Peridot83
In both:
- In the first half, the main male character is much more powerful than the main female character, many are opposed to their relationship due to the status difference
- There is an 'epic' feel of the romance as they are reincarnated multiple times, with our main hero learning to be more humble and not take the female lead for granted. There's lots of protectiveness and rescuing.
- Both have same levels of CGI and production values
Ashes of Love, however, one of my favourites. It is written much more efficiently - with the characters going through multiple adventures and lifetimes in the time it takes The Last Immortal to get through one plot point. Ashes of Love also has strong themes and compelling secondary plots around what true love means, sibling rivalry, and what is good and evil.
Most importantly - Ashes of Love also has greater emotional impact. As the main characters have so much screen time together, and go through so many up and downs, you genuinely cheer them on and are sad to leave their universe behind.
- In the first half, the main male character is much more powerful than the main female character, many are opposed to their relationship due to the status difference
- There is an 'epic' feel of the romance as they are reincarnated multiple times, with our main hero learning to be more humble and not take the female lead for granted. There's lots of protectiveness and rescuing.
- Both have same levels of CGI and production values
Ashes of Love, however, one of my favourites. It is written much more efficiently - with the characters going through multiple adventures and lifetimes in the time it takes The Last Immortal to get through one plot point. Ashes of Love also has strong themes and compelling secondary plots around what true love means, sibling rivalry, and what is good and evil.
Most importantly - Ashes of Love also has greater emotional impact. As the main characters have so much screen time together, and go through so many up and downs, you genuinely cheer them on and are sad to leave their universe behind.
Both dramas haven the same elements:
- It's primarily a romance, with very little secondary plots or 'story of the week' plots
- A modern mystery with evil families plus supernatural elements including a reincarnation plot (and of course a serial killer!)
- The hero is a prankster and struggles to do the right thing, but his protective side ultimately wins out
- They both have big budgets and are well produced
I would 100% recommend The Legend of the Blue Sea. The characters had a fun, teasing chemistry, and there was a more 'epic feel' to the romance with the reincarnation plot integrated strongly from the start. The actors are excellent, and the drama sticks with you.
- It's primarily a romance, with very little secondary plots or 'story of the week' plots
- A modern mystery with evil families plus supernatural elements including a reincarnation plot (and of course a serial killer!)
- The hero is a prankster and struggles to do the right thing, but his protective side ultimately wins out
- They both have big budgets and are well produced
I would 100% recommend The Legend of the Blue Sea. The characters had a fun, teasing chemistry, and there was a more 'epic feel' to the romance with the reincarnation plot integrated strongly from the start. The actors are excellent, and the drama sticks with you.
A bad boy who suffers the consequences, and ruins the lives all around him.
Good Bye, My Princess features the main male lead as he walks the path into hell. Here, accurately portrayed, as the darkness eats him alive he treats the main female lead worse and worse. Obsessively trapping her and refusing to let her go, even though being with him is crushing her soul.
If you are going to portray toxic romance and dark storylines, this is how to do it.
Good Bye, My Princess features the main male lead as he walks the path into hell. Here, accurately portrayed, as the darkness eats him alive he treats the main female lead worse and worse. Obsessively trapping her and refusing to let her go, even though being with him is crushing her soul.
If you are going to portray toxic romance and dark storylines, this is how to do it.
So you like bad boys do you?
Lighter and Princess is set in modern times, but it has the life and death drama of a historical/wuxia and features a toxic bad boy. But, unlike Kunning palace, while he rages and is disrespectful to pretty much everyone, he is gentlest with the main female lead, and genuinely sacrifices his goals for her at various points.
Lighter and Princess is set in modern times, but it has the life and death drama of a historical/wuxia and features a toxic bad boy. But, unlike Kunning palace, while he rages and is disrespectful to pretty much everyone, he is gentlest with the main female lead, and genuinely sacrifices his goals for her at various points.
If you like domineering CEOs, Sunshine of My Life has one of the better ones. He's competent, self-assured and protective. The romance between the two main characters is similar too, the CEO is colder and more powerful, but the main female lead has her own agency as well.
While both suffer from use of stereotypes and cliches, Sunshine of My Life has excellent coverage of fabric, embroidery, and clothing industries, with lots of interesting clothing designs. This respect for the industry featured puts it above the rest.
While both suffer from use of stereotypes and cliches, Sunshine of My Life has excellent coverage of fabric, embroidery, and clothing industries, with lots of interesting clothing designs. This respect for the industry featured puts it above the rest.
