Jina
United States
For full enjoyable experience, PLEASE watch the cut/trimmed scenes and the second ending
If anyone have watched any dramas from MGTV, you'll know that they suck, especially when they put it on YouTube. MGTV doesn't always provide Eng subs, they will cut audio if it means avoiding music copyright issues, and they also edit and cut/trim down scenes a lot. Sadly, they're not like the wonderful YOUKU with "Word of Honor." YOUKU has been giving such an wonderful experience for fans of Word of Honor. MGTV could never because they're too cheap.With all that said, Killer and Healer is still an enjoyable drama despite being butchered like that but if you want the full experience, please make sure to watch the cut/trimmed scenes and watch the second ending. You can find all of those clips on YouTube if you search "Killer and Healer highlight" and "Killer and Healer ending."
Killer and Healer is a Republican Era, cop/doctor action detective drama with the cop, Jiang Yuelou, trying to solve and get rid of opium in Jing City. By chance, he meets the doctor Chen Yuzhi and they form a cooperation and then an unbreakable friendship/relationship helping each other while trying to break through the cases and find out and stop the main villain of the drama. At the same time, Chen Yuzhi tries to help Jiang Yuelou with his PTSD and bipolar disorder which has begun to affect Jiang Yuelou's reactions/decisions in the field.
YES, THIS IS A SOULMATES DRAMA. Look, if you know anything about Chinese dramas by now, you know they censor LGBTQ+ content. That means that directors and scriptwriters etc. have to find a way around it and I think this drama did it wonderfully. The main leads, Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, have an incredibly deep relationship with so much loyalty and trust, along with warm and tender exchanges and interactions. ESPECIALLY IF YOU WATCH THE CUT/TRIMMED SCENES, you can witness that even more. There is so much explicitly said AND implied, you have to know how to read between the scenes/lines. And I want to clarify that, though yes they have a female character here and she does catch feels for one of the main leads, she is never used to block the two guys nor is she ever an annoying character. She's so wonderful and I will fight anyone who hates on her. Her character was used in some way to downplay the LGBTQ+ vibes but you can always tell how important and critical Jiang Yuelou's and Chen Yuzhi's relationship is to each other.
Anyway, it's fairly fast-paced and yet also does very well with angsty and sad scenes that makes you cry. The OST is also really good too and truly makes you feel the emotions of the scene. There are some plot choices that I question, but overall, I still enjoyed this drama a lot.
Mao Zijun as Jiang Yuelou and Ian Yi as Chen Yuzhi were such a delight! I hadn't really seen them before in their previous dramas (and I believe Killer & Healer is their first real drama as leads), so watching them here was refreshing but also so enjoyable! Mao Zijun is my absolute favorite because he is able to balance looking cool and handsome and also painful scenes where he's hurting and is crying so much. I am seriously impressed with Mao Zijun as it can be difficult to pull off a character who can be aggressive but also sympathetic too. He's able to show off how Jiang Yuelou can be tough but also be so vulnerable. Such great acting and good character.
Ian Yi did a perfect job of being the gentle and caring doctor Chen Yuzhi. There are other supporting characters that are pretty great too, such as the female character Chu Ran, who wasn't annoying at all and was just so level-headed, calm, smart, and cute. I adore the supporting characters like Song Rong and Sun Yongren.
There's the second "couple" characters--Zhan Junbai and Yu Tangchun--who are so fascinating but sadly don't have as many scenes as the main leads. However, their relationship is intriguing still and quite heartbreaking. I adore both of the actors for these roles and enjoyed watching their interactions and relationship.
To summarize, you might like this drama if you like these things:
-Two complex and competent male leads who value and care for each other so much that it's practically romantic (but due to censorship, it's "bromance"). (Even MyDramaList tag this as "homoerotic subtext" and they're not wrong.)
-A competent and smart female character who is never made annoying or as a "block" to the main leads
-A complicated and intriguing relationship between the supporting "couple" characters
-Endearing supporting characters who serve as comedic relief and also as commentary to the two male leads' relationship
-HURT/COMFORT!!! This is one of the best things about this show. It's about the angst and hurt and being taken care of by the other!!
-UNWAVING FAITH AND LOYALTY of the main leads!!!!!
-Suggestive and flirting looks (what can I say, Mao Zijun just oozes such casual flirtatious style, okay.)
Things that you might not like or feel comfortable with
-Depiction of mental illnesses. Personally, I think they did a decent job with Jiang Yuelou's bipolar disorder and PTSD but I don't know too much about bipolar disorder. I know PTSD though and Jiang Yuelou definitely have a lot of that from his difficult background. However, I know some viewers may feel it difficult to watch when Jiang Yuelou is going through this.
