Mais Bela que as Estrelas (2024)

The most beautiful moments in life only come after hardships

I can't believe a drama I have waited so long for has actually aired. Luckily this one isn't disappointing at all! In fact I am enjoying it at lot. Let me explain:

I love both of the main leads and have watched them in several of their own projects before. I have yet to finish a modern drama with Xu Kai in it, but this one is a good one to add to his filmography. For Tan Song Yun this is also another drama she should be proud of. It's not excellent or anything, it is just a solid and well done job for everyone involved.

This drama succeeds in telling a story of a young woman trying to achieve her dreams. To me, I like how that is the main focus rather than the romance. Xu Kai isn't in it as much as I like because of this, but in the end I am fine with it because the story that is being told doesn't fit for him to be in every single scene.

Tan Song Yun is a beautiful woman who has RANGE. She has played a similar story in Master of My Own, but she is a splendid actress to show a different side with her character here as Ji Xing. Ji Xing is also a great example of a strong female lead. She doesn't have the plot change unrealistically for her to succeed, and is shown to have strength through her perseverance instead. I have watched a bit of other dramas with female leads in positions that she has, but everything is handed to them perfectly. They are almost too bratty in a way, and it makes them unlikeable because everything they worked for is handed to them. Ji Xing really has to work for it, and even if some of the scenarios she gets past easily, it is just a series of misfortunes for this woman. What is done so right is that the ML, Han Ting, is not her knight in shining armor.

What could be a diluted romance between the two instead has a very interesting dynamic. Han Ting is neither someone who is overbearing and overprotective when he shouldn't be, and he instead is Ji Xing's senior that gives her advice. It is tough love, and he isn't handing things to her just because he has a crush on her. Despite his interest in her, he helps her in the long run by teaching her lessons of the field they both work in. Han Ting is a privileged man and he knows it, but he is humble enough to invest in a small company, and has emphasized it isn't just because of his crush. The way that the business is run in this drama is the most realistic I've seen in a C-drama, as compared to other dramas that just run too smoothly. Like they don't have financial issues, they don't worry about hiring, things just don't go wrong. Again, it's not the most realistic ever, but the drama knows how to make Ji Xing's business a new company rather than a flip of a switch well run company.

Xu Kai leads well here. I really like the parts where he is able to lean into his puppy love attitude, and want to see more. Unfortunately his character here isn't the most charismatic for him. His best role by far is Wonderland of Love, but if I sit back and stop comparing to that he does a well job. This drama stays pretty safe and isn't offensive, but it is better than the average office romance story.

When the direction is done well with the lighting and cinematography it really does well. It doesn't happen a lot, so in the end this drama isn't spectacular. The romance definitely is a slow-burn.

I recommend to fans of either and think it's a good office romance that feels fresh. A mentor-student relationship between two individuals that were once peers. Han Ting knows that Ji Xing is a smart woman and has a lot of potential, so he isn't easy on her. Its focus is the female lead who has to work hard for what she has and gets the bad parts of life handed to her 9 times out of ten. The supporting stories are also interesting, with the best friend of the FL being the best one there. It is nice to have a story besides the main one be interesting in a modern drama. He Rui Xian is perfect for the best friend role and she is just as strong as a woman as Ji Xing, but is instead more direct and forward and leans into her femininity more.

The themes of womanhood are done well also. Representing how just being a woman makes them to be seen as objects is disturbing, but it is unfortunately very real. I think it's important to see both Li Li and Ji Xing know their worth and leave their jobs, and I think Li Li is a great asset to Ji Xing's team.

The negatives are the ex boyfriend whose round rimmed glasses really didn't suit him, and the 'friend' who likes him. I don't like how she is portrayed as a friend when she has liked Ji Xing's 4-year partner in life? That is not good for the womanhood, but besides her Ji Xing surrounds herself by the right people. The antagonists are good without being too evil also, as this time it is another woman trying to bring Ji Xing down, her former boss.

So this is a good drama with good styling and clean camera work that doesn't have flashy editing. Recommend but not too highly.

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Lacks novelty

I somehow dragged myself through 25 episodes of this show. It has a bit different storyline but for the most part it is clichéd. I was excited in the beginning of the show as it starts off well, but after 9-10 episodes it takes downhill. The leads are my favorites but together they don't have much chemistry. In one of the reviews, the person has commented how the female lead doesn't look so much appealing in Romantic dramas, and I guess I would agree with the person. I admire her acting skills a lot but not in much in Romantic shows. I found it boring after initial episodes but had to fast speed through many many episodes in order to skip. It could have been a 20-30 episode job but tge makers stretched it for 41 episodes.
P.S. After watching this one 'Love is Sweet' doesn’t look so boring to me now. That show has many fun moments to offer.

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A good adaption of the novel!

