Go Ahead (2020)

The Best Family Drama Ever

At the end of 2022, I started to watch this series and then complete it on January 2nd. What a rollercoaster journey. I laugh then cry, happy then mad, joyful and sorrowful. It's like watching real humans grow, with all the goodness and the nasty life can give. The plot is so smooth, unlike other drama that has distinctive arc per arc, this one flow like real life. Battle every day but also heal each other every day. This drama made me cry, but also LAUGHT, like— literally L.O.L.

Another thing that I love is the writers didn't force their moral values. The character speaks for themself, which is rare in Cdrama. Diversity of moral values and way of thinking. Complex character.

Another booster for this drama is the acting and characters, which is flawless. The main characters that all lovable and well act. The father, Li Hai Chao is the best-written father in the entire drama world, perfectly acted too. And He Zi Qiu, the man just made his own movie. Li Jian Jian and Ling Xiao, a sweet couple, some parts of their relationship are quite toxic, but the way they act and the storyline, bring an antidote to them. Tan Song Yun is a chameleon, at this point I'll think she can act as a baby or elderly, haha.

The only thing that is not my style is the OST and camera angle, some times can be awkward, and other times can be top-tier. But never disturb the storyline, so ok. Actually, after this series, I start to watch Meet Yourself, the drama made by the same team of director and writers. Production-wise, it's better. So I conclude maybe it's a budget situation, hehe.

It's quite a heavy story, so maybe I'll not rewatch it fully, but some part is fun to rewatch. In the end, this is my 10/10 base for Cdrama and family drama. I'll follow the writer's and the director's works onward.

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MUST. WATCH.

This drama was SO good overall and I loved almost every single aspect of it. I came to watch this drama as a bored teen during quarantine and stumbled upon it on youtube. My first reaction was "Zhang Xincheng Song Weilong and Tan songyun in one drama together?!?!?! I was automatically hooked from the first episode when they were kids until they grew up and separated. Their chemistry was amazing, and the romance between Ling Xiao and Li Jian Jian was perfect/satisfying. Also, if you watch this drama, prepare to have tissues handy because oh boy, I cried like every episode for the first 13 episodes and I rarely cry. Next, i'm going to talk about every aspect in further detail below.

Story- Honestly, the story is extremely sad for all three sides of the families. And each has their own difficulties to deal with but the fact that the director/writer of the drama knew how to tie all three together, was so amazing to watch. Watching them comfort each other and cry on each others shoulders was very sad to see and brought tears to my eyes every time. Although I think the story was written well, I believe that HZQ should've had a happier ending and I really hope there's a sequel so he is happy again. His story was so depressing and made me really upset to see that he never actually ended up with anyone. (hopefully there is a season 2)

Acting/Cast- I absolutely LOVE Song Weilong as LX. He portrays the cold older brother perfectly and gave me the exact vibes he meant to give off. LJJ was the exact opposite of a character and it amazes me how 30 year old Tan songyun can pull it off. She's 30, portraying a 15 year old and the fact that I actually believed her, shows how good her acting is. Not to mention, she's so pretty. And LX is so hot XD. Now HZQ, had so many crying scenes that had me STUNNED at how natural his tears fell. And he's an amazing actor. (Not suprised that I watched Skate into Love after GO Ahead bc of how good ZXC's acting was)- The two dad's Ling Ba and LJJ's dad seemed like an old couple and they really gave me strong feelings that they really grew up with three kids and one made food while the other made money. I really believed them. QMY and TC (the two support females) were amazing too and their acting was pretty natural although I'll say that Tang Can was pretty "obnoxious" looking at the beginning. But, I also have to point out the SWL is literally 21, TSY is 30 and ZXC is like 26. And the fact that SWL portrayed the oldest brother and TSY portrayed the youngest sister SHOCKS me so much. But, they pulled it off and they pulled it off really well.