-Deaths. This is a Republican Era drama, so typically, a lot of people will die, especially in this line of work as a cop/detective working to fight mob bosses.
Possible content warnings:
-depictions of addiction behavior and trauma-related behavior like aggression and violence
-depictions of domestic violence and abuse
-depiction of PTSD and bipolar disorder
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I enjoyed this drama! The beginning episodes were hard to get through at first (I'd say ep1-6) but after that, the main leads really start to latch onto me and their romance start to build a lot more. The female main lead did feel a little annoying at first, but--again--after the 6th episode, I really liked her. (The male main lead also felt a bit stiff to me at first but after the 6th episode, I liked him too.)
This isn't a show that's jam-packed with drama, plot twists, etc., thus, why I called it a "low-key" drama. It's fun to watch and nice to watch when you have time or are just looking for a drama that's not going to pull any weird/strange twists. (In fact, I think it gets quite intriguing in the middle of the series! I binge-watched a lot of those eps.)
I also enjoyed the soundtrack a lot! I've one back to listened to it several times and can hum a couple of the tunes. It was pretty catchy and the scenes it played over was memorable.
My biggest letdowns from this show were just 2 things:
1) the secondary pairing's relationship is super cute but towards the end of the series, they don't get a lot of screen time. It's a shame as I enjoyed them very much & would've loved a whole lot more of them, especially from the girl.
2) some characters' endings felt a bit...too easy (as if the plot didn't know what to do with them, so the characters were dealt with in a kind of cheap way, I'd say. But again, I liked the low-keyness of the drama and am glad the overall series wasn't too short nor too long.)
Overall, the drama was enjoyable! Not the greatest, not the worst, just a fun drama to watch. The OST is really good and I've found myself listening to it a lot.
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making the most out of a mob boss x police trope!
First, I made a MyDramaList account literally just so I could write a review and join the comments for this series. I love it THAT much. I've rewatched it a couple times while waiting for the new episodes to air.The actors for Tang Yi and Shao Fei--Chris and Jake, respectively--have SO MUCH CHEMISTRY together and portray their characters with such great expressions. Shao Fei have great comedic expressions whereas Tang Yi can go from cold and ruthless to vulnerable and worried with just subtle shifts in his face. They are really strong actors and perfect for this kind of enemies-to-lovers romantic trope.
On that note about romance, I can't say enough about the romantic moments in this show. Because this show is built on the enemies-to-lovers trope, there are a few predictable plots or moments that allow the main characters to grow and trust each other, but honestly, these parts still feel refreshing and endearing because of the actors, the characters' personalities, and the comedy. I won't spoil anything, but there were definitely romantic moments where I was like, "Wow, this is PEAK romance--I don't know where else will I find such tender and soft scenes." I have a soft spot for Tang Yi, especially, as I love characters who slowly let their defenses down to the person they love. Watching him go from having to always be the boss and tough one to being vulnerable to Shao Fei was so heartwarming.
On the comedy, we are really blessed to have Jake's portrayal of Shao Fei with his funny expressions and perfectly delivered lines. We have the second couple on the show--Li An and Jack--who are often the comedic, but endearing pairing on this show, especially Li An who is super cute.
When compared to all the previous series in HIStory's lineup, this one is definitely on top next to "Crossing the Line."
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The unedited version gave us a lot to show their love, especially Zhao Yao Hua towards Liu Yu Sheng. Again, they never do anything explicit due to censorship, but I guarantee you that this series will give you a lot to be happy and smiling about. Also, the ending is good too. So, while watching the series, don't expect anything explicit, but do expect many dialogue that will tug at your heart as well as many actions done by Yao Hua to Yu Sheng that will grip your heart. :')
Also, the secondary characters (the other couple, pretty much) also get a couple chances to shine, so that was adorable. They don't get anything as intense as Yao Hua & Yu Sheng, but it was still cute.
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The best and worst of cdramas; incredible characters but, unsurprisingly, a lukewarm conclusion
[Note: I'm rating this season lower than I rated the first season because it really was a lot worse, sadly. For this season 2 alone, I rate it a 7. For the entire drama, an 8/10. On a personal level, because I love the characters so much, it's a 10/10 for me, despite how it ended. ][Copy and pasted from my review of season 1]
This drama is not very action-focused or fast-paced as it's very much character driven. What happens when traumatized children grow up? How do they heal or regress? Who are the people in our lives who were important chapters in our lives but may not stay with us forever? What's more important: my duty or my love? This drama is full of interesting and flawed characters and their relationship & dynamic to one another, especially with the female lead to the male leads. NOTE RIGHT NOW: If you dislike female leads having "romantic" moments with multiple men (or dislike the men being "disloyal" by marrying other women), then this drama is NOT for you. This drama does a fine job in showing her potential future with different men, especially how each men are important to her and how they fulfill different parts. I personally didn't have any conflict over this because it's well written and makes logical sense, considering what each character has gone through.
