felt like I was with them. I have been playing the songs on replay and I don't think the songs will ever stop making my heart hurt this way.

The visuals for the drama was also very nice. The characters' outfits looks nice and not cheap while the buildings looked pretty real. I could see that the production team really spent a lot of time on the sets and clothing design.

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Not Your Cliché Sport Romance Drama

I was not planning on trying this drama even though I am a fan of Wu Lei because I usually don't watch romance dramas with older girl-younger guy storylines. However, I eventually still gave it a try and the first episode already grabbed my attention. After that, every episode seemed to fly by since the storyline felt pretty fast-paced and ended before I knew it. It did feel a bit slow sometimes but it picked up again soon. It wasn't a rom-com as I thought- but instead, a serious drama about sports with a touch of romance and comedic relief when needed. After watching more than half of the drama, I really felt what others were saying- that the drama felt a bit long towards the end; specifically the last 8 episodes. The drama could have totally done fine and even better with only 32 or even 30 episodes total. The arcs in the last couple of episodes felt very stretched out and unnecessary- like it was there just to increase the episode count. I didn't feel the need to skip during the earlier episodes but I kept skipping near the end because the scenes were boring especially when it wasn't about San Chuan or You An.

The thing I found the most enjoyable was how the characters were written. The characters are quite lovable, specifically Song San Chuan. I really admire his persistence and determination in training and practicing for whatever the sport is- badminton or tennis. I wish I could be as hardworking as him. Wu Lei did an amazing job in bringing San Chuan to life, particularly making the sports scenes look very realistic as well as his physical body fitness aspect. I also found Liang You An quite interesting and I could understand her struggles and mindset as an older woman with a younger love interest. I eventually grew to like their cute scenes together, although some felt a bit cringe but sweet too. There were way more cute scenes than cringe ones though :)) I couldn't help grinning like a fool in so many of them. I thought San Chuan was really natural at pursuing Liang You An and I wish there was a San Chuan in real life because that would be great even if he was 10 years younger. If Liang You An wasn't played by Zhou Yu Tong, I would have had a harder time getting into their CP. Wu Lei was good at bringing the youthfulness of San Chuan because he is actually the character's age in real life. I hope he can play more youthful characters like this because it really matches him and he excels in it too. I also loved the chemistry between San Chuan and the other 3 tennis team members- it made me feel warm just watching that friendship. However, I did feel that the friendship wasn't built as thoroughly and it felt a bit boring sometimes. My favorite would have to be San Chun's relationship with An Cong is very cute and funny too- just the right amount of comedy relief. A better touch would have been to show more of Luo Nian and the coach's love line because they had good chemistry and it was a shame they didn't show more of them.

Also, as someone who doesn't enjoy watching any sports or playing any sports in real life, the tennis and badminton scenes were actually fun to watch and quite thrilling. I even got to learn more about what tennis and badminton are like, which was nice. It also helped that the director filmed the tennis and badminton sequences from very cool angles so it felt very entertaining to watch those scenes. I also thought that the different struggles shown in the drama did a great job of demonstrating the mindset and setbacks that athletes go through in real life- though I am not one myself. It made me in awe of athletes and the effort they put into training. Despite the seriousness of the athlete's life, the drama balances it out well with the other supporting characters and comedic relief. Trying this drama really got me to drop my bias toward these sports dramas because it was more fun than I thought. I might be going back to look for other sports dramas like this. A plus is the OST was nice too. My Favorite is Rainie Yang's one because the lyrics are perfect for the drama <3

Another great aspect the drama included was the older women's struggle in society as they work in their careers. I feel like Zhou Yu Tong did great at showing what kind of bias society has towards older women and there were great moments where the drama actually called out certain societal beliefs. Dramas that touch on these topics feel especially more relatable as a woman myself who faces those issues in real life. I also found that Liang You An's working scenes felt real and not like just a plot device to pass some time- those scenes actually felt like her actual work as an executive assistant. I especially felt that this drama did great at showing the mindset of an older woman who is being pursued by a younger guy. They showed a realistic thought process of a woman considering a younger partner. I can't imagine a different actress playing You An.

