Best one yet

Outstanding cast
Unforgettable soundtrack
Phenomenal arc for many characters
Wonderful all-around series

The chemistry, the chemistry between the two leads is OFF-THE-CHARTS for me. I don’t need a kiss or verbal love confession of I LOVE YOU (I mean if “soulmate” isn’t enough?!) to make this a BL for me. The relationship span and breath between the leads have no boundaries. Their love and care for each other was so palpable. Kudos to the screenwriters too.

Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo were outstanding. Their portrayals were succinct and complete. To watch each lead character grow and mature was so satisfying. No matter how good a character is on paper, it takes a good portrayal to bring each one to life.

So many cast members did a wonderful job, the actors for these characters- Wen Qing, Yanli, Wen Ning.

The soundtrack is on repeat for me. So hauntingly beautiful.

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One of my favourites

Absolutely loved it. Tang Yi and Shao Fei just made sense, the actors’ chemistry is so good, it’s OFF-THE-CHARTS. Like yin and yang, Shao Fei balances and brings out the loving side of Tang Yi whereas Tang Yi makes Shao Fei settle down and have a focus other than the case he’s been investigating for 4 years- get his man for a different reason.

Chris Wu as Tang Yi is so good! His controlled expressions, his character arc is absolutely a joy to watch.

The background story keeps it real, this is why I avoid most school-based BL stories, I am bored with them.

All characters were interesting, this is the first HIStory series that I was not at all bored with at any second and didn’t fast forward any part.

The ending is very realistic for me.

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Have faith

Well-paced, intriguing, no holds barred drama with a very solid cast. With Wang Yibo, Li Qin and Wang Yang as leads, this drama draws me in from the very first minute and never lets up. Beautiful cinematography sets each scene, ready to impress me, and impress me it did. The production quality of War of Faith is top notch.

Ideals woven into subplots, this drama makes you rethink your red line and humanity. Characters that come from different backgrounds may converge if their beliefs and faith meet..or not.

Wang Yang is debonair, exuding such confidence into his character. He is new to me and I’m impressed. Li Qin is an accomplished actress, portraying Shen Jinzhen superbly. Wang Yibo continues to soar to new heights, worthy of every accolade given by industry peers.

If you have any doubts about starting this drama, I urge you to simply give it a try before forming any preconceived judgment, it may surprise you.

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Mixed feelings

It would have been better if this drama was not marketed as romance. To realize some episodes later that it is more of a family/life drama left me with a lesser impression by that time because the matriarch figure already annoyed me to no end by that time. I would say it is also partly my own fault; however when I started paying more attention to the credits song and understood the lyrics, it made more sense.

Honestly the “leads’” pairing kept me (barely) invested. I started watching because I wanted to see the Xu Kai/Yang Zi pairing. Jokes on me…The real leads are Yang Zi and He Sai Fei (the latter played the matriarch figure). Some episodes (many..) it felt like He Sai Fei is the only lead, especially the last few.

He Sai Fei’s character was overbearing, over-meddling, could be seen as self-centred at times but it also hit too close to home for many who could identify many traits in one of their parents. This could only turn out to be a disaster watch or some good drama.

At times, it felt like there was too much manufactured angst, especially towards the end.

If you noticed, I only mentioned Xu Kai once..this was by design, I thought the character he played felt like a prop at times, it was a real waste.

I added 1/2 star to the rating for the whiff of romance between the two “leads”.

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Worth the time investment

This was my most anticipated drama of 2021 and it didn’t disappoint at all.

I appreciated the budget spent on the cast and production. All leads delivered, I wasn’t surprised with Wang Yibo’s calibre but I hadn’t watched Huang Xuan and Song Qian in any role before. I liked both especially Huang Xuan. He was Gao Bingzhu in essence and spirit, such a strong character. Song Qian was also good, she didn’t overact and I appreciated how she made Siyue into a multi-dimensional character, with soft edges. Wang Yibo continues to improve and soar higher and higher, taking on different roles each time. So proud of him giving his all to every project he takes on.

This drama has so many things going on; intrigue, suspense, some side romance (just enough to not overshadow), palace politics, history, and most of all, facets of humanity seen from different classes of the citizens.

