Kai Duan (2022)

what a fantastic Drama to start of the year.

Reset has now became one of my fave cdramas of all time. Everything about this drama was just perfect. from the pairing of the main Couple Bai Jing Ting as Xiao He Yun and Zhao Jin Mai as Li Shi Qing, to the plot which i found was soo different from any thing ive seen in Cdramaland.
The drama Tells the story of a young couple died in a bus explosion, they were then revitalised ten minutes before the explosion. Their whole reality became a loop reviving ten minutes before the explosion. They then decided to find out the reason for the explosion and to make sure that the bus reaches its final destination.
In the process of going through the cycle of time and searching for the truth, this drama also focus on some social phenomena and explore real-life issues. This drama also shows us the true meaning of life using the characters experiences, thickness of life, the gesture of survival
I liked how the supporting characters were not used as a tool to support the main Couple but each and every Character in this drama was just utilised very well telling the story of how each character became entagled in the time loop.
This drama also has lowkey love story between Bai Jing Ting and Zhao Hin Mai who both had an amazing chemistry. Every episode also linked soo well together and nothing seems out of place and. This drama was writting very well and produced very well and i think was even better they used the actors own voices.
Must Watch Drama. its a 10/10 for me.

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A Thrilling Adventure

With just 15 episodes, Reset (开端) is truly a fast-paced and thrilling C-drama!

Story:
- I really like the plot of this drama, it is my first time watching something with a time loop and was definitely very refreshing to see in the sea of idol romance dramas.
- Elements in this story reflect on problems in real life. Online bullying was a theme in this drama that I believe is relevant in this day and age. Reset explores the psychological effects of writing snide online remarks as it is one of the factors that propel the whole drama forward.
- I LOVED how we viewers were able to learn more about the other passengers on the bus and understand their lives and the hardships they go through. It was super wholesome, sometimes sad, to learn about their backgrounds. The ending scenes were super sweet! :D
- The cinematography was also really good. Explosions felt pretty realistic and Xiamen (filming location) looks so green and beautiful. (I must say though, when I first started Reset, I found the colours to be way too bright and colourful)
- Con: Because this is a time travel drama, there is repetitiveness and it can feel kind of boring at times. But the action, thrillers and urgent adventures make up for it!
- Con: Xiao He Yun's backstory seemed like it was suddenly just forgotten? I thought his backstory as a game developer would have played a larger role...
- Con: I enjoyed the ending, it was fair and reasonable. However, one more episode wouldn't hurt. It would have been nice to have an explanation for how everything happened and for some relationship progression (ex: relationship with other bus passengers)

Acting:
All the important characters were really good at their roles. Actress Liu Dan who played Tao Ying Hong deserves special praise! It really felt like she was SO SO in character and her emotions and reactions felt so raw and real. Amazing performance!

Music:
Background music was appropriate, and was not distracting. Loved the outro sang by Zhou Shen. He has a beautiful voice.

Rewatch Value:
I don't really like to rewatch entire dramas but I would definitely rewatch snippets on Reset! Since Reset only has 15 episodes around 45 minutes long, it definitely wouldn't be hard to rewatch again (could probably do it in one sitting).

Overall, the story, acting and cinematography/production were a success in my opinion. It is definitely a good watch, especially if you are into sci-fi thrillers that relate to video games (completing missions and resetting if you fail).

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This is a really solid time loop thriller with a great cast & 15 episodes was the perfect length. I wouldn't have expected to see Bai Jing Ting and Zhao Jin Mai paired together, but they were a great fit for their characters & I enjoyed seeing how they grew individually and together. Their characters are both relatable, ordinary young people so when they try to change their fates each time, you really feel that you'd perhaps act similarly.

I enjoyed watching this so much that I didn't wait for the English subtitles and watched new episodes as soon as they were out. Episodes 5-7 were a bit slow, but afterwards the pacing picked up again. Liu Yi Jun had a really memorable performance here and I loved every moment that he was on screen. I really liked his (Too bad Liu Tao's role wasn't as memorable.)

This isn't a 10 for me because there were some unanswered questions (nothing too major) and some aspects I wanted to see more of, but overall I found this to be a very satisfying watch!

