This review may contain spoilers
Well.. its a well known culture of "ghost marriage" but again.. this topic was taboo for some people... Taiwanese drama really did produce some good one.. including this one.
Story wise was pretty engaging for me...
I actually watch this for Chris Wu as his acting was always great and he delivered his characters very well.. secondly... I was intrigued by the plot story (and it did not disappoint).
If you are afraid to watch this because of the horror tag.. well don't be.. its not scary at all... (I can't watch horror movies).
For me.. the Chris Wu and Huang Pei Jia portrayed their characters well and had great chemistry.. I wished they elaborate more of their romance in the drama..
As for the side characters.. well some are a bit stiff and annoying. But I have to give 2 thumbs up for the actor playing Tian Ching as he really delivered the characters very well.. hope to see him in more dramas/movies.
As for Tian Bai's well he was a bit stiff in some scenes...
The ending got me thinking.. was Er Lang mortal and experienced the same thing as Li Lan? or was there any other possibilities. Hope they'll make a season 2.
Story wise... well its different from your typical historical drama.. tho I don't really like historical settings but this drama was ok.. every episodes kept me curious that I want to quickly finish it and move on to the next one.
The settings, visual effects and details were pretty amazing (do not compare it to Hollywood or Korean or other countries movies). For me... this drama was great enough.
If you like different kind of genre other than rom com or action.. you should try watching this... quite refreshing and funny too,
Enjoy the drama!
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When the first trailer came out, I watched it and was intrigued but then never watched the show until months later. So, by the time I sat down and watched the series, I had no remembrance of what the trailer showed me and I had no knowledge of the book (which came out in 2013). This was the best preparation I could've had as I ended up really enjoying the show. With no prior expectations, I went in and was pleasantly surprised by the humor, the characters, and the story.
Before I dive a little bit more into what I loved and didn't like as much, I hope audiences remember that this is a Netflix series and, judging by the set and the low number of episodes, Netflix probably didn't give the show a big budget. When you have a low budget, there is only so much you can do. I see several areas for improvement, but first, the things I loved that came through even with a low number of episodes:
-CHARACTERS AND ACTORS: Huang Peijia as Pan Li Lan was a good choice. I've never seen Peijia's other shows before so it was refreshing to watch her play our protagonist who may be a bit too trusting, but has a good heart and is pretty clever in the end. Also, her range of expressions is great and her cryings made me teared up as well, so kudos! Wu Kang Ren as Er Lang was such a delight; his performance balancing comedy and drama is one of the highlights of the show and brings a depth to Er Lang very quickly despite the short number of episodes. Ludi Lin as Lim Tian Bai was wonderful. He was the only actor I recognized and he is such a cute face that matches his role as a man divided by love and duty. Kuang Tian as Lim Tian Ching stole the spotlight many times with his fabulous hair, face, clothes, and dramatics. He played the spoiled and dangerous son very well. Basically, all the actors did a great job with their roles.
-COMEDY: although this show is probably categorized (and advertised) as a horror, it's probably more of a suspenseful mystery with many strong comedic moments.
-VULNERABLE AND IMPORTANT MOMENTS: There are scenes that address the patriarchy and men's treatment of women that are so good. It doesn't get a chance to go too deeply into it, but it definitely deepens this show as more than just a horror mystery. Also, mother & daughter scenes that are so important in revealing one's sense of duty and love to your family. (Overall, strong familial moments throughout.)
-STORY: I assume because of the low episode count, the story was more plot-driven (and thus character development suffered a bit). The premise is familiar to all of us: a girl is called to the heroine's journey because she wants to save someone she loves. Pan Li Lan is forced to make a deal with the worst person to save her father. In saving her father, she must save herself too. Because I liked Pan Li Lan, I enjoyed watching her journey. Was there anything that was super surprising or shocking in the plot itself? Not really, but the execution of the overall story is good.
Things that could be improved:
-MUSIC: The music overall isn't bad, but there were some music parts for specific scenes that just felt out of place or felt a bit TOO much. Also, I had hoped for more incorporation of Chinese classical instruments.
-CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: all the characters just deserve more screen time to develop the audience's connection and investment in the characters. Unfortunately, only the main characters really get this development and care. Not to say that there wasn't any development. There is a lot of growth for most of the characters, but the ones who we get to see with that is our main characters.
