This review may contain spoilers
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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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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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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This review may contain spoilers
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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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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Wtf???
Never like the concept of siblings turned lovers like I know they r not real siblings but didn't they consider themself as brothers and sister besides her calling him brother 24/7 and now they like each other romantically wtf?? Don't know why people love it this doesn't feel good dammnnSomeone one pls tell me why this is soo good. Didn't i understand anything like someone explain the plot like whyy
Pros:
To be Frank I enjoyed and binged the first 15 eps it's heartwarming slice of life that I adored it's literally so good but the last 10 eps i can't accept it
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Good family drama, subpar romance
OVERALLMy opinion may be unpopular, but I find this drama a bit (just a bit) overrated. Still, it definitely feels different from other C-dramas I have seen so far, and the first half is REALLY nice. Watch it if 1) you're looking for a story with great friendship/family ties, 2) you like dramas that follow characters from childhood to adulthood, 3) you don't mind shedding a few tears. Think twice if 1) you are craving a well-developed love story, 2) you have low tolerance for annoying characters, 3) you like mature female leads.
THE STORY
It took me ages to give Go Ahead a try because I felt like it would just make me cry a lot. It didn't. It actually made me laugh a lot more. There is a lot to like about this drama:
- The first half is glorious, of the best I've seen in a C-drama; especially the first five episodes when the main leads are still very young. Serious, dark stuff happen, but it's beautiful and emotional. I just loved it. As the trio begins to age, the drama starts to feel a bit bipolar, like it doesn't know if to have melodrama vibes or comedy vibes and it bothered me sometimes, but it was still fine until about episode 20.
- The parents that take care of the main leads are fabulous. They break all stereotypes and are just so endearing. Definitely my favorite characters of the drama!
- Of course, the dynamic between the three main leads is gold, especially in the first half of the drama. They are family/friends goals!
My problem with Go Ahead is the second half, which feels so sloppy in comparison to the first half. The drama tries to tackle too many storylines at once so it doesn't go deep enough with anything and makes you feel dissatisfied with everything. The romance? Goes from zero to 100. Messed up characters? Also go from bad to good in the blink of an eye. It just doesn't make sense. I also have to say, Female lead is a bit problematic for me. She's just so childish. I'm fine with cute female characters, but mature cute. Age-appropriate cute. Jianjian acts her age like 25% of the time, and the rest feels like she's 10 years younger than the boys. It just...doesn't feel right.
Definitely a good drama, but not as great as it looked like it was going to be.
THE ACTING
Pretty good. I like Seven Tan's acting (regardless of her character) and the older actors were fab. Lil bro was impressive too, but in comparison, Big Bro kind of fell short. Still, nothing to distract you from the plot. I must say though, I felt no chemistry between the leads. Romantic scenes are nothing special too, so really, don't come into this drama for the love story.
THE MUSIC
In general, quite fine. I just like that background instrumental music wasn't super loud and cheap. It was actually fitting. The drama is really a nice production, it's only the script that could be a bit better.
REWATCH VALUE
Not very high. I think it's one of those one-timers.
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My First Review = 10/10
I don't write reviews, I usually just watch and rate and move on.BUT THIS DRAMA SLAPS <3
It had everything! The great acting, the cute music, the comedy, the drama. It had the right amount of everything that would make a drama perfect. If you want something centered on romance, this is not for you. Although there is romance and scenes that would make you squeal and giggle, it focuses more on FAMILY - AND this is rare. Usually, something is too family-based, it loses the reality of it all and it becomes too toxic or dramatic. But this is so well-balanced, one would think you'd get lost in the different storylines but it explains everything so well and it all made sense in the end. There were no unanswered questions.
This tugs on the heartstrings especially for all the single dads out there. Most dramas cater to motherhood and although mothers should be held on a pedestal, this shed a light on the stories of many fathers and their different experiences and their different characteristics. It showed a real MODERN family and how a family can transcend the borders of just the average, mom, dad, child.
ALSO, it doesn't hurt that the actors are all good-looking and had good chemistry HAHAHA.
For people who are not into brother-sister relationships GOOD because this is not it. THEY ARE NOT RELATED LOL. They just grew up together, even one of the characters made sure there were boundaries because he knew he wanted to pursue the girl later on.
QUICK SUMMARY with NO SPOILERS
Girl grows up with two "brothers", one who was left by his mom and one whose parents were recently divorced. The three kids had two dads growing up, one who owned a restaurant who was more comforting and soft-hearted and kind, the other a policeman who is a workaholic who despite the difficulty of the job, loves his children nonetheless. These two fathers decided to raise their children together without a mother figure. The strength of their relationships and family will be tested throughout the show.
