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Family, love, friendship, forgiveness and understanding
I usually never write a review, because I think that others would write what I think. But this is different. This drama is funny, romantic, heartbreaking but healing. It heals you. It teaches you that blood relationships mean nothing when it comes to family.I first started watching this drama solely for the actors. But I found myself loving the story more than the actors (which by the way were awesome).
They each had their own struggles and difficulties, but they overcame it. During this process, they learned new things. Learned to love. Learned that they deserve to be loved. Learned to forgive.
To whomever that is reading this before watching it. I promise you, you will not regret watching this.
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Watch this before you die.
From the very first episode, the presence and absence of families was highlighted. The show focused on how relationships can change based on hasty actions. Blood relations do not matter but are forced to matter at the same time.The reality of asian households was so perfectly shown that I could relate to every single one of them. The love between the bunch of friends was deeper than most of their families.
Not only the main characters but the supporting ones too had all my love. Parents. Family. Friends. We know them so well.
Tan Can's and Mingyue's problems and confrontations with their parents moved me to the core. But in the end, no matter how upset one gets, they love the ones who raised them. I have never seen such a realistic portrayal of the relationships betweens parents and children.
The truth about mental difficulties people face due to familial pressure was something I never expected to see. Props to the writers and producers.
The cast did an outstanding job. I have utmost respect for them as actors. Especially Steven Zhang and the actor who played his Ba. The actress who played Qi Mingyue was just as amazing.
I wish this drama never ended, I could keep watching it forever. It's one of those dramas that seems boring, and too sad for your taste from the outside. In reality it's a gem.
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Perfectly Executed Slice of Life Drama
Fellow drama watchers, this is one of the best Chinese dramas or just dramas in general of all time in my humble opinion. It is a *must watch*. This is a true slice of life drama where every viewer can relate to at least one of the characters in some way. I just finished rewatching the entire drama and I cried/laughed/smiled all over again. I'm a huge fan of romcoms and whenever a drama is recommended to me, I always ask if there is romance bc if there isn't, I don't even want to start watching. My follow up question then becomes when does the romance start because if it starts too late I have no interest. I'm so glad I casted aside my prejudice and watched this drama. This drama has romance and it can be defined as a slow burn but it is so so so much more than just romance.Chinese dramas, esp these longer ones at 40 episodes, usually have filler episodes or moments that you just want to skip. But in Go Ahead, every scene is thoughtfully placed and has meaning. After more emotional scenes, a light hearted scene is inserted to make the viewers taste some sweetness after such bitter moments.
The acting from every single individual is absolutely stellar, from kids to adults, from supporting actors to main leads. This entire cast was made for this drama and they really delivered. A lot of the scenes, esp with the main leads made me question if it was was even scripted or just ad libbed. Everything feels natural and it almost makes me feel as though I am just an outsider looking into these people's lives.
Highly recommend everyone to watch this as it teaches all of us a lesson on misunderstanding, courage, acceptance, guilt, friendship, judgement, mental/physical illness, family, unconditional love and basically to just "go ahead" and live your own life.
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Starts strong, Falls flat in the end
Ok, so I am convinced that this drama was written by someone with severe mommy issues. Seriously every mum on this show was a piece of work!!The dads on the other hand (the 2 main ones) are everything a Drama parent should be! Especially the Female Leads dad: Parent Goals!!
If I were to score this show based on the episodes 1-11 then it would have been a perfect 10. Never I have I ever fell for characters so quickly or understood their actions more than here. Unfortunately for this drama there were 29 episodes after that… Once we came to present day and everyone returned from abroad, the story started to drag, the love triangles, rectangles, pentagons showed up and the show lost its spark and uniqueness.
Although in all fairness they tried to resolve everything quickly and without much angst. The story dragged so much at some point that it took me over a week to finish the last 5 episodes and on the last 3 the show was on mute playing in the background!
For me the weakest part of the story was the ML. From the actor, whose acting left a lot to be desired (I am sorry but all I saw was a pretty face and nothing more) to the character himself whose feelings towards the Fl were those of obsession and not love. Also there was no romantic chemistry between him and the FL and their interactions were just awkward!
