Hou Lang (2023)

Zhao Lusi was good, and everyone else was bad. A horrible and boring script

"Gen Z - Hou Lang" is a melodrama about Chinese medicine. I finished watching the drama today, and I must admit this is not a great script.

Zhao Lusi acted better than everyone else in this drama. Still, her screen times were low compared to other series because it is an all-star cast, and the character building is very slow.

Her onscreen chemistry with the ML, Luo YiZhou is not great (she had the best onscreen chemistry with Yang Yang and Wu Lei, imo.) Her characters in WRTW and LLTG are much better, stronger, and more complex than Sun Tou Tou.

I didn't know that this was Luo Yi Zhou's first drama, and he did a decent job. Although he and ZLS played love interests, there was no kissing scene at all, so it was disappointing.

I love Zhao Lusi and her acting abilities; however, I do not like the GenZ script and Wu Gang's and Jiang Shan's acting. The drama is disappointing and draggy. It could be better if it were cut short by half. Wu Gang has been typed cast in the same type of role. He is an overbearing father prideful and stubborn husband who does not talk or express his feelings. Grrr…. If it were not for ZLS, I would drop this drama a long time ago. The curveball about Sun Tou Tou being Ren Xing Zheng's daughter in ep 35 was ridiculous, and it took until ep 39 to explain that she was not.

Between episode35-39 it added the Covid situation into the drama, which was unnecessary. The wife who cared for Ren Xin Xheng, because he had Covid, did not use a mask or protective gear. Even though it has a happy ending, overall, the acting was boring, and too much TCM propaganda. Bad script, so I give it a 6.0 rating.

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Learned, endeared, and appreciated

This series isn't the type of series I would have queued to watched. I started watching this because of Zhao Lusi. It dragged for me in the beginning and i found it to be different from a typical series I have watched. Regardless of the story or theme, seies usually flowed showing relevant scenes. If once in a while I come across a "so-so" series, it'll have irrelevant scenes thats added as a filler & didnt make sense to be added...like it was a waste of time. This series has a lot of scenes like conversations within family, colleagues or friends that we can say not necessary but actually helped carry the series.
I found some comments here regarding romance in this series immature.
This series is not about romance. It is there but itll be slow and tho you know it is coming, it came towards the end - to me, it was placed perfectly.
It will be slow for viewers as they start watching it and you'll feel you are trying to hold on for something good but eventually you'll stick to it because you anticipate the next banter between husband and wife, talks between grandson and grandpa, naughty exchange of TouTou with her master, learning about Meng Mengs condition, techniques to help live, learn TCM, etc.
This series will guide viewers with open mind how to live better, and healthier. It is educational at the same time entertaining.
It is not a perfect series, but it is one that if you give it a chance, you will stay til the end.
The characters in this series evolved flawlessly and artists all did an exemplary job in each their roles. The casts meshed well with each other. Casting director deserved his paycheck for his work here.
Production was just awesome ? Location chosen were all ? that I cant help imagine the hardships production encountered.
Overall, it is a series I will highly recommend. Don't get impatient watching because by episode 10, you will pick up things you would try to help you live a better life even in a small way.

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Una storia che vi farà riflettere molto su voi stessi e sulla vostra vita

Inizio col dire che ero molto indecisa se iniziare questo cdrama date le numerose recensioni che lo definivano noioso, lento o altro. Dal mio canto, invece, l’ho trovato un drama incredibilmente interessante.

STORIA: Per prima cosa, i rapporti che si vanno a raccontare sono molto più ampi e variegati: non è la semplice storia d’amore tra due ragazzi, ma è una storia di amicizia, famiglia, amore, salute e senso ultimo della vita.
Non ci sono momenti noiosi o superflui rispetto alla storia generale: ogni personaggio porta uno specchio di vita in cui molti possono riconoscersi e le loro problematiche vengono affrontate in modo da permettervi di riflettere su diversi metodi di approccio e di risoluzione del problema.
È un vero e proprio comfort drama.

L’unica nota dolente per me sono stati alcuni approcci alle patologie che da professionista sanitario mi hanno un po’ infastidito. È una forma mentis che ormai è parte di me, quindi un po’ come uno dei protagonisti della storia per alcune cose mi sento di dissentire.

ROMANCE: molti si sono lamentati anche dell’apparente mancanza di romance, in realtà io credo che in GenZ venga raccontata una delle storie di innamoramento più belle, coerenti e con il giusto passo. Se siete amanti del trope “enemies to friends to lovers”, questo cdrama vi piacerà molto.

ATTORI: gli attori sono stati fenomenali. Ognuno di loro è riuscito a portare sullo schermo l’essenza del proprio personaggio, quasi a farlo sembrare una sorta di documentario o di storia vera. Zhao Lusi è una garanzia: il modo in cui riesce ad essere così spontanea ed emozionante in ogni suo personaggio la rende una delle migliori attrici cinesi attualmente. Il dottor Ren mi è sembrato un vero medico di medicina tradizionale cinese e anche la sua performance è stata impeccabile.

ATTENZIONE: ci sono molte tematiche forti (suicidio, morte, violenze, disturbi mentali), quindi fate attenzione e valutate se riuscireste ad affrontarle.

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Had potential

The name Gen Z is just not well-suited for the drama. I disagreed with a lot of ways the things were handled by the grown ups in the drama. The whole concept of the drama was not for me. But I can say that the master-disciple relationship between the Xing Zheng and Sun Tou Tou had a lot of potential.

I'm not a fan of Tian Zhen and couldn't actually see him in favorable light once he left Sun Tou Tou drunk alone, where she almost drowned. He was too damn irresponsible at all times. Never stepping up when he made any mistakes, always allowing others to take the blame for him. Let's not forget that in order to alleviate his guilt about Meng Meng, he tried to keep her with him so that he could treat even knowing that it was beyond his expertise. I could only like him for the last part of the story because I chose to turn a blind eye to all of these things & because that's what Sun Tou Tou wanted.

