Você se sente flutuando
Fazia tempo que eu não dava nota máxima num drama, mas me senti obrigada a fazer isto, pois este título não merece menos do que todas as estrelas disponíveis. É difícil encontrar uma obra que te encante em basicamente todos os aspectos, há sempre algo que pode não agradar muito, pode ser um dos protagonistas, pode ser a pobreza de detalhes, pode ser uma trilha sonora cansativa, mas aqui não há nada disso. Temos o conjunto completo de satisfações.Vou separar por tópicos pra ficar mais fácil:
---Cinematografia, fotografia:
Parece até que queriam pintar um quadro em forma de drama. Os cenários são maravilhosos, cada quadro parece uma pintura, é lindo de ver. As cartelas de cores usadas são muito lindas, trazem uma sensação de nostalgia e romance. A fotografia é relmente um detalhe que não vai passar despercebido por ninguém, enche nossos olhos e a gente se sente relaxado assistindo. Pra quem acaha que fotografia não importa muito, este drama te deixa nocauteado provando o contrário a todo instante. É magíco.
---Trilha sonora:
Uma das primeiras coisas que chamam a nossa atenção é com certeza a trilha sonora. Atípica, com muitas músicas em inglês,
um gênero musical de chill out em cenas que harmonizam perfeitamente. Há também uma premissa vintage, retrô musical, que se encaixa muito bem em cenas iluminadas pelo sol saudades pelo frescor do mar. Há também algo mais sensual, combinando muito bem com cenas onde há certa tensão sexual entre o casal. Parece que as músicas dançam com a cena, ou é a cena que dança com a música, você nunca saberá porque estará totalmente submerso. É incrível.
---Química entre o casal:
O casal tem muitas diferenças, em idade, estilo de vida, entre outras. Contudo, são duas almas de artistas que se encontram e se harmonizam, se conhecem devagar, se encantam. A construção deles não é muito apressada e nem muito devagar, é no tempo certo. Uma coisa que eu amo de ver, porém é difícil de encontrar, é quando as interações entre o casal são mais sensíveis, mergulhando em camadas, sem se resumir apenas a fatos e superfícies. E é gratificante ver que essa maravilha acontece aqui. Há muitas cenas com trocas de olhares, diálogos pertinentes, tensão sexual. Claro, pessoas maduras agindo com maturidade, até que enfim né? kkkkk. Eu me apaixonei demais por esse casal, tem um monte de cenas lindas entre eles, beijos de verdade, mais intimidade que o de costume (nos dramas). Já é um dos meus preferidos dos dramas.
---Enredo:
Como já mencionei, é tudo no tempo certo. Não será difícil que a gente se sinta ansioso por um fato que deve acontecer, mas após os acontecimentos é que entendemos a necessidade do tempo ter sido diferente. A trama não te deixa confusa, a narrativa é leve e fácil de acompanhar, um enorme potencial para maratona. A história é delicada, floral, calorosa como o verão, fresca como uma brisa, sem negligenciar seu drama necessário, nem dispensar algumas doses de humor.
O final me pareceu algo aberto a interpretações, ou não. Mas, pra variar, foi lindo.
---Atuações e outras personagens:
O destaque é com certeza pra quem mais precisava se destacar né, o casal principal. Eles foram ótimos, o Jerry eu sei que atua muito bem e Xu Ruo Han me surpreendeu. Eu a vi em outro drama e ela foi satisfatória, mas neste drama eu a achei incrível. Além de linda e fofa, sua interpretação foi impécável, a personagem parece que foi feita especialmente para ela.
Falando em personagens secundárias, a mãe da He Ran é um destaque positivo também. Há ao menos umas duas cenas com ela que me deixaram bem emocionada. Com o tempo, você a entende mesmo sem concordar com tudo, e personagens assim são necessárias, é o tipo que eu adoro acompanhar.
O rival do Xiao Han passa longe de ser um rival, zero chances kkkk. Honestamente, ele dividiu meus sentimentos, porque às vezes eu o achava um pé no saco sem noção e sem amor próprio, e outras vezes eu estava com pena e pensando se a He Ran não era muito maldosa com ele. Enfim, ambos tem seus pontos. A relação entre ele e a mocinha é de amigos de infância, e talvez ele tenha desenvolvido uma espécie de dever com relação a ela, de querer fazê-la feliz e de achar que é o homem destinado a isso. Mas não é. A gente aprende com ele que nunca é sobre tempo né, e sim sobre a pessoa ser simplesmente A pessoa.
