40somethingahjumma

@IpohBanana @SilverMoonTea

It's a light (and predictable) watch admittedly but surprisingly I'm enjoying it. It's kind of fun actually. Sometimes I can watch trashy dramas with unseemly glee. This seems to be one of those.

I'm enjoying watching the older brother Xizhou spiralling over to the dark side and I love hating on the meddlesome mother. At least in this show people's bad decisions come to bite them... hard.

22 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

 

 

Anyway, I kinda read a synopsis of the novel. ## spoiler potential ahead ## It seems that Qiqi's heart is more towards Zhang Jun, but looks like they will not end up together because there will be another girl, Guan He. And eventually, it is Xiao Bo who will be there for Qiqi.

I kind of suspected that because he's second billed and they have a lot of deep discussions but so far he seems to be brotherzoned. He also kind of looks noticeably older than her. I feel like he looks a bit too old to be playing Xiaobo. From what I've gathered from online chatter elsewhere, it does seem like he might be the endgame although I've heard the novel has an open ending.

Ah... it's on Prime. Definitely do-able at some stage. Have to see if the dumb dad shtick gets old.

The child actors are very good especially the kid who plays younger Qiqi. I remember her from Hidden Love. Definitely a star in the making.

I'm really enjoying this. Qiqi is very relatable and her struggles tug at the heartstrings. It touches a nerve here and there. But I'm really drawn into all of their struggles and stories.

I have no idea who she ends up with but her chemistry with the lad that plays Zhang Jun is fantastic. It's probably the actor.

It does remind me a little of Anne of Green Gables.

This final third of the year is really making up for the lacklustre first two-thirds.

Episode 15 was particularly weirdly cut. Probably the fingerprint of the censorship -- the reason why it took them 2 years to get this on the streaming platform. I think this show has suffered from being heavily censored. For instance Country M (bad English, bad ADR, dubbing issues). I'm not surprised if they've had to reshoot scenes to comply with censors.

Anyway I'm okay with the show. It's not going to win any awards. And for a soap opera, the characters are at least properly fleshed out. I still don't like the mother but at least I understand where she's coming from.

I saw this on Viki but I'm now watching 3 C dramas including My Journey To You and Parallel World plus DP 2.

I am all drama-out at this point. 

I'm fond of Zhao Jinmai though. Will put it on my watchlist. It has similar beats to an older C drama about two women who grew up together.

None of the trailers posted here seem to work for me. Here's one that works.

@SilverMoonTea

It's just promotional material for the drama -- a teaser with some basic information about the show

It starts with the leads pointing to their character names "Zhu Jiu" and "Fu Yunshen".

Then in the next sequence the wording above her is "perfect male god" and above him is "stuck-up handsome businessman"

In the third set of writing above her is "blunt sweet doctor" and above him is "perfect goddess"

In the fourth set, the title above her means "rivals/enemies inevitably cross paths" and above him is "can't give out spoilers"

In the fifth set,  the words are "little wolfhound" and "Fu Yunshen"

Then it's back to both their character names Zhu Jiu and Fu Yunshen where they point at each other with hearts.

Then it ends with "Watch South Wind Knows"... "After work watch South Wind Knows"

On 9/16/2023 at 2:25 PM, SilverMoonTea said:

This drama actually a bit badly written. I'm not sure how long I can stay just because the pair and my CY... 

It's a fairly generic plot but I'm finding it generally watchable.

15 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

@40somethingahjumma @Chocolate @peperomia

I loved all 14 episodes of this show. What was so good was how there was growth for the leads even after they got together. Their love grew in tandem with their careers and perspective about life. I loved that it wasn't a conflict free relationship (which is extremely realistic) because how can it be when you have two different individuals who have come together with their own set of values. experiences etc. But through it all , they always talked it out. How refreshing to have a drama where there were no stupid misunderstandings , no break-up tropes. The leads didn't make assumptions about the other, giving the other person the benefit of the doubt. They didn't remove each other's agency and always sought to see the other's person's POV once they were a couple. Though pre-relationship, the heat was sizzling, I appreciate that once they got together  their romance was so still so sweet.

