Unique Story , Beautiful Cinematography and Amazing Costumes
7/21/2021The reason for me picking this drama is mainly because of Zhang Bin Bin (ML). I first saw him in "Ten Miles Peach Blossoms" and had a minor crush on him. I've been trying to look for another drama of his with good reviews and a happy ending. This led me to Rattan.
Plot/Pacing: This is a unique and weird story, that is quite different from other C-Dramas. It's a mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance. I find that you either really like the story or you hate it because it could be confusing. I liked it but I do find certain areas a little confusing without enough explanation. All that happens is probably due to love + obsession + stubbornness + revenge. I found the twists and turns quite un-predictable esp. the revelation of who Bai Ying is. I enjoyed the first half of the drama, when Si Teng (FL) is trying to piece together what happened to her and what happened after her death. The pacing was done well. I got a little bored towards the early 20s episodes but the pace picked up again towards the mid-20s episode. There are some plot holes and illogical parts of the drama. Did ML ever find out the real identity of his best friend? If FL told him about her fight with his best friend, did he not care at all? Never confront him? On another note, he's a successful architect but he never really went to work? Even if he was there, he wasn't really working. When he's hurt and almost dead, did they really transfer him out of the hospital to his home without any lifesaving medical equipment? I know this is not a medical show, but you gotta at least do the bare minimum and give him some IV and an oxygen tank!
Romance: There are several romances in this show and that's where all the hate and revenge started all the drama. First we have Qiu Shan betrayed by his Tribe Yi lover, thus started his hate for all Tribe Yi and Si Teng. We also have the unfortunate romance of Bai Ying and Shao Yan Kuan which ended with the death of Si Teng. But of course, we have the main romance of the leads. I would say FL and ML have decent chemistry. I wouldn't say it was off-the-charts. I personally enjoyed a slow burn romance, and theirs is slow burn. But I feel that it's lacking something to make me believe that they are so in love that they would die fo each other and go through what they did in the last couple episodes. I feel that I need to see a little more passion in that slow-burn romance to believe in it more. I also feel that ML is too perfect of a character. He's good-looking, rich, sweet, caring, attentive and rarely shows his temper. Is he a perfect guy? Probably. But not as multi-layered as I want a male lead to be. FL, on the other hand, is a much better written character with development throughout the show.
Acting: The overall acting is not bad. I enjoyed FL's sassiness and ML's sweetness (gosh, he is such a joy to look at..LOL). The supporting cast's acting is not bad either. I particularly enjoy the two child actors. They are so cute and adorable. Young Si Teng did a great job in showing her sassiness and facial expressions at such a young age.
Cinematography/Setting/Music/CGI: What a beautiful show! I love all the sceneries, the village, the forest and the architecture and set designs. It's refreshing to watch a modern show not set in the glitzy city setting. The majority of the show takes place in the rural part of the country. All the accommodations at the rural areas have their own distinct architecture and design. The sweeping views of mountains, lakes, grasslands and forests are beautiful. I also enjoyed all the songs in this drama. There seems to be quite a number of songs and you don't get that same annoying song played over and over again. However, one BIG negative for is that the music is just way too loud. I watched the show on Viki and also on YouTube, and I found the volume of the actor's voices are drowned by the background music. When music or songs are played, I have to turn down my volume, and then turn it back up when actors start to talk again. I am not sure if it's because of the version that I was watching, of just a problem with editing. I also quite enjoy the special effects of rattan whipping and fighting. It was especially beautiful when FL builds this canopy/umbrella for ML when he was crying. What a beautiful use of her talent in this touching scene.
Costumes: Si Teng's wardrobe deserves its own category. I read that this is not a big budget drama and I think most of the budget is spent on costumes. FL looks amazing in her collection of qi paos, and also her more modern looks. However, towards the second half of the show, I find myself missing seeing her in qi paos. Not that she's not pretty in her other looks, but there's just something special when a gorgeous Chinese lady wears this traditional dress. I even find the cross-dressing June Wu looks great in qi pao. ML's costume changes when he's in the rural area vs when he's in the city. He dresses so young and casual when he's in the village. But when the setting changes to the city, he looks so handsome and dapper in those long coats and dress shirts. Oh, one more thing, why is there so much makeup on ML's face? He look so white and it's not attractive. He looks SO much better with a more natural tan look.
Ending: I have mixed feelings about the ending of this drama. I felt that the show could have ended at Ep. 27 when FL disappears and the show ends on a sad note. Yes, it's sad but I think it's more fitting and more beautiful this way. But then, there are a few more episodes with rebirth and a young Si Teng. In a way, it's also fitting that FL and ML ended up somewhat together and went back to nature. I guess fans were not happy with that ending and we got Ep 31 with a happier ending. As much as I love seeing ML with a happy ending (since that's my main reason of watching the show), I felt that the Ep 31 ending is my least favorite one.
This is not for me...especially the Main Romance
I don’t usually write a review of a dropped drama, but I figured this could be helpful to others who feel the same way. Is this a horrible drama? No, not really. But it’s not enough to keep me wanting to continue on and there are elements I don’t enjoy that are central to the plot.Disclaimer:
I am a romance lover. Romance (whether it is a main plot or subplot) can make or break a drama for me. If I love the main romance, I can overlook some flaws.
