Chinese Drama Review: The Rise of Phoenixes

 

The Rise of Phoenixes, featuring Great Coffee Tables

One of the best things about this drama was the coffee tables. Like seriously. I was going to go find screenshots of the various coffee tables in the palace, but I’m too lazy. I just remember Ning Yi’s is AMAZING. I want it for my own house. There are others that are really cool too. Where can I get one for myself?? Anyway, onto the drama!

For more info on the drama/some of the actors, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rise_of_Phoenixes

Ratings out of 10:

Acting: 9

Storyline/plot: 7.5

Plot Development: 6

Characters: 10

Music: 10

Ending: 3

Chinese Drama Review: A Love So Beautiful

One of the most appropriate titles for any drama, ever

I started watching A Love So Beautiful on a whim, trying to find something to get my mind off the near-perfection of Meet Me @ 1006. All I knew about it was that it was a love story about two people and their relationship through teenage-hood and adulthood. I was pleasantly surprised by just how sweet this drama was. Even though everyone said it was just another rendition of Itazura Na Kiss (which may be true, I’m not sure), it was definitely different, though the premise was somewhat the same. To me, it was a mix between Itazura Na Kiss and Reply 1997 or  1988. It had the nostalgia of the latter series and the similar dynamic/storyline to the former.

Ratings out of 10:

Acting: 8

Storyline/plot: 10

Plot Development: 10

Characters: 9

Music: 10

Ending: 9

Taiwanese Drama Review: Meet Me @ 1006

Lego and Nikki and the rest of them

My first post in four months…I kinda want to cry. I’ve just been so busy and tired lately that I can’t believe I haven’t posted anything since March. I even wrote most of this review a couple of weeks ago, I just hadn’t gotten around to finding pictures and posting it. But here it is. I’ve got a couple more I’m working on, so hopefully I can start posting regularly (at least once a month) again. Onto the drama!

Wow, Lego really knows how to pick ‘em. Well, so does Nikki, but I just mentioned Lego because he’s the true star of this drama, much like Nikki was the true star of Love @ Seventeen.  I initially didn’t start watching this drama (though, of course, I would have made my way around to it in the future because I love the Lego/Nikki pairing) because the description made it sound like this was a ghost drama, much like Oh My Ghost, and that just didn’t sound too interesting to me. Not to mention, when I went to look at the initial reviews, they all said the main girl was really annoying. So, I put it off for a while, and a good thing I did  because once I turned it on, I couldn’t tear myself away from the screen and I was grateful the drama was finished so I could binge watch it all.

Taiwanese Drama Review: Love at Seventeen

Love @ Seventeen: Boy Chases Girl…Literally

Wow. This is one of the best dramas to come out of Taiwan in a long while. I watched every single episode and did not skip any scene, something I very rarely do with dramas. It could be because it was only 15 episodes, but 15 episodes was perfect. Any longer and it would have fallen prey to the reason so many other Taiwanese dramas fail: they’re just too long. I was initially interested in this drama because it paired one of my favorite TW actresses, Nikki Hsieh, with one of my favorite TW actors, Lego Li. Little did I know that this pairing would turn out to be so amazing! Before this drama, I thought Nikki Hsieh and Lego Li were good actors only sometimes. Now, I know that they really do have acting chops, and when put together, they excel at their jobs.

DISCLAIMER: Unlike what the description of this drama would have you believe, Love @ Seventeen is NOT a “Second Chance” drama. Ai Li Si NEVER goes back in time to her high school days to change things. And before that makes you not want to watch the drama, I promise that the drama is only better for it.

(Short) Taiwanese Drama Review: Dandelion Love (Xing Fu Pu Gong Ying)

Dandelion Love Poster

Ratings out of 10:

Acting: 4.5

Storyline/plot: 6

Plot Development: 4

Characters: 5

Music: 5

Ending: 7

Dandelion Love was 40 episodes long, but it definitely could have been only 30. The last ten episodes really dragged. Overall, the acting in the drama is not very good. I love me some Danson Tang, but he didn’t do a good job in this drama, and don’t even get me started on Alice Tseng. Both her acting and her character were irritating. The two best actors, who played the two most interesting characters, were Lene Lai and Nylon Chen. I thought they played their roles very well, even if it took Nylon a few episodes to truly become comfortable playing someone who couldn’t speak. Oh, and side note: these two are married in real life!! I also thought the main character’s father (Weng Jia Ming) did a good job.

The plot of the drama was a simple love story/slice of life. The way the plot developed in many parts, especially the way Lena Lai’s character developed, was sloppy. SPOILERS: When I didn’t even feel sad that one of the main characters had died, I knew there was something wrong. That being said, I still watched the whole thing, and it certainly wasn’t torture. The first seven or so episodes with the kids were entertaining, and the love stories were sweet as well.

Watch If: You’re a fan of Danson Tang (he was the reason I started watching), Lene Lai, or Nylon Chen. Also, if you like longer dramas that take you beyond marriage and happily-ever-after, then this might be a drama you’ll enjoy.

Don’t Watch If: You want an emotional drama that really makes you connect with the characters. Also, if you struggle watching dramas over 20 episodes, then I wouldn’t suggest this drama for you.

Overall Score: 5.25

Rewatchability: 0%