 

Haha. I knew you'd like it. I wasn't sure about anyone else but in your case, I was pretty certain that you'd not only appreciate the backdrop but also the banter. This is why I said previously that I'm going to have a tough time with other romance centric dramas down the line. If it's possible to do a good romance show in under 15 episodes why don't they do it more often? 

For me the biggest strength of this show is how it handles the dating period. That's the test of a good script. The build up is great and the flirtation is fun but often things start to go awry in the writing when the couple comes together. And thankfully it is handled deftly and maturely here. There's also a lot of humour to be found in the post-transition period where they're trying to juggle their work commitments with dating. I really enjoy seeing potential rivals try and insert themselves into the leads' relationship and get roasted for it. Watching her first crush get his ego deflated was a hoot. And the way she takes him down a notch or two after all that gaslighting... perfect.

This show boasts of one of the best proposal scenes I've seen. There's no fanfare. No cheesy prep with cakes, balloons and rose petals. Just honest to goodness heartfelt declarations with a tiny bit of misdirection. I appreciate how the friendship/couple ring becomes a motif that signals milestones in their relationship. Instead of searching for one's soulmate, it's more realistic to learn to become the other's "one and only " by learning to accommodate which they learnt to do.

The finale is the best one for a romance that I've seen in a while. I hate last minute separation tropes that seem to be the staple of C and K dramas often for no apparent reason except to maintain tension through artificial uncertainty. Here we see the main pairing learning to navigate difficult times and incompatible schedules together which is a much more realistic way of dealing with potential dangers to a fledgling relationship.

Glad you enjoyed it too @peperomia and thought it worth your while. I see that they've dropped all the episodes for My Journey to You.

Looks like tragedy strikes early

17 hours ago, Chocolate said:

I'm trying ep1 of Siege in Fog but his hairstyle is awful and voice is dubbed 😭

 

I don't recommend any of his other dramas because they tend to be over long. I've been struggling with The Secret of Three Kingdoms and that's a period in Chinese history that I love. 

This is definitely his best drama. If you want to watch Siege in the Fog, you should just go to YouTube and watch fanmade compilations or MVs. The push and pull goes on forever and then when things work out between them, doggy poop hits the ceiling.

Previews

Yeah... not bad although it has a B movie feel. As expected it is a trope fest but not as insufferable as My Dear Guardian. That was painful to watch. This on the other hand is a lot of fun.

I'm mainly watching it for the leads and their chemistry which I enjoyed in Stand By Me.

It's finally here indeed. 

2 hours ago, Chocolate said:

Hahaha @40somethingahjumma I've just finished 8. That bridge scene was something. I love that he is so direct.

 

Now starting 9.

 

14 episodes is beginning to feel like too short! 😂

 

He sure has some moves. Plan B did yield the desired result. ;)

It's a bumpy transition from "friendship" to "dating". But there's no doubting he is a smooth operator when he wants to be. "Maybe I just want your heart."

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

This is put in the watch list. I'm still trying to catch up. 🥹

 

I never thought one day I'll be in a situation where I'm behind dramas. My track record was so good until this year where I either fall asleep while watching or I have difficulty finding the mood to watch.

Spending some Me time is precious too. I see this drama gives you some enjoyment so I think you are making good use of your precious time.

 

It's not been a particularly good year for C dramas although the second half of the year has seen better K dramas. Join in the conversation when you get the chance to finally watch this.

