Rhea
Malaysia
This review may contain spoilers
Blandly Okay
Skip to the final section for a quick, spoiler-free rating.Maiden Holmes (Chinese title: 少女大人) is a 2020 Chinese drama about a female detective and a prince. Disguised as a man, Su Ci works as a constable of the Mingjing Office in the capital. In actuality, she is the sole survivor of a clan wiped out years ago after being framed for high treason. She meets the Prince of Qi, battle-scarred and recently forced to forfeit his military power by his uncle the Prince of Yun, and their paths become entwined. Danger, heartbreaks, friendships, and political struggles follow.
The drama is actually less dramatic than how I made it sound—and definitely much less dramatic than other existing summaries out there, so much so that I went into it with higher expectations than what the drama ended up delivering. But despite me quickly adjusting those expectations, Maiden Holmes still fell short of good.
Before I get into why, let’s start with some positives.
Structurally Sound Procedurals
I really enjoyed the set ups to some of the mystery cases. They’re not particularly well-executed at times as a lot of them are predictable, but you can see that the writers went the extra mile to make them believable and intriguing crimes. My favorite is the serial killer case—it’s the only one of the bunch where I didn’t foresee the actual culprit until it was obvious. Su Ci is, by all means, a great detective. She’s genuinely good at her job and takes pride in what she does.
What’s more, her crime solving skills are one of the few things the drama shows instead of tells, which is rare whenever a drama protagonist is declared to have a specialty skill. They tried to model her after the BBC’s version of Sherlock Holmes in the beginning though, which resulted in this utterly ridiculous moment in episode 2 of her deducing that a pigeon is too burnt to eat:
Thank goodness that didn’t last long.
Reasonable, Adult Characters
I’ve never seen such a perfectly reasonable bunch of main and side characters.
When it’s revealed to the friend group that Su Ci is a woman, Rushuang stayed angry for, like, one afternoon before forgiving her.
After Su Ci’s true gender gets exposed, the Prince of Qi becomes “woke” and makes it a mission to promote the idea of female officials and feminism in the workforce.
When Fu Ziyou rejects Princess Yun Chuan, she wishes him all the best and lets him be instead of becoming embittered.
Even the Empress Dowager and the Emperor’s relationships with the Prince of Qi are amicable and cordial, when in every other drama there would’ve been suspicions and doubts abound.
Every notable “good” character in Maiden Holmes communicates with each other. They’re almost always on the same page, hold similar points of view, and are all incredibly understanding and empathetic to each other’s plights.
Consequently, there are no direct major conflicts between any of them. No philosophical disagreements, no opposing points of view, no discord due to conflicting allegiances, no differing principles shaped by different upbringings. Even the eventual reveal of Xie Beiming’s adopted father, which leads to him to question where his loyalty lay, gets quickly resolved with some heart-to-heart bro talk with the Prince of Qi. Which brings me to Maiden Holmes’ biggest flaw…
Not Enough Antagonism
The Prince of Yun is a stock villain at best. You can spot his villainy a mile away, and it’s beyond obvious every step of the way that he’s directly or indirectly responsible for most of the crimes in the drama.
Despite him being a constant hindering presence, that’s all he does—he hinders. He’s a very reactive character, always taking actions after he learns what the good guys are up to. The problems he creates for them—the framing and mass murdering of the Bai Liang clan, the military sabotages, the secret amassing of an army and supplies—all happens either before the drama’s present-day, or off screen. That doesn’t make for a very exciting baddie.
I think he would’ve been an okay villain for any other set of protagonists. But for a group like Su Ci, the Prince of Qi, Rushuang, and Xie Beiming (and I’d even count the Emperor, who loves and trusts his brother a little too unconditionally for someone so close to his throne), who are somehow able to resolve every interpersonal misunderstanding and internal strife, he’s just an ineffective opponent. This is especially evident during the anticlimactic ending episode, where his every move gets countered and rendered useless by the Prince of Qi.
Major Pacing Issues and Plot Driven Conveniences
Maiden Holmes is also riddled with pacing issues.
For instance, in episode 23, when Su Ci is explaining why a victim’s blood splatter didn’t match witness accounts, she spends three whole minutes giving her friend (and thus us, the audience) a forensic breakdown on the angles of blood splatters. She could’ve easily proven her point in ten, fifteen seconds top.
It’s like that all throughout. Conversations that could have taken two or three lines of dialogues drag on for minutes. Scenes that could have taken a minute drag on for five. There are fluff and filler moments everywhere, killing the momentum.
There are also random moments of convenience. For example, in episode 18, the main suspect for poisoning Princess Yun Chuan just… leaves a major piece of evidence behind. And it gets played off as, “Oh no! I, a seasoned and professional spy and assassin, escaped. But I, a seasoned and professional spy and assassin, forgot the one piece of evidence that could implicate me and my superior.” Now, of course, things like that happen in real life. But it’s narratively stupid to do so without setting this character up to be someone who would forget.
The Romance? Cliches Galore
One of the first notes I wrote while watching Maiden Holmes episode 1 was, “This episode be like: How Many Cliches Can We Stuff Into 35 Minutes” because I counted no less than five instances of tropey moments: the slo-mo and dramatic music when Su Ci and the Prince of Qi first meet, the forced-by-circumstance groping, the handcuffing, the obligatory underwater kiss, falling on top of each other, Su Ci’s hair coming undone…
Please, enough! You can’t substitute the development of real love and intimacy with… whatever that crap is!
The first moment of real chemistry between Su Ci and the Prince of Qi doesn’t happen until episode 6 when she swears to repay him rescuing her with three stipulations of his choosing, which I feel was the first time their relationship spoke for itself. From there on, bolstered by the fact that the good guys in this drama are incapable of having fundamental disagreements with each other, their romance goes on to be relatively unproblematic and free of sustained troubles. Which is okay if you’re into that sort of thing in a drama.
On that note, another thing Maiden Holmes does have going for it is the lack of love triangles. Props to that.
Final Rating and Recommendations
Is Maiden Holmes good? No, I think it sucks. It’s bland, repetitive, cheesy, preachy, superficial, and clumsy story-telling. It feels as if the writers were so caught up in trying to make the drama faultless that they neglected to make it interesting. Every rising problem gets resolved instantly. The protagonists are never truly challenged because the plot shields them so much. You’re never once in doubt that the good guys are going to win at the end of the day.
But on the flip side, it’s not without its saving graces. The characters communicate with each other, for once. The actors and the costumes are nice to look at. The detective/procedural parts of the overall story actually exist, and are sometimes well done. It’s very much a “safe” story, one that you’re guaranteed to come from away emotionally intact.
If you’re looking to get immersed and excited by conflicts, plot twists, and dynamic characters, look elsewhere. But if you just want something feel-good and predictable, Maiden Holmes is the drama for you.
My Rating: 3.5/10
(Note : This is the first drama to be given the lowest rating) Luckily I managed through the story . Thank God for that !
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Enough Excitement
In a way, Word Of Honor reminds me of Legend Of Fei. Both are about looking for keys to open a vault that houses some valuable items. But Word Of Honor has a more structured and fast-paced storyline. Viewers are told clearly what the sects are fighting for by the middle of the drama unlike the ambiguities in Legend Of Fei. The excitement is heightened by the mysterious Ke Xing and the whodunnit nature of the tragedy befalling Rong Xuan. Of course, the bromance between the 2 male leads also takes the drama up a notch which is a refreshing change from the usual romances.A Well-Presented Plot
Basically, the plot is about revenge and the fighting for keys to an armory. It is nothing new in that sense as these are common themes for wuxia dramas. What sets it apart is the way the story is told. The start can be confusing but once you get an idea on what the story is about, it is easy to get hooked. You will get drawn to both the male leads as their different backgrounds have a melancholic aura and their past links are gradually peeled off as the drama progresses. Thus, there is that chase factor to make you want to know more about what happened in the past and how things will be resolved in the present.