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Best modern thriller sci fi chinese drama ever

I love the male lead for starter ,, I watched ping pong drama of him and my hero ,, he was amazing ,, he looks like a kid but he has deep voice and strong charisma also he choses his dramas really well ,, his acting is amazing
secondly
This drama has familiar concept to American movies about time loops but very unique perspective of how to handle the concept not like the American movies ,,, It's very realistic when it comes to character's personal lives and how they live it
it's not overly dramatic nor light,,, it has very good balance between fiction and reality ,, you won't feel detached from the story
actually i experienced some of the things that happened in this drama in real life ,, the exact same things and I'm not talking about the timpe loop of course LOL
It will keep you on the edge of your seat not knowing what's going to happen in the next loop ,, the thrilling part done right
also it's very fast paced not one dull or boring moment ,, no wasting times in this drama by nonsensical matters ,, every thing has a purpose and related to the overall story ,, the writer didn't put any fillers into it
thirdly
the characters were amazing even the secondary characters ,, they aren't secondary at one or two episodes ,, they had the light shining on them as the leads in their own story ,, that's one of the best things about it ,, it's not focused only on the two main leads
the main leads were tired and exhausted especially the male lead ,, he's the one I felt for the most ,, he was actually suffering the most I don't know why ,, they didn't explain why especially him not the female lead
they didn't explain also How the time loop started in the first place or why was he the one having hard time the most ?
The female lead at one point I was annoyed by her ,, she didn't care that much about her friend not near the ending ,, she was too focused to get out of the loop and save everyone ,, she ignored him practically ,, that what annoyed me most
I know of course there were no time for romance or properly address what was going on with him ,, she was cold and precise very practical actually
this drama has layers and layers of deep human emotions and connections ,, I really love the plot and how it was made
I recommend this drama so much to anyone ,, it's one of the best I've ever seen

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A gem that must definitely be seen

I'll keep it short - this drama is a gem.

10/10, binge watched it in one go (good thing I had next day free XD), it's that good - got me hooked with 1st ep and kept me going to each next episode because the mystery/process of it & the plot and how it will unravel kept my interest 100%

Excellent writing and execution.
Not everything needs an explanation, but what does need to be found out, will be.

Also, an excellent example of how not to judge a book by it's cover, the damage a single person can cause and the suffering of loved ones due to other's & society's uncaring & cruel attitude.
I'd almost say this is a slice of life because it sure does showcase a lot of the bad & good of our society and one can learn to be a better person.
I'm already ready for a re-watch.

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A fresh start every time .

This story was like a totally new concept as a Chinese drama . The series was amazing , short ,no extra bullshit . The story was straight to the point with linear plot but a lot of patience.

The first two episodes tell us about our leads and their perspective of the explosion. and later on we catch up on the back story of other passengers.
Everyone played an important role and deserved recognition as everyone contributed to the storyline .

The subtle hint of romance between the leads was also amazing , no extra cuddly bullshit was present rather it looked natural .
The acting was too perfect .

It is short and engaging making it easy to finish in a single setting with every episode ending with a cliffhanger and just making you reach for the next episode.

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Most Unexpected drama to start 2022!

Omg! Let me shower my love for the drama first! Splendid cast and quite a fresh genre in Chinese dramas! I'm glad Zhao Jing Mai finally took up a role that suit her very well and not to say how much she has improved as an actress, I would she has successfully made a break though into an adult actress and no longer just under the shadows of other more successful similar age actress!

Bai Jing Ting too did a really great job portraying a character that could seem boring and two-dimensional, both his and Zhao Jing Mai's character grew at a nice pace as the story built up. I'm really thankful that he finally got the chance to prove his worth as an actor and not just some "idol" star! Kudos to their chemistry and professionalism despite the age gap and WOW I am satisfied with a proper and hilarious romance they had!

All of the romantic moments didn't seem awkward and you can see the director did not try to shove us with fake romance and typical "sugar" scenes like many big budget dramas did in 2021 and not to mention all the details in the entire script. I almost want to cry when I saw the drama is so serious with the story!

The good thing about this drama is that it allowed me as an viewer to feel like I'm involved in the situations too. I felt the emotions strongly as the story progressed and the scenes made me think too what the ways to stop the explosion, not just following the flow of the drama!