Not always a fan of noona romance (older woman/younger man). I want to give this drama a chance because of Xiao Zhan. The only other noona romance I can think of that’s similar and I liked is “The Rational Life”. But I watched that years ago, and I might not like it as much if I were to watch it today.
Let’s start with what I Like:
Strong Female Leads - Stories about women in their 30s can be inconsistent. Dramas claim they are independent and mature, but their actions tell a different story. However, Jian Bing (FL) and Liang Shan Shan (2FL) prove to be the minority. Through their actions, thoughts and feelings within the first 18 episodes that I watched, they are truly mature and independent. They don’t rely on men to provide them with happiness. They live for themselves and are professional when at work.
Acting - There’s really nothing for me to pick on in terms of acting. From what I’ve seen so far, the main and supporting cast deliver good performances. I was especially impressed with the veteran performance from ML’s parents when they were having a big argument. I bet that sequence was done in one shot as the way they yell at each other seems so real.
Make-up - It’s lovely to see a drama without white filters, strong backlighting or white thick foundation on the actors' faces. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Xiao Zhao look so ‘real’. Everyone just looks normal and in character.
That’s all I can think of. And now with the negatives and why I can’t continue on.
Main Romance - As I mentioned, the main romance can make or break a drama for me. Unfortunately, this romance is giving me similar vibes as “Go Go Squid 2”, another drama I dropped. Sheng Yan (ML) is a mature 26-year old at work. He was professional and knows enough to keep his mouth shut and to Fake It Till he Makes it (<-- a little plug of another drama who has an excellent romance LOL). However, when it comes to love, he is a little puppy, always following FL around. And because FL is such a mature woman, his puppy eyes stop being cute after the first few episodes. I dropped “Go Go Squid 2” for this same reason. I like an unrequited love, but for that to last so long, when ML is a mature adult at work, seems off to me. I like a slow burn romance, but not when I don’t feel any romantic chemistry between the leads and when they are so different in the stages of their lives. They seem more like sister/brother or mentor/mentee to me. Maybe the romance develops into something beautiful in the second half of the drama, but at ep 18, it is not motivating me to continue on.
Plot - The pace is also quite slow. 36 episodes are way too long. There isn’t much happening in the first 18 episodes, and nothing different. I do appreciate the story of a female (and badass) director. Everything that happened is predictable. I don’t think this is supposed to be a slice-of-life drama, thus, I expect more from the plot. Are there touching moments? Yes. Is it well-acted? Yes. Does it make me hit the “play” button next? No. As a binge watcher, this is a big indicator of when the drama is not for me.
This review is super subjective and I am sure many love this drama. To me, I was expecting more and it didn’t deliver. It’s not a bad drama, just not enough for me to continue on when there are too many other dramas waiting for me.
Completed: 9/30/2023 - Review #360
Sizzling Chemistry, Amazing Kisses, Beautiful Cinematography
Subjective Gut Rating - 8.75Netflix dropped all 9 episodes of “Doona!” and it became a Doona weekend for many, including myself. Maybe because I am in the mood for a melo-healing drama after so many comedies, I really enjoyed this. The initial setup and plot aren’t that unique, but the chemistry makes it worthwhile. Though this is not a perfect drama, it gives me the feels and touches me.
The chemistry between Suzy and Yang Se Jong is sizzling. I LOVE their kisses 😘 and yes, I said it out loud). It’s been a while since I last saw a couple (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Thai) who gave so much emotion into these kiss scenes. We have two actors who are not shy and really participate and give me all the feels. I am not just talking about sexy/sexual kisses, but the sense of uncertainty, the should-I-shouldn’t-I type of emotions, and the love they feel for each other. Aside from the kisses, their scenes together are lovely. I really enjoy how their relationship started from strangers, who don't care for each other, to loving each other so much that they beg for the other’s affection and attention.
It takes a man like Lee Won Joon, gentle, adorable and forgiving, to deal with a selfish, emotional and broken diva like Lee Doo Na. The two of them are an odd pair in a way, yet they complement each other so well. Both are flawed (even the adorable Won Joon) and make flawed decisions. But since this is not a romantic comedy, their questionable decisions make this drama even more intriguing.
The acting is pretty good all-around. It probably wasn’t too difficult for Suzy to play a pop idol. But her emotional scenes are done well. Yang Se Jong reminded me of his character in “Thirty But Seventeen” but in this drama, there are more heartbreaking moments. I mentioned earlier about the kisses and there are a few shots where Yang Se Jong/Won Joon behaved shyly and passionately which totally made me fall for his character. I also enjoyed Ha Young’s portrayal of Kim Jin Joo. Under other circumstances, I would root for her happiness with the male lead. I felt for her and wanted her to find someone special.
The cinematography is beautiful and the songs complement the scenes well. I am actually surprised at the lack of songs played during some romantic moments. Oftentimes you would hear loud music blasted on screen for any hint of a romance. But here, there’s a lot of silence in the scenes between Doo Na and Won Joon, and that adds to the emotional impact of their acting.
