2019 Mainland Chinese Dramas
Once again, I am back with a list of all the 2019 Mainland Chinese Dramas that I have watched. If you are interested in my past lists, please refer to the links below.
The Legend of Hao Lan
Episodes: 62
Synopsis:
After her father's evil main wife killed her mother, Li Hao Lan (Wu Jin Yan), the daughter of the Public Censor of Zhao is kicked out of her own home and sold as a slave. She is purchased by the wealthy and scheming merchant Lu Bu Wei (Nie Yuan!!!) and sent into the palace. She strikes a compromise with Lu Bu Wei; Hao Lan will help him become the most powerful person in the nation and she will get revenge for those who have harmed her and her mother. On this journey, they also form an alliance with Ying Yi Ren (Mao Zi Jun), a seemingly weak Qin prince sent to Zhao as a hostage, who secretly has a plot for power. Will the three be able to work their way through the scheming palace and successfully rule the world?
Comments:
Anyone who did not have enough of the Palace of Yanxi? I know I did not. The Legend of Hao Lan has relatively the same cast as Palace of Yanxi. I could not have enough of Wu Jin Yan's and Nie Yuan's chemistry so I was delighted that they were starring in another drama together. That being said, I still loved Mao Zi Jun in this drama. His acting was amazing and his chemistry with Wu Jin Yan did not lose to that of Nie Yuan. I watched this drama with some friends and they especially loved the drama because of how it ties in a lot of historical events. Since most historical dramas I have watched were set in the Qing Dynasty, naturally, I developed an affinity for the Qing Dynasty. After this drama, I fell in love with the period of the Warring States. Though many parts of history were twisted, the plot maintained the general gist of history. I think the drama can successfully introduce more people to Chinese history; at least I gained interest.
Put Your Head On My Shoulder
Episodes: 24
Synopsis:
Si Tu Mo (Xing Fei), a senior in college, moves into her mom's best friend's house in order to live closer to her internship at a marketing firm. To her surprise, she is not the only person that will be living in the apartment. The owner's son, Gu Wei Yi (Lin Yi), one of the most handsome and smartest students in their Physics department, also moves into the apartment to stay closer to his research lab. Will the close proximity push these two very different people closer together or further apart?
Comments:
If anyone watched A Love So Beautiful, this is the sister drama.
Now I know lots of people's reaction to this synopsis is gonna be along the lines of, "Isn't this Playful Kiss or Mischievious Kiss?" That's what I thought too but this drama is so much more. This drama is kind of a cliche drama but it is incredibly sweet and the chemistry between the leads is great. I also like how the female lead is smart for once. Our female lead is a strong independent woman who is not naive or excessively kind to the point where it is annoying. She is a very realistic girl who I think anyone can relate to. Though our male lead has been criticized for having fairly stiff acting, I think he is such an upgrade compared to a lot of the actors who play cold roles. I think our male lead is so precious. This is his first drama and he just looks so young and innocent. His expressions are so cute to look at. When the two leads interact they are unexpectedly funny, especially Gu Wei Yi. He thinks things differently compared to others. For example, he was taught to complement the girl more so he told the girl "you are a strong person" after seeing her deal with her menstrual cycle and "you are good at folding clothing. The lines are straight and orderly." The funny sound effects really add to the drama as well. Overall, a great light drama for anyone who just wants to see an adorable pair of college students fall in love.
Le Coup de Foudre
Episodes: 35
Synopsis:
Despite growing up under tough circumstances, Zhao Qiao Yi (Janice Wu) grew up to be a kind, positive girl. One of her biggest concerns is her grades. It just happens that she sits next to the smartest kid in their grade, Yan Mo (Zhang Yu Jian). As the two interact, Yan Mo tutors Qiao Yi while Qiao Yi teaches Yan Mo how to open up his heart to others. These two very different people fall in love and promised to study abroad in Cambridge together. Last minute due to a family emergency, Qiao Yi backs out of her promise. The two separated and never contacted each other despite both still having feelings for one another. Four years later, the two reunite and this time Qiao Yi is determined to pursue her love no matter what. Unbeknownst to Qiao Yi, Yan Mo also has not moved on. Unable to express his feelings for her, Yan Mo chooses to keep his feelings a secret. Will the two finally express their love for each other?
Comments:
Another fairly cliche drama. The couple separates due to misunderstandings and reunites years later only to realize they never stopped loving one another. We've all seen a drama like this. Think, My Sunshine. If I had to say what makes this drama special, it would definitely be the family and the friendship. More than just a romance drama, there is a great emphasis on family in this. Qiao Yi's mother is divorced and Qiao Yi has a very loving step-father. I remember that divorce is still not too accepted in China, so to see a family where the woman is divorced and to see that she and her family still deserve to be happy is very special for me. Qiao Yi has a twin brother named Zhao Guan Zhao. He is my favorite character in the drama, hands down. Though Qiao Yi and Guan Chao fight every day, Guan Zhao loves his sister more than anything in the world. He is super protective and will be there for her no matter what. Also, he's super cute and smart. Who could resist? There is also an emphasis on friendship. I loved seeing Hao Wu Yi's and Qiao Yi's friendship. Though they had their fair share of conflict, the two remained besties til the end. Other characters were also great to watch. There are no antagonists in this drama. Everyone just wants to protect their loved ones and receive the love they deserve. Though not quite as sweet as Put Your Head On My Shoulder, Le Coup de Foudre is another very sweet drama.
Princess Silver
Episodes: 58
Synopsis:
Rong Le (Zhang Xue Ying) wakes up from a coma with no recollection of her past memory. She learns that she is Princess Rong Le of the Western Qi and her brother is Rong Qi (Luo Yun Xi), the Emperor of the Western Qi. She is told that in order to form a political alliance with Northern Lin, she has to marry the seventh prince, Zhong Zheng Wu You (Aarif Rahman). Rong Qi sends her to Northern Lin to form a fake alliance in order to find the book left behind by the Qin Family which is said to bring greatness to any nation that gains the book. Zhong Zheng Wu You refuses to marry Rong Le, so Rong Le makes a bet with Wu You in which in half a year if he falls in love with her, he will marry her and if he does not fall in love with her, Rong Le will return home. During the half a year, Rong Le takes on the identity of Man Yao, a tea house owner, in order to find the book. She soon crosses paths with Wu You and the two soon fall in love. Yet it may already be too late for him to learn the truth about her identity because she is set to marry General Fu Chou (Jing Chao). The quest to find the book is a dangerous one involving secret identities and decades-old acts of revenge and secret plots. Will Rong Le succeed in finding the book? Watch to find out!
