MARS (2004)

Mars. Was he the coward, who the Greeks say was bloodthirsty and belligerent, and yet was afraid of failure? Isn't he supposed to look mean and ferocious?; Indeed he is the God of War, but I heard that the Romans described him differently. ; Really? ;They said...Mars...wore shining armor, look dignified. He was a dark hero who helped people overcome tragedy.

This is how it starts. This drama has won me right after the first episode. It has been on my list since a long time ago but finally I decided to watch a few days ago. And then everything changed. I have never watched anything similar to this, maybe there are a little few Asian dramas in the whole world like this one but it's honestly really rare. Different from everything else, in so much more deeper and darker psychological level that every second I was truly in a state like the main characters, I felt every single emotion they felt, I smiled, cried, yelled, was so angry and crazy at times they I could kill like Chen Ling thought he could, I was in love, I felt so much passion, desire and true meaning of a strong real love, exactly like that I have never felt while watching any drama in my entire life.
What is it that makes this drama so different from others and that makes me to write and feel like this? Well, when you start to watch you see that there are some guy who is a popular playboy and very handsome, and you see some girl who is very shy, artistic and doesn't talk to anyone. So at first you think this is going to be some cliche romance drama with the plot you have seen so many times. But you're wrong. Sooo wrong. Because already in the second part of the first episode you see that it's different, that you've got some strange feeling inside your body which tells you this is going to be something amazing. There is no some twisted mystery plot, no birth secrets, no rich handsome boss and poor cute girl, no love triangles, no annoying people and yelling all the time. The attraction between the characters begins right away, and they are what make this drama.
And the story begins.
Of course I'm not going to tell the story 'cause you have that already in the description of the drama, but what I'm going to tell is that this is the most beautiful and the strongest love story ever. Literally. I mean two young people trying to face and struggle with their pasts, their fears, their tragic and sad experiences and finding solace in one another. And they succeed in that. Because they simply fell in love. Honestly. Truly. They helped one another to face with all difficulties and overcome everything with the strength and power of real love. Vic and Barbie have done amazing job,they had amazing intense chemistry all the time, I really admire them, they are really very talented and fantastic actors. I think it is very hard to play a role where your character is psychological damaged and where the character is in some hand a little bit crazy with many problems and issues in the head and in the heart. I don't need to say that Vic became my favourite actor, actually in my top 5. ;-) And his character is the best ever, I fell in love with his hair, his style, his bike, his attitude, I like it very much that he is not perfect, he has so many flaws and that's why he became my favourite character in the whole dramaland.
Also, the character of Tong Dao is such an amazing addition to the already dark, depressed and psycho feeling. Oh my God, do you know how I love his character? Not in some positive way, it's just I think that he perfectly fits in here with his twisted and creepy behavior and you'll see why. An Jun Can was a genius in this drama, I was so scared of him in some scenes, great really.
Music- no words, just listen. I still shiver and tremble and still in my mind are the songs from MARS. Especially the opening song, MASTERPIECE.
So, in the end only to say that YOU HAVE TO WATCH MARS, IT'S A MUST WATCH DRAMA and you'll definitely won't be the same after watching. At least you gonna fall in love with Vic (or Barbie) and you gonna enjoy in beautiful music if you don't like the drama. But honestly there's no way you not gonna like it.
All I know that I became a little obsessed with characters from MARS and literally played some scenes more times than once because the conversations between them are so precious and intelligent, I enjoyed in every detail. DRAMA MASTERPIECE. Oh yeah did I say that kiss scenes are so hot, sexy and so natural and real? I felt like I was with them in drama in their intimate moments and kissing them all the way. ;-)

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This is basically my review from Dramacrazy, just edited (and extended LOL) slightly ^^

This drama is such a compelling watch. It delves into subjects such as mental illnesses, rape, and suicide, not usually shown in dramas. This drama pulls you in and makes you think about life and love. This is the story of Chen Ling (Vic Zhou) and Han Qi Luo (Barbie Xu). They meet and are instantly pulled towards each other, but before they can ever be together, they both must face their pasts.

I loved every piece of this drama. It was definitely one of the best I've seen in years. The depth with which character is played out really amazes me. They take a moment and bring it to a whole new level, a lot of the time without speaking a single word. On the surface, it may look like any other love story, but it is so much more than that. It digs into the very core of what it means to be a human. MARS touches your heart and makes you think.

I've watched this drama multiple times and each time it never failed to make me cry. There was something just about Mars that stayed with me and I don't think I'll ever forget it.

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This drama got me out of a drama slump. It was very gritty and down to earth. There was a lot of true life issues. Sometimes watching a show without a lot of fluff is a good thing.

