Reviews

This review is intended to offer you an opinion of what I thought about this drama. It is not intended to sway you in anyways.

SPOILERS:

OMG YES!!! What a satisfying ending to such an interesting drama. This drama is interesting to watch, but you must have an open mind. If you aren't into cheating, pseudo incest-relationships (that is Nira and her uncle-in-law kissing etc), gender identity/transgender identity, revenge for the sake of revenge, etc...you will not enjoy this. However, we should always remember that there are lessons to learn from dramas like this.

WARNING:

This drama deals with lots of human issues.
1) transgender identities/gender identities
2) cheating
3) domestic violence
4) Mental Illness
5) Suicide
6) Cross dressing
7) Niece (who used to be a nephew) falling in love with uncle-in-law

You name it, it has it. It was a very well acted drama and every single actor did well in bringing their characters to life. MY GOD, that young woman playing Nira was amazing. I have never seen any of her work, but I have read from others how good she is, and I must say she really gave Nira a voice.

My second favorite character, believe it or not, was her father. He was introduced as an abusive, narcissistic, shallow and bigoted person. He was for intents and purpose a character you hated through the whole series until before the last two episodes, where he was humbled by learning the secret of who Nira was. Yes, as a viewer we are led to hating such a person, but his entire flawed nature as well as his realizing how horrible he had been showed how much range and development that character had. He was brought down from his high horse so to speak. I really loved the way his character did a complete 180 and became someone I actually sort of felt pity for. True he was a cheater and abusive to his wife and child, but losing his son did hurt him in some way. And then to find out he was now Nira, but still lost her when she left, left him as a shell of a man.

I was also surprised with the aunt. She was so unlikable and really selfish, just like her brother, but it was sort of sweet how she took care of him in the end and how she also felt sadness for what she did to Nira. It doesn't completely erase how horrible she had been initially, but again just like her brother's character, she too grew and showed more sides of her.

I was completely HAPPY with the ending we got. I was all for Nira either being alone, but happy with herself, than together with her uncle. Their relationship was doomed from the start. IT was obvious.

Nira had some deep seeded hate and her mental illness did not help. She needed to find herself and who she wanted to be, before even thinking of having a healthy normal relationship with ANYONE. I am so glad, that despite her suicide attempt, the drama ended with her staying alive and learning to love herself.

Supporting cast was also great!

Fantastic cast.

Music was nice and nostalgic

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I think this Drama really portrays something quite important especially in today's society. It has a clear moral and message that is delivered very well to the audience by the wondrous actors and soundtracks. I feel like when we reach the end of the story, we all have something we could take from it that we can implement into our own lives. Switched kind of reminded me of one of my favourite Webtoons out there which is Lookism in regards to the perception of how people are treated differently just because of their appearance and looks. It's because of that reality that people can be driven to be greedy, jealous and can be overflowed with desire to own and be something that they are not. Switched presents that in such a fresh and deep way that resonates into our hearts and souls.

In terms of the story, it is nothing like I had seen before. It revolves around switching bodies where the personalities and minds remains the same. However, even though it is a plot that was used many times already in media, Switched is one of those stories which will certainly grip you and keep you glued to the screen the whole time, anticipating what would happen next and wondering whether they're actually going to solve the problem in the end. I like the fact that there is a whole back story in terms of Switching and that it is a global supernatural phenomenon that had affected quite a lot of people which goes to show that the world is not as black and white as it seems but rather corrupted because people have these desires such as desiring a life much different than their own. The creators and author used this occurring device and twisted it into their own way to make a suspenseful and mysterious storyline.

However, what I can say though is that I felt like the last episode was particularly rushed. Because the series only had 6 episodes, I felt like a lot of the things that happened were all squashed to fit in one single episode. This includes the solving of the conflict and the aftermath of the events. It gave me the impression that the whole conflict was in a rush to be solved before the end of the episode which I thought had the potential to be extended and explored if we had more episodes. Needless to say, I'm not particularly complaining since it is not the first time that Dramas had executed rushed and less fluidity as opposed to the rest of its episodes, but overall, I was glad that Switched had graced us with the ending I'm sure we wanted to happen and I'm really happy for that. Not to mention, I was a bit sad that it only has 6 episodes and that it is too short to my liking; we need more of these wonderful goodness ;; However, if it did get extended and it had more episodes, I would have liked to see more exploration about the Red Moon, the history behind the Switching and also the psychological effects of people who had experienced it especially Ayumi and Umine's situation.

Furthermore, I don't know about you guys but the acting was remarkable to me. It was simply fantastic. The feelings that were expressed did resonate to me as an audience and man did it impacted me quite a lot. I wouldn't have cried a few times whilst watching the series if it weren't for the powerful acting that was demonstrated consistently throughout the show. Each of the four teenagers made an impact to me in their way and man, can I say I love Kaga to death - he is such a pure angel <3 Umine had shown an outstanding performance presenting someone who had lived a horrible life and was corrupted and driven by hate and greed, someone who was unwanted in the society and was treated nothing worse than scum but then realised how to be a strong person and to tackle her problems with a positive attitude. As for Ayumi, she was someone who emphasised and sympathised with Umine after being switched to her body and developed to this caring and aware person as opposed to her naivety before. And Koushirou...he's just a whole enigma lol. You just won't expect what he would do next; quite a good manipulator as well.