Music- Can I just start off by saying that I have a whole spotify playlist dedicated to the OST of this music. It's absolutely amazing and every single song is so good. ESPECIALLY the sad song; literally made me wanna cry everytime I heard them. I now listen to them every now and then and they are extremely soothing. And, in the drama, they were placed right at the perfect times to make it seem so heartwarming and touching.

Rewatch Value- I have already gone back and watched the good episodes like 10, 36, and more. (Reminder episodes 2-13 make u BAWL) literally. And rewatching them makes me feel really whole because of how much they made me cry. But, it was worth it. I wouldn't say that I would watch the whole drama again but I occasionally watch the kissing scens and scenes where SWL and TSY are together bc I love them in frame.

Overall- I 100% reccomend this drama because it's lowkey a super good drama.

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A Good and Heartwarming Drama

I love the chemistry between the three of them, Jianjian, Ziqiu and Ling Xiao. They hit it well with their brothers and sister relationship. I love how protective Ziqiu and Ling Xiao towards Jianjian. Ziqiu is the type of brother that spoils his sister with everything she wants and often getting trouble with her, the playful kind of type. While Ling Xiao is in charge of discipline his sister, helps her with her problems and sensitive, the responsible one. And their sister Jianjian, are cheerful which bright their life, even though she is playful but Jianjian always there them when they were sad...

I also love Jianjian's father, he is so kind, and raise the boys together with Jianjian even they don't have any blood ties with the boys but he treat them so well. He raised them along with Ling Xiao's father, even though Ling Xiao's father always busy with works but his appearance matters. The five of them really make my heart overwhelmed with warm fuzzy feelings. They make a perfect family. It is really fun and funny to see only Jianjian is the only girl in the family, especially when she finally hits her puberty, it so awkward yet funny to see the fathers and the boys didn't know what to react or to say because they have no clue or experience.

I more agree Jianjian ended up with Liang Xiao rather than Ziqiu, not that Xiqiu is not good or something but for me he is far more better as brother than Jianjian's lover. His attitude towards Jianjian more like a brother and sister, he always spoiling her, tease her and a good partner in crime unlike Ling Xiao who more serious.

I've noticed this drama doesn't have much of the intruded from the outsiders but rather from their own families. But overalls, it is really good drama with just a light not so much complicated love story or heavy SLS whatsoever.

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Most watch series of all time!

I'm actually pretty late to the game because i started watching this drama in 2021 (it came out in 2020) but i really love this drama. This is my first time watching c-drama, and i'm not regret every moment of it. As an asian women, i do relate with a lot of aspect in this drama, so this series really hits home. From family, friends, mother-daughter relationship, and father figure in the household. It's also touch several topic regarding mental health issues. Song Weilong as Ling Xiao really potray it well. And don't get me started with Tan Song Yun (Li Jian Jian) and Zhang Xincheng (Zi Qui) acting! Becuase both of the doing a fantastic job bringing these character to live. Their acting skills is no joke!

This series depict several topic. Conflict in this drama already complex and the main plot about family dynamic is very heavy, but Go Ahead's production team managed to bring it more lightly so i still find it funny and heartwarming. And also, every character is a character with a story, not just side actor. I love both of Li Jian Jian's bestfriends story. It's funny sometimes, but also full of meaningful lesson i can learn.

Overall, this drama is very good. Eventhough there's plenty of sad story but i didn't categorize this series as melodrama, because it's comedic. I guarantee that you will laugh as loud as any sound you can ever imagine.

Totally recommended!!

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WORTH THE TEARS

This is my first CDrama and it was one of the most intriguing dramas that I've watched. It's relatable to our own lives, our own families, our own relationships, and our own growth. This drama really touched all the spots. It's emotional and made me cry almost every episode and at the same time funny, making me laugh every episode. It was light-hearted but at the same time very deep, with many life lessons and life reminders. It constantly showed how your decisions/actions can affect others for a short amount of time or a lifetime. How growing up won't stop those you care about from growing old. How everyone, in the end, deserves to be happy. Every character had their own story of trauma and growth. The acting was amazing, I was wrapped in from the very first episode! I would truly truly recommend this drama to everyone, it will surprise you how much you won't regret starting it.

