Reviews

Spectacular Wuxia Brotherhood

Didn't think I'd see this day happen when another costume drama got a perfect score from me. I'm notoriously picky so this is only the second one. I think what made me pick it up was that I heard the IP was great from trusted sources and that it was a wuxia. I have never seen any of the cast (save Cao Yu Chen who appeared in maybe 3 episodes as the deity that never left the mountain & when he did, he died) so it would be a totally new experience. A fully worthwhile experience that made me cave and purchase both the VIP & express on the rather crappy Youku international app. This series really was a spectacular Wuxia brotherhood I've always wanted to see fully realized. Let's get into it, shall we?

Pros: The martial arts, special effects especially the explosions were a perfect representation of each character. Each had their very own blend of it. The way they grew and evolved within their styles was worth it in every episode even when there were less fighting scenes. That was by far my favorite part. Favorite character was Xiao Se as even before he regained his quite formidable power, he was a man who thought 17 steps ahead of everyone else and had a contingency plan for his contingency plans most of the time. This character had an aura about him that just screamed leader even when all he did was mumble grumpily under his breath about his best friends being shameless or boring. The actor who played him did so to perfection.

Every character was flawed in one way or another which was wonderful because it made them realistic. Both Wuxin with his comedic smirking and LWJ, the pure-hearted doofus with the open mouth, insert foot syndrome and little tact really combined into a great and complex trio alongside Xiao Se. Add Tang Lian, an intelligent hero except when it came to matters of the heart who acted as big brother to them all, they were a formidable bunch. The two women completed the initial group not to mention every other friend (and LWJ reuniting with his sister) they made along the way.

Usually I can't stand palace politics when introduced into a wuxia or any costume drama but here it was just the right amount without completely overshadowing everything else. The story couldn't really move forward without it. Another usual con that didn't strain this story was the introduction of a plethora of characters simultaneously and you had no idea who was whom and why they were needed. In this series, though the same happened, the characters stayed for as long as they needed to and then left properly. They didn't just vanish, they all had proper exits. This series never once dragged for me, I didn't have to fast forward anything at any time. I wanted to watch everything; in fact I would often rewind to watch a certain scene again and again.

Production was stunning especially the locations and costumes. I mentioned in the comments that Xiao Se's blue with gold or white were my favorite. But just about everyone had costumes that fit their character or personalities and the colors were rich and beautiful. OSTs were perfect everywhere they were placed; especially with Xiao Se's powerful lines, entrances, and exits. It was like "Elvis has left the building."

All of the antagonists were done very well and also were there for as long as they were needed until they got their just comeuppance. My favorite had to be Director eunuch dude that was setup by Chong with dad's help though I wish it was Xiao Se who killed him and destroyed not only his meridians but made every organ explode; he deserved nothing less. Still though, he definitely didn't see that coming from Chong and his back up crew. Even though the emperor was not necessarily a good person all the way around trusting the wrong people and letting 2 out of I don't remember the number of sons he ultimately had, get so badly injured plus killing his own brother essentially, I wouldn't place him in the antagonist pool. He was a power hungry fool but essentially a good emperor for his people.

Losing Tang Lian was really a blow and though I understand why they did that, I really do wish they had brought him back at the end of 40 though he did return in a special episode cut together by the producers though still waiting for it on the international app. Will be completely honest, when I saw him again reuniting with his friends, brought tears to my eyes!

All of the esthetics were beautiful, the comedy was great, this drama made you laugh, it made you tear up, it made you sympathize with many characters. It had many, many positives and wonderful moments. But it also had cons though not many.

Cons: The only character that didn't get the right costume nor hairdo for the majority of the time was Qian Luo; she looked like a child among adults especially with her giant spear. When looking at her doing interviews, didn't even look like the same person; they could have simplified things so much instead of just draping 7 feet of fabric in-cohesively on her. I also had a hard time with her character in general because though it was understandable that she was young; the whining, know-it-all 'tude, foot stamping tantrums were extremely unnecessary. There was zilch chemistry between her and Xiao Se throughout the entire series as all she did was follow him around like a disgruntled puppy. It was a huge turn off but thankfully they evolved her especially when she met Rou Yi and lost her martial brother. So though I wasn't per se a fan of hers throughout the show, she did show her strength when it counted, her fighting scenes were great but she didn't have much screen time, thankfully.

Secondly, wish they released the Tang Lian reunion on all apps simultaneously which if some viewers didn’t know and spread the word, international viewers would have assumed he was dead; unfair. Thirdly, Wuxin for being SML spent very little time on screen after he left in episode 7 and then only briefly returned during the Lei Fortress and Tianqi City arcs before becoming a drugged puppet. And just as he's rescued in episode 39, he leaves again in the beginning of 40. His character was so strong and needed especially in the establishment of the brotherhood of him, Xiao Se, and LWJ. There was a real gap of how he and Xiao Se became best friends other than their banter. It would have been more solid had he had more screen time. The entire comment section is filled with people saying how much they miss him and to bring him back.