I think the screenwriters struck the right balance in maximizing the mysteriousness of the characters while minimizing the ambiguities to avoid causing viewers too much confusion. There are also a few twists and turns to keep things interesting. So, overall, it is a well-executed drama that successfully uses a bromance to flush out the meaty part of the story which leads me to the next point.
Acting And Chemistry
Personally, I prefer this BL pair than the one in The Untamed. This is because Ke Xing is a very flirty character while Zi Shu has his way of responding to all the teases which is cute to watch at times. The way Simon Gong and Zhang Zhe Han played their roles as soul mates are very easy on the eyes. Even if you are not a fan of BL dramas, their interactions are merely suggestive of what it could be rather being plainly overdone. This is made possible with the great chemistry between the 2 actors who show a lot of depths in displaying their characters. While Zhang Zhe Han’s chemistry with Ju Jing Yi in The Blooms Of Ruyi Pavilion and Legend Of Yun Xi has caught a lot of people’s attention, his cooperation with Simon Gong is just as good, if not better.
In Word Of Honor, both Ke Xing and Zi Shu are tormented souls. Both the actors successfully projected the pain needed in some scenes to make viewers feel for these 2 antagonists. You can also see Simon Gong’s intense expressions in his eyes as he projects the anger in Ke Xing’s character. In short, there is nothing to complain about regarding the 2 lead actors’ performance.
A Small Weakness
For me, a small weakness of this drama is the swift introduction of various characters which has the potential to be confusing for some viewers. Things are pretty vague in the initial episodes as these different characters belong to different sects and you will be at a loss of how they are linked to each other. It takes about 10 to 15 episodes for me to gradually understand the bigger picture.
Therefore, Word Of Honor is not exactly a straightforward historical drama such as A Girl Like Me or even The Wolf. Certain things are kept hidden to heighten the anticipation. Hence, you need to have some patience to wait for the reveal. But the upside is the episodes are easy to sit through because the story moves pretty fast and the bromance between the 2 male leads will make you want to follow their adventure.
My Verdict – What Else But Watch!
Word Of Honor is indeed worth watching. If you are tired of the usual historical romance dramas of generals and princesses, this would be a welcome change. Just like The Untamed, the BL element is obvious but with a soft tone. In the drama, the men are projected as soul mates which is apt as both of them are tormented by their past. So, don’t let that BL label scare you away if you are not into same sex pairings.
Furthermore, there is depth of character in Word Of Honor. Rather than a totally good or bad guy in the usual dramas, Ke Xing and Zi Shu have layers to their personalities. Hence, they are not so one-dimensional. They have committed sins and suffer from guilt and remorse. Ke Xing is also an angry and revengeful man. All taken together, the characters are well-developed which makes them interesting to watch as you get to see both their good and evil sides especially Ke Xing. But ironically, you will still root for them mainly because of the great storytelling and well-planned character development which will beguile you as you watch on. It reminds me of the Night Immortal in Ashes Of Love whereby you could easily relate to the evil side of the character.
Overall, I will give a score of 8/10 for this Word Of Honor review. It is hard not to love this drama given the well-executed plot and characters. The fact that you have 2 handsome guys having a bromance is the icing on the cake here. You won’t miss the typical fluff and sweetness that come with the usual romance dramas. The 2 men simply have enough chemistry between them to generate the necessary sizzles for a change.
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Great Overall But…
Generally, I don’t have much to complain about Eternal Love Of Dream. It is a highly watchable production. The CGI is better than many xianxia dramas and the interaction between Dong Hua and the fox feels real. All the characters look good in their beautiful costumes and it is obvious that this is a big budget project. The most important factor is, of course, the chemistry between Vengo Gao and Dilraba Dilmurat. I dare say that without that chemistry, The Pillow Book might indeed make us all fall asleep as we follow their story.Acting
After watching Vengo Gao as Dong Hua in Eternal Love Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms and again in Eternal Love Of Dream, I think viewers would not be able to picture any other actor in this role. He completely nailed it to give the character the required aloofness and an aura of seniority and reverence. Dong Hua is not an excitable immortal but calm and rational. He doesn’t make a lot of movements when he talks but Vengo Gao’s expressive eyes and micro facial expressions make Dong Hua a pleasure to watch. He looks so different here compared to his role in Legend Of Fuyao.
On the other hand, Feng Jiu is a complete opposite. She is young and innocent. She dares to love and is full of life. Dilraba Dilmurat’s portrayal is spot on to give the character a level of innocence and that suits her age and lovestruck demeanor. Hence, when the 2 opposite characters interact, the chemistry is palpable due to their great portrayal of their roles.
Plot
Unlike Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms and Love And Destiny, The Pillow Book’s story is more abstract. For some dramas, you will know what is going on even if you don’t understand Mandarin. But for Eternal Love Of Dream, you will need to listen or read the subtitles carefully to follow the story. It can get confusing especially during the Aranya’s Dream part.
Overall, the plot outline is nothing new. It is not as unique as another popular xianxia drama, The Untamed. Basically, it is about the hero using all his cultivation powers to defeat a Demon Ruler while falling in love with the heroine and trying to protect her in his own way.
Perhaps the first part is refreshing when they start off their relationship as master and pet fox. But once we get through that, the romance is kind of predictable with unrequited love in the beginning. What saves it is, as mentioned, the chemistry and unique dynamics of the couple. Many dramas are saved from being mediocre or even unwatchable this way such as Under The Power and Love Of Thousand Years.
My Verdict
Eternal Love Of Dream is a great drama and you should watch it. But certain parts can be a bore. I think one of the problems is the beginning of the romance and the couple’s time in the mortal realm mirror the story in Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms. The difference is they have lengthen their interactions and change a bit of the story here and there in Eternal Love Of Dream. But the gist of it remains the same. So, if you have watched Ye Hua and Bai Qian’s story, you will know what Feng Jiu will eventually do to Dong Hua in the mortal realm. That is why some people would suggest we start watching from Episode 21 which is the tail end of their time in the mortal world.
Personally, I also find the story in Eternal Love Of Dream to be less compelling compared to Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms. It doesn’t move me as much emotionally. In Ye Hua and Bai Qian’s story, there is much more angst and pain. Hence, you would feel more for the couple. The story is also more straightforward and flows better. In Dong Hua and Feng Jiu’s story, there is a vague feeling of being sidetracked at times especially during their time in the dream world.
Having said that, I would still recommend a watch for this Eternal Love Of Dream review. In fact, some people would prefer this to Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms. The bottom line is the relationship dynamics of both couples are different. If you like a more serious tone to your romance, then Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms should be the preferred choice. But if you like a sweeter and cuter couple, then Eternal Love Of Dream would beat the earlier drama hands down.
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Takes Time To Warm Up
I think many people can’t resist watching My Sassy Princess (祝卿好) because of Zheng Ye Cheng. He has the required look to portray the role of a general in historical dramas. Of course, looks alone are certainly not enough to promote a drama and make it shoot up the charts. The plot has to be good too to get a high rating from viewers. So, how is the story with this one? Is it worth watching or merely hyped up because of the leads? I have gone through the whole 22 episodes and below is My Sassy Princess review for those who are interested to give this a go.If the first impression counts, My Sassy Princess will probably be unappealing to many viewers. This is because the female protagonist is not an instantly likable character. In the first few episodes, she comes on as irresponsible, immature, and impudent. Therefore, don’t expect a demure and gentle princess but one who is rebellious and intends to get her way with the man she likes.
