Too many villains spoilt the plot

The premise of this show is centred around a ML who can't forget and a FL was suffered from some memory loss due to PTSD and their journey to find love and heal each others emotional wounds. Let me say up front that there are lots to like about this romance/healing drama and I enjoyed it overall. The acting of the leads were superb. I was most impressed by the ML (his first drama role was in the Coffee Prince!) who nailed his character from a serious news anchor who radiated gravitas to the vulnerable boy friend seeking love and reassurance. The FL appeared sweet and simple on the surface but required her to emote a whole range of complex emotions as the story progressed. Most of the support cast also did a good job with veteran actors given solid roles. The 2OTP was a super cute pair and their couple time was so sweet. Unsurprisingly, they were allowed to fall in love organically and just be two people in love without all the crazy sub-plots.
The OTP had great chemistry and their couple time was often swoon worthy. The problem was that the writer just won't let them be. It was like a game of marbles. The OTP was constantly bombarded by trials and tribulations. I know it is standard trope to throw obstacles in front of the OTP but we are talking about a stalker/murderer, a copycat stalker, burglary, return of the stalker/murderer, an unethical doctor and then a revenge seeking journo to round things out. When you consider the show was only 16 episodes long, the villains are having more screen time than the main cast.
I accept that the initial stalker plot, while tropey, was a reasonable device as both M/FL had lots of emotional baggage and it all started with that chain of horrible events. There were lots of flashbacks so we knew full well what happened eight years ago and the impact on them. To have the stalker plot repeated again and the new stalker copying the first one's modus operandi just felt lazy. The show then passed the baton back to the original stalker was an odd decision that gave him way too much exposure with minimal gains. Due to this parade of trouble makers, the show just didn't have time to address their arc to my satisfaction. Yes, they were punished but that tends to be a rushed footnote before the next villain was hurriedly wheeled in.
All this evil-doing sucked the oxygen out of the script. The OTP was constantly getting together and then breaking up and then reunited again with all manners of broken promises and forever apologising to each other and re-re-reaffirming their undying love. When we watch a romance/healing drama like this, the viewers need some kind of reward for shipping the pair. In this case, these were few and far between. It was rather draining to see the pair suffer yet another set back. Romantic scenes were great, even the breakups were wonderfully acted but we need to see a path out of the quagmire. That was one thing that the show failed to deliver.
In the end, we were gifted with the happy ending we all craved but it was so rushed and to be honest, a bit abrupt. They didn't communicate at all for 2 years (even though there were multiple options) and then the first time they set eyes on each other in Korea it was full on again as if they just had a lover's quarrel and made up a day later. Yes, I'm thankful for the unicorn moments but it was just too expedient. The OTP tried to say that they don't care about gossip and scandals anymore but they were strong 2 years ago and they walked away from that relationship. What gives?!
If I were to rate this drama purely on story/plot then it would have been a borderline 7 but the acting was so good that they deserved a solid 8.
The OST was fine, sad and sentimental mostly. Rewatch value is a mix bag. I wouldn't mind just cropping all the couple moments from both OTP's together and just rewatch those. The rest can stay on the editing room floor.

Leia Mais

You will either love this or drop it because it is polarising

You know how some dramas gives you a rollercoaster ride as the story develops and race towards the conclusion. This drama starts off like that but then it hits the flat bit and never goes up an incline again which is a shame as there were potentials but it got bogged down by "messages".

On the surface, it was a story about 4 pairs of lovers. Some have a fairly smooth run, others much more torturous. In between there were corporate battles and business shenanigans. If that was not enough, gun toting drug runners created havoc along the way. Did that sounds confusing, yes, it was.

Like many c-dramas, the start was promising. The first episode was like an action movie. Guns, stunts and explosions filled the screen. It was done well and definitely not your typical meet-cute.

The first half of the show largely settled down to more standard rom-com plots with the usually push-pull and discovering of new feelings. It was also quite interesting to see the progress of designing a new garment and the steps it took to turn the design into a successful product. If the writer stuck to the same plot then I would have given it a much higher score.