As Beautiful as Beijing was my first Chinese novel I've ever read, and it took my expectations way higher. I had read the novel while waiting for the drama to air. The novel really has my heart, so I was doubting if this drama would be able to portray this well. And for me it did!
I knew Xu Kai would nail this role and he did really well. Ofcourse Han Ting's character here was not cold like the novel. He had emotions here and personally I liked the change.
I don't think any other actress could have nailed Ji Xing like Seven. There was no change in her character compared to the novel. They kept it the same.
The chemistry between them is insane ngl. To me they looked like a real life couple.
The writers tried to stay true to the novel. And one thing I didn't like about the drama was that there were too many side characters.
And the extra ep really made me cry like I did when I read the extra chapters of the novel. It couldn't have been more better to give an ending to the drama!

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ABAY - This series does capture you

I don’t watch based on reviews and barely write reviews, however I had to because I have seen some reviews with definitely wrong information as through they’re just writing it knocked down the ratings which is unfair.

I read the book and saw the series and here is my take:

Comparing to the book:

HT is more ruthless in the book than the series. They met differently in the book. ZD was his friend with benefits in the book and that’s why in the series you see her coming and going as she pleases. Those who didn’t read to book might missed that and questioned it. They did add on with SY and her best friend getting together to have more drama. How he went to Germany and met her again. However, I felt the stay pretty close to the book as they could. JX was naive about the business world but learned from her mistakes. HT and JX loved each other very much in the book even though through the betrayal and some of the mean things HT said to JX (in the book it’s far worst).

Acting : I thought XK did a great job portraying HT. The serious looks and the gentleness at time. I wished he would take more roles like this as he’s a great actor. Seven did an awesome job portraying JX as well. She was impressive with expressions of emotion and explosive. The acting all around was great. Humor, anger, sadness, etc, you will feel it with all the actors. So not sure why some reviews said acting was horrible.

Chemistry: XK and Seven had great chemistry. Even with the age gap between them, you can’t tell. Their eye expressions of love for each other and then the betrayal you feel it all. Kudos to XK and Seven on an outstanding performance.

Favorite Episodes were 35 - 41, especially 41. As they grow older, their love deepened and you can feel that even though the extra episode was only about 10 minutes. Get ready to cry on this one.

OST: I only really like 3 songs on it so it was okay.

Overall: I didn’t want to put too much spoilers as I feel you shouldn’t based what you watch on reviews. See it for yourself. For me, the was a great drama overall and I would rewatch it. If you like a modern drama of ruthless business world, this is it. It has it all, betrayal, ruthlessness, romance, etc.

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As beautiful as Ji Xing to Han Ting as business partner and romantic lover

Honestly, I watch this ongoing series because it is a modern drama and I have previously watched TSY's works.
When I read the synopsis, the premise seemed similar to RWTW, focusing on business and romance, with the male lead also being an investor. Since I loved RWTW so much last year, I decided to give this a try.
And bam! It exceeded my expectations. The plot is so good and solid!

Synopsis in short:
Ji Xing previously worked at a top IT firm and decided to quit to launch her own company, Xingchen Technology. Han Ting is an investor and CEO of Dongyang Medical. With Han Ting's support as a mentor and backing, her entrepreneurial journey begins. As they collaborate closely, their professional relationship starts to deepen, and unexpected romantic sparks fly.

Execution:
The character introduction is clear from the beginning. HT has been interested in JX since their college days, but it wasn't reciprocated because HT moved to Germany and JX had a 4-year relationship with her boyfriend. Their daily interaction was purely business-related. Soon, her boyfriend asked for a breakup, and HT's pursuit journey began.

The chemistry between XK and TSY is sweet and natural, both as business partners and romantic lovers. The stories of the supporting characters are also good without overshadowing the main characters' screen time.

For some people, despite the ML having had a long-time crush on the FL and the FL having been in a 4-year relationship with her ex, their relationship is not considered true love. But time is not a measure of their love for each other. They find it easier to interact and communicate because they work in the AI Tech - Medical field. So far, their romance doesn't feel forced at all.

All in all, I like the plot and everything about the show. Even though the progression of their relationship is fast-paced, the business aspect of the story remains strong, not just presenting us with lovey-dovey scenes. The last quarter of the story, which includes the breakup and reconciliation part, was executed well. I love how they started again as Hanting and Jixing without bringing their job into it. And the extra episode was also cute and complete with two boys and their old days.

Conclusion:
It was a good story with solid execution from beginning to end, wrapping up with a heartwarming extra episode. Of course, there are small imperfections, but they didn't really disturb the overall story. They are a beautiful college friendship, business partnership, and romantic couple. Thank you Jixing and Hanting for 40 episodes plus 1 extra; my summer vacation was great!

NOTE:
I make a full OST of As Beautiful As You, kindly check this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyr2UTFzVMg

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A complete circle of life

We met , fought for our dreams , misunderstood , parted ways , forgot to laugh , realized our mistakes then met again this time to stay with eo forever until we grow old & took last breath

Ppl says its typical story
Yes its typical but atypical
Its same but different
What make it diff ? Acting ,chemistry ,Aesthetics ,execution ...these things are enough to be label a good show

A beautiful roller coster with ups and downs
Both are flawed because no body is perfect but both learn their lessons .
First 8 episodes are basically business related but necessary to watch to understand ckts especially hanting because he is complex
Story picks up at ep 8 and then every episode was intresting than another. It was actually treat to watch . may be few glitches like jixing 1st breakup
But entire story cover up very well till end .misunderstanding didnt drag for a long instead Xukai marvellous acting wil hooked you .
.i actually got obsessed with this show highly recomended

Leia Mais

VERY GOOD FOR A MODERN DRAMA, ROMANCE

I recommend watching if you like cute, modern, working hard fl and kinda slow burn but the romance you get later will not disappoint.