On another note, I really cannot stand Choi Yi Ra, Miss Brazil. She is so loud and annoying. I wanted to mute her whenever she comes on screen, and especially when she’s with her two friends. I also find her little side romance unnecessary. I would have liked the drama to focus more on Doo Na’s relationship with her manager. Oh, and Hello Lee Jin Woo, you are looking mighty fine in that suit, acting all arrogant and bossy. 😍 The few flashbacks we got of Doo Na and her manager were not enough to tell me why she was so obsessed with him. It has to be more than liking him and clinging on to him as if he’s her only family. I also would like more scenes of Doo Na and Sweet Dreams’ group members (before and after).
Moreover, I also felt that the anxiety and panic attacks that Doo Na was experiencing were swept under the rug. Aside from being abandoned in a house alone, there was no talk of therapy or help. Did she miraculously heal by being abandoned, sleeping and eating a lot? Did love heal her? It seems too easy for her to set foot on stage again.
As for the ending, I want to believe that it’s a happy ending. I want to believe that after the emotional reconciliation 4 years later (and I love that scene), they came to understand each other again. That the very last scene is a very discreet way for them to meet in Japan for business individually, and having secret dates after work.
I definitely recommend this drama if you are looking for a melo-healing romance with sizzling chemistry. Fans of Suzy and Yang Se Jong should not miss it as well.
Completed: 10/22/2023 - Review #369
Turn off your brain and you will enjoy this cute and fluffy ride!
If you can watch this drama without thinking too logically and critically, this will be a fun and cute ride. I was having a hard time in the beginning to just let loose and enjoy, thus I found the first half not as enjoyable. The first two points listed in my dislikes below explain more about my criticism. However, I finally found my groove and enjoyed the second half of the drama a lot more, and felt that the drama finished strong. If you are looking for a fluffy and cute romance without any angst, this is the drama for you.What I Like (quick bullet point version)
♦︎ Great chemistry. Both couples are different but chemistry is good.
♦︎ Great acting between the main leads - they make me smile when they’re so cute together, and also make me cry when they cry. Chen Zhe Yuan and Shen Yue exceeded my expectations especially with the emotional and conflicted scenes.
♦︎ I like the secondary romance as well. It offers a good contrast to the main romance. I like seeing how the second male lead matures but doesn’t lose his quirky self either.
♦︎ Love strong and independent female leads. Both are go-getters professionally and romantically.
♦︎ FL’s mother is the MVP. We need more mothers like her in C-dramas.
♦︎ No annoying character.
♦︎ Like the two male leads’ outfits - they both look great in suits and long coats.
♦︎ It has one of the best, most heartfelt wedding scene.
What I don’t quite like or have mixed feelings about:
♦︎ My biggest dislike is the characterization of ML as someone who came from 500 years ago and transitions to the modern world without much trouble. He adjusts to the modern world too quickly, just because he’s supposedly smart and can read books at the library. I am not used to characters like that without time to adjust to the real world.
♦︎ Even if this is a fantasy drama, the plot just moves along to the romance and ignores the interesting and fun part about ML’s development.
♦︎ Initially, I had trouble with ML’s evil personality as it seems to have disappeared after a couple episodes. I want him to be the anti-hero for longer. I think the drama tries to explain his personality towards the last few episodes with the “twist”.
♦︎ FL needs a better wardrobe. Her outfits are horrendous and the worst of everyone in the whole drama.
♦︎ Not enough plot wise in the first half of the drama aside from the developing attractions.
♦︎ I forgot all about FL’s best friend and her boy toy until they showed up again in the last episode. Even then, I didn't recognize them until her name was called.
Completed: 10/17/2022
I can't t urn my brain off to enjoy this. William Chan is not enough to keep me going
Subjective Rating - 7.0Objective Rating - 7.5-8.0
I tried to like this drama but I don’t think this is for me. I am a fan of William Chan, and especially his modern dramas since who doesn’t like a handsome guy with cute dimples and a hot body. But he’s not enough to keep me going.
Is this the worst drama ever? No, it’s not. Just not for me. From a personal enjoyment level, this would be a 7 but from an objective drama watching experience, I’ll give this an 7.5-8. So, an average of 7.5 will be my final score.
Here are some quick thoughts:
1. I realize I am not a fan of girl-chases-guy plot. This doesn’t warrant a low rating, just a preference.
2. I do not like how stalkerish and clingy Xu Lai (FL), CEO Huo Yan Zong (2ML), Firefighter Lu Fang Qi (3ML) and Actress Yu Shi shi (3FL) all are pursuing their love interests. If you like them, you can say they are persistent in love and are really the perfect match for their spouses. If you don’t like them, they are annoying stalkers. FOUR such characters in the same drama is just way too much.
3. Though I don’t like how stalkerish FL was in the beginning, she actually isn’t so bad later on. I actually think Zhang Ruo Nan did a pretty good job.
4. How could the police let irresponsible reporters into the crime scenes? One too many in this drama.
5. A civilian, no matter how trained they are, cannot put on fire fighter gear and just run into a burning building to save someone. Where are all the other 20 fire fighters on sight?
6. There’s skinship, but it’s a waste of William Chan’s kissing talent. Kisses are meh.
7. I’ve watched 24 episodes and never saw the supposedly playboy best friend with any woman. He seems to be more of a decent guy than all the others (except ML).
8. A mature and responsible fire captain took a day off from work to trespass and do illegal things with his girlfriend. Total love brain fart.