Also, great acting from all the characters, especially yang zi, zhang wanyi, tan jianci, and deng wei. The amount I've cried from watching yang zi crying? The way yang zi and zhang wanyi have such an electric and tragic tone underneath every conversation they have? It's no wonder that this season 1 (and some of the actors) won plenty of awards in 2023.
This drama (season 1) will break your heart. It's angst, hurt/comfort, tender, sweet, and heartbreaking. (The title is "Lost You Forever," you know?) Absolutely 10/10, no notes.
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-------------------------slight spoilers for season 2------------------------------------
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On season 2 and how it damaged this drama: I rated this drama 8/10--still high--because I enjoyed season 1 and parts of season 2 very much. But season 2's ending did irreparable ruin to the storyline and so this is really closer to a 7/10 for that unsatisfying ending. It was so lukewarm that it's laughable and so I don't even consider it a real ending.
NOTE: What caused the drastic changes? Lots of speculation: drama behind the production, actor favoritism, China censorship (which includes "hero-washing" the actions of flawed characters). Season 2 of the drama also got trimmed a lot from like 30 episodes to 23 episodes. So, it's clear at several spots that there are huge jumps in times and supporting characters who are suddenly brought forth to the main storyline...
The biggest betrayal of the storyline was that it ruined the character development of several of the main characters and thus was completely frustrating and unsatisfying. It happened in the final 4 episodes. Thus, I have personally elected to ignore most of what happened in the final 4 episodes, especially the "twist"--because it would not make sense.
If you're someone who can separate the two seasons like I have and consider that the good outweigh the bad, then you'll probably enjoy a lot of what this drama have to give. But if you're someone who considers the overall drama and considers the ending as an important part to conclude the entire drama, then this drama will hurt you. This drama was so highly rated in 2023 because of its interesting characters and dynamics. But season 2, especially the ending, did not follow through with some of them. So it's incredibly disappointing.
But I supposed this drama is like the final nail in the coffin, serving as a caution for Chinese dramas watchers: If even this incredible drama was reduced by its ending, can we trust Chinese dramas to give us satisfying endings from now on?
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Beautiful and tragic - watch this director's cut for full aesthetics and fulfillment
Everything about this show is just incredible. The cinematography, the acting, the realistic sets and props, the heartbreaking story--truly, even though I knew this would be a tragedy and I watched the MVs for this show to prepare myself, I am still so moved by the great OST and memorable scenes.If you're watching this show for the first time, PLEASE WATCH THIS VERSION. No doubt that the originally aired version is good too, but this version will help you understand Li Chengyin more and see where he's coming from. Furthermore, the sound effects/background music will be more effective as it'll be played more consistent with the correct characters/couples.
Other than that, the differences aren't too major (and you can read other's reviews about this show) but I truly recommend this director's cut for the full emotional experience.
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In fact, this spinoff made me enjoy this couple a lot more. In the original series, Prince Che was the one chasing Yin Cai Qian a lot and we saw a lot more of his perspective on how he felt about her. In this spinoff, we get to see Yin Cai Qian go through obstacles to fight for her love.
I enjoyed this premise a lot as well: entering the dream realm to help Che's 3 pains. In doing so, Cai Qian learns who Che is before he was in love with her and they go through obstacles to trust one another. Cai Qian and Che's dynamic and chemistry really carries this show. (Although I enjoy Ming Yan & Yuan Li in the original series, they are a bit stiffer in this spinoff and their scenes are not as romantic. It's unfortunate because they had a lot of potential to do more in this series.)
Cai Qian and Che's relationship has always been more lighthearted and I'm glad the spinoff took advantage of that and gave more comedy to them but also created powerful heartfelt moments between them.