-HIGHER QUALITY OF SET, DESIGN, AND CGI: there are a couple shots of the city and you can just tell that it's really fake.
Overall, if you don't take the show too seriously (as this show is a fantasy, mystery, coming-of-age show rather than a very serious piece of work), then I think you'll enjoy the show.
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Rollercoaster of emotions till the last 3 seconds of the show.
The Ghost Bride is a show full of amazing visuals, interesting and engaging characters, curious relationships and entertaining plotlines.We follow Pan Li Lan, as she tries to deal with all the obstacles life throws at her. She has to work through not only the mortal problems, but gets dragged into the immortal issues as well. She is a strong, curious and positive girl, who strives to find her own happiness and define her own life and goals. She uses her wits to her advantage , but even with all the brain power, she still makes mistakes that make her realistic and relatable character.
Er Lang was the cutest and most loyal boy. He had natural and well paced character development that made me adore him more and more with each episode I've watched. His playful nature and bickering tendencies made his scenes that much more fun and entertaining to watch.
Snape, aka Lim Tian Ching, even though extremely "fancy" and over the top, was still weirdly fun to watch. He wasn't scary or domineering, but with the hints of madness presented, felt quite unpredictable.
Li Lan's first meetings with a lot of the characters were quite telling about who she is, what she can expect from them, and how staying with them would shape her life and her future (more about it in the comment under spoiler). All the characters had some significance to the plot. They make you suspect everyone, but at the same time twist the perspective in the next few scenes, and you are still left in the dark about who is behind it all.
The plot had many twists and turns. Characters I hated, I ended up liking. The ones I kind of enjoyed at first, I wanted to kill. Each new scene and clue about the plot could completely change my perspective and view. It was a story about fighting for others, but also for yourself and your dreams. About surviving, but also sacrificing the things you love and strive for, for the people you care about. It got me invested, I cared about the characters deeply. Some scenes I had to pause because I was scared of what's coming. To put it simply: it had an emotional impact on me.
One thing that surprised me was the comedic parts, which were well placed and truly hilarious. They fitted my sense of humor perfectly, to the point of me rewatching some scenes over and over again as I was laughing with tears in my eyes.
The only problem I had with the show was the last 15 minutes of it. It felt rushed. With how the relationships between all the characters developed and changed, some choices made by few felt just random and unfitting, taking into consideration past events.
The soundtrack, audio mixing, editing, scenography and cinematography were truly top quality. There is nothing to complain about. I took way too many screenshots and it still feels like not enough. The songs had such a surreal and magical feel to them.
Overall, for only 6 episodes, they did an amazing job presenting a fairly complex story with quite a lore behind it. The characters were well written, had amazing on screen chemistry and played off of each other's strengths and weaknesses well. Would definitely recommend it to everyone.
+ additional thoughts with spoilers in the comment under the review.
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Good Enough
Taiwanese Drama " The Ghost Bride " is a fantasy drama based on the YA book of the same name.The story is full of fantasy elements and traditional themes, though it does stray away from the original plot, so if you are a fan of the book, you will probably be disappointed. But, apart from that, the series is enjoyable, even if the ending was rushed.
The characters, in addition, were interesting, even though the main lead was annoying at first. The actors and actresses were pretty great as well with excellent performances for a fantasy drama.
Finally, the SGI were okay and decent enough, but the costumes needed more thought as some of them looked fake.
So, overall, four out of ten.
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This starts off really well. I like the dark bits that are added. With it being so short, they do pack in alot of plot and nothing is there with out reason. Peak of the main plot- it dose become a bit over done ex-I'm not a fan of the guards, they are just a bit too much "extra" for me. The mystery- I do like this part and how it changes but I do wish it had stayed with her helping solve the murder instead of her helping a heavenly guard. I kind of wish she knew Tian Ching before as she is so close to his cousin. I don't like how his "role" changes into a bad guy.
I like how the main lead really changes who she is after everything has happened.
I have heard about being a ghost bride before and for me it did lack in that type of tradition for me.
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Don't take it too seriously – it's a fun mixed genre Young Adult drama
The Ghost Bride has its faults but what drew me in was the rich world-building. I've never watched anything set in historical Malaysia before nor had I ever encountered the idea of 'ghost brides' before reading the YA novel this series derives from. Those two elements plus the Underworld setting meant that I wasn't too fussed about the characters because the variety of settings became fascinating characters in their own right.I think other reviews have assessed the actual characters well. Special mention goes to Chris Wu just because of his range: I've now seen him perform beautifully in huge different roles in Ghost Bride, Autumn's Concerto, and Shards of Her. Boy, can he act!
