Unspeakable Longing (2024)

Here we go again, transmigration of the author into her novel

This is a short format drama with episodes on average 12 minutes but they have 2-3 minute closing credits, so watchable screen time per episode is generally 10 minutes sometimes more sometimes less. Twenty four episodes total, but with the short length you can easily binge it in a few hours, especially if you watch it at 2x speed.

The plot is pretty standard fare, FL is the overworked stressed out author who ends up getting sucked into her comic. She has a mission in order to avoid death in both worlds, she needs to get true love's kiss from the FL in 3 months time. You can guess the shenanigans she goes to in order to achieve this. ML of course is allergic to women, except for FL. The pursuit by FL after ML is pretty funny, but by the time she gets him to fall for her...she finds out that it's a horrible exchange, if she gets that kiss, he'll die but if she doesn't get the kiss, she'll die.

What choice will she make and who will she hurt along the way as she struggles to find out what to do?

There's a SML and I didn't ship him with FL but I did feel really bad for the poor guy. Their backstory was cute and he was protective of FL, even when he knew that he'd been used.

There are some unanswered questions by the final episode that frustrated me a bit, but not enough to keep me from enjoying the rest of the show. If you've got an afternoon to kill, go for it, just don't go into this expecting Shakespeare.

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There are better and worse minis out there

Reasons to watch this show:
You are a fan of any of the actors/actresses
You feel a need to watch ALL transported into a comic minis
You want a transmigration HEA show

Reasons to pass on this one:
The logic makes NO sense
They cast a kissing king in a show where they CAN'T kiss 🤣🤡
The 2nd ML storyline will make you roll your eyes
The "main" villian is easily guessed once you realize logic has flown out the window

Overall, if you're bored and looking to watch this on 2x speed it won't take long; but if you're one of those who has to watch on regular speed, good luck.

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Lost in a Dream of Crack (Major spoilers ahead!)

I. The Good
If Love & Bid Farewell is about how many times YZX is stabbed like pork rind, Unspeakable Longing is about how many times YZX is soaking in a water tub like chicken soup.

This is a fairly straightforward short-length transmigration drama, with stereotypical storyline and plot devices. It's enjoyable if you're coming off something heavy (like YZX's Love & Bid Farewell) as it's easy to follow and doesn't stir up much thought or emotions. The OST 误入君梦 is an ear worm worthy of full-length drama series.

YZX's acting range is apparent here. From the crazy-eyes-unhinged-prince role in Love & Bid Farewell to the addled-single-minded-bastard-son role in Fate of Beauty to this, the adorable-yet-stoic-prince male lead role, YZX has excellently played his roles with skilful shifts in his expressions and body language. LXY plays the witty ingenue female lead adequately (albeit her scripted role was flatter than my chest), and LBY is a beautiful but braindead second male lead (whose role was unfortunately not fleshed out enough).

II. The Bad
There was so much they could have done with the storyline. Nothing had been fleshed out to its full potential, rendering the characters one-dimensional. There were also several random, unexplained plot devices that were used with zero recognition for story continuity (e.g., how did the ML hurt the FL causing her to faint, when or why did the FL and ML get married the first time, how did the FL return to the comic).

The female lead (FL) is a modern-day comic artist who isn't performing so well at work. Her supervisor criticises her latest work, unironically taking a potshot at the drama's own theme ("Who would still be interested in transmigration love stories in this day and age!"). Her supervisor threatens to fire her if she fails to change the storyline by the end of the day. Frustrated, the FL proceeds to write crack: the comic's female lead suddenly develops a strange health bar on her arm and requires a kiss from the comic's male lead to survive. Meanwhile, the comic's male lead (ML) is deathly allergic to females; he vomits blood or loses consciousness upon coming into contact with a female, even a female child. The FL is suddenly transported into the comic she'd just rewritten and warned that she must receive the ML's kiss by her 20th birthday in 3 months' time, or she will disappear from both worlds. They discover early on that the FL does not trigger the ML's disease.

The ML is the (seemingly) sickly fourth prince, tasked with keeping the nation's defence map safe. The ML assumes that the FL is approaching him to steal the defence map, when she is only trying to steal a kiss to return to her reality. After successfully stealing a kiss in a bath tub (because of course, why not), the FL is informed that it will only work if the ML is in love with her. Out of nowhere, the storyline expounds that the FL and ML are married, albeit the ceremony is incomplete. The ML shares his plan to annul the marriage and return the FL to her father's residence, and the FL shamelessly professes her 'love' for the ML.