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Enjoyable romcom with light angst and drama
I have to admit: typically, I don't prefer premises like this where the whole show (the whole historical aspect) is just part of a game/virtual reality, but there were many great things about this show that allowed me to disregard that fact! I'm so glad I watched this show because I was moved by the love story, the comedy, and the strong cast & just enjoyed it very much! This show is a perfect mix of romance, comedy, small doses of angst and suspense, and overall--just an uplifting drama about loving/caring for your significant other. (It's a bonus that the game is set in a historical setting so we get to see the great costumes and etiquette.)LOVE STORY: The game and Tu Si Yi & Lin Zheng Zheng's journey is essentially about remembering what you loved about your significant other. The show did a good job in showing parallels between their strained relationship in the real world and their relationship in the game. Their love story and the way they find their way back to each other is just so well done. I thought I would get annoyed at seeing an established couple struggle and fight (because I'm used to dramas of boy/girl meets for the first time & fall in love & are shy around each other, etc.) but because Tu Si Yi & Lin Zheng Zheng are already a married couple in the game, they get to show their love for each other through kisses and dates. I cared about their relationship because I can see how much they love each other but are facing a difficult patch. Watching them overcome difficulties and relearn to trust and communicate was just so heartwarming and tender. They were not over-the-top with their jealousies. They were immature with each other at times, but it was never dragged out to the point of annoyance. The pacing of their love story (and overall story) was well done.
The two characters themselves too are relatable and understandable. Lin Zheng Zheng has insecurities because, well, her boyfriend is an idol and so she has a bad temper and throw fits sometimes because of always being in the shadows, being unable to be with the beloved fully. I never disliked her for this because it made sense and so she's presented in a sympathetic light. Same goes for Tu Si Yi. He's indecisive and his hesitancy has caused issues, but he grows from this and becomes a very good/strong character.
COMEDY: because it's a game, some hilarious stuff occurs between characters or characters 'invent' something throughout the show but it's not considered weird because, well, it's a game! NPCs are pretty accepting of whatever that's happening, which makes the whole thing even funnier. Also, all the characters are endearing and hilarious, such as the side couple of princess Siya and Cui Xun. Their fun bickering dynamic is enjoyable. Tu Si Yi & Lin Zheng Zheng's fights are also hilarious. There are some satirical things that made me laugh so hard. Also, even our villain prince is just so much fun and is hilarious.
SIDE CHARACTERS: they're great! The villain prince is hilarious and cute even though he's the villain. Princess Siya is a martial arts-loving girl who wears men's clothings and doesn't do too much girly stuff as she only cares about fighting--I love her. She's true to herself. Cui Xun seems unreliable at first, but he's actually really strong. He's a weirdo who's a bit oblivious, but he's a good man. Siya & Cui Xuns' dynamic is a delight because their dynamic is great. Shen Dai Fu was a cool character even though he's regarded as 'weird' for his doctor/herablist ways. Murong Qianyue was an interesting character and I loved/hated her.
SOUNDTRACK: It's all right. If you ask me to hum one of the songs, I could only hum the main theme one. Other than that, the overall soundtrack was just okay; didn't really make any lasting impact.
Overall, I ask you give this a chance! If you're looking for a good romantic comedy without a lot of heavy angst, heavy plot, heavy drama, then this is a good drama to watch. :)
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solid actors, production, w/ interesting story, but mediocre storytelling & missing key information
Disclaimer: I watched this on the Youtube channel and the subtitles were just okay. If I knew that there were better subtitles on other websites, I would've watched it there to get the full, emotional story.Love of thousand years (2020) is an 30-episode drama adaptation of the killing of three thousand crows by author shi si lang, featuring zheng yecheng and zhao lusi as main characters Fu Jiuyun and Qin Chuan, respectively. It is a xianxia romance about a princess who takes up revenge after the betrayal of an important official leads to an invasion from a neighboring kingdom–who is equipped with a demon army–and leads to the downfall of her kingdom. She hides her identity, taking on the face of her beloved maid, and goes to find the Spiritual Lamp that can rid of all demons in the world. This journey takes her to Qiangqu Mountain where immortals cultivate and where she meets Fu Jiuyun in person for the first time. Fu Jiuyun is a carefree and playful immortal who teases her plentiful and has his own reasons for bothering her…as their fates are tied together.
I started this drama without any prior knowledge of the book nor really reading the drama’s summary (since cdrama summaries are notoriously known for being inaccurate or too spoilery). I saw the bad reviews for it and kept my expectations low, which is why, I think, I was not too disappointed by this drama.
I watched this drama because of zheng yecheng and zhao lusi but was surprised at the high production quality which can be seen from the physical locations, amount of extras and supporting characters, and the camerawork. Besides the revenge plot and my two favorite actors, I was drawn from the very first episode to the pretty cinematography and camerawork. The supporting cast, too, was good, especially Mao Fang Yuan as Er Meng (my absolute favorite supporting character) and Dai Yun Fan as Pang Yuan/crown prince. The OST was fine though the only memorable song for me was the opening theme. (The instrumental OST though is pretty great! Especially the peach blossom melody--the song that the princess dances to in the first episode.)