Apart from him, everyone else’s acting was exceptional, very raw and realistic. The side characters were likable and relatable.
Another thing I din not like was that they gave “closure” to characters the audience did not really care for and kind of left us wondering as to what happened to our favourites.
All in all this is certainly one of the best modern day dramas out there that for the most part touches on issues that many young people might go through.
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My favorite family drama
The story has everything, laugh, emotion, tears and troubles. I just finished watching . I cant believe I cried every single episode. Every cast fits their role. Superb and great acting! Kudos to all the staff!Good thing that WeTV uploaded this in full episode for free. Totally love this series!!
I love how Seven Tan acted on this drama . I have watched her other dramas before like Fox Summer, Under the Power etc . And this is my favorite family drama .Shes a versatile actress who can do every role . Imagine . She portrayed as their little sister but in reality shes the oldest among the three actor ! I love her!Shes so cute!
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heartwarming family drama
This was probably the best drama i've seen all year. So endearing and wholesome family dynamic (the main family of 5). The dynamic between the 5 family members is so heartwarming and there were so many emotional scenes. This series definitely made me emotionally invested, the plot, characters, and acting were all superb.Speaking of casting, SongWeiLong has been one of my favorite actors for a long time but I have never seen the other two main leads. I loved the casting as well as the super natural sibling/family dynamic. The sibling bond between the three is so strong it makes me envious T^T The characters were so well-written and everything was an emotional rollercoaster. I'd be laughing my head off in one scene and be sobbing so hard within minutes of the next scene.
I definitely recommend this drama to those who are looking for some quality character development, family bonding, and romance content. I'm super glad that I finally binged this series and I highly recommend watching it. The OST is by far one of the best I've heard yet.
This drama also represents a handful of Chinese family dynamics, which is always appreciated, it has a lot of relation to Chinese culture and the way that we are brought up as children. I think that this is what really makes this drama special--aside from the character relations and ever-changing plot. This drama is similar to the kdrama Reply series but also highlights a lot of Chinese cultural differences which is always eye-openiing.
HUUUGE props to the director, screenwriter, cast, and production team. this is definitely deserving 10/10 stars. one of the best acting as well as screenplay i've seen in so long~
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A unique story and family that entails the simplest and truths and lessons.
Go Ahead is one of the very few heartwarming dramas that contains an ocean of life lessons waiting for us to discover and explore. It's funny, sad, relatable, loving, and just amazing overall. Unlike many other dramas, the little moments, movements, dialogues, silences, photos, or even just the picture of the family of 5 eating together at a tiny round table in their small, yet cozy apartment, can touch a person's heart to the deepest core. It doesn't overwhelm the audiences with lavish and extravagant settings or overly dramatic scenes. Instead, it has the most simplest and most common background that reaches out to the audiences deeply. I've never seen a Chinese drama that has a plot like this before, and so far, no other Chinese drama has been able to make me cry as much as this one, make me feel relatable to the characters as much as this one, and touch me as much as this one.**Story**:
Since there is already a synopsis above, I'm not going to write another detailed summary of the drama. However, there are some things I do want to mention. Go Ahead is about three separate families, in which each family is different from the normal family we see today. Why? Because the children of the families don't have a strong motherly figure in their lives. Three broken families, three children, and two fathers come together to become one big family. Go Ahead shows what it takes to be a family. It doesn't require the same family name or blood relationships, but it does require love, in addition to care, compassion, patience, humor, understanding, embracing, empathy, sympathy, and time spent with one another. The drama really makes viewers contemplate on the simplest ideas of life. It teaches one to cherish every moment with your family, to cherish every meal you eat together, and to be grateful for everything in life. The relationship between the one big family formed is so strong, heartwarming, and most importantly, it is pure.
**Acting/Cast**:
Li Haichao (Actor: Tu Song Yan 涂松岩): the umbrella of the family. Li Haichao is very different from the Asian parents we often see (I'm Chinese so I understand). He's so loving, compassionate, and always has a warm smile on his face. His love for his three children is as vast and deep as the ocean, and he's willing to do anything for them. He loves cooking meals for his kids, for he believes that a meal with love will make them feel better and let them know that there is someone who loves them even after everything they have gone through. The actor Tu Songyan did so wonderful with portraying this character and I believe that no other actor was made for this role. You can see the love for his children in his eyes, the pain when he sees and thinks about what his children had to go through, and his loving smile that embraces them all.
