Draagon
台灣(Taiwan)
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Good Idea, Lackluster Execution
For me, this drama was the definition of normal; an ordinary, long drawn-out "meh." It had some interesting ideas and really, really tried to drive home its theme of exploring how to move on from past pain without ignoring or forgetting the events themselves, but the way it did so was very lackluster and bland for the most part. It actually reminded me a lot of the k-drama Gentleman's Dignity -- a drama I hated with a vicious passion -- so... that was... fun. Thankfully, it wasn't quite as irredeemable as that (black) gem. Admittedly, I also have a bit of a soft spot for dramas that deal with publishing and authorship, which is another reason why I could hold in there for so long as well.
To start, I really liked the main female lead, Ming Tian Ai. She was adorable and had a good head on her shoulders -- she was hurt in the past, but she was always trying to deal with her problems in the most mature way she could and was truly trying to grow as a person. For the exact opposite reasons, I disliked the male lead Liu Wan Biao for the majority of the drama. He had his good scenes, but he was just too immature for me in the end. I also think this particular actor was the wrong choice for this character because he tended to exacerbate his childish tendency more than the script called for. His supposed "character growth" was more said than seen. Characters would observe how much he had changed, but it was hard to notice from a viewer's perspective because he kept making the. Same. Exact. Mistakes again and again. I sympathized with his back story, but it wasn't enough to make the present-him likeable.
The second main couple was my favorite part of watching for a good part of the first half. Liu Shu Hong who played Zhang Shao Yang was a little off-putting, though, as throughout the drama he just seemed so incredibly bored. I don't know what was going on with him, but his acting chops were straight sleeping for this one. Xiao Wen's arc was good in the beginning but then lost steam after they cut the second couple's scenes to make room for the main couple's drama. They definitely got the short end of the stick. I overall liked their relationship more than the main one, but it also went from boiling hot to ice cold interesting-wise in the blink of an eye.
The third main couple was a bit of a head-scratcher, as there was practically no lead-up or tension in their relationship. They kinda-sorta disliked each other, had one "moment" together, then suddenly they were just... done. Destined to be together or something. There was no rising action or climax, just point, shoot, and click. Who knows if they're actually compatible? They never had an actual meaningful conversation with each other to tell.
Finally, the fourth couple had like thirty minutes total of screentime, so there's really not much to say. They were just there for extra drama on the side and to showcase Yi Chan Liang's absolute beauty. There was nothing really explored or talked about for this relationship. It was like air, blowing nothing around for a while then brushed aside without leaving any memorable traces.
My absolute favorite character was the therapist, Cai Zhi Yuan, who was only in three episodes, but to me was the epitome of how a love interest should act. He showed his interest, and then respectfully back away when it wasn't reciprocated, no harm no foul. I wish we had seen more of him, to be honest.
To sum up, I thought the plot had some good ideas behind it, and when they were dealing with the main theme of moving on from a heart-breaking past that can't be healed, only accepted, it was pretty good. The family scenes in particular were touching and meaningful. Unfortunately, most of the characters were either unlikeable, totally bland, or nowhere near developed enough. Basically, this drama was like a pot of water sitting on a broken stove. Sometimes, there'd be a spark and the water would start boiling so it could make something delicious, then the gas would cut out again and it'd go back to its original form -- just a pot of still water without any action.
To start, I really liked the main female lead, Ming Tian Ai. She was adorable and had a good head on her shoulders -- she was hurt in the past, but she was always trying to deal with her problems in the most mature way she could and was truly trying to grow as a person. For the exact opposite reasons, I disliked the male lead Liu Wan Biao for the majority of the drama. He had his good scenes, but he was just too immature for me in the end. I also think this particular actor was the wrong choice for this character because he tended to exacerbate his childish tendency more than the script called for. His supposed "character growth" was more said than seen. Characters would observe how much he had changed, but it was hard to notice from a viewer's perspective because he kept making the. Same. Exact. Mistakes again and again. I sympathized with his back story, but it wasn't enough to make the present-him likeable.
The second main couple was my favorite part of watching for a good part of the first half. Liu Shu Hong who played Zhang Shao Yang was a little off-putting, though, as throughout the drama he just seemed so incredibly bored. I don't know what was going on with him, but his acting chops were straight sleeping for this one. Xiao Wen's arc was good in the beginning but then lost steam after they cut the second couple's scenes to make room for the main couple's drama. They definitely got the short end of the stick. I overall liked their relationship more than the main one, but it also went from boiling hot to ice cold interesting-wise in the blink of an eye.
The third main couple was a bit of a head-scratcher, as there was practically no lead-up or tension in their relationship. They kinda-sorta disliked each other, had one "moment" together, then suddenly they were just... done. Destined to be together or something. There was no rising action or climax, just point, shoot, and click. Who knows if they're actually compatible? They never had an actual meaningful conversation with each other to tell.
Finally, the fourth couple had like thirty minutes total of screentime, so there's really not much to say. They were just there for extra drama on the side and to showcase Yi Chan Liang's absolute beauty. There was nothing really explored or talked about for this relationship. It was like air, blowing nothing around for a while then brushed aside without leaving any memorable traces.
My absolute favorite character was the therapist, Cai Zhi Yuan, who was only in three episodes, but to me was the epitome of how a love interest should act. He showed his interest, and then respectfully back away when it wasn't reciprocated, no harm no foul. I wish we had seen more of him, to be honest.
To sum up, I thought the plot had some good ideas behind it, and when they were dealing with the main theme of moving on from a heart-breaking past that can't be healed, only accepted, it was pretty good. The family scenes in particular were touching and meaningful. Unfortunately, most of the characters were either unlikeable, totally bland, or nowhere near developed enough. Basically, this drama was like a pot of water sitting on a broken stove. Sometimes, there'd be a spark and the water would start boiling so it could make something delicious, then the gas would cut out again and it'd go back to its original form -- just a pot of still water without any action.
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