Anyway, moving on, I wouldn't have enjoyed the whole series experience without the amazing soundtrack like honestly, it's wonderful to listen to. I've always been a music person so the Ost affects my viewing experience as a whole when watching a show, so when watching Switched, it just added more of the depth and atmosphere that is needed to support the acting and it made it more enjoyable to me. This reminded me of Devilman Crybaby's soundtrack actually because it pulls at your heartstrings yet some are upbeat and pleasurable to the ears. Switched has one of the soundtracks that I would listen to in a playlist and download.

To conclude, I really enjoyed watching the series. I love the themes that was explored because I feel like it is something that has the importance to be addressed especially in a society like ours. The way it was portrayed was just enthralling to the point that I was even in tears. So yes definitely would rewatch it again at some point in the future because I haven't really watched a series with that kind of approach in a while and the fact that it is quite different to the other usual Dramas out there. I may be exaggerating in some areas lolol but it just goes to show how much I've grown to be attached to it because it is something I relate to in many levels. Plus the soundtrack is worth listening to as well.

I may have loved it but it may not always be the same case for everyone but all I can say is that it is definitely worth the watch. Totally recommending it if you are looking for a series that has mature, supernatural and psychological themes :D

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So English yet so Korean...

U know that one thing that is different about kdramas that you cannot find in other dramas all around the world. That vibe, feel that is hard to define but it is there. Yes, that is what I find the most in this movie. This movie is so Korean yet so English, one can only understand this after watching it. This masterpiece is unforgettable and has a very realistic ending. The eye contact between the leads is my favorite part of this movie.
And of course, this is the best movie of the year...
So don't contemplate whether to watch it or not and just watch it.

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This was a 100% family drama and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I cried a lot, laughed a lot and watched different types of love on parade. Because of this drama I realized how important it is for us to spend time with our parents who have nothing but our best in mind.
I did not know a couple of the leads but they were really good and made me believe their characters. Their acting was so natural and so funny when they have to be, and they made me cry at the tender moments as well.
The music was so well suited to the drama.
As for rewatch value, it's a long drama, so maybe in the very far future I will go ahead and re-watch. It's worth it.

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Karma is a Court Lady.

Billed as a love story between a reformed rake Sheng Chumu and a court lady Fu Rou, this is really an opulent tragicomedy about the succession turmoil that plagued the latter years of Li Shimin/Tang Taizong's reign. It is a surprisingly empathetic and riveting portrayal of the greatest Tang emperor's disappointing and much reviled crown prince Li Chengqian. It strikes me that his story is what the writer really set out to tell; all the other parallel sub-plots are much more indifferently written.

The way the drama is promoted as Fu Rou and Sheng Chumu's love story is misleading and misinforms audience expectations. Yes, I know how adorable they look together but their story is rather pedestrian and is not the main meal so they end up spending an incredible amount of time apart. Neither character has free will and their romance does not drive the narrative; it is in fact subordinated to and frustrated by the main succession plot. That is necessary as these two main parallel, interlocking plots are related primarily from Fu Rou's perspective as a court lady or official 女官 with close access to the workings of the inner palace and the imperial family's private moments.

Although Fu Rou is the eponymous character with the most screen time, this is a cardboard character that is made worse by Li Yitong's anodyne, colourless portrayal. Fu Rou is pretty much superwoman - an incredibly talented, resourceful and daring fixer who finds herself in the middle of every palace conflict large and small. She comes to the aid of anyone that appeals to her bleeding heart, taking on matters well above her pay grade. She has the temerity to lecture and chastise anyone and everyone from lowly palace servants to the emperor himself!  I would have loved this character to death if she had a bit of a dark side, an odd hobby or even some tiny flaw like picking her nose in public or something, anything. But no, Fu Rou is a suffocating paragon of virtue, moral rectitude and forgiveness; who genuinely believes that good deeds begets positive karma that pays off in the long run. But if karma is a bitch, then her title is court lady because there are heinous, irreversible and tragic unintended consequences to Fu Rou's meddling and her indiscriminate assistance to wicked people. Due to editing/censorship issues, we never get see Fu Rou reflect upon the folly and irony of her interventions or experience any sense of remorse or regret. Thus there is no character development and by the end Fu Rou to me is just a vapid, righteous prig of a character that I most resent - poor Chumu is so much better off remaining Changán's most notorious playboy.