If you find her to be a real turn-off, in the beginning, it might seem hard to sit through enough episodes for you to slowly warm up to her. You will also have to tolerate her way of seducing the guy which is blatant and direct. It is very different from the typical relationship development in romance dramas whereby the leads are coy about their feelings for each other and they don’t confess until midway through the story. But Liu Ling in My Sassy Princess is already in love with her man at first sight and chasing after him from the very first episode.
I find the change refreshing despite her not-so-likable character. At least, I see a different romance pattern than usual. If you don’t mind an upfront princess who couldn’t care about modesty and conventions, then you might like Liu Ling better. But if you prefer the more traditional guy chases girl scenario, then she will appear as coming on too strongly.
Don’t Take It Too Seriously
Although My Sassy Princess doesn’t have a strong rom-com flavor like Decreed By Fate, it is also not a drama that can be taken too seriously. The plot is simple with only 22 episodes to fit in a romance and investigation into a robbery. If you want detailed political maneuverings and palace intrigues in the mold of Sword Snow Stride or Stand By Me, this is not the drama to binge on.
The focus is more on the romance and with the female lead clearly after the male lead, you will get a flirty feel in their interactions, especially at the beginning of the drama. Don’t be too critical of the princess’ antics and you will be able to enjoy their relationship development. But if you view things seriously, her behavior will become questionable and the romantic vibes will become subdued as a result.
The plot itself is predictable and there is no big mystery as to who are the villains. The cliches are there and you can already foresee them happening in certain scenes such as the couple falling off a cliff and surviving as well as the female lead being forced to marry someone else because of a decree. Thus, the plot is pretty average overall and it is hardly a selling point on its own. What enhances the storytelling and makes the drama more watch-worthy is none other than the chemistry between the leads.
Great Chemistry
I think the chemistry between Yuan Bing Yan and Zheng Ye Cheng practically saves My Sassy Princess from mediocrity. The flirtations would only look romantic if viewers can feel that the leads are into each other which they managed to do convincingly throughout the drama. So, once they got together, the love is obvious and you will be able to feel their sorrows when they face difficulties.
There are quite a few kisses between them and the blazing chemistry means these would be the highlights of the drama. Unfortunately, some have been deleted while others could have been cut short. The unevenness in the scene transitions shows with these poor edits. Perhaps the kisses are too numerous or raunchy for their domestic audience but it is a real pity to have been deleted given their great chemistry.
In addition, Zheng Ye Cheng’s charisma as a cold-faced commander also helped to attract viewers. He seems to have perfected this kind of role with his domineering screen presence and aura. He also played a similar character in The Sleepless Princess which is why Shen Yan shouldn’t be a challenge for him to portray. This is my second time watching Yuan Bing Yan after Love And Redemption. She brought out the essence of the character in My Sassy Princess and I think she did well with what she was given.
My Verdict – Watch For The Chemistry
My Sassy Princess will not satisfy those who want a great plot of a palace power struggle. It will also be disappointing for those who prefer a more traditional boy chases girl romance. On top of that, not everyone will have the patience to tolerate the “sassiness” of the female lead. You need to watch about 6 episodes to find out more about her background to slowly understand her character and behavior. Therefore, I’m not sure if more critical viewers will find this worth sitting through unless they are hooked on the leads’ chemistry right from the start given that the first impression of the drama may not be too flattering.
However, once you get over the initial bump, it gets better as the drama progresses. By then, you should find the female protagonist more acceptable. The leads’ good chemistry certainly helped me to hang on and I believe it contributed much to its marketability. The fighting scenes and Zheng Ye Cheng’s ability to execute those martial art moves beautifully provided another reason for me to stay on longer.
Chemistry And Kisses Sell
I believe this drama is getting a lot of attention in China at the time of this review. I think the leads did a good job overall and they deserve the good results notwithstanding the very ordinary plot. All I can say is romance dramas are very dependent on chemistry to make it work. Kisses sell as well but they have to be well-executed with the couple’s sizzling chemistry being the prerequisite for the scenes to feel romantic to the viewers.
So, the hype surrounding this drama centers mainly on the couple rather than the story to me. Consequently, for this My Sassy Princess review, I would give it a score of 7.5/10 because the plot doesn’t justify a higher rating in my opinion. But it doesn’t mean it is not enjoyable especially if you are a big fan of Zheng Ye Cheng and Yuan Bing Yan.
In conclusion, the romance flavor is strong in this couple. I think the story execution also effectively satisfies every girl’s fantasy of a handsome and domineering lord being conquered by a sassy princess which is typical of historical romance novels. Perhaps this is why it is one of the top dramas of the year to date.
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This review may contain spoilers
Engaging!
The Blue Whisper is an engaging tale of a forbidden romance between a spiritual master and a merman. A forbidden love plot is nothing new but what drives the drama is the other elements that have been weaved together to give us a detailed and intriguing story. Secrets, betrayal, misunderstanding, and revenge are some of the elements that will make you hooked on the drama. The story is easy to understand despite its xianxia genre and you will be eager to know what will happen next which signifies a job well-done in terms of plot execution.While the drama is broken up into 2 parts, there is a smooth flow to the story. It breaks at the right time as the main couple’s relationship enters a different phase. I find the pacing for Part 1 to be better because Part 2 starts pretty slowly with a weakened female protagonist. This stretches for about 8 episodes which I think is too long as the point has been made to the viewers long before. In contrast, the ending seems to be a rush in the last few minutes. So, although the story is slowly built up to a climax in Part 2 with more secrets revealed, the first part is more evenly paced to me.
Lack Of Details For The Ending (Spoilers Alert!)
The last scene of the main couple’s reunion in Part 2 is sort of an explanation. It is not spelled out what happened to Yun He after she was sealed up in the lava pit. You have to use your imagination and deduction on what transpired rather than being spoon-fed about the details which are similar to the ending in Love And Destiny. The good thing is it has a finality to it when it comes to the main couple unlike Novoland: Pearl Eclipse. It is just how they got there which requires you to connect the dots.
If you have paid attention and watched the whole drama from start to finish, it is not hard to guess why Yun He could survive the lava pit. Chang Yi’s pearl has a lot to do with it. But I would have liked more details rather than less to spell out clearly what happened at the bottom of the pit and the villain’s ending. It would have made the story more complete with proper closure.
Tolerance For Xianxia Fantasy
The xianxia genre with its immortals, beasts, spirits and other beings may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you find this kind of drama to be unrealistic, The Blue Whisper may not be able to change your mind either despite the presence of popular stars in its cast. Why do I say so? It is because you will see many characters sacrificing themselves in this drama for the greater good. While that may seem ordinary, some of these characters will end up coming back to life later on.
In other words, they “die” and then reawaken. Perhaps it is overdone in The Blue Whisper with the number of characters sacrificing their lives. So, if you have little tolerance for xianxia dramas, this wouldn’t be a particularly good one to binge on. It might just annoy you with the number of so-called “deaths” and the simplistic way they are rejuvenated. This is vastly different from Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms which is also a story of love and sacrifice but with much fewer deaths and more substance to the reawakening of the characters.
However, if the coming back to life thingy is not an issue with you, then the overall story is a cohesive one with a gradual reveal of the past and the villain’s plan. This is partly what makes you hooked as you will be curious about certain things along the way.
Acting And Chemistry
I think the 2 leads need no introduction. Dilraba Dilmurat has played enough roles as a strong female character to be able to exhibit the intelligence and stoicism of Yun He in the drama. While I don’t think she exceeded expectations to take her acting up a notch, it is still a respectable performance from her. She can switch effortlessly from a strong and mature character to a sassy one and back.
