Jina
United States
This review may contain spoilers
A cdrama that is very much character driven; full of interesting character dynamics
[Note: I have seen season 2 aka the second half of this season. This review and high rating is solely for the first season. If I were to rate the entire show, it would be at a 8/10. My explanation for the lower rating written below, with slight spoilers. On the "Lost You Forever" season 2 page, I will rate it 8/10.]
This drama is not very action-focused or fast-paced as it's very much character driven. What happens when traumatized children grow up? How do they heal or regress? Who are the people in our lives who were important chapters in our lives but may not stay with us forever? What's more important: my duty or my love? This drama is full of interesting and flawed characters and their relationship & dynamic to one another, especially with the female lead to the male leads. NOTE RIGHT NOW: If you dislike female leads having "romantic" moments with multiple men (or dislike the men being "disloyal" by marrying other women), then this drama is NOT for you. This drama does a fine job in showing her potential future with different men, especially how each men are important to her and how they fulfill different parts. I personally didn't have any conflict over this because it's well written and makes logical sense, considering what each character has gone through.
Also, great acting from all the characters, especially yang zi, zhang wanyi, tan jianci, and deng wei. The amount I've cried from watching yang zi crying? The way yang zi and zhang wanyi have such an electric and tragic tone underneath every conversation they have? It's no wonder that this season 1 (and some of the actors) won plenty of awards in 2023.
This drama (season 1) will break your heart. It's angst, hurt/comfort, tender, sweet, and heartbreaking. (The title is "Lost You Forever," you know?) Absolutely 10/10, no notes.
***************************************************************************
-------------------------slight spoilers for season 2------------------------------------
***************************************************************************
On season 2 and how it damaged this drama: I rated this drama 8/10--still high--because I enjoyed season 1 and parts of season 2 very much. But season 2's ending did irreparable ruin to the storyline and so this is really closer to a 7/10 for that unsatisfying ending. It was so lukewarm that it's laughable and so I don't even consider it a real ending.
NOTE: What caused the drastic changes? Lots of speculation: drama behind the production, actor favoritism, China censorship (which includes "hero-washing" the actions of flawed characters). Season 2 of the drama also got trimmed a lot from like 30 episodes to 23 episodes. So, it's clear at several spots that there are huge jumps in times and supporting characters who are suddenly brought forth to the main storyline...
The biggest betrayal of the storyline was that it ruined the character development of several of the main characters and thus was completely frustrating and unsatisfying. It happened in the final 4 episodes. Thus, I have personally elected to ignore most of what happened in the final 4 episodes, especially the "twist"--because it would not make sense.
If you're someone who can separate the two seasons like I have and consider that the good outweigh the bad, then you'll probably enjoy a lot of what this drama have to give. But if you're someone who considers the overall drama and considers the ending as an important part to conclude the entire drama, then this drama will hurt you. This drama was so highly rated in 2023 because of its interesting characters and dynamics. But season 2, especially the ending, did not follow through with some of them. So it's incredibly disappointing.
But I supposed this drama is like the final nail in the coffin, serving as a caution for Chinese dramas watchers: If even this incredible drama was reduced by its ending, can we trust Chinese dramas to give us satisfying endings from now on?
This drama is not very action-focused or fast-paced as it's very much character driven. What happens when traumatized children grow up? How do they heal or regress? Who are the people in our lives who were important chapters in our lives but may not stay with us forever? What's more important: my duty or my love? This drama is full of interesting and flawed characters and their relationship & dynamic to one another, especially with the female lead to the male leads. NOTE RIGHT NOW: If you dislike female leads having "romantic" moments with multiple men (or dislike the men being "disloyal" by marrying other women), then this drama is NOT for you. This drama does a fine job in showing her potential future with different men, especially how each men are important to her and how they fulfill different parts. I personally didn't have any conflict over this because it's well written and makes logical sense, considering what each character has gone through.
Also, great acting from all the characters, especially yang zi, zhang wanyi, tan jianci, and deng wei. The amount I've cried from watching yang zi crying? The way yang zi and zhang wanyi have such an electric and tragic tone underneath every conversation they have? It's no wonder that this season 1 (and some of the actors) won plenty of awards in 2023.
This drama (season 1) will break your heart. It's angst, hurt/comfort, tender, sweet, and heartbreaking. (The title is "Lost You Forever," you know?) Absolutely 10/10, no notes.
***************************************************************************
-------------------------slight spoilers for season 2------------------------------------
***************************************************************************
On season 2 and how it damaged this drama: I rated this drama 8/10--still high--because I enjoyed season 1 and parts of season 2 very much. But season 2's ending did irreparable ruin to the storyline and so this is really closer to a 7/10 for that unsatisfying ending. It was so lukewarm that it's laughable and so I don't even consider it a real ending.
NOTE: What caused the drastic changes? Lots of speculation: drama behind the production, actor favoritism, China censorship (which includes "hero-washing" the actions of flawed characters). Season 2 of the drama also got trimmed a lot from like 30 episodes to 23 episodes. So, it's clear at several spots that there are huge jumps in times and supporting characters who are suddenly brought forth to the main storyline...
The biggest betrayal of the storyline was that it ruined the character development of several of the main characters and thus was completely frustrating and unsatisfying. It happened in the final 4 episodes. Thus, I have personally elected to ignore most of what happened in the final 4 episodes, especially the "twist"--because it would not make sense.
If you're someone who can separate the two seasons like I have and consider that the good outweigh the bad, then you'll probably enjoy a lot of what this drama have to give. But if you're someone who considers the overall drama and considers the ending as an important part to conclude the entire drama, then this drama will hurt you. This drama was so highly rated in 2023 because of its interesting characters and dynamics. But season 2, especially the ending, did not follow through with some of them. So it's incredibly disappointing.
But I supposed this drama is like the final nail in the coffin, serving as a caution for Chinese dramas watchers: If even this incredible drama was reduced by its ending, can we trust Chinese dramas to give us satisfying endings from now on?
Was this review helpful to you?