Lastly, the main antagonist aka Xiao Yu or Prince asswipe as I called him, had the most copout ending ever! After everything he did himself and orchestrated, the amount of people he harmed, killed, etc, they opted for him to kill himself with a knife to the chest? It was a pussy move for such a strong and angry person with a chip the size of the entire world on his shoulder that he himself created but blamed on others. He was a great antagonist and deserved karma on a much larger scale. Perhaps production ran out of time. So that's it.

Would I recommend it? With a perfect score, what do you think lol? This show will go into my permanent watchlist and I will definitely rewatch it over time. This was really a fantastic wuxia and if that's your thing, then you'll love this!

Leia Mais

If you've read the manga you might be a little disappointed with this theatrical version. If you haven't read the manga (or read it and want to watch this anyway) then you definitely should watch it. The romance is so beautiful and their struggles are so difficult that you can't help but scream at them.
The acting is absolutely incredible, the story is heart wrenching, and above all the story is believable.
If you're not sure if this movie is for you watch the first 10 minutes. By the time the 10 minute mark rolls by I think you will realize how touching this movie will be. :)

Leia Mais

an escape into nostalgia.

It’s a mighty feat adapting any kind of work. There’s always something lost in the translation from one medium into another—the trappings of form too integral to the creation of any piece of media’s spirit. Muchuu sa, Kimi ni is, then, a rare case of an adaptation that not only captures the essence of its source material but almost elevates it.

In its original form, Muchuu sa, Kimi ni is a loosely tied together collection of vignettes: one, the tales of Hayashi, a “quirky” high schooler who revels in using his free time to its fullest, attracting companionship along the way; and the tale of Nikaido and Medaka, a “ghostly” outsider with a secret he intends to take to his grave and his classmate who wants to break him out of his shell.

In the drama, these two separate lines are expertly pieced together by director Tsukuhara Ayuko (who knows how to play with the material to shine a light on its best qualities) to craft a pseudo-fantastical narrative that celebrates the wonders of youth and camaraderie in deep vibrancy. Its charm is in its characters (plus their actors—a curated selection of some of the best up-and-comers in the industry) and the quaint little world they exist in. It may be quiet, but it's no less exciting. If you let yourself level with these kids, you'll find their joys and anxieties over the tiny things feel exactly as they should: earth shattering, life changing... but what else would you know when you still have so many years ahead of you?

If there's any gripe to be had, it's that the series ends. Not because things are left unfinished, but rather, because it’s hard to say goodbye. Muchuu sa, Kimi ni offers an escape into nostalgia: for days of youth gone by and freedoms once had, for friendships now lost and ones that could have been if we had let them. Still, it leaves you with a reminder that none of those are ever really out of reach. It's in your hands—you need only make a pitch for it.

Leia Mais

This is a fascinating movie. I am surprised I am the first person to add it to my drama list. At first the movie started off a bit cheesy and I even thought about quiting it but I am glad I didin't because after about 30 minutes the viewers see the other side of First Time. I love how it managed to be both heartwarming and dramatic. Normally, movies about sick people are depressing to watch and it takes a lot of time for me to force myself to watch them. However, First Time is quite unique, because even though it is about a sick person, it does not revolve around a hospital. Also, it was very colorful, the decoration crew did an awesome job. The only complaint I have about this movie is that the main heroine's fantasies were painted in almost-chibis. I don't think these drawings suited the movie.

The acting was very good. I especially enjoyed the main couple's and Jiang Shan's (Shiqiao's mother) performance in the movie.

I love the soundtrack, most of the songs were created for this movie. I especially love the ending song, too bad I can't find it for download yet :(.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable movie. I`m glad I decided to watch it.

Leia Mais

This drama is very complicated in every aspect. It caught me off guard because it's too heavy for a high school drama compared to the high school korean dramas I have watched. Nevertheless, I like it because it brings focus to sensitive issues that adults consider trivial--such as dealing with the first love. Adults usually trivialize the feeling of loneliness of an unrequited first love but this j-drama reminds the viewers the uncertainty and awkwardness of first love. More than the love line, this drama shows the youth a great lesson about finding yourself first before anything and that it's okay not to have your life figured out yet.

Leia Mais

Laughing through misery.

Saying it is a heavy watch would be an understatement. Not only will the show fuel you with anger, it will not help you calm down by the end.

Showing the grim reality of the broken military system, sprinkled with comedy, made this quite an emotional ride. We are shown how a few good people are not enough to fix the environment where bad behavior is rewarded.

