Lighter & Princess (2022)

A fantastic drama - highly recommend

LIKED
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ACTING
The acting is magnificent; the leads can do more with a five-second look than many actors do with 16 episodes. The supporting cast is also quite good.
CHARACTERS
Him - he's an arrogant genius, a true genius. He's not Do-san; he's not just good at programming and weak elsewhere. His genius comes through in his ability to analyze business trends, in art, in philosophy, in predicting people's behavior. He's a slightly saner, slightly nicer Hannibal Lecter. And coupled with that genius is an absolute arrogant belief in himself and his superiority over others, it's both his greatest weakness and his greatest strength. Couple all of that with an iron will and you have a truly formidable and often downright frightening hero. Numerous times I found myself shaking my head at his behavior but fully understanding it.
Her - The extent to which she falls for him is frightening. She will forgive nearly anything he does and has an unshakeable trust in both his ability and his decisions, even though he makes numerous bad decisions throughout the show. You'd expect her scary love combined with his super arrogant, ultra genius to lead to an unequal relationship and there are certainly moments of inequality but overall this is one of the more equal screen partnerships you'll ever see. The directors walked a tightrope here and, for the most part, kept upright.
CHEMISTRY
Romance - these two... I'm not a big believer in chemistry as I often disagree with folks who say characters have it or don't have it but these two? This is the definition of chemistry. This show has some of the finest hugs, kisses, and conversations you'll ever see onscreen. There are several scenes between them that I've watched over and over and over. They are sooo gooood together!
MUSIC
I rarely notice soundtracks but as you're watching the captioned lyrics crawling across your screen - they become an element of the story, reinforcing the visuals. And catchy? I literally can't get Zhou Shen's fireworks out of my head.
OTHER
Cinematography - it's outstanding. It doesn't overpower the drama but every scene perfectly sets the mood.
The Plot - I was immediately hooked and despite some issues (we'll get to those) it worked for me.

DIDN'T LIKE
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First - let's be clear - I loved this drama so these are quibbles for me but for some folks they might be more problematic

Lack of growth - Our lead will make some mistakes. And he has some character flaws. And that's okay! But I didn't feel that he necessarily learned from those mistakes or fixed his flaws. There wasn't a lot of observable growth.

Time Jumps - The plot hooks you right from the beginning but... but then we take a LOOONG trip down memory lane to how their relationship started. Initially, I was frustrated as I wanted to get back to the present but this part of the story is interesting so once I got hooked on THAT part of the story I was okay. But it took a few episodes.

Love Denial - one of my pet peeves is when a character decides that their OTP would be better off without them so they sabotage their relationship, often in a way that is nearly guaranteed to turn their partner into a soulless, sobbing husk of a human. Unfortunately, there's a lot more of that going on here than I like to see. Having said that - it worked for me as much as this trope can ever work for me - I could understand the motivation even though I didn't agree with the decision.

School Setting - I'm not generally a fan of school settings and a good chunk of this show is set in school. But without being too spoilery, the ostensible school setting is better understood and more closely akin to a work setting.

Plot Holes - there are some glaring plot issues if you stare too long or look too closely. They didn't bother me too much but the story would have been better if they'd fixed them.

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT NOT LIKE

Work Setting - this entire drama is set around a series of work challenges. I enjoyed this but I've heard that some people are not fond of this kind of drama.

Leggi di Più

Satisfying journey of naive teenager to the working adult

their journey may seems so long
Until they met and till everybody let go of their hatred and move on
i think this drama can show their character development
The ML seems arrogant at first but as epoisode go on you may feel he changed a lot
He let go of her ego of being the best or as known mr know it all due to some circumstances
Until the end you can see her character really changed to mature adult and he really think a lot before he going to make decision due to the past mistake
The ML even though he really young but eventually he really did well in this drama
He really have nice future if continue to impove her acting

The FL character is so naive at the beginning with her pure soul and heart that make the ML changes time by time. I think when he met the ML she feel joy and upgraded when he give her difficult task
That make she think she really enjoy the courses and how challeging is it. The parent is really typical educated parent that always save their image. Feel sad till the end they seems not approve their daughter wedding. In real life when a women married they may need their parent to blessing their marriage but at least ML and FL get support from their friend.

The story also teach us about forgiveness
When we get betray, we only think on how to get revenge and that will make our heart fee burdened by that revenge
In the end ML forgive the friend betrayal and start afresh.

