Fogos de Artifício do Meu Coração (2023)

Unfaithful To The Novel Details

First of all, to be fair, I'm writing this review and giving rate to this drama as a reader of the novel and Yang Yang's fan. So, this review and rating might be biased.

As the novel's reader, I'm a bit disappoited with the plot because they added too much scenes that unrelated to the main plot. If they did the drama according to the novel faithfully, I don't think it would be 40 episodes. I don't mind some additional plot like Suo Jun or little bit of JiangYu/LiMeng, but honestly the most annoying thing to me is MengYanChen/YeZhi's scenes.

As a shipper of ML/FL couple, naturally I don't like SML. There are too much scenes for MYC, that even though you counted him as the SML, they told stories that don't have anything to do with the main couple. In the novel MYC only like ten scenes with the FL, and here in the drama they give him like a half of the drama. In the novel, YZ was supposed to be a character that appeared like twice, but she appeared in most of MYC's scenes. And that annoyed me. Another thing that annoyed me the most was the scenes when Song Yan's cousin, Zhai Miao, got arrested. In the novel, SY could pay the fine himself and it let him keep his dignity. In the drama, because of MYC's help, it made as if SY owed him something. In the novel, SY was supposed to have the upper hand from the beginning till the end since the Mengs owed him his military career because of their past schemes.

The only good thing that was included in the drama but not in the novel is the scene when SY rescued XQ's mother and the implication after that. Though I wished the mother got more of the "just dessert", but at least she was humbled by the rescue plot.

Plot wise, I don't mind they added some medical or rescue scenes to show off the action scenes. I can't comment much about the firefighters scenes since I don't know how they're supposed to be like. But I think they looked cool and accurate enough. I don't have medical knowledge in real life, but I did watch some medical korean dramas, and I gotta say that this drama is not on par with them. I know that Xu Qin is a surgeon but I don't know what kind of surgeon she is. It seemed she did all kind of surgeries. I know that she worked in emergency department, but I think even other surgeons did all kind of surgeries too. Either they don't differentiate between general surgeries with others or I just don't understand much. I just think that on the medical side, there's plot hole.

Acting wise, I can't say much. For me, Yang Yang did well in portraying Song Yan. And if people said that Xu Qin looked awkward, I think her character was supposed to be awkward, at least in the beginning. She looked okay when acting cute in the later part of the drama.

Soundtrack wise. I like it well enough in the drama. But, it's not memorable to me. Not that easy listening to my ears.

Overall, this is a good drama. Not exactly entertaining, since it's more like the serious type of drama. I like it, but I think it would've been better if it was faithful to the novel plot.

Leia Mais

Too lengthy

Decided to watch this drama because of Yang Yang. The storyline was interesting and thanks to this show, I have a better insight of what a firefighter does besides saving the fire.

There were too many filler episodes in the middle around eps 15 - 22 with literally no progress at around. But nevertheless, the chemistry between both leads, the OST was what really capture my attention. The heartwrenching love story between both and how they fought hard just to be with each other is definitely a fantasy I can only dream about.

This show has taught me to cherish the people around me as you won't know if every meetup is going to be the last.
It has also taught me to enjoy the present and let go of the past for it is gone and will never be back.

If you are into evil mother who tries to break the couple up, give it a try at 2x speed.

Leia Mais

A Casual Flicker in the Drama Galaxy! ??

Alright, fellow drama enthusiasts, let's talk about "Fireworks of My Heart" – a show that's cruising along with a storyline that's just okay, neither setting the skies ablaze nor fizzling out. 🎆📅

Our protagonist, Li Wei, takes us through her journey of dreams and ambitions, but it's like watching a firework that's missing a little sparkle. Her trials and tribulations don't exactly launch us into an emotional rollercoaster, but rather provide a leisurely stroll through her life's landscape.

When it comes to romance, Zhang Hao, the charming love interest, is more like a gentle glow than an explosive burst. Their interactions are cozy, like watching a campfire on a calm evening. It's not exactly a love story that sets the heart racing, but it emits a warm and steady glow.

