Sweet and Innocent teen drama - No GaoKao (college admission exam) for once!!!

Completed - 1/4/2022

"Summer Again" might not be a perfect drama, but to me, I really like it and I can't stop smiling while watching it. This is my second teen drama that I rated a 9.0, after my other favorite, "Forever Love". I finally found a Chinese high school drama that is not focused on the evil GaoKao (College admission exam). There are so many other teen dramas, but you can't escape the plot of students stressing over the exam and parents being mean about it.

"Summer Again" is a breath of fresh air. The setting is at a small seaside town. The drama is about our young cast finding and loving their true selves, and discovering and working towards their dreams. Romance is present in the name of friendship. It's sweet and innocent, and there's no cheesy love lines or fluffy and intimate skinship. It's just pure innocent, caring and supportive friendships.

What I like:
1. Plot/No GaoKao - As mentioned, the focus of the drama is not about studying hard for the exam. I have watched a good number of teen C-Dramas, and this might be the only one that I can remember that has nothing to do with the exam. It's just normal high school life in a small town. Our young cast grow and learn about themselves. Of course, they encounter similar challenges in other teen dramas, but I think it's a refreshing take as it all happened in a small town.

2. Realistic teenagers - We have normal teenagers doing what normal teenagers do. They hang out, dress, talk and act like teenagers. Our male lead is not cold-on-the-outside and mean to FL, nor was he a genius or a failing student. He's just a normal kid who happens to be a famous comic book author. Our female lead is not naive or shy or a pushover. She's an above-average student, not particularly smart or dumb. Even if ballet takes center stage, she's not a superstar ballerina. All characters act like their age. I also like that none of them is dumb or naive

3. Romance/Friendship - We don't have outright romances here. There's no lovey-dovey fluffiness. Not even a kiss. or the confession of "I Like You". Once in a while, a romance like this is refreshing. Our leads are caring and supportive friends. They have open and honest conversations. They listen and support each other, and don't try to change each other. They help each other think things through in order to come to their own decisions. They show affection through actions. It's simple, sweet, and innocent.

4. Ballet - I appreciate our FL performing all her dances. And no, don't expect expert ballet dancing. Her dance is simple and amateurish, and definitely not showcasing someone who has been dancing for years. I can't say for sure, but there are enough shots to show her head /body/legs to know that FL does her own dancing. On the other hand, I can also tell that her teacher is a ballet dancer (I looked him up and he is). You can tell by the way he presents himself and the few dance steps he did - very light on the feet!

5. Gift Giving - What a creative way for ML to give the farewell present to FL when they are under the tree.

What I don't quite like as much:
1. Love triangle - ML only has eyes for FL and he makes that very clear. I still think that the jealous 3FL storyline lasted a little too long. Even though I pity her circumstances, her mean actions get repetitive and annoying after a while.

2. Acting - The overall acting of the main cast is not bad. However, the other minor characters' acting is not quite up to standards. For example, I am not sure if the ballet teacher is supposed to act so stoic and wooden because of his role, or his acting is not that great.

Leia Mais

Cute and Fluffy - Cotton Candy has a whole new meaning!

Completed - 11/4/2021 - 7.75 rounding up to 8.0

"My Dear Brothers" is a simple, cute and lower budget web historical drama. It suits my needs that I needed to watch something light as a palate cleanser. The beginning time-travel element reminded me of the Korean web drama "Splash Splash Love" (it's a short and cute drama as well).

What I enjoy:
1) The general plot of how the romance is developed. It's nothing too out-of-the ordinary or surprising. In fact, it's actually quite predictable for the most part. However, I enjoy the awkwardness of our ML and the cuteness of our FL. I appreciate the fact that even though our ML is innocent and naive, he's not dumb. He actually learns fast through observations and is quite perceptive. Our FL is not over-the-top with corny cuteness, but just enough for me to enjoy their sweet romance.

2) Cotton Candy *spoiler* - I love it when our ML keeps on calling kisses as cotton candy. It's just too adorable, especially when he said it with such an innocent yet matter-of-fact expression on his face. I don't blame him for treating cotton candy as the second most important thing in his life (aside from FL, of course).

3) Wedding - this is my first time seeing a fusion wedding in the cultivation world. I enjoy how they incorporated the traditional red and the modern white in the wedding. The vows written by Shi Dong are so sweet and funny at the same time. I sort of wish the wedding scenes last longer.

4) The Holy Tree - I did not see the plot twist coming regarding ML's real identity. No wonder they put so much emphasis of the holy tree throughout the series. I love everything about this holy tree - the lantern scene, the effort to revive the tree, ML's childhood memories, wedding night under the tree, and most importantly, how love gives meaning to ML's life and how love revives the tree to its former glory.

What I don't quite enjoy:
1) Makeup - I know this is a low budget drama and I know it's petty of me, but it really bothers me quite a bit with the makeup in this drama. You don't really need a big budget to do decent makeup. But for some reason, it's not done right and I can see through all the blemishes and imperfections. The worst is the chapped lips that our actors have, esp. for our ML/Hou Chi and 2FL/Qiu Li. Qiu Li has the worst lipstick application and chapped lips. Or maybe I am not up-to-speed on the new lipstick trend? I don't see our FL/Shi Xia having the same lipstick problem.