Leggi di Più

Realistic and Refreshing: A Break from the Usual C-dramas

Pros:
-Realism Over Cringe: Unlike many C-dramas, this series stands out for its realism, a refreshing departure from the usual cringe-worthy moments.
-Escape from Kdrama Tropes: For viewers tired of typical Kdrama romance, this series offers a welcome change, providing a unique storyline and character dynamics.
-Chemistry Between Leads: The chemistry between the main characters is exceptionally good, making it feel like you're watching a genuine couple evolve from their college days into adulthood.
-Subtle Acting and Expressions: The male lead's subtle acting, particularly through eye expressions, adds depth to the characters, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
-Natural and Smart Female Lead: The female lead's portrayal as a natural, smart, and adorable character is a highlight. The absence of exaggerated attempts at cuteness is a refreshing departure from typical character portrayals.

Cons:
-Prolonged Friend Talks: One downside of the series is its tendency to linger on friend-related conversations, which may make the pacing feel slower than necessary.
-Ideal Episode Count: The storyline could have been more effectively conveyed in a shorter format, perhaps condensed to 25 episodes. This would have maintained a tighter narrative without unnecessary stretches.

This C-drama provides a realistic and engaging storyline, a welcome escape from the clichés of both C-dramas and Kdramas. The outstanding chemistry between the leads, coupled with subtle and natural acting, makes it a must-watch for those seeking a genuinely enjoyable romantic series.

Leggi di Più

If you are expecting a Prince Charming and a Cinderella-story from this drama, don’t count on it. I get it that not all heroes wear capes, because this one just flicks a lighter but doesn’t smoke. Yes, Li Xun is a genius in his own right, but he could be less cocky and I would have been fine with it. Right at his heels, Zhu Yun attempts to tame this golden retriever by chasing after him, like she’s herself a dog that won’t let go of a bone.

The pacing is choppy, but manageable to watch. Cinematography and choice of music are good. The cast is diverse, so are the secondary characters, but all these good points do not negate the fact that I struggled to finish the show due to various factors. For instance, the inconsistent re-introduction of some characters who show up at odd times in the drama. I feel some characters are even under utilized (ahem, Tian Xiu Zhu) and just serve as props to the main leads, which is a sad fact because other stories could have been more developed.

For example, I would have been interested in how Ren Di’s band went from obscurity to popularity, or how her relationship with Xiao Liu evolved. Or even how Shu Miao took a legal path in her career, when she was a major part of Zhu Yun’s college days. Instead, we see such as useless POS like Zhi Jing be part of L&P board of directors and living prosperously, as if he weren’t the one tormenting Li Xun and Zhu Yun in their early days. Instead, Li Xun and his group were prohibited from joining competitions for years, while Zhi Jing could still pull strings despite being exposed in public.

Another case in point is that both male and female protagonists are unfailingly stubborn, sometimes to the point of infuriating, hardly giving leeway to anybody except to each other. They do this awkward dance where they are hot/cold towards each other, but with other people, they are self-righteous, if not selfish. I get it that Li Xun had a tough childhood, and Zhu Yun an over-protected one, but I wasn’t buying the cool-aid that because of their backstory, they expect the world to owe them something.

Yes, tenacity is good, ambitions are even better, but there’s a limit to which these things are met where it doesn’t adversely affect other people. Good news is, both Li Xun and Zhu Yun learned their lessons, over the course of their journey, to be more forgiving of others. Whereas Jian Hong failed, and in a karmic joke, life serves him an eff you, but Li Na, to her credit, stood by his side despite being given a reason to run for the hills.

Another case that baffled me is the fact that, Zhu Yun’s helicoptering mother, for all her scrutiny and apparently above-exceptional monitoring skills, failed to learn how her daughter ditched to study/work abroad to be with Li Xun, not once but twice is beyond me. I am not saying that I agree that the mother should control a full-grown adult who has her own right to choose, but I find this comically inconsistent. And how Zhu Yun, who is normally pushy when it comes to her boyfriend’s welfare, is suddenly timid at the sight of her mother. Also, the way Zhu Yun manipulates Tian Xiu Zhu to cover her whereabouts, without the latter getting anything in return but a “thank you”, wasn’t really supposed to be how “an innocent young lady” behaves.

