I definitely went into this drama not expecting much since I first tried a few episodes of Yang Yang's Fireworks of My Heart when that was airing. However, this drama completely pulled me in and I was surprised at just how good it was yet not many people were recommending it. Fireworks of My Heart pales in comparison to this drama. Both are dramas about firefighters with romance but Bright Eyes shines in almost every aspect. Realistic portrayal of firefighters' lives, natural and fantastic acting, balanced romance and firefighting scenes, and educational. Moreover, the story and character have logical development, which is somewhat rare in modern-day dramas.

The first and most important thing is the realistic scenes of firefighters' daily lives training and going on rescue missions was really impressive. It was really realistic and eye-opening. The drama really realistically showed the struggles of the firefighters' family members and how firefighters juggle being so busy. However, as a Chinese drama, there is a bit of propaganda but I don't feel that bothered by it because I believe any person would want to believe that firefighters are devoted and willing to protect them in cases of danger. It also isn't very obvious since it is subtly hinted at through the characters' actions and dialogue. Another thing is the comradery of the firefighter team members. I could really feel how much they trusted each other and their teamwork in rescue missions really touched me. The drama did great at making you feel connected to every member of the firefighter team just by watching a few episodes of them together. I really cried and felt relieved with them every time. Even the sacrifices of the members, though are expected since this is a firefighter drama, felt so heartbreaking and I bawled my eyes out. The dilemmas and mindset of firefighters are also effectively portrayed in many scenes and experiences of the firefighter team. The director did great at directing those scenes with those camera angles and bgm. Also, since the firefighting scenes are realistically portrayed, it is very educational about what causes fires and tips in case of fires. Particularly, it was helpful that they talked about the firefighters who deal with wild fires because people don't usually think of them. I found that part interesting and I learned a lot about what they do. It was also nice that they ended the episode with a short clip of fire safety tips. This is what a fire education drama should be like, unlike other dramas ahem.

Now the acting! Johnny is the perfect person to play Lin Lu Xiao! Before watching this drama, I had no clue that Johnny played so many characters with uniform but wow, he sure looks great in his firefighter gear. His build really brings out a charisma that Yang Yang could not do. It is like he was made for this character- he embodied Lin Lu Xiao and I can't imagine anyone else doing it better. His line delivery and acting were also just top-notch! He was amazing at being strict yet also soft towards his team. His crying and tearing up skills are so natural and real that I couldn't help but cry with him. So rare to find a male actor with that kind of charisma, line delivery, and acting skills. However, it isn't just him who is great at acting- the entire firefighter cast was amazing! They were all new faces but they all did great in their roles. I grew attached to each of them and felt heartbroken at how every one of them ended up. My heart still hurts a bit thinking of them. The firefighter team also realistically pulled off all the firefighting scenes to the point where they actually looked like firefighters. I really enjoyed the chemistry between all of the team members- Lu Xiao, Lao Yang, Lao Yu, Lao Liu, and Lao Lei.

The romance and firefighter aspects are also balanced nicely. I am not someone who likes too much romance so I found it enough that it was about 65% firefighter story and 35% romance. Life isn't only about romance so it felt real that it wasn't all about their love story. They are also firefighter so it makes sense that it doesn't show as much of their personal lives. It also isn't like there weren't any romance scenes at all because it was quite sweet for a while and cringe. To be honest, I enjoyed the firefighter aspects much more than their romance. If you are going in looking for a lot of romance, I don't think you would enjoy it as much. Everyone talks about the ending but I believe that the ending is however you want to interpret it. I don't mind open endings as long as the entire story was

Overall, I really enjoyed this drama. It is more heavily focused on firefighters, but rightfully so since firefighters do so much for civilians but don't get much attention in the media. So, this drama is a very good way to learn more about the work they do and what kind of lives they live (at least in China lol-). I will miss these characters, particularly Lu Xiao and his team. China should produce more of these high-quality dramas to educate about these kinds of occupations. Anyways, totally recommend this drama for those who enjoy dramas focused on special occupations. I can see why people keep comparing this to Fireworks of my Heart and criticizing Fireworks. I have to agree that they are on different levels. The only reason i didn't give it a 10 is that some episodes did feel a bit slow but that was only a few. PLEASE TRY!