Ling Heping (Actor: Zhang Xilin 张晞临) is the father of Ling Xiao. He is a police officer and is often super busy, always at work. Although he might not be the best father, he definitely had a huge change as time went on. He loved all three of his children and despite him also being heartbroken after his daughter died, he, unlike his wife, stayed by Ling Xiao's side. His chemistry with Li Haichao is definitely one of the highlights of the story, and the comedy between them really lights up the drama. Zhang Xilin did excellent with this character.
Ling Xiao (Actor: Song Weilong 宋威龙) perhaps has one of the most heartbreaking stories. Many viewers of the drama are more empathetic towards He ZiQiu, but for some reason, Ling Xiao and his story hit me the most. His younger sister died in front of him after she choked on some walnuts that he fed her. His mother blamed and hit him for this, calling him a murderer or a killer. He was a child then. He witnessed his own mother leaving him and for a while, he couldn't even eat a peaceful and happy dinner with his family...that is until he met Li JianJian and her dad. Ling Xiao is a very closed up character that contains some of the darkest and saddest memories that continue to torment him and break him apart. However, as Li JianJian enters his life, his character starts to open up some more, and we soon see how important Jian Jian is in his life for she is his only sunshine. Song Weilong is the perfect actor for this character since he has a very stone face and when you look at his eyes in the drama, they're like deep pools of pain, confusion, and trauma. He really did amazing with this despite his young age!
He Ziqiu (Actor: Zhang Xincheng or Steven Zhang 张新成) is once again, one of characters with a heartbreaking story. His father left him before he was born, and his mother also abandoned him at a young age. Li Haichao and Li Jianjian become the only family in his life which is soon followed by Ling Xiao and his father. Ever since he was young, he was always the hardest worker, always helping in the family and putting everything on his back. He was willing to do anything for his family and had to face the challenges of being separated from them, working and living in a foreign place, and living with his father that abandoned him at first...for an entire 9 years. Li Jianjian is also the sunshine in his life, but more of a sisterly way. Steven Zhang, a veteran actor (I consider), did mind-blowing with this character. You could see his change from student to adult, and his scenes with his mother really break your heart. His crying scenes are so natural like they are real. I'm forever in awe by his acting.
Li Jian Jian (Actress: Tan Songyun or Seven Tan 谭松韵) is, like mentioned before, the sunshine of the family. Or should I say, the "gas station" of the family (as mentioned in the drama). “加油” (jiayou) is a phrase used in Chinese to encourage someone to keep going and not give up. It also means to get more fuel. The entire family, the two fathers and the two elder brothers, all get their "fuel" from this ball of sunshine in order to continue in life. Jianjian is the glue that holds the family together (well, in addition to her dad, Li Haichao). Even though she's funny and jokes around, she once also suffered from the pain of losing her mother but she hides it and decides to share happiness, sunshine, and optimism with everyone around her instead. She has a gift of sculpting and drawing which she also uses to make others around her happy. Jianjian perhaps has the biggest character change in the show, for she goes from a young, immature, naive, innocent 16-year old to a mature, patient, and understanding adult, ready to face the challenges of life. I cannot think of a better actress to fulfill this role, and despite Seven Tan being already around 30 during this show, she did a phenomenal job. You couldn't even tell she was 30 when she acted as a teenager. Mind-blowing.
The Mothers:
- Chen Ting (Actress: Yang TongShu 杨童舒): Mother of Ling Xiao. Never have I ever wanted to punch someone so bad yet want to give a hug to. When she left her son, attempted to come back, and tortured her son mentally with her toxicity, I was about to throw my device across the room. But she has gone through a lot. She lost her daughter due to her gambling one day, and she's constantly being tormented by the guilt inside of her. She doesn't know how to deal with these feelings which leads to her literally almost going crazy. Later on, she lost her 2nd husband in a car crash, and she lost her health. Of course, none of these are excuses for her to blame her son, leave her son, and then continue to affect him negatively. Her character made everyone mad, so needless to say, the actress did a wonderful job portraying her. It's not easy to act as a villain...and that good of a villain.
