Ambitious 'buddy cop'/mafia plot weighed down by its own ambitions . .

There are some truly creative, cinematic and eccentric scenes that will linger. But, the episodes are long, and the core theme repeats over and over. Eventually, I came to the point where watching caused boredom or needless tension from emotional whiplash between the absurd comedy and the violence. It was time to stop.

In our modern era of corruption, narcissism, greed and nihilism perhaps only death and destruction can change things around. Vincenzo is an intriguing character with an innocent surface, hiding an ease with violence and revenge. Cha-Young (female sidekick) is along for the ride experiencing the vicarious thrill of well-deserved retribution in action.

Music fits the mood, would not rewatch.

I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex Themes: 8.5
Psychopathic 'dark triad/tetrad' individuals and their enablers cause wide-spread destruction and havoc on society, violence may be the only effective answer. Some people are beyond redemption. Courage can be found in unlikely places.

Character Growth: 4
At least 3/4 the way through there really wasn’t any for Vincenzo or Cha-Young.

Complex women/Relationships: 5.5
Here we have a full blown female villain and a female co-hero with barely any romance elements. I liked that the female villain’s clothing, demeanour and temperament was dowdy and unassuming and how it could change in a split moment into something more sinister. Note: low points for not having much substantive interactions between women.

Cinematography/Production Values: 9.0
Really top notch, shooting in different styles, different angles. Lots of changing of scenery. Great fight scenes.

Leia Mais

A poetic screenplay about a grim, downward spiral that I grew to hate . .

The premise is 'witness a historical, grim epic power dispute, through the eyes of a wide-eyed girl/woman aged 14 - 24.' Nirvana in Fire and The Rise of Phoenixes are my gold standards for tragic male dominated political battles, and this drama falls far far short. Yes, there is a tragic/forbidden romance element that is introduced strong at the start. But, Shi Yi is a passive character and neither she nor Zhou Sheng Chen are focused on their romance as much as their duty to a crumbling and corrupt empire.

Rating it against my gold standard, the court intrigues and strategies of this drama are simplistic, and the villains overacted, cartoonish and not given sufficient back stories. Zhou Sheng Chen lives with integrity, is a talented general, and is made noble by his constant self-sacrifice, but he's also very one note and does not develop any complexity, nor displays any sort of talent for politics or romance.

There was a great use of poetry in this show, very touching beautiful lines . . . and that was the only highlight.

Once I realized that the political intrigue elements, which are the weakest points of this plot, were going to dominate the last 1/3 of the drama, I decided to drop it.

Acting is so so, chemistry is good as child with crush on teacher, but fizzles as Shi Yi becomes a full adult. Music set the mood fine, and I would not rewatch.

Leia Mais

Beautifully produced... but little suspense

The premise: as long as you center your country and your family, contentment is possible even in the midst of adversity.

The male lead, Xiao Qi, enters the story already perfect and understanding this lesson, Wang Xuan (female lead) rapidly learns this as well within the first 20 episodes. Then they just perfectly go along, essentially completely in sync with each other as they try to deal with all the corrupt, insecure characters around them.

The acting is excellent and I was fully invested in them as characters. Even though there are dozens of characters, I could keep track of them all, and I was as interested in the side plot lines as I was the main ones. I will say, whether due to the script or direction, no acting scenes stand out to me.

The music is competent, I would not rewatch. I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex Themes: 6.5
Centering your country and your family is what results in a contented life and a dignified death, centering ones ego, ambition and desire leads to discontent and eventually catastrophe. The burdens of life are easier with a life partner.

Character Growth: 7
There is a fair amount of development early on as the care-free, childhood friends are tested by the stressors and complexity around them. Within the first 1/3 of the show, however, their characterizations grow rigid.

Relationships among Women: 7.5
There is a good amount of screen time for older women, and some decent friendship and interactions between women. They are almost always, however, about the men in their lives.

Production Budget/Cinematography: 8.5
A lot of money was spent, lots of outdoor scenes, as well as extravagant sets, constant costume changes, lots of extras etc. Oddly, however, it wasn't particularly creative or beautiful, scenes don't linger in my mind.

Leia Mais

Starts strong with great characters and back stories, but themes and sublime moments are too watered down by the end . . .

The inevitable comparison to 'Go Ahead' is at the end of this review.

Can you have a sunny, optimistic future after a traumatic and unconventional childhood? The answer is a resounding 'yes.' The theme simple: hold tight to the people in your life who want to see you happy and healthy - and run away from people who don't believe in you and wish you would fail.

