Some Day or One Day (2019)

COVID-19 really put me in the mood for cruising through some new dramas, so Someday or One Day, with its extremely high rating, was on my watchlist. I was excited getting to see Patrick Shih again, since I liked his performance in HIStory II. But boy, was I wrong in trusting the ratings!

I have to say the writer was really trying too hard to come up with an original/new plot with the time traveling idea. The storyline, in essence, became a massive muddy blackhole. I got highly annoyed with the female lead, I felt that her characters stay stuck, especially Huang Yu Xuan--the only thing she could do was cry and cry about her ex-boyfriend. The male leads were doing a better job, I must say.

It was extremely slow in the beginning, that even adjusting the playback speed to 1.5x would still feel slow. The middle got a little bit more interesting as there were more action developing. However, as mentioned previously, the story then became an overly complicated mess. That really destroy the emotional investment in the characters/drama up to then. So much that I had to skip over one episode and jump to the last episode, and I am glad I did.

Overall, highly disappointed storyline. Acting was meh to alright. Definitely not worthy for re-watch, in my opinion.

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Masterpiece to be recognized ! Please watch it

My first Taiwanese drama and I watched this drama 3 months back... And I re-watched it just a week ago again... I thought to write a review on this drama. First of all Kudos to writer for giving us this amazing experience. Time travel is always a tough subject to handle but this drama has mastered it. It did not have much plot-holes and slow paced points. You will enjoy each and every episode. You will keep on connecting the pieces of puzzle and while watching it keeps you at the edge of your seat wondering what's gonna happen next. The actors were the main fuel of this drama. They brought the characters to life, just feels like you know them personally and you completely get attached to this drama. A perfect Binge- Watch drama I would tell. It's not thriller neither crime kind of stuff. It has good amount of romance, friendship, family elements in it. Plot twists and ending both were satisfying and All questions answered. It has a special space in my heart.

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"I saw the thing that is the farthest away from me...... It's you"

This is a MASTERPIECE, and I haven't seen stuff much better! In fact, it's now my all-time favorite TV Series of all time!

It's intelligent, emotional and a very colorful journey and character exploration with the past, present and future blended in a mind-blowing mystery that's thrilling from the first to it's last moment in it's runtime.

The romance is the all-important part of the story, it's mature, mellow and bright and funny at other times, the music is AMAZINGGG, the song "Last Dance" along the glitch, the disturbance effect used at specific scenes brings chills, joy and anxiousness at the same time whenever you hear, and the OP Theme Song hits soo much harder in the latter episodes, especially the lines "Impossible to stay away.... "

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A must watch!

Some people put low ratings on this Taiwan Drama because they get confused because of the lack of knowledge of time traveling or they just watched a few episodes and stopped because they didn't understand what's happening (tbh I was confused at first too). But let me tell you, me as a high core fan of time traveling, this drama exceeding my expectations of what was going to happen next. So if you are confused about what is happening watch until the end it explains everything throughout each episode you see. And when you reach the final episode and you somehow think it's over, well let me tell you it's still not over yet until the end (and there is even a bonus ending that satisfied me and made me accept the ending.)

With all that said if you are interested in time-traveling, a first lead romance that will make you cry almost every episode (I personally cried every single episode.) [p.s if you think it the romance can't get any more beautiful and emotional you are definitely wrong.], a second lead chance of a romance with the one he loves (like if there is a single drama that I have watched were there is no one with a second lead syndrome well this is the one and this doesn't contain a first lead syndrome either), the most beautiful ost's, crime-solving, episodes that will exceed your expectations dramatically, unexpected twists, youth, heartbreak, and healing, say no more and watch this right NOW!

And have I mentioned yet that it has one of the most beautiful romances? Oh, sorry, it's just that reading the title again brings me into tears and gives me a hint of nostalgia T^T

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“Some Day or One Day” is a thrilling fantasy drama with a really nice steadfast romance that transcended time and space. The actors did a great job bringing their characters to life and the leading couple excels in making the viewer believe that there were really two different characters, especially Alice Ke as Huang Yu Xuan /Chen Yun Ru where her roles were as different as night and day. Greg Han was also fantastic on his portrayal of Wang Quan Sheng/Li Zi Wei. There is also Patrick Shi who gives a great performance as the enigmatic Mo Jun Jie; and last but not least, Yan Yu Li as the antagonist and disturbing Xie Zhi Qi | Xie Zhong Ru. The time travel plot is carried very well, although a little bit confusing at times. The only thing that could’ve been better were the romantic scenes between the leading couple while kissing, most of the time the kissing seemed forced, but they make up with their great chemistry and understanding of each other throughout the drama. This drama is really entertaining, enjoy it!