The supporting characters, including Li Wei's spirited best friend Chen Jia and Zhang Hao's wise mentor Zhou Yi, add a touch of color to the drama canvas. Chen Jia's comedic interjections are like little sparks of humor, while Zhou Yi's advice is like a compass guiding us through familiar terrain.

Plot-wise, "Fireworks of My Heart" doesn't stray too far from the well-trodden path of drama storytelling. It's like watching a classic firework routine – you can anticipate the bursts, but they don't catch you off guard. The twists might not be hairpin turns, but they do manage to keep the narrative chugging along.

Production quality is a bit like watching a firework show on a comfortable summer night – you're not awestruck, but you're content with the view. The scenic backgrounds and costume designs don't steal the show, but they play their part in creating a pleasant visual experience.

Emotionally, the drama doesn't soar to great heights, but there are sporadic sparks of sentiment. Li Wei's moments of self-discovery might not elicit tears, but they do leave a pleasant impression. It's not the kind of drama that leaves your heart pounding, but it does offer a gentle tap now and then.

In the grand scheme of things, "Fireworks of My Heart" might not be the dazzling explosion we hoped for, but it's also not a damp squib. It's a drama that fits snugly in the category of "good" So, if you're in the mood for a casual watch that won't overwhelm your senses, give it a shot. It might not light up the entire night sky, but it's a comfortable twinkle in the drama galaxy. 🎬🌠👍

Leia Mais

Shows Respect to all Rescue Workers with Romance as Sub-plot.

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The thing I loved the most about this drama is that it shows hardwork of the Rescue Workers. Many people in society don't have any respect for the rescue workers, army, doctors and more, they think that this is just their job to protect people in the emergency. The actual thing they don't know is that it takes dedication, sense of responsibility, willingness to take risks of their own life and bravery to protect people when they also have their own families waiting for them at home. This drama shows it all in a very beautiful way.

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Acting and Characters:
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Song Yan: Yang Yang played his part very well when it comes to as a rescue officer, as a friend, as a leader and as a lover. He knows how to train and motivate his team and keep their moral up. He was obsessed to become number one but never forget to take care of his team members. He is not an unreasonable person and have valid and solid reasons for his actions and decisions. He was badly hurt in his first relationship and showed that dissatisfaction and disappointed to his lover when she wants to come back in his life, also give her chance to be brave and decide and respects her decision whether she wanted to be with him or not.
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Xu Qin: Xu Qin was an orphan and adopted by a rich family who loves her very much but wants to have a full control over her decisions whether it's her career choice, studies, behaviour and even her love life. She have gratitude and love towards her family to brought her up and give her love but also feels dissatisfaction with their control over her. Her mother forced her to break up with her love and threatened her with destroying her and Song Yan's career. She broke up with Song Yan but never forgotten about him. She became a very professional doctor to become independent and live her life with Song Yan despite her mother's objection. When Song Yan gave her chance to be in his life again, at first she couldn't decide 'cause she neither wants to hurt her family and nor Song Yan but finally she choose to pursue her love after so many interaction and incidents happen and they both go through life and death situation together. Loved her character 'cause it's not easy for a girl to decide what to choose between her family and love. Totally understandable. Wang Chu Ran totally nailed her character.

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Acting by whole cast was pretty good and I hate her mother literally, for destroying Song Yan's career. Her mother was very cruel to Song Yan but when it comes to her own son she was even ready to kneel before Song Yan and wanted him to forgive her. Xu Qin's brother was a good person although he also didn't like Song Yan but he always wants his sister to be happy and be free from the cage of their family. I loved many characters in this drama.

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Finally I wanna say that it's a good mix friendship and romance. Worth to watch.

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Leia Mais

A pleasant series with a very cute CL despite the worn plot

Yes, the plot is used somewhere with a duo fireman (Yang Yang, the ML) / surgeon (Wang Chu Ran, the FL) in Romeo and Juliet mode. They were high school sweethearts, were separated by FL's mother (adoptive and abusive-toxic), strongly opposed to their relationship. They reunite 10 years later because of their profession and try to face the obstacles.

