Completed Cdramas (UNFINISHED COMMENTS)

My first cdrama that I watched as it aired  without knowledge of the Hana Yori Dango legacy that came before it in the Asian drama world. I have affection for it, although it definitely has its problems and I would probably struggle to complete it now that all episodes are out considering how dragged out it is. It was most likely the raw emotion displayed in the (too frequent) moments of breakdown combined with the OST (many of which are remakes of the Taiwanese Meteor Garden) that lead me through this.

Despite the softening of severe bullying by relocating the Hana Yori Dango story to a university setting, this Shan Cai and Dao Ming Si pairing was at the beginning the most problematic I've watched in Dao Ming Si's treatment towards Shan Cai. It's been a long time since I watched it, but even at my younger, more naive age I felt sick watching the forceful kiss scene and the throwing food at her face scene. Who thought that was at all acceptable I don't know, it's still some of the worst forceful behaviour from a male lead I've seen in a cdrama, which is saying something as this kind of sexual assault is normalised too much in chinese shows.

The pineapple head hair here is the best and least ridiculous looking compared to all other versions (although Thyme's isn't bad) fight me

This show is an adorable heartwarming classic, the kind that makes me want to rewatch on a rainy day (although maybe just the second half, if ykyk).

I remember basically nothing about this, only that I found it tiring to finish

I think I was invested watching this but the only memory I have of it now is that opening scene where she runs away from her wedding (and honestly so would I you run girl). Idek why I've rated a 6.5 I would have to rewatch bits honestly

Queercoded - Mu Nian: Presented as a stereotypically feminine man, but then they ruin it when they make him into a 'real man' in the final episode by making him randomly kiss Xin Ya. This boils my blood because there is no reason for putting these two characters together by straightwashing Mu Nian and giving Xin Ya a man in place of a therapist. If someone's comment hadn't pointed this out I would never have remembered this happened. Also this happened before the chinese gov mandated that a specific type of masculinity was the only kind allowed on screen so WHAT WAS THE REASON SCRIPTWRITERS? DIRECTOR?

The relationship between the main leads is defo problematic (stalker behaviour alert) and Wei Wei is spineless in some ways but it was weirdly addictive and I enjoyed it at the time quite a bit, istg I want to know what kind of crack is being injected into these kinds of shows so that they're still enjoyable despite how dragged out and nonsensical they become

E-sports shows have come a longgg way for sure though

Queercoded -KO x HaoMei: They were literally a couple in the novel, the actors clearly did the best they could w/ chinese censorship. I even vaguely remember shipping them because of the chemistry when I watched it for the first time even though at my young age I wasn't even aware this was based on a novel.

Ah my first chinese period drama. It wrenched my heart and so my rating is inflated because it endeared itself to me. Hua Bu Qi is the chaotic entrepreneur female lead we all deserve.

However, the story of this show was allll over the place and the ending was nonsensical shite. To this day I have no idea how I felt about Dong Fang Shi as second lead in the end, he defo did some problematic things though.

Queercoded - Mo Ruo Fei/Yi Shan: Whilst this character delineates how many women in historical china pretended to be men for social/familial benefit, there is also no way they are not queer I don't care what anyone thinks

A beautifully depressing tragedy. First it leads you to a meadow with twinkling fireflies on the horizon then dunks you into numbing waters before dragging you through searing fields of those fireflies just to dump you off a cliff, and yet you smile through your tears as you fall.

Yes, I am being dramatic asf. But this show deserves it. The OST is delectable, the acting palpable, the central tragedy agonising. If I could insert that Lady Gaga meme (talented, brilliant,etc.) here I would.

It's definitely not perfect, there are probably one too many bar scenes dragging in the middle (Gu Jian most annoying selfish second male lead anyone?), but the acting and characters' tragic trajectory and progression as people is just too good for me to care.

SPOILERS: (seriously I want you to watch it so if you haven't yet cover your screen)

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I love that they don't end up together. I hate that the only true way for Xiao Feng to save everyone she loves (her kingdom, her husband, her family) is to commit suicide, and yet that costs her any sense of freedom she could ever have in life. Her journey from joyful innocent naivety to joyless broken too-soon-maturity aches each time I think about it.