In sharp contrast, Xu Kai's Chumu is a much more engaging, funny, relatable and outside of a lapse in the middle; a smart character that undergoes tremendous growth. It is a pity he gets so little screen time because he has a wonderful ability to just casually infuse a moment with comic relief. The comical antics of the gruffly hilarious Sheng Xianjing, Chumu, Chuling (shout out to the very funny Kris Fan), the gamine Princess Xinnan and Prince Han go a long way toward diffusing the dark undertones to the drama. Nothing made me laugh harder than Princess Xinnan balancing those dastardly bowls. Unfortunately the denizens of the inner palace and especially Fu Rou and Prince Zhou are humorlessly written and portrayed, resulting in some stifling and overly angsty inner palace arcs and a notable darkening of the overall mood in the second half.

With five or six couples, there is at surface a lot of romance in this drama but they are mostly flawed, complex and maddening relationships. This is due to the surfeit of unsavory, corrupt and chauvinistic male characters, from stalkers to lechers and murderers who simply cannot take no for an answer and lame brained female characters willing to indulge their flaws. As a result, most of the ships are leaky and not seaworthy enough to survive stormy seas. These messy, disturbing love-hate relationships are not consistently well written and there are arguably too many of them. That said, these characterizations are compatible with the times and the illogical pairings seem to curiously "work". They are certainly far more interesting than the usual lighthearted and fluffy standard fare of secondary romances.

The main appeal of this drama for me is Li Shimin, Tang Taizong's succession story, which I feel is what this drama is really about and it is compellingly portrayed. For a fictionalized account that takes a fair amount of literary license, it captures the essence of the main historical figures and remains astonishingly true to the important events of the day. The one dark stain in Li Shimin's history was the Xuanwu Gate Incident, where he personally killed both his brothers from the same mother and forced his father to abdicate in his favor. He went on to be a benevolent and revered emperor, one of the greatest in history. This drama is set in his twilight years as history appears to be on the brink of repeating itself. It is an intimate, at times a scathing expose on the insufferable privilege of imperialism and at times a compassionate account of how impotent, conflicted and utterly terrified this emperor and his beloved empress must have felt as they watch their sons at each others throats. In all the moments that count within this main arc, the writing holds up although towards the end when everything comes together, it is quite obvious that some scenes were lost to censorship.

The most phenomenal, multi-faceted and evocative performance that stands out among an absolutely fabulous cast is Li Zefeng's portrayal of the crown prince. I find it unfathomable that I have not noticed this actor before. He starts out as the highly regarded crown prince, showing so much promise and closely allied with his brother Prince Han. But he is slowly cracking under the immense pressure of being crown prince under the exacting eye of his father and the court and constantly measured up against his other talented brothers. The acting was so good I could understand why he sought refuge in frivolous pursuits and why he needed Chenji. I was surprised by how openly and sympathetically their taboo relationship is explored. It is the relationship that moved me the most, I grieved with him when it ended and I could see how he unraveled and gave in to his worst instincts. Prince Han is the other well written and well acted role. It is tragically comical how their sibling rivalry blew them up and I love how their bond is depicted with a multitude of emotions and a good dose of irony and humor.

I enjoyed this gorgeous and expensive production quite a bit although the story is quite dark and there are too many distracting sub plots and frustrating characters. Although the writing is at times lazy, fantastic acting by the veteran cast more than makes up for it. But it is definitely not the kind of story most viewers thought they would be watching when they picked this up and it definitely will not appeal to everyone. I enjoyed it enough to give it an 8.0 and would probably rate it quite a bit higher if they had diminished Fu Rou's role.

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A highbrow production with broad appeal.

The Longest Day in Chang'an is an immersive, visually stunning, culturally authentic and thrilling journey back over 1000 years in time to Lantern Festival in Chang'an at the peak of the Tang Dynasty. This is a highbrow and very demanding drama that is immensely enjoyable even if taken simply at face value. The viewer gets to decide how much they wish to invest in it. The production basks in rich historical and cultural detail that marvels over the intellectual, political, legal, administrative, military, cultural and scientific sophistication of Chang'an and the Tang Dynasty more broadly. The faithfulness to historical accuracy and strong edu-drama aspect to this show has history buffs raving with ecstasy. As a layman, the finer nuances would be lost on me were it not for the many knowledgeable insights on this and other sites. That doesn't appeal to everyone and some have remarked on the frequent historical and cultural digressions that interrupt the story-line. My simple take is that "smart fillers" are better than the nonsensical fillers that other dramas spam us with.

The absolutely stunning cinematography is the first and most consistent impression throughout - every frame is beautifully angled to create a visual, vibrant feast for the eyes. Even flames from explosions burst in an artistic pattern of controlled natural assymetry. The production is not shy about indulging in artistic license and is littered with lithe and gorgeously willowy Tang ladies with only one small section acknowledging more ingrained images of the classical, prosperously rotund Tang lady. A number of Chinese manhua worthy characters are almost casually dropped in among the otherwise characteristically Tang dynasty cast including Djimon Hounson's Gao Le, the menacing African slave-trader and lord of Changán's underworld; a deadly female assassin who is fanatically devoted to her radical master; and a wildly improbable Western Persian Prince priest with impressive kung fu and building leaping skills. At the end of the day, this is very much a work of fiction and suspension of disbelief will be required as the lead characters achieve superhuman physical feats and survive certain death. All of which make for gripping, visually compelling and heart stopping action scenes.

