The Lighter and the Princess' Gown (2022)

It isn't love if it's easy. A MUST WATCH.

Lighter and Princess depicts a love story filled with all sorts of twists, I had never experienced such an attachment to a show but I can say for certain, Lighter and Princess is unique and beautiful, I don't believe I can ever find a show similar to this one.

There are many factors I admire about the show, but one thing that stuck out to me is, the story goes a lot deeper than I assumed it would, the hardships were never sugarcoated and I cannot count the amount of times I sat at the edge of my bed stressed because I was so attached to all the characters.

No one is perfect in this world, we all have our faults, we all have our struggles. That does not mean we cannot change or grow, The main characters have developed so much throughout the show, and you cannot help but feel infinitely proud of all of them. My review may be short, but for anyone whoever considers/thinks to watch this show should definitely go for it, enjoy the ride it is rewarding.

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A Heartfelt Journey Through Youth and Growth ?

“Lighter and Princess” (2022)unfolds as a beautifully crafted Chinese drama that begins with the familiar setting of a college campus drama—a world where dreams and youthful romance collide. Yet, this 36-episode series evolves into something far more profound, delving into the complex terrain of human struggle and personal growth.

Plot and Themes ✨:

Initially, 'Lighter and Princess' captures the light-hearted charm of youth, with its vibrant characters and their pursuit of dreams. But as the story progresses, it reveals a richer, darker undercurrent—a narrative that doesn't shy away from the rough edges of life. The drama is divided into two well-paced segments, each marked by impeccable cinematography and a soundtrack that perfectly complements its emotional beats.

At its core, the story is about the imperfections and struggles of its characters, which ultimately make them memorable. The journey of Li Xun (Chen FeiYu), Zhu Yun (Zhang JingYi), and Gao JianHong (Zhao ZhiWei) is a reflection of our own human quest to navigate flaws, seek redemption, and strive for personal growth.

Reflections and Insights ??:

Watching this drama brought to mind Mitch Albom's memoir, *Tuesdays with Morrie*. The recurring theme, "What’s wrong with being number two?" resonates throughout the series, particularly through Gao JianHong's journey. The drama explores why we chase after being the best and questions whether this pursuit is truly fulfilling.

In essence, the series suggests that personal growth is not about outshining others but about surpassing our past selves. It’s a journey of self-improvement and understanding what truly matters to us, rather than merely striving for external validation.

Characters and Development ?❤️:

- Li Xun: An introverted genius who struggles with loneliness and a desire to make a difference in the world. His character's evolution—from a solitary coder to a loving partner—highlights the complexities of balancing personal pain and relationships.

-Zhu Yun: The supportive and rebellious friend who learns to assert her independence. Her growth reflects the struggle of balancing personal dreams against societal expectations and familial control.

- Gao JianHong: The rival who battles envy and personal insecurities. His story is a powerful reminder of how destructive jealousy can be, and how true victory lies in personal self-acceptance and growth.

Acting and Cast ??:

The performances are exceptional. Chen FeiYu and Zhang JingYi embody their roles with such depth and authenticity that their chemistry is palpable. Each emotion, from joy to sorrow, feels genuine and compelling, drawing viewers deeply into their story.

Music and Cinematography ??:

The soundtrack of *Lighter and Princess* is a standout feature. The opening theme and the accompanying OSTs perfectly capture the emotional highs and lows of the drama. Combined with stunning cinematography, the music enhances the viewing experience, leaving a lasting impact.

Final Thoughts ??:

*Lighter and Princess
transcends the typical campus drama. It’s a poignant exploration of growing up, facing flaws, and the power of love. The addition of a cancer storyline in the final episodes serves as a powerful plot device, pushing characters to confront what truly matters in life.

In summary, this drama is more than just entertainment; it’s a profound reflection on life, growth, and the human condition. For anyone looking for a series that offers both emotional depth and insightful reflections, *Lighter and Princess* is a must-watch. It’s a gem that will stay with you long after the final episode ends.

Rating: 10/10 ⭐️

"May we all find the strength to love and be loved, and never forget what truly matters in our journey through life."