9. I can’t stand a mature, rational, logical male lead totally turning into a love sick puppy. Not that ML stops being a responsible person, but his constant thoughts of his girlfriend has influenced some work decisions and actions.
10. Guys thinking they know what’s best for the ladies and making decisions on their behalf. One too many in this drama as well.
Overall, I have a hard time turning my brain off to enjoy this drama. For the romance, once you get past the first 7-8 episodes of a stalkerish FL, their relationship is quite nice. They act appropriately, have enough fluffy scenes and do communicate for the most part. I also enjoy watching a different side of a firefighter story regarding other non-urgent duties they have to do, and the dog training.
Dropped: 6/25/2023 - Review #322
Interesting & Complicated Plot but falls short in Writing/Execution. Could have been better!
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25 (0.25 bump for an interesting plot)“The Sign” started off really strong with a lot of fun scenes while the characters are in training. The action scenes are fun, and the interaction between the characters are interesting. The flirting and naked men took over the feeds when the drama first started airing.
The biggest selling point should have been the very interesting plot. It’s quite uncommon to find a Thai drama that mixes folklore, action/crime investigation, past lives and romance all in one. This is a very brave attempt. If the writing and execution are done right, this would be a winner. Unfortunately, I feel that the drama falls short. I wonder if the novel is a lot better.
Instead, the best thing about “The Sign” is the chemistry between Phaya and Tharn. Of course, romance takes center stage in the plot, and it’s not a bad idea to have strong chemistry between the leads. Initially, I thought Phaya would be the cool and cold-on-the-outside character. I was quite surprised when he became clingy and totally smitten. Not the direction I anticipated or liked, but it sort of works out since Tharn has been the more cautious one in this relationship. Billy (Phaya) and Babe (Tharn) deliver great scenes together. Their kisses are passionate and believable, while their intimate scenes do feel very intimate and romantic (give me “I Feel You Linger in the Air” vibes).
Acting is average (at times above average) all around. Even for the leads, there are some scenes that call for more subtle acting but I don’t think the actors quite deliver. It’s Babe’s first role and for that, I think he did a really good job. I do think the acting gets better as the drama goes on. I’ve seen some pretty bad acting in Thai dramas but at least no one sticks out like a sore thumb, just a few below average (Doc and Dao). It’s also a nice change to see Akk/Captain not playing an evil character. I’ve seen Akk in other dramas before and his acting is always pretty good. He’s solid here as well and looks mighty fine in uniform.
I was hoping for more action and police work, especially when the drama started off strong with all the training and missions. So, I am a little disappointed in that respect. The middle of the drama has a lot of talking, and not a whole lot of action. It’s probably also because the folklore/past connection takes more of a center stage. It’s interesting to see how Phaya and Tharn are truly connected together and Babe looks quite pretty as a girl/Naga. I am still a little confused about the Naga, and not quite sure what Tharn has done in the past to warrant being ‘cursed’ in the present time with people trying to hurt him. The writing is weaker in the second half. It either glosses over certain things (e.g. why Doc is so obsessed with Tharn, or how someone could be saved so easily), or when the drama decides to tell us instead of show us (e.g. the last episode and what happened between Tharn and the Doc). If the drama is longer, maybe it can really show us and explore the background story all characters in
Overall, I applaud the attempt to create such a drama with an interesting and complicated plot. Although I wish it had been better executed, I still had an enjoyable time watching. Babe/Tharn’s first role and he did quite well. I wish to see more of him in future.
Other Random Observations:
1. There are also many shower scenes of men posing naked with blurred out butts in weird positions.
2. The blurred butts also take away the very romantic feel I get from the intimate scene.
3. Thai dramas have the best grandmas! We have 2 in this drama. Thai dramas have the worst parents, and luckily we see none of them here.
4. The classic music played is a little too much during the art case arc.
5. I like Yai. I thought he would be a useless sidekick, but he ended up being the better cop than the leads. Tharn was so strong at training camp and seems to lose the ability to fight later. Yai beats him big time!
6. In C-dramas, you know to expect your fav supporting character might not survive till the end. With Thai dramas, it’s harder to tell which way it will go.
Completed: 2/24/2024 - Review #407
Interesting concept but Poor execution and super slow pace
Well, this is certainly interesting. “On Cloud Nine” has almost all rave reviews yet the MDL rating is only 7.0. Am I the problem that doesn’t quite connect with the drama and align with the reviewers? Maybe, maybe not.10 minutes into Episode 1, I wonder why this guy in white is so annoying, creepy and stalkerish. Just leave the tourist alone and let him enjoy his sightseeing! Of course, I know there’s more to it, so I persisted and finished the episode. But the pace is soooooo slow and there are such long pauses in between dialogs that I almost gave up. Since this is such a short drama, I figure I can endure the slow pacing.
The slowness never goes away and I had to speed it up to 1.25x and 1.5x.. But the story did get more interesting and I am a little less confused as the drama goes on. The characters don’t seem to do much, nor are they engaged in meaningful conversations. Is this soothing or boring? Eventually, I realized what it’s all about and did think the concept is quite interesting and unique. Unfortunately, the execution is confusing and poor.
The acting of the two main leads is decent. The chemistry is quite good, and there are a few times I said to myself, “Just kiss already!!”. “On Cloud Nine” does a nice job in showing the beautiful sceneries of Chiang Mai. But at times, the scenic shots also feel slow and edited in a way that takes you out of the story.