The drama is not an easy, light watch. The first season (24 episodes) opens with the intense urgency of a fast moving, action packed thriller as the two leads Zhang Xiaojing (Lei Jia Yun) and Li Bi's (Jackson Yi) race against time to foil a terrorist plot during the Lantern Festival. The constraint of the 24 hour timeline forces the narrative to alternate between the high speed chase, political machinations around a power struggle and flashbacks that set up the backstory; all threads which converge in the unraveling of the conspiracy. The many plot twists interact with an extensive cast of complex characters from various factions with unclear and/or malleable loyalties in the power struggle between Li Bi's patron the Crown Prince and his powerful rival the Right Chancellor. In short, there is already a lot to take in so the occasional non sequitur cultural or historical digression can come off as one thing too many.

It took me a long time to care for any of the main characters in this show. Even relatively "good" characters are flawed, primarily driven by self interests and had questionable loyalties and morals. It wasn't obvious that Li Bi' s cause, the Crown Prince was more worthy than the Right Chancellor. Zhao Xiaojing's dealings with Gao Le alienated me; especially when it appeared his real motive was to protect the reckless and misguided Wen Ran. That episode and short lived character stayed with me for a long time because it is the first of many times that bad things happen to good people. And that is how good people can end up doing bad things. Thus there are no outright good or bad characters in this show, they are all products of events beyond their control. Time and again the drama explores how circumstances can push any character to act against his innate nature and self interest. It is a very realistic portrayal of the complexity of human nature's capacity for both good and evil and was acted out compellingly by a truly superb cast. I started to understand the true spirit of the drama when the plight of the common man of the Peacekeeper Corps moved the phlegmatic Li Bi to tears and made him their reckless champion. The real "heroes" in this drama are the common people; that is why it intentionally neglects the main characters and does not attempt to make you root for them and does not care if they have a happy ending. It celebrates the hardships and unrecognized capabilities of the nameless, faceless, powerless, voiceless man - from the forgotten soldier that gives his life for king and country to the ordinary citizens of Chang'an. It wants you to see them, hear them and care about them.

Season 2 (episodes 25-48) was much more enjoyable for me as the intensity of the chase abates and the narrative focus really zeroes in on the power struggle and the unvieling of the conspiracy and ulitmate mastermind. Finally the lead characters are also allowed to shine and shine they did. Zhao Yi Wei's Long Bo was the most provocative and masterfully portrayed character in the drama. As his path converges with that of Zhao Xiaojing, we see the many parallels between the one who seeks vengence and the one who fights to keep dreams alive.

I was surprised by how much I fun I had unraveling the conspiracy. It was very well done and largely kept to the unspoken bargain of hiding enough clues in plain sight that I was able to figure much of it out on my own. The motives of the ultimate mastermind were not convincing. While I had my eye on him as a suspicous character early on, I assumed he was just a link in the chain but not "the guy". It was a stretch that was probably one plot twist too many. One of the other suspects may have been a more credible choice.

Of course it is a foregone conclusion that the emperor was the ultimate villian. While the power dynamics between a manipulative and insecure emperor and his most trusted advisor and his heir has been done before, it was still extremely very well done here. I was completely satisfied when the son takes a leaf out of his father's book in the ultimate act of emotional manipulation. Checkmate. This was the most satisfaction I got from the ending. The bigger question of whether good things happen to good people is left open.

This is definitely the most epic, most idealistic, substantive and thought provoking drama of 2019. Its biggest flaw is that it is overly ambitious and tries to take on too many themes. That it came together so well is a feat in and of itself but as a result, it was not always easy to watch and certainly not something I wanted to dive right into after a hard day at the office. That said, I truly believe it is a must watch and may even be more enjoyable if taken more simplistically just for its stunning aesthetics, intrigue and action.

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As Kazakh person, this drama passed my vibe check:)

As a Kazakh, it was a must to watch this drama and I really enjoyed it. I’m also from a small village, but more modern / settled type, however some people from my village also go to summer ranches (zhailau/jailau) to herd their cattle. In my village there are many Kazakhs from China and Mongolia, so this drama really showed the vibe of jailau and life of people there. Especially, I was amazed with the actors play and how they delivered real life situations and conversations so naturally. I had a feeling as if I was living with them in that village and observing everything from outside. Also, respect to the male lead actor who is not Kazakh but was trying to pronounce some difficult words in Kazakh, yet other actors’ Kazakh language was authentic. There were many funny moments that maybe only Kazakh person(who speaks Kazakh) could understand, because of course as in any other languages there are some phrases or sayings that you can’t really translate without altering the meaning a bit. Overall, I enjoyed cinematography, music, acting, and plot as well. So, go watch it!!!

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Autumn Concerto is... a classic.
Not in the negative sense of the word, just the opposite. Watching it feels like reading a novel from centuries past, with all the tragic, the heart-wrench, the twist, the suspense and the sweetness of the most classic romantic literature. A friend compared it to a novel by Judith McNaught, and I tend to agree with her.