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the chemistry between the main actors are top-notch!

i've watched countless of chinese modern drama and when i tell you, most of them do not have a very natural chemistry between the main leads and their romance scenes seemed forced and unnatural. but with L&P, you can obviously feel the chemistry and i loveee how natural both the actors, fengyu & jingyi, are in this drama. their romance scenes flow smoothly and natural; the hugs, the kisses etc. most importantly, i like how fengyu gives us the butterflies with his stare and how cute jingyi is in this drama.

The plot is also excellent; it depicts the progression of young college love (youthful, innocent, big dream achiever) to more mature adult love (complexity, hardships, trust, loyalty). It's refreshing honestly.

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L&P - Loyalty and Persistence

May 2, 2023

Lighter and Princess was Cdrama that I was bit hesitant to watch at first. Although the plot seemed intriguing, I didn’t think that I would be that hooked into watching this show.

I just want to say the the plot is pretty damn solid and strong. I will start off with the cons first. The reason I gave the plot section a 9.5/10 was that, I just felt like the ending of the show kind off fell flat. Especially in the revenge arc or around the climax. Aside from this issue I had, everything else from ep 1- 33 was solid. It was good.

As for the romance, I love the FL, Zhu Yun the most. She is so loyal and persistent with Xi Lun. After all the things that she went through. Zhu Yun and Xi Lun really deserves the best. Poor souls, my heart ached and broke for them.

I didn’t realize how heavy this drama will go into. I also can't believe that it only took me like 3 days to finish this whole series.

I love it. It's just good to watch so I hope yall can give it a try too! Still a solid 10/10 Cdrama for me!!!!

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sentirei saudades desse drama

muito bom! Podem assistir, vocês não vão se arrepender. Vou continuar a acompanhar os atores principais, eles são muito talentosos.
Esse drama me surpreendeu positivamente, não é como outros dramas, esse drama mostra como a vida é difícil as vezes e que nem tudo é perfeito, você passará por dificuldades, mas seguindo o caminho do bem, haverá coisas boas a sua espera. Uma verdadeira lição de vida.

Não conhecia os atores, mas devo dizer que são muito bons e tem muito futuro.

Essa é a primeira vez que falo aqui o que eu achei de um drama, decidi fazer isso agora, para mostrar o quão bom foi assistir essa história. Geralmente eu paro de assistir na metade os dramas pois acabo me desinteressando, mas esse não, esse me prendeu do começo ao fim. Esse drama mostra como o relacionamento pode ser difícil as vezes, msm existindo amor, se você quer ver casais irreais onde não existem brigas, discordâncias, discussões ou magoas, esse drama então não é pra você. E para àqueles que falam que esse drama é tóxico, personagens ou a relação entre esses personagens, eu lhe pergunto: Você é perfeito? Sua vida é perfeita? As pessoas que você convive são perfeitas?

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Deserves more hype and love

I have never been so obsessed with a Cdrama like I am with this one. I have been rewatching this show over and over. Nothing has come close to the chemistry that Chen Feiyu and Zhang Jingyi have.

Feiyu's dedication to Li Xun's character, having to bleach his hair blonde, then color it chestnut brown and then finally giving himself a buzz cut. He rocked all 3 hairstyles btw. Love his micro expressions - the little smirk, the "hmm" when he agrees but is too "lazy" to say "yes" ^_^. when he raises his eyebrows every time he teases her. The puppy eyes that just makes you melt. He was perfectly casted as LiXun.

Jingyi was also the best actress to be casted as Zhuyun. I cried when she cries. I felt the sadness, the happiness, the love. She was not annoying. Her voice (probably VA) was perfect as she does not have the usual "baby voice" most FL would have. She was not the damsel in distress. She was the breath of fresh air in all the FLs in Cdramas. She wasn't waiting to be saved and I loved that. It was also so amusing to me that she literally blushes everytime they have an intimate scene (you can clearly see this in episode 36 when they were at the sofa in LiXun's apartment. ^_^

Now, the story. I love the fact that they tackled the prison life during and after he got out. That's usually a sensitive topic and I love that the writers handled it with grace - how people who went to prison can be judged after getting out, how they will find a job and how they can have the tendency to be imprisoned again. I love that they closely followed the lines in the novel and improved the story (**** Novel Spoiler ***** LiXun was a playboy in the novel and Zhuyun was irritatingly helpless at times) T_T

The OST is chef's kiss. Hands down the best out of all the Cdramas I've seen. Each song was played at the right moment capturing the feeling that that scene has so it becomes more powerful and creates that memory. It wasn't just the opening or the ending OST, there were a lot of other songs playing at the right moment to give you the right feels like "Upside Down" by Zhen Xueran during the snow scene when he started to call her "Princess" again. And "Left Unsaid" by the same artist played when they were in the elevator going to Flying Heart office.