While it was amazing to watch the main characters trying to make even small changes, at some point they've hit the wall and needed to face the reality of how powerless they are - how they are also part of the problem. We follow a patient and introverted Joon Ho and confident and street smart Ho Yul, as they try to find and bring back defectors. During their job they face a lot of issues ranging from external issues like unsupportive and corrupted superiors to internal struggles revolving around morality and their own principles.

Warning needed - D.P. is filled with abuse, both physical and emotional, and justice is usually not served. The drama shows how it is, without trying to make the topic more approachable and easy to digest. You will be left with building up frustration, and yet glad, you decided to watch it till the end.

The cast did an amazing job. Everyone delivered both the emotional and the comedic parts well. I laughed, I cried, I shouted with anger. Biggest props to Koo Kyo Hwan for his portrayal of Ho Yul. Outstanding performance that made me fall in love with the character.

The production and the writing left nothing to desire. Mixing the tragic aspects of reality with well fitted comedic bits was done in a good taste, not taking away from the serious topic tackled.

Overall, one of the best shorter dramas of 2021. Not an easy watch, might be too much for some people - was almost too much for me. It won't leave you on a hopeful note, but it is a story worth witnessing.

Leia Mais

Confession: I watched this because I missed the Nirvana in Fire cast too much. I was very reluctant to watch this because China produces piles and piles of dramas set in 1930s/1940s, and vast amount of them are terrible. I have faith in Shanying production team though. Not to mention it's a spy drama set in 1940s Shanghai, with a focus on a wealthy family who all seem to lead double lives, okay I'll roll with this. This drama is actually Japanese/puppet government vs KMT (the party in power in republic era, later fled to Taiwan) vs CPC (current ruling party of China), in case anyone isn't familiar with the power struggle at the time.

I must note that while there is a loveline in the story, I think it's horribly written, so if the family angle doesn't capture you, I don't recommend watching this for romance, because the romance nearly ruined the drama for me. Although it doesn't show up much (comes in around episode 8?), so I guess regardless, one shouldn't watch this for romance.

Hu Ge as Ming Tai is probably what draws most people to this drama. His character here is a spoilt 20 something who would have spent his days horsing around with his friends, picking up girls if he didn't meet Wang Tian Feng. He's immature, impulsive and thinks he knows the best, he does have some sort of character development but not by much. Don't get me wrong, he's very likable, his interaction with his sister, Ming Jing is adorable, and he does look very cool in various outfits; but he's fairly simple compared to other characters.

Jin Dong as Ming Lou is the other main character in this drama. It's him that I love despite this drama's many many faults. He's spectacularly layered as a double agent and he oozes charm. He is basically living in a web of lies and setting up more lies. To convince the audience that he's a double agent, he'd have to have microexpression or looks or something to show that he's not really working for the puppet government. On the other hand, these can't be too obvious or they would easily be caught by characters in the drama and he'd be expose. To begin with, his loyalty was already questionable, it's just he's one of the very few people who can do this and who are willing to.

Even though it wasn't meant to, his relationship with Wang Man Chun is the only romance that interested me in this drama. They were once an item, but Ming Jing broke them up (for reasons that you'll find out). It's almost the plot of Romeo and Juliet except they both changed and have adopted vastly different ideals. His relationship with Ming Cheng, Ah Cheng, is even more fun. I'm struggling to find words to describe it, it's almost mentor-like, since Min Lou is older and more experienced; it's also a schemer/executioner relationship on top of sibling affection and friendship. Regardless, it's a relationship with 100% trust in each other, and this is rather difficult to have in a spy drama.

Wang Kai as Ming Cheng, or Ah Cheng. To the outside world, he's an assistant, almost like a very competent butler. He's actually very much part of the family though. Like Ming Lou, he bears a lot of pressure working for the puppet government, but he wears even more masks because of his peculiar position in the Ming family. Liu Min Tao as Ming Jing, probably the most clueless one in the family, but she's a very capable lady who managed their family business since she was 17. She's graceful and fiercely protective of Ming Tai because he's the youngest and she felt more like a parent than a sister to him.

There are many many characters that I love, like the ruthless Wang Man Chun (played by the gorgeous Wang Ou, I need more drama with you in it please), the adorable Liang Zhong Chun who just want to live his life peacefully in times of turmoil even though his position really wouldn't have let him. The strict and almost cruel teacher, Wang Tian Feng, or the frail looking but actually fierce as hell Yu Man Li (Song Yi! you don't even have a profile on here ;A; <3), I should probably stop before I list all of the characters.

So, how's the story? I like the premise and I really do love the family angle. It's refreshing and their interactions are a lot of fun. The action scenes are pretty well done, even if sometimes, it seems things are done for the sake of looking cool. The schemes near the end seems confusing and might need rewatching, but I don't recommend looking too closely to it. Since all kinds of question and plot hole will pop up. I just accepted what the drama told me and called it a day.