Comments:
If you think Nirvana In Fire is complicated, be prepared for a whole rollercoaster ride with Princess Silver. Almost everyone in this drama has a second identity or has some sort of secret. The more you watch, the more secrets are revealed and the more confused you get; however, you become more sucked into the drama. Aside from the complicated plot, my favorite thing about this drama is the chemistry between the two leads. The two leads are so in love. So many dramas nowadays literally anything can lead to conflict. One of the leads never listens to the other's explanations. Like I thought you guys were in love, why don't you trust your partnereyeroll?! There is very little misunderstanding between the leads in this drama. The leads always trust each other and are willing to listen to each other's explanations. Finally, a drama where I don't feel like screaming at the screen because the leads actually trust each other so there is no conflict.
Let's talk about the actors. Previously, I had heard many bad things about Zhang Xue Ying. I quite liked her in Fifteen Years To Wait For Migratory Birds and other dramas but I watched one of her more recent drama and I understand what all the negative reviews are getting at. Her acting in When We Were Young was quite one dimensional. I rarely saw emotions. Her acting in this drama was so much better than When We Were Young. I like her smile and her acting had emotions. The male lead was great too. Aarif Rahman is a very handsome guy but I think he suits the modern day look more. It took me a while to get used to him in his period costume but it slowly grew on me, especially when they finally tied his hair up in a bun. His acting was pretty good. I think his anger scenes and sad scenes were very good. I will say, he is actually my least favorite male character, but I can't blame him. His character is more one dimensional to begin with because other characters are so complicated. One new actor that I was introduced to is Jing Chao. He first caught my attention because he kinda looks like Qiao Zhen Yu. His character is one of my favorite characters in the drama because he has so many layers. He has many secrets and is always putting on a facade. I love his undying love for Rong Le which made me fall for him even more. Sometimes I like him more than the male lead because he sometimes is even more protective of Rong Le and brave about confessing his love. Another important male character is Rong Qi. Anyone who has watched Ashes of Love will remember him as the pitiful second male lead, Run Yu. His character here, or so I've heard, has some similarities to his character in Ashes of Love. Luo Yun Xi is very handsome and his acting is great too. Overall, I think the cast is pretty good. All the characters in this drama have pretty good acting.
In conclusion, I would say if you are looking for a drama in which the two leads are very much in love and the plot is complicated and suspenseful, then this is the drama for you.
Go Go Squid!
I feel like 2019 is just one sweet drama after another. This is another sweet drama starring Yang Zi and Li Xian.
Episodes: 41
Synopsis:
Love appears when you least expect it. Tong Nian (Yang Zi) was helping her aunt watch her internet cafe for the night. She meets Han Shang Yan (Li Xian), the owner of a professional gaming team and a past legendary gamer himself, and falls in love at first sight. She tries to get to know him better only for him to come off cold and rude. She gives up on him but luck is on her side when she learns that her grandparents were family friends with Han Shang Yan's grandparents. One is a cold, borderline rude past gamer who only cares about helping his team win a worldwide championship while the other is a bubbly, persistent computer science genius/popular singer. Either history repeats itself and Han Shang Yan drives Tong Nian further away from him or Tong Nian manages to influence Han Shang Yan with her kind heart and determination.
Comments:
I will be honest, it took maybe like 10 episodes or so to really like this drama. My favorite parts are definitely the scenes with both Tong Nian and Han Shang Yan. There is a subplot, and I have a love-hate relationship with this plot. The subplot revolves around Han Shang Yan's past with his ex-gaming team. The first 10 episodes were half about this subplot; we barely get to see Tong Nian. They also cue the BGM, Beyond's 海阔天空 (a Cantonese classic) but in Mandarin, whenever they do flashbacks. One, the song is extremely overplayed in this drama (you hear it like 2-3 times in an episode at times), and second, as a Cantonese speaker who grew up listening to the original version, the Mandarin version sounds super odd. The flashbacks are also too excessive. I know one of the focuses of this drama is the gaming aspect and they want us to better understand Han Shang Yan and why his attitude is so bad, but I think viewers get the point by now. A couple of flashbacks is understandable but once it gets excessive, I start to not like the subplot. Enough ranting and back to my leads; they are so cute. I feel like guys like Han Shang Yan isn't as bad as one would expect. He kind of has to give you some attitude every time he talks but he is usually a "less bullshit, more action" kind of person. Also, he just seems mean, but he is really just a softie. He argues with his grandpa all day, every day but still does almost everything his grandpa tells him to do. Tong Nian is a very likable character. Though young and possessing a really bubbly personality, she is very mature for her age. There is not too much I dislike about the two leads. An extra bonus of this drama is the cute boys of Han Shang Yan's team. Also, this drama definitely has the most and best wingmen in any drama. Literally, almost every character in this drama does their best to ship the two together.
In summary, I would say if you survive through the first 10 episodes then you will enjoy this drama. This drama is nothing too special and the only selling point, for me, is the chemistry between the two leads.
The Prince of Tennis
As a huge fan of the original Chinese live adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name, I was super excited to see that they were remaking it. I was even more excited when I learned that the actor playing Ryoma is Peng Yu Chang, a talented up-and-coming actor. I will probably do a comparison of the 2006 version and 2019 version after I finish watching the 2019 version, so stay tuned.
Episodes: 40
Synopsis:
Lu Xia (Peng Yu Chang), the son of an ex-professional tennis player, is a tennis prodigy trapped under the shadow of his father. Rather than enjoying the sport for what it is, Lu Xia plays tennis only to prove himself to his father. He enrolls in Yu Qing High School and joins its tennis team. By finally being a part of a team, he starts to find joy in the sport and figures out his own identity as a player. In the process of working to win the national league, Lu Xia and his teammates learn to work as a group and understands the importance of friendship and teamwork.