2) Holy Palace - in order to fully enjoy this drama, you do need to suspend belief and dive into this fantasy world. However, one thing that bugs me is how easy it is to enter the Holy Palace in the last few episodes. I thought you have to go through this scary forest that get you stuck in illusions and take the most important thing away from you. Isn't that why Shi Xia loses her taste and Bi Hong loses his eyesight? Apparently, none of this matters when the Devil Sect can easily go in and out of the Holy Palace.

3) Ending - I am confused about how they're supposed to save the world. What was it that flew out of Qiu Li's body when she died and into the formation? Her spiritual root? If it's her spiritual root, how did it affect the formation? How did our ML survive and was able to send FL and her brother back to the modern world, and transport himself as well? There isn't a whole lot of explanation.

4) Kisses - for a historical drama, there are quite a few kisses in this series. Unfortunately, they are all fish kisses with no passion. I can understand the first couple of fish kisses, since ML is still new to all this. But after that, I wish to see a little more passion and lip action. These kisses are not living up to the Cotton Candy reputation.

Other observations:
1) Overall acting is decent but not exceptional. I find FL's acting a lot better than ML.
2) First half is better than the second half - a lot funnier with sound effects, but could be cringey for some.
3) How did Shi Dong learn how to build everything in the Devil Sect? Just because he comes from the modern world, doesn't mean he can create and build shuttles, magical instruments, etc.
4) Family drama between Yuan Zhao, Bi Hong and Qiu Li lasted a little too long for my taste in the last few episodes
5) A few common tropes that you might not like - noble idiocy, fake amnesia, spinning hugs, falling into your arms, 2FL turns evil for the most part.
6) There's an extra episode 36 - life in the modern world - short and cute

Leia Mais

Flashbacks galore - should have combined Seasons 1+2

10/22/2021

Aside from the continued great acting from the cast, I am very disappointed in Season 2. They should have combined both seasons, esp. when Season 2 was broadcasted only about a month after Season 1 ends.

Episodes 1-5 - Flashbacks Galore!! The story was moving so slowly as each character needs to have their own flashbacks. If there's no season 2, we don't need so many flashbacks.

Episodes 6-13 - The cast is basically running around in circles inside Death Marsh + more flashbacks

Episodes 13-18 - This last part is when the story starts to move along and things start to get interesting. There's more action, more conversations and the plot thickens! I was hoping for some good battles in the final episode, and I'm glad we did get some.

*Spoilers: Season 2 Ending and Season 3 Synopsis below* - Big Rant!!!


You give me an open ending after all that???? That is so unfair to Xiao Fan/Gui Li. He's been trying to revive Bi Yao for 10 years, and you can't give us a happy ending? And then when I read the synopsis for Season 3, you tell me Xiao Fan actually loves Xue Qi and not Bi Yao??? What the heck is that?? Who tries to chase after a glimpse of hope to be with the love of his life, and then the next season realizes that she is actually not the love of his life??? Arggh....I have never read the novel, so I don't know who Gui Li actually ends up with. But this just doesn't make any sense.

Leia Mais

Not a comedy but an emotional healing drama

When I first read the synopsis and watched the trailer, I thought this would be a romantic comedy. Well, I was wrong. This is actually a very emotional healing drama of the journey our ML has to go through to get out of his funk and to heal his trauma, low self-esteem and anxiety. It's very un-Korean to have a drama about erectile dysfunction and have a proud transvestite/transgendered character, but I am loving it.

Our male lead, Yoon Shi Yoon was amazing in the drama. He portrays his character so well, from a low-self esteem traumatized "loser", to someone who found himself and grew into a better version of himself. I cried with him but also fall in love with his adorable, shy self. This is my first Yoon Shi Yoon drama and I'm glad I found out about him. He's not your typical good-looking actor, but he has his charms and the drama is right, he has great body proportion (nice broad shoulder and muscular torso..LOL). On another note, who doesn't love Jennifer! He/She is the best friend that anyone could ask for. Is there a reason why cool characters have "Jennifer" as an English name? I also love Jennifer in "Thirty but Seventeen". Yoon Shi Yoon and Jennifer are the reason why I bumped my rating to a 8.0 instead of a 7.5.

What I dislike the most in this drama are all the medical professionals. They are all unethical and unprofessional. It really makes it difficult for me to suspend belief and just roll with it for the sake of the drama. I don't think our FL deserves our ML. She did redeem herself a little in the last episode, but overall, this is so unrealistic to have ML continue treatment with FL after finding out the real reason for her assistance.

Leia Mais

Low budget production with an interesting plot + steam punk, but poor execution

10/3/2021

In order to write this review, I need to remind myself that I just watched a low budget 2016 drama in late 2021. C-dramas have evolved and changed a lot in 5 years, and certain things I didn't like were popular and acceptable back then. If this is a 2021 drama, I might be a harsher critic. Aside from Zhang Ruo Yun (ML) and Gabriela Guan (FL) who are child/teen actors and have more experienced, the rest of the cast is pretty young and new. I've seen ZRY in "Joy of Life" and Gabriela in "A Girl Like Me", so it's interesting to see how far they have come.

What I Like:

1. General Plot - I like the overarching plot of this drama. It's very interested to watch a fantasy drama with steam punk elements. At first I thought it would be a more traditional wuxia drama, but is pleasantly surprised.

2. Zhang Ruo Yun/Feng Tian Yi (ML) - ZRY carries the drama on his back and runs with it. His acting is the best out of everyone, even the more veteran actors. His character is more multi-dimensional than others, thus, giving him the chance to show off his acting chops. I miss him when he's not on my screen.