Now I need to complain about my biggest gripes with this show, setting aside plot holes and unrealistic action scenes. Its goddamn stupid romance. I repeat, if there's ever a cut without the romance (if you can understand Mandarin, I recommend bilibili), watch that version instead because it's so so so much better.

I actually didn't have a lot of problems with the love interest to begin with, aside from its cliche situation and cliche lines, it's disappointing that we don't see anything new, but it make sense for the character (wealthy young man). I just can't deal with it when love interest nearly ruin an operation, putting everyone in danger because...because...I don't even know, some kind of upstanding morals? That's not the first nor the last time a character does stupid thing in a drama but it still infuriates me. Not sure if it infuriates me more because I ship some other ship that won't happen.

I never quite bought the love between the two characters and that's weird because I bought the friendship, the familial relationship and even bygone romance, but when it comes to the very visible ongoing romance, I never cared about. I have no idea is it the chemistry or is it the actress' acting ability (because I haven't seen her in anything else).

Side note, I must bring up the fact she was injured during the course of filming and therefore had to use a lot of doubles (5 different people I think?), close up shots while she was clearly in pain. I really respect that she tried her best to film despite being in severe pain and not wanting to delay filming or straight up change actress. But a lot of c-netizens are wondering maybe the drama would have been better if she was swapped out. She had fair amount of scenes but latter parts had to be re-written, her close up shots/acting were terrible and in the end the product was subpar.

Anyways, I've rambled long enough. My 8 honest goes to all the characters I loved in this drama, the amazing Jin Dong and spectacular team behind this drama, it sure has been a ride. Now I'm off to catch up 20 years of c-drama. WHY MUST YOU BE SO LONG c-drama.

This is my first review so if you have any constructive criticism or want to flail about dramas with me, feel free to message/comment.

Leia Mais

This is a feminist movie. What kind of image does it conjure up for you?
I can tell you that this isn't a story about a confident, "girl crush" woman. Rather, it follows the story of an ordinary woman and the gender based microaggressions she faces.

This movie isn't an easy watch precisely because it's so real (similar to Misaeng). You could only hope that all of those events don't happen to the same person in real life though.

I knew about the general plot before watching the movie but it still really hit me hard. At the start, I thought it was really fast-paced because it just threw you into the movie. But as the movie progressed, I got used to it and was able to connect with it more.

However, I think reading the book would help you understand the movie better. There was a few scenes that didn't feel resolved in the movie, but I think were explored in the book.
I was also confused if Kim Ji Young's behavior was supposed to be more metaphorical or literal. After reading some reviews of the book, I think I understand what it's trying to say. There was one review in particular that said she didn't have a voice in this society so she had to adopt other personas / mimic other people in her life to say something.

Leia Mais

I really enjoyed this movie. Having been a fan of the Mulan Diseny movies as a kid, I reaally wanted to watch this.

The casting was exellent, as well as the acting, can't complain about it. The music played during th emovie was very moving and really enhances the feeling you get from watching a particular scene.
The story line is great, even though we all know it, however, having watched the Disney movie, I anticipated a happier ending than that, and was slightly disapointed, screaming in my head "It's NOT FAIR", but anyway, that would be the only thing I don't like about it.
Overall, the movie was fantastic and a must watch in my opinion, and I would easily re-watch this, to pay more attention on the details the second time around.

GREAT MOVIE!!

Leia Mais

Mnet at its finest, delivering some manipulative editing.

I’m not gonna lie, this was a fascinating watch. Trying to see all the shady business and tactics Mnet delivered, seeing viewers' different reactions depending on their knowledge of the industry and how Mnet works. What a ride it was. And behind all that mess was a bunch of talented trainees who could not breathe in the wrong direction, or they will be evil edited till their elimination.

This is probably the worst survival show I have seen from the production standpoint. The editing was atrocious - they gave us 10 takes of the same 2 moments from different angles and different speeds, while completely cutting out most of the performances. How can we judge the stages and trainees skills when we see the same smile or wink just repeated countless times?

Then there is the issue of evil editing. I’m not saying just exaggerating existing issues, I’m saying complete lies, like using footage from two different interviews and making it seem like they were both filmed about the same situation. Translating what foreign trainees say in a vague and misleading way to frame it as them being disrespectful. Making it seem as if teams had massive disagreements in the episode, when we could see them work just fine during the practice lives.

And I don’t even want to talk about the G versus K trainees concept - that was dumb, since the plan was to debut a mixed group. Mnet framed it as rivalry so hard, I’m not surprised Koreans went so strongly voting for Korean trainees - it seemed like a matter of pride for them with how it was presented in the initial episodes. Showing G trainees in a bad light, only “promoting” G trainees that are either Koreans just living in different countries, or been in Korea for years…

What’s more? The legal rigging votes. they knew exactly what info should be released when to make people mass vote for specific trainees out of fear of them not debuting. Just naming the 2 or 3 k-trainees’ ranks that went down - panic voting from the audience. Only showing the 3 trainees ranks based on ONLY G votes - panic voting.

