O Isqueiro e o vestido da Princesa (2022)

A broken lighter and a run away princess... who turns in to a knight

Another drama that could have been great if they only cut it in half... or skipped a bunch of draggy scenes and unnecessary detours.

As this is indeed the story of the pretty naive but bad ass princess who falls in love with the broken lighter. The broken lighter has a bunch of red flags and completely lacks communication skills, he has however learned the hard way how to manipulate his surroundings to get what he wants instead of using actual verbal words.

The princess, has parents who pretty much want to control her, do not value her opinion at all an basically oppress her in the name of "mommy knows best" basically forcing her to either do as they say or find ways to lie to them. And while the parents here are pretty much as awful if not worse than most parents in c- dramaland they do make way for a lot of character development for the female lead and are one of few examples of controlling parents who actually contribute to the plot in a good way. However this was underdeveloped and I can not believe I am writing this but I would have wanted a little bit more screen time for this part of the plot.

The romance in this is top tire, with or without being in an actual relationship the leads have great energy, bickering, great chemistry, a bunch of beautiful scenes and though you will have to wait for the kisses, the drama does offer a bunch of steamy kisses and more. The female lead is pretty much addicted to the male lead but manages to be so without becoming pathetic (odd but true). Oh and they do seam to have a basic idea about consent .

So what is it I am trying to say here...
The main coupe may not be goals but they are indeed entertaining and fun to watch. However the surrounding plot with all its twists and turn make little to no sense, there are some good and important lines and scenes here and there about second chances, struggles, bullying, jealousy (a lot of jealousy), needing help to climb mountains, betrayal, inequality all done pretty ok, but they made it feel cluttered and draggy and just prolonged the main couples struggles and took up screen time.

Some parts of this are great others meeh, the pacing and time skips are kind of off too. Some of the long build ups are wrapped up with unsatisfactory lines or flash by in a second. One moment they are kissing the next moment it is 3 years later. Inconsistent as it may be it is gif worthy, and binge worthy fluff worth a watch.

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A must watch Cdrama of the year!!!

This is my first time rating and reviewing a drama. Thanks to this one which forced me to do so. I would just share my thoughts about this drama. Firstly, why you should watch this drama?.... Not just because its a good story its a really a good story. Its really different from all those stories that I have watched up till now. It is a wholesome drama where you not only find romance but also can actually relate this with your life too. It has soo many motivating scenes that boosts you up, especially for the youngsters and also who are working soo hard to be successful in what they love. It inspires you to cherish the things that you love the most and work on it without giving up. This is what I find something one of the best thing that I see in this drama.

Secondly, the characters are really special and unique in there own way. Each character has its own good and bad qualities, which is again one of the most admiring thing I could find. The character I liked the most is Li Xun. His qualities, actions and the "Never GIVE UP!!" attitude drawn me the most. Although sometimes you would feel that he is a complete jerk but as you keep watching him you would realize that you would be the same on his place. The more you try started hating him the more he makes you to love him. This is how he is.

Thirdly, thanks to Chen Fei Yu & Zhang Jing Yi for taking up these roles and bringing up such an amazing and speechless chemistry to there viewers. There chemistry never felt like they are trying to acting it out, it all felt soo real, natural, effortless and heart warming through out the episodes. Never felt awkward, cringed or tiring.
Also a big thanks to its scriptwriters, directors and everyone behind the screen for there unending efforts for making a perfect drama. From the very 1st episode till the last it caught my full attention. Never skipped a single second of any episodes. Every episodes where spectacular and never felt boring.
At the end I would say its worth your time and watching it...
Thank you!

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The best drama ever

I think that drama "Lighter and princess" is one of the best drama I have ever seen!!!!The story is very romantic but also has elements like agony,jealusy,betrayal and friendship.It has also a continuous plot that you would never get bored.The combination of the past and the present ties all the pieces of history together.The music is so emotional that you feel the right feeling in the right scene .The songs have such a beautiful melody and the lyrics are meaningfull.Iam pretty sure that the next period those songs will be a success.Concerning the acting the male lead actor and the female lead actress are amazing .Overall I strongly recommend this drama!