The wheel start to fall off around the half way mark. The plot took a silly turn with the drug king pin running amok which reinforced certain "messages" and allowed the ML to play the gung-ho hero one last time. That was pretty much the end of the 1OTP's romantic development though. By then, they were so fated, it was casted in iron and encased in concrete. The problem is that the focus now moved to the other 3 pairs and unfortunately, two of the three pairs were more than a bit cliché with Ning Weikai scoring the worst own goal I have ever seen in any drama! C'mon, writer, you can do better than that. I won't spoil it but it involved a dress and a letter. On the other hand, the relationship between Chen Yayi and Chen Zheng's was fun and organic. Quite refreshing compared with the other pairs. Chen Yayi was outstanding and her characterisation was even better than the FL at times. How she refused to play ball with Chen Zheng just because he was a rich playboy made her a much stronger character. Even as the two developed feelings for each other, she was always grounded and put Chen Zheng in his place when he tried any tricks on her. Honestly, if they separate out their storyline, jazz it up a bit and turn it into a 16 episodes drama (a la k-drama), I would happily watch it.

As I mentioned before, the process of developing a product in the fashion industry was quite interesting but a lot of that disappeared around mid show. While there were some dirty tricks being played between competitors from the start, the second half was all talking. scheming and a race to see how low can their tricks go. Lots of planning and boardroom scenes but there is not a lot of meat. A few drawings were pushed around and a whole product line was created by the next episode including swanky shops. Everything boiled down to scheming and backstabbing. I suppose that would be okay if the show was 40 episodes long (instead of 50) as you can actually see where all the plots converged around that point and if they had stopped it there, it would have been a decent conclusion. However, the "message" really took over the last ten episodes.
I suppose it is time to talk about these "messages". It is not unusually for c-drama to push some messages about Chinese culture or pride in Chinese achievements but this show had many such messages and they were pushed quite hard and with little subtlety. While they were ever present throughout the show, It really amped up in the last ten episodes. When instead of just talking about faceless scheming foreign companies, they actually hired two blonde haired Chinese speaking foreign actors to play the villains and they were bad to the core. Obviously, the domestic audience might well love the patriotic storyline but others might find it too heavy-handed and sounded like propaganda. Your mileage will differ. When seen from that angle, It was odd to see Audi cars everywhere as they were obviously a major sponsor as were other international brands that appeared as PPL.

The OST was ok. Fairly generic love songs and background music. Nothing jarring with the audio which was a plus.
Re-watch value is low as it was a simple, well telegraphed plot. Some of the early action sequences might be worth a second viewing.

Leia Mais

Superior Chinese period rom-com

While the plot summary sounds kind of same-same to a number of period romance/rom-com where a cool, handsome ML meets and falls in love with a cute, feisty FL, the actual story telling and pacing placed this show well above most of the pack.
You might groan a little as the show opened with the FL cross dressed as a guy and running amok in the city's marketplace but it soon took a different track as more of her background was revealed. The fact that she actually accepted the arrange marriage and decided to turn it to her advantage was refreshing and very engaging. There were quite a few laughs in the first few episodes when she lorded over her shell shocked new husband even though he was a famous general with a killer reputation.
Another welcomed change was when they put in the typical divorce/breakup trope very early in the show and gave it a nice positive spin resulted in more laughs and character growth. This is a major contrast to when most c-drama would settle into a few episodes of despair and silent longing.
The OTP had fantastic chemistry. The FL was a strong character who stood up to bullies, will not accept defeat and willing to fight for her goals. Just as well that the ML is cool (not heartless) but smart and knew that she was his soulmate and gave in to her completely. Once the push-pull and doubts were settled, their love was true and deep, their trust unwavering and unquestionable.
Overall, the support cast were solid. Some of the younger actors were a little weak but they are not carrying a lot of weight so it was ok. Some of the cuteness came from the secondary pairings once the OTP settled into their married life. Even then there was still a decent amount of skinship and feels. Just a little less flirting.
The OST was surprisingly good. The main theme was well matched to the show and was used extensively.
Now for the not so good bits. The second (or was it third) sister was very annoying and a real trouble maker. That is typical for this type of drama but once again, she went unpunished even though her big mouth got the whole family into serious trouble. All was forgiven by the end of the show and everyone moved on as if nothing had happened. Weird to say the least.
Speaking of ending, the last episode was mostly rainbows and unicorns and tied up all the loose ends. That is all well and good as fan service goes but the plot leading up to it was surprisingly weak and contrived. Contrasted this to the writing for the whole show which was solid, well paced and consistent. It was a little disappointing.
Overall, enjoyed it very much, highly recommended.

