MARS (2004)

In retrospect, if I was to analyze every single technical detail about Mars and view it as a logical cynic would, I'm sure I wouldn't give it such a high rating. But as it happens, more often than not, the matters of heart take precedence over those of the mind. Even though it had its flaws, how could I possibly give this brilliant story which had numerous powerful moments, a lesser rating? I simply can't.

Mars isn't made to impress the audience with the sparkle of a big production, instead It is made to move people. It's low budget, old and simple. Which is what makes it all the more impactful. It shines light on the ugly side of humankind. There are many things that people try to hide under rugs and make vanish out of sight but Mars drags them all out and exposes them for all to see. It highlights the crazy in everyone. But most importantly, it's an empowering story of finding the light, acceptance and hope. It assures that even if your beginning is tragic, your ending doesn't have to be. Mars doesn't romanticize mental illness and abuse, rather it delivers an honest portrayal of these issues and offers no excuses. At surface it seems like just another cliche good girl/bad boy story but when you dig a little you discover that there are layers upon layers of meaningful themes disguised under.

Chen Ling was a beautiful man. And I'm not talking about his gorgeous hair, heavenly dimples and angelic face, rather, I'm talking about his beautiful personality. He was such a tortured soul who was so broken and so lost and yet, when he loved he loved deeply. He was loyal, kind, affectionate and brave. There were so many shades and so much color to his character. He laughed so freely; with a childlike glee and always joked around, painting a picture of how he was just a reckless slacker. But at the same time, when he was serious, his cruel eyes and ruthless expression sent chills up my arms. His tears were always so touching and when he was heart broken it showed on his face. His "bitch please" face made me laugh countless of times. And there was that bitter chuckle when he realized that the world had gone and fucked him over once again.

There was much darkness in him, yet, he managed to radiate innocence. He was so charismatic and magnetic that you couldn't help but be drawn to him. Nowadays, bad boys are extremely over-hyped in stories, there is usually more talk than walk about how the protagonist is so badass, but Chen Ling was the real deal. He was bad to the bone with a side of crazy. He could be scary, beyond morals and a little heartless but beneath it all, there was a heart made of platinum that was purely good. I think Vic Chou did the acting of the century in this drama. He mastered every emotion and displayed it perfectly. Which is why, I find it so absurd that his role in Mars isn't as well-known as it should've been.

Then comes Qui-Lou. Anybody who knows me, knows that I can't tolerate bumbling and weak heroines which is why in the beginning Qui-Lou's easy tears and meek voice really grated on my nerves. However, as the drama progressed I started to see her for who she really was; a sophisticated, mature and intelligent woman. She had gone through so much and yet, she found the courage to face it. She had so much empathy and she was tough in her own way. A lot of people were saying that her transition from a quiet presence to a talkative person was very brutal, but I couldn't disagree more, for she retained her shyness till the end and there weren't any drastic changes at all, instead, you gradually saw her become more brave and able to voice her opinion. It was an amazing message on how you can make new beautiful memories to drown the horrible ones and anyone who thinks otherwise, needs to frankly eat shit.

At the start, I thought Barbie wasn't really acting at all because I barely saw her expression change except for the redundant quivering of lips when Qui-Lou was seen breaking down for the millionth of time but after a while, I saw the subtle changes in her demeanor and realized what a phenomenal actor Barbie really was. She was completely in sync with the character and she changed and became stronger as Qui-Lou's wounds healed. It showed that she really did give it all for this role. There were so many powerful scenes that made your heart hurt and a lesser actress would have failed to deliver the emotion.

The relationship dynamic between the two protagonists was outstanding. Going into the series I was a little miffed by what seemed like insta-love on their part but I was proved wrong as I watched more and more. They were two complex people who were attracted towards each other for their own different reasons, they evolved together and licked at each others wounds. They were willing to sacrifice so much for the other and their love was completely unconditional. Even though together they were fearless, what I found so refreshing was that their world didn't revolve solely around each other. They were independent people with their own individual standing who grew stronger in each other's company.

What I also loved about this drama was that besides the main characters, the supporting roles were great too. I know that the actress who plays Qing-Mei is very successful but unfortunately for some reason before this, she always rubbed me the wrong way, due to which I had dropped a lot of dramas she had starred in, however I thought she played her part excellently here. She's so savage, yet sweet and warm. Da-ye is also a complete cutie and I felt happy whenever he came onscreen.
Other characters left noticeable impressions on me too. Tong Dao was fascinating. Qui-Lou's mother was an unredeemable bitch and the stepfather was too pathetic to put in words.

I loved how the characters always spoke in such light and sombre tones which made the gravity of the serial more prominent. And the music was added on the perfect moments to make everything more influential. The OST ( Ling-Zero) is one of the best soundtracks ever made. It's hauntingly deep and even though I didn't understand a single lyric, the tune and the singer's melancholic voice made me feel serene.

Mars deals with serious issues like rape, suicide and mental health and it gives a raw exposure to all that isn't pretty. It isn't a drama that's going to make you cry or heave with emotion but it's definitely something that will move you to a certain extent. Despite the horrible quality and the less than mediocre direction, you'd still be compelled to watch episode after episode.

I am not gonna say that this is something you can watch again and again because its beauty is in watching it only once and enjoying it to the max but I will say, that it is one of those horribly under-rated dramas that are a must if you want to truly experience the whole Asian Drama scene.

P.S: People who've read the manga say that they didn't like the show or that they decided not to watch it in the first place. However, maybe it is just one of those "you like whatever you watch first" sort of situations but I started reading the manga alongside the show, and believe you me, it's absolute trash. Kira and Rei are wholly one-dimensional characters and the parts that were so heart-touching in the drama came out extremely bland in the manga. So, don't feel wary of the drama, if you didn't like the manga. 'Cause I can vow it's better and more well-developed.