One of the things I appreciated the most about this drama is the speed with which the plot is set in motion and the pace established. By the end of episode 1, I was fatally hooked. This is not a show which promises the viewer something, only to drag unnecessary by the middle or loosing consistency and cohesion at some point. If you like the dishes you are presented with at first sight, you will love the whole meal to the end. And a truly romantic meal at that, full of passion and not the usual luke-warm, lovey-dovey chirping.

The acting performances are outstanding as a whole. I have read many complaining about Vanness Wu's broken accent, but since I don't speak Mandarin I didn't notice anything amiss. On the contrary, I felt with his character a lot more than any other in the show, possibly because he has to outshine the delivering with intense facial expressions. Ady An's character can stretch one's patience at times, but this only adds to the actress's skill to make it so. And the chemistry is palpable.
The child is a wonder, no addition needed.

My only complain lies in the editing. This is a general problem I have with Taiwanese dramas: too frequent commercial cuts, filled with those brief reprises in which flashes of scenes to come are shown over and over. Once the viewer is forewarned, I guess it can be overlooked, although I personally find it terribly annoying. The music falls under the same curse: it's very good, but played too often and at times it overpowers the dialogues. If I hadn't liked this story so much, I would have gone insane.

Overall, this is a drama I'm ready to recommend to everyone in search of true romance. It's a timeless story, which does not rely on trend, or shiny, perfectly made-up actors and glamorous outfits. Does it have cliches? Yes it has, quite a few even, but they are well blended into a solid script and a plot which will never get truly old.

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when the pre promotions of this drama started, they used keywords like "mature", and in romcom world that just means more skinship and a few "Steamy kisses" here and there, so I was skeptical, but no this went beyond that~
both main characters were so smart, levelheaded, understanding, sweet, vulnerable, and yet they were so confident and they never put the other's needs before themselves.. love is great, but self love is important? love doesn't mean "devote your whole existence to the other party"?

I'm worried I'll never watch another "similar" romcom again ;) this is not "original", but it's literally the only acceptable way to deal with cliches... a character driven story...


I'll just describe the characters a little more.... ryan... he's confident, maybe even arrogant and cold, but I love that he shows duk mi his "vulnerable" side.. and he doesn't "push her around".. he asks, he doesn't demand.. he apologizes when he's wrong, and he's not "above making a mistake"... and you can tell that he still wonders "am I asking too much", but she doesn't say no because he isn't asking for something grand, and she's just so precious and I LOVE a confident female lead... strong doesn't equal to mean or a bully, and sweet doesn't equal to a pushover who cries while apologizing for nothing...
also, his goofy playful side... I LOVE that side~ unlike dominic, he only wants "duk mi" to see that side ;)



ps, my rewatch value is just a 1 or a 10, so for this, I'll definitely rewatch it one day. just not the last 2 eps ;)

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DISAPPOINTING AT BEST, INSUFFERABLE AT WORST.

***DISCLAIMER: THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE AND I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE WITH ANYONE.***

To sum everything up in simple terms:

- Disappointing storyline, plot and flow of events.
- I lost interest at episode 9 and forced myself to watch the rest.
- Watching became a chore and it felt like the biggest waste of time.
- Female MC was badly written (I hate her character and I wish she died)
- If not for the ML (Jo Jong Suk) most people wouldn’t think of rating this drama kindly.
- This drama totally missed the mark for me and to be honest it was boring.
- I definitely would not recommend, you’re better off watching any other ongoing drama or critically acclaimed historical drama.
- I didn't even find the political schemes interesting because it seemed like child's play and was not very engaging. I felt like they were going around in circles for the entirety of the drama. ML did not have anyone on his side and they were all trying to undermine and sabotage him in some way / shape or form. The worst part is the woman he loved tried to kill him even though he tried being very honest with her.
- The whole narrative of being captivated and how they tied it in was bs. If you watched from the beginning you could easily see see that the FL falling for ML would be her downfall and she was the one who would end up captivated.
- The chemistry between the leads were lacking and their love / kissing scenes sucked. In the last episode especially it was painful to watch them interact because it seemed so forced. Their love was not believable at all and the FL looked very uncomfortable. I wish I could erase their scenes from my mind bc they just gave me the ick.
- The drama pissed me off, especially due to the fact that they were sleeping together and he didn’t even figure out her name or demand to know it until the last episode. They’re just so irksome. FL especially she is so trifling ughhh.
- I believe FL should try another career. She's pretty so she can model or do brand deals instead. I feel like I have given her enough chances to redeem herself but she is still the same as she was in Black Knight. She has the same expression (looking like a damn deer in the headlights) throughout the entire series and was almost always crying.
- If you want to watch this drama for the romance I advise you not to. You will be disappointed. If however you still want to give this drama a chance because you love Jo Jong Suk and political schemes (which imo were cliche) then by all means be my guest. I however, would not put myself through that again because I believe that one person should not be expected to carry the weight of the entire drama on their back.
- With all that said, I give this shit show / mess of a drama a 5/10

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This drama is certainly one of the best drama I have ever seen! I'll explain it in four points.