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Holyyyyyy mother of god this was such a boring watch.

I would’ve had a much better time with this drama if it was at least 12 episodes shorter. So many things were needlessly dragged out and it completely sucked the enjoyment out of a story that could’ve been so much more entertaining than it ended up being. While pacing is my #1 issue with the drama, I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive this drama for the route that it took in breaking up the characters. After watching this I’m 100% certain that my absolute least favorite trope in the history of drama tropes is the stupid fucking “pushing people away to protect them by lying to them” trope. Sometimes it’s done well if the person is pushed away without any deceit, however when lies become involved is when I absolutely tune out. There is absolutely no reason… none. I will never be okay with LX’s actions in this drama no matter how many times they are explained and justified. Not only did he lie and push ZY away (and can we talk about the 3 years of clinical depression the poor girlie went through?), he continued to do so even after coming out of prison. He made her cry so many times and betrayed her trust over and over, and we’re just supposed to be okay with this because ZY is an idiot who loves a very very toxic man? Absolutely not. Overall, my unpopular opinion is that this drama is really really not worth the glowing ratings that it gets. The only redeeming points are the chemistry between the leads and the great OST. I’d skip this one if you’re considering watching.

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Boring ,Long , NO self respect

I really liked this show in the beginning and it kept me hooked but the story eventually became boring and now I just decided to drop this show, The story is not that unique but not that bad either . The ML Lin Xun is a bad boy with a genius brain but is arrogant with everyone while the FL was smart , brave in the starting but later she really annoyed me when she left her own Self respect and like a puppy followed the ML everywhere even after he mistreated her and this was one of the reasons I am not watching this show anymore like I was expecting her to be a smart girl but it looked like she was nothing but tail of the ML. The relationship was good but sometimes it looked toxic as the ML made all the decisions in their relationship and the FL who is Zhu yun just ran after him and eventually forgive him, it looked like she was obsessed with the ML to that point that she was on the verge of suicide during their breakup , like girl common , I really wanted her to be strong and not run after Lin xun and have her own life and start loving herself first before loving anyone else.
The other cast was good and the enemy Gao was a jerk, though I knew it from the start that he is going to betray Lin xun (ml) after seeing their heated relationship. Ost of the drama is nice specially " FALLING YOU" and "Love cycle" .
In short you can watch this drama if you are okay with the problems I just mentioned I had with the show and if you love a drama that has revenge and love then you can atmost watch this drama for once.

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IT WAS SICK, I’M HOOKED

I finished it on Friday but i’m still stuck. There is so much to talk about but lets start with the story which is so good I, as a CS student love it and because i’m a CS student that what makes it more interesting. The whole thing, it was just so amazing. Now lets move to the characters will only talk about the main one, Zhu Yun the MFL was so fking sweet and caring how she cares and believes in Li Xun it was so refreshing to watch. Now Li Xun the MML although he looked cold from outside but was a complete softie at heart just not for the girl but for his friends too. I personally think my personality relates so much with Li Xun. Both characters were very well played they are still on my mind. They were so good its hurt to watch them, especially Arthur Chen because he is so pretty its actually hurt to watch him. Lets move to the plot, not gonna say much or i will give a spoiler or something but the whole plot was so fking good. All scenes were fire, the dialogue were fire. The whole cast was fire. I love almost all the characters except from Fang Zhi Jing and Gai Jian Hong, Especially Fang. I think they played it so well that I actually hates their characters.

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For Romance lovers who like Flawed characters making Flawed decisions in Love.

Subjective Gut Rating - 8.5 (because I am obsessed with Arthur Chen)

I can see why this drama is rated so high, especially for romance lovers. I can also see why others think the main romance is toxic and the drama is not sending a positive message to young adults. Personally, I really like the romance - the longing, loving gazes, side glances, flirting, angst and heartbreaks. I am not in the tech field and know nothing about coding. So, I can’t comment on how accurate the codes are or if the tech parts make sense or not.