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NOSTALGIC, WARM & SATISFYING

STORYWISE - Very relatable. The story itself truly captivated me. It keeps me occupied and entertained until the end. There is DEPTH& SUBSTANCE.

CASTING- Super love the FL & ML’s. I’ve watched most of their dramas and this drama proves how good they are with their craft. DAD LI is simply the best! The actor who played this character is so good that at the end I keep hoping for his happy ending and it did! The child actors did an awesome job connecting to their adult figure. I love also the side characters. MINYUE & TAN CAN are the best besties you can have. That’s what friends are for, tested thru the years.

MUSIC - LOVE IT!

All in all! I LOVE TO WATCH IT AGAIN. Totally WORTH IT, CAPTIVATING, ENTERTAINING & SATISFYING. After watching it, I was filled with warmth and happiness.

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AMAZING STORY

Hands down one of the most heartwarming stories about humans. HIGHLY recommended. This is the perfect medicine when you need to see a little bit of light and hope in the world. The characters are so wonderful and lovable. The most important part was that they were real. They made mistakes and they hurted too. This drama touches on the problem of mental health issues and the impact of parental neglect. It really shines a light on how kids are affected by their parents and how it could lead to a lot of mental damage and self doubt. Not only does it talk about parents abandonment, it also includes parents who care in the wrong way and push their way too much. Although it does have romance, it's very minimal. The focus is on familial love and it is showcased incredibly well in this drama. 100% would rewatch

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Go Ahead and give it a try

Seeing so many positive reviews and comparisons to the Reply series, I was very intrigued but also very hesitate to start because I already knew about the sibling love triangle, which i will touch upon the in a little bit because that is not the main story. This is both a heart warming and heart wrenching story of how those who we call family show their love and how they can also hurt us the most.

If this world had more people like Li Ba (LJJ's dad), oh how this world would be such a better place. He is the glue that holds this family together and the epitome of the perfect parent that one can only hope to have. We have our two brothers, who at a very young age must face many hardships that will forever shape them. HZQ who is abandoned by his single mother who made the difficult but cruel decision to do what was best for her child. LX who is abandoned by his mother who suffers mentally from their family's tragic history. At the center of their universe is LJJ, who Li Ba describes as a 'oddly optimistic child'. We see LJJ go from an unruly teenager to a young adult. They talked about the light bulb moment when you realize you are an adult and I know both LX and LJJ specially mentioned their moment. Oddly enough, I can't seem to remember how or when that moment was for LJJ maybe because I did not think moment was that impactful but maybe also thats just how life is. Slowly but surely, even without you realizing, one day you find that you are no longer the kid you used to be.

The first 10 episodes, who many believe including me, is the best part of the drama. We slowly learn the story of how this little family is created and the dynamics of this family. Ep 5, Li Ba's drunken monologue sealed the deal for me to continue watching. The next 10 episodes we see how the brothers go separate ways, each for their own justifiable [but sad] reasons and eventually come back 9 years later, bringing us to the point where our beloved trio must learn to be siblings once again... and also something beyond sibling love. I truly believe the story could've been just fine without the love line but i'll let it slide. I really liked the way that they handled the HZQ and LJJ love line because we have a fragile HZQ who is cutely mistaken and believed that only love love is the way to make this little family of theirs a real legal family. However like Li Ba and LJJ have said time and time again, the definition of a family is not restricted to blood ties nor legal titles. The LX and LJJ love line, I can understand how that could happen but at the same time also not too convinced. I am honestly not too sure at what point they even officially became a thing but it somehow happened...