All that said, I loved the kids so much. While I am sad we did not get many strong rappers, and literally barely any in the finale, I’m still more than happy with overall skills presented. Yes, some got into the show as a joke to make the public laugh, but in their case, I could see they truly put in the effort and tried to grow from this experience. The level of talent was high and honestly, one could randomly pick 9 trainees from top 18 to make a team, and every variation of it would make a strong debut.

The trainees had amazing friendships and I loved to see them support and encourage each other. We could see the most honest versions of them in the additional behind the clips mnet uploaded on youtube, and for these I am grateful.

Leia Mais

This review is intended to offer you an opinion of what I thought about this drama. It is not intended to sway you in anyways.

SPOILERS:

OMG YES!!! What a satisfying ending to such an interesting drama. This drama is interesting to watch, but you must have an open mind. If you aren't into cheating, pseudo incest-relationships (that is Nira and her uncle-in-law kissing etc), gender identity/transgender identity, revenge for the sake of revenge, etc...you will not enjoy this. However, we should always remember that there are lessons to learn from dramas like this.

WARNING:

This drama deals with lots of human issues.
1) transgender identities/gender identities
2) cheating
3) domestic violence
4) Mental Illness
5) Suicide
6) Cross dressing
7) Niece (who used to be a nephew) falling in love with uncle-in-law

You name it, it has it. It was a very well acted drama and every single actor did well in bringing their characters to life. MY GOD, that young woman playing Nira was amazing. I have never seen any of her work, but I have read from others how good she is, and I must say she really gave Nira a voice.

My second favorite character, believe it or not, was her father. He was introduced as an abusive, narcissistic, shallow and bigoted person. He was for intents and purpose a character you hated through the whole series until before the last two episodes, where he was humbled by learning the secret of who Nira was. Yes, as a viewer we are led to hating such a person, but his entire flawed nature as well as his realizing how horrible he had been showed how much range and development that character had. He was brought down from his high horse so to speak. I really loved the way his character did a complete 180 and became someone I actually sort of felt pity for. True he was a cheater and abusive to his wife and child, but losing his son did hurt him in some way. And then to find out he was now Nira, but still lost her when she left, left him as a shell of a man.

I was also surprised with the aunt. She was so unlikable and really selfish, just like her brother, but it was sort of sweet how she took care of him in the end and how she also felt sadness for what she did to Nira. It doesn't completely erase how horrible she had been initially, but again just like her brother's character, she too grew and showed more sides of her.

I was completely HAPPY with the ending we got. I was all for Nira either being alone, but happy with herself, than together with her uncle. Their relationship was doomed from the start. IT was obvious.

Nira had some deep seeded hate and her mental illness did not help. She needed to find herself and who she wanted to be, before even thinking of having a healthy normal relationship with ANYONE. I am so glad, that despite her suicide attempt, the drama ended with her staying alive and learning to love herself.

Supporting cast was also great!

Fantastic cast.

Music was nice and nostalgic

Leia Mais

I think this Drama really portrays something quite important especially in today's society. It has a clear moral and message that is delivered very well to the audience by the wondrous actors and soundtracks. I feel like when we reach the end of the story, we all have something we could take from it that we can implement into our own lives. Switched kind of reminded me of one of my favourite Webtoons out there which is Lookism in regards to the perception of how people are treated differently just because of their appearance and looks. It's because of that reality that people can be driven to be greedy, jealous and can be overflowed with desire to own and be something that they are not. Switched presents that in such a fresh and deep way that resonates into our hearts and souls.

In terms of the story, it is nothing like I had seen before. It revolves around switching bodies where the personalities and minds remains the same. However, even though it is a plot that was used many times already in media, Switched is one of those stories which will certainly grip you and keep you glued to the screen the whole time, anticipating what would happen next and wondering whether they're actually going to solve the problem in the end. I like the fact that there is a whole back story in terms of Switching and that it is a global supernatural phenomenon that had affected quite a lot of people which goes to show that the world is not as black and white as it seems but rather corrupted because people have these desires such as desiring a life much different than their own. The creators and author used this occurring device and twisted it into their own way to make a suspenseful and mysterious storyline.

However, what I can say though is that I felt like the last episode was particularly rushed. Because the series only had 6 episodes, I felt like a lot of the things that happened were all squashed to fit in one single episode. This includes the solving of the conflict and the aftermath of the events. It gave me the impression that the whole conflict was in a rush to be solved before the end of the episode which I thought had the potential to be extended and explored if we had more episodes. Needless to say, I'm not particularly complaining since it is not the first time that Dramas had executed rushed and less fluidity as opposed to the rest of its episodes, but overall, I was glad that Switched had graced us with the ending I'm sure we wanted to happen and I'm really happy for that. Not to mention, I was a bit sad that it only has 6 episodes and that it is too short to my liking; we need more of these wonderful goodness ;; However, if it did get extended and it had more episodes, I would have liked to see more exploration about the Red Moon, the history behind the Switching and also the psychological effects of people who had experienced it especially Ayumi and Umine's situation.