BUT :
+ It's very well acted (Yang Yang, anyway ;) but also Vim Zhang and other very good actors)
+ action scenes and medical scenes are realistic,
+ we find the classic solidarity / friendship within the team (endearing)
+ the OSTs are very good,

CONS :
- the narration is slow! Long shots of emotional moments, useless scenes, it's boring.
- the (very) toxic mother, I don't mind, but the brother "unwell in his head / more & less twisted" (almost in love with his sister even they were raised together since they were 8-10 years old), it goes less well... As a dysfunctional family, there is no better.
- bullshit psychology: announcement of death in the family on a mission time, to say 2 days later that the mother and aunt are alive, ABSOLUTELY idiotic treatment of TPSD, etc.
- manifest errors of the management: episode 20, in the flashback, the FL has her current hairstyle and not her high school hairstyle!
- the (too) many nationalist or very moralizing speeches on the general interest and the service of the public.

Remark: the both leads are only together in episode 25!!

That said, even if the plot is a little worn, with the very cute CL, it's still a very pleasant series.
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Plot assez classique du duo pompier (Yang Yang, le ML) /chirurgienne (Wang Chu Ran, la FL) en mode Roméo et Juliette. Ils étaient amoureux au lycée, ont été séparés par la mère de la FL (adoptive et abusive-toxique), fortement opposée à leur relation. Ils se retrouvent 10 ans plus tard en raison de leur métier et essaient de faire face aux obstacles.

+ C'est très bien joué (Yang Yang, quand même ;) mais aussi Vim Zhang et d'autres très bons acteurs)
+ les scènes d'action et les scènes médicales sont réalistes,
+ on retrouve la classique solidarité / amitié au sein de l'équipe (attachants)
+ les OST sont très bons,

MAIS :
- la narration est lente ! Les longs plans sur les instants émotionnels, les scènes inutiles, c'est lassant.
- la mère (très) toxique, je veux bien, mais le frère "mal dans sa peau +/- tordu" (quasiment amoureux de sa sœur alors qu'ils ont été élevés ensemble depuis leurs 8-10 ans), ça passe moins bien... Comme famille dysfonctionnelle, il n'y a pas mieux.
- psychologie à la con : annonce du décès dans la famille en pleine mission pour dire 2 jours plus tard que la mère et la tante sont vivantes, traitement des TPSD ABSOLUMENT idiot, etc.
- des erreurs manifestes de la régie : épisode 20, dans le flashback, la FL a sa coiffure actuelle et pas sa coiffure lycée !
- les (trop) nombreux discours nationalistes ou très moralisateurs sur l'intérêt général et le service du public.

RQ : le CL, ils ne sont ensemble que dans l'épisode 25 !!

Ceci dit, même si le plot est un peu usé, avec le CL très cute, cela reste une série très agréable.

Leia Mais

Fireworks of My Heart is my Chinese Drama obsession for 2023, with action + romance.

Fireworks of My Heart is the best performance by Yang Yang by far for me. There is a great storyline and powerful story arcs concerning rescues by Firemen and Doctors. This gives way to plenty of opportunities for action. There is insane chemistry between the leads and the romance is off the charts. Fireworks of My Heart is a story with story arcs that are totally believable. The whole cast is stellar, from the Firemen to the different family members, it is a stellar cast, great OST, and beautiful and artful cinematography.

Adapted from the Novel “A City, Waiting For You” by Jiuyuexi, a very popular Chinese female writer.

While Fireworks of My Heart is a dramatization, I have a more healthy respect for Firemen after watching this series. Firemen are speed devils in getting dressed and getting to the fire/disaster scene not just to beat the clock, but to cheat death by saving lives. The rescue efforts in this series are thrilling and comparable to the Chinese drama ‘You Are My Hero’. The love relationship is comparable to the Korean drama ‘Call It Love’. She has to learn to be a human and he has to learn to let go of his emotions and trust again.