@Chocolate If you really want to be spoiled. Under tags... clips from Episodes 8 and 9

4 hours ago, peperomia said:

I’ve only gotten to half of episode 3 so far. Just wanted to say I like Ziquan’s thoughtfulness of his subordinates. He seems to hustle hard for the company to make the investment deals with the wellbeing of his team in mind. If the company does well, it means no layoffs etc. His team’s jobs are safe and that’s what’s important to him. Going back to the intro where he got a blanket for Tang Ying during their flight, it might’ve seemed like a flirtatious move coming from a stranger, but as we get to know him better, I think he was just being kind. Also, when he bumped into Tang Ying in front of her apartment building, he had walked her sister home from their second “date”. By that point, he knew the sister was not for him, yet he still walked her home. Most guys would simply split at the end of date and head their separate ways. So, he was a gentleman to walk her sister home as an acquaintance/friend. He's a great guy...good-hearted and a straight shooter. I especially like that he's open about himself with Tang Ying. I hope to see her warm up to him.

 

 

 

 

The sister seems superficial in terms of what she finds are important qualities in a man. She says she's looking for a long-term relationship that will lead to marriage, but I personally think she judges a man too quickly on what he can offer based on the surface of a first date. I knew the man from the park was actually rich. I can't tell if he took her on a simple date to test her or if he was merely being himself.

For me the leads are decent people trying to get ahead in their profession through hard work. Not necessarily perfect in everything but they don't operate on the level of trickery or deception that others do in the name of survival. We respect them because they try their best without resorting to underhanded methods that some of their rivals do. I find myself liking Ziquan a lot which is why objectively I just don't see why he should be saddled with the "player" tag just because he is active in the dating scene. Despite being somewhat disillusioned with past encounters, the fact that he is still meeting women despite mismatched interactions means that he is genuinely looking for someone with shared values and goals to spend his life with. Is he really worse than any other guy who hangs out at bars picking up women? Because how people are in the workplace will inevitably reveal themselves in a dating relationship.

I'm of the view that Tang Ying often says things she doesn't quite believe herself because she doesn't know what to make of Ziquan. He's charming enough to be attractive and dangerous. But the fact that she's kind of willing to go along with the initial friendship status suggests that she's attracted but wary. She's obviously testing the waters and pushing his buttons to see how much of her pettiness he's willing to tolerate.

1 hour ago, Chocolate said:

 

And someone, please tell me that there will be a hot steamy kiss (not those peckish type) and which episode is that!

 

Oh yes. It's Elvis Han we're talking about. 

1 hour ago, Chocolate said:

This drama is so good. It's been a long while (if ever), that I have watched a romance where 2 people communicate so well. His 眼神 is killing me too.

This drama is ruining other dramas for me.

I was very reluctant to start this one generally because of Ahn Hyeo-seop. I'm not a fan. But I finished the Taiwanese version last week and I was a little curious about how this one plays out. I also didn't realise that Kang Hoon plays the Mo Junjie character in this. From what I've seen so far it looks to be a very faithful adaptation of the OG. So faithful that it invites comparisons immediately. 

First impressions: Jeon Yeon-bin is good in the dual role. But the adaptation lacks the idiosyncratic energy of the Taiwanese version largely because Greg Xu is much more gregarious. Patrick Shi is also more expressive. The acting of the guys in the OG is better and they're more appealing.

8 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

@40somethingahjumma I’m here because I’m squealing & laughing at the entire Friendship rings scenario in eps 3 and 4 . He was so serious about it that it would seem like a crime if she doesn’t wear it.  But honestly who gives friendship rings ??? 🤣🤣🤣. I can understand why she won’t wear it ..,loads of questions will be thrown her way . 
 

Anyway I’m so glad they are working on a project together providing plenty of opportunities for them to become closer. These two have insane chemistry @peperomia- every moment they have almost physical contact is sexy with a capital S 🔥🔥.  I’m in no rush for them to be an item simply because I’m enjoying this “ friendship flirting “ 😝😝.
 

 

The rings are very well used all throughout the show. And I emphasize "all throughout".

I think it shows too that Ziquan is already quite serious about Tang Ying but he doesn't want to scare her away until he is sure himself that she's someone that's different to him than all the other women he's known. He wants to keep her close but he's well aware that she's nervous about him. It's his way of delineating how important she is to him because as @Chocolate has noted and he says himself, he is quite willing to have a dating relationship with her anytime she's willing.