Allen Ren also needed to portray a change of personality in the drama from a sincere merman to a hardhearted and cold one. He did well in the first part with his sweet facial expressions. The purity and naivete are convincing. However, his cold demeanor in the second part is a bit bland to me. Yes, he is supposed to wear an impassive face but the inner torment that the character is facing seems to be lacking in his portrayal.
As a couple, I can’t really say that the chemistry between Dilraba Dilmurat and Allen Ren is great in the drama. It is passable but the heat is certainly missing. It is not so much about the fish kisses that lack real passion but their interactions just don’t have enough sizzles for their love to be felt more deeply. The actress’ chemistry with Leo Wu in The Long Ballad is definitely more obvious compared to this one with Allen Ren.
In fact, some might even feel that Dilraba Dilmurat has better chemistry with the second male lead. This is not surprising as Xiao Shun Yao did well in his portrayal of a conflicted Hao Qing. The other notable character is played by Cristy Guo. She really brought out the essence of Shunde Fairy’s character in her portrayal. So, be forewarned that you will hate her as you watch!
My Verdict – Recommended Watch
The Blue Whisper is a big budget production and the quality in terms of CGI, costumes, and cinematography will not disappoint. The scenery set up is beautiful with the effects in both Part 1 and 2. Hence, when everything is put together, it is a highly watchable production. The romance is not a deeply heartfelt one as it doesn’t have a strong foundation to it unlike One And Only but the overall story is logical and flows well. Hence, the main couple’s romance should still resonate with viewers. Even if it doesn’t, there are 2 more couples in the story to gain your attention.
Moreover, there is more to the plot apart from romance. Revenge also takes up a significant portion of the drama and is naturally weaved into the story. Some of the characters have underlying motives to their actions and these are gradually teased out as the drama progresses. Thus, the story is an engaging one even if you can’t feel anything special about the leads’ romance.
For this The Blue Whisper review, I would give it a score of 8/10. It is not the best xianxia romance drama out there but it has enough factors to make it watchable. Some parts is a little slow-moving and the ending could be more detailed. But overall, it would not be a waste of time to watch this. Whether you would find this to be a perfect 10 lies mainly in how deeply the leads’ love for each other moves you as a viewer. Personally, it is a beautiful love story that is well-executed but simply lacks more heartfelt scenes to make the romance more memorable when it is all over. That is also why the rewatch value is not high on my list with this one
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STORY
So the drama mainly focuses on this group of people who try to find themselves in a harsh society, especially Nuan Nuan and Han Xue after their dreams of becoming an idol come crashing down one night because of their friends betrayal. And of course Nuan Nuan’s story, as she finds a new dream and love with her friend’s brother Han Che.So the story starts on that fateful day, when three best friends Nuan Nuan, Han Xue and Lin Jia Yi compete to finally debut as a girl group only to be betrayed by Lin Jia Yi, who orchestrated (with their agency’s director) to literally steal the spotlight and with the help of Light and Stage Director King. Jia Yi shot to stardom while Nuan Nuan and Han Xue not only ended up being embarrassed as “back-up” dancers for Jia Yi but got kicked out of their agency as well.
Both girls are not just heartbroken and mad at their friend's betrayal but at a loss, they have trained together for years dreaming of becoming a girl group and to finally debut together and have no back up plan. With Han Xue’s family money, she had no other worries except for Nuan Nuan. Nuan Nuan has no one in the city and will basically become homeless after she moves out of the dorms and so she offers their family townhouse, her deceased grandmother’s studio unaware that her aloof, cold, OCD and genius brother Han Che is back in the country and is set on staying on his grandmother’s house.
With their contrasting personalities, the two did not start well and he ended up throwing her out. It turns out that Han Che a.k.a KING (ikr!) is back in the country not just because of his new company but he wanted to search for his “benefactor”. Back story on that, when the Han sibling’s grandmother died, Han Che was so sick he could barely get up of bed and a mysterious person takes care of him, even though he has hyperthymesia (person who can remember everything) the one thing he can never remember was the face of the girl who took care of him that night.No matter how hard he tries he can never remember her face but he does remember her three white flower hairpin. And on that fateful day he mistook Jia Yi as his benefactor and helped her in becoming a star and unknowingly hurt the real one.
So the whole story will be about Nuan Nuan as she tries to re-invent herself, Han Che tries to “make it up” to her, Jia Yi and Han Chen’s a bit obsessing over our main leads, Han Xue still trying to make herself famous and Gu Li becoming her knight and shining armor.I love the growth of the female leads on this drama. The three girls who started off as best friends, their fall out, their personal growth and realization to finally making up and finding love amidst all the chaos of their life. Especially Nuan Nuan and Han Xue, their journey from who they were at the beginning to what they have become to the end, was really cute and touching.
The chemistries were extremely cute specially for Nuan Nuan & Han Che and Han Xue and Gu Li. I kind of appreciate that the “third parties” on the love story wasn’t despicable characters, Jia Yi and Han Chen even though have expressed their love but they knew the lines not to cross ‘cause even though they are in love they weren’t exactly so blinded by it that they throw their common sense out the window (like most third parties in chinese dramas) and that they value their friendships more than that love.
Which was quite funny ‘cause I was literally waiting to hate Jia Yi if she does something outrageous and stupid and I was genuinely surprised when her character didn’t turn out to be as bad as I was hoping it would, which is definitely a good thing. There were times that did annoy me but they weren’t that bad for me to label her a bitch like most third parties on dramas in general.The ending was really cute and definitely did not disappoint my heart since they have a good, cute and satisfying happy ending. It wasn’t over the top but it was the kind of happy ending that puts my heart to ease.
CHARACTERS
- Liu Nuan Nuan is an aspiring idol who dreamt of nothing but to perform on stage. She is kind, optimistic, lovable, caring and understanding. She is the type of friend you wish you would have. In between the hot tempered Han Xue and goody two shoes Jia Yi, she was mostly the mediator and the overall troubleshooter; whenever her friends have a problem, she is always there fixing them and will do anything to help them out.
She is dependable and loyal but a bit clumsy. She is kind to a fault. But don’t mistake her as a weak girly girl who loves pink and needs constant saving ‘cause she is definitely not that! Nuan Nuan is playful, mischievous and gives off this girl-next-door vibe. She is not too girly but she’s not boyish either.
- Han Che is a famous Visual Director who has finally established his own company. He is cold and brutally honest, with OCD tendencies and hyperthymesia, he has the quadruple threat (lol) He has a bad habit of deciding for others, like he did on the championship. But like most male leads, he has his soft side too. He is not extremely heartless or ungrateful. He is just having a hard time expressing himself in a way that does not sound harsh or rude to most people.
He likes to keep to himself and is perfectionist when it comes to work. But when it comes to Nuan Nuan (after he finally acknowledges his feelings), he can just be himself.
At first I kind of doubted the love story, ‘cause in a way it looked like he was only doing things to repay her kindness but it was quite obvious that what he was feeling was no longer out of debt but he was genuinely falling in love with her. Her clumsiness, her personality and her messiness didn’t bother him in a bad way. Instead it healed him in a way they both didn’t expect, she made him open up as he assisted her to grow as a person. He is always blunt with her and even though it sounded mean at times, it made Nuan Nuan mature and to finally accept the things she couldn’t.
- Lin Jia Yi is Nuan Nuan’s friend who shot to stardom after the championship with King’s help. Jia Yi is viewed by the public as an innocent beauty. She has the face of an angel and the voice of one too. Although she was a bit selfish, she is actually pretty decent compared to other third party characters in most Chinese dramas.
- Han Xue is friend to Nuan Nuan and Jia Yi, she is the outspoken, party girl and hot tempered one in the three. She and her brother Han Che both come from a rich family, their parents have immigrated to america and both have been quite distant to them. Han Xue’s dream was to be famous. She is a bit like Nuan Nuan, she is a bit optimistic but she does have a temper.