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One thing I can say about Taiwanese dramas and I'm just going to put it out there, they tend to do romances better than Korean dramas. Sure, there are exceptions but the more that I watch, the more that I come to this conclusion. This was a GREAT story from start to finish!! 21 episodes and I was never bored!! It took us from the very start of a relationship, to the end. It shows the conflict, very well done as well as the happy times! The chemistry between the two leads, Barbie Hsu and Vic Zhou, off the charts!! The protagonists were many but unlike Korean dramas, those story lines were not dragged out to the end, I hate that!! I especially liked how the secondary characters, Da Ye and Qing Mei were portrayed. We got to watch their story and relationship evolve and you can't help but love that too!! This drama deserves high ratings and the I will definitely be re-watching it and recommending it to my drama buddies!! If you want a really, well-done romance to watch, this is it! Guarantee!!

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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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I personally think this drama is highly overrated. The script is ridiculous in its extremities, and while I know most people don't watch dramas because of their closeness to reality, this was just a little much.

There was never a main plot or driving force. Mostly it seemed like the writers were just trying to find as many ways as possible for our leads to be miserable. Honestly, I've never seen so many psychotic antagonists in my life. Like everyone was LEGIT crazy. And they just kept coming out of nowhere, showing up randomly.

Character development was also incredibly flawed when it came to side characters. Their relationships had little to no foundation and often went unexplained. Somehow in a matter of minutes sworn-enemies began acting like life-long friends and the audience was just forced to accept it.

This drama's only strong point was its OTP and having actors like Barbie and Zhou be able to convincingly sell the characters. Even though I went throughout this entire drama scratching my head wondering how much worse it could become, I couldn't stop watching this drama for the sole reason that I loved seeing these two actors on screen together. Their chemistry is fabulous and it's easy to see how they began dating after the drama.

While Mars was definitely entertaining at times, and definitely solid when it came to romance, the script was a HOT MESS, and for that reason I gave it a low rating.

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I had this drama in my ptw list for so long I don't even remember how many YEARS it had been since then. I finally gave it a try because of the good comments I continuously read about it. AND OMFG I LOVED IT.
There's something so true, every scene was so deep, so real, pure, overwhelming,.. I really can't describe it. I really FELT it. It was so intense.
It's an amazing drama that I would highly recommend. I think it's not for a young audience since the themes and mood are quite serious though (in the end I'm glad I watched it now and not when I was 15 or so).
I'm sure I'll rewatch it in a few years!

OST is amazing (especially the opening song just look for it I swear), acting is flawless, story is touching and real... beautiful leads is just a plus.


*Definitely a must-see drama!!*

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Mars is an incredibly deep series. From the series very name to the two protagonists in the series, it provides more than just the whimsical fluff.

The storyline, acting and editing is so relatable that you see the everyday struggles of life within yourself and your partner without it bogging you down. Especially love how it subtly shows that good in people can come from many-a adversities, if one's willing to do so, all said and done without being preachy.

It's a big recommend if you're big into understanding different shades of life, the bright & flashy like his and the seemingly dull but peaceful like hers.

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All these years have passed I still come back to rewatching this drama over and over again. I just love it, it's still very mesmerizing to watch even though I know what will happen and can practically remember the lines.  The story, the music and the cast were all A+ in my books and I would recommend this to everyone. The main characters just had so much charisma and chemistry with each other that made this series that much better to be watching. You would be laughing with them or crying with them as you watch how their lives turn out. It really is a top notch series.  

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I took me a while to actually finish the drama all the way through because either I didn't have the time or I couldn't go to the next episode because I was too scared to find out what happens next. But don't get me wrong. It's an amazing drama, it's just the issues that the drama presented was making me cry so much that I need to watch something else for a while. I marathon this all the way through finally and it's a beautiful story to tell, but it's for a mature audience.

The story was done really well. I didn't read the whole manga, but I started reading it after a couple of years starting this drama for the first time. So I can't compare the manga & I won't, Since it's this drama's turn to shine and be talked about. It dragged a tiny bit, but it didn't really affect the flow of the story.

The characters were really fleshed out to.me. Barbie Xsu & Vic Zhou had amazing chemistry. Well, they were dating at the time. I think this is Barbie Xsu best role she has gotten, I only watched a few of her works so. . yeah. She potrayed her character very well, to the point where I thought I was see her character, not the actress. I felt her emotions as I was watching her performance. It takes guts to take a role like this(watch this to find out why I say so if you haven't seen it yet). Vic Zhou was amazing as well. I think this is the 2nd best role he played. He's gotten a lot of mature roles, but this was when he was starting out with his mature role image(I think). I felt his anger, sadness, his fear and his love her Barbie's character. I couldn't stand Maghan Lai's character at all, she scared the living crap out of me sometimes in the beginning of the drama. But I'm glad that she didn't stay that way for too long. I could really care for Xie Kai's character, becuase he was overshadowed by the leads & the plot, but he also had less screen time than any of the leads in the drama.

The opening and ending themes were the best in the drama. There were a couple bgms where they set the mood, but it wasn't very memorable.


I the re-watch is low because I have watched it all the way through twice & it was so hard to watch a second time. It took me a while to actually finish this drama from beginning to end because I was so hard to watch some of the parts in the drama.

Overall, I recommmend it if you like mature themes & melodramas. Also if you want to watch how Taiwan takes on melodramas, then this drama is the start for you.

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