Leia Mais

Entertaining mix of horror, romance and comedy

Before I get to the actual review, I must ask for a bit of indulgence. Bring it on, Ghost was my first k-drama. After following for years tv shows like NCIS and House, BiOG was a revelation. It was more than a cultural shock but the fact that the whole series fit inside sixteen episodes just blew my mind. There was so much happening in every episode, I just had to binge it. This was the start of my journey into dramaland and as the saying goes, I went down the rabbit hole! :)
It is no surprise then that this show held a special place for me. It may be through rose tinted glasses but I still think that this show is very entertaining. There is a good mix of horror (nothing over the top), comedy and romance. The OPT has great chemistry and the fact that the pair fell in love not once but twice was a lovely twist. In hindsight, I'm surprised that the show actually has few of the typical k/c/t-drama tropes. The pacing was great, the ensemble cast was above average, there were action scenes as well as swoon worthy ones between the OTP. It might not be up there with the top dramas like Itaewon Class and When Camellia Blooms but it stands on its own merits and is binge worthy.

Leia Mais

Easy to watch show with some serious story telling issues

While this drama was easy to watch, it has some serious story telling issues. Yes, the OTP has chemistry and are good looking but it is not raw passion. The romance is a slooow burn with every bit of push-pull and misunderstanding style tropes thrown in just to prolong the journey. The final confession didn't happen until ep20 and the FL was still trying to wiggle out of admitting her feelings for the ML. Seriously, if they drag this out any longer, I would have dropped the show right there and then. Thankfully, they did acknowledge their love for each other and we get a few episodes where they were a happy couple. Of course, the well worn path of Chinese drama haunt us and we get the nasty plots to break them up and the forced separation. The annoying thing is that the writer seemed to start off writing one show and ended with another. The original setting of the school was fairly fresh and generated a lot of funny moments in the first 10 episodes or so. The interactions were easy and a role switch with all the female characters being strong and determined, welcoming. But by mid show, the story line is firmly back in well established romance/melo drama territory. Early set ups and back stories faded into the generic plot pool. The middle part of the show was so focused on the OTP's messy relationship that key events (like the tournament that was SO important) ended up going nowhere and had little impact. By the last third of the show, the writers seemed to have run out of steam on the OTP and a lot of screen time went to the support casts. It is not a bad thing as those relationships (we ended up with 3 more pairs!) is actually more interesting than the OTP by then. Their plot lines felt more real and organic in comparison. The down side to that is that it served to highlight how contrived and forced the main story line has become. Seriously, the last quarter of the show was a mess. Weak writing and awkward editing resulted in very odd tonal shifts. When they wheeled out the "Death Strike" as a deus ex machina plot device in ep33, I knew the writer(s) are in trouble. The lazy plotting also extended to how amazingly easy for the OTP to be manipulated to engineer their breakup. We did get an eleventh hour happy ending, no surprise there! I would have been a lot happier if they cut out a lot of the "will they, won't they" shenanigans in the last episode, get the OTP back together quickly and let the ensemble cast have some happy scenes together. That would have been a nice fan service. In the end, the show had a promising start but lost momentum mid way and it ended as a meh show. I was only going to rate it 6 but the support casts (love the cute kids) deserved a point for their efforts.

Leia Mais

More sugar ball than odd ball

It is a bit zany and it didn't follow the usual t-drama path 100% which is a good thing. Using the live streamers as main characters is also added nice contemporary touch. However, it is not all good news as it had its flaws as well.
Put simply, this is a rom-com through and through. It is low angst even though it did touch on a couple of heavy themes but those are resolved surprising quickly and without the heavy melodrama usually attached to similar dramas. It is a surprisingly light touch but one that worked with the plot. Like some other similar shows, the main OTP has a decent amount of chemistry but I won't call it amazing. More sweet and cute than passionate. A decent amount of skinship but constrained. The more passionate love affair was (once again) left to the 2OTP. They had more angst but also burnt more brightly. By the end of the show, there are multiple pairings and it was a little over the top but it is a rom-com after all. On top of that there was one of the most fully developed bromance in many a c/t/k-dramas. It ran from first to the last episode and full of gags and feels. A definite highlight. There are also lots of feels from friendships that are supportive and genuine.
On the whole, acting was good. There were definitely some overacting (as per t-drama play book) but the comedic payoff was there. The ML and FL may be seen as a bit one dimensional and I would agree to a certain extend as their growth came later. Especially the ML who was a classic man-child for most of the show.
Interestingly, where the show dropped the ball is not the usual mid show drag (it is only 20 episodes long) but odd plot developments that felt a bit jarring and contrived. The ending is also very corny (a typical t-drama trait). There seemed to be a lack of story material towards the end and they used a fair amount of flash backs to fill time and the weakness in the story was fairly obvious by then. Maybe they could tighten it up and cut a couple of episodes. Not a deal breaker but it was telling. Honestly, by that stage, you are just watching the show for the romance and feels. Plot? What plot.
Overall, it was an entertaining show. Low angst and high on sugar content. There are LOL moments and lots of feels.