The music is good, especially the end credits song (I need to find the title) which is haunting and, depending on when it was bgm, could be either heartbreaking or inspiring.

Congrats to the cast and crew of Luoyang, you’ve left a positive mark in the cdrama world, imho.

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Leads carried the whole drama

Absolute kudos to Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu. Their explosive chemistry MADE the whole drama. I wasn’t even concerned with a few things here and there (except..see below). They truly connected as co-stars on a whole new level, it felt so natural. Their interactions were addictive, they overshadowed everyone else.

I loved the pace of YS and JJ’s relationship, their verbal sparring was all kinds of adorable. Once they met up again after so many years, time wasn’t wasted on any long, drawn out misunderstandings or conflicts. Each one showed patience and maturity when it mattered. I honestly dislike dramas where couples go on long breaks for ridiculous stuff.

The con of this drama was the second couple’s “relationship.” It was like whatever didn’t go wrong with the first couple’s relationship was just randomly thrown into this one. However, I wasn’t too distracted because, once again, the main couple absolutely RULED.

There were some dramatic stuff as well but not over-the-top. Fluff was absolutely necessary between YS and JJ and I lived for them!

I know there are 2 more months to the end of this year but I can safely say this is my favourite contemporary cdrama of 2020.

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I’m as confused as the male lead

The story is cute, male leads have a strong bromance that is enjoyable to watch. Backdrop of the pet shop is refreshing and unusual. There are also many outdoor/different scenes that showcase how comfortable the leads are with each other and how their relationship progress.

I like how Hang Hang knows what he wants and bides his time (mostly). Liang Ze working out his own feelings is the real challenge. Alan Luo channels this in an adorable yet frustrating way. His immaturity often shows and Hang Hang needs to rein in his impatience. As cute as this couple is, I also want to pull out my hair at times.

Might rewatch parts only.

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Proceed with caution

Let me reiterate that I can’t get over this couple, I’m also fascinated with Lu Feng. His obsession was a train wreck I couldn’t look away from.

The second part of this movie was quite dark, I was surprised this even happened in a Chinese BL movie. This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill cliched gays against the world story.

Lu Feng’s spiral played off of his loss of control over the relationship. Xiao Chen definitely didn’t play into his hands, resulting in disastrous consequences. Once again, Gao Tai Yu was better in his role, he had a swagger, albeit psychotic.

Random—This is my bleeding heart saying, for the love of everything LGBTQ, can on-screen Asian mothers/grandmothers please stop fainting or threatening to kill themselves when they find out one of their family members is not straight?? I’m so over this.

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Weird

This series is quite weird, some parts just didn’t gel for me. Chi Cheng had a job in the beginning, then his job became “acting as rich man’s son”, Suo Wei was a rolling stone, hell bent on revenge only.

I finished it because I did like the main characters on the whole, and here’s my shallow moment, Wang Qing is very easy on the eyes.

There were funny parts, and the secondary characters almost stole the show, especially Suo Wei’s friend who was his conscience.

Rewatch value- maybe some parts but the BTS videos though!! Fan service or not, their off-screen chemistry is undeniable. And again, (need I say it?) WANG QING, WANG QING.

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Cute then fizzled out

I love the age gap older man/younger woman trope. Li Xian carried this series. His character’s arc was so good. As HSY, he carried the part effectively, making me root for him. TN was adorable however her ridiculousness was over the top at times.

This was addictive until around ep. 26 onwards then the flashbacks got too tedious. This series went on way too long so I rated the rewatch value lower. The messages are powerful however they tended to be repetitive after awhile.

The camaraderie amongst the team members was so good, I enjoyed the boys’ reaction to the romance between their boss and TN.

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Last few episodes were the best

First off, I chose not to read about the scandal/controversy surrounding HYT and this series before I started watching. It helped with my headspace going in.

The first few episodes kept me invested because of one reason- Jiang Chen is not a bully, he teases XX a lot but I didn’t think he bullies her. I can’t stand the girl-worships-mean-boy trope. I like the fact that JC is actually part of the group. Rival group stories can only carry the plot so much for me.