What I Don't Like:

1. Tropes - This drama has the usual C-drama tropes: jealous 2FL and 2ML who won't take no for an answer, love turns to hate, good 2ML turns evil, noble idiocy, misunderstanding and miscommunication over and over again. I think I dislike the most is the misunderstanding trope. Our FL appears to be smart enough in the beginning of the show, but towards the end, she believes what the villainous 2FL said instead of ML (again and again).

2. Low budget shows - I think money is spent on the costumes for just our leads. ML and FL and have the nicest clothes, though you can see that the quality isn't that great either. The costumes for others and the set designs all look very cheap. The palaces don't look grand and the decorations/sets look somewhat cheap. Even though I wasn't expecting fancy fight scenes, the ones that are in the drama (not that many) are not done well. I personally dislike slow-motion fighting. The CGI is obviously very 2016 as well.

3. Inconsistent and illogical incidents - One scene FL hurt her ankle, another scene she ran off. People can go in and out of palaces at will and unannounced. ML hiding something so important under a table (?!?!) that could be stolen very easily. There are many more examples of inconsistent and illogical writing.

4. Ending theme song - What is up with the ending theme song? The upbeat song from those 3 teen boys feel so out of place and totally not giving out the same vibe as the drama or the beautiful opening theme song.

Other:
*spoiler* Endings - I am usually someone who seeks out dramas with happy endings. Once in a while, I would watch a tragic drama. Coming into this drama, I knew there are two versions of the ending and I've watched both of them. Personally, I am fine with the first, sadder ending. I think sometimes it makes sense and it is a tragic beauty. It reminds me of the other drama "Rattan" where it also has two endings. I think most fans preferred the second, happier ending, esp. when the leads have gone through so much and never really had any happy times.

Leia Mais

Fight scenes continue to impress

8/22/2021

The fight scenes in Kenshin movies never fail to impress me. They are fast and exciting, compared to the Chinese irritating slow-motion fight scenes that I dislike so much (esp. in wuxia dramas). The fight choreography is amazing. This movie has more group fighting than 1:1 fights. I personally enjoy the previous movies 1:1 fights and this movie only has one in the final half hour of the movie. The fight scene background music continues to bring excitement to the scenes and if you have watched previous movies, you are no stranger to that amazing musical score.

Unfortunately, I don't think the plot of this movie is as amazing as the previous movies. I feel that they really don't need a "final" movie to the existing trilogy. As much as I love the Rurouni Kenshin movies and Satoh Takeru, this feels like an independent movie to gather most of the previous characters together. There are two characters from the previous movie that are brought back, but it didn't really provide much information or background story to their roles in this movie.

This 2-hour movie goes by fast. I enjoy how Kenshin's former love story was told, without too many words but you get all the feelings. There's a lot of quietness to slow down the exciting fight scenes and let you really feel the emotions of the story. Then the pace picks back up with fight scenes and explosions.

I still enjoy this movie but I don't think it's as good as the last couple ones.

Leia Mais

Suspend reality and enjoy a roller coaster ride of emotions

8/2/2021

First of all, one needs to get over the 977-year age gap. If you have a problem with a thousand-year guy/fox dating a 22-year woman, this is not the drama for you. Well, at least our female lead is not a high school student (aka Goblin).

I enjoy the general plot of the drama, though there are some plot holes. Others might have problems with the age gap or the professor/student relationship. These don't bother me much but I understand why others are OK with it. I am fine with the professor/student relationship since they started their relationship before this happened and it's the reason how ML can see FL everyday. I also like that the story didn't end when the bead is given back to ML or when they got back together. I enjoy the relationship development, how they maintain their relationship, and going through extraordinary struggles. I do feel that there are some plot lines that were dropped or forgotten. What happened to the discovery that the evil spirit transform into ML to kill people? I thought the police was going to investigate and ask ML questions? I guess once the evil spirit is disintegrated, we can forget about that plot. I also don't understand the double-standard of how ML and 2FL's requirements to turn human. Does the mountain spirit just make up his own rules and it's not standard practice for all gumiho? I also would like to learn more about 2FL's background story of her failed romances and how she achieved humanity. There are parts that are a little slow and I felt that there's not enough material for 16 hour-long episodes. Maybe 12 episodes would be enough.

Romance takes center page in this drama. I love ML's smiles and FL's personality. FL's role here is very similar to her role in "Reply 1988". It's great to see a FL who is straightforward, honest about her feelings, communicates (for the most part) and loyal to her friends. I am also a fan of ML and enjoyed his role in "Search WWW" , "Come and Hug Me", and "My Mister". I do find his acting here a little weaker than this other dramas that I watched. I don't feel that his eyes are conveying enough emotions, but when he smiles shyly, it brightens the screen and melts my heart. Our third wheel could probably cause some second-lead syndrome. But I do find his persistent confession and chasing after FL a little too much and clingy. He's cute though :) The secondary romance is cute and fun. The secondary leads are both a little clumsy in their own ways and they make quite a lovable pair.

This drama is a lot funnier than I thought it would be. There are many comedic moments by our female lead (FL)and the supporting cast. It's no doubt that the funniest is our fox-turned-human second female lead (2FL). She is so lovable and clueless and sexy that you can't help but love her. Our 2FL and 2ML are an odd pairing but it worked.