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NON SPOILER REVIEW :

The drama of the year contender. ( Beware to read other reviews coz this drama has major spoilers everywhere else which is why it's difficult to write a review like this, You don't wanna spoil the fun of watching this gem)
This has to be one of the best-diversifying themes I've watched.
Zero Plot holes!
PLOT: This drama has the absolute best use of time travelling.
Especially the sequence of the consequences.
I swear whoever has written this is a genius.
Simply tempting to watch this.
It does start off slowly with the 1st episode not giving away much, so you've to stick to it.
But this makes you feel every bit of it.
Once it gets into the flow, it leaves you speechless for what's going on.
This is why I love the Taiwanese industry.
They make such a drama every 2-3 years which just takes your breath away.

ACTING: It was a bit off at some moments( Maybe coz it felt so surreal that I found it a bit off xD) but nonetheless full of pure excellence.

Direction: This is the main part. The director and every other member knew what they wanted to show, this is a drama that could only have attained excellence had it done everything right. And guess what! The hell they eventually did.

Overall: Still reading my review? The hell you doing, go and watch this gem ^^

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I cannot begin to explain how much I love this drama in simple words, but I will try to. Unlike a lot of dramas that start out epic and fade out, this drama does the opposite. It starts out like a simple rom-com-melo with some time travel to sprinkle on top and then you realize that is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only does this drama excel in the technical aspects (story/production) and the emotional aspect, it goes above that to reveal very important, well-expressed social commentary that is not contrived or preachy at all. Maybe it's me, but when something manages to entertain you and teach you, I'd say it's pretty powerful stuff.

Story/Production: You can really tell the writers and producers put a lot of thought into this and it shows. Time-travel is a very tricky subject. It is a well-known rule that going to the past affects the future, so if even one piece of sequence does not fit, it ruins the entire setup. We've all seen the dramas that start to break their own rules and mess everything up. The writers did a phenomenal job here of connecting everything so it fits and revealing it in a way that keeps viewers engaged, amazed and astounded. There is almost no filler. Entire storylines are told in a few minutes. I am still mindblown by the opening and ending sequences. Production-wise, the classroom settings, alleyways, realistic houses and old buildings really added to the viewer depth. Everything felt so natural and lack of product placement really gives it an authentic touch.

This is a personal rating criteria, but I also really like how the drama manages to give the female lead a lot of agency. Despite the influx of female leads that appear well-written on paper, once the story gets going, the female lead is often overshadowed. I was worried for a hot minute that this story would turn the male lead into the one making all of the decisions/figuring out all of the answers but, to my utter delight, that doesn't happen. Not only does the female make critical decisions that moves the plot forward, you see her relationship progress with family and friends that does not involve the male lead.

Acting: Phenomenal. You could right away which character our lead actors were trying to play, even when that character was not acting like how they usually would. The rest of the actors did a great job too, everyone felt very natural, like they actually were the characters they were playing. The actors all had good chemistry too. Siblings and BFFs felt like siblings and BFFs. And the lead two actors, their sweet chemistry is off the charts. If you took away the plot, I could probably watch 13 hours of these two just just talking or flirting with each other.

Music: Music is an important part of the story but the songs they choose really add to the nostalgic, dreamy and mysterious mood. Actually very good standalone too.

Rewatch value: Because this drama has a lot of 'boom' type revelations, it might not be as exciting the 2nd time around but since it is so intricate, it could be fun trying to break it down again from the beginning. I would re-watch it for the romance and chemistry alone.

Final thoughts: Would recommend to anyone without any hesitation. One of those dramas that are more than the sum of its parts.

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Innovative plot complexity at BEST!

The story!?! The characters! Their experiences, their longing, their pain, their love...Gosh! The LOVE STORY !?! What a journey it was to experience it! The intricacies in which the story was presented is just delightful!

Each episode felt like a meticulously written chapter, of a very sincere love story, in a book called life, enclosed in a bittersweet wrapping paper, then to be presented to us, as a gift to experience. The seamless transitions further supports the complexity of the plot. In fact, the narration of the drama itself, and how it is organised is truly admirable.

Music plays a big role in the drama, so an attachment to the main song is inevitable. The other songs are so soulful too, and they tell a story of their own, adding another narrative through their lyrics, which helps us connect to the characters even more. So if I were to continue my 'metaphor', the music would be a the honest and simple cover of that book, that is the drama.