---Conclusão:
Nem vou me prolongar mais. Apenas assistam. Se você está buscando algo em suma romântico, refrescante, gostosinho, uma vibe um tanto retrô, um colírio para os olhos e bálsamo pra sua ansiedade, este é o drama perfeito. É imersivo. Você se sente numa viagem de férias para algum lugar paradisíaco. Absolutamente recomendável.
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Uma verdadeira jóia encontrada!
Sinceramente, esse drama excedeu as minhas expectativas. Quando eu comecei a assistir não tinha ideia de que havia encontrado uma jóia!Se destaca entre todos os outros dramas, um dos melhores!
- Cinematografia
Desde o início eu percebi que a fotografia, a filmagem e direção não eram só mais do mesmo ou qualquer coisa. Eles acertaram em cheio! Sabiam o que tinham que fazer e o fizeram com excelência. Todo o conceito das cenas é muito bem explorado nos envolvendo na história profundamente e marcando uma identidade própria no drama. Desde a abertura e todo o clima de vila China anos 90, a forma como as cenas são filmadas, a forma como tudo é feito para nos passar o sentimento da cena, nos faz compreender e amar o conceito dessa obra. Envolvente e viciante, é muito talento envolvido.
Esse não é só mais um drama para entreter as massas, é artístico. Parabéns aos diretores e a todos os envolvidos!
- História
Não sei como vou assistir outra coisa agora sem comparar com o quão profundo e tocante foi esse drama. É tudo muito bem colocado e explorado, e não há aqueles momentos que às vezes encontramos em outras obras em que olhamos e pensamos "Nossa que tosco", e eu me senti aliviada por isso. O que me pegou muito desde o primeiro episódio é que tudo é passado de uma forma que entendemos e sentimos muito bem a história que os personagens estão vivendo, parecendo até que estamos passando por isso junto com eles. É incrível como em todos os episódios eu sentia borboletas no estômago e diversas emoções. Ao longo dos episódios felizmente não encontramos clichês toscos sem sentido ou mal construídos, é tudo abordado de forma inteligente, profunda e equilibrada entre a ficção e a realidade. Obviamente não vou falar o que acontece no final, só direi que se você está com receio de assistir por conta dele, não tenha medo! É feliz e lindo apesar de abrir espaço para interpretações sobre o que aconteceu, eu sou uma pessoa que odeia final triste e felizmente não passei por esse problema em The Forbidden Flower. Esse drama vale muito a pena.
- Personagens
Os personagens foram escritos de forma muito bem construída e inteligente. Realmente parecem pessoas reais, tomando atitudes de pessoas reais e que podemos compreender bem. Essa é a primeira vez que eu fico tão satisfeita com uma protagonista feminina, geralmente, em outros dramas elas sempre possuem uma característica ou outra que acho irritante, chata ou cansativa. Mas a protagonista Hu Ran me impressionou pelas sua inteligência, sagacidade, persistência, força, coragem e vontade de viver. Ela sabe o que quer e irá atrás disso. O que me impressionou pois ela é tão jovem e por certas circunstâncias não teve tanto contato com o mundo, e mesmo assim é tão madura nesses aspectos, mais tarde eu entendi que o que ela passou a fez crescer mais forte. Além disso ela fugiu completamente do clichê de protagonista bobinha e ingênua. Ela se tornou minha protagonista feminina favorita!
O protagonista masculino Xiao Han é extremamente interessante e cativante, me capturou por completo desde o início. Desde a sua caracterização, comportamento, sua vida, sua personalidade e o mistério que ele exala. Me tornei obcecada em conhecer cada vez mais sobre ele junto com a Hu Ran. Além disso, o seu coração íntegro e suas virtudes são admiráveis. Ele é uma pessoal fiel e amável, além de ser muito forte e ter muito respeito pelos outros.
Hu Ran e Xiao Han se deram tão bem, mas tão bem como casal que era lindo de ser ver. Além disso a química e a dinâmica entre eles foi simplesmente insana! Muitas "Borboletas no estômago", o amor deles é admirável.
- Atores/Atuação
Fiquei impressionada com o quão boa era a atuação desse elenco, muito satisfatório! Eu espero que os atores me façam acreditar que a história é real, que eles dêem vida aos personagens e me levem para outro mundo. Os atores fizeram um ótimo trabalho ao encarnar os personagens.
Me tornei fã da atriz Ruohan Xu que atuou o papel da protagonista. Foi tão satisfatório e credível a forma que ela encarnou a personagem que me peguei diversas vezes repetindo as cenas para ver novamente sua atuação, ela é realmente talentosa e fez um excelente trabalho em interpretar a personagem.