I love the friendships between the two gumihos and FL's friendship with her besties. ML and 2FL form a funny pair with their banter, yet deep down they care of each other. They are both old yet childish in their petty little ways. I also love the friendship between FL and her male BFF. It's great to see a pure platonic friendship that is full of laughter and tears. I do find FL's female BFF a little hard to tolerate at times, as she's very loud and her comedy is very in-your-face.

Leia Mais

Great acting, beautiful cinematography, great OST but with plot holes and inconsistent pacing

10/26/2021 - 7.75 rounding up to 8.0

This is a very interesting drama to write a review about. The expectations were so high when it's first announced but it might not have lived up to the expectations. I was happy to watch a fantasy, sageuk as we don't see them often. It has a great cast and a lovely OST. Maybe because I've been watching many long, historical/fantasy C-dramas, I am fine with the pacing of the show.

Plot: The general plot is interesting with different elements of Korean folklore, fantasy, good vs evil, and of course, romance. However, the drama seems to have forgotten some of the side storylines that they introduced and never go back to tell us more. For example, how did ML become the richest man as an astrologer with no family support? It doesn't quite make sense. I would like to know how ML's bodyguard came to follow him, and what's the backstory of the gisaeng who wanted the king and the royal family dead. Although I like the happy ending for the leads, it does seem a little anti-climatic. Do we really need to end it with the palace power struggle and give us an open ending? Why waste the last few minutes on those bad guys still hunting down FL?

Art/Painting: I thoroughly enjoy learning and watching the painting contests. The paintings are all beautiful and it's interesting to see how each painter interprets the poems. Even with FL painting the royal portrait, it's amazing to see the amount of details needed - each stroke needed to paint the hair, beard, wrinkles, and patterns on the robe. Big props to the artists who were hired to do all the work.

Romance: We all know that our main leads are the destined pair, so 2ML doesn't stand a chance. I do enjoy the chemistry between the leads. However, I would love to see the romance focused more of their initial attraction and romance as adults before they realized their childhood connection. They had such great chemistry then when they're still getting to know each other. I don't believe that one-time childhood encounter is strong enough to be the foundation of their romance, even if they're destined to be together. There's also quite a bit of back-and-forth from ML whether he should leave FL alone or not. I guess love is hard and it's easy to sway. I also don't quite appreciate the many slow mo romantic scenes, or slow mo scenes in general. I think that's why the pacing seems somewhat off.

Acting: The biggest strengths of this drama is the cast and their great acting. It's no surprise that the veteran actors are great. Our young leads also did a very respectable job and I believe in their joy and heartaches. I am a fan of Kim Yoo Jung when she played the younger FL in "Moon Embracing the Sun". I am happy to see that she's grown up to be such a fine actress and I've enjoyed her acting here. I haven't seen any of her modern dramas though. I've seen Ahn Hyo Seop in "13 but 17" and also "Dr. Romantic 2". He has definitely grown as an actor as well, and this might be his best performance I've seen him. I've seen Gong Mjung in "Be Melodramatic" and honestly, I don't remember him at all. I also like his acting here, though he's not used well in the second half of the drama. However, I am especially impressed with our villain second prince, Kwak Shi Yang. What a great performance by him that I feel bad for his suffering because of Ma Wang.

Leia Mais

Completed - 7/27/2022 - 8.25 rating (my gut is not telling to round it up to 8.5)

"Love like the Galaxy" is a highly anticipated historical drama in 2022 (my second most anticipated after "Who Rules the World") since we have two very popular young actors, Wu Lei and Zhao LuSi. Personally, I think Wu Lei and Zhao LuSi are a much better match than Zhao LuSi + Yang Yang or Wu Lei + Dilraba. Probably because they are of similar age and give off a young love vibe (instead of siblings). This family drama also reminded me a little of "The Story of Ming Lan" but a less serious version. I like the fact that the drama focuses on different relationships and not just romantic relationships.

However, as a romance lover, I was looking forward to the main couple's romantic journey. I am a little disappointed as it took them a very long time to meet and for us to see any sort of romantic development. In Part 1, our female lead, Cheng Shao Shang (CSS) attracted the attention of three young men. We see the sweet, young, puppy love between CSS and Lou Yao. Lou Yao is cute and all, but really just seems like a good buddy to hang out with. He will never be on equal footing with CSS. CSS picks him probably because she can walk all over him and can do whatever she wants (aka freedom!). Yuan Shen is the petty high school kid who likes to pester the girl that he likes. I also don't feel any real chemistry between CSS and Yuan Shen. I usually enjoy bickering between leads but not much here (well, he's technically not the male lead). We finally see CSS and Ling Bu Yi (LBY) together after about 10 episodes. That is one sloooww start of a romance. Unfortunately, scenes with the two of them together are far and between. For me, there isn't enough to justify LBY's love for CSS and the pacing of their story seems off. However, I expect to feel very differently in Part 2 and I am anticipating a lot of heartaches, longing and chemistry *fingers crossed*

A big part of the drama focuses on CSS's relationship with her mother. Although I understand where her mother is coming from, and the guilt she's feeling inside, it's really hard to see CSS not getting the affection from her mother. Mom is supposedly very smart. Why can't she see that the way she's treating CSS is not the right way to go? She's seen the relationship between CSS and her aunt, and should know that CSS is smart and sweet. Why is mom being so dumb here? I think we all know that being constantly compared to someone else hurts ones pride and self-confidence, esp. when your mother is the culprit. There are a few other annoying characters in this drama. Luckily, to me, they have not reached my boiling point yet, and I still find them to be tolerable since they also provide comedic relief, e.g. all those bitchy women and princesses.