- Ming Yue's mother (Actress: Has WenTing)郝文婷: the typical asian mother tiger. She wants the best for her daughter, so she believes that the path she laid out for her daughter would be the best for her. She expects high grades (#1) from her daughter and wants her to follow her on what she says about school, work, marriage, and everything else. Little does she know, however, none of what she planned was what her daughter wanted. Despite problems arising from this, her daughter grows up and becomes her life. Their story is very touching as well for it is a prime example of many families in China.
- He Mei (Actress: Yuan Ran 苑冉): He ZiQiu's Mother. She has a story. At first, she seems like another evil mother, only having money and luxury in her eyes. However, towards the end, once you hear her story, you will see that she is a mother too, and she had her own challenges. Perhaps then you will sympathize towards her as I did.
Lastly, I want to commend the child actors for Li Jianjian, He Ziqiu, and Ling Xiao. They truly amazed me with their natural acting skills, especially at such a young age. At first you don't want them to grow up, but after they do, all is left is betterness waiting for us to see. The side characters were amazing as well, and the friendships developed were admirable. Also, it may seem like a drama full of sadness and all, but let me tell you, this drama has some of the funniest scenes you will ever see. It's a perfect balance of happiness and sadness. Like a candy that can be sour and sweet;)
**Personal thoughts**:
Some people have kids because they expect their children to take care of them once they grow old. Some have kids because they are useful: to take over family companies or to receive the family's heir. Some parents want the best for their children, but their way of doing it might be wrong which might lead to rebellious children or serious problems. Li Haichao's way of parenting sets a really good example for he wants the best for his children and believed that allowing them to walk forward towards their own dreams was the best. Him and Ling Heping were the light behind their three children, ready to embrace them whenever they needed a comfort from the brutal reality called life. The little moments of them eating hotpot together at a little round table in their tiny but cozy apartment were super heartwarming. Li Haichao gazing at his children with the fatherly love in his eyes was enough to make a viewer tear up.
**Life Lessons/What I have earned from this drama**:
1. Cherish your time with your family. Starting now, be respectful towards them and do more for your parents that truly love you. They do so much for you; maybe we can start doing something for them.
2. I loved how the drama was overly dramatic or gave the characters the most expensive clothing and such. It was a little apartment, simple clothing, a little restaurant, a pot, a pan, some pictures on the wall...the simplest things that brought the most happiness. But what was the happiness? The love, care, compassion, understanding, and mutual comfort between the family members. It teaches us that we don't need the best car, the most luxurious house, the most fashionable clothing, the most money to be happy. A family dinner together, a piece of candy, some ice cream, a hug, a smile can bring more happiness than the others listed above.
3. Patience. Patience is the key to life.
**What some may DISLIKE**:
Later on, some romance starts to happen within the family. Some viewers didn't like the pure siblings bond turning into a romance kind of relationship. I was fine with it, and to be honest, I really liked the couple. Some on the other hand might not like it. In addition, there were definitely some cons here and there, but I choose to overlook them because of my love for this drama.
**Music**: Drama with one of the best OSTs
1. "Fearless 无畏": this is the song literally made for Ling Xiao. When I first heard this song and understood the lyrics, I cried...and I've never cried during a song before. The lyrics were so simple yet so touching. Some of my favorites that fit for Ling Xiao are: "Dear, sometimes I feel so tired. And when I'm lonely, I shed a tear as well...the taste of growing up...maybe you are like me, trying hard to forget...trying hard to grow up...still going despite feeling hesitant...life makes us fearless...". A true masterpiece.
2. "Rain 雨": this is the song literally made for He Ziqiu. He has a deep pain in his heart but he hides it from his family, just like what the lyrics state: "Tell me, how should I hide it? In this dark work, I slowly wipe the scars left behind from the storm. I turn myself into a stranger...after crying, I leave. If rain starts to pour down, then let me become the ocean...". I think that Li Jianjian is the ocean, catching all the tears shed from the family.