I love how good morals were shown through out the show I love how the fl is not a weak person but a smart woman with her principles, they way they fell in love was adorable I loved how cute they were truly a very good drama I couldn't help but scream at some of thier scenes like they are adorable, but I have one complain
Ep 1-30 was good wasn't draggy
30-37 definitely draggy Idk but they broke up and then this happened that happened for me personally it was already too much to the story
37-41 amazing again

The last episode made me cry I can not, when he passed away of old age he gave her his forgive me card 😭😭😭 like I will think about this scene for a week now like I can't they are so cute ajuavwbjajyafa

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One of the best modern c dramas of 2024

I have finished watching ABAY and I loved this drama. Both lead actors in this drama had chemistry and it is one of the strongest acting performances by XuKai in a modern drama to date. I mean what is there not to like about HanTing and XuKai fits this role perfectly. The storyline for me was realistic than some of the other modern c dramas. The entire drama kept me watching every episode and I loved how the story kept building from the beginning. I haven’t read the novel so I can’t comment about how close it is to the book. This drama is one to watch on your 2024 list. XuKai was born to play HanTing or any type of CEO role IMO. Really enjoyed this drama.

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Seven and XK: Best CP pairing in years who produced 1 of the most beautiful C Modern dramas EVER.

I dont even know where to start with this review. Brace yourselves, it is going to be a long one. First of all , I am big fan of Seven and XK individually as actors so them acting in this drama was kind of a dream come true as a fan. It is like seeing your faves finally collaborate on a project. When this project was announced, I was so excited and I knew that ABAY would be very good because they are both very good actors and great people but I have been honestly blown away on how their chemistry was so beautiful on and off screen; they exceeded my expectations by miles.
The GOOD: SO much
1stThe chemistry; Omg they just oozed chemistry every time they shared a scene together and it was so palpable. It didnt even have to be a romantic scene but you could sense their amazing chemistry.
We got so many scenes between the leads and so many romantic moments; this was such a pleasant surprise because I have seen many C modern dramas failing to deliver on that promise.
Han ting outfits looked amazing. The drama just screamed money lol; like watching it, I could tell that a lot of money had been spent on it. I love seeing a very good drama with great budget.
The business aspect of it. Color me shocked that for once I was actually interested in the business side of a modern C drama. I actually loved it and learned quite a bit. I actually looked forward to these scenes as well.
I also did not mind the secondary characters and actually loved their storylines; another 1st for me bc I have watched many modern C dramas where they either spoiled the story at 1 point or they didnt add anything to the story.
Seven's acting. She is already an outstanding actress but she excelled here . I love her acting so much; it is so natural. She is also very good in emotional scenes. The break up scene is 1 of her finest moments as an actress. 1 of the best break up scenes I have ever seen and I really need her to be awarded for that scene in particular.
Xu kai's acting. I have watched a few of his dramas and imo this is his best acting yet; one that shows his best acting potential since story of yanxi palace and Arsenal military. Ive recognized his acting prowess early on but I feel a few dramas he had been in previously didnt showcase that properly. I was so impressed with his acting in ABAY. It is like he was possessed by the spirit of Han Ting.
Cinematography, directing, even the script.
The not so Good:
I dont have anything bad to say about this drama. I loved it so much. I cant count the amount of times I have re-watched it already. I also cant remember the last time I have rewatched a drama this much, that's how much I love this drama.
If I can be nitpicky, Seven's styling was a bit of a hit and miss; She is my fave and she is so beautiful but I wished the styling team was a bit better....like I said some episodes the styling was so amazing and others it was just ok. I really loved the whole styling of her wedding day; honestly 1 of the best styling Ive seen in a C modern dramas.
Also I feel like the show spent a lot time showing how Han ting was affected by the break up (which XK portrayed so beautifully; I kept tearing up at these scenes lol; I really felt his pain) and didnt do that a lot with Ji xing although she was heartbroken as well. This kinds of influenced a lot of people imo to feel more sorry for him even though they were both at fault imo.

Please watch it and you wont be disappointed. Finding a good modern C drama is like finding a needle in a haystack imo. So many of them out there but not many good ones IMO. I dont know when we are going to get such a great pairing (with the best chemistry) and good drama in general. Dont get me wrong, this type of plot is kind of common in dramas but what makes ABAY special imo is Seven and XK chemistry and a good story.
I want them to collaborate again in the future but with Seven not repeating partners, who knows?
Anyways. if you want a good mature romance, lots of chemistry and so many scenes between the leads, a great secondary cast with great storylines that didnt deter from the drama, great cinematography, directing, beautiful ending....watch ABAY :).

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