There is a great Soundtrack of voice and instrumental music in the background.

ACTORS CORNER

Yang Yang (The King’s Avatar), Wang Chu Ran (Royal Feast) and Wei Daxun (The Ordinary Glory)

The male lead, Yang Yang, is one of the prettiest Pretty Boys in Chinese Drama and sometimes he can make you forget that he is suppose to be acting. He has never floored me as an actor, that is until Yang Yang’s great performance as the heartbroken, life toughened Captain of the Firemen’s team in Fireworks of My Heart. Yang Yang had tons of different emotions which he had to display for this role, as he played a wayward teenager and adult Firefighter ready to give up his life for his men and those in need. This is by far his best performance for me from him.

Wang Chu Ran is the female lead and she is gorgeous, but she no acting slouch. Wang Chu Ran’s role had a wide range of emotions as well, which were all met by Chu Ran. She had to play a wall flower teenager trying to survive under the complete domination of her adoptive mother and she plays an adult Medical Doctor scared by life’s battle wounds.

Singer/Actor Wei Daxun was a standout for me as the Brother/Second Lead. I loved his interpretation of his character. His performance was so realistic, as the rich brother who is totally crushing on his adoptive sister, to the point of envy and exhaustion.

Leia Mais

Well worth it -- a drama that portraits the emergency teams (Firefighting, ER, Command Center, etc)

They portrait the firefighters' life/work very well -- as well as the other emergency crew, teams, hospitals, etc. I was able to connect with each of the firefighters in the story too along with the staff at the hospital, etc. I think some of the biggest disasters in the drama - is the toughest to probably film/do -- typhoon & earthquake part of the drama. Lots of heartwrenching moments. I also cried a lot when Da Peng passed away due to the explosion in the new building being built, as well as the other scenes too when Song Yang was in military to the scene where he got trapped in the collapse building to when was exposed to dangerous chemicals - both times where he was close to "near death" situation -- as well as Suo Jun when he got seriously injured on duty too and had to resign from the firefighting life of his. I think each of their stories/lives were very touching & heartbreaking at times. Lots of life lessons to be learnt from it too. Thank you everyone for your hardwork! Well done!

Side note though (my 2-cents worth -- opinion - take it with a grain of salt)
I felt slightyy cheated at the end -- I watched the last 2 episodes -- they talked so much about the wedding, etc - but there was no show for it at all. *heartbroken*. It would've been really nice to actually see them married in the drama -- since they talked about it through the last 2 episodes...why oh why did they not have it?!? I mean, I really love the drama overall! It was worth it to watch -- but not having the actual wedding scene -- with all the talk about it -- just doesn't do the ending justice!! I wished they had even just an extended episode of it would've been nice -- at the firehall - bringing everyone together including Suo Jun would've been nice. Sigh...oh well -- everyone did well. Well done Yang Yang! Well done all cast members and film crew + director of this drama!! Good job!! I will miss this drama a lot. Thank you all for your hardwork!!

Nonetheless, I still gave them full ratings of 10/10 because even though some parts may seems slow or relationship seems sticky between the 2 main leads -- in general -- I think this drama deserves a watch -- cause the emotions they (the characters) take you through will be one heck of a rollercoaster. But gives life and insight of what each emergency crew members do - whether it be a firefighter, ER staff member, command center, and also the day to day life of people who gets trapped in an emergency situation - etc. The bonding between the firefighter staff members at Silitai Fire & Rescue Station is very realistic and cool. I like how each member bond and connect with each other despite the difficulties they may face in life or during an rescue operation. So well done! Round of appalause!

Therefore, if you haven't watch it yet -- what are you waiting for -- give it a watch and decide if what I mentioned here is worth your time to watch this drama or not! Happy watching!

Leia Mais

great obstacles don't make a relationship great

I saw the high MDL score and decided to watch it. you guys have no taste

Main issue: they don't have one scene where main couple enjoys each other's company. they are either childhood memories (which is NOT enough to base your whole life on) or they're arguing for no reason in the present. WHY DO THEY WANT TO BE TOGETHER??