Furthermore, I don't know about you guys but the acting was remarkable to me. It was simply fantastic. The feelings that were expressed did resonate to me as an audience and man did it impacted me quite a lot. I wouldn't have cried a few times whilst watching the series if it weren't for the powerful acting that was demonstrated consistently throughout the show. Each of the four teenagers made an impact to me in their way and man, can I say I love Kaga to death - he is such a pure angel <3 Umine had shown an outstanding performance presenting someone who had lived a horrible life and was corrupted and driven by hate and greed, someone who was unwanted in the society and was treated nothing worse than scum but then realised how to be a strong person and to tackle her problems with a positive attitude. As for Ayumi, she was someone who emphasised and sympathised with Umine after being switched to her body and developed to this caring and aware person as opposed to her naivety before. And Koushirou...he's just a whole enigma lol. You just won't expect what he would do next; quite a good manipulator as well.

Anyway, moving on, I wouldn't have enjoyed the whole series experience without the amazing soundtrack like honestly, it's wonderful to listen to. I've always been a music person so the Ost affects my viewing experience as a whole when watching a show, so when watching Switched, it just added more of the depth and atmosphere that is needed to support the acting and it made it more enjoyable to me. This reminded me of Devilman Crybaby's soundtrack actually because it pulls at your heartstrings yet some are upbeat and pleasurable to the ears. Switched has one of the soundtracks that I would listen to in a playlist and download.

To conclude, I really enjoyed watching the series. I love the themes that was explored because I feel like it is something that has the importance to be addressed especially in a society like ours. The way it was portrayed was just enthralling to the point that I was even in tears. So yes definitely would rewatch it again at some point in the future because I haven't really watched a series with that kind of approach in a while and the fact that it is quite different to the other usual Dramas out there. I may be exaggerating in some areas lolol but it just goes to show how much I've grown to be attached to it because it is something I relate to in many levels. Plus the soundtrack is worth listening to as well.

I may have loved it but it may not always be the same case for everyone but all I can say is that it is definitely worth the watch. Totally recommending it if you are looking for a series that has mature, supernatural and psychological themes :D

Leia Mais

This was a 100% family drama and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I cried a lot, laughed a lot and watched different types of love on parade. Because of this drama I realized how important it is for us to spend time with our parents who have nothing but our best in mind.
I did not know a couple of the leads but they were really good and made me believe their characters. Their acting was so natural and so funny when they have to be, and they made me cry at the tender moments as well.
The music was so well suited to the drama.
As for rewatch value, it's a long drama, so maybe in the very far future I will go ahead and re-watch. It's worth it.

Leia Mais

Karma is a Court Lady.

Billed as a love story between a reformed rake Sheng Chumu and a court lady Fu Rou, this is really an opulent tragicomedy about the succession turmoil that plagued the latter years of Li Shimin/Tang Taizong's reign. It is a surprisingly empathetic and riveting portrayal of the greatest Tang emperor's disappointing and much reviled crown prince Li Chengqian. It strikes me that his story is what the writer really set out to tell; all the other parallel sub-plots are much more indifferently written.

The way the drama is promoted as Fu Rou and Sheng Chumu's love story is misleading and misinforms audience expectations. Yes, I know how adorable they look together but their story is rather pedestrian and is not the main meal so they end up spending an incredible amount of time apart. Neither character has free will and their romance does not drive the narrative; it is in fact subordinated to and frustrated by the main succession plot. That is necessary as these two main parallel, interlocking plots are related primarily from Fu Rou's perspective as a court lady or official 女官 with close access to the workings of the inner palace and the imperial family's private moments.

Although Fu Rou is the eponymous character with the most screen time, this is a cardboard character that is made worse by Li Yitong's anodyne, colourless portrayal. Fu Rou is pretty much superwoman - an incredibly talented, resourceful and daring fixer who finds herself in the middle of every palace conflict large and small. She comes to the aid of anyone that appeals to her bleeding heart, taking on matters well above her pay grade. She has the temerity to lecture and chastise anyone and everyone from lowly palace servants to the emperor himself!  I would have loved this character to death if she had a bit of a dark side, an odd hobby or even some tiny flaw like picking her nose in public or something, anything. But no, Fu Rou is a suffocating paragon of virtue, moral rectitude and forgiveness; who genuinely believes that good deeds begets positive karma that pays off in the long run. But if karma is a bitch, then her title is court lady because there are heinous, irreversible and tragic unintended consequences to Fu Rou's meddling and her indiscriminate assistance to wicked people. Due to editing/censorship issues, we never get see Fu Rou reflect upon the folly and irony of her interventions or experience any sense of remorse or regret. Thus there is no character development and by the end Fu Rou to me is just a vapid, righteous prig of a character that I most resent - poor Chumu is so much better off remaining Changán's most notorious playboy.