Jerry Yan foi magnífico ao dar vida ao personagem! Não consigo imaginar qualquer outro ator no lugar dele. Era simplesmente cativante e viciante toda vez que ele aparecia, eu sentia um furacão de emoções junto com a protagonista. A forma com ele atuou o protagonista masculino também foi um dos grandes motivos de eu gostar tanto desse drama. Espero que futuramente Jerry Yan e Ruohan Xu realizem diversos outros trabalhos pois eles foram magníficos. Além disso a atuação como casal deu mais que certo, foi apaixonante e arrebatador.
Também fiquei impressionada com a atuação de Huang Yi no papel da mãe poderosa de Hu Ran. Ela é extremamente talentosa e era perfeita para o papel, uma atuação marcante e fabulosa.
- OST
Eu simplesmente estou obcecada com está OST e escuto todo dia. Eu esperava tudo menos uma OST como essa! Me pegou completamente desprevenida e elevou as cenas a outro nível transcendente. Essas músicas foram perfeitas para seus propósitos, passando muito bem o humor de The Forbidden Flower e me levaram a outro mundo, eu tive sentimentos que nem sabia que era capaz de sentir. Geralmente nos dramas tem cerca de duas ou três músicas que se destacam como as melhores entre as outras, mesmo quando toda a trilha sonora é muito boa. Porém, na OST desse drama várias músicas se destacaram fortemente de tão boas que são, eu simplesmente não consigo escolher uma favorita. Só quero ficar o dia inteiro escutando essas músicas e tenho certeza que não vou enjoar.
Agora não sei como vou assistir qualquer outra coisa sem comparar com The Forbidden Flower. Eu simplesmente quero que todos os diretores, roteiristas, artistas e responsáveis por cada parte da produção desse drama se juntem novamente e façam um drama tão bom com The Forbidden Flower. Por favor, ouçam esse humilde pedido de todos os fãs de The Forbidden Flower!
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the forbidden flower
Para começar: esse drama nunca que deveria ter 24 episódios!! Na metade do caminho não tem mais história a ser contada e o foco fica nos secundários, dos quais a única que """salva""" é a mãe da protagonista e o romance dela com o bonitinho.Pela primeira vez na minha vida, eu assisti algo em velocidade aumentada, porque não aguentava mais a enrolação. No final, nem consegui me emocionar. Não me apeguei aos personagens, e ainda passei foi raiva com as atitudes mimadas da He Ran, o Xiao Han é um banana, que só fica "ok" nos últimos episódios. Apesar dele falar que se apaixonou por ela desde o começo, a sensação que dá é que ele foi vencido pelo cansaço.
A questão da diferença de idade também me agoniou um pouco, ainda mais com ele se referindo a ela como "criança" ????? Resumindo: só ladeira abaixo.
Os pontos que gostei foram: a OST perfeita e a construção da história com as estações verão e inverno --> isso foi bem bonito e se todo o resto ajudasse teria sido um drama lindo.
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A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
I started this out of curiousity, seeing the story was something I haven't seen in c drama you can say I wanted a saviour....from all the repetitive cliche plots and thank goodness I decided to watch this ❤️ This tells a story of a girl whose suffering from an illness and has been restricted by it, she yearns too explore and through that exploration she crosses paths with a man who also seems distant and hurt together they get to know eachother get in a whirlwind romance and heal eachother from all their pain.WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH THIS?
1.THE PLOT
The plot regardless of seeming usual with the illness and all is perfectly paced in a way that the writers remained consistent to what they wanted to tell the viewers, giving much screen time to the main leads in the first half, allowing us to get to know them interact with their characters and give us a chance to view their story in more light, I loved it since it felt like I was watching someone's life story and just giggling, crying along the way🤍
2.THE ACTOR AND ACTRESS ( JERRY YAN AND XU ROUHAN.
He ran was the female lead of the series and I felt like this role was made just for her, loved how she potrayed her emotions well more so love how they made her character independent despite being seek she wanted to lead a free life, she was keen about what she wanted and made sure she got it and on top of that not being vulnerable but cheerful smart and strong.
Xiao Han potrayed by Jerry Yan was also done so well aside from being hot 🔥, he really knew how to act with his eyes, his smirks and micro expressions could help you understand exactly how he felt, he wasn't your typical cold guy character he was a mature warm cautious and understanding man in my opinion.
The supports too did a great job, the mom of the female lead Zhang yiquan and many more, Hanyu played by Kido ma was a breath of fresh air in the series with his innocence and clumsy nature he won my heart.
3.THE CHEMISTRY AND SENSUAL TENSION BETWEEN THE LEADS.