I enjoyed how the little things were solved quickly. We wern't agonizing over the ex-girlfriend for 4 episodes. One was enough.

There was redemption,friendship, true love, and forgiveness. All the things a good drama calls for.

At first I thought it was going to drag. Come on 21 episodes?? I am going to be fast forwarding I just know it! You don't. Each installment is fast paced, and you never feel the need to click forward.

The acting was wonderful. Vic and Barbie were outstanding. Megan and Jie Kie were great supporting cast. Loved them.

Watch it. You won't regret it!!

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I thought the story was amazing! It was a very intense & beautiful love about two very different broken people slowly healing each other, A painfully shy artist and a popular playboy find a soulmate in each other. It was very deep & touching and i can say i really loved it and it has become one of my favourites, The only flaw was i just didn't like the athmosphere to the drama, It was kinda creepy and unnerving at some parts, Which maybe was the fact there was very little music or the fact that i've had a similar experience to barbies character but i still managed to finish it in one day because it's that amazing. If you're looking for a lighthearted bubbly drama this is not for you, But if you're looking for a deep intense real romance than watch it.

Another reason i found this unnerving at some parts is maybe due to the fact there was alot of deep real life issues such as rape, suicide, abuse, murder, mental illness etc which is very rare for an asian drama but it put them all together so good, it had alot of things that does actually happen in this world which i did like because it shows that not everyones life is amazing, That alot of people go through so much but it shows that no matter what you go through you can still find happiness, Also maybe i'm just a dreamer but after finishing this it gives me hope that maybe someday no matter how damaged i am, I will find someone that loves me for me and loves all of me as much as Linq & Qi Luo love each other :)

As i said there isn't much music but i loved the opening song, It was beautiful. I do reccomend this drama to people, I think this is a drama everyone should watch, It's one of a kind but beware that it's quite dark and deep, Yes there is a few parts that will make you laugh but really overall it's not funny, Also there is a few parts that may even freak you out lol

Overall i gave this a 9, Mainly because the story is beautiful & touching and barbie & vic had such great chemistry that it was so believable, The only thing that stoped me from giving a 10 is as i said the athmosphere, I am really picky when it comes to that,But then again I watched it online which unlike korean dramas, Taiwanese are pretty bad quality, So maybe if it was on dvd the athmosphere may appear better, but i do admit that the more you watch of it the less creepy it becomes, You might feel like giving it up in the first 3 or 4 episodes because it's quite dark but if you hang on it will become a little less unnerving and more amazing, anyway i would really recommend this drama, Don't let the athmosphere stop you from seeing this amazing & beautiful drama, I definitely agree with those that say it's one of the best dramas that has ever come out of taiwan, It has a genre of it's own. I certainly do not regret watching it :) and i would so watch it again, In fact i'm thinking of buying it on dvd and If you managed to read all of my ranting then you should watch Mars too.
Watch it, This amazing real drama will not waste your time, You won't regret it!

Edit: I just rewatched this drama again a few months ago and i must say i found the the atmosphere wasnt unnerving anymore so im finally gonna give it a 10 :)

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Wow where do I begin with this drama?

Well let's start with the fact that this drama ought to be deemed as a CLASSIC in dramaland. It is not classical in the way in which it is filled with accidental kisses and nonsensical tragedies but it is classical in the way that all the emotions involved and expressed in the drama were universals. They were still relevant to me as a viewer despite the fact that the drama was created TEN years, a decade ago. Oh did I mention that this drama pulled me out of a slump and has become a trigger for my recent Taiwanese drama obsession phase? Anyways, the psychological states, questions, and statements of Qi Lou, Chen Ling, and Sheng were so interesting and were webbed beautifully on-screen.
From the story to acting, everything was top-notch and amazing. The story managed to put hardcore issues such as rape, suicide, and mental illness without over dramatizing them. The directing and producing was superb. The acting of Barbie and ZaiZai were off the charts and they had steaming chemistry as two very hurt individuals in society. Megan Lai, Xie Jie Kai, and An Jun Can played their supporting roles with dimension and grace. An Jun Can's character is solid, creepy, hopeless, and intelligent. He really will make you think and doubt many things.
The music was well-fitted into the drama especially Alan Kuo's Ling. Sometimes the lyrics matched exactly as the situation on-screen, enhancing the scenes.
Lastly, from my personal opinion, this is a drama I would definitely re-watch. There is just something about this drama that will just pull you in even if you know what is going to happen.Plus I'm a sucker for Vic Zhou's acting so the rating is a little biased hehe

Overall, whether your a new watcher or an old watcher like me, you will come to adore this drama.