Comments:
I have never read the original manga, so I will only comment on how good of a drama this is. As I am writing this, only around 10 episodes have been released. Though I do not think this drama is bad, I can definitely say I prefer the 2006 version. I see a lot of people hating on the 2006 version claiming it is not true to the manga, but frankly, not only do I not care, but I also prefer some of the changes. I feel like the plot progressed kind of fast in this version. There was barely any conflict, in my opinion, which showed me less of the characters' growth. I would have liked to see more character development, which the 2006 version did really well at. The tennis team in the 2006 version truly felt like a team. They all started out with clear flaws and through constant conflict between the members, they learned to accept each other's personalities, as well as, develop not only their tennis skills but also their personality and character. Slowly but surely, viewers were able to see their growth. I wish this version did the same.
To be honest, I feel like the acting, visuals, and special effects were all just average. I do not think this drama is bad, but it also did not exceed the 2006 version for me.
I also suggest anyone who likes this version to also give the 2006 version a try.
The Legends
Episodes: 56
Synopsis:
After the betrayal of her "good" mentor, Lu Zhao Yao (Bai Lu) loses faith in the "good" and fully embraces her demonic side (she was born a demon). She establishes the Wan Lu Sect and finally takes revenge on her mentor by killing him. Right when she thought she was at her peak and a step away from gaining one of the most powerful swords in the world, the Wan Jun Sword, her old friend, Li Chen Lan (Xu Kai), the demon king's son, takes the Wan Jun sword. She dies during her battle to retrieve the sword. Five years later, Li Chen Lan had taken over her position as sect leader and magically revived, Lu Zhao Yao's body becomes linked to Qin Zhi Yan's body (Xiao Yan). The two have separate bodies but they share the same face and they share the same physical injuries. Lu Zhao Yao takes the opportunity to take revenge on Li Chen Lan, who she believes plotted against her to steal the Wan Jun Sword and reclaim her rightful position as sect leader. She joins the Wan Lu sect under Qin Zhi Yan's names and manages to become Li Chen Lan's disciple. The problem is that after eating an Empty Empty Pill, she becomes transparent in the day and can only be seen by others except for Qin Zhi Yan during the night. While plotting her revenge, she learns many secrets about the other sects. These good sects may not seem as great as they claim and these demonic sects are not as bad as one might think. She also tries to figure out how she was magically resurrected and how to continue to stay in the living world.
Comments:
I kind of have a love-hate relationship with this drama. This drama had lots of potential to be a lot better. I would say everything until the ending was pretty good. Then the last 3 episodes, the editor went crazy and LITERALLY chopped up some scenes and just aired the drama. I would say if you like a badass female lead and can accept a bad ending, give this drama a try. The chemistry between the two leads is unreal. The dynamic here reminds me a bit of Palace of Yanxi's lead only because there is a badass female lead with a gentle, loving, loyal male lead.
Arsenal Military Academy
Episodes: 50
Synopsis:
After her brother's death, Xie Xiang (Bai Lu) joins the all-boys school, Arsenal Military Academy, in place of her brother. As she pushes the limits of her physical capabilities and has to hide her secret from her classmates and teachers, her biggest challenge is actually having to deal with Gu Yan Zhen (Xu Kai), the cocky, lazy, troublemaking son of a high positioned politician/officer, who also happens to be her roommate. Thankfully she meets classmates like the quiet but righteous and kind Shen Jun Shan (Li Cheng Bin) and the simple-minded, friendly Huang Song (Liu Si Bo), who support and protect her. Set during the First World War when Japan was infiltrating China, along with many other hot-blooded students, many students of the Arsenal Military Academy used the skills they learned from the academy to help fight for their country. We see a group of oblivious teens mature into top soldiers, as well as, country-loving citizens.
Comments:
I watched this after watching The Legends and seeing that the two leads here are the same as The Legends, I can't help but worry that there is going to be another bad ending, too many flashbacks, terrible editing, and annoying side characters. So far only 18 episodes are out. So far, the flashbacks are not overused, the editing has been very good, and the side characters are lovely. I will have my fingers crossed about the ending.
Characters:
In this drama, I finally get to see Xu Kai acts as something rather than a quiet, calm male lead (I have only seen him in Yanxi and The Legends). His character, Gu Yan Zhen, is very likable. He is such a flirt, a troublemaker, and a self-absorbed guy, but he also has a caring, kind side to him. According to interviews, his character here is pretty similar to his actual personality.
For our female lead, Xie Xiang, who goes by Xie Liang Chen in the academy, looks amazing with short hair. Her personality is quite the opposite of Gu Yan Zhen. She is careful, hardworking, determined, and humble. Watching her deal with Gu Yan Zhen's immaturity is hilarious; it is like watching an older sibling dealing with their annoying younger brother.
I need to specially point out my favorite character in this drama, Qu Man Ting (Wu Jia Yi). As the most popular celebrity in China, she is not just a pretty face. She is a proactive, sassy, confident, self-absorbed, boss ass bitch. Rather than annoying, her confidence and narcissism are charming. Refusing to settle, she follows her heart, pinpoints a goal, and achieves it.
Smart, calm, rational, and quite, our second male lead is handsome, rich, smart, and possesses a good personality. What a steal? Who wouldn't fall for him? I sense that I will have a strong second male lead syndrome from this drama.
To wrap this all up, I think if you like dramas where a great group of characters grow and mature together, then this drama is for you.
Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain
Episodes: 37
Synopsis:
Wang Lu (Xu Kai) joins the Spirit Blade Sect and becomes Wang Wu's (Sandrine Pinna) disciple. The troublemaking teacher-disciple duo goes around causing havoc in the Spirit Blade Sect while training to become stronger sages. They also go around destroying evil sects and evil spirits.
Comments:
This drama is nothing special but it is pretty funny. Wang Wu and Wang Lu use a lot of modern slang which adds to the light, fun vibe of the drama.