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I never bother reviewing any dramas here, so you know this is worth it if I do.
In all my years (approx 15years) of dramaing, I never bother to create an account or write a review here. But, I thought this drama deserves a go. I really fell in love with this drama, to the point I dropped ALL of my other dramas to focus on this drama alone, which I've never done. Not even with Eternal Love Peach Blossom or any other great dramas. I have a tendency to skip episodes or skim through episodes, I even skipped an ep of Eternal LovePB, but I never did with Go Ahead, so that should say a lot.The first two eps already brought me to tears, the child actors played phenomenal in their roles. You can already distinguish what their personalities would be like as adults so I think the child actors played an important role in this drama to bring the feels in such a short beginning of this drama. I was first attracted to this drama because of the trio, Tang Songyun, Steven Zhang, SWL, as the three all have their respective successful works this year. So to have all three in one drama is unheard of and just such a treat- it will also never happen again.
Now on to the drama, the drama is more family centered, hence the Chinese name "in the name of family"...I honestly don't know why they went with "Go Ahead". The drama depicts serious topics that not many would delve into, that is mental health and childhood trauma. How childhood experiences can traumatically influence adulthood. This drama also touches a lot of other spectrum of different family dynamics: tiger moms, moms that exploit monetary values of their children, left behind children (villages), divorced families, single dads. How all these types of family dynamics influenced the individual's adolescences and the person they become in adulthood.
No character is perfect, everyone seemed to have a scar of their own, especially the main two male leads. LingXiao (LX) seemed like the most perfect guy: tall, handsome, highly educated, smart, great career, high paying job, gentle and caring. Yet, I find him to be the most scarred and most pitiful character. His scars and sadness can't be seen bc it's all mental. What he went through as a child and later on in younger adulthood was truly unfair to him. He never got the proper mental help he desperately needed as a kid, thankfully JianJian(JJ) was there to save him. ZiQiu (ZQ), is another male lead, his abandonment issues was pretty evident. He was a tear jerker yet also the comedic part of the drama. I think Steven did amazingly as ZQ! JJ seemed like the saint in this drama, she has no jealousy and no resentment on anyone. She always forgave and was the one that supported everyone. Perhaps, it's bc of her artistic side that gave her a more empathetic and perceptive insight in life. So when she is sad and upset or cry I instantly cry along with her. Imagine the happy sunshine crying, that's outrageous and abnormal and everyone should do something to stop the sadness being emitted from her. I liked the cp, ok I'm obsessed with the cp, especially knowing how much JJ means to LX. How JJ was basically the light and hope that helped LX carry on that 9 years of hell and torment. I seriously think he would've given up and suicide if it wasn't for the fact that he wanted to see her again. When JJ asked him what he did all theose years in Singapore, LX replied with "missing you, missing home, day dreaming. Dreaming about being with you, dreaming about marrying you and having a kid....I even thought of our baby's name." I think anyone can tell how desperately he wanted to leave Singapore and go to JJ, how thinking about JJ was his only salvation to endure all those pain and hardship. Sadly, I think some people don't understand LX enough so they dislike his actor and SWL that acted as LX. I think it's bc he doesn't express his feelings and pain as openly as ZQ, he doesn't cry openly and he's not a happy sunshine like ZQ. It's bc he learned to be understanding as young as 7 years old. He keeps his true feelings and emotions inside all bottled up which is really really aversive to his mental wellbeing. He's a more closed off and solemn character that doesn't like to be close to anyone except his family (excluding his mom for good reasons). He has no will or energy to interact with anyone, and I find it heartbreaking but also understandable. Some people can't accept the fact that he suddenly liked the female lead or that he forced her to like him. Well if any viewer was perceptive enough for just a tiny bit can see that he viewed JJ as more of a female of the opposite sex than a sibling. I believe it was in ep 3 where his behaviours already portrayed his feelings towards JJ was different from how ZQ sees JJ as a kid sister. As you can see I've analyzed LX's character to a T, so I love LX's character very much.
The OST are all soo good, to the point I dl all the songs on Spotify. Each song does so well to bring the emotions in the drama out. The only pet peeve I have with this drama is the side characters have way too many scenes and unnecessarily bigger roles than they should have. There were 3 episodes where the main male lead wasn't even in it!! What kinda blasphemy is this, I've never in my entire life watched a drama with no main lead in it for so many eps. I get that the drama is trying to draw a closure to other characters' problems but I don't need 3 freaken eps of it. I had to grind through that. I also didn't like how the director or writer simply wiped clean of all the antagonist's wrongdoings by simply suiciding. I thought it was a selfish act upon the antagonist as it would've brought much more pain to the main lead and antagonist's family. Sometimes, not everything or everyone deserves forgiveness. I also didn't like how there wasn't enough air time for the cp, I was thirsting for their sweet scenes and I didn't get enough of it. I had to keep reminding myself this was a family centered drama not an idol romcom.