The remainder of the drama, we start to dive into the stories of our side characters... maybe even a little too much. I love the dynamic that LJJ has going on with her girlfriends but spending too much time on the side stories, we lost precious time on how to deal with the main issue, which is the relationship between LX and his mentally unstable mother. We are literally at the very last episode, waiting for the point in which the mom will finally own up to her mistakes and try to make amends but to me, the mom still has not reached that point yet. Her choice was once again avoidance and the abandonment of yet another one of her children but somehow it was portrayed as her redefining moment worthy of forgiveness.... I don't know what the perfect storyline should've been but i only wish both she and LX truly seek the medical attention that they need.

There is one character that I have yet to mention because he is important and at the same time, sadly not. We have Ling Ba (LX's dad) who almost always shows up to all important events but leaves quickly for work reasons again and again. I was truly hoping we got to learn more about his character because he is still an important figure in this little family. He mentions the police station so many times that I was expecting that we would get a little glimpse into his life at work (not that it is justifiable for him to simply push off his parental duties to Li Ba) but we never do.

Overall, despite the few hiccups, it is definitely a solid drama and if i were to give you just one reason to watch this, it would be Li Ba.

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Heartwarming family drama with bonus super sweet friends to lovers like romance

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 Chinese drama with 40, ~45 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis and then review.

Synopsis
Li Jianjian (Tan Songyun) lost her mother who died in child birth but has a dad, Li Haichow, (Tu Songyan) who loves people. He is the dad everyone wants and winds up taking in He Ziqiu (Zhang Xincheng) after making a comment to his single mom that if she doesn’t want her son he would take him. A police officer and his wife move in upstairs and their fights become the talk of the building as the thin walls allow everyone to overhear their conflicts. Ling Xiao (Song Weilong) spends a lot of his time quietly reading on the communal stairs to get out of the apartment when his parents are fighting. The Li’s are determined to invite the young boy into their warm apartment to share meals rather than sadly sitting on the stairs. It is not long before Xiao’s mother leaves the family and now it is just the boy and his dad. The two single fathers become close relying on each other to raise the three kids. This series follows this heartwarming family through many stages of life.

Review
The child actress who plays young Li Jianjian is cute like Shirley Temple. She is kind, courageous and a little mischievous and both boys wind up drawn to her energy. I love the two dads and especially Haichow who uses his culinary skills to feed those that need not only the meal but the human caring. The way it portrays the concept of family as not just those with blood ties, but those that take care of and love each other in a formed family unit is very touching.

I highly recommend this for a sweet, friends to lovers coming of age romance. It is a great family drama. There are many comedic moments that flow very naturally. I enjoyed it start to finish. It ended happily with all major plot points resolved.

Spoilers*

I read elsewhere and I have to agree her proudly declaring she is menustrating to the table of her all male family is funny. It does not even cross her mind that it might make them uncomfortable. But they do their best to help the only female in their midst mature even doing things like gifting her a bra in secret.

Some reviewers felt weird with both of her brothers liking her romantically. Her ”oldest brother”, Ling Xiao (Song Wei Long) was not a blood relative and did not even live in the same apartment. So them harboring romantic feelings was not weird to me at all. The younger brother, He Zi Qiu (Zhang Xin Chang) was thinking along those lines but it was more from his deep desire to be a part of the family officially than real romantic feelings for his ”sister”. They were not blood related either but they were close to being step siblings and, in the end, they were officially step siblings. But other than a brief encounter when he had some romantic feels for her when they were decorating pastry (he was sort of back hugging her to guide her hands) he was more like “ooh sister cooties“ when she jokingly suggested they kiss. I think he was briefly confused about the nature of his feelings for her and they sorted out as more brotherly.