She is not very close with her brother or any of her family. She used to be a promising track athlete with a huge possibility of joining the national team but she threw it all away when she decided that she wanted to become an idol.
- Fang Han Chen is a solo artist signed under the same agency as Lin Jia Yi. He has a pretty stable career and a huge fanbase and he actually willingly risked all of his life's work when he tried to stand up for Nuan Nuan. Even though I was not his biggest fan, I admire him for letting go.
- Gu Li is Han Che’s childhood friend and business partner. Well most of the time, he was acting like Han Che’s secretary instead of a business partner (lol). He had long secretly loved Han Xue and would do anything for her.
CAST
The one who brought me to the drama was Eleanor Lee, whom I saw on Fake Princess with Zhao Yi Qin from My Youth and Accidentally In Love. I love Eleanor on Fake Princess so I automatically wanted to watch her more and she did not disappoint. I love that her characters weren’t girly girls or the damsel in distress type but rather the “I’m kind of a badass and I can kick your ass if I want to” kind, they are not pushovers.I didn’t know that Leon Leong was in the 2018 adaptation of Meteor Garden since I have not watched that version but when I looked through his filmography on MDL, he has a good list and most of them have quite good reviews. I love Leon Leong and Eleanor’s chemistry, they don’t look awkward or forceful at all. They look really good together and their portrayal as a couple is really nice to watch, it wasn’t cringey but rather envious to look at.
FINAL THOUGHTS (Rating: 9/10)
Like I said it was Eleanor Lee that brought me to the drama and I honestly had no expectations at all. I just wanted to pass time as I wait for another Wuxia Drama I can watch so I had little to none expectations at all and that is what makes me love the drama even more.
Instead of being influenced by anyone or having a set of expectations for the drama, watching it with basically almost nothing made the drama worth every watch. ‘Cause when you read the synopsis, it might seem like your typical damsel in distress girl who’s life turned upside down and she gets “rescued” by a knight and shining armor and they live happily ever after but instead I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t go that way.Even though yes, our male lead did offer a helping hand, our female lead found herself, she matured in her own way and found her own colors. Which I really appreciate since it breaks away from a lot of modern romantic comedy chinese dramas.
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STORY
So the drama follows the love story between a man who brings doom and a terminally ill woman who makes a drunken wish for the world to end. It was quite a unique and interesting format at times funny but at the same time really sad.We first have a female lead who works herself to the bones for her mischievous and lazy little brother with little to no plans for her own self, when she is slapped with a terrible fate of dying young with an illness that is too late to be cured and she meets a diety? Wait was he a deity? A deity that bares the name and brings “doom” and has a strong distaste for mortals.
On Doom’s birthday, he hears mortals wish and grants one person’s one wish, and coincidentally he hears our female lead’s drunken wish for the world to end and immediately became interested in this mortal who wishes for the same thing he wants so he made a contract with her that she will not feel pain during her remaining days in exchange for her wishing for the world to end, the very same thing he wants to do but has no power to do unless its a human’s wish.
I was reluctant to watch for the reason that I kind of expect that it might have a sad ending and I’m not good with sad endings, LOL and I mean don’t we all? Well, thank god that it did have a happy ending. I guess the pacing was okay, I quite like the characters and their growth but I guess it was missing something. I can’t pinpoint it but I did enjoy the drama it’s just that I was expecting it to be more. More outrageous, more intense, or more fantasy? The plot was really interesting and sounded really good but I guess it lacked the impact (personally).
And tbh, I think I rooted the love story between Team Leader Cha, Hyun Gyu with Na Ji Na more than I did with the main leads which is weird considering I hate love triangle cliches.
CHARACTERS
Tak Do Kyung - Do Kyung is working as an editor when she was diagnosed with a brain cancer. She has quite a temper that she rarely lets out and often just holds her anger in, especially dealing with idiot writers. She has a younger brother Tak Seon Kyung and tries to looks after him after their parents died.
Myeolmang (Doom) / Kim Sa Ram) - Myeol Mang is neither human nor god. I’m honestly not sure how to properly explain what he is but he is somewhat a breed between a grim reaper and a goblin or is it a devil? He’s not exactly there to collect their souls but rather watch or assist their death? He is always there when a human’s “doom” comes and often times has the ability to extend their life for a little bit if he’s feeling annoyed and wants to punish that human. Humans can see him if he wants to but they don’t really see his real face but rather a stranger’s face and Dong Kyung is the only one who can see his real face.
Cha Joo Ik - Team Leader Cha is Dong Kyung’s direst supervisor and who is secretly really rich. He has a long time connection with Na Ji Na.
Na Ji Na - Ji Na is Dong Kyung’s best friend and a famous writer that goes by the pen name “Lee Hyun” which she took from the name of her first love who broke her heart.
Lee Hyun Gyu - Hyun Gyu is Ji Na’s first love and ex-boyfriend from high school. He used to be a swimmer and moved overseas. He now owns a cafe on the same building as Team Leader Cha’s office.
CAST & Production
I really love Seo In Guk and Park Bo Young so even if the storyline wasn’t that much exciting for me, it was still worth the watch. And can we just agree that Lee Soo Hyuk’s tall and serious visual with his deep full voice is just perfection? Then there was also my Dawon from SF9, I have been a fan of them since I saw their mini web series Click Your Hear so I was really happy to see them in bigger projects. And of course, Kang Tae Oh, like seriously? The cast list is such a visual overkill.Of course, it’s a Korean drama, the effects are edits were good. OST was good as well. No complains on the production for me.
FINAL THOUGHTS (Rating: 8.1/10)
I wouldn’t say I was disappointed with the drama but I was just expecting more with such a great synopsis, I think they could have done more. The main plot had such a potential to be more than what I saw, they could have made it more outrageous, more intense, more drama more angst? But that’s just my personal opinion. It did have tear-jerking scenes and cute romance which I also really liked so it was still a good watch. Would I recommend it? Yes, despite me not being overly enthusiastic about the drama after watching it, I still enjoyed it. It has a good fantasy element to it, a cute main and support couple, and funny scenes.
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Weird!
I Am The Years You Are The Stars is actually a collection of different themes in a single drama. It has romance, mystery, sci-fi, medical, friendship, and bromance elements which are part of the story. They are not forcefully cobbled together but the drama still ends up weird to me. Maybe because it tries to make light of the solemn subject of death or perhaps the whole story is just incredibly farfetched. Not to mention the drama begins with no clear explanation on how the characters are related to one another and the length they would go to to protect the male lead’s secret.In other words, the story is very different from your typical romance dramas such as Nothing But You and Love At Night. It has potential in that sense but the execution is lacking unlike Shining For One Thing which also has a sci-fi element to it. The romance blossomed out of the blue when the couple started off disliking each other and the subplots tend to drag the story out unnecessarily. Some scenes editing are off and the transitions look choppy. In addition, some parts also give the drama a low budget feel especially towards the ending.
If You Don’t Mind An Unrealistic Plot…
Basically, I Am The Years You Are The Stars is not meant to be an intelligent mystery or sci-fi romance drama. You can’t watch this and try to apply logic to the story. For instance, it doesn’t make sense for a girl to agree to live with an abnormal being who can mutate into a zombie no matter how much she is paid. Moreover, she didn’t like him to begin with. But this is how the story flows and you can’t question it too much as you watch if you want to enjoy the drama.
However, while the drama is weird and unrealistic, it also has a certain level of intrigue to make you watch till the end. Chances are once you start, you will want to know the protagonists’ fate in the last episode. This is because the girl is expected to die and the guy wants to give up his immortality when the story begins. Hence, you will be curious about how they will end up and whether they will be dead or alive. So, the drama is far from great but ironically addictive in a strange way.
