Winter Night (2022)

Honest bits of gold in a sometimes-befuddled narrative

I really wanted to make this spoiler-free as possible, but there are a few spoilers in this review.

Let me start off by saying this is one of those rare drama where I wanted to hug every single one of our core characters for one thing or another, and in all my drama watching days, I truly don't think that has ever happened. These characters felt real and honest, and I truly cared about each of their plights, albeit in varying degrees. This is very much a character-driven drama.

It's also a drama where I found the dialogue to be so vivid in instances that it would immediately evoke images in my mind as if they were polaroid's. For example, in one of the earlier episodes Zheng Da Qian's father used a pancake metaphor to describe the heart. "Our hearts are like pancakes. You need to open it up before it can hold all the fillings (read: feelings) in it."

Or

When Da Qian asked her mother to paint her toes in the dead of winter in thick, thick layers, so much so, that the polish would remain for months after so that every time she looked at her toes she would remember her mother. Absolutely disgusting visual, but oddly sweet.

Or

When Da Qian and Mu Zi Li were talking about them reuniting decades later when they're old and gray and trembling when they got their marriage license. I pictured them with walkers heading into a city hall of sorts lol.

While on the topic of dialogue and the general script, I just need to give a shoutout to how self-aware the script is and how self-aware the screenwriter wrote our two protagonists, Da Qian and Zi Li. This was not a drama where our protagonists expected to change anything for their present or future life. They were completely aware that this was not their world (more Da Qian than Zi Li for the first half of the drama). That in all possibilities, this could very well be a dream, so whether they woke up or returned, nothing would change.

This was a drama about closure for Da Qian and possibly self-discovery for Zi Li. This made watching their actions almost tangible, more so than watching characters in similar dramas who believe that this fantastical thing they're experiencing is real and they can incur changes to their present or future when 99% of the time we as the audience know that it'll end as a dream or coma. This made the situations in this drama that our protagonists, their families, and other characters were in feel much less abstract and rooting for them to overcome obstacles much more tangible.

Speaking of obstacles, for the most part, a fair number of them didn't feel stupid or trivial. In general, this drama wasn't bogged down by problem after problem. The problems that were presented I could understand on some level. I totally understood the confusion Zi Li had about his feelings for "Baihe" Da Qian after his memories returned. I understood why he pulled away because he knew that he was 100% in love with his world's Da Qian. I understood why other characters thought Da Qian was different, but Zi Li, even without his memories, thought that she was the same as always because she was in fact the same Da Qian he's always known. I understood the brief rift between Da Qian and Mi Lan when her dad was taken advantage of even if he played his own part. The way problems were handled with levels of care from not only the scriptwriter, but also the characters, made wading through the problems do-able.

That's another thing, even if there was a problem between characters or obstacles presented, the characters at the core cared about the others. They'll be mad their father was taken advantage of, but they'll make efforts to find a person they hold responsible as a rag-tag group in the middle of the night in a snowstorm. They'll come back home after experiencing what feels like disappointment after disappointment with a husband who won't try, even swearing it's a good thing if something happened to him, after the husband goes missing. They'll continue to put up the ruse with someone who doesn't want them to know they're dying from last-stage prostate cancer because the last thing they need to do is comfort them. Or they'll trudge through a snow-filled forest for hours to find someone they told to find a place and die because it's something they said in he heat of the moment because they've worked their butt off to find them a job they're just willing to throw away. Or they'll ask to forgo chemotherapy to go home because it's hopeless and all they want to do is be with the person they love.

I've watched a ton of dramas in my years, but I don't think I've come across a heroine with such a deep-level of empathy as Zheng Da Qian (at least in the c-dramas that I've watched). She's stubborn, but also empathized with pretty much every character and actively tried to repair relationships that had nothing to really do with her. This drama required a lot of dramatic scenes from Qiao Xin and she did extremely well here. Her crying scenes were so good and so heartbreaking for me. But not just her, everyone had their moments to completely shine and you empathized with all of the core characters. No character was perfect and that's why they felt lived in and resonated with me so well. So much heart this drama had and some truly beautiful moments.

As far as the romance, it was there, it was good, but it never felt like it was at the forefront of the drama so I'm not gonna put it at the forefront of the review. In fact, there were a couple different developments for potential relationships, but that's not really what this drama is about so going into this expecting some grand romantic plot will probably lead to disappointment.