The filial above all else was a problem for me with this one as they even largely encouraged forgiving and looking the other way on behaviors that were physically and emotionally abusive. Chen Ting (Yang Tong Shu), Ling Xiao’s mom, was awful, she was abusive to her husband, Ling He Ping (Zhang Xi Lin) and her son when tgey were married then abandoned her young son to let her now ex, He Ping and super dad, Li Hao Chao (Tu Song Yan) raise him. She returns later, remarried, with a step sister in tow and expects the son she abandoned to just pick up where she left off. And it was not just that expected it the adultsdid a bit by not putting an immediate full stop to it. I looked up the child abuse laws in China because I was curious about the adults lack of intervention. It doesn’t appear like there’s a lot they really could’ve done if they had chose to press the issue at least not legally. But I would have been a harpy so that it was in inconvenient enough that she just left him alone. In the end they try to make it out Chen ting finally saw the light but I still thought she was horrible as she was emotionally blackmailing them with suicide even then. Shenwas not even close to repairing any if the emotional damage she caused and would likely continue to cause. In my opinion someone that behaved like that has borderline personality disorder. She exhibited all the major traits which include: Unstable relationships, sense of self, and emotions, impulsivity, recurrent suicidal behavior and self-harm, fear of abandonment, chronic feelings of emptiness, inappropriate anger, feeling detached from reality. The disorder cannot be cured but can improve with therapy. She was not seeking help with her persiponality issues so she would continue to do things both emotionally and physically harmful.

Then there was Little Big Brother’s biological dad, Zhao Hua Guang (Liu Jin Long) and he was also awful and abusive. He, admittedly did not take care of his son when he was young, because he was too poor to afford taking care of a child so he let him be raised by others. Then he makes money and thinks he cannot have children with his new wife so he comes back and expects Zi Qui to just to turn his back on the people that care for him, and raised him all those years. Then rather than asking nicely and being so pleasant, his son would want to come with him he blackmailed him and threatened to harm the only family the son knew and loved if he did not do as he wished.

Then there was her friend and roommate Luo Hong (Mei Ling Zhen) whi had a crush in Big Brother, Ling Xiao, and was angry when she mistakingly thought he had romantic feelings for her but only saw her as a good friend. She was willing to give up her years long friendship with Jianjian out of a situation of her own making. Then she takes her mom’s side when her parents are going to divorce criticizing her father for not being there and her mom doing it all when she was a housewife and he was working to support the family. It was the same with Zi Qiu’s police officer father and his mom, also a housewife who could not cope with her young children so much she locks them up so she Can go play cards then blames her son (like an abuser) amd her husband for her daughter’s tragic death. I found Luo Hing an unlikable character.

#Zhang Xinchang
#TanSongyun
#GoAhead
#TuSongyan
#SongWeiLong

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Easy breezy slice of life family drama full of warmth

No wonder this is such a hit, an easy breezy slice of life family drama, Go Ahead is the happy pill for gloomy 2020. Whatever you're going through right now, or missing your family so damn much, this is the perfect comfort watch, complete with comfort food porn.

Such a charming ensemble cast oozing with chemistry helmed by Seven Tan, who is such a natural actress and comedic talent, Song Wei Long who is drop dead gorgeous, relatively greener but held his own, and Steven Zhang who really shone in this drama. I love his Zi Qi! Sun Yi as bff Ming Yue also did well. And the most adorable dad ever Hai Chao played by Tu Song Yan.

I'm not a fan of the Ling Xiao-Jian Jian romance, maybe it's second lead syndrome, their feelings are deep-rooted since childhood, but I'd prefer a more gradual transition from adopted siblings to romance, than stolen kisses as confession of feelings. I appreciate though there's no overwrought love triangle. But this drama is not about romance anyway, its strength lies in tackling relatable family matters and great friendships.

With a 40 episode drama, there is a slight drag in the middle. The probably only stressful stuff in this drama is the 'mother' issue, but the drama balances that with warm scenes. Thank you for the endless warmth, Go Ahead, and the reminder to push forward whatever hardships we're going through, there's always someone to hold your hand, as there are bonds even stronger than those tied by blood.

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