Unfortunately for me, I cannot recommend this short drama. it’s too slow and confusing, and I did not enjoy it that much. I want to support small production companies who are putting out work for the masses. Thus, I am rating this a 6.5 and not lower. Sorry, fans! Please don’t come at me!
Completed: 9/12/2024 - Review #484
A collection of short stories that are connected because of the antique store, Good Old Days. Each story is 2-episode long, and not a lot of depth is given to the characters. But enough to tell a simple story. Most of them have a connection to a family member and/or romantic interest. Some stories are better than others.
Ep 1-2: Bond and Relationship - my second least favorite story and almost did not hook me in to continue watching. Luckily, I find Lee (ML) attractive and watched it for him.
Ep 3-4: Memory of Happiness - I enjoy this one. The leads are likable and I think the story is believable.
Ep 5-6: Road to Regret - my least favorite and I only watched the first 10 minutes. I find the three main characters loud and annoying, and did not want to continue on.
Ep 7-8: Our Soundtrack - I like this one as well. The song is catchy (I found it on Spotify!) and the story is easy to follow. Not too deep but enough to keep me interested.
Ep 9-10: Love Wins - the title is the cheesiest but it's my favorite. Their love touched me even though I had a hard time getting into the story in the beginning. But following the couple and their challenges of a long-term relationship keep me engaged for the most part.
Ep 11-12: Somewhere Only We Belong - a decent one to end the anthology. Though it's quite predictable, it is sad to see how it all ended.
Completed: 7/11/2023 - Review #330
Good quality, chemistry and acting for a low-budget web drama
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25“Provoke” is another well-produced low budget web drama directed by Zeng Qin Jie of “A Familiar Stranger” and “The Killer is Also Romantic“. The production quality is pretty good and I like it just as much as I like the other two dramas. Following a similar format, in twenty-five episodes, 12-16 minutes long, the drama tells the story of revenge, hidden identity and love. I can’t help but compare this drama to another popular web drama “Maid’s Revenge”.
Although I enjoy Dai Gao Zheng’s frequent flashes of his muscular torso and abs in “Maid’s Revenge” more than Zhao Yi Qin’s abs in “Provoke”, I have to say “Provoke” is a much better drama. The story is more coherent with fewer WTH moments. The acting and costumes are better and is also a lot less cringey and trashy.
Actress Daisy Li is beautiful as the sexy Jiang Ying. She is absolutely gorgeous in her various costumes and sexy when she is on stage singing and trying to seduce all the men. Male lead Zhao Yi Qin is handsome, but he is so skinny that when he’s wearing a long coat, it seems like he’s being swallowed. I enjoyed his body-building toned abs but a little too lean for my taste. LOL. Both leads have pretty good chemistry and the acting is pretty good as well.
However, my first reaction to the drama within the first episode is that there are too many slow motion scenes. Why are they walking so slowly? Why are they slowing things down when it’s not necessarily a ‘romantic’ scene? This got better throughout the drama, but I can’t help but also notice everyone speaks very slowly as well. Moreover, whoever dubs the male lead sounds like he’s whispering instead of speaking (a very airy voice). I like the first half of the drama more than the second half. The writing is weaker in the last few episodes.
Overall, if you are looking for a simple and short web drama in the Republican era, I will recommend this. It’s rare to find a pretty well-rounded low budget drama that doesn’t look cheap. Oh, and it has a pretty good OST as well.
Completed: 4/20/2023
I wanted more Chemistry between the Leads
Subjective Gut Rating - 8.25“Call It Love” is a melodrama through and through. The pacing is slow, the conversations are meaningful, and the romance is slow burn and quiet. South Korea really likes its revenge drama in all genres. However, what differentiates “Call It Love” from other revenge dramas is that love, healing and forgiveness are more central to the plot, than revenge itself.
I had high expectations before I watched this drama. Kim Young Kwang was the main attraction and he did not disappoint. What a versatile and amazing actor he is! From an adorable and sexy CEO in “The Secret Life of My Secretary”, to a psycho serial killer in “Somebody”, and now a lonely and sad CEO, he was just perfect for the lead role. Han Dong Jin (ML) is a man of few words and walks with a sad and slightly crouched posture. He exudes loneliness, yet his caring side shows when he’s with FL. Kim Young Kwang is able to portray subtle facial expressions and looks/eyes that can convey all he wants to say without actually speaking the words.
On the other hand, I have mixed feelings about Lee Sung Kyung’s portrayal of Shim Woo Joo (FL). I am happy to see her venture out of the rom-com genre and challenge herself to play this role. Shim Woo Joo is another sad and depressed character. However, I find Lee Sung Kyung’s acting one-note throughout most of the drama. She often maintains that one facial expression - a sad and bland look/gaze. I actually like her character in the first ⅓ of the drama. Woo Joo speaks her thoughts with no filter and no reservation. I like her no nonsense approach and doesn’t care what other people say. But then, she seems to lose that straightforwardness and barely utters a few words.