The romantic suspense is addictive: we the audience can tell that Sanha is over the moon for Juwon. But Juwon has no idea. There's a bit of a 'forbidden romance' factor as well.

Once the primary romantic storyline is resolved, between the two of them, then moves to the difficult bit. How to address the lasting trauma that these characters suffered in childhood? This is completely soft-balled. Sanha's mother just fades away, as does Haejun's father. Sanha's taking of sleeping pills is waived away by learning the joys of drinking.

The acting is great - I especially liked Haejun's characterisation. The production values, music and pacing are all decent, and occasionally there would be a cinematic moment. But, the highlight of the show is the depiction of toxic/traumatic family relationships, finding your 'found' family and the romantic storylines. I just wish it hadn't turned so saccharinely, unrealistically sweet in the last 4 episodes.

COMPARISON TO 'GO AHEAD'

Go Ahead was one of my top dramas of all time until the last 5-10 episodes. It was much more raw, and much more realistic about surviving toxic and traumatic relationships than Family By Choice. So much so that it should come with trigger warnings. It also was less literal and a bit more sublime. While I really hated the plot resolutions, the last scene of Go Ahead will stay in my mind forever.

In Go Ahead there were two strong sources of tension/suspense. One the romance, but the second was whether the Sanha character would be able to thrive or if he was going to sink and drown.

One of the most emotionally touching scenes in Go Ahead, was when he scrambles in a panic to explain to the Juwon character that he'd take anything she is willing to give, it doesn't have to be romance, it can be friendship, it can be anything - that in the years they've been apart the only light in the darkness was imagining seeing her again.

Instead of saying that is romantic, she starts to cry, and she hadn't realised things had been so bad between him and his mom, that she hadn't seen how bad things were for him, how had none of them seen?? How had they let him suffer all these years??

In comparison, in Family By Choice, Juwon goes to her dad and asks if it's OK and normal that Sanha and Juwon feel like no one in the world exists but each other. Instead of her Dad warning her about 'romeo and juliet' type romances, he instead reassures her that it's normal.

Leia Mais

Intriguing, fresh story but execution issues hold it back . . .

Every romantic trope is here: from opposites attract, forbidden romance, memory loss, rescues, reincarnation etc. There are fresh conflicts and an opportunity for the women to stand in the rescuing role. I was cheered to see this, but a few things hold this drama back:

1) Too many climactic, should have been the end/resolution moments
2) The acting and chemistry of the main couple is off. Chen Xing Xu (ML) plays a quite stodgy one note character in order to show difference later on - but it makes for a boring first half and a lack of chemistry.
3) Music and production values are sub par. So much so, that I would be taken fully out of the story and clearly could see how they were acting in front of a green screen. When the actors, would struggle or say no - it was really hard not to laugh given it was clear nothing was actually holding them back.

The themes were all over the place as well, though I did enjoy the challenge to an older too rigid generation. This drama is worth a try but just one too many issues to make it into my top tier.

Leia Mais

On bad childhoods and healing through finding purpose and love with the blessing of the state . . .

The premise is compelling and addictive: Ying Bu Yi - the most feared man in the empire tries and struggles to win over in all the wrong ways Cheng Shao Shang, an abandoned daughter of a military official.

Ying Bu Yi falls hard and fast for Cheng Shao Shang intensely realizing that they have this bond in a painful past and resulting resourcefulness. But Cheng Shao Shang has multiple options in life and being the star to someone else's sun or moon feels too unsettling after being let down and deprioritized multiple times in her life.

Thus sets the scene of the first half of the show. The leads have very little chemistry with each other and Ying Bu Yi wanders around in a very one note, in a fear me as I walk type way. Cheng Shao Sheng is a much more interesting and vibrant character in the first half.

THERE IS A LOT OF RESCUING, JUST ENDLESS RESCUE SCENES, which create the adrenaline, fast paced romance despite the lack of chemistry. The point made over and over and over again is when times become uncertain, wouldn't you want the most fearsome, capable person around?

Credit to the supporting actors - there's tons of them and they all had very unique personalities and I was invested in them as much (if not more so at times) than the main couple.

Music is decent, one of the instrumental pieces was quite nostalgic and wistful. Would not rewatch.

I did go on to watch part 2 - and more analysis will be there.

Leia Mais

Unique premise but drags - a missed opportunity

Kang Mi Rae fixes her face but is still the same person: shy, insecure and socially inept. Instead of developing self-confidence, she tries to please everyone and panics at any negativity. Ultimately, she is drawn to the most handsome, outwardly self-confident guy in school . . . at this point I dropped the show. This is 2020, model healthy relationships please!