I must say I was impressed these guys have a real life 20 years age difference but iam suprised with how comfortable they are with each other, they had that spark that gave me butterflies every time they held hands hugged kissed or even just stared at eachother, yah there we re cut scenes ( I'll neve forgive you wetv) but still these two delivered that firefly chemistry I have been longing for❤️
4. OSTS
I loved how every song that played in the background of the scene matched the scene, like the music score was selected and was soo in sync with what's happening, I really can't choose my best ost as yet as they are all soo nice but I have to applaud who ever made the music selection 🤍 also was shocked to here the English version of lucid dreams which was one of the osts in a k drama while you were sleeping.
5.CINEMATOGRAPHY
The shooting sight was pleasing, the sceneries were soo healing and beautiful at the same time, it gave me those countryside beachy vibes I totally loved it❤️
6. BECAUSE ITS THAT GOOD
Now this drama isn't for everyone, no offense but if you going to make a big deal about the age difference then that's gonna hinder your view on the series, it's pacing is a normal life sort of pacing which might feel slow for some people...any ways this deserves all my praises I was moved from get go and I appreciate every one who joined hands to bring this to us thank you for the give of an awesome drama
7. THE ENDING..
The ending was how you interpret it as a viewer, she calls out his name he turns around with a bright smile and hugs her, is it a fantasy or reality love how it was beautifully potrayed I'll definitely on my side take it as a happy ending...you can choose what you call it as well❣️
I really sincerely with all my heart thank whoever was involved in bringing this story to life, I looked forward to it every single day spend hours listening and mumming to the osts, ive been level A addicted to this and it's left this memory in my head and heart that's to last decades 🥺❤️ I usually rate dramas from a scale of 10 where ten is the top mark but for this I'll add a 0.5 to be fair🌝😌
The forbidden flower 🤍
Personal rating: 10.5
Rewatch value: 10
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A Fresh and Unique Story for a C-drama
The story might seem a bit common but the portrayal of the story, the acting and the drama setting took it to a different level. This story might not be for everyone and it kind of seems mature(not 18+ though..LOL) not like a typical c-drama we always watch.The first episode itself got me hooked and of course there are few aspects in the drama that are cliche and Female Lead's mother character kind of lacked reality, to me it felt like an irritating or baseless(logic less) character. Also, kudos to the FL who I think gave it her all for the character and I kind of felt like all the actors fit their characters really well except for the Female Lead's mother character.
I never expected a C-drama to be this open and mature or I might not have come across other dramas like this one...But yeah, if you prefer a strong emotion with great acting that gives you fresh vibes for a rom-com....Well, this is it.
Go watch it!!! You will not regret it :)
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1Let life be beautiful like summer flowers...
This tantalizing and poignant love story captures the spirit of carpe diem. It opens with a young girl's chance encounter at the hair salon. She is aroused by a strong and silent stranger from the way he caresses her ears and washes her hair. For most girls, it would stop just there; a titillating fantasy not to be acted upon. But He Ran is not like most girls. She throws herself at Xiao Han shamelessly; not one whit bothered that he is well into his prime. Twist and all, this is a simple and very cliched romance plot that hinges on the chemistry between the leads and whether they can convince audiences to root for them.He Ran's relentless pursuit of Xiao Han can very easily come across as crude and thirsty but Xu Ruohan gets this tricky portrayal mostly right down to the small nuances. She is just an artless young, girl headily experiencing infatuation, desire, and possibly even love for the very first time. She can be incredibly petulant, unreasonable, and childish, like the protected and spoiled little rich girl she is. But she taunts and tempts him with the instinctive provocativeness and burgeoning sensuality of a child-woman. The way she looks at him with her heart in her eyes and the effervescent joy in her smile made me shake my head at the futility of Xiao Han's efforts to evade her charms.
As for Xiao Han, his genuine attempts to resist the ardent allure of this captivating young temptress is just the right touch. He rightly has misgivings - she is too young and they are from different worlds. Xiao Han is a man of few words; a gentle giant who is very still and seemingly unmoved by her attempts to seduce him. Only the smallest microexpressions give him away - the hint of a smile, a tensing of his incredible jawline, a barely perceptible slow sidelong glance, and a whisper of innuendo in his tone. While Xiao Han clearly looks and is more mature, the relationship doesn't come across as exploitative largely because He Ran is the instigator and calls most of the shots. Of course, it helps that Jerry Yan does not look a day over thirty and the only offensive thing about him is how well he wears those sleeveless wife-beater T-shirts.
Their love story unfolds against a lush, almost surreal romantic palette drenched with deep and lush saturated colors of the riotous blooms adorning Xiao Han's intimate seaside home. The couple's sultry chemistry permeates the screen, captured mesmerizingly by the director's avant-garde and sensual visual composition style. The superbly curated soundtrack supercharges the narrative with all the right emotions at every critical juncture. I was invested in their romance the moment I heard the first song, Cantopop hit (半點心 A Drop of Your Heart). At the time, they had barely even met! I am so busy being a Peeping Tom that it takes me a while to notice that the plot doesn't move much. He Ran is just escaping into Xiao Han's world and their relationship is built around "ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies". They are both secretive and repeatedly fail to communicate. Thus despite its addictive beauty, theirs does not bear the hallmarks of a lasting relationship.