Before I wrap this up, I also appreciated how both Da Qian's changed things for each other, repairing relationships, With this drama it felt like plot points weren't just left hanging in either worlds (even if we spent the majority of out time in the Baihe world). Every plot point got proper endings even if they weren't wrapped up in nice little bows. Not everything in life is wrapped up pretty.

So often fantastical dramas like this fall under the weight of the parameters of the world that they built, but happily, this did not. The ending made sense. Everything must eventually return to its rightful place. This is not a time-travel drama so this is how it got around Chinese censorship and this already puts it ahead of a lot of it's predecessors in my book. The idea of changing things not for you to enjoy the fruits of your labor, but for another you is beautiful.

As far as the befuddled narrative I mentioned at the beginning, I personally didn't care for the plot line with Zheng Da Qian's ex, no matter how brief it was, it was unnecessary imo. Since this is the only thing that I really feel the need to nitpick, this drama did pretty damn well for me. I did struggle with whether or to I wanted to give this drama an 8.5 or 9 rating and I decided to go up to 9 because of how emotionally invested in the characters I was.

This drama has a lot of heart, characters to root for, and it's goddamn funny to boot!

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Heartwarming relationship among friends and family

This is such a rare hidden gem.

I happened to come across this drama while searching for something to watch on WeTV. When I saw the low rating, I almost didn't even want to try. But the two reviews both gave 9.

Qiao Xin's character here reminded me of her role in the Autumn Ballad. Zheng Da Qian was brash and even rude at times, but she does care about her family and her friends. The casting is superb, each character feels so real. The music is simple but really fitting. The meaning of the words really describes the scenes. The sceneries were beautiful. I really love the time they stay at Mi Lan's grandma's house.

If you want to know more about this drama before watching it, you may want to read it here https://inf.news/en/entertainment/228d12095d93e2aef3ebe04557dfe06c.html There are some spoilers in it, thus avoid it if you hate spoilers. For those who are looking for sweet fluffy romance, sorry, this drama may not be for you. This drama is more about friendship and family, and about going back to your hometown and finding out that things were not like how you remember them. It is heartwarming, as well as heartbreaking at times. But all's well that ends well (hint)

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"Swiss Cheese"

This is one of those dramas that reminds me of my childhood when I'd find unmarked DVD's in the back of the library and without knowing it's content have myself a nice movie night without any expectations.

And in a way I think you can only enjoy this drama if you don't have any expectations going into it because it's like swiss cheese.
It has many (plot) holes but it's still good.

What made this drama enjoyable were the following things:
- small province winter setting (not many supporting roles besides the 3 families)
- the story of the three not-so-perfect fathers; each had a touching storyline
- Kido Ma.... honestly this actor makes ANY drama worth watching and his character was the only one that actually made me laugh a few times. For example when he watched his own drama (I don't want to be friends with you) and said he could play that role too! - LOL

What I disliked:
- the FL was written very selfishly and unlikable, but since she's not acting cutesy and cringe it becomes bearable.
- The whole fantasy aspect was unnecessary and even the FL seemed to forget about it within a few episodes.
- The Fact that only the fathers were given a touching storyline and the mothers each had exactly one character trait that they portrayed throughout the drama and that's it.

.... I think it works despite it's flaws because the essence of the story was family reconnection and seeing them (parents) as individual human beings with their own dreams, past regrets and flaws rather than just their parental roles.

Another thing that saved this drama from being a fail is the natural styling, lack of cringe and cutesy acting - the actors and actresses looked good but not idol-like and their modest living conditions as two families under one roof. Not much technology but real human interaction. Although it was supposedly 2018 you could think it was the early 2000s judging by the clothes, interior design and the restaurant styling.

Although lacking in many ways - the natural atmosphere of the drama made it a nice watch that I don't regret.

it truly was like a winter night.
- nothing fancy, maybe a bit sad but also heart warming and at the end you fall asleep with a smile.

PS: the way they wrote in a gay character without getting censored is genius, haha!

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If you are looking for a drama with excellent character building - this is for you

I tuned in this drama for Kido Ma. I think he has to be one of the most charismatic actors going around.
Seriously, how many actors really possess 'natural charisma'? I think like 2-3% the most.