Another reason I want to watch “Call It Love” is because I was craving some angst and melo-romance. I thought this drama would satisfy this urge of mine but I am disappointed. The first few episodes reminded me of “My Mister”. When the romance starts to slowly build up, I was hoping for the angsty, sizzling chemistry similar to Mr. Gu + Yeom Mi Jung in “My Liberation Notes” or Lee Boo Jung + Lee Kang Jae in “Lost”. Unfortunately, I did not feel that tension and longing in Han Dong Jin and Shim Woo Joo. I do like how honest and open they are with each other (in their own introverted way). I enjoy the depth of their conversations. Without really having long conversations, they are able to speak their minds succinctly. But they don’t move me. I wasn’t sad. I didn’t cry for them. I didn’t pray that they could live happily ever after. The chemistry was not bad, but did not live up to my expectations. I am sure many feel very differently and am in love with the leads.
“Call It Love” does explore the message of healing and forgiveness. I do think the drama does a good job by showing the effects of the father’s betrayal and the mistress’ calculated scheme. Oh yeah, I hated ML’s mother but I’ve seen worse parents in K-dramas. However, the secret was so long drawn out. At times, I wanted ML to know the truth already, so we can deal with the aftermath and damage control. On another note, I like the somewhat dysfunctional Shim family and the love/hate sibling relationships. I love what Shim Hye Seong (eldest sister) said to ML that, their family doesn’t know how to comfort each other, and feels awkward consoling someone, thus, they went out to karaoke and party hard instead.
Love triangles technically don't exist in this drama and I’m glad a couple friendships did not turn into unrequited love. Men and women CAN have platonic relationships. I’d rather see more of the bromance between ML and his fellow CEO buddy, than the lukewarm secondary romance. I find Shim Hye Seong (sister) a little annoying in the beginning but I understand why she acts that way once we get to know her. Once the forced smiles are gone, she becomes so much more tolerable. Yoon Joon (pharmacist 2ML) is a great and loyal friend to FL, and I’m glad to see Sung Joon plays this role after being introduced to his handsome guy in “I Need Romance 3”.
Many commented on the pink tone and the use of different colored filters. It doesn’t bother me, nor does it add to how I feel about the drama. It just doesn’t matter to me, but it might to you. I also quite enjoy the OST.
Overall, this is a good melodrama if you are in the mood for a very slow burn and slow-paced romance. I just wanted more in the chemistry department to give this a solid 8.5+ rating.
Completed: 4/18/2023
Worthy of all the praises, but still missing some elements to make this perfect.
Subjective/Gut Rating; 8.75I will add to the many praises that everyone has for “Alchemy of Souls”. It is indeed a great fantasy, action, romance drama. As a veteran C-drama watcher, the story isn’t hard for me to follow but I could see how some can be confused. This drama has all the elements to be a highly rated production. I have an enjoyable time watching this.
What I Like:
1. Top notch production - sets, costumes, CGI. I actually want to see more CGI.
2. Love the OST. Took me by surprise in the beginning with the English lyrics, but the melodies give me all the feels.
3. Veterans Yoo Joon Sang (Leader Park Jin) and Oh Na Ran (Maidservant Kim). These two are hilarious and I love their dynamics.
4. I was worried about the comedy in the beginning because I don’t want a rom-com. But I find that there are enough comedic moments sprinkled throughout the drama, but not enough to make this into a comedy.
5. Bromance - The four actors have very distinct personalities but when they have scenes together, they are funny and have great chemistry.
6. Lee Jae Wook - He is not my kind of handsome, but I enjoy his acting very much. He is still so young and definitely has a great future ahead. I can’t believe I’ve seen all his dramas except “Move to Heaven”.
7. Glad the romance storylines are done well and maturely, and not annoying with evil men/women.
8. Good pacing.
What I want more or with mixed feelings:
1. I want more fight scenes, not enough for an action drama. The few scenes they have are good but not long enough.
2. I wish they could showcase more of FL's badassness. There weren't enough flashback scenes when she's Naksu, and when she's MuDeok, she's a sidekick. I wanted them to show more of her wit, even if she's weak physically.
3. Missing the chemistry between Lee Jae Wook and Jung So Min. Jung So Min looks like an older sister to me. Maybe because I am aware of their real life age gap.
4. Jung So Min’s acting is a hit-or-miss. I know she’s a cold-hearted assassin and could be emotionless. But I see bored eyes instead of assassin eyes. Of course, this is very personal and I know many love her.
5. Hwang Min Hyun’s acting could have been better - borderline bland and decent. . He’s handsome though. Each time I look at him, I think he’s Cha Eun Woo and it takes my brain a few seconds to adjust. I think Cha Eun Woo has prettier eyes though
Completed: 1/26/2023
Great from start to finish with enough excellent fight scenes to satisfy a wuxia lover
I usually don't watch wuxia movies as they oftentimes let me down due to incompetent writing and crappy fight scenes. After watching so many wuxia dramas that take their sweet time in world-building and setup, it's hard to find a movie that can do all of that in less than 2 hours. I'm glad I found "Brotherhood of Blades" years after it premiered. There's a beginning, middle and end to a full plot, and I was captivated and entertained for the full hour and 50 minutes.The action scenes are awesome. There is no wired flying around, twirling and waiting around during a battle and slow motion fight scenes. We have men (yes, men not boys) who put in the effort to train hard and give us realistic and hardcore close-up fights. I love the different weapons used in this movie, and not just a sword or knife. No weak and mindless swinging of the sword but strong and determined slashes and slits of the throats.