Granted, it's a realistic portrayal. Insecure people often do fall into relationships with very intense, stubborn and cold personalities. This is usually a very dangerous mix - there is often no space in such relationships to figure out who you are and who you want to be (indeed Kyung Suk's parents' relationship is a prime example of this).

Im Soo Hyang and Cha Eun Woo are very flat but it’s unclear whether that’s due to acting skills or the screenwriting. How many episodes can one take of an actress looking sheepish and the actor looking brooding?

Music is fine, I would not rewatch.

I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex Themes: 6
Wasted opportunity to explore the disconnect between one's outside appearance and inner well-being. The three main leads all have this problem but for different reasons, and instead of exploring the why and how to get unstuck, they just repeat over and over. The show did emphasize that while being an attractive woman can have its drawbacks, it also comes with opportunities.

Character Growth: 4
None through episode 13. All the main characters are essentially the same as they were in episode 2.

Complex Women/Relationships between women: 7.5
Kyung Suk's mother and Mi Rae have interesting conversations around expectations for women, attractiveness and career. Hyun Soo-Ah was excellent as someone with borderline personality or some sort of narcissistic personality disorder. But, Mi Rae herself is very two dimensional.

Cinematography/Production Budget: 5
Barely competent for a modern K drama. Very low budget, same sets over and over.

Leia Mais

As advertised and fairly mediocre . . .

In this drama, at the 2/3 mark, the couple is not any closer together than where they started - just misunderstandings, and miscommunications abounding. Not a slow burn more I wanted to force the main couple into a room and lock the door until they hash it out.

The budget is low and as with all skating dramas it's very very hard to suspend your disbelief. The frequent cutaways to stunt doubles or filming 'tricks' on solid ground with the camera moving around them were decently done but not inspiring.

The one highlight was Wang An Yu as Shao Bei Sheng. For once, we have a joyful, lighthearted hero that can show up with emotional intensity and protectiveness instead of your typical ice cold statue that melts 2/3's through. I thought the storyline with his mother was a highlight and salvaged an otherwise unremarkable drama.

Leia Mais

Really really slow and ridiculous at the same time. . .

I'm finding the pacing and ridiculous story lines hard to stomach. The show has an identity crisis . . not wanting to be an indie slice of life, but not wanting glorious over the top drama style.

The only saving grace of this is the acting. But with every tragic event that can happen in ones life, happening to these 3 neighborhood friends, all in the space of a month, it's just hard to buy in. There is no realism in dynamics between family members or friends either. Adding to that, a romance that is moving at a glacial painful pace with no progress in decades, and still no progress episode to episode . . . I'm just not sure who is enjoying this.

I'm certainly not!

Leia Mais

Out of step with the times . . Instagram aesthetics are not enough

I too was drawn by the caliber of the cast. But while filmed in a documentary style, there is not a bit of realism between the main couple. They spend two whole months off the grid.... just vibing..... talking about nothing, not getting to know each other at all just relationship via Instagram moments. Unbelievable plot points are waved off as 'quirks.'

I did really like the ease and sweetness of the long term couple, but they get very little screen time.

Six episodes in I didn't see the point in continuing, there was no insight or creativity. For a similar 3 couple concept done much better, see 'Because This Is My First Life'

Leia Mais

Dropped this and picked it up again - missed nothing. I dedicatedly watched episodes 1-9 and 40-56.

The Story of Ming Lan is not a political drama like Nirvana in Fire or even Story of Yanxi Palace. It's more like a family drama set in a historical era - two good, kind generous people are mistreated by their cruel families. Slowly, eventually after some misunderstandings, they find each other and build a life together.

There is no real overarching plot, just bad act x, counterstrike y, over and over again. The one strength of the drama is the two main lead characters radiate such goodness while also being clever and brave, that you really cheer for them as they try to overcome their bad circumstances.

Acting is really good across the board - you really believe from the main characters to small side characters that they are who they say they are. Music is fine - not particularly remarkable but works.

There might be a scene or two I go back to, but nothing really stands out for a rewatch.

I have other criteria I score by:

Complex Themes - 5
(There are some vague themes on abusive/toxic family dynamics and how to defend yourself whilst maintaining your own moral code - they are not very strong.)
Character Growth -6
(How the main characters relate to each other changes over time in some sweet/interesting ways, but in general the characters are all very fixed and do not surprise)
Nuanced Women -7
(There are lots of female roles in this production, and they often have interesting and complex motives - if rather one note).
Cinematography/Production Values - 7
(Everything is shot in a competent, cinematic type way, but there are only a few basic sets and exteriors, and competent but not particularly exciting costuming)

Leia Mais

Age and maturity difference was a deal breaker for me . .