Overall, the best. Worth every time you rewatch. <3

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Title should be "LIGHTER AND OBSESSION"

This is a highly rated drama. I bet it's a good one if I dared to overlook some behaviours. I know many loved this and I fully respect their sentiments. I'm sorry, I guess not for me. I tried to like it. There were some good moments where I could say it was okay. Annoyance and boredom though won in the end.

I can't stand to watch women like this one. I know she's presented as a young, immature and naive girl in the game of love in the beginning. She's sheltered and he's her first love. She's so in love that she overlooks most ugly things through the course of the series. How about in the latter episodes where she's already a mature woman years after, who has undergone so much hurt and expected to have learned her ways?

I don't get it. She's also smart defiant, determined, competitive and brave when it comes to what she believes in, but when it comes to the male lead, why oh why she lets herself lose her self respect and identity, beats me.

Even the supporting characters, I couldn't understand why he gets away with this kind of behaviour and attitude. A not so good message, relationship wise be it in friendship or romance, that just because you're good looking and a prodigy, you're entitled and you deserve to be a jerk regardless of a sad past.

Main leads as the way I see it from the episodes I tried to finish, which greatly bored and annoyed me, wouldn't be together, if FL doesn't keep showing up or running after the ML in each episode. Last straw for me was despite the great pain she went through after years, she's still this pathetic obsessed woman.

I'd say this is a drama series I could appreciate because of some good acting and character development of some actors like GAO, the second male lead. Main leads remain the same for me. FL still pathetic and obsessed and ML still an arse.
This is still a romantic drama regardless of all these techno innovations whatever. I'm still old school with regard to romance, be it in books and TV series. I hate doormats when it comes to my female heroines.
Overall, this could be a drama with great potential for me if the FL isn't made like this love obsessed girl. And I don't believe ML is believable that he loved this girl after everything he put her through.

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solid story line - if it’s in ur list pls DONT MISS IT

Not your typical cold guy + FL drama
I’m not sure how to put this into words but the whole show from story line to acting is a masterpiece I’ve been waiting for this drama for maybe about 2 years and rly it did not disappoint .
Watched it half way but I know that I will get too upset so I paused it for awhile to wait for everyth to finish uploading before I continue .

Good character development
Unique story line
Easily the top cdrama I’ve ever watched not kidding..

I think after watching thiS show I’m a huge Chen fei Yu fan his portrayal of the whole cool cold bad guy is chef kisses……..
the story also kind of shows how every person has their own fate ( which I believe) so it’s rly interesting to show how everyth comes to play
Also I rly rly rly hope that they end up tgt if not I’ll be so torn …..
Im at ep 23 currently and I purposely paused it bec I don’t want to get too overly affected by the drama and cry endlessly.. but trust me ITS DAMN DAMN GOOD PLS GIVE IT A WATCH.. I’m on my knees

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I have mixed feelings about the drama. On the one hand, kudos to the drama for daring to have such a flawed male lead (wonderfully acted by Chen Feiyu). My interest was caught when the drama began with the male lead getting out of prison. I liked the fact that there was no attempt to sugarcoat him and make him the “done-wrong” victim of a conspiracy or of the system (as a typical Korean drama might do). He has lots of problems, but you still root for him. I also liked the female lead, who was smart, strong, and principled, and wore gorgeous coats. And I liked the friends, Ren Di and Fang Shu Miao.

What I didn’t like as much was the romance. Xi Lun was attracted to Zhu Yun because of her smarts and integrity but he was cruel to her multiple times and even when he kissed her, it looked like he was eating her face. I could see how someone like Zhu Yun would be attracted to a handsome brooding genius like him but I also thought that she was too tolerant of someone who was borderline emotionally abusive.

Plus there were parts in the drama that required some suspension of belief. For example, why were the protagonists prevented from entering a competition due to the way they exposed fraud and flaws in the prior competition, yet the fraudster himself could enter and win? I was also skeptical of the explanation for how they managed to walk out of the hacking and virus accusations unscathed. And the whole sneaking around behind the parents’ backs doesn’t work when you plaster your faces all over the news.