3. "I Will Stay Guard Here 我会守在这里": This is the song that describes the two fathers' feelings and emotions towards their children. They are sad that their children are growing up, facing their own challenges, and walking on their own and individual paths of life, but they are happy for them. They made it clear to their children that when they feel breathless from the brutality of life, they can always look back and run into the embraces of their fathers. It's a bitter sweet feeling.
I read an excellent comment on Youtube from a Chinese account that I believe summarizes the songs "Fearless" and "I Will Stay Guard Here" the best (translated): The opening song, "Fearless", is the words that the three children told themselves, the courage slowly picked up on the bumpy path of growth, the concern of pulling and supporting each other, the reconciliation of the past and the hope for the future. And the ending song "I Will Stay Guard Here" is the deep love of the two fathers for their children, a light that can be seen no matter how far they go. This drama uses an extraordinary family to tell the most ordinary moving (as in touching her heart), and the soundtrack is also excellent.
**Favorite Quotes**:
1. "When I was young, I never thought about separation. I always felt that time was slow, and I was always worried about when I would grow up. But time was lost in class, lost in a moment of joy, or in tears. At any time, there is an invisible hand, it is holding us, it is silent but not for a moment. Years go by in the blink of an eye, so similar, or else it's turbulent, but it's quietly changing."
2. "The dreams we often chase are sparkling and out of reach. They are stars, rainbows, and dewdrops rolling on white roses in the morning. They are on the other side of life, and on this side of life, adults are forced to survive. Helplessness, it is food, it is air, it is the tears that flowed silently at night."
3. "Growing up is an instant thing. When you turn 18, the law recognizes you as an adult, but that's not real growth. Real growth is an instant thing. At that moment your heart changed and you felt the weight of life. At that moment, you grew up quietly alone."
4. "One day, I suddenly discovered that separation is the normal state of life. Just like the seeds of dandelion, they grow wherever they fly. With new land and new friends, there will also be new dreams. "
5. "Simrock said: 'The grass of patience is bitter, but in the end it bears sweet and tender fruit.'"
**Rewatch**:
Some say that this drama or that drama aren't my cup of tea. This drama isn't a cup of tea. It's an entire pot of melting treasure. I highly highly recommend this drama; It's so different from the others. I will definitely go back to watch it because it's my comfort drama:)
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Good... almost great
Disclaimer: I watched the first 20 eps in full while the rest was mostly watched in the background.Nonetheless, I think this drama was pretty good and worth checking out. It has a family and romance focus. I did not love the idea of the brother-sister relationship turned romantic relationship; just not my thing, but it wasn't too hard to overlook it. Originally from the opening and ending theme songs, I thought this drama would center mainly around their highschool years, but thankfully, that wasn't actually the case, and it breezes over pretty quickly. I mainly stayed with this drama for its family storyline rather than the love story though.
I think the acting was great. However, Song Wei Long's acting was lacking a bit compared to his fellow actors; sometimes his acting just didn't feel natural. My absolute favorite duo in this drama was Steven Zhang (He Zi Qiu) and Luna Yuan (He Mei [Zi Qiu's mother]). As well as the child actor for young He Ze Qiu. They never failed to make me emotional and cry for them. As for the music, "Yu" by Shen Yicheng was a banger for sure. It always came in at the right moment and made me cry. The rest of the songs were good too but not that memorable. However, the reason why this drama is not a perfect 10 for me is that there are things that could be changed to make it better, and it didn't even captivate me for the whole 45 eps.... which isn't the drama's fault necessarily; I just have a terrible attention span.
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So Disappointed
This drama, to be perfectly honest, made me feel disgusting after I watched it. The best words I can use to describe are maybe ... incestuous? This could have been good. It really did have so much potential. I loved the first couple episodes. I loved the Dads, I loved the dynamic between the kids, I even loved the depressing backstories and painful scenes. When the kids grew up and were in high school I still enjoyed it. I felt like they did a good job of portraying teenagers who were figuring themselves out and trying to plan their futures and being shitty at it. I love coming of age stories. I thought this would be like A Love So Beautiful or Reply 1988.Boy was I wrong.