Leia Mais

All about the feels

This show is all about the feels. :) The OTP is just so amazing together. Sure, there is the cliché love-hate beginning but it is the growth that hooks you. I have to say, as their love grows, the show will grow on you (or you'd have dropped this by then). The writer took their time to explore the many phases of falling in and out of love and how love grows and matures. It starts with the attraction, then a spark. Infatuation, longing and obsession all got explored in a mature way. Ultimately, the show took us beyond the typical total episodes minus one "will they, won't they" formula and allowed us to watch their characters grow while in love.
BTW, I like Dilraba so much more in this drama than Pretty Li Hui Zhen. She gets to play a mature woman with strong character and great personality. Some might say a bit naïve but she is trusting and will not say a bad word about anyone. She has so much chemistry with the ML it is swoon worthy in most scenes after their confession. They just behave so naturally around each other. I would believe it if someone tells me they are dating in RL. I would ship them in an instant. Their interaction is so natural. From the teasing to casual touching, it does not feel scripted which is an achievement in a c-drama where the odd awkward kiss is the norm.
The OTP carried the show. The main plot is ok, very heavy on the scheming and make the fashion industry looks a bit grim (maybe it is all true! LOL). Certain scenes are almost contemplative. Thoughts and ideas are expressed by the characters like snippet of life lessons. The 2OTP is good but the 2ML lacks that natural charm that Johnny has in spades. It does allow the writers to explore other aspect of love and loving though. My one negative are the moms. Boy, did the meddling moms get a run for their money, not 1 but 3! Why all the moms are so one dimensional and controlling? I get they want to get some angsts happening but not all moms are like that, surely? They all have their redemption at some point but it is very monotonal.
Two minor gripes, so much PPL and they are everywhere and a couple of minor plots seemed to disappear into the ether and then got a quick scene in the last episode. To bring some closures? In conclusion, if you want big dramas, explosive plot twists and suspense galore, go watch something else, if you want to see two mature, stubborn and charismatic people fall heavily in love (for realsies) and live through a slice of their lives with them then pull up a chair. You will get your romantic fill.

Leia Mais

Oh how close to being great

Oh how I wanted to give this show 10/10 but it just can't stick to the fun stuff that was the initial promise. For the first 20 or so episodes, it is a funny, happy gender bending rom-com but then in the middle stretch, it become a darker melodrama filled with court intrigues (2 kingdoms' worth!) and endless scheming and plotting. Not saying that it was bad writing per se but it totally sidelined the OTP and you only get the occasional scenes with them. I can understand that the writers needed to fill 60 episodes but that is so typical a problem with c-dramas, the mid show drag is real when the original story line runs out of steam and new plots are grafted on to keep things moving. The show does pick up towards the end but you can't recapture the earlier vibes. I would have much preferred the show to focus on the OTP and take them on more adventures and allow them to form a partnership that was always hinted at but never fully realised. If they did that, I can easily sit through 60 episodes, no problem. On the plus side, the acting is great all round and the fight scenes are good. The OTP is terrific. There were some issues with the OST earlier on but it was ok towards the end. I would definitely recommend it but if the exposition and cliché scheming gets too much then the fast forward button is recommended.

Leia Mais

Easy to watch teen dramedy

It is a short and easy to watch teen dramedy. Well, the bullying and general nasty behaviour of some of the characters are not so easy to watch but they all get their just dessert at the end so it is very satisfying. Throw in a few handsome young actors and you get a wholesome romance going in no time. My only negative point is that they labour the revenge plot a bit much and you have to say that that's a lot to happen in a quiet suburb school in a matter of weeks if not months. I understand that the writer wants us to see character growth and I appreciate that but in the end, the impact is weakened as you pretty much expect a happy ending and a resolution in every case. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend it.