I am biased toward zheng yecheng but I truly think he can make any role work and he plays a seemingly carefree immortal just fine. He’s very versatile and able to switch from smiling to serious and heartbreaking. He is one of the highlights of this show. zhao lusi took me a moment to get used to because I had only seen her in the romance of tiger and rose, a historical romcom, and her character at first seemed almost carefree too–like she was falling back on that romcom type–but of course, how could she be? when zhao lusi conveyed the heavy emotions of a undercover princess, I was able to take her more seriously (this, though happened around I think ep5-6 for me). seeing her in this drama convinced me that she’ll be able to play a serious role in her upcoming main role in the drama the long ballad. I never had a problem with these two as the main characters nor their chemistry. I think their chemistry with their other co-stars from other productions is stronger, but them together in this drama works too. I think it’s because for me they are both kind of baby faces–both with cute type of faces–so it was a little hard for me to get into their dynamic at first, but they eventually got it to work.
I think you’ll be able to still enjoy this drama if you are interested in these things:
-zheng yecheng
-zhao lusi
-star-crossed lovers (in this case: mortal and immortal)
-teasing and playful ML who is actually a dedicated and devoted lover
-FL who dislikes & misunderstands the ML at first but grows to trust him
-FL who carries a heavy burden of being a princess of a destroyed nation
-revenge plots involving going undercover (the princess changes her face into someone else, so try not to get attached to the princess you see at the beginning!)
-focus and development of secondary characters, mostly the second couple
I was hooked for the first 20 episodes or so. Where it got rocky for me was toward the last third of the drama (from around ep. 20-30), especially toward the last like 4 episodes where it felt like the drama was trying too hard to heighten the tragic notion that it didn’t feel organic and instead felt a bit frustrating. At one point, I literally fast-forward a sad/tragic/serious scene because I was like “okay, I get it, let’s move along please.” It was being too extra on the tragedy.
Also, there were some plot moves toward the second half of the drama that I felt were either resolved too conveniently or were not logical. Some of the characterization too seemed to stop developing as we got near the end to the point where some conclusions of problems didn’t feel earned. Thus, the mediocre storytelling. It started great and then stopped short of the finish line, and so, the story itself and the characters suffered toward the end. But, it does end happy. Well, ambiguously happy. Is it a good ending? Debatable. Is it happy for our characters? Yes.
The confusion stemmed, I believe, from diverging from the original novel, where some key information was missing (or changed–maybe due to c*nsorsh*p?) for the drama. For example, in the drama’s description on MyDramaList says “A story about a forbidden romance that has weathered ten lifetimes and endured a thousand years of waiting.” I would disagree with this because that pertains more to the novel and not the drama. The drama did not make the weight of Fu Jiuyun’s interest in the princess heavy enough for the audience to truly understand. Thus, it comes across as pure curiosity, which isn’t as strong as a reason to suddenly change everything for one person.
Final thoughts: suspend your disbelief when the story starts to get a bit illogical. if you like the actors zheng yecheng and zhao lusi, I think you’ll still enjoy the story and witness some heartbreaking scenes and beautiful cinematography. but if you’re someone who needs an ending to be completely clear-cut about how it ends, then you’ll have a bit of trouble with this ending. Small note: the production had to us AI to generate a face for a minor character’s face–apparently the actress had done something really bad and so they didn’t want to use her face anymore, but couldn’t re-shoot, so they used AI. It will look really bad, fyi.
if you want to understand more about the ending and/or seek out the deeper reasons for Fu Jiuyun’s love for her, you can check it out at this soompi forum thread where translations have been provided for the epilogue, containing Fu Jiuyun’s POV, as well as the happy ending in the book.
https://forums.soompi.com/topic/433583-mainland-chinese-webdrama-2020-the-killing-of-three-thousands-crows-%E4%B8%89%E5%8D%83%E9%B8%A6%E6%9D%80/page/9/
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A more interesting season but suffers from lack of main couple's scenes and strange ending
Note: Because there is no available English subs, I had to watch this via the Portuguese subs and just do Portuguese-to-English translations OR when there was no Portuguese subs, I had to just do Chinese-to-English translations and make educated guesses on what's happening. I believe I understood about 80-90% of what was happening in an episode, but I did have to skim some parts because of lack of good translations. (I endured all of this for Zhang Zhehan and Li Yitong!!)----------------------------------------------
Season 1 was like an origin story for Nie Qing Cheng and for the world-building/myth-building of Demons. It was also more focused on the love between Qing Cheng and Ming Xia (and the love triangle including You Tong), so overall, season 1 was more romantic soap opera with some context building. Though touted as only the first half and not the complete story, season 1 can almost pretty much stand by itself. It really feels like it's a whole season on its own VS just being the first half of a long season.