Overall, I really enjoyed this drama! This drama has a deep meaning, it portrays different family dynamics, mental wellness, child abuse/trauma, abandonment issues, departure and re-connection, forgiveness and reconciliation, friendship and love. A drama that's definitely worth watching.
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This review may contain spoilers
Amazing Drama
I just love this drama. It’s one of my all time favorites. I rewatched it soon after I finished all 40 episodes, fast forwarding through some of the secondary leads’ lives. The cast did a great job especially the 3 young kids in ep 1&2. I was hooked from the get go. I love Seven Tan. She is so cute and funny and plays a character with a bigger than life personality. She is beautiful as the grown up LJJ. Her acting is spot on. Song Wei Long is so good looking and his acting is good and credible as LX. I read that netizens criticized him but in my opinion, it’s unwarranted. He was only 20 years old when this drama was produced. Stephen Zhang is endearing as HZQ and completes the trio parented by 2 men, Li Pa and Ling Pa. Hats off to Tu Song Yan who’s portrayal of Li Pa, a loving, wise and kind father was very touching and with LJJ’s take charge personality, just what 2 traumatized young boys needed. Li Pa’s thoughtful handing of his daughter was funny and wonderful to watch. Yang Tong Shu also did a great job as LX’s mother. We hate her so much and it’s also due to her good acting skills.I laughed so much and cried at the many tender and poignant moments and binge watched till late at night because I was obsessed with the story and the main characters. The story touches on family and parenting issues, childhood tragedy and abandonment, continuing trauma and mental health ( though not in depth), school, career challenges and love life. The story focuses on the children when LJJ was 6 and the boys were 8, then at 16 and 18 and again at 25 and 27. I also love the romance between LJJ and XL. Though some people expressed discomfort about their romance because they’re ‘siblings’, it’s similar to great childhood friends becoming romantically involved years later when they grow up. LJJ and XL always had a special relationship. It was LJJ who used to chase after this big brother (Oppa) who lived upstairs. She misses him tremendously when he’s gone for a few days. In LX’s mind, he always had the notion of marrying her as they accidentally performed the ancient rite of engagement (LOL) when he rescued her from kidnappers when they were young kids. It should also come as no surprise to viewers as the opening and ending video clips showed them kissing.
I usually fast forward through the video clips during the beginning and ending credits but for this drama, I watched them all for every episode. They were so compelling. The characters look so happy in some and it’s a pleasure to watch them grow up through the clips. The music is poignant and moving if you read the lyrics. Definitely a drama that must be watched with English subtitles if your Mandarin, like mine, is not so good.
Best of all, this drama has a happy ending. I can’t bear to feel sad after investing hours of watching a drama and I especially wanted good endings for these characters. I wanted to be entertained and I was.
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A happy ending is not mandatory... It's okay to leave behind the people who hurt you !
The first 20 eps were truly incredible, all the themes around family and what this word truly means were very inspiring.I love how the fathers (mainly thanks to Hai Chao) built for their children the best they could a family, and a stable and warm home.
The casting was very well chosen but I think the acting of Song Wei Long was bellow in comparison of the rest of the main cast tho. He did a better job during the last part.
After ep21, the drama was ok but not as good.
It was too much of that fake triangle insinuations and many scenes with 3rd characters I didn't care about.
The development of the lovestory between Jianjian & Ling Xiao didn't get me interested as I was in the beginning of the drama, probably because their chemistry was good, cute but not that deep ...
Yang Tong Shu, Tu Song Yan and Zhang Xin Cheng put the best acting performances imo.
Tan Song Yun's perf on the 1st part was great, I wasn't that impressed in the 2nd part.
I was expecting "a masterpiece" as many people stated, it was not, it was a good drama with more flaws that people let us believe...
It was tiring and triggering to watch the writers try to force us to accept the excuses of the toxic parents who chose to abandon their children and having to see those same children becoming adults still having to "compromise" for those awful parents, just for the sake of pleasing a certain chinese moral standpoint, and for it to please the censorship... and to also please the idea that in the end of a story, we need things to get better at any expense, even against common sense, that we need an answer to every situation even those dark and complexe ones ...
I think the drama needed a more mature dimension in the writing to deliver a real, honest raw ending to truly respect the representation of what dysfonctionnal family and toxic parents are and what they lead to.
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