The FL contrives to meet the ML again, meeting the sixth prince (2ML) in the process. The 2ML appears besotted with the FL at first sight. As it turns out, they had met as children and he has been in love with the FL ever since. The FL begs her father to participate in the ML's concubine selection, and he reluctantly (or perhaps not so) agrees. One of the selection candidates (2FL), who bears the face of FL's supervisor, is a governor's daughter skilled in the four arts. The ML shortlists the FL and 2FL, suspecting that one of them is a Xirong spy after the defence map. The 2FL is the spy, who is controlled by the mastermind using Gu poison. She nearly falls into the ML's trap, but realises the trap and plants evidence on the FL at the last minute. The ML and FL put on a show for the 2FL, to try and lure the mastermind out. The FL discovers the 2FL's identity and rescues the latter when the mastermind attempts to murder her.

The FL is bitten by a snake (which must have been the animal form of some vampire because why the hell would a snake bite the jugular), and the ML rescues her by sucking the venom into himself... in a tub. Bear in mind that the doctor only suggested sucking the venom out and never said anything about having to do it in a tub. Of course he's successful, at the cost of his own life. The FL is about to kiss the ML when she is warned that kissing him will end his storyline (i.e., his life) and return her to her reality. She chooses to not kiss him, thus dooming herself.

The 2ML is used as a plot device to foster feelings between the ML and FL, and as a foil to misdirect the audience regarding who the true masked villain is for the majority of the drama. The FL uses the 2ML to break the ML's heart so that the ML's health bar would refill. The ML falls into despair but still has the presence of mind to plot a trap for the Xirong spy. The masked villain, who had killed and replaced the FL's father when she was three years old, finally seeks the 2ML out to collaborate. The FL overhears their plans, and rushes to save the ML. Her first attempt fails, and the 2ML catches the FL and ML escaping during the second attempt. An assassin appears and the 2ML dies protecting the FL, revealing that although he was a fool, he was no villain.

The FL reluctantly agrees to remain by the ML's side, as she would soon perish anyway. She privately reveals the truth to the 2FL, but this is overheard by the ML. They share a romantic date during the Qixi Festival, before the Xirong spy kidnaps her. He threatens the FL with the life of the FL's maidservant, demanding her cooperation to steal the defence map. The FL returns to marry the ML, and the Xirong spies launch an attack during the ceremony. The FL is stabbed while protecting the ML and the 2FL successfully kills the Xirong spy in a surprise attack. As the FL lays dying, the ML kisses her to allow her to return to her reality and presumably dies after coughing up blood.

The FL returns to her reality and realises that the ML had sacrificed himself. She is reminded that there is no way to save the ML as the story had ended. She awakens to see her supervisor's boss, who resembles the ML, holding her comic panels. He walks away from her without any hint of recognition, and the FL starts sobbing. This would have been the end but the team added 10 more minutes because they were afraid the audience might murder them in their sleep. Some time later, the superior congratulates the FL for the popularity of her latest comic. The boss expresses that the readers are looking forward to a second season, inspiring the FL to continue the story so that she can save the ML. The FL returns to the comic, and the ML is playing sleeping beauty awaiting true love's kiss. She kisses him and the ML slowly wakes up like a beautiful princess and they lived happily ever after.

III. The Ugly
There is no trigger warning necessary, although the ML does try to force a kiss on the FL at one point; however, in the grand scheme of Chinese dramas, that is mild.

IV. The Verdict
Good for a single watch, not necessarily good enough for repeat watches.

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Quiet Unsatisfactory Ending

“Unspeakable Longing” is a love story where a girl travels into the world of her comic book. Her mission is to make the prince fall in love with her, as only a true love’s kiss can send her back to her own world. However, she is unaware that if she returns, the prince will face dire consequences. As both of them fall deeply in love, they become willing to sacrifice their lives for each other’s sake.

I don’t want to spoil the story, but the only reason I decided to watch the drama was because of the male protagonist. Otherwise, the plot feels cliché, and the ending was quite unsatisfactory. Despite the story being dull, the male protagonist's acting managed to balance it to some extent.

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