That's because season 2 has a bit of "Arsenal Military Academy" vibe and takes on a bit of a different tone, pacing, and has a whole variety of characters that were a lot more interesting. Most of the characters from season 1 are not in season 2. Besides what the summary of this drama says, season 2's main plot conflict is a rival demon group that wants to take out Nie Qing Cheng's group and Nie Qing Cheng having to find out who is this bad demon group's leaders and taking them out as they are harming a lot of innocents. Ming Xia is searching for the girl in his dream. He also joins the demon hunters because of a tragic accident that happens.
Season 2 tones down the romance between Nie Qing Cheng and Ming Xia and focuses on secondary characters--which is good and bad. I adore them and wanted more of them, but I also liked the supporting characters who added more interesting dynamic and logical conflicts. Because Ming Xia become a demon hunter, I enjoyed the bittersweet angst of Nie Qing Cheng and Ming Xia reuniting and Qing Cheng having the burden of keeping all the secrets while trying not to allow them to fall into the same fate as season 1.
Nie Qing Cheng becomes more capable by being able to fight and is more cunning. Ming Xia is still the righteous and true-hearted person he is from the first season, but as I mentioned in my review of the first season too, the writing for Ming Xia is always kind of stuck in the same place. Although he's the main character, half of the time, he's not doing the action but is responding to others. He gets manipulated and lied to and, frankly, suffers so much in a variety of ways. He is the most pitiful character for me. I love him dearly and feel bad for all the things he's gone through.
The supporting characters for season 2 are a lot more interesting. We have Yong Ye, demon boy who does espionage, and Duan Shao Qian, instructor of Demon-Hunting Academy. These two's relationship quickly became one of my favorite things about this show (and it gave off some serious BL vibes too). They are pretty fleshed out as characters, especially Duan Shao Qian who we see his backstory and why he becomes attached to Yong Ye.
There's Yao Bi Tao, who I didn't like very much because of her pushiness and her lies, but the actress did a great job of portraying this character and making her sympathetic.
Fu Xing Bang, who is a pretty good and complex antagonist. I loved to hate him because he was pretty cunning. Unlike the doctor antagonist from season 1 (who started out well but ended up being just really repetitive and annoying), Fu Xing Bang was pretty interesting throughout.
The directing is pretty fun this season, especially for the fight scenes that felt very cool and exciting.
The biggest fault of this show is the writing. Acting and soundtracks and all of that are pretty fine. It's just that the writing of this show can be lazy and mediocre even though it has so much potential.
There are some unnecessary angst/drama, random character introduction toward the middle half or later half of the drama, and then random important plot points added at the end. Truly, the writing slips a lot toward the end--similar to how it was in season 1. So, it was unsurprising and even made me laugh out because I'm just like "WTF."
Ultimately, I enjoyed it for Zhang Zhehan and Li Yitong who are both great actors and can make any scene emotional. I enjoyed the supporting characters' relationships and watching the truths unfold. I was more invested in this season too since it was more than what season 1 was (which was just a love triangle and a repetitive tiresome antagonist doing the same thing to our protagonists who keep falling for it).
The occasional bad writing did make me laugh. I wouldn't think too hard about this drama and any plot holes it presents. Just have fun with this drama. Although, I think I should warn folks now: the ending is ambiguous. So, keep that in mind before you start.
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Entertaining wild ride and one of the stronger short Republican era dramas
Two things to note about this drama:1) This is Republican era drama, which usually means there will be a lot of deaths, angst, and tragedy. Why? The Republican Era was a very unstable time in China between 1910s-1940s. It was after the last dynasty and before the Cultural Revolution. There were a lot of corruption, a lot of warlords fighting for territories, and a lot of social issues. So, dramas set in this time period usually have a tragic tone.
2) Male lead is a walking red flag--which is also typical for Republican era dramas, but this male lead really does a lot of things that are irredeemable. So, if you don't like male leads who are super flawed and horrible, then you should probably skip this drama. (If you enjoyed "Goodbye My Princess," you will probably like this one!)
Now, with that out of the way, this drama is one of my favorite Republican era dramas! I think this drama does the best of its genre when compared to other ones like "Maid's Revenge." I think the characterization and story for "Circle of Love" were more compelling story-wise with more complex characters, which was well acted by the main cast, especially the two leads. Truly, the main leads' acting and their chemistry were a huge part of why I enjoyed this show. The actors were able to portray such conflicting, intense emotions of love and hate. Incredible performances from the two leads!