The mere volume of obstacles doesn't mean they have to face them and be with each other. there was no sustance in their story, so i had to drop it at ep17.

Individual arcs: Her arc as a doctor trying to extricate herself from her family's clutches was really interesting. It ties beautifully with her attitude towards her career, she wants to be the best to finally be able to make decisions about her life. Her mom is a worthy antagonist, I was floored when she reminded of her immense priviledge and added another layer to their dynamic. other than that fl is nothing to write home about, even though i love seeing career women in dramas

male lead: great motivation for his work ethic: he wants to be the best to be allowed to date fl, who is from a high class. But he's so mean and immature with her, at least up to ep17 that I can't root for them. He rejects her and then cries about how much he loves her. Boohoo bitch, grow up.

bromance: favourite part by far, such a shame it only lasted 10 eps. the captain and instructor's frienship made them both sympathetic heroes, they complimented each other's approaches and were excellent superiors. plus my man was constantly reminding the boys of mental health besides the physical. we stan an emotionally aware king. you left too soon, baby

acting: i don't agree with people online bullying one of the cast for their acting skills. still, the acting was agressively average. it wasn't so bad but i will not be following the main actors' careers any time soon

military propaganda: at every freaking scene. you're not fooling us, china. and you could add female firefighters for starters.

TL;DR: Don't trust MDL scores, it's always the most boring shows who have the highest. this is watchable but not unmissable

Leia Mais

Worthwhile watch, however with substantial flaws

This show is divisive. It's got avid fans or serious detractors. I enjoyed this show, but acknowledge it had major flaws.

Firstly, I have not read the novel, but am aware of deviations from the original book. If a true drama adaptation is what you're looking for, you'll be disappointed.

The plot premise is young lovers torn apart due to class differences, with the FL's family (in particular her mother), disapproving of the ML. 10 years later after many trials and tribulations, the couple reunites, as adults. It's a journey of them uncovering their passion for their work (particularly the FL as a doctor), rediscovering their love, and garnering the bravery to stand up for their beliefs and find their way back to each other. The ML is a noteworthy and honourable firefighter, and the FL, a cold, yet talented doctor.

Flow/ Love line.
The Song Yan (SY) and Xu Qin (XQ) love line is drawn out and they don't get back together until after ep 25. XQ is highly weak, indecisive, and bounces back and forth between wanting to get back with SY. Her personality is a result of decades of being suppressed by perfectionist, disapproving parents, leaving her as a seemingly lifeless pushover. The plot didn't pick up until the earthquake story from ep 23-24 onwards. You get 5-6 episodes of sweet, overcompensating skinship, passion, and chemistry, and then the plot resumes to XQ uncovering her family's sabotage of SY in the last decade.

I also am with fans who agree that the mother did not get the karma/justice/poetic justice she deserved.

While 40 eps is not extremely long for a Chinese drama, a lot of the first half were filler, and besides the firefighting scenes, there was no real substance or progress with the love line. Acknowledging that even for some of my favourite shows such as Love Like The Galaxy, I found the plot (eg first 14-20 eps of that show), didn't have much progress with the love line either. Leads usually get together in the second half.

Acting
Yang Yang is another divisive actor. People either love him or hate him. I am a fan of him, but acknowledge that he isn't the most expressive actor.
If anything, the weakness in this show for me was Wang Chu Ran. She's pretty and has an elegance about her, playing a 29-30+ year old when she's actually 23-24 (whereas other actresses her age such as Zhao Lu Si are playing youthful, high school students for example), I did find her performance lacking. XQ is a cold, scared character, but I felt WCR's inexperience caused XQ to be further flat, and one dimensional, therefore limiting what YY could also bring with his character. They both appeared rather lacking in certain scenes, and for me, her blank look, or crying actually made YY look like the strong performance here.
I for one don't find YY to be the worst actor, but do agree with comments that his performance can also be better/worse depending on the FL's abilities too.