Leia Mais

Great acting, story and sharp dialogues lifted this above the rest

This show has been a sleeper for me for a while. When I stumbled across it in Viki I thought, not another rom-com and moved on. I then saw some very positive reviews and got interested. How glad I gave this show a go. It is truly amazing! The acting is great but the writing is the true star. It is both tropey and original at the same time. There are so much content in this show that some of the sub plots could have powered a standard 16 episode drama. The plots all move along in their own space and intersect when required without confusion. The show is a true ensemble. You start with 4, 5 main characters and then more are introduced. They are not just throw away characters either but really fleshed out people with their own back stories and goals and motivations. There are no cardboard characters here, thank you very much. Pacing is spot on. When one plot takes a breather, the next scene amps it up with a complete switch of tone. You just don't know when it will be funny or sad but you will never be bored. The first episode is probably hardest to watch because so much happened but also explained so much of the show's dynamic relationships. At the end of that hour, you would have laughed, cried, be shocked and wanted a hug. You are all in or you are out. Because the show is about the k-drama world, it can get very meta and almost fourth wall breaking but that is the fun! There are so many references to other popular drama series and in jokes. For instance, towards the end, there is a scene of the first script reading of the in-show drama and all the key players are seated around the big table and introduced themselves. What fun the actors would have in real life doing that! That really gave me a chuckle. While every episode is good/great, the last one is a gem. It really took the whole idea to town. In one scene the director and writer sat down to a script review and talked about how their show should end and what should happen to their in-show drama characters/plots. They were saying "the viewers want this and that" or "they won't buy that", were they talking about us?! Are they talking about what we (the actual viewers) want?! So meta! Kudos to the writer-nim for keeping the progress of the story real. There are no magical happy ending(s) but there are positive developments. Some might led to a happy ending but we can't be sure but each key characters are spotlighted so that we have a sense of progression. With that approach, you feel satisfied like a late night ramen that just hits the spot. It might not be fine dining but you will be contended. Oh, BTW, don't miss the episode about farting and the in jokes about PPL. One final comment, as an English speaker, I have to really pay attention while watching, the dialogues are very important and a lot are elevated beyond banter into verbal jostling. They also speak very fast a lot of the time so you have even less time to read the sub (kudos to the sub-titlers, well done!). You can't just put it on in the background and glance at it from time to time. You will miss the best part of the show and probably much of the nuances. Be warned.

Leia Mais

Soulless rom-com that was a house of tropes and clichés

There are times when you live in hope that a show will turn the corner and get good. Well, after 13 episodes of this drama. I cannot see any light at the end of this tunnel so I dropped it. I have no doubt it is on course for a happy ending because it has to but it did not earn it.

First of all, there is next to no plot. There is the much hyped animosity between two top idol/actors and that pretty much drove the story along. One idol will try to sabotage the ML and he will hit back with something. It is all about competing to be the top dog and play dirty to get there. As a villain, the other idol is laughable. He tried to act like some kind of evil mastermind but he is just not up to it (acting and plot wise). So the show is basically moments and scenarios being thrown together one after another. A change of scene, a cliché moment, maybe a gag accompanied by funny sound effects (just in case we missed it). Rinse and repeat. Most of it centred around feeble attempt by the ML to impress the FL. All the tropes and clichés are piled on top of each other in place of any real story telling. You can forget about PC or moral, this stuff roamed with the dinosaurs.

It is unavoidable that we have to talk about the acting. It is meh to bad. The longer I watched the antics of the ML, the more I'm convinced that he should stick to his day job as a singer. He is meant to be a famously handsome idol/actor and some of his scenes made me groan out loud, especially when he is supposed to be acting on sets of real dramas. The FL was ok but there is really little scope for her to act. There are also too many side characters and most of them are stereotypes of little consequence. There is so much overacting from the ensemble.

To be fair, I was actually entertained for a few episodes because all the acting was over the top so that it was like a parody but then after a dozen episodes, I realised that this is IT. This is all we are going to get. It was depressing.