He Ran and Xiao Han's relationship shortcomings are amplified by the too coincidental to be true gender reversed second age-gap romance. There the couple actually dares to call each other out and are open about themselves and their doubts and constraints. That said, their initial attraction is too tropey and not convincing and it is a major subplot that develops too late in the main plot line; right after He Ran and Xiao Han's relationship peaks. This long-winded and often boring digression annoyed me and disrupted the momentum of the main romance. Their sizzling chemistry also highlights a more adult passionate intensity that seems missing in He Ran and Xiao Han's encounters.
The Chinese title of this drama 夏花 / Xià Huā or Summer Flowers, comes from Rabindranath Tagore's poem "Let life be beautiful like summer flowers..." After Shakespeare, Tagore is the most widely read and well-loved foreign poet in China. Thus there is already a lot of foreshadowing in the Chinese title. But I think it is not that important how He Ran and Xiao Han's story ends. Because the story's real message is about living in the moment and daring to live and love with no conditions or expectations for the future. That they did and like summer flowers, their love bloomed with wild abandon drenching the earth with the radiant, ecstatic colors of beautiful life. With a little bit of help from Uncle Han, who is just the best fairy godfather ever.
As for the ending, I didn't like it. Not at all. It diminishes both main characters. It is why even though I love many parts of this drama, I can only rate it a 7.5. A better ending would have gotten an 8.0-8.5 from me. I will elaborate on why I am so disappointed in the ending below. It is of course a major spoiler so please don't scroll down if you have not finished watching the drama.
Warning - major ending spoiler way down below.
Major Ending Spoiler
To me killing off a character is a lot better than killing the character of the character. And that is what leaving the door open for some ambiguity does - both He Ran and Xiao Han's characterizations suffer as a consequence. The ending should have been clear and decisive. The drama consistently builds up to it. This loosey-goosey ending makes the timeline messy and creates unnecessary loose ends. Did Xiao Han not accompany He Ran to seek treatment? What about his promise to care for her? Surely he was not growing flowers at home while she was fighting for her life thousands of miles away. But what really takes the cake is He Ran's unreasonable demand that Xiao Han waits for her and loves no one else. It is utterly selfish and insensitive. What if his first love had demanded that of him and he never gave He Ran the time of the day? Dying is easy, it puts her beyond all further suffering and emotion. From then, the suffering begins for the survivors. She sets her mother free but poor Xiao Han is supposed to miss her for the rest of his life? Did she ever even truly love him? Wow! This cop-out ending made me intensely dislike He Ran instead of remembering her poignantly as the brave young girl she was at the beginning. A girl who chose to live life gloriously if briefly instead of wallowing in self-pity.
"Let life be beautiful like summer flowers and death like autumn leaves." - Stray Birds by Rabindranath Tagore
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Scrumptious - the word I would describe this drama
I'm rating this drama high mainly because I have fond memories of it lolFrom the posters, I could already tell this drama was going to have something special & I was not wrong.
PROS
1. THE MAIN LEADS
Yes the age gap is huge but somehow Jerry Yan and Xu Ruo Han was the main saving grace of this drama. Both of them did such a great job portraying their characters. XRH definitely surprised me here bc the character looked so natural on her. So proud to see her acting chops evolve every projects she does. She was able to keep up acting alongside an actor like Jerry Yan, imagine the pressure! Speaking of, Xiao Han IS Jerry Yan - so glad he chose this project as it definitely confirmed that yes he STILL got it. He still got the acting chops to make me cry & feel the sincerity of the character. Idk but I really support the guy & I'm glad this drama worked out for him. I can see this being one of his underrated classic works.
2. THE CHEMISTRY OF THE MAIN LEADS
I don't even know where to start because this casting seem to have come out of nowhere but it worked out SO WELL?? The chemistry was sizzling from the first few eps. Idk what magic they put in this but I sincerely believe if they changed any of the two leads, this wouldn't have worked out as well as it did. But I think it all boils down to their acting chops & love for their craft. Xu Ruohan's braveness to just go for it every scene & Jerry Yan's classic ability to look at his FL's eyes with such love & desire all at the same time. This was a pairing I never thought I'd see but I'm so glad I did. Pure magic.