First, let's talk about the story. The plot of "Ichi Rittoru No Namida" is taken from a real story of a young girl called also Aya. Even if there was some modification to make it much more dramatic, lot of sentences in the drama are taken from the book. It gives even more impact to the story. I'm always touched by people who have illness so even more when it's this kind of uncurable illness... After watching the drama, I got interested in knowing more about the illness and did lot of research ! I promise you that you'll not be disappointed in watching this drama.

Why ? Not only because the story is well written but also because the actors act really well. First, I'm a big fan of Nishikido Ryo (so of course he do act well) and Sawajiri Erika is someone I already saw playing an ill girl in Taiyou No Uta. First thought: she plays only ill people? Well, that didn't last long because she is really good in playing that role. It's rather frightening. The family of Aya is also played by really good actors and the little girl is SOOOO CUUUUUTE U.U

As for the music, we can say the OST of this drama is... ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN OST EVER IN ASIA. Everyone who will watch this drama will fall in love with Konayuki and Sangatsu Kokonoka. Those two songs are really emblems of the drama. BUT the OST do not contain only those two songs and I'm pretty sure all the songs you will hear in the drama will make you feel moved and cry. Not kidding, just try and tell me.

So much good points lead to a rewatch value really high. I gave 9 instead of 10 because you will anticipate the story afterward and try to skip some parts to not let you cry. Haha. But don't worry. This rewatch value still remains that high even if you watch it 1000 times.

Don't ever hesitate watching this drama. Even if you will feel kind of... depressed afterwards. You will really think: "Wow, that was really a drama."

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Love of a distant past

One and Only has the distinction of being the first production in 2021 that I’m rating a perfect 10 overall. Personally for me, it is the best C-drama historical of the year and quite possibly one of the best of all time, within the sub-genre of historical romance (non-comedy). To put it simply, and I don’t often use this term, this drama is a MASTERPIECE.

The Story

Based on the celebrated novel, One Life, One Incarnation – Beautiful Bones" (一生一世美人骨) by multiple award-winning novelist and screenwriter Mo Bao Fei Bao (墨宝非宝), who also wrote the screenplay for this drama. As a brief summary, the story revolves around the love between Cui Shi Yi and Zhousheng Chen that spans a period of two lifetimes, namely during the ancient era of the fictional Beizhen Empire and contemporary China of the present day. One and Only follows the star-crossed lovers journey during the earlier lifetime, while a sequel that takes place in the modern time period, Forever and Ever, is slated for back-to-back release.

As I understand from readers of the source material, both parts of the story convey vastly contrasting outcomes, notably the earlier backstory ends in tragedy while the sequel, which forms the main component of the novel, has a much happier conclusion.

Although primarily a slow-burn sweeping epic love story, One and Only does explore the sociopolitics and values of a deeply-ingrained Confucian setting which I suspect is modelled on the Northern and Southern Dynasties era, if not earlier, that includes filial piety, obeisance to King and country. Besides the political maneuverings and warfare, relationship dynamics in the form of master and disciples, as well as “sibling camaraderie” is heavily featured.

Production Details

This iQiyi production is helmed by the critically acclaimed Guo Hu, who had previously directed well known productions including The Journey of Flower, Eternal Love (Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms), Lost Love in Times, and Love and Destiny. The original score and one of the OSTs is composed by the prolific and highly regarded Tan Xuan, who had served as music producer for numerous productions including Love and Redemption, Princess Agents, The Glory of Tang Dynasty and Eternal Love, among many others. For only a 24-episode serial, principal photography took entirely two months at Hengdian World Studios, the meticulous process of which is magnificently depicted in the end product itself.

Why do I consider this production a masterpiece that deserves a “10” rating?

The Technical Execution

I’m hugely impressed with the technical aspects of direction, art direction, cinematography, and choreography. The post-production editing and overdub, in terms of the voice dubbing process, the voice actors utilised and sound mixing, as well as the visual and special effects employed are exceptionally well rendered. The appropriate levels of colour grading along with countless immersive, overhead and tracking shots amidst the backdrop of grand pastoral views, while even parallax angles are applied to great effect especially during scenes of battles and massed congregations.

The seamless transitions between the various sequences, scenes and shifts in atmospherics are testament to the experience and capabilities of the director as well as the entire production crew. All these components seek to ensure that this production becomes a well crafted aesthetic and cinematic treat indeed.

The Production Values

One and Only is made of big money and it truly shows. Nothing at all looks cheap or out of place. From the wigs, costumes, accessories, set designs, props, horses, snow… the list just goes on. This is a top-tier production through and through. The big names in the production crew and the quality of the casting certainly reflect the overall production values.