Themes
This show is rife with propaganda. From the music, to the signs, to the glorification of noble careers such as firefighting and medicine, there are subliminal, and obvious messages about communism throughout the show. I'm aware they left out some key themes from the book such as government corruption etc. which did not sit well with a lot of people.

The one theme/lesson I did really enjoy is SY's ability to let bygones be bygones and not live his life consumed by hatred and revenge. Despite XQ's mother sabotaging him twice in his life - from failing his initial military admission to later setting him up so that he couldn't get a promotion, I respect his ability to live life free from anger. The scene where he's trying to get his cousin Zhai Miao to hand in the footage of Ye Zi, he says "I didn't forgive or forget what the Meng family did to me, I chose not to live my life with hatred". He let it go for himself, not for them.

Music
The music was tried to the propaganda and was all about "respect the party, be disciplined, work hard". While I am not against any of these messages (lesser favourtism towards 'being loyal to the party') it did feel strange to be the backdrop of a show whose main storyline was romance. For me, the music leaned more towards a show regarding their careers.

Ending
I was neutral about the ending. The mother never thanked/apologised to SY which was a big flaw for me, even after he saved her. I was disappointed they didn't show the wedding between SY and XQ and that she went back to her family, unlike the book - I suppose to align with the value of filial piety. Her parents got off scot free.
The secondary characters, such as Jiang Yi and Li Meng, albeit brief, did get some ending. I wished Yanchen/Ye Zi and some of the other characters had more written about them, and what happened next.

Overall, a show with some great positives, but a lot of flaws. Ep 23 onwards is worth rewatching, but it is a show you can skip a lot of. Good if you're a YY fan.

Leia Mais

likeable couple with unlikeable angsty family

Fireworks of My Heart -8,5/10 -cdrama

angsty action romance drama with firefighters and hospital theme.

By angsty I mean FLs family is very unlikeable and demanding and controlling.
Practically without FLs family problems which was dragging this drama tempo down. This drama could have just 20+- eps rather than 40eps it got now + it wouldnt be as angsty and could be nicer romcom.

plot - ML and FL were close friends in their younger years, but FLs family disapproved of their relationship and forced them apart. Over the past decade, they have both pursued their dreams, with ML becoming a dedicated fire chief and FL becoming an emergency doctor. Fate brings them back together as they work in their respective fields, but they are not entirely happy about the reunion.

As they collaborate, they notice how much they have grown since their separation, but there are unresolved issues between them. The question arises whether they can overcome the obstacles and develop their newfound relationship into something more meaningful or if it will remain as fleeting as their past friendship.

Leia Mais

Call an Ambulance! Call an Ambulance! And Yes, for Me ;)

Before I begin, I want to express my surprise and delight that this is the first cdrama I've watched where the main intro doesn't spoil much of the plot (yes, the ending, but it's a romance, what else are we going to expect?).

Spoiler free ✧･ﾟ:*
After reading the synopsis, I decided to give Fireworks of My Heart a go for old nostalgia’s sake. The first Chinese drama I fell absolutely in love with was “You Are My Hero,” and this one did not disappoint in giving me a similar tale.

FOMH tells the story of ER surgeon, Xu Qin, and her high school sweetheart and now firefighter, Song Yan. After being torn apart and split up years ago, the two finally reconnect thanks to their respective careers. However, though Xu Qin still loves Song Yan, their love story cannot rekindle so easily. From emergency cases, heartbreak, family disagreements, miscommunication, hidden secrets, and love so deep it can blind them like a fire’s flame, we get to watch them on their healing journey and their "like a moth to a flame" habits.

Borderline spoilers *:･ﾟ
Song Yan is indeed my new crush <3 He is so kind to his loved ones, but he also stays true to his boundaries. He follows his heart but leads with his head. He is protective, brave, understanding, solemn and mature. With the hardships that came with being intertwined with Xu Qin, he handled many situations extremely well, showcasing a great temperament and habit of compassion. There was not one scene where I did not see him as rational or anything other than ideal.