The premise: Gu Meng loses her entire family during her wedding night because of her husband Xiao Hongye. Turns out, he wanted revenge this whole time because the Gu Family destroyed his own family. In a rage, Gu Meng tries to kill him but falls into a river and disappears. That was the end of their "first" life together. When she reappears two years later, she tries to kill Xiao Hongye but is captured. In that moment, her head accidentally hits a pillar and she loses her memory. Xiao Hongye doesn't believe her and forces her to become a servant of his mansion so he can keep an eye on her. Thus, begin their "second" life, in a sense, and their lives become more entangled as they become emotionally attached to one another. Can a relationship based on lies and deceit survive?
One of my favorite things about this show is that the male lead is undoubtedly bad and the female lead doesn't forget that (well, she has amnesia, but once she remembers, she doesn't forgive him so easily). Usually, in Chinese dramas, they try to make the male lead redeemable at the last second so that you feel better about having the male lead be with the female lead. However, Xiao Hongye is very bad in this drama. He does a lot of stuff that can't be reversed or forgiven!
Essentially, this is "Goodbye My Princess" speedrun Republican era version, lol. It's tragic, it's kind of funny because of how many times she loses/gains her memories, but also really sad because she's in this horrible cycle of love and hate with the man that she wishes she could love, but could never.
Highly recommend for those interested in tragedies and knows how to enjoy a show like this. (I've seen way too many people complaining about the toxicity of the show. That's the point?! This is a fictional TV show exploring complex situations like blood feuds and karma and love and hate.)
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Strong acting, soundtrack, visuals; an emotional drama revolving around family
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought! I had already been spoiled a little bit about what happens in the lakorn, so I didn't think I would be THAT invested in the show, but I still found myself getting sucked into the lakorn and really paying attention to all the dramas and plots. I attribute that to the great acting from everyone, especially from the leads Boom (who plays Pol) and Pim (who plays Pan). They have great chemistry and their scenes--the romantic ones as well as the quarreling ones--pull you in like a vortex. You can't help but watch them.Boom is amazing as Pol, able to switch easily between angry and jealous to pitiful and sad. The way Boom is able to look so much like a child in the scenes with the father is incredible. I felt so sad and bad for Pol during those times.
Pim as Pan blows me away, especially during the painful angsty scenes. The way her voice trembles, her expression cracks as she's crying; I cried so much with her because I see and hear her pain so much. I also loved her as cold-hearted Pan who refuses to given in to Pol. She's got a glare that could kill! I'm so glad that, though she was soft at times where I wanted her to slap the mean people, she was tough at the end especially toward Pol (who deserved it.)
With every slap kiss lakorn, you get your typical character and plots, such as a conniving mother, a conniving female antagonist, an evil male antagonist, male side characters who are in love with the FL. There are some handling of characters that I thought was questionable (or too one-dimensional) or was too easily resolved, but that was to be expected for this genre of slap kiss.
What did surprise me, though, (and seemed progressive), was the brief parts about what makes a good healthy family versus a toxic family. I was glad to see that the lakorn recognizes how unhappy and quarreling parents can really affect their children and showed Pan as a strong-willed woman who saw things clearly and knew what she needed. It annoyed me that almost everyone around her kept trying to convince her to give in, but she didn't.
I also appreciated how the show didn't drag the part where he found out the truth and became bad toward her and she tolerated it. I thought that was going to go on for many episodes, but it happened and while Pol was bad, Pan resisted and talked back. I'm so glad that the bulk of the first half of the series was really building their love before all the angsty stuff happened for 3-4 episodes, and then the last couple of episodes was the repairing of the relationship.
The soundtrack is pretty good, but I was especially moved by the solemn and intense instrumentals (or the acapella tracks) during the angsty said scenes. It really elevated the scene and made it incredibly emotional.
Anyway, I'm so glad to see Boom and Pim in this drama as main leads, especially after "Karn La Krang Neung…Nai Hua Jai" where they had such good scenes. I really hope they have more lakorns in the future.
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delightful historical alien romcom w/ beautiful cinematography, visual comedy, and heartfelt scenes
What a delight this drama turned out to be! I was cautious with the strange title and mediocre rating, but this drama delivered a tight storyline with good pacing, endearing characters, and moving scenes. I started out this drama for zheng yecheng (and he was phenomenal, as always) and am so grateful that I ended up loving many things about this drama.Abu Cha Cha is an alien who, during a crash, falls to earth and has to take over a body to live. This body is Tang Qing Ye who is the half-sister of Tang Qing Feng. (If you are worried about incest, please don't be! The story is definitely not going to be about that kind of thing.) Tang Qing Feng is an upright and capable court official and a master of Jian Wu Academy. He investigates corruption and strange incidents ongoing in the city and also takes on investigating the truth about who is trying to kill Tang Qing Ye. As Abu Cha Cha tries to find a way back home to Planet Duo, her life becomes entangled with Tang Qing Feng as they become involved in ploys for imperial power and must seek out the truth, learn to trust one another, and protect the ones they love.