3. THE CINEMATOGRAPHY
Every shot was worth paying for. This was the 2nd best thing from this drama. Enough said. You can tell they out so much effort in getting the best shot of EVERY SCENE. And with flowers involved (chinese drama name is summer flower)?? OH what a combination. Please, if you're gonna try watching this, watch it for the cinematography at the very least. I'm so glad to see these directors still exist in cdramas. I can only imagine how exciting it must be for them to be given the chance to create such magic in a modern cdrama series.
4. THE OST
The songs in this gave me the same feeling as the drama did. The sense of falling in love & just living the moment. So good.
5. THE SETTING
We are at the beach! We are at the house near the beach! We are in a mansion! We are in the flower shop! We are in the mountains! Summer and then snow! We are everywhere! It felt like we were really living in a world following these characters live their everyday lives. The locations never felt empty. It never felt like we were just jumping from one studio set to another. It felt so real and very immersive.
THE ONE AND ONLY CON
THE EDITING
Ah yes, the cuts. So awkward and definitely ruined the vibe of the whole show. I can't even say anything because I'm sure everyone share the same sentiments. I know the production hated it too but they have to do it for censorship. (I'm not even talking about the sexy scenes, ik they had to edit dialogues too to cater to the cut scenes and all that... just sucks.) I can only forgive them if they release a DVD or something. IM BEGGING.
God, how perfect it would've been if this was shown on Netflix. Let adults be adults and just love damn!!!
I wished this was a bigger success but considering the qualms about the age gap, this was pretty successful to me. So proud of my girl xu ruohan & happy for jerry yan for making a comeback. Everyone has put 100% of their efforts in this and you can tell. This was definitely a passion project for everyone involved & I'm a happy drama watcher as my eyes, ears and brain had a feast.
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Love love love!
What a wonderful drama! I think I’ll be raving about this one for a long time. It’s certainly risen to be one of my favourites. It’s got such a wonderful balance of all of the things I love in a drama and is a good example of how a simple storyline can be done right. Such a beautiful romance with smoking hot chemistry between the leads, beautiful scenery and visuals and don’t even get me started on the OST. A drama’s soundtrack plays a big part and this drama absolutely nailed it. I don’t think I’ve been so in love with a drama’s soundtrack since Goodbye My Princess! I’m just hoping the soundtrack is available on iTunes soon cos I’m obsessed!I absolutely adored He Ran. She was so charming, witty, playful and bright. I loved watching her persistence in obtaining Xiao Han’s love and how she never backed down. I think she’s quite relatable in how someone can behave when they are absolutely smitten with someone. I loved watching her pursue Xiao Han and watching her drool over him (like the rest of us haha), she wasn’t shy about it and I love her for that. I’m also not the biggest fan of dramas where one leaves because of illness to spare the other heartbreak but I think this one was done quite right. I can understand why He Ran was afraid of letting Xiao Han know after watching her mother break down following her fathers death. I think her constant chasing him even after she left was really believable in that she could not help how she was reacting even though she was the one who initially left because our emotions and feelings usually get the better of us.
Xiao Han was a wonderful male lead. I love how he was never arrogant and always so patient and accomodating. I loved watching him grow from being a bit more distant to absolutely loving He Ran in return. I love those little smiles he gave her and seeing how her charms were already starting to melt his cool exterior from the start. I am also definitely Jerry Yan biased haha he’s just such a seasoned actor and absolute eye candy. This man must have found a Time Machine cos he’s still looking like he did in Meteor Garden except now he’s just more masculine! Those scenes in the last couple of episodes were so heartbreaking, especially when Xiao Han asked He Ran’s mother to let him take care of her from now on and then when they were lying in the snow together at the end. How insanely heartbreaking and Jerry Yan nailed them.
Although I absolutely would have loved a more certain happy ending, I think given the basis of the storyline, the ending was pretty expected. And as much as I’d love to believe she didn’t pass away in the end, I think she did. I think if she had gone to receive treatment overseas then he would have gone with her, particularly because he said he would take care of her from now on, and if he did stay then his reactions to seeing her dads portrait and the flowers blossom wouldn’t have been so darn heartbreaking. He said she was his last woman so he kept everything of hers like she was still there, I mean why get rid of her things when he’s already committed himself to loving her only forever. I think if the two fishes had names then I may have believed she were alive because she was going to name them if she came back but it was still a lovely touch to see the fishes together because it kind of symbolised them still being together in a way. The ending scene was either a dream or him imagining her there like she always used to pop up when he was in that same spot gardening. I think for my own mental sanity I may just go on believing that she is alive though lol
Anyways for those contemplating on whether to watch this, definitely give it a go. Don’t be scared away by the sad premise because this drama is so much more than that! Now off to rewatch my fav scenes I go! :)
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Everyone Needs a bit of Sexy in their Lives
How to begin this review? This drama wasn't on my radar at all until I saw the trailer and it stopped me in my tracks. Was this c-ent's version of 50 Shades? How were they going to make this possible? I was extremely curious; I'm totally unfamiliar with the entire cast save for the actor of Mr. Han who I saw last year in The Story of Xing Fu. Everything about this drama from the trailers gave off a totally different vibe than what I've previously seen in c-dramas. And for real, everyone does need a bit of sexy in their lives.Pros: The Bohemian vibe, the rich color palette of the locations, just gave the series this extra richness and made every scene extremely alive as it awakened the senses to exotic surroundings and vibes. I never cared about the age gap as that's what the story is about and how the characters overcome to develop their own love story. The music was probably my favorite part of the series and that says something as usually OSTs are ok or good but not to the point where you want to hear them on repeat. Jerry Yan obviously has a very long and impressive résumé in both acting and music, here he knew when to be aloof, almost wooden and when to let his walls crumble and be taken over by emotion. The little nuisances that could be missed sometimes but were very important to viewers like the significance of the painting and the fact that he started out with a copy and ended up with the real thing.