Just some parts that I feel are loopholes! First is definitely the unexplained part where Zhao Jing Mai being pulled into the cycle for no reason. Second, whereby the policemen that appeared in every cycle, like do the policemen just stopped in their time once the next cycle starts or do both the main leads disappear from being investigation suspects in previous cycle like they didn't exist from the start and the police continues the investigation that will never derive at an answer? Third would be a confusion for me when Li Shi Qing brought Xiao He Yun to a house to wash away the blood when Xiao He Yun accidentally stab the murderer in one of the cycles. It felt very odd for me like why Li Shi Qing knows the area so well and even managed to escape the police's search as though she lived there... (Maybe I had missed out on the details! ><)

Overall, really great drama and super worth it to watch it not to mention how short the drama is! Don't be worry about weak story plots because it's NOT! And if you are looking for interesting genres to watch and not just those brainless "beautiful" idol dramas then this will definitely be great one!

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Time is an illusion.

I am someone who firmly believes in this headline, although I know that it's impossible for me to track back and change the very root of the concept of time and space.

Kai Duan, or Reset has been on my radar since last year. Being an avid fan of the time travel genre, I was particularly excited -- last year's First Love Again had been satisfying in delivering a believable story, although it's production was far from perfect.

Although it has a rather strange number of 15 episodes, a distinct change from the regular conventions of CDramaland that have an unspoken rule of dragging stories endlessly to fill 24 to 36 episodes and ruin the experience, it rarely disappoints.

Following a Groundhog Day like plot, Li Shi Qing, a young college student, is inadvertently pulled into a time loop after she dies in an explosion aboard Bus No. 45. In a desperate attempt to save someone from their fate and also get down from the bus, she yanks Xiao He Yun, a game developer, into the loop. Now with the added burden of being the prime suspects and getting chased by the police force, the duo search for a way to stop the explosion and terminate the loop.

Following the themes and background that are literal staples of any forms of entertainment involving time travel/time loop, the very succinct and clean execution of the plot is something that is particularly rare to find. Especially in Chinese Dramaland, where a deluge of dramas with absolutely little to no effort is being put behind them are produced aplenty.
While the story, particularly the time travel aspect, was far from perfect, the very basis of this drama's strength lies with the entire cast and characters. Except for a few of passengers in the bus, we get indepth backstories about everyone. The police officers, particularly Captain Zhang, was meticulously and excellently portrayed. The leading actors were right on par with the more experienced cast.

One minor fault with this drama might be Li Shi Qing's guardians' complete absence. And the final episode was satisfying, but also left me feeling discontended as there were a few unexplained topics that remained.

I will rate this a 9.0 for now, thanks to the writers' uncanny ability to make me tear up for everyone.

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Great Watch

Finished 'Reset' two days ago and still feel impressed by the show. I know a thing or two about constructing plots and I must say it is very hard to make a story soooo gripping while basically staying within the same frame for 15 whole episodes: the main leads wake up on a bus that is about to explode in some minutes and they try hard to prevent that from happening by playing out various strategies...

I had imagined it would be a bit boring to watch right from the start, but I was pleasantly surprised because the show got me hooked within the first couple of minutes. So I kept on watching, while thinking it would eventually still lose the dynamics, but that never happened! The story is ADDICTIVE from the first episode through to the last one and it never gets slow or boring! I finished it in two sleepless nights :-)

Moreover, it has the vibe of a video game: you keep replaying the same situation because you want to pass the level, but you always fail... The only difference is that you see real people instead of pixel characters.

Speaking of which, I really appreciated the two leads: their acting skills are superb, they managed to convey all the complicated emotions their characters went through. I had seen BJT before, so his acting did not come as a surprise, while the FL -- ZJM -- has easily made it into my personal list of favourite actors and actresses :-) I really, really liked her way of portraying her character: mine is probably an unpopular opinion, but I am extremely tired of the FLs in CDramas who act too childish, too cute, pout their lips, speak like they are five year-olds, etc. so I felt a huge relief when I saw a normal, relatable, real-life young girl in 'Reset.'

A huge thank you to the whole crew! I will be looking forward to new projects like this one.

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TIME LOOP EXPERIENCE

Feb. 25, 2022

Reset is actually a drama that is recommended to me by a friend. To be quite frank, I actually rarely watch these types of genres or dramas as they are not my cup of tea. But to my quite a surprise Reset is actually such an interesting drama.

The characters are well-thought-out though I did have some issues with the writing of the plot. I feel like they could have explained things more. But I guess that's one of the key points with sci-fi time travelling dramas, THEY DON'T EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. So I guess if you don't like dramas with no full closure. Maybe this one is not for you.

Also, I was a bit sad when our Cat-boy did not enter the loop. I really thought he was gonna be part of it and they are gonna be a trio. Oh well. 😢

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One of the best C-dramas so far!!!!

