Mais Bela que as Estrelas (2024)

It’s A Nice Series

This drama has a lot of things going for it. The great performances by the leads is its strongest selling point. No matter what, I cannot fault their acting. Overall it’s a pretty solid and capable drama.

However, the screenwriters’ voice/views are at odds with the story throughout. There’s a fair bit of revisionism that frames things in a particular way, which the audience knows not to be the case. Or, they try to introduce things that were not developed adequately or shown at all to the audience. We’re just supposed to take their word for it.

Plus, when I look at how all the relationships are portrayed; they tend to contradict whatever views the screenwriters have on relationships, compatibility and the conflicts partners have, which leads me to believe the screenwriters have an odd view of the kinds of relationships they wish to portray. Surprising, it was this way for EVERY romantic relationship in the drama. And you know it’s a creative choice because the comments on the main page point out how different these things are to the novel.

The actual portrayals by the actors themselves tell a different story to whatever the screenwriters were selling and they were definitely trying to sell a viewpoint. It’s a shame the story didn’t align with it. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it; I’ll buy whatever a writer tries to sell me, as long as they know how to sell it and do it convincingly enough.

After a certain point, I wasn’t getting as much enjoyment out of the series as with the earlier episodes. I felt like the viewpoint/voice of the screenwriters was getting louder than the story’s premise by the halfway point and they just seemed to be at odds with each other. I did enjoy the last three episodes the most. I felt like all the different aspects were mostly on the same page.

Final verdict is that this series is a good watch. Somewhere between average and above average. You won’t regret watching.

Leia Mais

Best C-drama with the best OST 2024

This drama was an absolute masterpiece from start to finish. The scenery, the OST - especially the song "You are Everything" by Saji and Hooleeger, the talented cast, the impeccable settings, the captivating romance, and the well-crafted plot - there was never a dull moment. Even the side characters were excellently portrayed. Believe me when I say this is one of Xukai's big breaks. Like this drama is so so good. Top notch.

I was a bit apprehensive when I saw Xukai taking on a more mature role, but he exceeded all expectations and showcased his amazing versatility. The chemistry between Xukai and Seven Tang was wonderful to watch. In fact, all the actors, including the skilled portrayal of the villainous characters Cheng He and Zeng Di, delivered outstanding performances that really drew me into the story. They acted so well that I ended up hating them.

The ending was perfectly paced and didn't feel rushed at all. The special episode provided a satisfying conclusion, though the death of the character Han Ting due to old age was heartbreaking. Him using the forgiveness card on Ji Xing once more before dying made me burst into tears. The bittersweet nature of the finale struck the right balance, as not every story can have a completely happy ending. We got to see Han Ting and Ji Xing's happy moments, their marriage, pregnancy, kids, and them growing old together.

I also adored the cute cat character Dahuang. Even the Mother and Son duo (Lu Linjia and Mrs. Han). They were the comedy part of the drama 😹😹😹. While I had some minor quibbles with certain characters' storylines, such as not being able to see more of what happened to the villains, Cheng He and Zeng Di, after they got investigated. They deserved harsh punishment, especially Zeng Di. I also felt like Huang Wei Wei's storyline was left unfinished - she deserved punishment too. I didn't like how Wei Qiu Zi's story was written off, but I liked her a bit despite her flaws. I also wished for more scenes with Li Li and Su Zhi Zhou in the special episode - they deserved more screen time!

Overall, this drama deserves a 10000000/10 rating from me. It had everything - drama, comedy, romance, family, friendship, business, breakup, colleagues trust, relationships, lots of kisses, both happy and sad moments. This drama has everything you want and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an impactful and well-crafted viewing experience. I don't think there will be any drama like this, honestly but let's look out for more upcoming dramas.

Leia Mais

Best show ever

So, let’s set the bar low. This, dear readers, was my favorite show ever. But I mean EVER, not just in the c-drama world! This is how much I loved this show, so you can guess how much I’ll be gushing about the drama in this entire review (sorry in advance).