Joy of Life
Episodes: 46
Synopsis:
Fan Xian (Zhang Ruo Yun) is the son of the Imperial Secretariat, Fan Jian, who has the mind of a man from the 21st century. After an assassination, he goes to the capital to investigate who was behind it. Little did he know, his return to the capital meant that he has to marry Princess Lin Wan Er (Li Qin). Whoever marries Lin Wan Er gets to take over a massive fortune that initially was his birth mother's. This political marriage means that he is now intertwined in a power struggle involving the most important people in the capital: Emperor of Qing (Chen Dao Ming), Grand Princess (Li Xiao Ran), the Crown Prince (Zhang Hao Wei), the Second Prince (Liu Duan Duan), and Chen Ping Ping (Wu Gang) who is the leader of a mysterious and powerful institution called the 监察院.
Comments:
This drama had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. We are slowly introduced to this world and its many characters and complicated relationships and secrets. This drama reminds me of Nirvana In Fire in the sense that all the characters have to battle using their wits to outsmart the other characters. Everyone and everything is so mysterious. One second you think this person is the good guy then the next second he backstabs the male lead and is the bad guy. It is almost like you are going through this power struggle along with Fan Xian and you get to solve mysteries with him.
The drama has a very interesting and fast-paced plot; something that the Chinese drama market is lacking. All the actors are super talented and there is some amazing acting from some veteran actors like Chen Dao Ming and Wu Gang.
I definitely want to praise Zhang Ruo Yun in this drama. His acting is amazing! His character, Fan Xian, is so lovable. Loyal, righteous, clever, funny, caring, and so much more.
I feel like Li Qin's character in this drama is more of a supporting character and her love line with Fan Xian is more of a subplot. I really wanted to see more of her in the drama.
If you like suspense, this is definitely the drama for you.
Well Intended Love
Episodes: 20
Synopsis:
Xia Lin (Wang Shuang) is an aspiring actress that enters into a contract marriage with Ling Yi Zhou (Xu Kai Cheng), a handsome CEO, after learning that he can help her receive her bone marrow transplant sooner.
Comments:
This is a super popular drama at the moment known for its many sweet, cute, romantic scenes. After watching a lot of dramas full of misunderstandings, this drama is truly a breath of fresh air. Ling Yi Zhou is HUSBAND MATERIAL. He loves Xia Lin and Xia Lin only. Regardless of what the second female lead does, he only has eyes for Xia Lin. He is also such a flirt; I love it. In my opinion, Xia Lin is not the prettiest actress at first but she will grow on you. Trust me. She is so smart and mature and will not let anyone belittle her.
This drama is renowned for being a low budget drama, but despite that, you can't really tell by watching. Mainly, their lack of budget is seen through their minimal outfit changes. Props to the director and producer for being able to pull off such a great drama with such a limited budget.
Ming Dynasty
Episodes: 64
Synopsis:
Jing Ruo Wei's (Tang Wei) entire family is killed during an uprising with only her and her sister, Jing Man Yin (Deng Jia Jia), surviving. She was adopted by Sun Zhong and changed her name to Sun Ruo Wei. Her life goal is to assassinate Emperor Yongle who ordered the killing of her family. By chance, she becomes the concubine of crown prince Zhu Zhan Ji (Zhu Ya Wen) and continues to investigate the truth behind her family’s death. However, Sun Ruo Wei abandons her revenge plans after being touched by Zhu Zhan Ji’s kindness. Sun Ruo Wei resolves to become a virtuous empress who can support him in times of hardship. Unfortunately, Zhu Zhan Ji passes away after a decade on the throne, and Sun Ruowei becomes Empress Dowager. Her son Zhu Qi Zhen (Zhang Yi Xing) ascends the throne.
Comments:
To be honest, I dropped this drama after around 22 episodes. I just couldn't keep watching this drama.
This drama honestly had a lot going for it. This is Tang Wei's, a renowned Chinese actress, return to the small silver screen in many years. Zhang Yi Xing, an idol/artist that is super popular in China and internationally as a solo artist and a member of EXO, also plays a lead role in the drama. This drama also has a huge budget and beautiful costumes.
However, this drama did not live up to expectations. 22 episodes in and this is my conclusion. Romance = non-existent, revenge = non-existent, plotline = unclear, messy
First what really threw me off was that we barely see any romantic sparks between the leads. Secondly, initially, after reading the synopsis, I thought that this was a revenge drama. This was not that. Our female lead gave up on revenge early on. Did someone ask, "With no revenge and no romance, what happened in the whole 22 episodes you watched?" The answer: family drama. All we really see is the emperor, his three sons, his grandson, and his daughter-in-law, all banter back and forth. Not going to lie, the family aspect of this drama was pretty interesting. It was what convinced me to keep watching. I love the dynamic between the brothers. The eldest brother, who is also Zhu Zhan Ji's father, is kind of the bully-victim of the bunch. The other two brothers are always jealous of him being the crown prince despite having limited ability. They are always pressuring him to give up his position as the crown prince. The second brother played by Yu Hao Ming constantly attempts to rebel against his father and tries to get the third brother to support his revolts. The entire 22 episodes were just the 2nd brother and 3rd brother trying to revolt against their father but get caught red-handed. Then the father threatens to punish them but does not actually punish them. Thus, history repeats and they revolt again. Their dynamic is like a modern-day cat and mouse chase but sadly the mice will never win. However, this was not supposed to be the focus of the drama. Also, the family drama was getting a bit repetitive and boring.
I would like to especially complain about Tang Wei. She is a great actress and I loved her in Lust, Caution. Watching this drama with high expectations was a grave mistake. Her acting here was not that great. Not terrible but not great. Despite her mediocre acting, her character is also to blame. Her character seemed super weak and useless. She tries to save her friends but fails and relies on Zhu Zhan Ji to save her friends. Her life goal is to get revenge on Emperor Yongle but right when someone else tried to assassinate him, she SHIELDS HIM with her own body??? I thought she was trying to get revenge. What happened? Also, her hairstyle in the beginning was sooooo ugly.
Also, something else that really irked me was the messy plot. This drama was all over the place. The plot strays from the leads way too much. Aside from the family drama, we also see way too many scenes of her sister, drama in the Emperor's harem, other people trying to take revenge on Emperor Yongle, and Emperor Yongle's guilt. It was way too messy and boring for me to keep up with.
