The Forbidden Flower (2023)

Definition of Love - A classic for all times.

This story started out as one that a viewer would ordinarily tend to reject. This very pretty young girl pursuing a strange older man after what she feels while her hair is being shampooed. The pursuit was relentless and mindless and initially began to turn me off because of the obvious age difference. The visuals appeared to be a teenager pursuing an old man. However, each episode debunked this visual and made the viewer feel the growth of a true relationship only tarnished by "other" women who desired this extremely handsome man and had no qualms about showing their desire.

Not a unique story but the story is told with musical interludes and English lyrics that were integrated magnificently into scenes and scene changes. Without looking at the scream you felt emotion. Without reading the lyrics you felt emotions. This is the first time I felt the music was the drama and the drama was integrated and woven into the fabric and tones of the music.

Each episode became more and more addictive as the introduction of additional storylines and scenes and locations was shown. The most memorable and award-winning scenes were from the Qiang province. The village, the people, the love, and the commitment to love were just awe-inspiring.

I would watch this drama again and again except for the illness of the FL (my sis died from this diagnosis) and it was painful to watch her go through the struggles of illness. The uplifting part of this drama is asking yourself - what is love? The answer can be easily found in this drama. A must-watch and definitely my top ten modern drama in the past 10 years.

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THIS IS FREAKING GOOD... Not typical C-drama... NO REGRET FROM START TO END

This drama is totally a new and feel fresh among typical C-drama... The script, the cinematography, OSTs, The Casts, the chemistry between leads everything are so perfect. Love every details...... Give big claps to scriptwriter and director... they really did a great job for this masterpiece except many many uncut scenes (this is really bad). The leads how they portrayed each characters to fit in, just wow! I can't imagine with Xiao Han and He Ran if not Jerry Yan and Xu Ruo Han pairs... you may think the age gap before you watched... but after you watched it, you won't even remember... Sure you won't regret to watch... 101% Recommended!!!

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Uma verdadeira jóia encontrada!

Sinceramente, esse drama excedeu as minhas expectativas. Quando eu comecei a assistir não tinha ideia de que havia encontrado uma jóia!

Se destaca entre todos os outros dramas, um dos melhores!

- Cinematografia
Desde o início eu percebi que a fotografia, a filmagem e direção não eram só mais do mesmo ou qualquer coisa. Eles acertaram em cheio! Sabiam o que tinham que fazer e o fizeram com excelência. Todo o conceito das cenas é muito bem explorado nos envolvendo na história profundamente e marcando uma identidade própria no drama. Desde a abertura e todo o clima de vila China anos 90, a forma como as cenas são filmadas, a forma como tudo é feito para nos passar o sentimento da cena, nos faz compreender e amar o conceito dessa obra. Envolvente e viciante, é muito talento envolvido.

Esse não é só mais um drama para entreter as massas, é artístico. Parabéns aos diretores e a todos os envolvidos!

- História
Não sei como vou assistir outra coisa agora sem comparar com o quão profundo e tocante foi esse drama. É tudo muito bem colocado e explorado, e não há aqueles momentos que às vezes encontramos em outras obras em que olhamos e pensamos "Nossa que tosco", e eu me senti aliviada por isso. O que me pegou muito desde o primeiro episódio é que tudo é passado de uma forma que entendemos e sentimos muito bem a história que os personagens estão vivendo, parecendo até que estamos passando por isso junto com eles. É incrível como em todos os episódios eu sentia borboletas no estômago e diversas emoções. Ao longo dos episódios felizmente não encontramos clichês toscos sem sentido ou mal construídos, é tudo abordado de forma inteligente, profunda e equilibrada entre a ficção e a realidade. Obviamente não vou falar o que acontece no final, só direi que se você está com receio de assistir por conta dele, não tenha medo! É feliz e lindo apesar de abrir espaço para interpretações sobre o que aconteceu, eu sou uma pessoa que odeia final triste e felizmente não passei por esse problema em The Forbidden Flower. Esse drama vale muito a pena.