I didn't understand the FL at first when she bailed on him twice when she started to relapse. In her mind, though she was sharp as a tack, she didn't want him to see her sick. She wanted him to see her happy and healthy. Though I don't understand the logic in it but I'll speak about it below. In her mind, she wanted to not present as weak for better or for worse. Because they focused so much on flowers, paintings, and animals; I'll use the latter as an example. Both cats and dogs do this, when they know they are in the last stages of their lives, they tend to leave their homes and owners, they just want to go on their own quietly. Of course as humans, we want to be there for them and say a proper goodbye. So in that sense, HR was like a cat running away so her human could remember her in her prime, while not really considering or understanding the human's or XH's need to be with her, nurture, and take care of her even when he had no idea what was going on. That's the best way I could describe how I felt about the two sets of breakups. Also though she broke up with him the second time, she still was ridiculously jealous of him even talking to another woman, which showed her internal tug of war with whether to tell him the truth or just keep pushing him away. Thankfully he solved that one for her.
The last two episodes, I think were very beautifully done. Though he had to put the puzzle pieces together himself and we don't actually know how much time passed between the gorgeous wedding he gave her in his hometown and her passing away in his arms in the snow. I'd like to think they had sometime together to live in between. I love how the mom smartened up and gave her blessing and finally just let go. The extra scene after the ending credits I think was his dream where they always meet in that field of his favorite flowers in front of the building he proposed in; it's forever their very special place. I know many people cried but to me death is just the next step that a soul takes in order to return home. And most importantly, she's now pain free and can come to XH in his dreams in the best of health. She's waiting for him now instead as before it was the opposite.
Their chemistry, for me didn't start right away. Though he claimed he already had feelings for her when they met, I didn't feel anything for real until their first intimate scene in Ep. 9. Even after, all the scenes, cut or not, I have to say that real love and the feeling of it came with the cut scene in 17 when he says the words. They cared for each other and the make out sessions were well placed, but it wasn't until he uttered the words himself that I understood, that he understood it himself. I put this in the pros instead of cons because I felt prior to that, it was more on a physical level of things; nothing wrong with that. And I liked the development of his understanding of his own feelings as it builds his character.
Other characters I liked were Mr. Han, Fatty, the hotel chick that was related to SML, I really liked SML, even HR's roommates. Not one person in the entire series made it an issue of the leads many differences and that was beyond refreshing. C-dramas are known to always point out differences like they're the plague and then create an entire show around how everyone has to learn to grow and accept them instead of just being like "yeah, so what?"
Cons: The secondary couple, they were definitely more of a filler as I never really felt from mom the same passion or longing as from SML. It seemed like he put all the effort into the relationship which even didn't quite feel completed at the end. Were they really necessary? This show didn't need to turn the original into an older woman/younger man thing just because that's a trope very frequently used. Should have left well enough alone.
Even though mom explained she suffered from insomnia and anxiety, her symptoms present as PTSD that induces the other two. I wish they explained that more as to the reason she was essentially the jailer of her own daughter in the beginning of the series. As someone who suffers from all three but for different reasons, if you're going to go with the diagnosis, at least do the proper research on it because what she was actually experiencing was totally different from her explanations. You've already got Leukemia in the picture, which I'm unsure they researched properly either, might as well be as realistic as possible.
I'll be honest, I wasn't a fan of the FL in the beginning at all, though she pursued ML like to the point of almost stalking, she didn't even act 20 but more like a high schooler; the baby voice at times, pouting in others, the way she walked and the things she said, just didn't jive with this very smart woman we saw as the show progressed. I really wish this was one trope they could permanently get rid of in c-dramas.