Overall, this drama was a huge mess and I could go on about it forever.
Episodes: 62
Synopsis:
After her father's evil main wife killed her mother, Li Hao Lan (Wu Jin Yan), the daughter of the Public Censor of Zhao is kicked out of her own home and sold as a slave. She is purchased by the wealthy and scheming merchant Lu Bu Wei (Nie Yuan!!!) and sent into the palace. She strikes a compromise with Lu Bu Wei; Hao Lan will help him become the most powerful person in the nation and she will get revenge for those who have harmed her and her mother. On this journey, they also form an alliance with Ying Yi Ren (Mao Zi Jun), a seemingly weak Qin prince sent to Zhao as a hostage, who secretly has a plot for power. Will the three be able to work their way through the scheming palace and successfully rule the world?
Comments:
Anyone who did not have enough of the Palace of Yanxi? I know I did not. The Legend of Hao Lan has relatively the same cast as Palace of Yanxi. I could not have enough of Wu Jin Yan's and Nie Yuan's chemistry so I was delighted that they were starring in another drama together. That being said, I still loved Mao Zi Jun in this drama. His acting was amazing and his chemistry with Wu Jin Yan did not lose to that of Nie Yuan. I watched this drama with some friends and they especially loved the drama because of how it ties in a lot of historical events. Since most historical dramas I have watched were set in the Qing Dynasty, naturally, I developed an affinity for the Qing Dynasty. After this drama, I fell in love with the period of the Warring States. Though many parts of history were twisted, the plot maintained the general gist of history. I think the drama can successfully introduce more people to Chinese history; at least I gained interest.
Put Your Head On My Shoulder
Episodes: 24
Synopsis:
Si Tu Mo (Xing Fei), a senior in college, moves into her mom's best friend's house in order to live closer to her internship at a marketing firm. To her surprise, she is not the only person that will be living in the apartment. The owner's son, Gu Wei Yi (Lin Yi), one of the most handsome and smartest students in their Physics department, also moves into the apartment to stay closer to his research lab. Will the close proximity push these two very different people closer together or further apart?
Comments:
If anyone watched A Love So Beautiful, this is the sister drama.
Now I know lots of people's reaction to this synopsis is gonna be along the lines of, "Isn't this Playful Kiss or Mischievious Kiss?" That's what I thought too but this drama is so much more. This drama is kind of a cliche drama but it is incredibly sweet and the chemistry between the leads is great. I also like how the female lead is smart for once. Our female lead is a strong independent woman who is not naive or excessively kind to the point where it is annoying. She is a very realistic girl who I think anyone can relate to. Though our male lead has been criticized for having fairly stiff acting, I think he is such an upgrade compared to a lot of the actors who play cold roles. I think our male lead is so precious. This is his first drama and he just looks so young and innocent. His expressions are so cute to look at. When the two leads interact they are unexpectedly funny, especially Gu Wei Yi. He thinks things differently compared to others. For example, he was taught to complement the girl more so he told the girl "you are a strong person" after seeing her deal with her menstrual cycle and "you are good at folding clothing. The lines are straight and orderly." The funny sound effects really add to the drama as well. Overall, a great light drama for anyone who just wants to see an adorable pair of college students fall in love.
Le Coup de Foudre
Episodes: 35
Synopsis:
Despite growing up under tough circumstances, Zhao Qiao Yi (Janice Wu) grew up to be a kind, positive girl. One of her biggest concerns is her grades. It just happens that she sits next to the smartest kid in their grade, Yan Mo (Zhang Yu Jian). As the two interact, Yan Mo tutors Qiao Yi while Qiao Yi teaches Yan Mo how to open up his heart to others. These two very different people fall in love and promised to study abroad in Cambridge together. Last minute due to a family emergency, Qiao Yi backs out of her promise. The two separated and never contacted each other despite both still having feelings for one another. Four years later, the two reunite and this time Qiao Yi is determined to pursue her love no matter what. Unbeknownst to Qiao Yi, Yan Mo also has not moved on. Unable to express his feelings for her, Yan Mo chooses to keep his feelings a secret. Will the two finally express their love for each other?
Comments:
Another fairly cliche drama. The couple separates due to misunderstandings and reunites years later only to realize they never stopped loving one another. We've all seen a drama like this. Think, My Sunshine. If I had to say what makes this drama special, it would definitely be the family and the friendship. More than just a romance drama, there is a great emphasis on family in this. Qiao Yi's mother is divorced and Qiao Yi has a very loving step-father. I remember that divorce is still not too accepted in China, so to see a family where the woman is divorced and to see that she and her family still deserve to be happy is very special for me. Qiao Yi has a twin brother named Zhao Guan Zhao. He is my favorite character in the drama, hands down. Though Qiao Yi and Guan Chao fight every day, Guan Zhao loves his sister more than anything in the world. He is super protective and will be there for her no matter what. Also, he's super cute and smart. Who could resist? There is also an emphasis on friendship. I loved seeing Hao Wu Yi's and Qiao Yi's friendship. Though they had their fair share of conflict, the two remained besties til the end. Other characters were also great to watch. There are no antagonists in this drama. Everyone just wants to protect their loved ones and receive the love they deserve. Though not quite as sweet as Put Your Head On My Shoulder, Le Coup de Foudre is another very sweet drama.
Princess Silver
Episodes: 58
Synopsis:
Rong Le (Zhang Xue Ying) wakes up from a coma with no recollection of her past memory. She learns that she is Princess Rong Le of the Western Qi and her brother is Rong Qi (Luo Yun Xi), the Emperor of the Western Qi. She is told that in order to form a political alliance with Northern Lin, she has to marry the seventh prince, Zhong Zheng Wu You (Aarif Rahman). Rong Qi sends her to Northern Lin to form a fake alliance in order to find the book left behind by the Qin Family which is said to bring greatness to any nation that gains the book. Zhong Zheng Wu You refuses to marry Rong Le, so Rong Le makes a bet with Wu You in which in half a year if he falls in love with her, he will marry her and if he does not fall in love with her, Rong Le will return home. During the half a year, Rong Le takes on the identity of Man Yao, a tea house owner, in order to find the book. She soon crosses paths with Wu You and the two soon fall in love. Yet it may already be too late for him to learn the truth about her identity because she is set to marry General Fu Chou (Jing Chao). The quest to find the book is a dangerous one involving secret identities and decades-old acts of revenge and secret plots. Will Rong Le succeed in finding the book? Watch to find out!