In comparison with other C-historicals and despite the fact that Hengdian is a popular and convenient filming venue for many similar productions, it is extremely apparent that extra care and attention to the finer details have been taken for every production stage and its related aspects. I do believe that it could also be partially attributed to the fact that the drama format is shorter, at 24 episodes, thus affording the production more time to perfect the principal photography and post production processes, as opposed to 40 or 50-episode dramas with the same filming schedule, thus resulting in shorter duration for fine-tuning or filming additional takes of each shot. Having fewer episodes also contributes to compact plotlines and significantly reduces the amount of fillers, with the end result of a more engaging and compelling storytelling.

The Cast and Acting

I do think that the narrative for the first part of the novel is rather straightforward while the interweaving sub-plots relating to certain side characters are not overly convoluted. Because of this and also how strongly written the main characters are, I feel that One and Only is largely character-driven. For this type of drama to succeed, the leads would have to give one hell of a performance to breathe life into their characters. Fortunately, this is where the cast well and truly delivers.

I’ve been a fan of both Bai Lu and Ren Jia Lun ever since I first saw them in The Legends and Detective Dee respectively. Although some of their roles or choices in certain projects have led to questions in the past, I’ve never doubted their broad potential and talents. I honestly think their performances here are the best that I have ever seen from them and are worthy of wider recognition for their efforts.

Bai Lu imbues her character of Cui Shi Yi with such grace, elegance, nuance and emotional depth that absolutely defines the term masterclass in acting. She portrays a character who is mute and having to use sign language, albeit temporarily, that slowly but surely undergoes immense character growth to mature from being a shy and timid young girl to a confident, independent and resolute woman. There is a massive intensity in her convincing depiction of the sheer torment, anguish and sadness that genuinely touches viewers' hearts (or mine, at least). And that poignant scene in the final episode, where she is dressed in all red, truly is poetry in motion…

Ren Jia Lun plays the noble and warm-hearted Zhousheng Chen, royal Prince of Beizhen, General of the West State and Master of his eleven disciples. I’ve always believed that Ren Jia Lun is at his best when he is cast in profound roles because very few actors are able to genuinely portray stoic and solemn characters as well as he does. There is a powerfully understated quality to his performance in this drama that makes you believe he is completely immersed in the character. Intelligent, calm and heroic, all the traits of a capable leader are put on full display in his depiction right to the bitter end.

Bai Lu and Ren Jia Lun, as Cui Shi Yi and Zhousheng Chen, share some of the most convincing, irresistible, organic and downright heartbreaking chemistry and emotional connection that deeply touches the soul. No aspect of their relationship development feels rushed, irrational, undercooked or over-the-top. Their love is subtle, meaningful and simply perfect. They are meant for each other.

As far as the supporting cast is concerned, suffice to say everyone delivers a commendable effort in their respective portrayals. The veterans in Fu Jun and Liu Wei Wei, depicting Advisor Xie and Shi Yi’s mother respectively inject a measure of class and finesse to the production. No drama would be complete without the antagonist, Liu Zi Xing who is played by the relative newcomer, Wang Xing Yue. I’m quite surprised he is only 19 years old, but he does give a decent account of himself and succeeds in making me hate his guts. Among the many familiar faces in the production, look out for memorable appearances by Daisy Dai, Yao Yi Chen and the ever amusing Han Cheng Yu.

The Music

Alongside the fittingly sombre and introspective compositions of the original score, there are four OSTs in the soundtrack. Zhang Bichen has established herself as one of the premier soundtrack contributors in recent years and her rendition of the theme song, along with Ren Jia Lun’s character theme, are my personal favourites of the compilation.
张碧晨 Zhang Bichen - 如故 As It Is
任嘉伦 Ren Jialun - 如一 Like One
郑云龙 Zheng Yunlong - 定心 Tranquil
李紫婷 (Mimi Lee), 井胧 (Jing Long) - 无虞 (Unworried)

Final Thoughts

I do not usually favour sad stories, particularly those with tragic outcomes, and almost always avoid such dramas. However, I’m glad I did not because One and Only is indeed a very special production that has been made with such care, effort and passion that it would be remiss of me not to have given this a shot and appreciate the fine work of the entire production crew and the cast. And, I keep telling myself, at least there’s consolation in the form of the upcoming sequel’s more promising narrative and ultimate closure to look forward to.

“Beauty bones are rare in the world.
Those with bones do not have skin, and those with skins do not have bones.
Most people in the world have superficial eyes, only the skin, but no bone.
If in this society, there is someone who has the memory of two lives and loves you deeply. How happy.
Shi Yi was like this to Zhousheng Chen.
And he has forgotten her a long time ago”.

(excerpt from the novel’s introduction)

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The drama features many themes and at first I was curious if they would be able to make me believe this world where ghosts exist. I was deeply immersed in the story and the world it built. The drama did a good job at establishing this world and had enough details and information to make the supernatural elements feel real and believable.

The mystery kept me on my edge till the end and the performances of the actors felt fitted to their roles. Kim Dong Wook proved himself as a good actor in other works before and his and the other's acting felt good and compelling. It's not easy to act something that doesn't have a real reference in life.
Those characters were humans with all their flaws and mistake and while one might judge some of their choices, this makes the characters feel more human in the end. The budding friendship and the bond of the three main characters was nice to watch and I'm so glad they drama stayed true to the characters by not forcing a conventional drama love line into it.