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Story-10/10
When I watched this series, the character I was most drawn to was the female lead. There was something unusual about her that I couldn't figure out. Every episodes the writer would drop hints here and there, but I wasn't able to put the puzzles together until it was revealed. The second half of the series focused on the main guy past. Anyway, I enjoyed the entire series very much. I watched every episodes because I was intrigues with the storyline. The romance blended in perfectly in this drama too. Definitely the director, writer, producer, and the casts deserve recognition for this great series.

Some viewers complained about the soundtrack in this series. I, on the hand, enjoyed the soundtrack in this series and thought it suited the drama perfectly.

Would I recommend this series? Since this series focus on serious real life circumstances, I would only recommend for adult or mature viewers only.

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I usually find it difficult to watch shows that deal with heavy subject matters, and for the most part prefer sillier, light-hearted drama/comedies. So I was surprised how much I enjoyed MARS. I stumbled across MARS when looking for live-action manga/anime, and thought I'd give it a shot.

I liked how it leapt right into the story, with the introduction of the two main characters. Then we got to meet supporting characters, whose stories interested me also. The chemistry between Ling and Qi Luo was amazing, and I love how their relationship slowly developed. I really enjoyed the little things that made the characters endearing to me, like when Ling annoys Qi Luo in class, trying to get her attention. The relationship develops at a realistic pace, with the facades and defences of each slowly disappearing, and their true natures and vulnerabilities revealed.

I became emotionally invested in these characters, and to me that is a sign of good acting and writing. I cried several times throughout, and just when I thought surely nothing else could possibly happen to these people, something did. But there was still that sense of hope, that they could overcome everything with each other's support.

So, an emotional roller-coaster, but well worth watching, and just as good to re-watch.

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This is my favourite Asian drama, I'd seen many before watching this, and I've seen even more after finishing this, but no one comes close to Mars.

First thing first, Mars isn't a fluffy feel good drama, it handles serious issues like rape and suicide.

If you do decide to watch it, it has an amazing storyline, the good girl and bad boy meet and fall in love, but there are many more layers to their characters than one would expect.
The best thing js that both characters show growth, it isn't just the guy or the girl changing, they both grow together.

The performances of Vic Zhou and Barbie Hsu are so good that at times I had to remind myself that they were just acting... also there chemistry is just out of this world good!

The music is good, and the fact that there are instances where it isn't used adds to the scenes.

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STORY------ 10/10

I find this story very interesting, I like the fact that the writer actually adapted most of the scenes from the original Japanese manga (MARS by Furumi Soryo, 1996, if you haven't read it yet I recommend that too you'll be amazed at the resemblance) back to the story line one of the scenes that I was pointing it were the opening where Qi Lo and Ling met and a lot more I won't be a spoiler. It's unpredictable in some way, I kind of didn't know how the story will unfold and what is background of each character until it was revealed in the series itself. The topics touched in this series is a very complicated mix, highly dramatic from family problems to even as grave as rape and suicide. Although it still had some of the usual cliches, I'm giving it a 10.

ACTING/CAST ------10/10

This is a turnaround from how I first saw Barbie and Vic (Meteor Garden) she still had the same hair though, I like the timid side of Barbie and the more arrogant yet lost soul Vic was in this drama. I think he also gained weight here, which is better. The other supporting roles were great.

MUSIC -----10/10

I love the soundtrack,very well placed songs, if it's a cute lovey dovey scene you'll feel the lightness of the scene from the song. If it's those scary psycho turnarounds, It's scary alright. Just listen to it and the intro Very STRONG SONG.

REWATCH VALUE ------ 10/10

I'm giving this a high rewatch value, you just get pulled by the drama. The love for the characters and that Ducati man it's just nice to watch over again, even the struggles that they have it gets you back to see it again.

OVERALL ------ 10/10

Overall it's a 10! although it's a bit old considering it was aired 2004, it's still a great all in all. Something highly recommended.



I hope this is helpful enough for you guys :)

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I absolutely loved this drama. I have found that the Taiwanese actors/actresses don't usually display the emotions of their characters very well but this drama floored me. I loved the way each character was portrayed. The rxns of the characters were right on & were believable. I wish that Tong Dae was a little more inappropriate in his rxns but he was believable in that he was trying to display normal rxns to fool the ppl around him. This drama seemed to question if murders r born naturally or born from circumstance.



I don't know how ne1 could not enjoy watching this drama, but I am sure that if u don't like to look at the tragic side of life & the struggle to live through it, then u will not like this drama. My wisdom of the day is: U r only a victim if u act like 1.

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