Zhi Bi (2024)

Reminder of the strength and resilience within us all

"Fortune Writer" is an extraordinary drama that captivated my heart and soul as I've never fond of any drama to this extentIt tells the poignant story of a woman who, despite facing numerous challenges, transforms her fate through unwavering persistence and living with unyielding dignity.

The narrative is beautifully woven, showcasing the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Each episode is a testament to the incredible strength and resilience that women possess. The performances are deeply moving, and the storyline is both compelling and inspirational.

This drama is a powerful reminder that no matter the obstacles, one can change their destiny with determination and grace. "Fortune Writer" is not just a story; it’s a beacon of hope and a call to live life with courage and integrity.

A must-watch for anyone seeking inspiration and a renewed sense of purpose. ?

Citeste mai mult

'Fortune writer' or 'Fortune manipulator'?

This drama has an interesting premise, as I actually enjoy the 'rebellious characters' or 'villainous leads'! it makes the story unpredictable! though towards the end, it got messy and the last few episodes were super rushed!

I think FL was better in her acting than the ML.. the chemistry was lacking.
As for the rest of the cast, they were okay.

Also I didn't find the ending satisfying. It kind of ruined it for me.
I prefer 'Night of Love With You' drama as the 'oblivious characters' done right.
In this one, the writers drove themselves into a corner and made an endless loop of 'story manipulators'. the 'fortune writer' keeps on existing as the book exists above the 'lead' who sees the words and becomes the manipulator.

This was overall an okay watch and I won't be rewatching it.

so would I recommend it?
*if you are fan of FL, go for it! she was great!
*If it is the story that interests you, go for it but don't expect a satisfying conclusion!
**if you are here for romance, I wouldn't recommend watching this.
***if you want to avoid dramas with 'rape attempts', (ep 05, 06, 09 ) don't watch this or skip the episodes I mentioned.

Citeste mai mult

Defying fate | The untold sufferings of the antagonist in finding love & overcoming her inner demons

"Hold the knife steadily when killing someone." - Lu Huai

How are people giving this ingenious narrative a score leser than "Perfect 10" when it had executed beyond expectation all throughout? UNFAIR!!

I will be very honest and say that I started this drama with a prejudice of the plot and how will it unfold so I wasn't that amuse at first and is cynical instead of the story simply because of the reviews I have read here in MDL. However, let me tell you something...this drama is more than the reviews it received so far from its viewers and I think it deserves more recognition and popularity for how good it actually is. So I really want more people who may happen to stumble upon this review of mine in the future to know that this drama is one of those projects you don't see and encounter being produce often, so here I am encouraging you to just watch it and discard any unnecessary groundless preconceptions you have for this story and let yourself be the judge on how you want to view this drama after you finish watching it.

I will also say that the first several episodes may bring your skeptical thoughts go active and wild but please don't let that cloud and hinder your opinion and experience in watching this drama because I assure you that it offers more than just that. That this drama is a wonderful surprise in which you will only appreciate once you have deep dive into it and truly understand the message of the Writer. So I hope that anyone can watch this drama because they want to experience and see firsthand how it actually is compared to just watching it only to prove that this and/or that review is accurate.

I used to think that the writer wanted to gaslight Su Yun Qi (FL) by justifying all of her evil doings and making her appear as a heroine who are just doing things for revenge. But then, as the story goes on I realized that it's actually wasn't the case at all. In fact Su Yun Qi's nature never really changed nor did the writer tried even once to paint her as a good girl. Instead she stayed true to her character and remained an evil bitch the entire time which makes her more interesting and captivating for me. That's also when I realized that this story isn't about her turning into a new leaf or transforming into another persona but more on her personal growth as an individual by experiencing different feelings—grief and sorrow (for losing the most important person in her life), physical pain (that she almost never experience before), hardships and betrayal (coming from her own Father) and lastly, love and heartbreak (which took her a lot of time to finally accept and hold onto because of the reservations and hesitations she used to have)—thus it taught her to differentiate between what's truly important in life and be more appreciative and capable of accepting and loving someone even at the expense of her esteemed dignity.