In sharp contrast, Xu Kai's Chumu is a much more engaging, funny, relatable and outside of a lapse in the middle; a smart character that undergoes tremendous growth. It is a pity he gets so little screen time because he has a wonderful ability to just casually infuse a moment with comic relief. The comical antics of the gruffly hilarious Sheng Xianjing, Chumu, Chuling (shout out to the very funny Kris Fan), the gamine Princess Xinnan and Prince Han go a long way toward diffusing the dark undertones to the drama. Nothing made me laugh harder than Princess Xinnan balancing those dastardly bowls. Unfortunately the denizens of the inner palace and especially Fu Rou and Prince Zhou are humorlessly written and portrayed, resulting in some stifling and overly angsty inner palace arcs and a notable darkening of the overall mood in the second half.

With five or six couples, there is at surface a lot of romance in this drama but they are mostly flawed, complex and maddening relationships. This is due to the surfeit of unsavory, corrupt and chauvinistic male characters, from stalkers to lechers and murderers who simply cannot take no for an answer and lame brained female characters willing to indulge their flaws. As a result, most of the ships are leaky and not seaworthy enough to survive stormy seas. These messy, disturbing love-hate relationships are not consistently well written and there are arguably too many of them. That said, these characterizations are compatible with the times and the illogical pairings seem to curiously "work". They are certainly far more interesting than the usual lighthearted and fluffy standard fare of secondary romances.

The main appeal of this drama for me is Li Shimin, Tang Taizong's succession story, which I feel is what this drama is really about and it is compellingly portrayed. For a fictionalized account that takes a fair amount of literary license, it captures the essence of the main historical figures and remains astonishingly true to the important events of the day. The one dark stain in Li Shimin's history was the Xuanwu Gate Incident, where he personally killed both his brothers from the same mother and forced his father to abdicate in his favor. He went on to be a benevolent and revered emperor, one of the greatest in history. This drama is set in his twilight years as history appears to be on the brink of repeating itself. It is an intimate, at times a scathing expose on the insufferable privilege of imperialism and at times a compassionate account of how impotent, conflicted and utterly terrified this emperor and his beloved empress must have felt as they watch their sons at each others throats. In all the moments that count within this main arc, the writing holds up although towards the end when everything comes together, it is quite obvious that some scenes were lost to censorship.

The most phenomenal, multi-faceted and evocative performance that stands out among an absolutely fabulous cast is Li Zefeng's portrayal of the crown prince. I find it unfathomable that I have not noticed this actor before. He starts out as the highly regarded crown prince, showing so much promise and closely allied with his brother Prince Han. But he is slowly cracking under the immense pressure of being crown prince under the exacting eye of his father and the court and constantly measured up against his other talented brothers. The acting was so good I could understand why he sought refuge in frivolous pursuits and why he needed Chenji. I was surprised by how openly and sympathetically their taboo relationship is explored. It is the relationship that moved me the most, I grieved with him when it ended and I could see how he unraveled and gave in to his worst instincts. Prince Han is the other well written and well acted role. It is tragically comical how their sibling rivalry blew them up and I love how their bond is depicted with a multitude of emotions and a good dose of irony and humor.

I enjoyed this gorgeous and expensive production quite a bit although the story is quite dark and there are too many distracting sub plots and frustrating characters. Although the writing is at times lazy, fantastic acting by the veteran cast more than makes up for it. But it is definitely not the kind of story most viewers thought they would be watching when they picked this up and it definitely will not appeal to everyone. I enjoyed it enough to give it an 8.0 and would probably rate it quite a bit higher if they had diminished Fu Rou's role.

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A highbrow production with broad appeal.

The Longest Day in Chang'an is an immersive, visually stunning, culturally authentic and thrilling journey back over 1000 years in time to Lantern Festival in Chang'an at the peak of the Tang Dynasty. This is a highbrow and very demanding drama that is immensely enjoyable even if taken simply at face value. The viewer gets to decide how much they wish to invest in it. The production basks in rich historical and cultural detail that marvels over the intellectual, political, legal, administrative, military, cultural and scientific sophistication of Chang'an and the Tang Dynasty more broadly. The faithfulness to historical accuracy and strong edu-drama aspect to this show has history buffs raving with ecstasy. As a layman, the finer nuances would be lost on me were it not for the many knowledgeable insights on this and other sites. That doesn't appeal to everyone and some have remarked on the frequent historical and cultural digressions that interrupt the story-line. My simple take is that "smart fillers" are better than the nonsensical fillers that other dramas spam us with.

