Let's rise with the wind, Jiang Hu & Xu Si

I have finally caught up with all episodes of Rising With the Wind, and I must say that appreciate the way it concluded. I admit that I was skeptical at first while reading the synopsis, thinking it might be a typical idol drama where the business plot serves as mere filler. However, this wasn't the case; it played a crucial role in the story's development, character growth, and relationships among all involved, not just the main leads.

The story revolves around a domestic enterprise facing challenges in the low-end manufacturing industry, highlighting the relationship between financial capital and the industrial economy. It also briefly touched on live-streaming and e-commerce, as mentioned in the synopsis.

The cinematography was aesthetically pleasing and while there are some aspects I wish were written differently, I still think that the story is more than decent with pacing that feels just right (though I wish the last two episodes could've been explored more). It may not be a stand out compared to other dramas I've watched and like, but it left me feeling satisfied after finishing as opposed to making me feel like I've wasted my time.

The two leads: Xu Si, an investment professional (and definitely not your run-of-the-mill domineering CEO), and Jiang Hu, the 'fallen' heiress who turned into one heck of a fighter, are both inherently strong characters, and I appreciate that about them. Their initial encounter sparked interest, and the dynamic between them continued to be engaging. Jiang Hu is not a damsel in distress, and Xu Si is not a prince on a white horse. She had to earn his assistance, and Xu Si didn't offer it for free – this dynamic added depth to their characters and the drama itself.

Jiang Hu has become one of my favorite female leads in contemporary drama, though with her idealism and resilience, she manages to overcome challenges and work hard to get back on her feet. The romantic storyline between the main characters was amusing to watch. Xu Si may not have fallen in love at first sight, but he was definitely intrigued by Jiang Hu's antics from first sight; and as they got to know each other, that amusement sure must have turned into affection.

Honestly, the second female lead and the second couple weren't exactly my favorite; and I also wish there were scenes where the main characters communicated openly rather than discreetly handling things behind each other's backs (proper communication would make more sense, especially considering Xu Si's professionalism and all).

Overall, I'll give this drama an 8/10, though initially 7.5, but I have to elevate it higher for Jiang Hu and because this drama gave me a newfound appreciation for Gongjun and Zhong Chuxi. (And if you think that this rating is low, I just want to tell you that this is already rated high in my personal rating)

I just found out they have to cut the episodes due to the 40-episodes limitation and that answered why the last few episodes felt a tad too rushed for me.

Lire davantage

“Life is like a long run, just keep running.“

“And when you run on the track you like, life will be a blessing.” Now, I know that this series is not perfect—but it scored really high for me personally because of the way the story deeply resonated with me.

What I love the most about Born To Run is the way it focuses on telling a story about mothers and daughters without “fathers” involved and it is something that I can highly relate to as someone who only has my mother. It let me peek at a mother’s struggle as much as it is let us see the struggles that daughter has when facing their mothers.

A relationship between mother and daughter seems complicated is what I think, I often feel conflicted myself because there are times when I wish I can just go away because we bicker all the time and argued just like how Ruohua had this urgency to “fight” her mother but still do everything she could to care for her, or how Anxin gained strength because of her mother even though they are two stubborn people who do not want to lose to one another.

Cheng Anxin and Xiufang, Chen Ruohua and Xiuli — the mother-daughter dynamic between the two is really different but ultimately the same: mothers will always love their daughters, even though the way they showed their love could be a little convoluted.

Aside from the family conflicts, the drama also does a good job telling us issues about what it means to find yourself in this ever-changing world, what a womanhood it really is, and for showing how these characters — that feels very much real, by the way, keeps on “running”

And not because they are scared, but because they are facing life heads on. The downside of this drama is that I get it may not be everyone’s cup of tea because there are parts that get too depressing, not to mention that Ruohua’s mom is really, really frustrating

But I promise you it is worth the watch if you want to see a beautiful depiction of mother and daughters in c-dramas. Make sure to keep a tissue somewhere within your vicinity because some episodes are a real tearjerker (but all for good reasons)

Lire davantage

They could find endless possibilities in life, even in their hometown.