This drama is about the female lead 'Qian Xin' who travels to a parallel universe where everything is reversed.
- Her love interest in universe 2 is actually her best friend, not Kido Ma in Universe 1.
- Her best friend is unsuccessful and single in this new universe compared to successful & married
- Her parents are together but fighting in this new universe compared to divorced & father deceased in Universe 1

Mid-Way through the drama, the Male Lead Kido Ma from Universe 1 eventually does swap with the Kido Ma from the new universe. This new universe is more comical, and characters seem more likeable than those in universe 1. The character building in amazing, the leads both Kido Ma & Qian Xin really do nail it in bridging that connection between all the cast, the cast really does come alive, the events such as few deaths do become emotional and i feel the leads and cast really do nail these scenes.

I feel Qian Xin counterpart from this new universe is irrelevant, when we do see her she doesn't speak. It's like she is only there to be seen not heard. However not the same for Kido Ma in the new universe, sadly he does pass away, felt throughout the drama that both sets of Kido Ma's from both universes did fall for Qian Xin from Universe 1. The second male lead from universe 2 does fall in love with Qian Xin from Universe 2, doesnt matter. I can accept this outcome as its really Qian Xin from Universe 1 that the audience falls for....

This drama is beautiful, you will get emotional and invested in these characters.... Major difference in your investment in the leads from both universes....
Female Lead 'Qian Xin' from Universe 1 you will connect with her 100% over the 'Qian Xin' from Universe 2
Male Lead 'Kido Ma' from Universe 2 you will connect with him 60/40 over Kido Ma from Universe 1 however you will still accept both, you will still get emotional when Kido from Universe 2 passes away

I recommend you watch it, yes you will get confused at some point when watching.

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Meeh

The characters and friendships in this drama are lovely but the story is draggy, boring, inconsistent, badly wrapped and makes no sense what so ever.

While some of the twists are more predictable than others, and I will give them that I did not expect one of the twists at all most of the twist where not very interesting, actually the story here is just meeh with never ending healing schenes.

For those of you who enjoy healing , missed opportunities getting in touch with ones feelings mumbo jumbo this might just do the trick for you, it is also a drama that should work for those who do not really care about logic as long as the characters are sweet.

It is a lso a C with very little propaganda in which is kind of nice. But while the characters are lovable most of the time, they are supposed to be almost 30 but act and give of the vibe of 10-20 year olds...

For those who need some kind of consistency, logic and story, I say walk away there is little to nothing to see here.

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Characters and plot are hit and miss

The chemistry between the two leads is probably the best I've ever seen in a Chinese drama/movie. They do both the "bickering" and the "romantic" scenes very, very well. Much of the younger supporting cast as well as Mu Zili's parents have strong character development. This blend lended to some great comedic and dramatic moments in the series. And bonus: awesome accordion playing.

The downsides are that there are too many "running away" or "someone getting serious hurt/ill" type of scenes and some of the older men are annoyingly angry and/or manipulative.

Overall, I would recommend this series to most anyone. I wish that they would make a part 2 which explores what was going on in the original universe (and perhaps a part 3 covering what happened in Mu Zili's life while he was still in the parallel universe without Daqian).

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Soap opera for those peeking into middle aged family stories

This started off on a thumping note on romance and time travel.
Then the drudgery of filling 24 episodes sets in and the story drags you into the depths of marital woes of the families.
Its not interesting, too detailed on the minute relationship especially of the FL's parents. Makes you squirm because it almost feels like reality of every family around you.

It had hope.......and that dwindled fast.
Some missing gaps, not enough chemistry nor heartburn.
tear jerker for no reason.
There were other couples who could have gotten more screen time.
Not sure if the FL s mother is a big star or something but she got a lot of show time and every time she came on screen, I hit the forward button.
Just to much screaming and shouting and mundane nonsense.

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It has time travel element but the plot is too dull and too boring to continue wasting my time.

Initially, I was not interested in watching "Winter Night" since there was nothing too exciting going on in Cdrama after Hidden Love (which I love), so I decided to try this drama. I have watched 12 episodes on Prime Video. I was so disappointed with the plot, and this was not the best drama for Qiao Xin (Bridgette Qiao). The character she played in this role was not good, and it downgraded her acting ability.

I liked her better in previous dramas like (The Autumn Balad, Dream Garden, You Complete Me, and The Ordinary Glory). Still, I did not like her character Zheng Da Qian in this drama.

Her onscreen chemistry with Kiddo Ma was not good because I don't like his character either. It is time travel, but it was confusing, and too much dysfunctional going on between her and her friends and family that it was hard to watch.

I am dropping it and giving it a 4.5 rating. I can no longer stand to continue to watch the same bickering that is going on in each episode.

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