The ending for me was anti-climactic, especially in the case of Zhi Jing. Are we supposed to forget how his behavior drove his ex-girlfriend to suicide? How his deplorable actions indirectly caused the death of Li Xun’s sister? Though granted, he did not inflict the final blow, and her death was more a result of a string of coincidental events. Still, he had malicious intent and his lack of remorse didn’t justify the punishment he got, but fully deserved.

For all its flaws, the drama isn’t bad, but not that great either. I only finished this show because of the rave reviews, but I didn’t love it as much as I probably should have.

Leggi di Più

Of piercing gazes and steadfast love.

I was hesitant to watch this drama despite the good reviews that I read as, TBH, the title was a little odd. However, now that I have watched it, the title makes perfect sense and is apt!

What I enjoyed:
- ML and FL had chemistry and they carried the drama well.
- Plot was quite intriguing on the whole. I was riveted and I kept wanting to know what would happen next. Plot moved along quite fast. Some lines of the drama were "da bomb" and meaningful.
- This was my first time watching the ML and I must say that he has charisma. He had a brooding and yet, piercing gaze. I liked his role as a super confident dude simply because he knew his own capabilities and he knew that he was remarkably talented and smart. He also had the work ethics to boot.
- I liked that the two leads only had eyes and feelings for each other. They were true to each other.
- I liked the whole bunch of people from Flying Heart Company. They were funny enough. I liked how they ended up supporting ML and FL.
- I liked the supportive female friends in the form of Ren Di and Fang Shu Miao. I liked that there was no b*tch in this drama and that Xu Li Na turned out to be endearing.
- I liked that the drama was pretty realistic on the whole. For instance, I liked how FL's parents were portrayed because it added realism.
- The starting track was dramatic and well-composed. I have been listening to it! The other songs as part of the OST were nice too. The songs fitted the different parts of the drama.
- I liked that the story had a happy enough ending and that everything wrapped up quite nicely.

What I didn't enjoy:
- Oh, I hated Gao Jian Hong and Fang Zhi Jing. They were total scumbags. I hated them to the core. I hated how they were so insecure and instead of using proper and ethical ways to better themselves, they chose to step on others to climb up.
- It was heartbreaking to see how ML lost his loved ones - parents and sister. I hated his brother-in-law.

Overall, this drama is pretty excellent and I highly recommend it! :o)
<3

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College sweethearts against the world

I had been a little nervous going into this as I very rarely enjoy dramas with two timelines — usually the huge trigger event just feels so unnecessary and avoidable with some communication, and the part that comes after is so chock full of angst and uneven knowledge.

That wasn't the case for this drama at all; of course there were things that happened but I felt like all the development was very in line with who the characters were and I especially loved the female lead, who was perfectly written as someone who grew up pretty sheltered and protected but started to come out of her bubble and have her own opinions and dreams. Even when she was left out of plans there was this element of trust and insightfulness that she had that prevented the sort of frustrating misunderstanding I usually hate seeing.

The chemistry between the leads was top-notch and was hands down one of the best part of the show; the banter was hilarious, the tension before they got together was great, and overall they were just so natural with each other they were one of the few couples that I didn't lose interest in after they got together.

The OST fits the scenes perfectly and I think this has quickly become one of my favorite dramas of 2022.

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A marking unconditional love story - You'll either like or dislike it (I LOVED it)

Let me start by saying I'm generally picky with what I watch, and I drop dramas as soon as I feel the story hasn't much going on for itself anymore. I naturally take scores and reviews into account when I'm searching for stuff to binge, lighter and princess included. All of this to say I didn't pick this up with no expectations, I wanted it to be good, and oh my god! It was!

After watching you are my glory, I was looking for another nice modern c-drama with good romance, and while a very different type of dynamics, LP didn't disappoint me on that. This drama is superb. Admittedly, it has several flaws (which some reviews already pointed out here) but I can only think of about 3 dramas with a picture perfect storyline anyway.