Both are historical romance dramas,
- Both have a tragic undercurrent to them
- Both feature a romance between an older, cynical character and a younger more optimistic one
- Both cover many miles, and many years as the characters try to be together
- Both have high production values and epic battles
The Rise of the Phoenixes is more political drama first, romance second than My Dearest
- Both have a tragic undercurrent to them
- Both feature a romance between an older, cynical character and a younger more optimistic one
- Both cover many miles, and many years as the characters try to be together
- Both have high production values and epic battles
The Rise of the Phoenixes is more political drama first, romance second than My Dearest
Both are historical romantic dramas:
- both feature a more rebel hardworn character and a more spoiled noble character
- both feature a war between two fronts one more 'barbarian' and one overly spoiled, and indulgent
- both have an epic sweep to them with events occurring many miles apart over a long period of time
- both have a tragic undercurrent/fate separating aspect to them
- both have some thrilling action scenes
The Long Ballad does not have the same sophistication in themes and execution as My Dearest, it's much more action and cliffhanger centric.
- both feature a more rebel hardworn character and a more spoiled noble character
- both feature a war between two fronts one more 'barbarian' and one overly spoiled, and indulgent
- both have an epic sweep to them with events occurring many miles apart over a long period of time
- both have a tragic undercurrent/fate separating aspect to them
- both have some thrilling action scenes
The Long Ballad does not have the same sophistication in themes and execution as My Dearest, it's much more action and cliffhanger centric.
Both dramas are historical romantic dramas:
- about the tug between responsibilities, honor, fate and doing what would make you happy
- have a tragic undercurrent
- have high production values
Red Sleeve is quieter, slower and more about internal palace politics, whilst My Dearest is more epic, grand and sweeping with more war/action elements.
- about the tug between responsibilities, honor, fate and doing what would make you happy
- have a tragic undercurrent
- have high production values
Red Sleeve is quieter, slower and more about internal palace politics, whilst My Dearest is more epic, grand and sweeping with more war/action elements.
Both dramas have:
- a cinematic, artsy, poetic feel
- a slice of ordinary life, and love between ordinary people
- both have beautiful last scenes
But, even though 20th Century Girl is 2 hours shorter, it has better flushed out characters with backstories, friends, families than Soundtrack #1. Also, even though the characters are underage in 20th Century Girl, it features a more mature and developed romance.
- a cinematic, artsy, poetic feel
- a slice of ordinary life, and love between ordinary people
- both have beautiful last scenes
But, even though 20th Century Girl is 2 hours shorter, it has better flushed out characters with backstories, friends, families than Soundtrack #1. Also, even though the characters are underage in 20th Century Girl, it features a more mature and developed romance.
- Both are modern romances about teen loves reuniting as adults
- First half is very strong in both dramas
- Themes on the fulfillment of patriotic work are extremely prominent
- The male lead comes from a dysfunctional family background, but is virtuous, exceptionally talented and restrained, the female lead is bright, talented, and privileged
- The male lead doubts that he can give the female lead the life she deserves
- Both have a cute precocious boy who gets shuttled around
On one hand the Road Home is much more cinematic, with some very beautiful outdoor shot scenes. On the other hand, the female role in Road Home is not a fully flushed out character. Her role the whole way through is to be supportive when no one else in his life is. She doesn't have the same agency as in Here We Meet again.
- First half is very strong in both dramas
- Themes on the fulfillment of patriotic work are extremely prominent
- The male lead comes from a dysfunctional family background, but is virtuous, exceptionally talented and restrained, the female lead is bright, talented, and privileged
- The male lead doubts that he can give the female lead the life she deserves
- Both have a cute precocious boy who gets shuttled around
On one hand the Road Home is much more cinematic, with some very beautiful outdoor shot scenes. On the other hand, the female role in Road Home is not a fully flushed out character. Her role the whole way through is to be supportive when no one else in his life is. She doesn't have the same agency as in Here We Meet again.
Both have a hero on the frontlines who is quietly commanding and protective. Both feature a forbidden/taboo aspect to the relationship. Both feature abusive and difficult family members.
The production values, creativity and themes are much better in Crash Landing on You, but in terms of chemistry and physical ease I'd actually say Road Home has the edge.
Road Home has the typical slowdown/lack of conflict at the 2/3s mark, but Crash Landing on You is strong until the end.
The production values, creativity and themes are much better in Crash Landing on You, but in terms of chemistry and physical ease I'd actually say Road Home has the edge.
Road Home has the typical slowdown/lack of conflict at the 2/3s mark, but Crash Landing on You is strong until the end.
Both are modern day bad boy/good girl romances, where the male and female leads have very little in common from the outside looking in.
Just Between Lovers, however, is a much more haunting and complex story about trauma. How trauma marks and changes you and how you can then be drawn to other people who have also suffered trauma, even if on the surface you are totally different. Also, Just Between Lovers allows the characters to change and grow in a way Lighter & Princess does not.
Just Between Lovers, however, is a much more haunting and complex story about trauma. How trauma marks and changes you and how you can then be drawn to other people who have also suffered trauma, even if on the surface you are totally different. Also, Just Between Lovers allows the characters to change and grow in a way Lighter & Princess does not.