The chemistry is really off the charts.

10 hours ago, peperomia said:

I watched the first 2 episodes. They’re so fiery together. So, is their love language sharing perfume? I liked that she took it personally and was upset about him gifting her perfume scent away. However, I sort of saw it as because he kept her scent in mind, he’s keeping her in his mind.

 

Oddly enough... or maybe not... the perfume stuff doesn't really come up later in the show. But his interest in scented products does spill over into his work commitments.

It's established very early on that he has many female acquaintances and he was even in at least one serious dating relationship in the past but while he likes surrounding himself with female company and even feel a little flattered by all the attention, they're just acquaintances and friends. It's very clear where his preferences lie. But she is a little nervous... who can blame her... about getting involved with a guy who supposedly has a reputation. I tend to think that the reputation is rather overstated. 

7 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

He's soooooo smooth.... he's very easy to read as in I don't think you have to second guess if he likes you or not. Because men like him won't waste time if they are not interested. I like how she's trying to keep him at arm's length but it's clear she's intrigued. 

 

@40somethingahjumma thank you for this great recommendation. I am done with 2 episodes and love the banter. So witty and despite the bad subs I am using (thankfully I can understand 50% of it ...lol) , the flirting that is going back and forth is so good. Anyway , this actor is so handsome..

The only thing I really can't stand is her boss....I have to watch some early scenes with her at 1.5 speed 

Woohoo... It's pretty good right? I've enjoyed it so much that I've been re-watching episodes -- Too much time unfortunately because I've been sick all week. The chemistry is undeniably off the charts.

The subs should get better as you progress through the show.

Her terrible boss in fact has quite the interesting arc. She's quite insufferable in the early days and that snobbish Wang Meiling as well but the show does a decent job developing the two of them. Even the annoying sister goes places by the end.

The writing on this show is just top-notch.

3 hours ago, Chocolate said:

Wah, opening scene already so interesting.

 

Next time I sit next to a cute guy in an airplane, I shall just shiver and wait! 😂

 

I thought the same. I liked it from the airplane scene.

I've sat next to a few cute guys before on planes but these days I can only look at the scenery. 

The problem is that most guys don't even notice. They're far more absorbed with their devices.

If you like their conversation in that scene, you will love all their banter. It only gets better. [Ah okay... I just noticed your other post]

Welcome to the party! This is not an idol drama and Elvis Han is not an idol actor. He's pretty darn hot here.

4 hours ago, peperomia said:

Thank you @40somethingahjumma I love When Harry Met Sally. I saw it again not too long ago so timing is perfect. I was planning to start another costume C-drama, My Journey to You, but I'll watch this first since it will complete soon. I haven't seen Elvis Han since Siege in Fog so it should be interesting seeing him in this role.

 

(Off topic: I believe you like martial arts. Maybe you might like My Journey to You. I read reviews the choreo is amazing so far. I have to warn you though. It's still airing and is supposed to be angsty/suspenseful, including the romance part. Just FYI.)

Thanks for the heads up on My Journey to You. I just had a peek at the trailer and it does look pretty spectacular. I see that Joseph Zeng is in it too but not as the male lead. I will put it on my watchlist because I love a good wuxia. One episode a day is a tad slow for me.

Let us know your thoughts if you ever get round to watching Fake It Till You Make It. I actually liked Elvis Han in Siege in the Fog although the push and pull in that one felt like it went on forever. 

@ktcjdrama @abs-oluteM

14 episodes is why this show is as good as it is. No tedious soap opera elements.

@SilverMoonTea

I've been watching this drama on Viki and I'm sure there are good subs elsewhere. I watched the last 3 episodes RAW so I didn't need subs for those.

I heard about this show on another platform. Was a bit reluctant to start when I saw it on my Viki feed but when I saw the praise for it, I took a leap.

I think you'll like it.