- Personagens
Os personagens foram escritos de forma muito bem construída e inteligente. Realmente parecem pessoas reais, tomando atitudes de pessoas reais e que podemos compreender bem. Essa é a primeira vez que eu fico tão satisfeita com uma protagonista feminina, geralmente, em outros dramas elas sempre possuem uma característica ou outra que acho irritante, chata ou cansativa. Mas a protagonista Hu Ran me impressionou pelas sua inteligência, sagacidade, persistência, força, coragem e vontade de viver. Ela sabe o que quer e irá atrás disso. O que me impressionou pois ela é tão jovem e por certas circunstâncias não teve tanto contato com o mundo, e mesmo assim é tão madura nesses aspectos, mais tarde eu entendi que o que ela passou a fez crescer mais forte. Além disso ela fugiu completamente do clichê de protagonista bobinha e ingênua. Ela se tornou minha protagonista feminina favorita!

O protagonista masculino Xiao Han é extremamente interessante e cativante, me capturou por completo desde o início. Desde a sua caracterização, comportamento, sua vida, sua personalidade e o mistério que ele exala. Me tornei obcecada em conhecer cada vez mais sobre ele junto com a Hu Ran. Além disso, o seu coração íntegro e suas virtudes são admiráveis. Ele é uma pessoal fiel e amável, além de ser muito forte e ter muito respeito pelos outros.

Hu Ran e Xiao Han se deram tão bem, mas tão bem como casal que era lindo de ser ver. Além disso a química e a dinâmica entre eles foi simplesmente insana! Muitas "Borboletas no estômago", o amor deles é admirável.


- Atores/Atuação
Fiquei impressionada com o quão boa era a atuação desse elenco, muito satisfatório! Eu espero que os atores me façam acreditar que a história é real, que eles dêem vida aos personagens e me levem para outro mundo. Os atores fizeram um ótimo trabalho ao encarnar os personagens.

Me tornei fã da atriz Ruohan Xu que atuou o papel da protagonista. Foi tão satisfatório e credível a forma que ela encarnou a personagem que me peguei diversas vezes repetindo as cenas para ver novamente sua atuação, ela é realmente talentosa e fez um excelente trabalho em interpretar a personagem.

Jerry Yan foi magnífico ao dar vida ao personagem! Não consigo imaginar qualquer outro ator no lugar dele. Era simplesmente cativante e viciante toda vez que ele aparecia, eu sentia um furacão de emoções junto com a protagonista. A forma com ele atuou o protagonista masculino também foi um dos grandes motivos de eu gostar tanto desse drama. Espero que futuramente Jerry Yan e Ruohan Xu realizem diversos outros trabalhos pois eles foram magníficos. Além disso a atuação como casal deu mais que certo, foi apaixonante e arrebatador.

Também fiquei impressionada com a atuação de Huang Yi no papel da mãe poderosa de Hu Ran. Ela é extremamente talentosa e era perfeita para o papel, uma atuação marcante e fabulosa.


- OST
Eu simplesmente estou obcecada com está OST e escuto todo dia. Eu esperava tudo menos uma OST como essa! Me pegou completamente desprevenida e elevou as cenas a outro nível transcendente. Essas músicas foram perfeitas para seus propósitos, passando muito bem o humor de The Forbidden Flower e me levaram a outro mundo, eu tive sentimentos que nem sabia que era capaz de sentir. Geralmente nos dramas tem cerca de duas ou três músicas que se destacam como as melhores entre as outras, mesmo quando toda a trilha sonora é muito boa. Porém, na OST desse drama várias músicas se destacaram fortemente de tão boas que são, eu simplesmente não consigo escolher uma favorita. Só quero ficar o dia inteiro escutando essas músicas e tenho certeza que não vou enjoar.


Agora não sei como vou assistir qualquer outra coisa sem comparar com The Forbidden Flower. Eu simplesmente quero que todos os diretores, roteiristas, artistas e responsáveis por cada parte da produção desse drama se juntem novamente e façam um drama tão bom com The Forbidden Flower. Por favor, ouçam esse humilde pedido de todos os fãs de The Forbidden Flower!

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Age gap romance done sexy & right!