My favorite character is Qi Qi, played by Zhang Yue. Qi Qi is so fun and cool, and I like her style. She doesn't care what you think of her nor take BS from anyone. She's the perfect BFF for CSS. I love it whenever she's there for CSS and protecting her from the other petty and bitchy ladies. There are many comedic moments throughout the drama. They are funny and yet not over-the-top. The humor doesn't distract from the main story or the feel of the drama. I hope this type of humor continues in Part 2 and it doesn't turn into a melodrama.

Zhao Lu Si does shine in "Love like the Galaxy", and she looks beautiful. Her character is smart and scheming and provided enough material to showcase her acting skills. On the other hand, Wu Lei has a little less to work with in Part 1. He looks great as the general but I wanted to see more of him, not just the stoic side. I do see glimpses of a different LBY towards the end. I love the awkward adorableness in the last couple episodes and look forward to seeing more in Part 2. One of my favorite parts of this drama is the confrontation between the leads in ep 27. I've been waiting for this. I want them to talk, to argue, to openly tell each other how they feel.

The production value seems pretty good. I believe this is a S+ production from Tencent. I don't remember any of the songs. That could mean they are not memorable or they are not overplayed, or both. Although the cinematography did not "wow" me, I do like the costumes, hairstyles, accessories, sets and props. Nothing looks flimsy or cheap, except for those big rocks they used for training in the Shang household. Those rocks look fake!

Part 1 is a good start to setup for the rest of the drama. I look forward to Part 2 and expect to like it even more.

Leia Mais

Strong focus on romance with likable characters; Underrated because ML is not handsome.

It’s quite unfortunate/unfair that “Once and Forever” is rated so low and mainly due to viewers not liking the male lead, Zhang Yi Shan, and think he’s ugly. He might be miscast but it’s only because I think he looks too old for the part, not because he’s not handsome enough. Having said that, his acting is great and has great chemistry with Guan Xiao Tong. They are so fun as best friends (love their bickering), while also super adorable when they finally become a couple. I never wanted Xie Qiao (FL) to be with Yang Cheng. Yang Cheng is such a bland character and Fan Cheng Cheng’s acting is not good either. I have rooted for Qin Chuan (ML) since the first episode. It hurts me when I see him hurting.

I also like all the characters. There’s only one annoying girl in the earlier episodes where her obsessive pursuit of ML annoys me. Other than that, there are many likable and layered characters. The 4 roomies are different yet get along so well. It’s rare to see a college drama where there's no jealousy or argument between them. I enjoy seeing them grow from innocent 18-year-olds, to independent strong women. Their journeys are different but each is given just enough time for me to care about. Let’s not forget the sassy sister, Qin Qian. She’s so badass! She loves so passionately.

This drama has a very strong focus on romance, especially during the college days. If you are not a romance lover, this might not be as fun. There are multiple couples and their romantic journeys are all very different. I wish the kisses were better though. I enjoy each of them and really hope they all have their happy-ever-after. But alas, this is not a fairytale and I can’t say more without spoiling it. But we have two Mr. Green Flags in this drama. Qin Chuan might not be perfect, but he’s the perfect boyfriend. His love for Xie Qiao never wavers and is always there for her. His love is demonstrated through actions. He Xiao Zhou is more of a fairytale prince. He’s gentle and kind, studious and hardworking, considerate and never complains about life's hardships. He’s too good to be true. Additionally, I’ve seen Ye Xiao Wei in other dramas before but this is the one I find most attractive. Maybe because he’s a walking green flag.

The acting is pretty good in this drama, except for Fang Cheng Cheng who is less experienced than others. I really enjoy the acting of Zhang Yi Shan (as ML), Guan Xiao Tong (as FL), Li Xi Rui (as sassy big sis) and Jiang Pei Yao (as rich girl). I am also glad to see all actors use their own voices and there’s live recording. The Beijing accent (I think) is quite pronounced especially for Zhang Yi Shan and Guan Xiao Tong, but this all just adds more flavor to the drama as it’s set in Beijing.

But this drama is not without its fault. I think it’s just a little too long at 35 episodes. Not much really happened during the college days aside from romances. The plot dragged a little in the middle but the pace is picked back up in the last 5-8 episodes. There’s quite a lot of English spoken in this drama. I give props to the actors for practicing their lines and their pronunciation is actually better than I expected. However, when the drama was set in England and no British accent was to be heard, I thought everything happened in New York. Others have also commented that US bills were used when the characters were supposed to be in Canada. There are a lot of inconsistencies when it comes to what happened outside of China. There’s also a surprising amount of subtle and non-subtle Chinese pride/propaganda in this drama. It’s not as much as other military or rescue dramas, but more than I expected in a retro, slice-of-life drama. I also find it hard to tell time. During college days, the drama will show us the year and month. But mid-way through the drama, it becomes harder to tell if months or years have passed. I really need to pay attention to the dialogs.

Overall, this is not a bad drama. It really deserves a much higher rating than 7.0. If you like the friends-to-lovers trope, or are a romance lover, this is a decent watch. But nothing really too exciting happens and there isn’t any plot twist. Though the male lead is not handsome, the ladies are all pretty and the other guys aren’t bad! Lastly, I didn’t watch the prequel nor read the novel.