The absolutely stunning cinematography is the first and most consistent impression throughout - every frame is beautifully angled to create a visual, vibrant feast for the eyes. Even flames from explosions burst in an artistic pattern of controlled natural assymetry. The production is not shy about indulging in artistic license and is littered with lithe and gorgeously willowy Tang ladies with only one small section acknowledging more ingrained images of the classical, prosperously rotund Tang lady. A number of Chinese manhua worthy characters are almost casually dropped in among the otherwise characteristically Tang dynasty cast including Djimon Hounson's Gao Le, the menacing African slave-trader and lord of Changán's underworld; a deadly female assassin who is fanatically devoted to her radical master; and a wildly improbable Western Persian Prince priest with impressive kung fu and building leaping skills. At the end of the day, this is very much a work of fiction and suspension of disbelief will be required as the lead characters achieve superhuman physical feats and survive certain death. All of which make for gripping, visually compelling and heart stopping action scenes.

The drama is not an easy, light watch. The first season (24 episodes) opens with the intense urgency of a fast moving, action packed thriller as the two leads Zhang Xiaojing (Lei Jia Yun) and Li Bi's (Jackson Yi) race against time to foil a terrorist plot during the Lantern Festival. The constraint of the 24 hour timeline forces the narrative to alternate between the high speed chase, political machinations around a power struggle and flashbacks that set up the backstory; all threads which converge in the unraveling of the conspiracy. The many plot twists interact with an extensive cast of complex characters from various factions with unclear and/or malleable loyalties in the power struggle between Li Bi's patron the Crown Prince and his powerful rival the Right Chancellor. In short, there is already a lot to take in so the occasional non sequitur cultural or historical digression can come off as one thing too many.

It took me a long time to care for any of the main characters in this show. Even relatively "good" characters are flawed, primarily driven by self interests and had questionable loyalties and morals. It wasn't obvious that Li Bi' s cause, the Crown Prince was more worthy than the Right Chancellor. Zhao Xiaojing's dealings with Gao Le alienated me; especially when it appeared his real motive was to protect the reckless and misguided Wen Ran. That episode and short lived character stayed with me for a long time because it is the first of many times that bad things happen to good people. And that is how good people can end up doing bad things. Thus there are no outright good or bad characters in this show, they are all products of events beyond their control. Time and again the drama explores how circumstances can push any character to act against his innate nature and self interest. It is a very realistic portrayal of the complexity of human nature's capacity for both good and evil and was acted out compellingly by a truly superb cast. I started to understand the true spirit of the drama when the plight of the common man of the Peacekeeper Corps moved the phlegmatic Li Bi to tears and made him their reckless champion. The real "heroes" in this drama are the common people; that is why it intentionally neglects the main characters and does not attempt to make you root for them and does not care if they have a happy ending. It celebrates the hardships and unrecognized capabilities of the nameless, faceless, powerless, voiceless man - from the forgotten soldier that gives his life for king and country to the ordinary citizens of Chang'an. It wants you to see them, hear them and care about them.

Season 2 (episodes 25-48) was much more enjoyable for me as the intensity of the chase abates and the narrative focus really zeroes in on the power struggle and the unvieling of the conspiracy and ulitmate mastermind. Finally the lead characters are also allowed to shine and shine they did. Zhao Yi Wei's Long Bo was the most provocative and masterfully portrayed character in the drama. As his path converges with that of Zhao Xiaojing, we see the many parallels between the one who seeks vengence and the one who fights to keep dreams alive.

I was surprised by how much I fun I had unraveling the conspiracy. It was very well done and largely kept to the unspoken bargain of hiding enough clues in plain sight that I was able to figure much of it out on my own. The motives of the ultimate mastermind were not convincing. While I had my eye on him as a suspicous character early on, I assumed he was just a link in the chain but not "the guy". It was a stretch that was probably one plot twist too many. One of the other suspects may have been a more credible choice.

Of course it is a foregone conclusion that the emperor was the ultimate villian. While the power dynamics between a manipulative and insecure emperor and his most trusted advisor and his heir has been done before, it was still extremely very well done here. I was completely satisfied when the son takes a leaf out of his father's book in the ultimate act of emotional manipulation. Checkmate. This was the most satisfaction I got from the ending. The bigger question of whether good things happen to good people is left open.

This is definitely the most epic, most idealistic, substantive and thought provoking drama of 2019. Its biggest flaw is that it is overly ambitious and tries to take on too many themes. That it came together so well is a feat in and of itself but as a result, it was not always easy to watch and certainly not something I wanted to dive right into after a hard day at the office. That said, I truly believe it is a must watch and may even be more enjoyable if taken more simplistically just for its stunning aesthetics, intrigue and action.

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