I couldn't believe the way things ended for Meng Meng, what she needed was a therapist not Tian Zhen who wasn't capable of taking care of her. Her parents were even worse, trying to lock her up as if she was some monster. They all failed the poor child.

I didn't much care for how Ling Lan treated Sun Tou Tou, telling her to leave even without giving her the chance to prove that she wasn't guilty. Sun Tou Tou was a such a bright light throughout the drama, she was childish at times knowing that she would be kicked out even if she behaved, not really believing the whole thing about her being the descendant.

Zhao Lusi was the one who made the drama worth watching, her performance as an orphan who knew that she could be kicked out if she stepped one foot out of the line was marvelous. She is a joy to watch & it broke my heart every time she was blamed for things that weren't her fault. She got so used to it that she didn't hesitate in taking the blame & being selfless when she thought it would be better for her master's family.

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It's nationalism all wrapped in pretty propaganda

Mehn, thank god for Zhao Lusi otherwise this drama would have been as dry as unbuttered toast. Prof Ren, with his never-ending lectures about EVERY-FUCKING-THING, is beginning to grate on my nerves.
Mrs Ren is supposed to be a doctor yet she's never been shown in that capacity; all she does is fold clothes or pack books for her husband. Rebecca is an I-want-to-stab-myself-in-the-eyes kind of boring. Li Quan is made out to be a bad person simply because he's poor and the way his father was depicted as being avaricious reeked of classism. I was not impressed with Prof Ren's indifference to LQ's homelessness.
Also, Prof Ren is a gold digger (yes, I said it) who married his wife for her parents' money cos that man has never in his life told his wife of 20+ yrs that he loves or appreciates her instead he went looking for his "long lost love" ?? The grandparents are dead paperweights in that their roles are given unnecessary importance yet the drama would have been fine without them.

Lastly, I cannot imagine a more unserious person than Prof Ren. Who resigns from a plush position as a uni dept. head without telling their spouse? Who decides to start a school without having a proper business plan or source of funding? Whoever wrote the script must have a mandate from the government to make TCM look attractive to the younger generation. If so, it's the height of dangerous propaganda because it'll make it seem like anyone can be a TCM doctor seeing as there's no entrance exam or requirements to qualify.

I'm at ep 20 and will continue to soldier on but I'm no longer as interested in watching as I was for the initial episodes.

Update June 5, 2023: I've lost interest and will be dropping this series.

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Inspirational

I honestly decided to watch this because of Toutou and Tian Zhen... if your looking forward to their moments, im sorry to disappoint you but they do not have plenty of scenes together. This show targets 'Traditional Chinese Medicine', family, son and father issues.
The parents of Tian Zhen, i love them. Their affection and love with each other are too cute.
I was mostly looking forward to Toutou and Tian Zhen especialy some clips ive been online.
After 25episodes... i kinda skipped a lot of part and mostly stayed on the couple's scene. But overalls, i love the drama. Very inspirational it also gave me some knowledge about TCM.
Started feb3 finished feb6 6:26am.
Still jetlagged lol.

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Very educational

I would say that Gen Z is a very good show, long winded but good to watch. This series, if you really watch in-depth has alot of life lessons taught. Combining with the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the life lessons you can learn, it is indeed an absolute wonderful series to watch. These aside, I would say the series is abit tad long winded, certain aspects (like some of the people reviewed here) can be done without. Romance factor is not a really big thing in this series. Yes, you can see romance slowly blooming between the male and female lead along with other side couples, but not big and sizzling. I really enjoyed watching this series, although I played the skip button alot on certain parts of the series - especially parts with Meng Meng and Zhao Li Quan (character names in the series). They should not have made these parts so long winded and draggy. I enjoyed watching the banter between Zhao Lu Si and her master, it is very refreshing. I love the relationship of marriage between the characters Ren Xing Zheng and his wife and also the relationship of their parents. It is so nice to watch.

I actually noticed this show for some time already because I was a really big Zhao Lu Si fan, however the total amount of episodes was what dragged me this long to bring myself to watch it. After watching it completely (finally), I can say it is a good series to watch - as mentioned, I really love the life teachings brought up in this series along with the TCM. Reminds me of my Grandmother, when she was alive back then, how she would tell stories etc about her life while growing up in China in the ancient times.

Overall, the entire crew + casts really did a good job bringing life to their characters and also the series. A big applause for them. Zhao Lu Si, as always, brought alot of fun, humor and laughter to her shows. Though the initial few episodes was quite fascinating when her master just "picked her up from the streets" to be trained. Luo Yi Zhou, the male lead, is not bad. If the info provided here is accurate, for his first series, I would say he did a good job. Alina Zhang was abit more difficult. I honestly hated her from the start because of her obnoxious and selfish ways. But she really did a good job portraying that character.

The music, for me, is just average. There are some nice pieces but not all is to my liking.

All in all, I would say give this series a try. Especially if you want to know more about TCM or the Chinese life teachings within. But it is abit too long winded for me to say / recommend a re-watch, unless you really love it from the first completion.

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request clarification / verification

i love this drama and i have found it to be eye opening for TCM cultures. I especially love Sun Tou Tou and Ren Tian Zhen character.

Kindly do not read or listen to any youtube channel w title :- 后浪：孙头头后颈胎记露出，灵兰竟哭得泣不成声，任新正当场认亲 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIa_Uw3Ly9c].

As mentioned and written, this is not misleading information. If you can't find the channel meaning someone report the uploader. That is good news, please do go clarify and verify whether the link valid or invalid before accusing me of writing misleading information when clearly I have explained above.

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