Acting wise, I have to mention the main female lead's performance, because she played both characters quite distinctively, and the main male lead's acting was so wonderful and heartfelt, that you really do feel for him. The characters themselves and their bond was touching too, though is main plot that is the highlight of the drama for me.

To be honest, I wasn't planning on writing this review because the start didn't grab my attention that much. Its build up is quite 'slow', but once you get into the story, you will realise that even that was an essential part into developing the story. This is one of the very few reasons I didn't rate it a perfect ten, along with some other moments which are much needed in the story, but I just couldn't enjoy them wholeheartedly. The main reason of my high rating, is the plot itself, the core, pure complexity of the plot and how they managed to execute it so beautifully! So if you want to experience some brilliant writing, this is it, wait no more!

PS. Maybe don't listen to 'The last Dance' (by Wu Bai and China Blue) using a Walkman and earphones to then go to sleep, just saying, in case...heheheh you will know once you watch it!

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A tight, intricate story of romance, mystery, fantasy, emotion

This is probably the closest thing to Western serial shows (like on Netflix) in quality and storytelling that I've seen so far in Chinese-language dramas - a tightly-written, intricately-plotted story that unfolds, turn by turn, in only 13 episodes. Every shot, every moment, every line is there for a reason.

The acting is phenomenal - as the story takes place in multiple times, the actors portray characters of different ages, contexts, and emotions, and you can always tell who/where/when they are just based on their acting. The plot kept me guessing and mentally engaged through the whole story - each twist that unfolded made sense in the story, but was still a surprise. And, while this is a plot-driven story, it also covered a number of important themes/messages and real issues, which surprised me.

I would add a slight warning that it did get a bit darker than I originally assumed, so be aware of that going in. This is a romance, but it's also a mystery/thriller, as well as a fantasy/sci-fi story. Since so much of its magic was in seeing how it all happens, I'm not sure of its rewatch appeal, but it was honestly such a rewarding experience, both mentally and emotionally, that I would recommend it to anyone. I laughed, I cried, I hid under my blankets - I loved the characters. I only wish we got more of the end!

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Rewatching helps me get into more things on the table!

Well, Someday or One Day has become one of the biggest hit in Taiwanese TV dramas but not promoted widely as it deserves to be. However, I really empathize by seeing positive reviews really enjoy this drama and the plot was intriguing but not vague by its way following through the life of Zi Wei and Yu Xuan.

Now, I have rewatched for the third time and concentrating every scene as I am not getting bored at all because they are all the elements explaining the infinite loop. Rewatching it helps me to break everything down why and how Zi Wei and Yu Xuan meet each other both in the past and present.

I remembered my first time watching the first episode really bored the hell out of me by its slow pace and that's how other typical Taiwanese dramas begin. But from the third episode, everything starts to unveil and I extremely enjoy Yu Xuan becomes an energetic, outgoing, and headstrong Yun Ru who is attracted by Zi Wei. That's my most favourite part of the drama.

By the way, the soundtrack is awesome too not just including pop, ballad, and rock composition but also some iconic pieces from the 90's in Taiwan I guess and they sound so vintage yet trendy.

The casts are all well-depicted their character, and yes the main two are perfect and I strongly believe no such other actors can replace them. After that, I started to follow and notice them both in their other projects.

There's gonna be a Korean remake which is highly expected but I believe that it cannot describe completely the culture like the original has accomplish. Imagine that which soundtrack they gonna use, equivalent to Taiwanese's 'Last Dance'.

I think now we need to wait for the movie one to come so I hope that the story can be concise but has to extract the highlights of the main picture of Someday or One Day.

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A Captivating Masterpiece!

Can't express enough how absolutely amazing this drama was! From the start right until the end, there was a not a boring moment. Every episode keeps you on your toes - it was mysterious and full of suspense. I couldn't get enough of it and I still think about this drama every now and then despite finishing a while ago. There's a sense of nostalgia that makes you very attached to the story and it's characters.

Revolving around a girl who travels back and forth from her world and another alternative timeline, SDOD did the perfect job of keeping to the storyline without one bit of trash in between. It was real and raw; angsty yet funny! The initial episodes has you falling in love with the characters which makes the tragic parts later on all the more painful. I love the ML who was so cute and dopey, and him and the FL were so cute together that when you see them being separated later, you can feel the pain and sadness they go through.

Despite having a love triangle as a part of the storyline, SDOD doesn't make you hate the second male lead. The friendship between the three main characters is wholesome and beautiful. You feel a sense of youth watching them. The drama is also beautifully filmed with nostalgic music to match. It perfectly delivered with the right amount of comedy, romance, friendship, mystery and thriller.

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