Unlike other vampire/immortal concepts, Kim Shin looks 40, acts 40 and he has the power and wealth of someone who is 40. Meanwhile, Ji Eun Tak looks 17, acts 17 and she has no power or wealth at all to her name.

The fact that Ji Eun Tak is world-weary due to a traumatic life, and Kim Shin is currently on a playful/mid-life crisis streak does not solve this fundamental problem. All the cinematography and production budget in the world couldn't solve this problem.

I really liked the character of Wang Yeo (the grim reaper), and his scenes somewhat redeemed the show for me. . . but not by enough.

I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex Themes - 3
In fairness to the show, I didn't watch far enough to see any complex themes. But, in the first five episodes it is your typical vampire/immortal romance (except more highly morally problematic than normal). There were hints of complexity developing.
Character Growth -3
Not up to the point I watched.
Nuanced Women -7
Ji Eun Tak is competent in her wise beyond her years but still has bursts of childishness. (The burst of childishness did NOT help with the romance hinted aspects).
Cinematography/Production Values - 10
It's really really gorgeous, with lots of real life sets and large production values.

Leia Mais

Misunderstandings repeat, then repeat, then repeat again . . .

Chu Xuan Ji and Yu Si Feng are enemies turned lovers in lifetime after lifetime. While the mythology and creativity of the world, and the different lifetimes are intriguing, there is no huge change in character growth or plot dynamics 40 episodes in. Chu Xuan Ji and Yu Si Feng are caught between their duties to their family/clan and their love and over and over and over again the same pattern repeats . .

The actor who plays Yu Si Feng is an excellent mix of intensity, brooding, with a bit of playfulness. Chu Xuan Ji has more of a split personality: innocent and hapless or arrogant and powerful. Everyone else dramatically overacts.

Music is fine, I would not rewatch. I grade on other criterias well:

Themes: 7.5
Elders can be misguided and not know what is best. Appearances can be deceiving: what's on the surface does not always reveal ones true character. Love that support, cherishes and empowers is far superior to love that suffocates and controls.

Character Growth/Development: 5.0
Yu Si Feng warms up a bit, and Chu Xuan Ji reveals her 'powerful' side every couple episodes, but that's about it.

Complex women/relationships: 7.0
Chu Xuan Ji does have relationships with an 'aunt,' her sister and friends she meets along the way. They do mostly talk about men or act as plot devices, but they do exist.

Cinematography/Production values: 7.0
Shows in this style (see Ashes of Love) are attempting a kind of deliberate, 2010 era video-game type CGI and it works decently well here. I wouldn't say there was anything shockingly beautiful or unique. Action scenes were competent but not particularly innovative.

Leia Mais

Super cute couple....but then what?

Of the young/new adult 'slice of life' C-dramas I've watched lately, the main couple here is incredibly endearing. They have that shy, cute smile energy from the beginning, and they look like they are having a lot of fun. The secondary characters, such as Tang Yi Bai's mother or his swim team friends, overact but are equally endearing. The cast was really enjoying themselves.

But that's the only 'mode' of the show 20 episodes in. There's no real tension or conflict. There is this big mystery/tragedy hanging in the air, but it's not been revealed in anyway. I kept waiting for the show to pick up...but it just keeps skipping along.

So while the couple is perhaps my favorite, I ended up dropping this one . . .

Music is quite good - there's not much I'd rewatch.

Complex Themes -3
(Maybe this will appear later? But besides be a good person - follow your dreams! Not much going on.)
Character Growth -3
(Characters seem to be very fixed. Even in the flashback scenes, they all seem to have the same personalities. Yun Duo does show more range than the others.)
Nuanced Women -7
(Yun Duo is sweet and bubbly as one would expect in this type of show, but she is also strong, opinionated with good morals. She has a lot of grit/resilience. By episode 20, they had not done much with the other women characters ).
Cinematography/Production Values - 6
(They did find one olympic swimming pool, and one gym to shoot the sports scenes. But the show is fairly claustrophobic between pool, gym, outside the pool, Yun Duo's work and Tang Yi Bai's house. Tang Yi Bai and his friend Qi Rui Feng are in good shape and do an OK job/believability at being swimmers, but the rest of the swimmers do not - and the 'stretching' exercising scenes are a bit laughable).

Leia Mais