This drama goes from being an emotional, heart-warming family drama to being emotionally manipulative and rancid so quickly. Logic flies out the window, as do relatable emotions, as does self-respect from ANY of the characters (or basic human decency), and suddenly what was a sweet story becomes a bunch of patriarchal, tropey bullshit.
WHY would the two boys leave home for that long? It doesn't make logical sense and it makes their return feel like it's being built on lies. You're asking me to believe that they left home for almost a decade, didn't see their Dads (adopted or otherwise) for that ENTIRE time, never came home for a visit, nothing ... for no good reason? Because they were ashamed? Because they were busy? It felt like the writers were slapping me in the face for believing in the family dynamic they'd established with the first few episodes. What the hell was this?
Then, upon the two boys' return, I realize that they've both become controlling, immature, creepy, dickheads. They both have this fixation on the female lead, and seem convinced that they're both in love with her. In fact, they've both separately made these elaborate schemes to try to win her over in the future (for example, one 'brother's' career is baking, which he only got into because, apparently, she loves sweets? what the fuck??). The only positive with their meeting was that she didn't really want anything to do with them and found them both incredibly awkward. That was enjoyable. Them stalking her and pressuring her and guilting her... was not.
Things only went downhill from there. Both boys became more possessive, the drama got weirder, and I felt like I was watching two siblings kiss. The chemistry could have been there between the leads, but the complete bullshit story and creepy vibes just ruined everything for me. I couldn't even thirst after the hot main lead in peace!
So, yeah. I don't know why the hell everyone loves this one so much. In my opinion, you'd better off watching other coming of age dramas (literally ANYTHING else) instead of this one. At least they won't make you want to bash your head into a wall.
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I was very excited about the first episodes, and this was kept until episode 20. The plot was full of twists and emotional stuff, but I felt that in the middle of the process the things started to get a little slow. I took a little time to finished this mostly because I was watching with a friend, but also because I wasn't so motivated to go on sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I really love the story and the most of the characters, but I think I was on a path with many crazy and different dramas, so a regular story didn't catch so strongly. That said, I thought this drama very strong and deep, and I cried a lot with the pain in the character's life. I could see a lot of my struggles with my parents being approaching in the show and this was very intense. The message about family bonds just can make you melt with just a few episodes.
About the actors and characters, as I said on my first impressions, Li Jian Jian (Seven Tan) still is my favorite here. The character of Li Jian Jian was the soul of this drama, no doubt about it. She was so intense and soft at the same time, and Seven Tan's performance was just amazing. He Zi Qiu (Steven Zhang) also captivate my heart. He was so troubled with the issues in his life and we could see everything in his eyes and attitudes. But about Ling Xiao (Song Wei Long) I have to say that I wasn't a fan at all. I know his personality was shy and more introspective than the other brothers, but I thought him a little tasteless sometimes. His expressions and lines aren't my favorites and I thought some actions a little forced too. I understand the concept of the character (the mental health and stuff), but I think that this could be more explored in the performance. I could understand the growing romance between him and her, but I couldn't feel this in the process. I don't know if I'm being clear, but my feelings about it are a little confusing for me too. The plot of the secondary characters also was very emotional, and I could feel a lot of things with them. I just thought that the problems that endure during all the drama just was solved too fast at the end. Maybe the most critical part here was the pace of the show.
In general, I really love the drama. The story it's very different than usual and makes you think a lot about your life and choices. I just think that if they made fewer episodes, the process would be better for keeping the audience. I will put this one as "amazing" (★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★) because it was pretty amazing for me, besides these topics that I mentioned. If you are looking for something strong and deep, but that also can make you laugh and sigh, this is your show!
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The DAD Takeover
Recently, a Korean adaptation of this came out but I decided to follow all the comments to watch the Chinese version first. I have no regrets and would highly recommend that too. So much happened in only 7 episodes of Go Ahead that I can't imagine the Korean one being only 16 eps.1. Family Dynamics
Story centers around 3 siblings who all suffer from a dysfunctional family in slightly different circumstances. They make their own family all thanks to the JJ's Dad and LX's Dad. Each sibling has their own issues and has missing piece of their family. I do wish they would've gone more into JJ's character. She was obviously the glue that held the whole family together, but I wish she wasn't just made the savior/happy pill because she most likely had her own feelings. I understand her role though.