However, I feel like this drama would have been just as fun without the romance aspect. It could have just been focused on San Chuan's athletic journey and growth and been just as good as a drama. However, I didn't find the romance too bothersome since it did not take up much screen time. Overall, this drama is a great mix of romance and sport with a great touch on the realistic struggles of modern-day women and athletes. I am really glad I put away my bias toward this type of drama and gave it a try in the end because it was a fun ride during those 38 episodes!

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This is How You Make a Thrilling Sci-fi C-Drama!

Great sci-fi/thriller/mystery drama! The writing and acting are solid through all 15 episodes. It is a fast-paced and easy-to-follow story that develops all of the characters in a realistic and humane way. This made viewers grow an emotional attachment to the characters and feel for their story, which made me cry a couple of times. It made me want all of them to survive. None of the characters are dumb too, so it made it more fun to watch. There is also an unexpected humor aspect in some episodes which balances out the seriousness of the drama. The time loops aspect was written very smoothly and carried out nicely with the filming. The script did not fall apart and stayed consistent throughout. Each episode left you guessing, especially once you reached the halfway point. Also, each episode is meaningful to the storytelling and I did not notice any filler scenes at all. Not only that, there are subtle hints at the problems with society, such as sexual harassment victim-blaming.

The 15 episodes were just enough to tell the story and it had a great budget and cast, which shows that Chinese dramas can be so good if they only have a solid script and cast. And if dramas don't get too draggy with useless scenes. It's too bad China does not make more great dramas like this. Also, Bai Jing Ting's acting does not disappoint in this drama as expected. But this is my favorite Chinese drama of 2022 so far! I hope there will be more great dramas like this in the future. TOTALLY RECOMMEND THIS!

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GREAT ACTION & AMAZING BROMANCE!

SUCH A GOOD SHOW OMG!!! I totally did not expect it to be this good because I wasn't that interested in the synopsis or the actor lineup but it proved me wrong! I am amazed by the different images that Jihoon showed me through his role in this drama. It is so different than his Wanna One days. I am also so in love with Sooho! Sooho & Si Eun are too adorable together and I'm so sad T_T I will be keeping an eye on both Jihoon and Hyun Wook's future projects. The plot and action scenes are also so amazing and thrilling to watch!! It is a bit graphic but so exciting and satisfying to watch nonetheless. I love it when the weak character shows his other side! I wasn't expecting the plot to turn the way it did halfway, but the drama was still very good and kept me engaged until the end. No wonder everyone is raving about this drama! I TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT!

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A Much Needed Discussion on Depression & Mental Health

I was super excited for the release of this movie ever since I read the synopsis and watched the trailer. I had high expectations for this movie and went into it expecting that I would be crying in various scenes because of the topics it was covering. However, it did not live up to my expectations, but this did not mean that I did not like the movie. It was still an overall pleasant movie to watch. It covers heavy topics such as depression in the eyes of the person suffering from it and from society's eyes, as well as society's stigma on mental health. These are topics that I feel are not discussed enough in everyday conversations and films/television. It is an important topic that people need to be aware of, so I really liked that this movie's message was mostly about this topic through Ji Ze's story. The romance aspects are very cliche (to me) and predictable, but the main message/topic of depression is truly the highlight that viewers should focus on while watching the movie. Though the movie did not live up to my expectations (that I had from watching the trailers), I would recommend it!