Completed: 12/22/2023 - Review #384

Leia Mais

Decent rom-com for fans of Xu Lu and Miles Wei

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

For the most part, “Hello, I’m at Your Service” is a fun and light drama. The best part about is the chemistry and the romance between Dong Dong En (FL) and Lou Yan (ML) and their story is the central plot. Mixed with this fun romance are the business side of things and the relationships of the different characters. Not a serious business drama, so don't be deterred if you don't like business stories.

Main Leads:
As mentioned, Xu Lu and Miles Wei have great chemistry together. They make this drama watchable with their acting and the healthy relationship that they have. Dong Dong En is an account executive that would do anything to please her customer, Party A. Whatever Party A wants and at any time of the day, she delivers. Miles Wei is a typical C-drama CEO. He was cool and calm in the beginning but slowly evolved into a great, warm and adorable love interest and boyfriend. Their fun interaction in the first half of the drama creates a lot of comedic moments (which to some might be a little over-the-top). But if you just go with the ride, you can see Xu Lu and Miles Wei have a lot of fun playing their respective roles. Once they get together, Lou Yuan is especially cute and adorable. They have honest and open communication. Lou Yuan is one of the rare CEOs who openly declares his love in sincerity to everyone, expresses his feelings and always says the right thing (though his words don’t always touch my heart for some reason). He’s the perfect boyfriend. Dong Dong En, on the other hand, is a little more reserved in this relationship and yet she’s the one with the supposedly bigger personality. She’s more cautious because of the disparity of their social status and their business relationship. She’s the one in the driver’s seat in the relationship. It’s been a long time since I saw such a dynamic in a romantic comedy, and I appreciate that.

Supporting Cast:
I enjoy the side story between Wang Zi Jian and Cao Ya. It’s nothing earth shattering because we’ve seen such second lead romance in many romantic comedies. However, it’s nice to see a pair of successful individuals get together when one is a supposedly playboy and the other is an independent, career woman. The different characters at both companies, Peony and 82, are fun and endearing. There isn’t anyone too annoying and most of them are very supportive and caring individuals. ML’s mom is fun and loud. FL’s parents are caring yet protective, but not too unreasonable. At least we have nice parents in a C-drama. The ‘villain’ is OK. The character is not very well developed as a ‘villain’ but I can understand the animosity towards the leads. The only side character I couldn’t stand was introduced towards the last ¼ of the drama. Let’s say she was introduced to cause trouble for our main couple, since everything is going so swimmingly well and we just need drama.

Acting:
Xu Lu and Miles Wei really have no trouble playing their respective roles. These are not difficult characters to play and they are both very experienced actors. Their performances are to be expected. Everyone else did their job right. I would not say there’s anyone that stands out for me to praise, nor anyone that stands out for me to criticize.

Business Plot:
If you don’t like business stories, this drama isn’t too bad. A lot does happen at the two companies, but business talks are minimal and not difficult to understand. The stories revolve mainly around the characters and their relationships in the business world. But towards the last ¼ of the drama, the business plot does kick up a notch to wrap up the ‘villain’s’ story. I was actually quite bored during this part of the drama and might have fallen asleep a little. For a 24-episode drama, the pacing is good right until the very end for me when I lose my focus. This is partly due to the business plot and the introduction of a character I don’t care for. But compared to recent office romance dramas, the romance is central to this drama, and not the business.


Overall, I would recommend this drama if you are fans of Xu Lu and Miles Wei, or if you are looking for something light and funny. The comedy might be a little too much for some in the beginning with Xu Lu’s character. But it tones down after a while. “Hello, I’m at Your Service” is not an exceptional drama and definitely not a must-watch. I have a good enough time watching this, except towards the end when I got a little bored and distracted. Because of this, I am rating this a 7.75 instead of a solid 8.0.



Completed: 10/6/2023 - Review #363

Leia Mais

Unique talent/focus of the artist is the biggest draw of the show.

Completed - 5/26/2022

I am not sure how accurate the portrayal of police sketch artists is in this drama and if they are really that smart and fascinating in real life. However, the biggest selling point of this drama is Shen Yi. I am in awe of his techniques, perceptiveness, and intelligence in solving crimes using his art. Can you really sketch someone's face by deducing what's behind a mask from an unclear CCTV footage? Or from skull and bone structures? Or from the restructuring of facial muscles and tendons? It's really fascinating to watch all of Shen Yi's scenes and to learn from him and what's going on inside that brain of his.

The length of each case is just right. Oftentimes, cases are either too long and you get bored, or they are too short and start back-to-back that I feel like I couldn't catch a breath. Some of the cases in the first 1/3 of the show are more exciting to me than others. I was hoping these cases will slowly provide clues of the main overarching storyline of the murder case 7 years ago. However, aside from that one case and the last arc, the drama seems to have completely forgotten about this general plot. Even though I enjoy most of the cases, I was never on the edge of my seat. I am missing mini climaxes throughout the drama. Because of this, the drama lost my attention in the middle.

A personal pet peeve, I was very irritated when the psychologist disclosed patient confidential information. How unprofessional is that? She's giving out both diagnosis and treatment information without the patient's consent. On another note, why was the crime scene medical examiner be called to assist another station with a rape patient? Don't they have hospital doctors to do that?

We also have a slow burn friendship/bromance going on. I was actually expecting better chemistry, as I saw so many feeds post about the male leads when this drama was airing. The development of the friendship happens towards the last 1/3 of the drama. Other than that, the leads are just like regular co-workers working side by side. I am not feeling the connection of the characters and am missing the human side of their stories. I don't dislike anyone, yet I don't particularly like anyone either.