Why was the character of Han Yu even there? That dude lived in his own world literally until the last episode. It was quite funny that even his uncle was like "I don't like him" because he was this narcissistic, annoying as nails spoiled, delusional brat. I never felt sorry for him, I just wanted him to go away. He added a layer to this series it didn't need. I'd rather have the cut scenes over his entire character.
Personally not a fan of characters hiding health conditions from their loved ones and going as far as breaking up. That second break up, I completely skipped over. Some people may agree and that's fine but I don't because I've got a plethora of health issues, one of which if it would relapse most likely then not lead me to seeing my guardian angels early, I would never keep something like that from someone. While I don't want them to suffer, I would want them to have that choice since I decided to make them a part of my life (this could mean significant other, family, or close friends). The fact that she eradicates that choice for him the second time around given their strong love, is something I do not and cannot agree with.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Despite the sad ending, it's a drama that you would most likely see in the west not in c-drama land. Give it a chance, it deserves it. You're basically watching a work of art so don't just look at the surface details, because inside are where the real flowers bloom.
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Rain in the Garden of Eden results in A Rainbow among the Clouds
Heads-up: This drama has THE ultimate binge factor. Although I watched it as it aired, I am certain that the experience of binging it would make me rate it a 10/10. Therefore I would recommend binging it to become fully immersed (if you like that).-------
TFF is a drama like no other. Sensual, delicate and touching.
Melodrama, terminal illness, FL chases ML first, large gap. Sounds like a sea of tropes, right? - Well for once I forgot those were 'tropes' because everything felt so real. This production managed to create such a beautiful story, combining alluring cinematography that makes one grateful for being able to see color with all the flowers and scenery, down to casting actors that take their roles seriously (I'd recommend watching BTS of Jerry Yan, he truly put a lot of thought into this role) and have amazing chemistry.
To call this drama a masterpiece is an understatement in my opinion, portraying deep connections and true love.
The script is not one of many words, but many emotions. It's in the details. He Ran fell in love with life again and for her Xiao Han was life. The Voice she heard gave her strength again. I read some comments early on criticizing her infatuation with him and it kind of made me realize how this drama targets an audience that knows how hard life can be, and how a tiny spark of hope can be the breath of fresh air you yearned for so desperately.
The OST has officially become my favorite of all time and will likely be on my daily playlist for a while.
+ I also loved the scenes in the inner side of the country, it's a first for me hearing a chinese accent that is neither mandarin nor taiwanese and the traditions were beautiful.
---SPOILER---
I also want to comment on the mother-daughter relationship. She was so overlooked and hated at times(by viewers) for being over protective but as her story was revealed my heart both broke and was mended. It provides a great example of how the pain of others' affects another. She not only saw her daughter be at the brink of death but she also lost her husband the same way. How can one live one after that? She is incredibly strong and human, with her ways to continue on. Her story towards the later part was so comforting. I wish everyone would find someone who takes them with all their pain.
The only minus point this drama has for me was that there is a big contrast between the atmosphere and cinematography when it comes to the story of HR + XH and everything else. Whenever HR+XH were together it didn't feel like a cdrama, even down to the way it was shot. The way the director introduced the ML in combination with light, music and angles. Damn that was so beautiful.
However the SML, college scenes and the moms' workplace were all too familiar.
All in all this wasn't bad it just slightly disrupted the perfect illusion the drama created for me.
+ and of course the censorship also had it's finger on the editing button. But luckily many of these scenes can be viewed on the discussion thread. It would have been ever better if they were kept in.
About the ending:
It's up to ones' interpretation if it's a sad or happy ending. I personally believe in the first but it was done soo beautifully that it almost didn't hurt. The creators didn't milk the situation to death by trying to create a tear filled final episode, rather it made me think - Wow, this was so beautiful and colorful. Like their love for each other.
The snow scene for me was the indicator (alongside the Lucid Dream OST) that their love story concluded in the garden of Eden, a magical place that only be reached in the after life.
Quote from the drama:
"Have you heard of this?
When you meet someone
as bright as a rainbow,
everyone else will seem like clouds.
That's love."
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Beautiful drama. 10/10
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Beautifully painful
I randomly started this drama and from the very first moment I was HOOKED. The cinematography this enhanced the storyline and made me want to just be there. The leads personality were beautifully written and I couldn’t dislike any of them no matter their actions. Their love story was just so poignant and you could just tell how much they loved each other just by the way they looked at one another (the actors definitely knew what to do).However, the relationship between the leads was slightly toxic and I felt that the whole storyline with the mother was so unnecessary.
Overall, I definitely recommend people to watch it if they need a breath of fresh air and a well written story line.
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