SPOILERS AHEAD:
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Things I liked:
1. The message of the story- Depression is a very important thing to discuss because of mental health stigma and through Ji Ze's story, you can see why people with depression find it hard to open up to others about their situation.
2. The OST! - The three original soundtracks were just brilliant and devastatingly beautiful to listen to. They each probably played only once in the entire movie, but they were played at all the right moments to add to the emotional scenes. I can't even pick a favorite because each one is so amazing. There were also many moments when they just played the instrumental of an OST and it really added to the scene. I keep playing them on repeat.
3. Chemistry- The main couple was cute to watch and showed great chemistry together. It is a shame that their cute scenes are so short though. My favorite would be when Ji Ze and Xin Tang sang together :((
4. Acting- Loved loved Jang Ruo Nan's acting as Ji Ze! She was amazing at the crying scenes and made them look genuine since she wasn't afraid to ugly cry. She also did a great job at acting depressed without being too exaggerated. A truly rising star actress! Looking forward to her future works. The other cast also does a great job.
5. Plot- I liked how it showed why it was so troubling for Xin Tang to please Ji Ze and extend his lifeline because she suffers from depression. It was a nice way to connect the big picture (Xin Tang being bound) to Ji Ze's mental health situation and how they end up healing each other in a way (even though it is through love-which seems a bit cliche).
6. The Premise- I also thought it was UNIQUE to have the power of creating illusions to make people happy as a source of life for people like Xin Tang who aren't human. That kind of premise was the first I seen before this movie.
7. Visual Effects- I really liked the visual effects of the illusions that Xin Tang did for Ji Ze. They were really thoughtful and looked cool on screen, such as when he did the butterflies to stop her from her suicide attempt.

Things I did not like so much:
1. Storyline (Romance parts)- The message of the movie was very nicely done, but the plot and storyline were rather weak. It may be because it is a movie and not a drama, but the romance progressed super fast for me although it wasn't awkward to watch. It was just confusing when exactly the two of them started having real feelings for each other even though viewers can somewhat guess/infer how it happened. I would have liked it more if it was told more directly. There were also quite a cliche moments, such as how Ji Ze's treatment towards the end causes side effects of memory loss which led to Xin Tang having to make her remember him or he'll die. BUT some moments, although were cliche, were cute to watch: like how Xin Tang actually accidentally helped create an illusion that helped Ji Ze be happy (which counted as the first time he helped her).
2. Some Overdramatic Moments- Some scenes felt so overdramatic, such as many running scenes of either Ji Ze or Xin Tang. (Ex: Ji Ze running to Xin Tang in the hospital at the end)
3. Storyline (after the breakup)- It was a bit confusing how bad Ji Ze's depression got after breaking up with Xin Tang because it didn't seem like she liked him that much. So, it was hard to understand why her mental state completely collapsed after she left him.
4. The Ending- It was open-ended which was rather disappointing because I was hoping to see more of what happened to them after Ji Ze rushed into the hospital room. I don't like it when I have to guess if the characters lived and what kind of life they had after. I am happy though, that it was a high chance it was a happy ending.

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Overall Warm Lovely Family Drama

I was hooked onto this drama since I watched the drama before its release and started it right away when it aired, but only finished it now because I didn't like the romance element. However, I continued the drama where I left off (at the ep after Zi Qiu and Ling Xiao came back) and was so surprised at how interesting it still was so I kept watching. It turned out that the drama doesn't have that much romance scenes between Ling Xiao, Zi Qiu, and Jian Jian which was such a relief! It was more focused on the family aspects than I expected so I binged watched the remaining episodes. It was totally worth it! I would recommend those who liked the family aspects to continue just to see those parts because it really is worth the watch!

Now some things I really enjoyed:
1. The acting of course! - The family was so real that it didn't seem like that were acting at all! The chemistry is no joke! I especially love Zhi Qiu's acting! So amazing!
2. Some great points regarding family are brought up
3. The OST -such great bgm for the tearjerking scenes T_T
4. The first 12 episodes- such great sibling chemistry between Jian Jian, Zi Qiu, and Ling Xiao when they were young and as they grew up! very fun to watch!

Things that were not so great:
1. The romance between Jian Jian and Ling Xiao - wasn't that hard to understand why they like each other but still weird for me to watch them hug and interact as lovers; the brother-sister vibe is so strong that they could have stuck with that for the entire drama and it wouldn't have made a big difference, it was pretty unnecessary to also make Zhi Qiu thinks he likes Jian Jian (although his reasons for doing so made sense)
2. The ending - felt a bit rushed towards the end to have the story wrapped up for Ling Xiao's mom portion and the conclusion overall; could have shown a bit more although I liked how everywhere ended up
3. Too many complicated love triangles/squares between Jian Jian's friends - was hard and boring to watch

BUT I would totally recommend this drama for anyone looking for a great family drama (you can just skip the romance parts)! If you need another reason, just watch it for Steven Zhang (Zi Qiu)'s great acting!

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