Xu Qin was adopted by the Meng family at a young age due to her parents passing in a fire. This is something I wish the plot touched on as we were only given this information thanks to a dream she had late in the drama. However, I also understand that she was fairly young, so the impact primarily came from living with the controlling and manipulative Meng family (in particular, the mother). Xu Qin has a strong temper when it comes to Song Yan or her work, but in the presence of his family, she is extremely docile. Due to the controlling trauma she endured at a young age, she has grown to never step out of line, even if it means giving up on her love (*wink* *wink*). Though, gradually, she learns that her successes should be defined and controlled by herself, making a complex yet sad relationship dynamic with her family counterpart.

Jiang Yu, a firefighter alongside Song Yan, is my man!! Love, love, love. Not to mention that all of the firefighters were an absolute joy to watch. I loved their personalities and their own personal dilemmas we got the occasional glimpse of.

Meng Yan Chen, Xu Qin’s “brother,” was an interesting character. His development was interesting, but the heavily implied liking to his sister was not my favorite aspect to the plot. Nevertheless, he furthered examples of the burden living in the Meng family feels like.

Conclusion ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
There were some aspects I found boring (like some of the family discussions) and others I found so fun to watch (Jiang Yu and his later love interest ;)). The action scenes were done very well, and my heart did indeed race at times. The acting from our main characters was extremely well done and they both had captivating performances (ex. when Xu Qin got drunk). Overall, I would recommend this to others if you are looking for a second chance romance with lots of action outside of their burning hearts.

Pinterest plug: https://www.pinterest.com/ed3nelle/drama-fireworks-of-my-heart/

Leia Mais

Enduring Love Wins - And a Smoking-Hot Hero Helps!

Right off the bat, I chose this drama for Yang Yang. Despite some of the nasty remarks and reviews I read; I think he did a very good job with this character. The hesitation to trust, holding himself back, his sincerity. I loved Song Yan more than any other character. Yes, the camera has a love affair with Yang Yang, but he is talented in his own right - and we are the recipients of his good looks and his talents.

The ensemble was great. There was such chemistry between the firefighters - there was such chemistry between the family members - even the dysfunctional ones. Xu Qin's parents and her brother gave compelling performances. I don't think there was one character who wasn't convincing, and I loved the side couples a lot too.

The story itself was ok - the writers and the director scored pretty much on their telling of the bravery and commitment of these first responders and gave them all very human sides. Even the bystanders and general public were both as heroic and sometimes as disgusting as people can be in real life. I think there could have been a tad less action and more interaction between the individuals to develop their connections - but I appreciated the moments of sentiment and emotion. The most touching part for me was Dapeng's parents reading his letter. There was not a dry eye in the house (or mine either) - the raw emotion of every firefighter in that room was real and raw.

Wang Chu Ran scored as Xu Qin. Her character, in my opinion, was the most flawed of all. She managed to bring all of that dysfunction and insecurity to life. Xu Qin was an indulged, insecure, protected woman who understandably was so impacted by her upbringing and her own personality. She finally managed to stand on her own two feet and appreciate the love she had in Song Yan. It sure took her long enough! Best scene for me? When Zhai Miao dropped the bomb on what Xu Qin's mother had done to ruin Song Yan's career efforts and reality bit. Hard!

Some reviews said there wasn't any chemistry between the ML & FL. I don't agree. Although Xu Qin's feelings for Song Yan were a little conditional at first, Song Yan's love for Xu Qin was always obvious in his touch, tenderness and the way he looked at her. As their relationship grew and Xu Qin began to realize the true wealth of his love, her own feelings blossomed. It was an understated but intense love portrayed so well by these two actors. (On a purely superficial note, I do hope they are a couple in real life).

I didn't need a wedding to wrap the ending up - but we didn't need a crisis either. It would have been more satisfying to spend the time to wrap up the side-couples' stories a little better.

Rewatch? I'd gladly sit through 40 episodes again for Yang Yang.

Leia Mais