I started this drama to take a break from complicated ones. After a few eps I was like damn this one's really interesting. At first, the girl pursuing XH from the first time she saw him was a question for many. I grasped it like, as someone who was practically caged and controller all the time, she had to hide her desires and stuff. But when she met XH she liked how XH washed her hair, touched her ear(which was sensitive for her) and she got tempted by it (her dream the following day). I think that's the reason she goes after XH and she knows she may have limited time so she pursues what she likes. Also Considering the age gap I really appreciate how XH handled it. Being a man he resisted all the time. But damn when he's not resisting that's too hot 😜. The only concern I had was why she started ignoring him when from day 1 she knew she may not make it. That's not practical or ethical to make him fall for you and then abandon him in the name of not hurting him by letting him see your true self. But other than it was a wholesome drama. Really like the side story of her mother, even though she's a mother she's still a woman who went through a lot. Also, I guess this one's a HE considering the numerous hints they gave at the last second. Also, the village setting and showing their culture made this drama significant from the rest of the modern C-dramas. I'm not a re-watcher but would definitely re-watch this! 💗

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Not easy review

It is never easy to do a review on one of your favorite actors' dramas, in this case Kido Ma without biases but I will do my best.... I will be unpopular for some, however i like to think I am a minority, so my opinion is mine only and carries little overall weight.... Ok, I still gave it a high score based that I finished the drama, these days trust me, I dropped just as many as I finish so if I finish the drama deserves a higher score.

What worked in this drama? I think the second lead pairing of the mother and the younger guy worked perfectly. I think the acting by the entire cast worked well..... i think the settings being simple helped!

What lost minimal marks - I think the overall engagement the leads had with the viewers i felt lost marks. This is a just a blue lagoon type romance, but to some degree i felt it watching those movies. I didn't feel it with these leads. Usually, a drama leaves me wanting to see more from actors/actresses, wasn't feeling it.... I have seen plenty of Jerry Yan anyway....

Kido Ma, tough one. Obviously, he didn't win the girl. Did it matter for me as I am a fan of his? Not really....
Was she the girl worth fighting for? My answer is for Jerry Yan 'YES', for Kido Ma 'NO'..... Many people don't know this however these dramas are designed to have no conclusion, to open up the door for more dramas, this drama is perfect example of an incomplete ending which I find 90% of dramas fall into....

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This is one of the best series I’ve seen, the casting was phenomenal, both main leads played their roles to perfection, the plot was straight forward and easy to follow, and not at all cliche or generic. The cinematography and the storytelling was also very well done, honestly 10/10 for everyone that worked on this project, I can tell they put their heart and souls into this piece. And the music! God you’ll find yourself unable to wait for the next masterpiece to blast through your screen, and if it’s not blasting the first time you watch this drama, I can guarantee the second time you will be listening to it on the loudest volume possible. (And I say second time because if you watched it once, you’ll definitely watch it again, I found myself skipping back so that I could experience each scene again, again and again. that’s how good this drama is, and the chemistry between the leads! Let’s not start on that or I’ll never finish writing this review!) Each song was carefully selected so that it fits each scene, characters and setting perfectly. For example I can’t stop thinking about the scene in Ep 1, the first scene where we actually meet Xiao Han whilst He Ran is searching for the mysterious man who left an impression on her. Grasshopper from Half Time Of Heart is playing in the background and it’s honestly the most fitting song for Xiao Hans character. Liao has truly outdone himself playing him, and I could say the same for all the actors and actresses, Xu Ruo for example is so easy to love and you just can’t help but root for her. I can say without an ounce of doubt, if you do watch this you’ll enjoy it. I’m glad I came across it. :)

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Sweet. Romantic. Steamy.

Given the steamy trailers, this drama is surprisingly sweet and full of warmth and charm. The gorgeous coastal scenery and the laidback beach vibe are like a vacation getaway for us the audience. The OSTs are great—some slow and sultry, others fun and upbeat. The actors are all knocking it out of the park. The visuals are top-tier. It’s a pretty drama to watch with its stunning cinematography, stunning native costumes, and stunning people. Jerry Yan’s undeniable sex appeal has us swooning, but his character Xiao Han’s calm demeanor, sincerity and gentleness are what moves our heart. Actress Xu Ruohan’s unwavering confidence in the face of such a seasoned, handsome man and her mastery of the playful character, He Ran, are truly admirable. She’s young, but she’s holding her own well. She unabashedly pursues that gorgeous man. And, the sensible, responsible ML tries to push her away, but he finds himself smiling constantly, involuntarily, at her antics as if he just can’t help succumbing to her charms. We, the audience, can’t either! Their chemistry is both adorable and smoking hot. Really enjoying this! Just disappointed the drama’s final edit deleted some of the hottest and best scenes (ep 9 for example). You can find them if you search hard though.