Apart from that, the story also consists of a twist towards the end. It is not totally unexpected for those who are astute or have a suspicious mind. But if you have no inkling of what is to come, it adds a layer of surprise to the overall story.
Acting And Chemistry
Both the leads put up a respectable performance to me although I also don’t see anything groundbreaking. They did their part as required with Estelle Chen managing to portray Xiao Yu’s inherent personality of a cheerful and positive lass. She has this vibrant demeanor with spring in her steps. It may seem inconsistent with her situation as someone who is going to die but she that is how her character has been written rather than bad acting on her part.
Liu Hai Kuan’s character is harder to play as he has to be an old man trapped in a young man’s body. He did well to a certain extent as he displays a more reserved attitude that is consistent with men of his generation. But I also can’t help but feel that his acting in some scenes feels forced. He doesn’t look completely natural in that role but I guess Jiang Bai Ju is a very unique character with a lot of inner turmoil and conflict which the actor couldn’t convincingly express.
When the two leads are put together, their chemistry is lacking to me. They can be acting sweet and lovey-dovey but I can’t really feel the couple vibes between them in some scenes. Even the kissing ones fail to make my heart flutter unlike really matching on-screen couples such as the ones in Once We Get Married and You Are My Glory. Maybe it has a lot to do with this couple’s background which just doesn’t resonate with me.
Unconventional Couple
The pair in I Am The Years You Are The Stars is not your typical romance drama couple. Some viewers may find them refreshing but they give me the impression of having nothing in common with each other. The guy is an old soul while the girl is young and restless. He is tired of living and wants to die but she is eager to live with a zest for life. He views love as something serious and fated while she doesn’t mind trying out a relationship. I could just sense a generation gap between them.
Therefore, I can’t really get into this couple from start to finish. I did try to give them a chance to grow on me but their romance still falls flat as far as I’m concerned. It didn’t help that their relationship happened very abruptly when the girl simply decided she wanted to date. Maybe you will have a different view if you like the concept of opposites attract and an unconventional couple. Then, perhaps you will be able to detect a healthy dose of chemistry between them.
My Verdict – Not My Cup Of Tea
Well, I Am The Years You Are The Stars just doesn’t suit my taste for a Chinese drama. To be honest, I scanned and skipped as I went along as it got boring towards the middle. The subplots got too much air time which dragged out the drama. Although they are tied up with the main plot in some way, they could have been shortened or better executed. The romance isn’t great to me while there are no side couples to fall back on for alternatives.
However, there are still a few redeeming qualities despite my unflattering view on this drama. The mystery part should help viewers to maintain some level of interest to enable one to cross the finish line. The cute friendships and bromance are other positive factors which provide the needed lighthearted moments. So, it might not be a great drama but there could be enough attraction to make you plough on. After all, you can always quicken the speed for the boring scenes.
For this I Am The Years Your Are The Stars review, I would give it a score of 6.5/10. I don’t really recommend you to watch this drama unless you can lower your expectations before you start. Not everything is properly clarified either when the drama ends. You won’t feel dissatisfied but some clarity would have been good. Watch it if you want some mystery and sci-fi elements in your romance dramas. But stay away if you can’t stand cheesy romantic lines and prefer more realistic and conventional couples.
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This review may contain spoilers
Deep Dive
Why you should watch it1. WRITING
It would be a disservice to the writer Park Shi Hyun if I didn’t start this review by talking about her. She has previously worked under Kim Eun Sook for big-name dramas like Goblin, Descendants of the Sun and Mr Sunshine and Run On was her first drama as the main writer. If this isn’t a big flex then I don’t know what is? She wrote one of the most well-written scripts I have seen for a romance drama in a very long while and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
Run On is a mature and very realistic take on relationships. It shows the beauty of love and life. It is a character-driven story and not a plot-driven – by that, I mean that it does not have twists, turns, backstabs and dramatic storyline. It mostly relies on its characters to live their lives and grow. All the characters in the drama, even the clichéd ones felt like human beings and not overly dramatised characters we can’t relate to. So if you are looking for a feel-good drama with amazing dialogues, a beautiful story and very cute characters – please check it out.
2. IM SIWAN as KI SEON GYEOM
I don’t know why but Im Siwan can do no wrong. He always takes the most unique scripts. If you are a new kdrama lover then please check his other dramas. He is a fantastic actor who has a knack for choosing unique characters to portray. What’s more? He is a wonderful human being and he is also done with his military service – stan him, besties. In Run On, Im Siwan was obviously amazing and his character was just so cute and sweet I just had this immense urge to keep him safe from the evils of this world (so did our female lead, lol).
3. SHIN SE KYUNG as OH MI JOO
I feel like Im Siwan and Shin Se Kyung have the same energy when it comes to the characters they choose to play. Oh Mi Joo was probably my favourite character Shin Se Kyung has played by far. Oh Mi Joo is a badass female lead character. She is bold but she is not rude like many strong female leads in dramas these days. A woman being strong doesn’t always have to mean being mean and selfish. Oh Mi Joo is a hardworking woman who doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit, she stands up for herself and doesn’t wait for someone else to speak on her behalf. Shin Se Kyung brought life to Oh Mi Joo so subtly and beautifully. She was absolutely stunning in the drama.
4. CHOI SOO YOUNG AND KANG TAE HO as THE MOST ADORABLE SECOND LEADS
These two!! I can’t emphasis enough just how cute these two were in this drama. Both these actors have worked in so many dramas as main leads over the years but Run On was probably the first drama that they got the kind of exposure theys deserved. Did you know Kang Tae Ho was in The Tale of Nokdu? Did you know Choi Soo Young was the main lead in the recent drama Tell Me What You Saw?? She was right there as the main lead but still, people didn’t notice. That’s a big issue in dramas with a big star cast, we overlook even the main actors and only focus on the big-name actors.
I am happy to say that Run On did these two actors justice. Not only were they the main part of the drama they were also given as much love and attention as the main two leads. It was such a breath of fresh air, we got four amazing characters to love and root for. Choi Soo Young outshined everyone in this drama with her gorgeous self and fantastic acting. She was absolutely stunning. I want to steal her character Seo Dan Ah’s entire wardrobe. Kang Tae Ho played a university art student Lee Young Hwa and he was so damn cute and actually had the broke millennia energy…just so cute.
5. CINEMATOGRAPHY AND OST
Not gonna lie, the first episode of the drama almost made me turn off this drama because to me it looked badly shot and edited. I am thrilled to inform you all that I was wrong. The scenery and the shots in Run On were absolutely breathtaking. Run On team deserve so much praise for executing this drama perfectly. OSTs and Cinematography can make a good drama great and Run On was great because of it.
SPOILER ALERT - There is no “big” spoiler of this drama because it is a simple drama but this spoiler warning is for watchers like me who hate spoilers of any kind. Come back and scream with me after watching the drama.
1. CAREER AND DREAMS
Seon Gyeom had a promising career as a national runner but he decided to not run and leave his job because his ethics and principles were bigger than his career. Even though he retired from his job as a runner he never stopped running. It gave him freedom.Oh Mi Joo was a translator who loved translating subtitles for movies. It was her dream job but throughout the drama, we also see her work multiple jobs using her skills. She worked really hard and not let anyone or anything come in the way of her job. She also stood up for herself, called people when needed and did not let her job be her entire life.
Sometimes when we are hustling to make our dreams come true, we forget to prioritise ourselves. Seon Gyeom and Oh Mi Joo found multiple ways to use their skills without constricting themselves to one role. Your job should not define your entire existence. There should always be a work-life balance.