OVERALL
This drama is SO unlike any other C-drama I've seen so far, it feels like a Hollywood film! Watch it NO MATTER WHAT, you'll be mind-blown by the pace, the suspense, the heartwarming scenes, the occasional humor and slight hint of romance. But if you really, really want a developed love story or if you really, really don't like time-travel loop plotlines, wait until you're bored...then definitely give it a try. It's worth it!

THE STORY
I have to start by saying I'm not a fan of the time-travel loop storylines. Time travelling, yes, but when the characters have to go through the same thing over and over AND OVER again, I usually find it kind of boring...and very unsettling haha STILL, Reset managed to completely shatter my prejudice and I absolutely loved it. Why?

1) Because the mystery of finding out exactly what is going on is actually gripping, and there are a few unexpected twists so that even when you think you've figured it out, there're still surprises.
2) Because you learn to care about the secondary characters since they're given detailed backstories, so you end up hoping the protagonists will succeed.
3) Because even when things feel repetitive, they're actually kind of funny/ironic at the same time? So the repetitiveness of the loop trope doesn't get annoying or tiring.
4) Because the main leads are kind of cute together, and even though romance is really not a major aspect of the drama, there's enough of a hint of romance to satisfy you.

Of course, nothing is perfect and neither is Reset. The biggest flaw, I think, is how all secondary characters get a backstory but not the OTP. By the end, you know the side characters better than the leads, which is weird. But since it doesn't stop you from rooting for the OTP, it's fine. Another big flaw in Reset (there're only two, really) is the way the final mystery is solved, which feels kind of...disappointing? Like it doesn't quite make sense. But maybe it's just me? Anyway, it doesn't take too much away the greatness of the show, and the ending sequence is so nice, it makes up for it!

THE ACTING
Perf, everybody was perf. I need to highlight the performance of lead actress though, she was a.ma.zing!

THE MUSIC
Great for the genre (suspenseful instrumental music), but nothing that stands out.

REWATCH VALUE
Definitely high! Even though some scenes are truly traumatic, the drama is binge worthy and I can watch without skipping any scene (which is so rare nowadays!) so I'll rewatch FOR SURE!

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Binged this in 2days and i would say, it is intriguing enough for me to keep on pressing the next ep button on my off days. Lol

Considering this is a time loop series, it is very much easy for viewers to get fed up and stop halfway, and i must say, around ep 4-6ish, i almost got a feeling of wanting to give up because of how much the scenes are getting repetitive and how the police officers are behaving is starting to grate on my nerve! Lol. Luckily it picks back up around halfway mark and i cant wait to see how the leads are trying to better their tactics to achieve different outcomes everytime.

I am bit too lazy to arrange an essay right now (lol) so i would just mention things as i remembered as i go along typing then

-this is probably my first time seeing timeloop theme series and it always crosses my mind while im watching this series, but the wardrobe coordinator/stylist/mua must have the time of their life not having to think too much. Lol. But i wonder how many of those same set of cloth they used to film a 15episodes drama? Haha
-bai jinting is one of my favourite chinese ML since YAMH and he delivers a nice acting in this as well but i was pleasantly surprised with the FL. This is my first time watching her drama, and she truly nailed her character and compliments bai jinting so well. The chemistry is there, which i love
-maybe this is just me, but i truly think that the FL looks soooo much like Go Ara. Lol
-the romance is maybe a drop in the ocean, tiny as it is, but it seems quite rush. Not that i have any problem that it was there though
-the actress who played that psycho mother is reallllyyyyy gooddd. Her expression, voice and not to mention, her resistance while fighting back realllyyyyy gives me goosebumps, she definitely give me a psychotic murderer vibe *shivers*
-and did i mention, i hateeeeee how the police handles the case initially. Sergeant Jiang is unprofessional as hell, not to mention, judgemental to the T. Captain Zhang is just slightly better than Jiang. He redeemed himself slightly towards the end. In real life, thats the recipe for scaring away someone who wants to do a good deed, and letting the criminal unable to be convicted, just because innocent people just dont wanna deal with a biased, judgemental police. And Of course, coming from Operation Special Warfare prior to watching this, i am totally disappointed with how the law enforcer behaves in Reset. Lol. Maybe i took it too personally haha


In conclusion, a good single watch drama for me personally. Dont think i’ll be rewatching this again though. Haha

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