The beautiful drawings/paintings, and the uniqueness of Shen Yi's talents are what kept me interested in the drama. Unfortunately, I don't share the same excitement of this drama as other watchers.

Leia Mais

"I Like You" - the words you want to hear the most but can't

Completed - 4/20/2022

"Shining For One Thing" is a dark horse drama in 2022. A drama without a hugely popular cast or promotion, but wins the hearts of viewers due to its storytelling, acting and moving plot. I have seen my share of high school teen dramas and after a while, they all look the same. Time-traveling and alternate universe plots can be a hit or miss. But I am happy to say that "Shining For One Thing" is a great combo. It's like "Someday or One Day" + "Reset" (high school romance version).

What I Enjoy:
1) Plot/Storytelling - This drama does a fantastic job in switching between the two timelines/universes. It keeps me interested throughout and I wasn't bored when the story resets itself. It also keeps me guessing along with our FL, the secret of going back and forth. What really triggers it? Is it the high school exam? Is it the death of a character? Is it a magic word/phrase spoken? What really happened to ML on that fateful rainy day at the tower? In addition to the mystery and fantasy components, the love story between our leads is both sweet and heartbreaking. I was enjoying the ride of a sweet romance up until about episode 12. Then my anxiety kicked in and I started to worry about ML. I like his character so much that I really, really want him to have a happy ending. But with the way the story goes, deep down, I know the second half of the drama is going to hit hard. With only 24 episodes, the pacing of the drama is great.

2) Qu Chu Xiao as Zhang Wen San (ML) - In "Bloody Romance", Qu Chu Xiao played a stoic, reserved character who would sacrifice himself for FL and showed his love for her through actions behind her back. Qu Chu Xiao plays a similar character here as Zhang Wen San. ZWS is shy, sweet and reserved. Similarly, he also would do anything to protect FL and does A LOT behind the scene for her. Qu Chu Xiao plays this role so well. I love seeing ZWS's shy, little smile, or glance at FL here and there. ZWS is mature, supportive and thoughtful. Although he's shy, he also will speak his mind if needed. I love the way he speaks and I really like Qu Chu Xiao's sexy voice. Personally, I just have a soft spot for a male lead who does a lot behind FL's back, and if he's shy and sweet, extra brownie points for him!

3) The Cast - I enjoy the acting of everyone in this drama, especially our male and female leads. Both successfully display a range of emotions as the tone of the drama is quite different in the first and second half. Even though none of the actors are teenagers or in their early 20s, they do look the part. Karina Zhang is 32 (in real life) yet without makeup, she looks like a teenager and acts like a teenager. I also appreciate the fact that we only have 1 somewhat childish character in the whole drama. Since there are different universes/timelines in the drama and what happens varies each time, it provides the cast opportunities to act differently. A special mention to the class teacher who likes to recite poems. He’s sweet and funny. I actually don’t find him including English words here and there in the way he talks annoying.

4) Main Romance - I like the somewhat slow-burn romance between the leads. We already know early on that ML likes FL. It’s an enjoyable process to see how FL gets to know ML from the scratch, finds out what he’s done for her, and slowly falls for him and wants to be the one to protect him. There’s so much sweetness in the first half of the drama. The second half is heartbreaking, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like it. To know that the words that she wants to hear the most, are the exact words that she can’t hear. Normally, what FL has to do would be along the lines of noble idiocy (which I dislike) but in this case, she really can’t help it.


I don’t really have anything I dislike in this drama. But there are a few things that I have mixed feelings about.

1) Lin Bei Xing (FL) - I am lukewarm about the female lead. I don’t dislike her but I don’t consider her to be one of my favorite female leads as well. At times, I think she does act like she’s 30, other times, she acts like a teenager (when she’s not really one). But I like how she’s grown at the end.

2) The music and songs are not bad. However, I feel that the drama overplays the songs. Each time there’s a romantic scene (a hug, a close-up glance at each other), you can bet your money that a song will be played.

3) Childhood connection - I have already professed my love for ML. However, I find it just a little hard to believe that ML will do so much behind FL’s back to protect her, just because they had that one childhood connection at the zoo when they were in elementary school. I just want a little more to justify his love for her.

4) Secondary romance - Well, should I even consider that romance? It’s more like an unlikely friendship between Gao Ge and Yang Chao Yang. Their romance is unnecessary. I do like the alternate plot of Zhang Yu chasing FL.


*SPOILER*
Ending - Let’s talk about the ending. I am not satisfied! I wanted more! I was expecting ML to show up in the last episode. Throughout the drama, no one actually confirms his death. We only knew he fell and the family moved. Therefore, I was expecting him to reunite with FL at the end. I don’t need a full-on episode of them getting married and living happily ever after. But I want more than what the drama gives us. We didn’t even see a face!

Leia Mais

Flashback Galore + Hot Guys with Hot Abs

Completed - 1/15/2022

The reason I picked this drama is because I want to watch a William Chan modern drama. Having seen him in "Lost Love in Times" and "Novaland: Pearl Eclipse", I am not convinced in his acting. I hope to see him in a different role (not the cold/bland type) and in a modern setting. I am glad that I watched "Only side by side with you" as now I have a small crush on him.

As for the drama itself, what the reviewers and commenters said about flashbacks are totally true. Let's address what I don't like in the drama first.