A veteran cast (maybe not then but definitely now) delivered a beautiful performance. I've only seen Chang Chen in "Love and Destiny" and I love him in "Brotherhood of Blades" a lot more and he looks much more charismatic in his JinYiWei uniform. I've never seen Wang Qian Yuan (the oldest of the brothers) before and I am impressed. Li Dong Xue is the youngest might not have delivered as memorable a performance as the two brothers, but he's not bad. I like him a lot more in "Love and Destiny". The two female characters and love interests do not have many scenes but they're fine. It's lovely to see great actors such as Nie Yuan, Zhou Yi Wei and Chin Shih Chieh. You know they will be good. Looking back, there are many excellent actors in this movie!
If you are looking for romance, it's very minimal. It's enough to drive the plot but not enough to make a lasting memory. Liu Shi Shi is beautiful as the female lead (that doesn't have many scenes). She reminded me of her role in "Lost Love in Times". There was a scene towards the end that was very touching and gave us the backstory of her relationship with Chang Chen's character.
If I have to criticize, I would have loved the movie to be a tad longer and dive more into how the brothers met and a little bit more of their background. Most of them are explained in a sentence or two. I think another 15 mins would be enough to show us more.
I am quite surprised this movie has such a low rating on MDL (7.5 at the time of writing). I am rounding up my rating from 8.75 to 9.0 to give it a little bump. 😁 If you love good old-style fight scenes and a strong acting performance by everyone, I
recommend this movie. Only 924 watchers is not enough!
Completed: 12/18/2022
Everybody Marries Jiu Ling!
Completed - 11/20/2021"Jun Jiu Ling" seems to be a pretty controversial drama - either you love it or you hate it. I am in the former and quite enjoy watching this drama. The pacing is good for a 40-episode drama with a good mix of romance, politics, medical practices and battles, to keep me engaged. This is no small feat, as I do get bored usually in the middle of a Chinese historical drama.
Plot - If you can get over the ridiculousness of the first episode - a bad attempted murder, incredible prison break and face/voice changing, then you will be rewarded with a good and fun drama. The general plot is pretty typical - a revenge drama to expose the wrongdoings of the antagonists with the support of your friends. As I mentioned, this drama has many different elements. I am glad that it's not about a bunch of princes fighting for the throne. There's enough romance to go around for the romance lovers (like myself), a little bit of martial arts, some evil court ministers and battle scenes to save the country. This is by no means a perfect drama with a perfect plot. There are some scenes that I did do some eye-rolling, but I enjoy the drama for the most part.
Jin Han/Zhu Zan/ML - Jin Han received many negative reviews for his role as Zhu Zan because he's deemed not "handsome" enough. He might not be your typical, idol-looking ML, but I am very impressed with his acting. I think he fits very well into the character of Zhu Zan - a fun, loyal, upright, hopeless romantic. I hope netizens won't give up on this drama because they don't like Jin Han.
Peng Xiao Ran/Jiu Ling/FL - This is my first drama of Peng Xiao Ran. I avoided watching "Goodbye My Princess" but I heard she was great in it. I can see why everyone praised her as she did a fantastic job as our FL, Jiu Ling. She's beautiful with porcelain-looking skin, and her eyes can convey so much emotions. She has enough acting chops to carry this show on her back, if needed. However, I do think the character of Jiu Ling seems to be a little too perfect. She is so smart in every way possible, brave and beautiful. There doesn't seem to be a flaw in her.
Main Romance - I love the main romance here between Zhu Zan and Jiu Ling. I think it could be considered a slow-burn romance as it took a very long time for them to be officially together. However, you cannot miss the chemistry between them. There's so much emotional and funny moments between the leads. Even with 3 other love interests appearing, there's no reason to doubt the love they have for each other. There's no misunderstanding and they are honest and communicate with each other. When they do get together, there are many sweet and cute moments between them. When Jiu Ling is with Zhu Zan, that's when we see a different side of her... a fun and mischievous side that she rarely shows to others.
Other Men - The other 3 men really have no chance in being with our FL. She's honest and straightforward with them, and never leads them on. With such a perfect woman in front of them, it's no wonder they would do anything to support her. Aside from one psycho obsessive admirer, the other two are considerate and supportive. However, they are not good enough for me to have second-lead syndrome. I am Zhu Zan all the way!
Supporting Cast - There is a pretty decent sized supporting cast. It's a given that the veteran actors did a good job. But even the younger actors and actresses acted well. I was glad that there's no truly annoying character. You know who the villains are, though they aren't the most despicable I've seen.
Predictable but you still root for the Lead Couple!
10/21/2021This drama shows the challenges that our male lead experiences after he had a spinal cord injury and became paralyzed from the waist down. I do not have have such an injury and do not use a wheelchair, so I can't really judge whether the depiction of his and his circle of support's experience is realistic or not. However, I feel that this drama does enough for us to know the hardships that they have to go through. It touches on the more common physical accessibility issues, but also the lesser known and more embarrassing challenges. It doesn't shy away from letting us know that a different kind of love from lovers, family members, and caregivers, is needed to provide and support someone with such a disability. This drama also reminded me a little of the C-drama "Crush", a story about the main lead who is visually impaired, and his challenges (great first half of the drama).