The school years laid the foundation for the relationships. I really like JQ, the tomboy. She’s fiercely protective of XX and the group. BS is a lovely, selfless character. He would’ve been a great bf for XX but for JC- the heart wants what the heart wants.

The dynamics of JC and XX’s relationship is what kept me invested. I believed he liked her very early on but as you can see from later episodes, he wasn’t in the right headspace to start a romantic relationship with her because of his personal issues. He couldn’t resist her though, the subtle bias he has for her shows throughout the series. He really couldn’t deny his feelings anymore in their last year of high school and although he couldn’t verbalize his feelings, his actions showed a lot, especially by turning down the Beijing university entrance acceptance.

Many thought XX acted so silly but really, she was infatuated though she did push back. Her bubbly personality fits with her actions, she isn’t made for sadness.

Once they are in university, JC can’t hold back anymore, and accepts he and XX are meant to be.

To me, the episodes after their breakup are the best as JC has to come to terms with his emotions (his POV and explanation to BS were SOLID and really filled in the blanks for some) and XX shows she’s no pushover. She really made JC work for reconciliation.

I read that most viewers preferred XX with BS but not me. She couldn’t love him, her heart is already full with JC, she never fell for BS. Their issues were always with each other only, never with BS. It was never a love triangle, just unrequited love for BS.

The series was a 7.5 for me for the high school years until they went to university and then the breakup/reconciliation episodes brought it up to 8.0.

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Adrenaline on max

A few random thoughts:

1. This is the most ridiculous Asian show, be it drama or movie, I’ve ever watched. Everything is beyond over-the-top, the OTT train basically went off the cliff.

2. Talking in normal tones is not allowed, one must scream or shout AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE otherwise nothing is taken seriously.

3. There’s a lot of sacrifice in this drama, you’re not worthy if you’re not willing to sacrifice, be it your dignity, love, pride, time, you get the gist.

4. The boss is SUPER CREEPY.

5. have no idea how Haruta went through life without any sense.

6. Maki, Maki, MAKI is the best thing in this drama. He’s purposeful, firm, loving, he brightens the whole show.

7. I can finally rest my ears.

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This series is highly recommended by BL fans so I had to watch it.

STORY: I have a long way to go in catching up with BL dramas/movies however the main reason I really enjoyed this one is seeing the couple maintain a bromance amidst the romance. It’s refreshing to see Mai Ding and Zi Yan alternate between trash talking each other then be sweet..haha. I love how they’re not afraid to do that as it shows how comfortable they are with each other.

Zi Yan is super nonchalant and acts disinterested but his love and care shows at crucial times. Mai Ding is as quirky as they come.

ACTING: I love the two leads however their acting is subpar at times.

MUSIC: Love the theme song.

REWATCH VALUE: YES

P.S. I was shocked with how explicit some scenes are, the Chinese in me is screaming!!

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Some things didn’t sit right with me

I saw how popular this drama was and decided to try it.

The acting is good however I have issues with the dubious consent and how stalkerish GH is. I get that this is fiction but how is this representing the LGBTQ community by showing one guy force the other into physical contact to admit he has feelings for said guy especially in such a homophobic society?

Once again, I reiterate that the acting is convincing enough that I feel uncomfortable with this. GH really is a bully to me. This bugs me to no end.

I’m glad BLY found his own feelings in his journey.

The music wasn’t anything unforgettable.

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So much more than a dance movie

One and Only is packed with inspirational people and moments. It is explosive dance battles, aesthetic scenes, and beautiful cinematography. It is people living their lives the best they can, and then some. It is pushing boundaries, making hard decisions, grabbing opportunities for better or for worse.

Let’s start with Chen Shuo who is kind, filial, hard-working, lovable, unintentionally funny, the list goes on. He loves and protects his family fiercely, always lending a helping hand, stretches his precious moments thin, finding time to dedicate to his love of dance.

Wang Yibo is made for dancing, he inspires such joy and pleasure when he dances.

Even Ding Lei’s life can provide teachable moments of human conditions and circumstances. The E-Mark dance crew is loyal to a fault, great to see familiar faces if you have watched a season or two of Street Dance of China.

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