But then there would be something that I loved, e.g., when Zhu Yun posted the video and walked out Like a Boss. That was my favorite scene in the drama.

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It's a good day when you forget this is a C-drama ...

It's a GOOD ASS DAY when you forget that this is a C-Drama, so you breathe a sigh of relief. What do I mean by that? I'm talking about the friendship between Li Xun and Ren Di. From the first episode, you could tell they had a connection. I was terrified that they might've had a thing, but once I remembered this was a C-Drama, I knew I could relax. This strong connection was friendship. Low key most underrated friendship in this whole drama.

What this drama does well is tell the story of growth. University is a false reality. I know since I'm in it. A lot of things happen here that don't carry on, whether that is success or relationships. Their university journey starts with finding their first love and that going to total shit. We see our FL evolve from a timid good girl to launching into a grenade to protect her man. We see our ML evolve from a self-involved brat know-it-all to a man who knows he is no longer only responsible for himself, but the people in his life.

I love Chinese dramas. Why in particular I say it about this drama? Because they know what we want. They give us that romance build up. They give us that happy ending. They give us that wedding. They give us that baby. Sure, 2/4 of the things are implied (never showed a "real" wedding or the baby) but it happened.

Why only an 8.0/10? ML was such an asshole! Like too much! There's asshole, and then there's Li Xun. He was really a bully, but like I mentioned earlier... University man... But she likes that shit, clearly. I mean, sometimes I too imagine... wait, sorry, this is Goodreads. Anyway...

Final note: HER MOM IS THE FUCKING DEVIL. OH, AND I LOVE THE DAMN SOUNDTRACK.

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Engaging storyline and romance plot, but be aware of plot holes

My two cents on this drama:
PROS
• Story overall about computer programming and IT industry in China is interesting and engaging, and what I would expect of a "drama"...dramatic moments, characters and plots. Really interesting feud between ML and 2nd ML.
• Likable characters and dialogue, with witty banter, humor and certainly the romantic and dramatic scenes that drive the story
• Interestingly told romantic plot line between ML, FL. Yes it follows a trop but the way it is sequenced and told in the story is clever, with the intro of the current, then about the past, and flash forward again to the present.
•Chemistry between ML, FL: sweet romance blossom between the two. Opposites attract. The leads were very comfortable with each other and the attraction is believable and at many points natural in their acting...actually enjoyed watching the love mature yet still remain innocent as they got older
• Character development of ML, FL (some other reviewers may disagree)

CONS
• Some holes in the story: felt like an incomplete story and conclusion about FL and her relationship with her parents, especially at Ep. 36 with the confrontation. It wasn't made clear to me what FL view was in terms of studying abroad after uni because her parents made her? Or was that her own choice? It muddled the story in the beginning and i think confusing as to whether that familial relationship was what really drove a wedge between the FL and ML in the beginning or not.
Especially felt there was a gap in storytelling, after they graduated and moved into the workforce. Other reviews suggest scenes were deleted and editing wasn't up to par- if they have to edit out scenes, that tells me also the series was prolonged in unnecessary ways but could have been better developed in others, i.e. ML and his experience post incarceration.
•Some holes in the character development: ML understandably had a non-traditional upbringing which explains his broodiness, arrogance, cold and business like personality. There are some painful events that occur that further impact him, and he deals with it like one would expect of someone who is traumatized. The series I think attempts to give some explanation and show his remorse, his insecurity, his vulnerability but I feel writers could have given him more depth in exploring and trying to heal from the trauma, especially as how it affected his relationship with FL. A lot of other reviews say "ML pushed her away because he was protecting her". Ok. But why not built that in? This also leads me to say that the relationship between FL and ML could be more convincing and reliant on emotional and experiential bonds rather than otherwise attraction and good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy.


Overall, I would have scored this lower but after reading other reviews and reflecting overall on the series, I think I understand the story they were trying to tell, and I accepted that not everything came to a perfect resolution, probably deliberately. But if they were trying to do that, wished they could have been more intentional with the storytelling because at times it felt out of place.
Great job to the actors! First time watching Zhang Jingyi...loved her emotional range. Her wide eye blinks and stares though we're getting a bit much. Looking forward to seeing Chen Feiyu develop and mature in his acting range and abilities.

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