It's nice to see that our ML is still quite optimistic in life, is able to climb out of the abyss of despair, and lead a somewhat normal life as an architect. I am happy that he's not a gloomy ML and needs our FL to bring him out of his depression. Of course, he has his moments of weakness and needs emotional and physical support as well. Matzusaka Tori did an amazing job portraying his character. He's charismatic when he's upbeat, but when he's devastated and in pain, I cry with him. I want to hold him in my arms when he's wriggling in pain and protect him from everything. *sigh* I am always wary of FL in Japanese dramas, as they are usually too innocent and naive and are such pushovers. Thank goodness our FL here is not like that. She might be shy sometimes, but she speaks up when needed, and takes the lead in challenging injustices and support our ML. Our leads make a great couple and their chemistry is good. I wish the kiss scenes are a little more passionate =)
With such a great lead couple, we have to have some annoying second leads. I do not personally like them. I understand where they are coming from, especially when they both have been in love with our leads for decades. But I do not like how pushy and manipulative they are, when they know our leads have no interest in them at all. They are too desperate for my taste.
As my title said, the storyline is quite predictable. There aren't any surprises, but that doesn't stop me from binge-watching and wanting to know what will happen. I root for our leads and want to see them live happily-ever-after.
I read many good things about this drama and I like Steven Zhang, so I decided to give it a try, even though I am not a big fan of body-swapping. I was so close to giving this drama a 9.0 rating, but held back because I feel conflicted about the last 2 episodes.
What I like:
1. Plot - I do agree that the body swapping was done pretty well, compared to "Secret Garden". I feel that there are just enough episodes about body-swapping in the first part of the drama to keep me interested and engaged, without dragging on for too long. I also appreciate that the swapping doesn't just end when they switched back. That would be too easily resolved and the whole plot will end and just fill with other side stories. This drama could have fallen into the trap of many common tropes, but instead, it makes fun of them.
2. Acting - I have been a fan of Steven Zhang (ML) and am glad to see him in a different role. The other roles that he's in are usually the happy, outgoing teenager/young adult role. He's a more mature, cool and introverted character here, and he did a great job in portraying that. Of course, he's super funny and in character when playing the "female" character. I've seen Liang Jie (FL) in "Eternal Love" and didn't like that drama at all. I dropped it and didn't like Liang Jie's character. I am glad to wipe that bad taste off my mouth and watch her in this drama. Just like Steven Zhang, she was great in her role. I think as a female playing the male part, audience might not notice her acting as much as Steven's male character playing a female role. But I like the subtle acting and facial expressions, just the more masculine mannerisms that she portrays.
3. Characters - I enjoy watching a drama with no real villains, though I don't like ML's dad. Most C-dramas portray villains in rom-coms to be too cartoonish and over-the-top for my taste. So I am glad we don't have such characters in this drama. Moreover, another pet peeve of mine is innocent/naive/dumb characters. I am also happy to see that almost everyone is pretty smart in their own ways and act their age . Even our leads who are having their first real relationship are acting age-appropriately, and not some 30-year virgins who are too shy to even hold hands. I appreciate a real adult romance. Moreover, we have cute and supportive parents like our female lead's parents, and a great BFF for our FL.
4. Romance - As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate a real adult romance. Once the leads are in a relationship, they are honest and communicative. They are not afraid to flirt or show affection for each other. I find their romance cute but not so sweet that is unbearable or cringey. Their romance is very heartwarming to me. FL is just ML needs to be able to overcome his bad childhood memories. I enjoy seeing such a great supportive relationship.
5. Clothing - For once, not only the male characters dress handsomely, but our female characters are dressed well. I like that the girls are casual at home, but dress nicely and appropriately when at work. I've seen too many overly baggy casual well that female characters wear in C-dramas. Even though this is not a drama about fashion, I am glad to see our leads have a great wardrobe.
6. Comedic moments - The sound effects do add to the comedic moments of the show. There are many funny moments, not only during the body-swapping plot, but sprinkled throughout the drama. I find these moments funny but not over-the-top or slapstick funny. It was quite funny when FL explained why she never gave the love letter to doctor.... that's quite creative and unpredictable.
What I don't Like:
1. Product Placement - I understand PP is a big part of Korean and Chinese dramas, and I accept that. But in this show, I am sick and tired of seeing those snacks. They advertise those snacks in every episode (at least it feels this way). It's a bit much. Also, do we need several characters to suddenly catch a cold to advertise the cold medicine?
2. Music - I like the songs OK, but they play the English song " I See You" a bit much. The worst is that the background music is so loud and makes it hard to listen to the dialog.
3. Ending - I have mixed feelings about the noble idiocy and the time jump. I understand why the leads have to break up and I see where the ML is coming from. I just wish there's a better way to show that. I really dislike the trope where the leads break up before the final episode, then a time jump in the final episode and they reunite and live happily ever after. We know they are going to break up, as it's hinted in the very first episode. I was also a little taken back that all this happened in a novel written by FL. For some reason, I expect her to quit being a reporter and become an author, and then write about her love story.
Want more:
I am interested to see more about Tong Hua and Pei Jia Shu's relationship. They have pretty good chemistry and I wanted to see them get together.