I’ve seen some comments about how the start up business plot was a bit forced… well, I have no idea how a company start up should looks like so, for me ignorance was a bless! Some said the plot was boring. yah… it has a lot of technical details (but it is, after all, a drama about a medical IA business). However, I love when they stuff shows with technical problems and tell us all about how they overcome them, instead of stuffing the shows with bunch of misunderstandings and fights, so for me, this was a perfect roller coaster of emotions plot.

Talking about my opinion alone, let’s begin with the actors. I have to say that I have a crush for Tan Songyun. She has this natural, strong way of acting that makes me forget that I am watching a show, then Xu Kai, was the perfect ML, with a not so talkative character, he doesn’t need to say a bunch of things for us to understand what’s in his mind. The chemistry between the ML is absolutely astonishing, the relationship they carry is beautiful, strong, clear, undramatic, with no huge misunderstandings happening, at least, it is the type of love that would really love to have!!!

Also, I absolutely love the fact that this 40 episodes show, doesn’t have a single boring episode, yes, perhaps if it had less 10 episodes there would be less not-so-interesting things happening in between, but still… it managed to put me, at the end of every single episode, in a completely Aweee mood. Mission accomplished, I would say.

Leia Mais

Copy/ paste office drama and misery

First review ever!!!
This is not the most terrible drama on earth ever but it felt like a copy paste of so many other office dramas that I just stopped feeling the need to go on with it, because at some point it just felt like I could predict the whole story.

Even though dear and beloved Xu Kai was part of the cast, there was not one character that stood out for me.
Love triangle, obsession , sabotage , first love, enemy to lovers were all present but they didn't make much difference in the acting and storyilne.

I would say for the 27 episodes that I watched that the plot felt repetitive with the same pattern of problem and resolution coming and going almost at the same rythm.

I wanted to love the drama and root for at least one character or anything else, but ,that is a NO for me.
Don't bother , unless you are here for Xu Kai.

P.S :Also english is not my first language, so sorry for the poor grammar.

Leia Mais

"Thousands of times," answered Xu Kai (ML) when asked about the number of kiss scenes with Tan Song Yun (FL) in the Chinese drama "As Beautiful As You". not thousands of times, right?

It feels like too much. Plus there are lots of 18+ scenes, if you use food as an analogy, the Chinese drama "As Beautiful As You" is mostly tasteless, so it makes you nauseous.

Even though the idea is good, you know. About a young woman who goes into business for a noble cause. Obstacles arise because the business is not on an MSME scale. A business that requires large investments with large risks too.

Unfortunately the conflict that arises feels far-fetched. Like when grandfather Han Ting (Xu Kai) made a fuss about a start-up company that was only 6 months old. The owner of a business group like that, you know, he must know that the company has only been established for about 3 years. Where is there a Julid conglomerate with girls like that?

Luckily, the drama writer created a warmer drama with the presence of 3 friends of the female lead, including their respective love stories.

This cliche idea is the possible answer to the rating of the Chinese drama "As Beautiful As You" at the start of its broadcast being very low. The rating for this drama on Mydramalist was only 6.9, then it slowly rose and now, when I write this review, the rating has reached 8.0.

A neat plot is the strength of the Chinese drama "As Beautiful As You", as well as a coherent storyline, good music, very strong ML and FL chemistry and cinematography that is pleasing to the eye.

Even the casting of actress Tan Song Yun made me curious, because she was "tall", "didn't have a chin" and other beauty differences that were very large compared to actresses Bai Lu, Yang Mi, especially the beauty from the Uighur tribe, Dilraba Dilmurat.

(Sorry about body shaming, the appearance demands of celebrities are different from those of ordinary people. 🙏🙏😀😀 )

Tan Song Yun's acting shines because of her high flying hours. He has been around the world of acting since 2012, even appearing on TV shows when he was 7 years old. No wonder his acting is good, it can match Xu Kai's acting, who has no less extensive flying experience.