Now we can talk about character growth. There is none (so far). Most of the characters are one dimensional. The FL is supposed to be well educated but she is a doormat and a wall flower (tough gig). She was blackmailed to become a slave, tutor and mother to the ML. The ML was a man-child who is rude, crude and insensitive (what else can he be?!). Yes, he did sort of changed a little because he wanted the FL to like him but this is not growth. He bounces all over the place with his desperate need to please the FL only to turn around and bark harshly when he is challenged about his feelings for the FL. Even after his "confession" he was so awkward to be around as the FL didn't even took him seriously and I don't blame her. I already talked about the villain(s). You have to either laugh or cry.

There is a little bit of skinship so far but I don't feel much chemistry between the leads. Yes, the Show pulled out all the tricks to push them together but I feel sorry for the FL for having to put up with the childish antics of the ML. I don't ship the CP and that is the kiss of death for any romantic drama in my book.

So please don't waste your time on this unless you are doing a case study or feel the need to suffer. For a moment I thought it might be so bad that it will become a cult classic but alas, no. May be it was created as a vehicle for someone or to fill a void in scheduling, in either case, a waste of resources. Peace out.

Leia Mais

It captured the meh

As with many sageuk dramas, the setting, pageantry and historical references hook us in. The plot and characters sustain it. Unfortunately, this series is patchy in the last two and its quality suffers.

The first few episodes are nicely done. The idea of the FL being a baduk master is novel, but it has its own narrative issues. Regardless, it set up the meet-cute of the OTP. We are left with no doubt that the romance of our leads is the corner stone of this drama. This is problem #1.

As with many Korean court dramas, the FL ended up having to cross-dress just to get access to the ML. The FL is just not convincing as a man. It also hamstrings her performance. There are moments of animation but it mostly feels wooden.

Unsurprisingly, the main theme is standard issue palace intrigue. There are the odd twists, but they are mere ripples in a mill pond. All the classic courtly characters are there. Both good and evil. The veteran actors turn in solid performances but this is bread and butter for them.

The run-of-the-mill political shenanigans is problem #2. We run through several backstabbing plots as expected. Each time we arrive at a flashpoint we’d get our hopes up. Is this the turning point? Will we see some major realignment? Alas, after each bump, the show would settle back to a long period of doldrum.

Other than the romance and political maneuvers, we must contend with a simmering revenge plot. Unfortunately, this has issues as well. So much time and energy have been devoted to this but at the 11th hour, the protagonist found out that it is all a misunderstanding. We knew this all along so . . . Doh.

Obviously, the evil characters are going to get their comeuppance. However, just like the muddled revenge plots, the righting of such wrongs took its sweet time. Everyone knows who they are but other than much gnashing of teeth, not a great deal happens and then everything happened. By then, I'm past caring.

As I mentioned before, romance of the leads is key. However, their chemistry is questionable. Their skinship mostly leaves me cold. Their first kiss is good but I challenge anyone to feel excited after watching their last kiss in the finale. Go on, watch it and tell me I'm wrong. I double dare you!

Thankfully, the acting of the ML steadied the ship. He was 10 times more animated than the FL and his acting is next level. However, he can't compensate for every shortcomings of this drama.

In the end, the series is watchable but there is nothing new. There are the odd highlights. The ending is a bit ponderous. You’d think an HEA ending is a given. Not so fast, chingu. It is as if the writer is having a bet each way. I have no idea why you'd do that at this late stage. It does reflect on the drama as a whole.

Leia Mais

Sweet quasi-fantasy healing drama improves over time

This Show works because of three things. Firstly, a well crafted script that is tropey but self aware enough to know not to pile on the clichés but works with the tropes instead. Secondly, the casting of the leads is perfect. The FL has done her fair share of dramas but her forte is a sassy girl with a heart of gold but a novice in love. She definitely has the titular role here. The ML is handsome with a bit of the bad boy vibe yet possessed enough vulnerability to make him likeable and relatable. Thirdly, the OTP has great chemistry. It is not just about the feels but they look comfortable and happy around each other so that you can believe that they are best friends as well as madly in love.

I would have given this show an even higher score but for a few missteps. The start of the show is a bit weak and tropey. They steamrolled through a few plot holes to set up the main plot. It is just as well that the show improves as the story progresses or it would have been just another same-same quasi-fantasy rom-com. The fact that the show evolved into a poignant healing drama was unexpected and most welcomed. The production value is decent rather than high. Some of the set do look a bit low rent. 