The story is about Zhang Pei (Ren Suxi), Wu Yun (Li Xueqin), Dan Dan (Shi Che), and Dong Jiaxi (Wang Zixuan), four girls who grew up together, but were scattered all over the world as adults. However, a turnaround in their lives brought them back to Chengdu.

Facing the hometown they had been away from for years, they went through the process of not adapting to it and becoming familiar with it again. In the midst of frustration, they found a new direction for their careers and reaped the benefits of friendship, the comfort of loved ones, and the beauty of love. Eventually, they realized that they could find endless possibilities in life even in their hometown.

I've had high expectations about this drama prior to watching it because they said it's related to RITP series and after finishing it; I can tell it really gave me a similar feeling to when watching RITP: the way it hits close to home and how real the characters are. It feels like a documentary at some point because the dialogue feels very real and their acting was quite natural.

Here's the thing: living in the big city is a dream for many, but are you prepared to return to the city where you grew up after all that? What used to be home can feel so foreign after being away, but like the synopsis said: "they could find endless possibilities in life even in their hometown."

It made me think a lot about my relationship with my mom too. I feel this on a personal level because when you're away, you miss home, but when you're really back, you want to go away. Through all four female leads you can see a glimpse of yourself.

On the surface it seems like this drama has no conflicts, but must a life be filled with dramatic ups and downs? Isn't the 'little problems' we encounter on a daily basis is a conflict on our own and the way we solve them is also a resolution that we managed to come up?

It's a drama that lets you follow the stories of the four girls who are now back in Chengdu, trying to navigate life in this place again after being away for so long and how they try to find the beauty in it despite all the stuffs that came their way

Would I recommend it to people? Yes if you're a fan of slice-of-life and don't mind a story that progresses 'slowly.' If you've watched Remembrance of Things Past and liked the drama, then I think you'll love There Will Be Ample Time too.

Lire davantage

张晚意不是男小三的， 他只有晚， 晚的爱， 张晚意

If you’re looking for a “green flag” character/normal & healthy relationship then this drama is not for you, but if you are like me who is intrigued by the idea of “unconventional love” then watch this drama. I initially gave it a seven point five score right after finishing ep24 but upon further introspection I think it deserves a solid 8 for how well-acted and realistic the storyline is despite having some moment of cliché.

The first episode was definitely controversial in a sense that what kind of urban romance drama shows a love about a divorced man and a woman who is falling out of love with his 10-year-old boyfriend? And while a certain scene makes it seem scandalous I am on the team who would say that there is no indefinitely in this drama—they write it off quite well in my opinion.

The female lead, Xu Nuo (played by Sun Yi) mentioned sth abt how they got off to a rocky start but they did not start anything until she cut off her scumbag ex (who refuses to let her go and did all sorts of means to cling onto her) but whatever happens she will be the one who will be deemed as the “cheater” (even though his ex had a thing with baifumei).
I don’t think the ex loved her anyway, he was just obsessed and refused to “lose” to the male lead — Zhao Jin (portrayed by Zhang Wanyi) while belittling him despite them being “friends” initially.

It’s def refreshing to see a story that breaks the usual norm. Both leads are flawed but it was not to the point that it drives me crazy because I think some of the things they did were still pretty logical given the traumatic things they have gone through in the past.

Sure, Zhao Jin seems perfect on the paper. He’s a vet, he’s handsome (ofc) but he is just an ordinary guy who is pretty direct, keeps everything to himself because he bears such heavy responsibilities and at some point is insecure about himself. The first encounter with Xu Nuo was quite the meet cute and I could feel their chemistry from the beginning, it was even more amplified by their subtle expressions and great acting — the sparks are there but they set themselves to certain boundaries.

The fact that I stayed engaged through all 24 episodes is enough of a testament that I enjoyed this drama despite there being several characters that annoyed me to no end, but then again that’s life — and I am very pleased by the way it wraps up. Also 10/10 for the OST

Lire davantage