If there weren't too many spices, I would really like the Chinese drama "As Beautiful As You". Lots of good quotes scattered here.

It's not surprising. The Chinese drama “As Beautiful As You” is adapted from the novel "As Beautiful As Beijing" (你如北京美丽) by Jiu Yue Xi (玖月晞). We know that Chinese philosophy is very "deep" and has been taught in families for generations.

I wrote the next review here:
https://www.maria-g-soemitro.com/2024/07/as-beautiful-as-you-CEO-CLBK.html

Leia Mais

If you like Seven Tan then this drama is watchable, but nothing special and predictable.

As Beautiful as You is a business rom-com about Ji Xing and her college mate, Han Ting, who lost touch for 10 years. Han Ting had a crush on Ji Xing and confessed his love for her while he invested in her startup company.

Synopsis: Ji Xing has worked diligently for a top IT firm for three years but needs help to stand out in a fiercely competitive corporate world. Frustrated, she decides to quit and launch her own company. She soon attracts the support of a powerful mentor and investor, CEO Han Ting. With his backing, her entrepreneurial journey begins to gain momentum. As they collaborate closely, their professional relationship deepens, and unexpected romantic sparks fly.

My Reviews:
1. Nothing special about this drama; it is predictable but watchable.
Seven Tan acted well, and Xu Kai did his best acting in this drama, where he showed a little emotion when they broke up.
2. As I mentioned, Xu Kai is a handsome actor who is pleasing to the eye. Still, I cannot complete any of his historical costume dramas, only the modern ones, where his acting skills are more bearable.
3. The ending is predictable, and their brief breakup is understandable but also expected.
4. The supporting cast added too many unnecessary fillers (2nd CP, 3rd CP, 4th CP, etc.). The drama would have been better if it had been cut to 30 episodes instead of 40 because of fillers.

I am giving this drama a 6.5 rating because the script was nothing special and predictable but watchable because of Seven Tan.

Leia Mais

A love that grows instead of vanishing through the years.

- **Story/Plot**: 2.25/3
1. Synopsis (0.25)❌
2. Initial Impression (2eps) (0.25)✅
3. Genre Adherence (0.25)✅
4. Emotional Engagement (0.25)✅
5. Logic (0.25)✅
6. Plot Coherence (0.25)✅
7. Dialogue (0.25)✅
8. Pacing (0.25)❌
9. Character building/Development (0.25)✅
10. Story Richness (0.25)✅
11. Plot Twists (0.25)❌
12. Messages (0.25)✅
- **CAST/Acting**: 1.75/2
1. Lead Actor Performance (0.25)✅
2. Lead Actress Performance (0.25)✅
3. Main Couple Chemistry (0.25)✅
4. Supporting Actors/Actresses Performance (0.25)✅
5. Casting Precision (0.5)✅
6. Character Transformation (0.25)❌
7. Scene Stealers (0.25)✅
- **Directing/Camerawork**: 1.25/2
1. Camera Movement (0.25)✅
2. Editing (0.25)✅
3. Continuity (0.25)✅
4. Lips singing (0.25)❌
5. Visual Details (0.25)✅
6. Cinematic Tension (0.25)❌
7. Lighting (0.25)✅
8. Flashback Integration (0.25)❌
- **OST (Original Soundtrack)**: 0.5/1
1. Opening OST (0.25)❌
2- Ending OST (0.25)❌
3. Background OST (0.25)✅
4. Overall OST (0.25)✅
- **Style**: 0.75/1
1. Costumes (0.25)✅
2. Set Design (0.25)✅
3. Colors (0.25)✅
4. Poster (0.25)❌
- **Ending**: 1/1
1. Closure (0.25)✅
2. Emotional Impact (0.25)✅
3. Logic (0.25)✅
4. Personal Satisfaction (0.25)✅
Total Rating: 7.5/10 +0.25Bonus
>>>>Final Rating: 8/10

Leia Mais

The romance was sweet!.