The chemistry is sizzling. Arthur Chen really shines in his role as Li Xun and practically carries the show on his back. My eyes can’t stop following him around and his eyes are speaking to me, showing all his emotions. I am embarrassed to say that I am crushing on him big time, especially during the college days when his hair was dyed back brown (the blonde hair wasn’t working for me). I’ve enjoyed his role in “Ever Night” but he’s so charismatic in this drama that no wonder Zhu Yun (FL) couldn’t stop following him around.

I can totally understand Zhu Yun’s adoration and admiration of him for so many years. The slow burn romance keeps me guessing and wanting them to be a couple. Yet on the other hand, I love the push-and-pull, will-they-won’t-they dynamics so much that I want the flirting and stolen glances to continue as long as possible. Zhang Jing Yi, though not quite at the same level as Arthur Chen in terms of acting, I do think she does a pretty good job as the female lead. I last saw her in “Fall in Love” but her role here is quite different. Zhu Yun might not be the smartest cookie in love, but I appreciate a smart female lead who can pull her weight and contribute professionally. As much as I admire her undeniable trust in Li Xun’s ability to change the world, I do think their romance can be interpreted as very unhealthy especially after they reunite. Li Xun rejects and breaks Zhu Yun’s heart so many times with verbal insults and embarrassment and giving her mixed signals for most of the second half of the drama. It’s really not healthy but I can’t help but love every single minute of it.

Gao Jian Hong, the second male lead, played by Zhao Zhi Wei, is an interesting and pitiful character. I feel really bad for him and what he went through. For someone who has been #1 for most of his life, meeting a genius like Li Xun and being bested by him every single time, is not something Gao Jian Hong can get past. This grudge never goes away even when they were friends then. The revenge plot takes up quite a lot of time in the second half of the drama. Overall, I think Zhao Zhi Wei did a pretty good job as the second male lead and shares the spotlight with Arthur Chen.

Well, my somewhat high rating is mainly because of how much I enjoy the main romance and Arthur Chen. But there are certain aspects of the plot that I don’t like. The secondary and tertiary romances are not as well-written. I do not understand why Xu Li Na is so in love with Li Xun when she barely knows him or has much interaction with him. Being attracted to Li Xun is understandable, but holding that infatuation for so many years is not logical. On the other hand, the small romance plot between Ren Di and her bandmate boyfriend is not well developed. You can skip that romance and you wouldn’t miss anything.

I am also not a fan of an overbearing and controlling mother. I understand where her concerns are coming from, especially when Zhu Yun was still in college. But when she’s in her mid-20s and late-20s, this type of overprotectiveness is unacceptable. Luckily, there are a few other side characters that are more likable, e.g. Professor Lin, the hacker, and the co-workers. Lastly, I really like the OST. I enjoy almost all the songs esp. Fireworks (焰火) by Zhou Shen and Light Red (轻红) by Cao Yang.

I would recommend this drama if you like slow burn, complicated romances of flawed characters making flawed decisions.


Completed: 3/24/2023

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True Love Will Take Its Course

It has been a long time since I last saw such a perfect Cdrama. This one is a masterpiece. I hate jerk MLs. And contrary to what some viewers said, the ML is NOT really a jerk here. He was quite a cold and complex character and Arthur Chen did an amazing job portraying him. This is my first drama of him and I am quite impressed. The ML is understandable and lovable if you try to see things from his POV.

The FL is my favourite. Maybe the best FL I have seen in a Cdrama. She is the epitome of STRONG. She goes against the world for the ML . And she doesn’t look pathetic doing that. She is the knight in the shining armour in this drama. Some people might call her dumb but the same people would have lauded a ML for the same actions.

The love story is BEAUTIFUL.. The build up was done right. I didn’t get bored at all which is my common problem while watching Cdramas. The banters, teasing, flirting before they get into the relationship is just chef’s kiss. The separation was truly painful. I was so touched by the FL’s emotions when he goes to jail..The ending where they get together after so many hurdles was very satisfying.

The only problem was the friend who later becomes the villain. The whitewash of his character to make viewers sympathise with him has gone wrong. Nothing can make me sympathetic towards him after what he did.