There is a lot of growth in the OTP but surprisingly, the 2OTP was the CP dragging their heels. Their development was definitely arrested and to be honest, a bit boring.

I think the FL really shines in this show. She displayed good emotional range and much of it feels genuine. Her interactions with the ML becomes more and more natural over time. The ML complimented her very well. Their swoon worthy moments are believable and even touching at times.

Of course, the fantasy element can complicate the plot but rather than just simply telling us to ask no questions because it is a fairy tale, the Show tries to give us a plausible explanation and a path forward. I appreciate that.

The last episode is total fan service and I really enjoyed it. The special speech in that episode was wonderful. I don't know if it was all scripted or some of it was ad-libbed but it feels natural, heartfelt and funny. Can't really ask for more.

The Show is sweet but not loaded with artificial sweeteners. It has a decent amount of skinship and it will lift your mood. . There are angsty bits but they are necessary to propel the story forward. Thankfully, there are no silly breakups, nasty parents or psycho ex's.

OST works well. Rewatch is not a chore. I would recommend this Show.

Leia Mais

Good try but too long

Full disclosure, I watched the K-drama original awhile ago so I do have a frame of reference for this review. I suppose the simple one sentence review is that it is not as good as the original. Why? That is a lot more complex and I'll try not to constantly refer to the original but some comparisons are unavoidable. LHZ's family as a whole was a missed opportunity. They could have done so much more with their characters. I do feel sorry for the 2ML, in this drama, he had the most emotional depth but the writers decided that the FL is going to reject him from day 1 and on to the bitter end. I'm ok if there is no wavering but there is so much opportunity for cute, witty banters but every encounter from the 2ML was brushed aside as a joke (that would make it the longest running gag for any drama!). I'm not sure what is the instruction the director gave to Peter Sheng but for most of the show, he was expressionless whether he was happy, angry or sad (maybe a little smile or a little frown). Most of the time, Just a stony face. I see so many ML played like that in c-dramas. They are handsome guys but you almost think that they are told not to emote so not to distract from the perfect model shot. Now the elephant in the room, Dilraba Dilmurat is a good actress but LHZ is a no win for her. The FL is suppose to be funny, competent but a bit awkward and she just came across as borderline annoying, a lot of it has to do with her speech pattern. In this version, she speaks very fast but rambles on about nothing most of the time which is distracting and tiring to watch. She should have been seen as a smart, bubbly person but a bit naive and trusting. There are glimpses of that but most are lost in her endless bumbling and rambling. Also, after the transformation, she did look beautiful in some scenes but a lot of the time she looked tired and she still has that posture where she is trying to look shorter/smaller. The chemistry between the OTP is ok and we are told endlessly that they are THE OTP but they just don't have the sparks flying. Speaking of chemistry, the bromance between the ML and the 2ML in the original was a joy to watch and so funny but in this case, there was just a hint but went nowhere. In a sense, that is this c-drama in a nutshell. The plot focus has shifted heavily towards saving the magazine and a lot of the nuisances became muted or lost. When you consider the original k-drama was only 16 episodes and packed in more humour, more drama and more growth, you know there are lots of empty space in the 40 episodes of this version. It is totally watchable but it could have been better. Finally, I actually really liked the editor-in-chief character in this version. She mixed eccentricity with sage like presence so well. I look forward to her appearance every time.

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Stop reading reviews. Just go and watch it!

A cursory check indicates that there are 50 pages of review on this drama to date so I shall not waste bandwidth in a detailed review but just provide a few succinct observations.

To put it bluntly, this is an amazing healing drama. The setting, the story (and I mean story, not plot) and the acting from the ensemble cast are all superb. Our leads will make you swoon, laugh and cry.

However, this show is not for everyone. The presentation of mental health issues and persons with disabilities are subject matters fraught with challenges. Productions will never get it just "right". It is your own interpretation and your call. I respect that.

Ditto, the storytelling will be polarising as well. The setting is not strongly rooted in reality so there are times when you feel like you are watching a story within a story. Your mileage will differ.

There are some wrinkles in the plot. They are minor and might induce an occasional "eh?". The more you immerse into their world, the less you'd care.

Somehow I missed this show when it first aired. Better late than never! I can recommend this show unreservedly.

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