Just finished this, and it's one of the first time where i didn't dislike the separation, because it made them both better after, it was also really nice to see a ML actually changed after a separation, and the way he apologized was sweet, you could definitely tell he learnt a great deal of lessons. They went from not having much flirty scenes or chemistry, and the episode they went to Germany, the ost, and the chemistry and flirty was kicked up at a whole new level, there chemistry was amazing, and there kisses too, they looked genuinely deeply in love, the acting from both leads were great as well. I enjoyed all the business stuff, usually I'm not a huge fan of the genre, but I liked it. There were terrible characters, as well as great ones. This is definitely one of the best Modern Mature Romance Chinese Drama I've watched, Really enjoyed the romance and character developments, and maturity they both came back with after the separation. :)

The acting was pretty great for both leads, it was believable when they fell in love, with there words, expressions and actions, and when they were arguing it was soo intense, i don't think I've ever seen Xu Kai acted in a scene like that, it was like a real couple fighting, so it was very realistic.

My least favourite character was that one, i'll throw-up in my mouth if i call her a friend haha... I'm really happy she was technically kicked out of there friendship, though it wasn't said but evident with the 3 having there own group chat and they don't talk to her anymore, i get how she felt and who cares what she wanted to do, but saying stuff like she don't regret what she did, just shows what a terrible friend she was.

Zeng Di was super annoying, but i'm happy the FL handled her well, and I love how the ML made her know that he had 0 interest in her and she wasn't even an option.. dang!! that was brutal, but i loved it!!. He also apart from eating dinner/lunch with her as a friend and business partner, he had boundaries with her. She also got what she deserves at the end, so that put a nice smile on my face.

There were other side couples, I find myself being interested in side couples lately, usually i'd skip them in whatever drama i watch, but i did like the different typed of couples in this, Li Li romance was very interested and i was well invested to see how it'll turn out, as well as the streamer bestie, the ML's little uncle and his grandaunt.. there combo was cute and hilarious!!. There was another couple, you'll see if you watch, just skip them! hahaha

What i enjoyed with this is that when the FL broke up with the ex-boyfriend, there wasn't any flirting etc between her and the ML, though we knew from day one how the ML felt, he never rushed or pushed her, but once they went to Germany, the chemistry went from 0-100 and it started getting sweeeet, it was soo cute, sometimes they didn't have to say anything, the look in there eyes were enough. Then it went from 100-1000 real quick hahahaha, it was event that the ML was meant for the FL and visa versa, usually in some of these with an ex-boyfriend who break up during the show, it's a little hard, but it wasn't here, it was evident that it was love, everything she did was different from with the ex.

Anyways, I think I said too much. This was another drama that I almost put on the side because of some comments I read, please don't miss out on shows you're interested in because of comments, we all have different taste and different way of seeing things, what i wrote here is from my perspective watching, you may or may not like it, but you'll know because you know what you like, if this sounds like something you'll like then go for it, if not, then don't, it's entirely up to you.

Happy Drama Watching! :)

Leia Mais

An engaging watch & life lessons

I didn't expect to be so drawn into this drama. It gradually captivated me, thanks in part to the chemistry between the two leads and the engaging side stories of the FL's friends.

Having abandoned Only for Love due to its superficial, childish storyline, As Beautiful As You is a much more sophisticated exploration of the business world and romantic relationships. The ML's deep, insightful thoughts offer valuable life lessons as he learns to open his guarded heart to love. It's not that he was incapable of love, but rather that his approach was more business-oriented and practical than the FL's. The drama effectively portrays the challenges of startups and the journey of two individuals discovering love.

The author's storytelling is well-crafted, although I must admit that some of the director's choices, such as unnecessary highway and building shots and questionable editing transitions, were distracting. Nonetheless, this is a drama definitely worth watching

Leia Mais