A few reasons why I liked this despite the bad boy/good girl trope that I often can't stand to watch :

- Li xun is cocky and rude yes, but not because he is popular, rich, spoiled or something like that. He has a heavy past which has closed him off from social relationships and his confidence comes from his exceptional skills. I'm not excusing that though! Those are FLAWS, which made me want to pull out my hair sometimes but I'd rather take that than male leads who manhandle, BULLY FL's at the beginning of some shows just because they were an "eyesore" to their distinguished sockets only to magically change because du-du-dum *LOVE*. Li xun here isn't the nicest guy, he has trouble with empathy and emotions in general, but he doesn't brag, just does things on his own and others feel bothered because of that. He won't abruptly change, yet he does show signs of wanting to improve by the end of the drama for Zhu yun. He never bullies her, they BOTH bother e/o at the beginning and if anything it feels like they're flirting and in denial the whole time.
- Zhu Yun is never helpless. It is her who comes from a rich family, who has the power. They are quarreling but it feels like she could get out of those situations at any time if she *really* wanted to (she actually did once!). Tbh their relationships of cats and dogs even start with her always coming back to interact with him despite his rudeness.
- They are complementary. The two characters have apparent flaws, especially li xun, but she brings him something just as he brings her something. They are both the person who makes the other better.

//SPOILER WARNING, this section will mainly be me discussing the main characters and the negative takes on them in detail//
Lighter and Princess is above all a captivating love story. Some said and will say that the FL runs after the ML too much and I won't argue with that. However, despite it all it is definitely one of the reasons why this drama touched me so much.
YES when they meet again, it is Zhuyun who still pursues him despite what the break-up did to her, and I can totally see how it may not please some who waited for the opposite to happen, but instead of being angry at that, I was agreably surprised.
She does not pursue Li xun because she has no respect for herself like many people say or because she is incompetent without him, she wants to help him professionally because she values his skills a lot and she herself is every bit qualified to do so. She acknowledges his pioneering dream, relates to it and want to be a part of it. She also feels the most alive and in control of her life thanks to him (his presence gives her strength to follow what she wants, as opposed to her parents who dug a path for her). As much as I love my girl bosses with their own dreams and objectives, I feel it's a bit unfair to label her as dependent just because she wants a man to be part of her projects. Li xun himself doesn't force her to do anything, if she wanted to quit working with him he'd 100% support it as he believes she can change the world (YES HE SAID THAT). Also, Zhuyun only mentions mending their relationship post-time skip when she confirms that he still thinks of her, never before that. She knows what she wants, they've already wasted a lot of time so she doesn't hesitate. She knows Li xun more than anyone, as well as his wounded past, so she sees through his indifference and hurtful words.
NOW don't misunderstand me! I was mad pissed at what he did, and I'd have slapped him across the face more than once. But everyone has different ways of internalizing things, and while I did think she should've been angrier and he more apologetic after he trampled on her feelings in the office (that scene UGH), I think it's one of the rare cases where I was convinced by the sheer determination of a character despite the criticism I might have had. I'm not ignoring the depression she went through at all but she succeeded in bouncing back, and is very resolute in pursuing what she wants. It's her choice at the end of the day so my thoughts became more of a "damn girl, you sure like your man I hope you tamed him by the time you have children" and that's all lol. He clearly starts to open up again, and you feel like she can do it! Both characters stay faithful to their personality whether it be the good or bad points and it diverges from the standard relationship development of clear cut redemption ; it was fresh in an unexpected way.
//End of the section//

The ending could've been longer (I wanted more) and the revenge aspect could indeed have been better. But hey, I came for the romance and I was completely touched by the unconditional love she has for him and vice-versa. I'm not the type of person who looks for 100% mellow, healthy and perfect relationships at all costs in tv shows (those don't pique my interest in the long-term fiction-wise actually) so I quickly accepted the lows of their relationship, which despite everything was so beautiful to me.
If you have experienced temporarily unbalanced (not related to love because he loves her just as much, it's more of a communication problem) relationships irl and can't separate it from fiction, maybe you won't like this. It's what most negative opinions of this drama are about tbh. And that's totally valid, but I don't agree at all with people who claim only teenagers will like this or that all mature people will find it tasteless. I, in fact, experienced rocky relationships but as I said, this drama is not about my life, so I had no problem enjoying the story. It all depends on what type of dynamics you like to watch.

Their chemistry was natural and pleasant to see, both actors convey their attraction through their eyes and they're pretty what can I say? (eye-candy + eye contact is THE combo). They managed not to make me cringe (quite the contrary) at interactions that would have made me roll my eyes (like that leaning in thing Li xun was obssessed with?? if not for his beguiling side-profile and charming eyes that would've been a no no) in other dramas and for that I congratulate them. I like relationships which start with bickering so I feel like I'm in the minority that didn't feel bored at all in the first episodes + it was very nice to see them gradually act like a couple before they even made things official.