Li Cheng Yin is such an interesting exploration of a morally grey character who commits heinous acts out of what he believes is a necessity to survive (and his actions ARE at points a necessity) ,conquer and later protect but in doing so loses any insight into the damaging nature of his actions and becomes someone who abuses who he loves to the point of suffocation and breakdown.

My first Xianxia that I watched on a plane and I'm glad I did because I'm not sure I would have finished otherwise considering how bloody long it is. But it was worth it.

Queercoded: 2 of the gamers (framed like couple, reference to the untamed etc.)

Queer: half the female characters

Queercoded: Ji Man's servants

Was CRAVING for a good xianxia and the fantastic acting (Yang Zi is phenomenal here in comparison to Ashes of Love), costumes and sets here have DELIVERED. The writing is good too, Xiao Liu's fate is still unclear and several characters could go in so many directions. Aching loneliness, grey morality, and different kinds of love characterise the script. Atypical as a 'season 1' cdrama ending, it actually reaches a climax in terms of the political plot.

-from here on mildly spoilery-

Issues:

When Xiao Liu is male the makeup team didn't seem to put in any effort at all; because Yang Zi has such feminine features it bothered me that her makeup, whilst not overtly feminine, still highlighted these features. I know it's a difficult thing to achieve as she could have easily looked comically masculine, but it brought me out of immersion. Too many cdramas are overly concerned with making women characters look stereotypically feminine-pretty no matter what the situation is, which is a disservice to Yang Zi's acting.

Pacing: Opening sequence too fast (mostly due to editing which differs to the rest of the show) whilst the rest of the show was a tad too drawn out (majority of scenes felt necessary for the plot though)

Queercoded:

Xiao Liu/Xiao Yao: Shapeshifts between different sexes, does not care about her gender ( if not for Cang Xuan she may never have chosen to reassume the identity of the oldest princess of Haoling), seems generally either indifferent or ambivalent about gender and its role in her identity when interacting with narrow gendered views of those surrounding her.

Xiang Liu: Shapeshifts between different sexes, loves Xiao Yao no matter what sex or gender she is, only 1 heart thing so I headcanon him as bisexual (Shi Qi similar in this but more unclear since he views Xiao Yao as a woman from the start, but does not care what sex she is. Gender and the person are the only things significant to him??)

Would've been a cute fluffy romance w/ good chemistry to turn your brain off to  exceptttt it keeps you questioning the age gap the entire time.

I actually have few problems with how the underage-teen-secretly-crushes-on-their-older-brother's-friend trope is handled in this drama; it's a pretty good take that captures a teen's secret first love quite well without being over romanticised. Most importantly, it is not romantic in almost ANY way shape or form from Jia Xu's side of the equation throughout that early period of the drama; he clearly cares for Sang Zi purely as a younger sister (credit to Zhao Lu Si's naturally youthful performance but why is this 17 year old so childish?)

But they date at 24 and 19. Is this legal, yes. Is it predatory, according to the drama no, but YES according to me. Me, who currently has a 19 year old brain inhabiting a 19 year old body. In the wider scope of life, a 5 year age gap is normal, but only past 20 (even then I might bat an eye at a 21 and 26 year old dating). Because there's massive maturity + brain development between each teenage year any 20-something who pursues you at this age is committing a predatory act no matter intentions. On a moral level it is too problematic, this drama is not an exception.

It was very easy for the writers to have them date later, and I am so disappointed they didn't. They just had to make Jia Xu wait more years to figure out his feelings and pursue her: this would pan out with more acceptable character development, is actually more romantic, and narratively mirrors Sang Zi's long time secret love. Instead his realising-feelings-to-dating timeline was oddly swift and we got weird jokes about liking younger girls.

Disappointing.

Queercoded:

Sang Zi's friend Yu Xin: This may be delusional buttt: every other character gets a boyfriend, she dresses typically masculine, and acts almost as though she secretly loves Sang Zi (offers to walk her home etc.)