Regarding the story flow and overall progression, I'd say that the writer and director had a clear and detailed plan on how they want to present and execute the story to make it appealing to its audience. The fact that this is a mini drama which runs 10-14 minutes or less each episode yet they still delivered seamlessly speaks a lot to me. I can see that they really go sequence per sequence for each episode and only selected what's relevant and crucial to the story line which truly impresses and satisfies me. The story progression all comes natural and I am honestly in awe with my familiarity with the characters, as if I was given background of them prior to watching the drama. It also fascinates me how they're able to introduce the characters and make them leave a lasting impression to its viewers which solidifies their role and purpose in the story.

Lastly I wanna talk about is the eerie yet unique chemistry between the Main leads. Both of them are visually good but what made me drawn to them is their menacing aura. They exude an intimidating air that sends this "I'm not someone you should mess with" message. They're like "Yin and Yang" that balances each other. Lu Huai being the kinder person who hides his soft heart through his stoic and ruthless facade and Su Yun Qi as his counterpart who's overflowing with evilness and dark energy. Love them both!

P.S. Watching this felt weird because I can't technically support the FL for how evil she is yet can't hate her as well. You just gotta love and hate her for unconditionally. A complicated yet brilliantly written character.

"From love comes sorrow and fear. Those who are away from love have neither sorrow nor fear." - Yun Sheng

Story - 10, I started this drama out of curiousity and I never really expected to like it this much. The story is mesmerizing and will keep you engrossed to it until the very end. The sequences and events are perfectly integrated which made it easier for me to understand the story. Another thing is that it will be impossible for anyone to question the plot because they left no plot hole in it.

Acting/Cast - 10, I'm pleased and highly satisfied. I'm not very familiar with the cast but I'm sure I have watched some of them in various projects before. Daisy Li (FL) stood out for me the most. She played, nailed and owned her character. What a terrific actress.

Music - 9.5, I honestly only heard one (1) song the entire time and I can't blame them for that (since their time is limited). Nonetheless, the music were utilized properly and they made sure that it highlighted the emotions of the scenes it was being used to.

Rewatch Value - 10, I sincerely wanna recommend this to everyone. Please do give it a try and experience this weird and unfamiliar yet fantastic feeling I have had while watching it. I assure you that it's all gonna be worth it!

Overall - 10, This is a truly unexpected drama for me. At first, I even thought that I will only give this a rating of 8.0 or 9.0 but look at me now? Hahaha! It was well created and produced and will make you realize that there really are many more sides of the story that hasn't been told and explored yet. So I implore everybody to just give it a try. I highly recommend this one.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

Citeste mai mult

One of the best mini dramas that I've watched

This is very different and unique compared to other lately released cdramas.
Despite being a short drama, a lot of stuff happens in each episode
Each episode is full of meaning.
For those who are confused with the plot, this drama has a Daoism philosophical message, derived from Zhuangzi's dream of a butterfly. You can google what's all about.
Moreover, this story challenges the realms of good and bad, the concept of antagonist and protagonist..
Also, it makes us think about the Free will or the fate...?
Is she born like this? or Is it her will to act this way? how is this applied to the real world?
It mocks the typical love stories in dramas. It beautifully make fun of all those cdrama cliche stuff that usually happens in every cdrama story.
in another review that I read here "amusedbush" has explained many of these "swipes taken at cliche tropes" in detail in each ep of the drama.
I really enjoyed this aspect of the drama ?.
The twists and turns got a little bit messy in middle but overall was ok.
About the acting Daisy Li as Su Yun Qi did a great job. She is amazing. Her role as a grey character really fits her.
But about the Ml (Ye Sheng Jia
as Lu Huai), He's got such baby face look that really I can not take him seriously as a swordman and a cruel general. He sounds like a teenage boy.
I will definitely rewatch this underrated gem again.

Citeste mai mult