2. PARENTS
Parents doing unloving things in the name of love. Kdramaland is full of toxic, unsupportive parents. About 80 per cent of dramas follow the toxic parent formula to bring conflict between the main characters. Especially romance kdramas. It is a good thing that kdramas address this issue but only a few manage to do something about it.
Parents who think their children are their property and they can make them do whatever they think is right. As an Asian myself, I can say for a fact that it be like that sometimes. Sometimes. Sometimes parents don’t understand the meaning of boundary and that their children are adults who are capable of making their own decisions (and mistakes). Run On also did the same with the rich fathers of Seon Gyeom and Dan Ah but this time instead of making that a big deal Run On gave a different take on it by children standing up for themselves and not letting it become a reason for them to not do what they want to do. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not claiming that every single parent is horrible and that children should always rebel, I am saying that there should be a healthy boundary.
Stalking children, forcing a career on them, using them for political advantage, sexism, classism, physical and verbal abuse. Sometimes, even the most loving parents do things that are harmful to their children in the long run. So when dramas like Run On show characters with toxic parents and these characters don’t let their parents define who they are and what they should and shouldn’t be doing – it says to the audience that there can also be another way. Also, can we talk about Seon Gyeom’s mother? She was the kind of mother who has never cared for her children more than her career but she also accepted her faults and didn’t force herself or her wishes on her children later on. Sometimes even this realisation is enough and I love her for that. I know this is not the point but actress Cha Hwa Yun is also looking very gorgeous in this drama.
3. FRIENDSHIP
I don’t have a lot to say in this section except – I loved the friendship dynamics in this drama. Oh Mi Joo and Dan Ah had a love-hate relationship. Mi Joo’s roommate, Mae Yi, was asexual. Kang Tae Ho’s best friend, Ye Joon, was in love with him. Friendship with Seon Gyeom required a lot of patience. All these characters were flawed in their own ways – they were weird, quirky, dramatic, selfish. But they loved, supported and accepted one another as they were and it was lovely to witness. Im Siwan, Shin Se Kyung in Kdrama Run On (kdramaomo)
4. LOVE YOURSELF FIRST
I think I am running out of words to describe just how amazing Im Si Wan and Shin Se Kyung were in this drama and how outstanding their chemistry was in this drama. So I am going to move on and talk about Oh Mi Jo and Seon Gyeom instead.
“I value myself more than anyone else.”
Their biggest problem was Seom Gyom’s father who constantly looked down on Mi Joo. When Oh Mi Joo starts questioning what’s so wrong with her that her boyfriend’s father hated her so much she realises that she was not loving herself enough and takes a step back from him. Instead of hanging on and constantly underestimating her own value and identity, she chooses to cherish herself first. Even though that scene was one of the most heartbreaking scenes of the drama, it was still my favourite scene of the drama because it showed how much they have grown together and as individuals.
“She is my strength, not my weakness.”
Oh Mi Joo and Seon Gyeom’s relationship was based on trust and support. They don’t need to hold hands or kiss to show their love. It was obvious with the way they treated each other with respect and care. They accepted each other as they were and worked on their communication skills. The best kinds of relationships are the ones that help you grow and shine not just together but also individually.
5. RUN ON
From start to finish, Run On was amazing, it never had moments of extreme highs and extreme lows it was just normal like life. The ending of this drama was perhaps one of the finest endings in a drama I have seen in a long time. There was no last farewell, everyone had their version of a happy ending but no ‘The End’ just (to quote the loves of my life BTS) Life Goes On…
Conclusion
Run On is an ultimate feel-good drama that is good for your mind and soul. It will make you happy, teach you and uplift you. In conclusion, I stan writer Park Shi Hyun and this wonderful drama.
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With Thai TV series, we noticed that they love making stories about contract marriages. We have watched a few but the very first one that we fell in love with was the one shown in OneHD entitled Leh Ratree.
The Main Leads
We didn’t know who the actors were at the time but they were pretty much visually appealing. And the longer we watched the show, we fell in love with the characters and became fans of the main leads, the charming Esther Supreeleela and the dashing Sean Jindachot.
Quite an Interesting Plot of the Story
We were very much drawn to the plot of the story. It was our first time hearing about it and thought it was quite interesting. In English, this Thai Lakorn was entitled A Woman’s Trickery or Love’s Trickery. The guy, Saken, played by Sean, was an only son, although he had a younger sister, and he was the President of their family business. But he was next in line as the heir of the company. He was married but his mom was displeased with his wife who just kept on postponing her pregnancy. His mom wanted them to have a child to ensure the future heir of their lineage. But she later discovered that his son’s wife was no longer capable of bearing a child. The wife kept it from all of them. Sake loved her so much, but he resented her after knowing the truth.
The girl, Kate, was an eldest among her 2 other siblings. She was yet to finish schooling and was pretty much in love with her childhood friend. She had the perfect family. But her dad was hiding something from them. He got addicted to gambling and was losing a lot of money. Her dad was working at Sake’s company. He fell into a huge debt to the point that he began stealing money from Sake’s company. Sake and his family would find out and would come after him. The casino where he owed a lot of money was also running after him. He was later caught and the family was determined to put him in jail.
Kate’s family was in shock. But her father negotiated with Sake’s family. Apparently, he knew that their family was looking to bear for an heir and Sake’s wife was unable to do so. He offered her daughter, Kate, which I thought was ridiculous! And Sake thought so too! He was even more furious, but his mother was confused. She knew it was absurd, but she wanted an heir.Sake’s mother agreed despite his disapproval. And even if it was hard for Kate’s mom, she could not do anything as well. They were being pushed at the edge of the cliff, nowhere to go. If they agreed, Kate’s dad’s case would be cleared and Sake’s family would also pay for his debt at the casino.
Kate had no idea what was ahead of her. She was already planning her future with her beloved childhood friend, but she was yet to marry a man she barely knew, and worse, bear his child. And Sake didn’t like her though he didn’t know how great of a girl she really was. He thought she was part of his dad’s absurd plan. Their contract marriage was mostly based on her bearing a child. Sake’s family would take care of her, and after giving birth, she’d be free to do whatever she wanted.
Our Thoughts
We had high praises for this contract marriage Lakorn. Every episode kept me wanting for more. I wanted to know what would happen next. Sake and Kate started off the wrong foot. Both hated each other. We just loved how they built that tension between them that it was almost impossible how to bring those two together. We applaud Esther and Sean’s chemistry as well. They were a legit koo Jin! Their onscreen chemistry was so natural. You would actually think they were a couple in real life, but they weren’t. And don’t even try to Google about it. You’ve been warned! Hahahah! I was such a big SeanEst fan.
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Ok the important stuff: this is a College-Fake-Dating-Enemies-to-Lovers-Idiots-in-Love BL drama. It is a cute and fluffy romcom with low-stakes conflict and tons of heart. You will probably roll your eyes at The Dumb. You will swoon at all the romantic little bits. You will bash your head over idiot bois being idiots. All in all, if this is what you’re into, you’re going to have a great time.
Both leads are spectacular and swoony in their roles and have, hands-down, the best chemistry of any pair I’ve seen all year - and maybe in the last couple of years. I loved how mostly-supportive each boy’s friend-group was. I loved all the various characters and relationship. And mostly I loved that it was such a hit The Powers That Be came back for round 2 and gave us Still2Gether so we could get 5 more episodes of gross romance and fluff.
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30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii
1 people found this review helpful
I loved that the show highlights that we can be our own worst/ harshest critics and sometimes we just need to be able to step outside of ourselves for a little bit to get a more accurate picture. Also that finding that we are lovable/ worthy of love can be so empowering. Add in a bit of ‘even the seemingly put-together good at everything guy can be a bit of a mess sometimes’ and you have powerful feel-good mix of a show all in 12, sweet, half-hour episodes.