What I don't Like:
1 Flashbacks - You need the fast-forward button with you to watch this drama, esp. if you are binge-watching. For the first 12 episodes, the flashbacks aren't bad as they are telling the history of the two male leads when they're in military school. So, there's a purpose and I am fine with that. After that, the flashbacks happen every single episode multiple times. These are long flashbacks and sometimes what happened earlier in the episode. This drama is really testing the audiences' patience and it's the main reason I can't give a high rating.

2. Product Placement - It's been a while since I watched a drama with SO many products featured. Is it because it's an older 2018 drama? Or because they need a lot of money to purchase drones and create fancy white offices? I have no idea. Products include: face creams, insurances, mobile apps, delivery service, drinks (OJ and bottled drinks), different types of alcohol, and of course, Macbook Pro for everyone. But the worst product is the cold medicine. Because the medicine has a sticker, the characters are not necessarily taking the meds, but use them as sticky for notes, like post-its. I have to applaud how creative they showcase this cold medicine.

3. Secondary Romance - I am not quite interested in this romance. I do not like Rachel Wang's acting as Ou Yang Qi (pet store owner). I don't feel the chemistry between Ou YangQi and Hao Jie, no matter how much Hao Jie tries and tries. I also don't see a reason for this love-at-first sight.

What I Enjoy:
1. Nan Qiao (FL) - It's so refreshing to see a smart, sensible, hard-working, independent woman CEO in a C-drama. Oftentimes, CEO are portrayed either as super cold or super bitchy. Nan Qian might be a little nerdy in the beginning, but she's never rude or dumb. I enjoy her character being slowly revealed as more than a nerdy engineer. Even when she fell in love, her sensibility did not go out the door. She's honest and direct when expressing her her feelings to the ML. I enjoy Bai Bai He's portrayal of Nan Qiao. She's not particularly pretty but she gives off a genuine vibe that fits this role.

2. William Chan - As I mentioned, I watch this drama because of William Chan. I am so happy to see him in a role where he can flex his acting chops. Shi Yue is a character that has a fun side and a dark side. William is able to portray the funny, adorable and flirty side of Shi Yue. And then in another scene, he's boxing and fighting and turned into a boss. When he smiles, I melt. So much better than the blank look I get from watching him in Pearl Eclipse. And there are so many scenes where he's topless or showing his muscles. He also looks dashing in all his clothes, whether it's casual wear or a 3-piece suit.

3. Fashion - Aside from Nan Qiao's earlier dorky fashion, all the leads have a wonderful wardrobe. Even Nan Qiao dresses a lot nicer after the first 1/3 of the show. It's nice to see an office drama where people dress appropriately to their age, and their work environment. Both An Ning and Wen Di have sophisticated and fancy outfits throughout the drama, and both women look beautiful and smart. Nan Qiao's early dorky fashion eventually evolves to a more sophisticated office look and more fashionable casual wear when she's on dates and not in the office. Our two male leads look super handsome in shirts/pants, or suits, or casual sports wear. They are both tall and lean, and basically look good in anything.

4. Plot/Pacing (minus flashbacks) - If I take the flashbacks out of the drama, the story has pretty good pacing. Although there isn't anything too unpredictable in the plot (a couple common tropes), the story keeps me engaged. There's a good mix of drone engineering/romance/rivalries/dark pasts to keep me entertained. I was never bored or felt that the storyline dragged for too long. It's unfortunate someone decides to use so many flashbacks. This drama could easily be a 30-episode drama.

5. Dads Unite - ML and FL's fathers are so funny together! Individually, they could be overbearing for their children. But when they are together, they are hilarious. Their conversations, banters and attempts in getting their kids together. The scene at the dating show registration is so funny!

Other Observations:
1. The bromance is pretty good in this drama.
2. I feel the rivalry between the two MLs resolved too easily and quickly without much fanfare.
3. Watch this if you are a fan of William Chan and Li Xian.

Leia Mais

Sweet, Fluffy, No-stress watch

Completed 12/31/2021

Normally, I would not pick this drama to watch. However, I want to end 2021 on a sweet and stress-free note. Therefore, I intentionally choose "Sparkle Love" because I know it's going to be cute and sweet and fluffy. The premise seems interesting enough.

I would recommend this drama to those who like:
1. Super sweet and cute romance
2. Cliches - slow motion glances, accidental kisses, accidental hugs, accidental falling into someone
3. Pikachu!
4. Hot guys with nice bodies with a decent number of topless scenes
5. Decent amount of decent kisses
6. Male chases Female romances

Most of the characters in this drama are pretty likable. There isn't anyone annoying or frustrating. The acting is not bad either. I've seen Zhang Ling He (ML) previously in "Maiden Holmes" and "Love Crossed" and also Ling Mei Shi (FL) in "Love by Hypnotic". I would say their acting are on par to those previous roles. They are cute together and I root for their little romance. If you like kisses, these two leads do kiss quite a bit in this drama, before and after they get together. However, having seen their previous dramas, I am slightly disappointed in the kisses. I know they can do better than that! LOL.

For a quick 24-episode drama, the pacing is not bad. If you cut away the intro and ending themes, each episode is only about 30 mins long. It's a easy binge-watch to kill time. I would say most plot lines are pretty predictable. There are multiple couples/romances in the drama, and I don't think there's enough time to spend on each to make them great. I also question the fashion choices of our female lead. She's the one that dresses the worst out of everyone.

Overall, if you want something a simple, cute, and sweet, and doesn't mind cliches and a predictable plot...then go for it! Sometimes, we all need to watch one of these dramas to make us feel good and loved.

Leia Mais