Comments:
If you think Nirvana In Fire is complicated, be prepared for a whole rollercoaster ride with Princess Silver. Almost everyone in this drama has a second identity or has some sort of secret. The more you watch, the more secrets are revealed and the more confused you get; however, you become more sucked into the drama. Aside from the complicated plot, my favorite thing about this drama is the chemistry between the two leads. The two leads are so in love. So many dramas nowadays literally anything can lead to conflict. One of the leads never listens to the other's explanations. Like I thought you guys were in love, why don't you trust your partner
Let's talk about the actors. Previously, I had heard many bad things about Zhang Xue Ying. I quite liked her in Fifteen Years To Wait For Migratory Birds and other dramas but I watched one of her more recent drama and I understand what all the negative reviews are getting at. Her acting in When We Were Young was quite one dimensional. I rarely saw emotions. Her acting in this drama was so much better than When We Were Young. I like her smile and her acting had emotions. The male lead was great too. Aarif Rahman is a very handsome guy but I think he suits the modern day look more. It took me a while to get used to him in his period costume but it slowly grew on me, especially when they finally tied his hair up in a bun. His acting was pretty good. I think his anger scenes and sad scenes were very good. I will say, he is actually my least favorite male character, but I can't blame him. His character is more one dimensional to begin with because other characters are so complicated. One new actor that I was introduced to is Jing Chao. He first caught my attention because he kinda looks like Qiao Zhen Yu. His character is one of my favorite characters in the drama because he has so many layers. He has many secrets and is always putting on a facade. I love his undying love for Rong Le which made me fall for him even more. Sometimes I like him more than the male lead because he sometimes is even more protective of Rong Le and brave about confessing his love. Another important male character is Rong Qi. Anyone who has watched Ashes of Love will remember him as the pitiful second male lead, Run Yu. His character here, or so I've heard, has some similarities to his character in Ashes of Love. Luo Yun Xi is very handsome and his acting is great too. Overall, I think the cast is pretty good. All the characters in this drama have pretty good acting.
In conclusion, I would say if you are looking for a drama in which the two leads are very much in love and the plot is complicated and suspenseful, then this is the drama for you.
Go Go Squid!
I feel like 2019 is just one sweet drama after another. This is another sweet drama starring Yang Zi and Li Xian.
Episodes: 41
Synopsis:
Love appears when you least expect it. Tong Nian (Yang Zi) was helping her aunt watch her internet cafe for the night. She meets Han Shang Yan (Li Xian), the owner of a professional gaming team and a past legendary gamer himself, and falls in love at first sight. She tries to get to know him better only for him to come off cold and rude. She gives up on him but luck is on her side when she learns that her grandparents were family friends with Han Shang Yan's grandparents. One is a cold, borderline rude past gamer who only cares about helping his team win a worldwide championship while the other is a bubbly, persistent computer science genius/popular singer. Either history repeats itself and Han Shang Yan drives Tong Nian further away from him or Tong Nian manages to influence Han Shang Yan with her kind heart and determination.
Comments:
I will be honest, it took maybe like 10 episodes or so to really like this drama. My favorite parts are definitely the scenes with both Tong Nian and Han Shang Yan. There is a subplot, and I have a love-hate relationship with this plot. The subplot revolves around Han Shang Yan's past with his ex-gaming team. The first 10 episodes were half about this subplot; we barely get to see Tong Nian. They also cue the BGM, Beyond's 海阔天空 (a Cantonese classic) but in Mandarin, whenever they do flashbacks. One, the song is extremely overplayed in this drama (you hear it like 2-3 times in an episode at times), and second, as a Cantonese speaker who grew up listening to the original version, the Mandarin version sounds super odd. The flashbacks are also too excessive. I know one of the focuses of this drama is the gaming aspect and they want us to better understand Han Shang Yan and why his attitude is so bad, but I think viewers get the point by now. A couple of flashbacks is understandable but once it gets excessive, I start to not like the subplot. Enough ranting and back to my leads; they are so cute. I feel like guys like Han Shang Yan isn't as bad as one would expect. He kind of has to give you some attitude every time he talks but he is usually a "less bullshit, more action" kind of person. Also, he just seems mean, but he is really just a softie. He argues with his grandpa all day, every day but still does almost everything his grandpa tells him to do. Tong Nian is a very likable character. Though young and possessing a really bubbly personality, she is very mature for her age. There is not too much I dislike about the two leads. An extra bonus of this drama is the cute boys of Han Shang Yan's team. Also, this drama definitely has the most and best wingmen in any drama. Literally, almost every character in this drama does their best to ship the two together.
In summary, I would say if you survive through the first 10 episodes then you will enjoy this drama. This drama is nothing too special and the only selling point, for me, is the chemistry between the two leads.
The Prince of Tennis
As a huge fan of the original Chinese live adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name, I was super excited to see that they were remaking it. I was even more excited when I learned that the actor playing Ryoma is Peng Yu Chang, a talented up-and-coming actor. I will probably do a comparison of the 2006 version and 2019 version after I finish watching the 2019 version, so stay tuned.
Episodes: 40
Synopsis:
Lu Xia (Peng Yu Chang), the son of an ex-professional tennis player, is a tennis prodigy trapped under the shadow of his father. Rather than enjoying the sport for what it is, Lu Xia plays tennis only to prove himself to his father. He enrolls in Yu Qing High School and joins its tennis team. By finally being a part of a team, he starts to find joy in the sport and figures out his own identity as a player. In the process of working to win the national league, Lu Xia and his teammates learn to work as a group and understands the importance of friendship and teamwork.