It's nothing too new about the story and plot twists, but I enjoyed it greatly due to the strong performance of the actors and great directing. The scenes are beautiful, the emotions are there, and I care about the characters. The supporting characters, too, are endearing and have their distinct personalities. I'm even surprised that the CGI isn't too terrible! In the end, the drama delivers a well paced story with a satisfactory ending (of this season anyway; there's a second season that I've yet to watch!). The story is solid.
This is a fun and surprisingly heartfelt drama if you give it a chance. If you like historical romantic comedies, if you are accepting of the alien concept, then you should enjoy this. Of course, I should warn that the comedy is like Stephen-Chow type of comedy where there are slapstick comedy as well as deadpan comedy and just a lot of visual comedy (ex: while this one character was talking about something melodramatic, the characters blurrily in the background sat on the ground and ate food while listening). Or, I guess, the comedy is like if the manga Gintama was instead a Chinese historical romcom, lol.
This comedy can be off-putting at first if you're not used to it and can make the drama feel very much like just a comedy show, but I think it balances the comedy and seriousness well. The drama delivers the heartfelt and serious scenes well with great cinematography and a good OST that allows you to still immerse in the feelings of the scenes and feel moved for our characters still.
I really loved Tang Qing Feng's stoicism, sense of justice, and devotion. I loved Abu Cha Cha's sense of self preservation and obliviousness as it was funny but also cute and she learns to care about others beside herself.
Overall, I highly recommend this drama if you're interested in the above things I've mentioned!
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One of the better ones for short Chinese dramas and highly entertaining
In recent years, Chinese entertainment have really expanded their list of short dramas and you can start to see which ones are the better ones. This is one of the better ones on every level: production, soundtrack, acting, story, and directing. Compared to bad ones--where there are a lot of inner monologue to move forward the scenes and lack of cinematography (all meant for quick consumption)--this one is longer in episode length and so have more time to develop the relationship. I definitely put this on the higher tier, among other well known short dramas like "Queen of Attack" and "The Killer is also Romantic."Premise: A manga character who typically plays the female villain role in stories gets a new assignment: she is to be the female villain character for the romance story of a domineering CEO & pure-hearted kind girl. However, after she entered the world, she somehow took over the role as the female lead! To survive against the female villain while the male lead is in a coma, she teams up with the male villain.
The chemistry between the characters is sizzling and the story is so fun as the character makes fun of typical cliches and tropes (while being stuck in it) and there's actually several twists that had me on my toes since I didn't expect it. At the same time, there is a bit of a fun tragic/angsty aspect: as characters in a story, you're stuck to follow the story--but what happens when you break from the story? I love these kinds of dramas.
Overall, a very entertaining drama with memorable scenes and several good songs and especially a breakout moment for the main leads: Liu Xiening and Guan Yue. They have great visuals and look really good together!
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The comedy and endearing characters carries this show more than the romance. However, the romance is very nice. Bu Meng & the Emperor's bickering dynamic and them falling in love is pretty well-paced. They just lack a lot of screentime (read for possible reason below).
So, if you're here to only care about the romance, you'll be let down tremendously. (At certain episodes, they do focus more on the romance, but I'd say 70% of the entire series is not on romance.)
If you're here to laugh a lot at the shenanigans of the inner palace and from our main character Bu Meng (and how she gets involved in a lot of people's businesses), you'll have an enjoyable time. I laughed so much throughout this series. Gina is great as Bu Meng--her comedic timing is great--and I also love her voice (I heard it's her real one and not a dubbed one? I love it because it's not super soft and high pitch but it's deep). Jiro matches well as the Emperor and I adore his character. He may seem petty as first but he is a pretty kind emperor considering that they are living during peaceful times.
The supporting casts are all so great. I love all the Consort friends--they are so great and complex. I even enjoyed most of the side characters' stories, such as Bu Meng's brother and his love story.
PLEASE BE PREPARED: apparently this show was cut a lot, from its original intended 45(?) episodes to just 36. It was cut down a lot, so it's suspected that some plots got cut out and the romance got cut down as well. For why it was cut/censored, no one seems to know why and at this point, we have no luck of finding an uncensored version sadly.
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