Some weeks, that 30 minutes was the bright light I was needing to get through to the next week. The show is cute, soft, heart-felt, and everything I needed at the end of the year.
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This review may contain spoilers
Cliff hanger Show!
Ugh this show. This show was the cliff hanger that kept me nail biting and dying because I had to wait week to week, because of course I had to live-watch it. I have no chill. This cast is literally my dream cast. Lee Junki is at his peak Two Weeks best in intensity. Moon Chaewon is as amazing and brilliant as ever. The chemistry between the two as husband/wife potential partners/ enemies is off the charts. Topping that all off with Kim Jihoon in the latter half of the show is just - well I will never shut up about it I swear.The writing is generally gripping and intense throughout. I love how dedicated and insightful Cha Ji Won is as a detective, bringing a unique perspective and insight to her cases. I also enjoyed the way the show approached the idea of love not as a feeling but as a choice, actions one chose to make every day, like Hae Soo learning how to show his love to Ji Won. All in all, this show was knocking it out of the park, setting itself up to be one of my top shows of the year. And while I do rate it pretty high I had to knock it down a bit as the last episode tarnished some of my love.
[Spoilers below the cut]
The writer in me appreciates what the show as attempting to do with the last episode (the show as consistently very thoughtful as it dug in deep to the various issues it confronted re: marriage, love, mental illness) as there is definitely going to be some fallout to the things that all the characters endured, the ending just didn’t land. In a medium where amnesia is an overused and tired trope that has become a cringy cliche, a show really has to make its use compelling. I have to watch it and think ‘there was literally no other way to deal with this’. And in this case, I feel the show fell short.
Like I said, there is *going* go be fallout to a marriage that has essentially been built up on a lie. Amnesia feels like a cop-out wiping of the slate to start over in a way that absolves Hae Soo from confronting those lies. The writing also pushes Ji Won into playing “The Cool Wife” who just accepts everything that has happened bc ‘reasons’. Which - for how wonderfully she was written otherwise - felt like a real let down.
Even if she *is* understanding, the brain/ heart don’t flip on a dime. She would be struggling with accepting and trusting him. Instead the amnesia gets to cast him as the victim of all that has happened and while he is a victim, he was no innocent. It centers his pain and struggle while evaporating hers.
It frames the final conflict as her striving for his acceptance when it really should be the two of them equally striving to rebuild what has been broken. It unbalances them when the rest of the show had them always on equal ground. It was disappointing and really killed my love for the show. I wish they’d opted for either really fleshing out that conflict, or just skipping it altogether and giving us a sendoff of them riding into the sunset trusting that they will work it out.
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As I get older I appreciate stories that focus on characters in their 30s/40s because its nice to see aspects of my own reality reflected back. The world is different at this age than when I was in my early 20s floundering through love. There are hard stories to watch here; one of the doctors works pediatrics. There were tears, and choked up moments because this show is so great at humanizing characters that only show up for a few minutes of screen time.
It’s also great at subverting expectations. There are not really and villains that you’d expect. There are shitty chaebols but also human, endearing ones. People come in a range of good and bad and we get to see them through our loveable group of long-time friends. The show is just the definition of a moving human drama.
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Predictable But Well-Executed
To Fly With You is one of the better Chinese sports romance dramas out there in my books. I think it is also the type of drama that will resonate more with the younger viewers as it has a college romance element in it. So, don’t expect anything overly serious and melodramatic. It has a lot of light and fun moments to make you smile as well as some sweet scenes for the required sugary feel. Most of the serious stuff is reserved for the sport matters such as training and relationship among the team members.Personally, I find this drama to be very predictable in terms of the plot. I guess if you have watched one or two sports dramas and rom-coms, you can more or less guess the issues that are going to crop up. I know most romance dramas are highly predictable anyway but To Fly With You is a bit better than the rest because the story is well-executed. It is told in a very coherent manner with the romance being developed at a realistic pace and the leads’ road to success is not dragged out unnecessarily.
Don’t Mind The Predictable Plot
Basically, most of the issues explored in this drama is nothing new. Quarrels with coaches and team mates, jealousy, injury, parental objection, and love triangle are all part and parcel of To Fly With You. Therefore, be aware that this drama doesn’t really have anything extraordinary to offer in terms of plot originality. If you have watched Skate Into Love and have a bit of common sense, you will be able to predict these issues that will arise as the drama progresses.
So, this drama is only good if you don’t care about cliche storylines. Otherwise, you might find it too predictable that it loses any kind of anticipation. What makes up for it though is the likable female lead in a well-executed story to cut down on the boredom level. So, although the issues are predictable, all of them share some limelight throughout the drama. They are told in a way that you can feel the drama is moving along rather than getting stuck in a rut. I think this offers a kind of variety to keep you interested as there is romance, family relationships, friendships, and team spirit being fleshed out in the story.
A Unique Female Character
Zheng Yi is a pretty interesting character to me. She is stubborn and persistent when it comes to her passion for speed skating. She is also not easily cowed by her seniors in the team. Yet, she also exhibits a kind of naivety with her trusting nature. Whatever it is, it is easy to root for her as she grows on you as the drama progresses. To me, Zheng Yi is definitely a more colorful character than Bei Sheng as her partner.
As for Le Le, she has a cheerful face and she is funny which is a good contrast to Zheng Yi. She takes up quite a bit of screen time together with Qu Zhi as the side couple but fortunately, they are not annoying unlike some secondary couples which are a waste of viewers’ time.
Growing Chemistry
The chemistry between Wang An Yu and Song Zu Er is not too obvious in the beginning but it gradually gets better and better as the story moves along. Personally, I still prefer his pairing with Xiang Han Zhi in Forever Love which is a really sweet college romance drama. But his partnership with Song Zu Er is not too bad either and way better than with Nina Wang in Go Go Squid 2.The sparks is definitely there with this couple and they look very natural with their touches and hugs. Hence, I feel that the chemistry is better once they started dating in the drama as they look very comfortable as lovers.
As for the acting, Song Zu Er shines as Zheng Yi. She managed to bring out the essence of the character which is both stubborn and determined but also kind and playful. She looks very natural in her role with every movement and expression being suited to the scenes enacted with no overacting and exaggeration. Wang An Yu is also good as Bei Sheng to give the character a kind of playfulness and optimism. While it is enjoyable watching him, it is not a performance that exceeded expectations. He delivered as required but without any nice surprises to the viewer.
My Verdict – Okay To Watch
Overall, To Fly With You would not be a waste of time but neither is it something really engaging. If you like college romance, then this might be your cup of tea. If you also like a sports theme especially ice skating, then it will be a bonus. There are racing scenes in the drama to give you some excitement as well as figure skating scenes for you to appreciate the choreography.
Frankly speaking, I watched this in a scan and skip manner because I could predict what would happen next. The story is easy to follow and thus, you don’t really miss much even if you skip some scenes. As mentioned, it is not an engaging tale like Fall In Love or a touching coming of age story like Be Yourself whereby every scene helps us to get deeper into the story. It is also not an overly sweet romantic drama like You Are My Glory. It is merely a simple sports-cum-romance drama with a little bit of everything from parental objection to love triangle to team camaraderie.
For this To Fly With You review, I would give it a score of 7.5/10. Many viewers seem to like it a lot and I think you would too if you like the innocence of college romance and first love as well as chasing dreams. Watch it for the leads’ chemistry and the supportive nature of their relationship. It is a nicely executed story but it loses marks with its predictability where I’m concerned. It does not render it unwatchable as there are strengths to make up for the weakness but just don’t expect this Chinese drama to offer you a refreshing plot to give you something different from the usual.
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