Also the kisses and intimacy are GREAT yall! Thank the lord.

As for the osts, they are perfect for the drama and quite a few are in my playlist (I'm looking at you hugs in the snow). The cinematography was really good as well!
A con : the quality of the translation wasn't that good, it's a shame because knowing mandarin will make you appreciate this more.

All in all, a memorable drama with more to offer than the cute and simple high-school/uni romance, which made me pick up editing again after years of inactivity. I say if you like the enemies to lovers genre, flirting hidden by bickering, a relationship that develops seamlessly, and characters that are everything for each others, give this drama a chance !

Leggi di Più

Obnoxious male lead beyond redemption

I really wanted to enjoy this drama, but the male lead's behaviour is soo obnoxious that I just can't go on with it anymore; he'd better be freelancing for the rest of his life because no people deserve to deal with such an asshole at work. The fact that the female lead is helplessly swayed by such an obvious walking red flag and tolerates him abusing his classmates made me lose respect for her as well. The only character I'm rooting for is Gao Jian (the SML), but I've a feeling the writers will somehow make him out to be the bad guy, so I think it's best for me to drop the drama here (after 12.5 episodes). The ML's sob story wasn't that impressive either and definitely doesn't justify him being such a bully. Everytime he opens his mouth I seriously want to punch him, I can't even enjoy the "flirting" scenes when all he does is act condescendingly towards the FL.

Leggi di Più

oh my god

this drama is only halfway there but it literally has me giggling and kicking my feet. IT IS THAT GOOD.
the chemistry between the leads is magical and i fall for the ml more and more each minute.
i find the ml's storyline super interesting and i love how much he cares for the fl, even if he tries not to show it as much. its so nice to see how compatible they are with each other!
also it's kinda cool how they were each other's first loves and then meet again in the future once he's out of jail and FALL IN LOVE AGAIN i'm so excited for when that comes
again, chemistry is 12/10
best cdrama i've seen in a whileeee! IM IN LOVE🥹

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EXCELLENT drama, actuel, et surtout avec des acteurs GREAT GREAT !!

Style et réalisation différents des autres dramas (plus actuel, plus occidental).

La tension entre les 2 leads est électrique. Je suis devenue une fan intégrale de ❤❤❤ Chen Fei Yu ❤❤❤ (qui est un acteur génial, tout en sensibilité, en micro-expressions, en regards... et très beau, ce qui ne gâche rien ;) !

Plot : rencontre à la fac, d'un groupe de développeurs, leur évolution, leurs conflits,... avec un génie peu communicatif (qui finit par aller en prison) et une FL très amoureuse (mais qui n'ose pas aller contre l'opposition de sa mère).
Les débuts sont très accrocheurs. La suite devient un peu painfull, mais on reste accrochés par le jeu du CL.
Les personnages sont bien développés, avec des histoires cohérentes et une évolution psychologique convaincante.
Même les OST sont excellentes !!

Je conseille à tous cet EXCELLENT drama, actuel, et surtout avec de grands acteurs, qui n'incarnent pas, mais qui "sont" leur personnage - à tel point qu'on a du mal à les quitter.

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The best of Chen Fei Yu and an Amazing love story of good girl & bad guy

I previously watched Chen Fei Yu and Zhang Jing Yi in other dramas, and I have to say that I did not like the characters they acted in. Gold Panning for him and "Fall in Love" for her.

In Lighter and Princess - they both did a fantastic job, and their on-screen chemistry was so good. Chen Fei Yu acted better than Zhang Jing Yi in this drama. Still, the character she performed in this drama was far more interesting and intelligent.

I like the storyline because I can relate to it since I worked as a software engineer and had come across some raw talents.

Li Xun is one of that genius who is not only smart but also arrogant and dangerous. He meets his match in Zhu Yun, who is innocent yet fearless and challenges him. Their love for each other is genuine, and they challenge each other to be a better person, which is rare to see in Cdrama.

I enjoy this drama very much, and I would give it a 9.0 rating if it were cut short to 30 episodes instead of 36. As such, it was a bit draggy, so I am giving it an 8.5 rating. Chen Fei Yu has the potential to be a great actor in his future career, and the OST is also great.

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