Comments:
I have never read the original manga, so I will only comment on how good of a drama this is. As I am writing this, only around 10 episodes have been released. Though I do not think this drama is bad, I can definitely say I prefer the 2006 version. I see a lot of people hating on the 2006 version claiming it is not true to the manga, but frankly, not only do I not care, but I also prefer some of the changes. I feel like the plot progressed kind of fast in this version. There was barely any conflict, in my opinion, which showed me less of the characters' growth. I would have liked to see more character development, which the 2006 version did really well at. The tennis team in the 2006 version truly felt like a team. They all started out with clear flaws and through constant conflict between the members, they learned to accept each other's personalities, as well as, develop not only their tennis skills but also their personality and character. Slowly but surely, viewers were able to see their growth. I wish this version did the same.
To be honest, I feel like the acting, visuals, and special effects were all just average. I do not think this drama is bad, but it also did not exceed the 2006 version for me.
I also suggest anyone who likes this version to also give the 2006 version a try.
The Legends
Episodes: 56
Synopsis:
After the betrayal of her "good" mentor, Lu Zhao Yao (Bai Lu) loses faith in the "good" and fully embraces her demonic side (she was born a demon). She establishes the Wan Lu Sect and finally takes revenge on her mentor by killing him. Right when she thought she was at her peak and a step away from gaining one of the most powerful swords in the world, the Wan Jun Sword, her old friend, Li Chen Lan (Xu Kai), the demon king's son, takes the Wan Jun sword. She dies during her battle to retrieve the sword. Five years later, Li Chen Lan had taken over her position as sect leader and magically revived, Lu Zhao Yao's body becomes linked to Qin Zhi Yan's body (Xiao Yan). The two have separate bodies but they share the same face and they share the same physical injuries. Lu Zhao Yao takes the opportunity to take revenge on Li Chen Lan, who she believes plotted against her to steal the Wan Jun Sword and reclaim her rightful position as sect leader. She joins the Wan Lu sect under Qin Zhi Yan's names and manages to become Li Chen Lan's disciple. The problem is that after eating an Empty Empty Pill, she becomes transparent in the day and can only be seen by others except for Qin Zhi Yan during the night. While plotting her revenge, she learns many secrets about the other sects. These good sects may not seem as great as they claim and these demonic sects are not as bad as one might think. She also tries to figure out how she was magically resurrected and how to continue to stay in the living world.
Comments:
I kind of have a love-hate relationship with this drama. This drama had lots of potential to be a lot better. I would say everything until the ending was pretty good. Then the last 3 episodes, the editor went crazy and LITERALLY chopped up some scenes and just aired the drama. I would say if you like a badass female lead and can accept a bad ending, give this drama a try. The chemistry between the two leads is unreal. The dynamic here reminds me a bit of Palace of Yanxi's lead only because there is a badass female lead with a gentle, loving, loyal male lead.
Arsenal Military Academy
Episodes: 50
Synopsis:
After her brother's death, Xie Xiang (Bai Lu) joins the all-boys school, Arsenal Military Academy, in place of her brother. As she pushes the limits of her physical capabilities and has to hide her secret from her classmates and teachers, her biggest challenge is actually having to deal with Gu Yan Zhen (Xu Kai), the cocky, lazy, troublemaking son of a high positioned politician/officer, who also happens to be her roommate. Thankfully she meets classmates like the quiet but righteous and kind Shen Jun Shan (Li Cheng Bin) and the simple-minded, friendly Huang Song (Liu Si Bo), who support and protect her. Set during the First World War when Japan was infiltrating China, along with many other hot-blooded students, many students of the Arsenal Military Academy used the skills they learned from the academy to help fight for their country. We see a group of oblivious teens mature into top soldiers, as well as, country-loving citizens.
Comments:
I watched this after watching The Legends and seeing that the two leads here are the same as The Legends, I can't help but worry that there is going to be another bad ending, too many flashbacks, terrible editing, and annoying side characters. So far only 18 episodes are out. So far, the flashbacks are not overused, the editing has been very good, and the side characters are lovely. I will have my fingers crossed about the ending.
Characters:
In this drama, I finally get to see Xu Kai acts as something rather than a quiet, calm male lead (I have only seen him in Yanxi and The Legends). His character, Gu Yan Zhen, is very likable. He is such a flirt, a troublemaker, and a self-absorbed guy, but he also has a caring, kind side to him. According to interviews, his character here is pretty similar to his actual personality.
For our female lead, Xie Xiang, who goes by Xie Liang Chen in the academy, looks amazing with short hair. Her personality is quite the opposite of Gu Yan Zhen. She is careful, hardworking, determined, and humble. Watching her deal with Gu Yan Zhen's immaturity is hilarious; it is like watching an older sibling dealing with their annoying younger brother.
I need to specially point out my favorite character in this drama, Qu Man Ting (Wu Jia Yi). As the most popular celebrity in China, she is not just a pretty face. She is a proactive, sassy, confident, self-absorbed, boss ass bitch. Rather than annoying, her confidence and narcissism are charming. Refusing to settle, she follows her heart, pinpoints a goal, and achieves it.
Smart, calm, rational, and quite, our second male lead is handsome, rich, smart, and possesses a good personality. What a steal? Who wouldn't fall for him? I sense that I will have a strong second male lead syndrome from this drama.
To wrap this all up, I think if you like dramas where a great group of characters grow and mature together, then this drama is for you.
Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain
Episodes: 37
Synopsis:
Wang Lu (Xu Kai) joins the Spirit Blade Sect and becomes Wang Wu's (Sandrine Pinna) disciple. The troublemaking teacher-disciple duo goes around causing havoc in the Spirit Blade Sect while training to become stronger sages. They also go around destroying evil sects and evil spirits.
Comments:
This drama is nothing special but it is pretty funny. Wang Wu and Wang Lu use a lot of modern slang which adds to the light, fun vibe of the drama.