I think it is important to remember that this is meant for a younger audience. I was more forgiving than I would normally be about the lack of depth for some of the characters because of the 'Young Adult' genre. There tends to be a certain naîve sheen that comes with that. Normally, I'd be critiquing the class politics too – notice how Amah and Lao Wong are uncritically loyal to the Pan family – but, again, it's a YA audience in mind so I can understand how it could've complicated the story too much.
Overall, this is a fun mystery/fantasy drama with a touch of romance that strays just far enough away from usual YA tropes to stand on its own two legs.
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Something different
Being a collaborate Malaysian-Taiwanese production and set in Malaysia, this drama does seem different. It was nice seeing all the different clothing and the snippets of a multi-ethnic background (although very much snippets).The story was pretty interesting, mostly because it was, as stated above, something different. Being only 6 episodes, it is easy to binge and does not drag a lot. It was pretty good mix of genres of family, mystery and comedy with a side of romance. However, there were a couple areas that were not as fleshed out and left to viewer interpretation. The acting was pretty good too. It was mostly new faces for me although I know the actors themselves were not new. I liked the main cast and the female lead. Although the female lead was written in a slightly air-headed manner, the actress did a good job keeping her grounded. I think some of the most memorable scenes are in episode 5, where Yan Hong converses with both her mother and Tian Bai.
My only gripe with the drama is how modern it feels, from the hairstyles, speech, social interactions, background music and even the outfits. Granted, I have never been to Malaysia and I looked it up that the country has a pretty high economic ranking. However, if I had not been told that it was set in 1890, I would have assumed it was taking place in modern times in a more non-Westernized area or at most 30 years ago due to the lack of cell phones. The super-modern and at times electro/house music, although fun to listen to, did not help. It does not detract a whole lot though because the overall look of the drama is very pretty. The twist at the end, although logical, was also underwhelming.
It does not have a crazy amount of suspense so overall a pretty decent re-watch. In conclusion, for something that feels a little different, looks nice, is well-written and pretty short, I have zero regrets moving from my Plan to Watch to Completed List.
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A Taiwanese Gem
One of the most beautiful dramas I have watched in 2020. I truly want to rewatch it soon because it was amazing. The story has a truth to it, being inspired by the tragic fate of the „ghost brides” and I was glad I could learn about something new and also be amazed by the wonderful story. It is also true that there were some aspects which did not respect the Malaysian culture, yet this fantasy show combined with adventure, romance and mystery was wonderful and I couldn't let it go. The chemistry between the leads is also spot on. It has good actors and the music is also beautiful.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A gem
This might have been my first Asian drama ever. I can't really remember, but I went into it thinking it was more like a Masterpiece Theater. I even had my parents watch this one, trying to get them into Asian dramaland.I ended up reading the book not too long ago and fair warning, they are completely different. Only the characters are the same. But I'm not mad at either one--I would encourage you to read the book as well, just do not expect much in the way of similarities.
The storyline was good, the characters made (mostly) logical choices, there were funny and cute moments, and suspenseful moments. I liked Er Yang's character and their burgeoning romance was sweet. I'm not going to lie, I also can't help liking a hot evil main character.
It was short but not rushed and you did not feel like you needed any more time or explanation. Happy ending with a bit of a foreshadow for a possible sequel.
Check this one out, its worth it.
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Loosey Based
Overall, it is an okay series. The music lends itself well to the show. The sets and clothing are beautifully done. Both of these elements work well together to set the mood and tone. Its historical aspect is a little rough around the edges. I found myself questioning certain details. I really went into this drama wanting to love it. However, it differs too much from its source material. That is most evident in the first 20 minutes when you realize it's starting at the festival party. By this time, you're already a good deal into the book and Li Lan is already being haunted. There is also the deletion of some characters and the changing of others that is a little irksome. I kind of looked forward to Er Lang in his long robes with the silver thread and his wide brim bamboo hat that covers his face. For the most part it was an adequate first encounter, for me, into Taiwanese dramas.Was this review helpful to you?