If you have experienced the absence of a parent/ a toxic family, this show will tug at your heart strings. Incoming Daddy and Mommy Issues! The writer must resent their mother, because all the mothers in the show were not portrayed positively haha. The show has many family themes, but one of the recurring images is them sharing a meal together (so common in Asian families).
2. Romance
If you came in looking for romance, you might be weirded out or dissatisfied. I usually love watching romance, but this show offered much more than that. The first 15 episodes were so gripping and the sibling bond really made you feel for them. I could have gone without the romance and it may have been a little weird, but the romance was very well hinted since the beginning of the show. It was always clear that the Ling Xiao liked the JJ romantically, and the reasons for the romance had underlying meaning as well. LX was obviously a bit trauma bonded to JJ though, so it was clear he needs help with his mental health.
3. The Acting
It's so funny how the oldest brother is really the youngest cast member in real life. Yet the casting really worked out. Zi Qiu , the younger big brother's acting was great. He really nailed the feelings of loss, abandonment, and emptiness. I especially loved the bond between him and his dad. LX's mom was also really good at making viewers hate her; honestly her crazy eyes made me soooo anxious lol. I loved loved the kids, it was so adorable to watch the childhood moments. Very heartwarming!
Rewatch Value: 8/10
Such a meaningful, realistic story and very well done. I love dramas that make me feel something and aren't just empty tropes with attractive leads. A refreshing display of a father's affection; many stories and shows are very focused on mother's love.
Perfect fall/winter time show that makes you feel warm inside. Smile, tears, and laughter were all there!
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A Chinese Modern Family
I've binge watched Go Ahead in two days recovering from an operation in bed and yes, it really healed me. I laughed, I cried, the day-to-day meals in this series made my mouth water, regaining my appetite for food and living.Summary
Go Ahead tells the story of a recent widower who's running a local noodle bar. His life is focused on cooking and making his little daughter happy, in spite of the attempts of older ladies in the neighborhood to find him a new wife.
One candidate, a beautiful single mother with a son, seems to his liking. Alas, she is forced to leave by urgent family matters, taking his money and leaving her little son in his care. At the same time the neighborhood is disturbed by the arrival of new inhabitants, a police officer with his wife and son. The woman turns out to be a drunk who's terrorizing her family out of grief from a freaking accident that caused the death of their former baby girl. The drunken quarrels are so fierce the son prefers to spend his evenings reading comic books at the stair well . The widower and his daughter take pity on him, inviting him to stay with them whenever he likes, and before they know it, the silent, moody boy stays permanently at their home. Finally the woman leaves, the police officer follows the habit of his son including eating the home made meals from the widower and within a year both male neighbors have formed a functional, modern household. Their son and daughter are living in harmony, together with the fresh adopted son from the widower. Papa Li and Papa Ling form a real power couple. They encourage the children to move forward as good as it gets. At work, at school, with their friends, at university. Question is: will they go ahead in spite of their mental scars and the trouble on their doorstep caused by far away family members who come to claim their support mainly based on Chinese family traditions.
The Pros
Both the child and adult actors are so good, their emotions so real, it made my heart swell and melt. I love the interaction between the papas so much, I even thought this based on a censored original work about two homosexuals forming a family life. Themes like group pressure, status in life, keeping up appearances, marriage, divorce, midlife crisis, they are all there. The cast is superb, not only the leading actors gave me the feels. I also could relate to the other characters.
The Cons
The first ten episodes put me on a roller coaster of emotions, the mental issues of the children were that gripping. The following episodes however inflated a bit with minor issues about school and friends. And is it just me, or were most female characters portrayed in an inferior way to the male characters? I found them all insecure, ignorant, silly, troublesome, or downright evil. The leading couple, the widower's daughter and the police officer's son, seem too good to be true by contrast. It wouldn't have hurt to see more realistic growing pains between them. Also the many eating scenes with sweet cakes, water melons and other food, made me wish for product placements that make me feel less hungry.
Verdict
Nevertheless I was hooked for 40 episodes, I loved the ending that left me smiling for hours. Go Ahead is a warm and sweet opinion on humans and theirs struggles in life. Go See It!
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