One of the reason that made this drama so good is also the music that contributed to the eery atmosphere and also gave a conflicted feeling of desperate and also hope at the same time. The songs were not overused and I never got tired of hearing them.

The drama was great and I would consider rewatching it in the future to let the story unfold in front of my eyes once again.

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SOS: I'm in love with Hyun Bin (again) T-T

This drama was just addictive! The plot had the right dose of rom-com, heartwarming gestures, witty dialogues and action. Every episode ended on such a cliffhanger that kept you restless for the rest of the week until Saturday came to take the edge off ;)

Hyun Bin was just adorable and sexy and honest and honorable and kind and perfect (so, so perfect). I could go on for70,000 years. It was so refreshing to see Son Ye Jin step out of her usual Melodrama set-ups (well, most of the time anyway, haha) and play a badass, funny heiress. She nailed this role. I loved what she was wearing in North Korea (anyone remember the sunflower-print dress? It was so lovely). I also loved the fact that she did not wear any make-up in her North Korea scenes.

In fact, one of the biggest charms of this drama lie in the fact that the writer tried to subvert the usual norms. Son Ye Jin played a heiress (not the typical, poor, melo damsel-in-distress, possibly dying) and Hyun Bin played a sweet guy (unlike his usual jerk characters). Also, love the fact that the girl was from South and the guy from North (usually it is the other way around, engendering the North as the poor, weak female and the South as the strong, dominating male)(king2heart, blow breeze). Also the fact that the woman was the one who had the played the field and had experiences with relationships, while the guy was innocent and sweet. All this breathed life and freshness into the drama.

The second leads were great. So happy to see Seo Ji Hye landing a lead role. She is so deserving. Seo Dan was not a nasty second lead. She was so nice beneath all that hard exterior. Hyun Bin's subordinates were so awesome. My favorite was the one who loved Choi Ji Woo and Korean dramas but I loved all of them really. The maknae was so adorable! The cameos were great. The rest of the supporting cast was awesome. I loved North Korean ahjummas. They remind me of Reply 1988. Seo Dan's mother and uncle were awesome (I realized so belated they worked in Parasite, lol. "RESPECT" xD).

The OST was perfect! I already want to watch it again. The chemistry was so, so good.

If I had to summarize this drama in one scene/phrase, I would say: HYUN BIN'S POUT!!!!!!!!!!!

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A Romantic Tale That Gave Birth To A Masterpiece.

I have a lot of things that I want to say about this phenomenal show, but I’ll try my best to make it as concise and spoiler-free as possible.

The majestic cinematography is one of the strongest points in the series, be it in the modern day or the 1927 era. The filter or the soft bokeh effect that they put in the 1927 era gave the show an ethereal feel as if we were watching a movie set in a dreamworld, which in my opinion is a smart decision since it is told mostly from Jom’s perspective, cause literally, everyone in that time is already a ghost in the present day except Jom. It’s like putting the character’s lenses through our screen. This alone is already a brilliant way of visual storytelling!

The characters are all interesting and well-written. The acting? Outstanding! Nonkul and Bright did an astonishing job as Jom and Yai. In the first episode, we can already see Nonkul’s spectacular acting chops! His eyes alone speak of those devastating emotions that he is experiencing. In the succeeding episodes, you can feel those tantalizing romantic shivers that he feels every time Yai speaks poetry of his love to him. I would not be surprised if he wins an award for his performance as Jom. Bright’s big moments were in the later part of the story. But what amazes me is his versatility in portraying different versions of Yai. The non-verbal and verbal that he did is distinct from the other versions of the character. He did his homework excellently.

I also have to commend the supporting actors for a splendid performance! It’s great that the supporting cast had their own moments and was not left behind by the amazing leads. And did I mention that aside from the main gay couple, we also have a lesbian and straight couple? Yes, this series shows all kinds of love.

The series holds no bars in showing the ruthless treatment of the servants and women in that period. Its fearless portrayal of what happened in the past makes me realize that the series that I’m watching is a bold, unfiltered, and fiercely beautiful work of art. Despite that, it also shows that the abused and the oppressed CAN claim their power and stand up for themselves! Which makes it one of the most powerful scenes in the show.

The music and original soundtrack are magical. For some, it might not be radio-friendly, but the way the music was arranged fits the drama perfectly! Even the lyrics of the four songs featured in the show voiced the perspective and emotions of our main leads. Each note and instrument was meticulously placed to fit the scenes of the drama.

The show as a whole is heartfelt and hopeful. Especially the last few episodes which are excruciatingly beautiful, it made me dehydrated from wailing. Each second that goes by is a slow agony of the inevitable separation. The last scene makes some people confused, unless you read the novel, you will understand it. But I think it was left that way in the series to open the possibility of a 2nd Season, after all, there is so much more to tell.

The love story of Yai and Jom can be considered a one-of-a-kind timeless, classic, romantic tale that gave birth to a masterpiece.

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