Joy of Life
Episodes: 46
Synopsis:
Fan Xian (Zhang Ruo Yun) is the son of the Imperial Secretariat, Fan Jian, who has the mind of a man from the 21st century. After an assassination, he goes to the capital to investigate who was behind it. Little did he know, his return to the capital meant that he has to marry Princess Lin Wan Er (Li Qin). Whoever marries Lin Wan Er gets to take over a massive fortune that initially was his birth mother's. This political marriage means that he is now intertwined in a power struggle involving the most important people in the capital: Emperor of Qing (Chen Dao Ming), Grand Princess (Li Xiao Ran), the Crown Prince (Zhang Hao Wei), the Second Prince (Liu Duan Duan), and Chen Ping Ping (Wu Gang) who is the leader of a mysterious and powerful institution called the 监察院.
Comments:
This drama had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. We are slowly introduced to this world and its many characters and complicated relationships and secrets. This drama reminds me of Nirvana In Fire in the sense that all the characters have to battle using their wits to outsmart the other characters. Everyone and everything is so mysterious. One second you think this person is the good guy then the next second he backstabs the male lead and is the bad guy. It is almost like you are going through this power struggle along with Fan Xian and you get to solve mysteries with him.
The drama has a very interesting and fast-paced plot; something that the Chinese drama market is lacking. All the actors are super talented and there is some amazing acting from some veteran actors like Chen Dao Ming and Wu Gang.
I definitely want to praise Zhang Ruo Yun in this drama. His acting is amazing! His character, Fan Xian, is so lovable. Loyal, righteous, clever, funny, caring, and so much more.
I feel like Li Qin's character in this drama is more of a supporting character and her love line with Fan Xian is more of a subplot. I really wanted to see more of her in the drama.
If you like suspense, this is definitely the drama for you.
Well Intended Love
Episodes: 20
Synopsis:
Xia Lin (Wang Shuang) is an aspiring actress that enters into a contract marriage with Ling Yi Zhou (Xu Kai Cheng), a handsome CEO, after learning that he can help her receive her bone marrow transplant sooner.
Comments:
This is a super popular drama at the moment known for its many sweet, cute, romantic scenes. After watching a lot of dramas full of misunderstandings, this drama is truly a breath of fresh air. Ling Yi Zhou is HUSBAND MATERIAL. He loves Xia Lin and Xia Lin only. Regardless of what the second female lead does, he only has eyes for Xia Lin. He is also such a flirt; I love it. In my opinion, Xia Lin is not the prettiest actress at first but she will grow on you. Trust me. She is so smart and mature and will not let anyone belittle her.
This drama is renowned for being a low budget drama, but despite that, you can't really tell by watching. Mainly, their lack of budget is seen through their minimal outfit changes. Props to the director and producer for being able to pull off such a great drama with such a limited budget.
Ming Dynasty
Episodes: 64
Synopsis:
Jing Ruo Wei's (Tang Wei) entire family is killed during an uprising with only her and her sister, Jing Man Yin (Deng Jia Jia), surviving. She was adopted by Sun Zhong and changed her name to Sun Ruo Wei. Her life goal is to assassinate Emperor Yongle who ordered the killing of her family. By chance, she becomes the concubine of crown prince Zhu Zhan Ji (Zhu Ya Wen) and continues to investigate the truth behind her family’s death. However, Sun Ruo Wei abandons her revenge plans after being touched by Zhu Zhan Ji’s kindness. Sun Ruo Wei resolves to become a virtuous empress who can support him in times of hardship. Unfortunately, Zhu Zhan Ji passes away after a decade on the throne, and Sun Ruowei becomes Empress Dowager. Her son Zhu Qi Zhen (Zhang Yi Xing) ascends the throne.
Comments:
To be honest, I dropped this drama after around 22 episodes. I just couldn't keep watching this drama.
This drama honestly had a lot going for it. This is Tang Wei's, a renowned Chinese actress, return to the small silver screen in many years. Zhang Yi Xing, an idol/artist that is super popular in China and internationally as a solo artist and a member of EXO, also plays a lead role in the drama. This drama also has a huge budget and beautiful costumes.
However, this drama did not live up to expectations. 22 episodes in and this is my conclusion. Romance = non-existent, revenge = non-existent, plotline = unclear, messy
First what really threw me off was that we barely see any romantic sparks between the leads. Secondly, initially, after reading the synopsis, I thought that this was a revenge drama. This was not that. Our female lead gave up on revenge early on. Did someone ask, "With no revenge and no romance, what happened in the whole 22 episodes you watched?" The answer: family drama. All we really see is the emperor, his three sons, his grandson, and his daughter-in-law, all banter back and forth. Not going to lie, the family aspect of this drama was pretty interesting. It was what convinced me to keep watching. I love the dynamic between the brothers. The eldest brother, who is also Zhu Zhan Ji's father, is kind of the bully-victim of the bunch. The other two brothers are always jealous of him being the crown prince despite having limited ability. They are always pressuring him to give up his position as the crown prince. The second brother played by Yu Hao Ming constantly attempts to rebel against his father and tries to get the third brother to support his revolts. The entire 22 episodes were just the 2nd brother and 3rd brother trying to revolt against their father but get caught red-handed. Then the father threatens to punish them but does not actually punish them. Thus, history repeats and they revolt again. Their dynamic is like a modern-day cat and mouse chase but sadly the mice will never win. However, this was not supposed to be the focus of the drama. Also, the family drama was getting a bit repetitive and boring.
I would like to especially complain about Tang Wei. She is a great actress and I loved her in Lust, Caution. Watching this drama with high expectations was a grave mistake. Her acting here was not that great. Not terrible but not great. Despite her mediocre acting, her character is also to blame. Her character seemed super weak and useless. She tries to save her friends but fails and relies on Zhu Zhan Ji to save her friends. Her life goal is to get revenge on Emperor Yongle but right when someone else tried to assassinate him, she SHIELDS HIM with her own body??? I thought she was trying to get revenge. What happened? Also, her hairstyle in the beginning was sooooo ugly.
Also, something else that really irked me was the messy plot. This drama was all over the place. The plot strays from the leads way too much. Aside from the family drama, we also see way too many scenes of her sister, drama in the Emperor's harem, other people trying to take revenge on Emperor Yongle, and Emperor Yongle's guilt. It was way too messy and boring for me to keep up with.
Overall, this drama was a huge mess and I could go on about it forever.
Comments
Post a Comment