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One of the Amazing Dramas i watched till now !!

I found out Those who had bad reviews on this Drama .... On the main Leads Age gap i don't think its necessary ... Because the Male lead looks quite young ..... Usually he doesn't seem like 40's .... Actually he looks so young .... Nd quite looks handsome frm his previous dramas ... This drama is actually quite unique and very intersting frm the begining when i started watching it.... Both are compatible actually ....His side looks are damn gorgeous in this drama.... ❤❤ Really love it .... In My P.O.V we don't focus on their real age but pay attention to the work they done .... Nd i don't think its a quite big deal about age etc ... He is suitable and worthy on this character... ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

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From the very first scene, you’d know you’re in for a very different cdrama vibes and within ten minutes, you’d be treated with a very artistic visuals and auditory feels. This will continue throughout the drama and will only get better in every episode.

The best thing about the drama is no doubt the chemistry between the two leads. They absolutely sell the “forbidden” love really well. Like most forbidden love stories, it is usually all-consuming flames and you see that with how Jerry Yan and Xu RuoHan interpreted their roles. Whenever they look at each other, tease each other, small touches and especially intimate scenes, there was no awkwardness at all and you definitely would believe you are seeing Xiao Han and He Ran.

All the casts delivered their acts perfectly - most notable is He Ran mom/Qiu JiaRong - Huang Yi. In the drama, I think she had to give the most range of emotions - protective mother and anxiety-driven widow to a woman who is on the verge of finding a new dreamy love.

As for the cons, editing has its goofs but the most obvious flaws are its lack of characterization and underdeveloped storylines. Han Yu and Xiao Han suffered here the most. Han Yu was sidelined as nothing as comic relief until the very last episode while you will keep waiting for Xiao Han to get this big background story but nothing was ever explained properly. Instead we get side characters from him that came in and out without real impact like QuanQuan and QinZao. I should not compare drama with the book but if they did not plan for QuanQuan storyline to be same as her(his in book) then maybe they should have done away with her suddenly appearing and disappearing in the story. As for Qin Zao - maybe they were tried of ex-lovers appearing to bring complications so they chose to make her sister to Xiao Han’s ex instead but her appearance was again a problem as it did not add any depth to Xiao Han’s character. I prefer drama Xiao Han(obviously kinder and more responsible than book) but at least book Xiao Han, I knew him more and I know by the end, he had grown as a character and as a man.

Overall it is a great and definitely memorable drama. Directors deserved kudos for art and feelings translated to film medium. Music scoring a top tier. Lastly, a big salute to all actors!

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Wonderful!
I just don't give it a 10 because of the ending. ( lt's not exactly a sad ending... )
Despite some nonsensical parts...

lt has a very beautiful story around gardening and an ML with an unimaginable character and personality.

ML is one of the most wonderful personality MLs that ever appeared in dramas. Kind, patient, compassionate, loyal, faithful, sweet, passionate, warm ( and hot), SUPER responsible, gentle, humble, noble, committed and generous...
A personality quite similar to ML from hotel del luna

FL despite having some flaws was also had a wonderful and courageous personality...

I believe that this is one of the few dramas where there were two main protagonists with the most indescribably passionate and wonderful personalities.

Really a shame the ending was sooooo dry...

The drama makes us really want to be a better person!!!!

The music is also beautiful...

[ SPOlLER ]

The only flaw is the ending where she comes back was so short.
It took away almost all the emotion it should have.

[SPOlLER END]

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Usual story but the songs are awesome

It is a love story totally love story and has some emotional scene. They were the songs of the drama and the acting of Jerry yan which hold the story .
I really not understand the female character part as she knew that she was ill then why she forced him to love . I didn't know that she was already ill before meet him or after .
If she was already ill before meet him so it would be better to have one sided love . And if she was ill after meet him so she should tell him but she just left him because she didn't want him to be sad but then why she came to him and spend some days with him and asked for his forgiveness and then after spending a night she left him . Then after one year she came to him and said him that she didn't like if some other woman said his name and she tried to stay beside him , actually what she wants that not clear she wants him or it is better to leave him .
At the end he knew about her illness and accepted her .
Yes ,story has sad ending . Story could be better. I watched this drama because of the male lead and the songs.

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