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Princess and Her Dauntless Guard Dog

This is the enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers, mutual pining couple I didn't know I need.

The story centers around Zhu Yun and Li Xun, the princess and the lighter, or rather, her fierce, dauntless, tsundere guard dog, for lack of better terms. It started from their college days when they were freshmen, up until they are working adults. Their story is a slow burn, but it's not boring at all with the conflicts here and there that keeps mounting up to the big problem. I still watch this mostly with 1,5x speed because the pace is a bit slow, but it's still good.

What I love the most, though, is the acting. CFY and ZJY as a pair lovers is very convincing. Their looks, their constant need to always touch each other, their pull towards one another looks so natural as if they are truly in love. I love every scenes they have together.
The supporting casts are all very good, I dare say this drama is character driven as well as plot driven, because their personalities are pretty complex and layered.

For a youth drama this is a bit dark, with some frustrating and sad story arcs that boils my brain. Don't expect green flag characters from this.

I expect more closures for the ending actually, but it's already good enough for me. After it ends, I was in quite a slump because of how good it is and how strong the aftertaste is.

If you can stand the first two episodes, do continue. This is a very good one.

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A Mature and Memorable Story For The Ages

Never did I expect such a beautiful story when I first started the series.

In terms of the plot and storyline, I did find it hard to digest at the beginning due to one unnecessary time leap at the start, but I can tell that it was meant to be artistic. The show follows the story of our main protagonists, Li Xun [played by Chen Fei Yu] and Zhu Yun [played by Zhang Jing Yi]. They meet in college where they fall in love despite their rough first impressions and disputes. Alongside their friend Gao Jian Hong [played by Zhao Zhi Wei], they become a sort of unstoppable trio when it comes to programming. The show follows them through their college days into adulthood where you see how much they grow and change, while still maintaining their original personality. While other shows may add new conflicts that appear out of nowhere simply to add drama, this show does really well in keeping everything connected. When conflict does arise, you can actually see where it is coming from and anticipate it. The writing for the show was very smart and well done. It tackled plenty of hard topics that don't often get addressed in C-dramas and gives the viewers a realistic view of the world.

I found the acting to be incredible. Since the story takes place over several of years, from college into adulthood, the show had to make a couple of time leaps. Even with this, the actors did so well in portraying different levels of maturity at different points of the characters' lives.

Yes, the show is great, but it isn't perfect. While a lot of the plot makes sense and is realistic, not all plot points do. Even then, the ones that didn't seem realistic are minor and can be overlooked. As mentioned before, there was a time skip at the start of the drama that I found unnecessary and more confusing the first time watching than needed. However, if I were to be rewatching the show, then I would understand why it was written this way.

Overall, I would highly suggest this show for anyone who is a sucker for a classic enemies-to-lovers story with a genuine plot!

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Bela História

Tinha deixado de ver drama chineses e hesitei ver este mas ainda bem que decidi ver!
Na verdade a minha explicação para deixar a séries chineses prendeu-se com o facto de em 99% dos casos as actrizes chinesas parecerem crianças, não só no aspecto mas atuando como tal. É ridículo ver alguém a desempenhar um papel de uma mulher de vinte e muitos anos e passar a maioria do tempo aos gritinhos, a fingir que é tímida e a ter diálogos de adolescente.
Nesta série, pela primeira vez em muito tempo, todos os papéis atribuídos às mulheres são maduros e coincidentes com as idades.
Quer a actriz principal, quer as secundárias, agem com pés e cabeça e defendem aquilo em que acreditam sem exageros!

Os actores são soberbos, em especial o que desempenha o papel principal. Grande actor pois consegue transmitir todas as emoções e pensamentos sem dizer uma palavra! Actua com o olhar e as expressões faciais.
A história está bem contada e consegue prender o espectador, sobretudo os mais jovens que se identificam com o mundo da Internet. Confesso que as explicações sobre programações passei à frente, pois sou da velha geração.
Voltarei a ver esta série um dia mais, pelo que recomendo vivamente este drama chinês

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