My Opinion on The Way We Were

It’s a post long overdue due to the mayhem of real life, but it’s finally here! The Way We Were was drama that I would have never thought to have contained so much in it but it did and it turned out to be a drama so much more than what it is worth on first impressions. It was not of something that I had expected and it turned out much better in that way because it just hits at all of the right places. It’s a story of bonds, bonds between five best friends who despite their ups and downs are still the bestest of friends at the end of the day. Their friendship started off in their uni days and stretched through 16 summers where they are no longer students are uni but people out in the real world and working their way to living their life. TWWW is a heartfelt drama that really goes deep down in telling such a story. It really works your emotion, or at least it did mines and I love it when a drama can get me this invested to it because this is sign that a drama has really gotten me to fall in love with it.

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My Opinion on Lady & Liar

I had high hopes for Lady & Liar after seeing the trailer and wonderful stills that it released a while back and that really amped up my anticipation of the drama. It made me eager to watch it and I did. I am so glad that it did not disappoint and lived up to my expectations. It finished production in late 2013 with more than a year to perfect it and while it is not a perfect drama it does stand out to be one very well-fleshed out drama whether that be in the acting, cinematography or the writing. It’s dramatic for sure and something that I well-expected and while this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it was mines. It’s one of those types of tea which you initially don’t like very much but after a few cups you come to taste the sweetness of it.

My Opinion on Love Cheque Charge

I finally finished SETTV daily Love Cheque Charge from last year! It only took me five-ish months but I finished it at last. I might have taken on more than I could have chewed with this 74-ep drama but despite all the new stepping stones in my life, I somehow managed to finish it. While it’s nothing outstanding, it was definitely a drama that I found worth watching for its hearty story-telling even though at times it didn’t make any sense. There was tears, jealousy and heartache but more than that, it was filled with all sorts of love and that was made made it such a fun drama to watch.

My Opinion on My Sunshine

I think that I made a great choice in choosing My Sunshine (AKA Silent Separation) as the drama to start off 2015 with. It was all sorts of wonderfulness to watch and was even better live-watched as it kept my emotions running high in between the hours waiting for the next ep. This drama is addicting and now that it has finished its run, I am having withdrawal symptoms. My Sunshine is adapted from Gu Man (顾漫)‘s popular internet novel Silent Separation (何以笙箫默) with the popularity of the novel crossing over on-screen. I haven’t read the book but according those who have read the book, My Sunshine is just like the book stepping out of its pages with people describing it as a near-perfect adaptation. Of course, no adaptation or drama for that matter is perfect. All dramas have their flaws but what My Sunshine does is discreetly hide them while emphasising on the goodness at hand which is what makes this drama so addicting to watch.

Say Again Yes I Do Ready to Take Over Fall in Love with Me

 During these past two years, SETTV has been inundated with a really bad Sunday-night drama line-up. All dramas after the popular Miss Rose went down as crazy and illogical. King Flower was actually quite decent and one that I enjoyed but not only was there a ludicrous makeover but also down the track there was a male lead switcheroo and well, that doesn’t quite fit your typical drama format (well, IMO anyways). Then came Love Around which was sane, but oh-so-bland and boring! After that came the trainwreck that was Déjà Vu and then we had the half-way-second-male-lead-switheroo-plus-psychologically-impaired-mess of Fall in Love with Me. These dramas were mess after mess, wreckage after wreckage and crazy after crazy. I’m just hoping that the follow-up drama Say Again Yes I Do (AKA I Do²) does not follow this horrible, horrible fate of its predecessors. Dearest Drama Gods, Can we just have one decent drama that does not head down this atrocious trajectory, pretty please?

Mike He and Ady An’s New Drama Go, Single Lady Premiered Yesterday

There’s quite a lot of Mike He to go around on-screen with his new drama Go, Single Lady having premiered last night on Zhejiang Network (it’s undubbed!) following the ratings hit melodrama Loving, Never Forgetting which starred Jerry Yan and Tong Li Ya. GLS is a pre-filmed drama having been shelved for just under a year, coming from a joint collaborative effort between Taiwan and China. I have a particular fonding for these collaborations since I really have enjoyed the ones which I have seen (I have seen much though). GLS is a rom-com about Mike who plays a rich chaebol heir who falls into a dire financial situation who his family enterprise goes bankrupt overnight. Now without the financial support that he grew up having, he finds himself doing all sorts of odd jobs. He comes across a nouveau riche pig farmer’s daughter played by Ady An who is trying desperately to break into the upper class (hence the tentative Chinese title 上流俗女 which translates to Upper-Class Common Girl). They have clashing personalities but they work together to achieve their dreams of breaking into upper class and in the process, they end up falling for each other. It’s typical rom-com drama but I like this and having seen the trailer and BTS footage, Mike and Ady are hitting it with the chemistry which is much needed for a rom-com.

Pleasantly Surprised Synopsis

“Two people will not be better than one, so that’s why I like being alone” has always been a belief that Du Kai Qi (Puff Guo) has absolute certainty in. Kai Qi is an independent, single woman who enjoys the lifestyle of being alone working as a sous chef at the fine-dining restaurant, Figaro Cuisine. It doesn’t matter how her mother persuades her otherwise she just won’t budge. She is unlike most girls who is cry and laugh for love but instead for most of the time, she is calm and cool-headed. Due to her belief, no man will be more important than her mother. When two people are together, she will have to worry about his feelings and accommodate to him so why bother?

Fetching First Stills of K-Remake of Fated to Love You

As the premiere day nears closer and closer, my anticipation rises for the Korean remake of the hit Taiwanese rom-com, Fated to Love You which is also going by the same name with the Korean remake. FTLY (TW) was a drama that tugged at my heart strings numerous times and was really brought together by the chemistry of Ethan Ruan and Chen Qiao En. The writing fell weak at times but Ethan and CQE really held the story together through their adhesive links. Since FTLY (K) is a remake, the writing here is not going to be able to sell it but rather, it will be the chemistry between the leads who can either make or break the drama. Leads Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara have collaborated before with sizzling chemistry but that was over ten years ago but I have my fingers crossed that their chemistry is still here if not more sizzling hot. *fingers crossed* 

Upcoming Feel-good Movie A Minute More Premieres in Three Days

The feel-good, heart-warming movie, A Minute More 只要一分鐘, directed by famed Taiwanese director Chen Wei Ling whose works includes the emotionally beautiful hit drama Autumn’s Concerto and the eye capturing Material Queen which interesting both starred Vanness Wu as the leads and starring rumoured dating couple Janine Chang and Peter Ho is set to premiere in a few days on the 9th of May. Janine’s very busy this year with her highly anticipated drama You Light Up My Star starring across Joe Cheng to air on 1st of June. Anyway, back to AMM. I’ve been keeping my tabs on it since it finished filming last August and time sure does fly because it’s been 8ish months already! The movie is an adaptation of the bestselling Japanese novel by Harada Maha called 一分間だけ (Only A Minute) which explores the theme of pets and aims to reduce Taiwan’s stray pet population. The movie centres around an adorable dog which harbours similarities to the puppy love story in Marley and Me. An adorable dog plus awesome chemistry between the leads? Then I guess this is a going to be a sweet movie.

Aaron Yan’s New Drama Fall in Love With Me Gears Up for Premiere in One Week

It wasn’t that long ago since Aaron Yan did a drama for SETTV when he paired with Puff Guo for the Friday drama Just You and thanks to the popularity with that drama, this time he has earned himself the prestigious prime time Sunday slot. SETTV was going to strike while the iron is hot like they did pairing Annie Chen and George Hu for two consecutive dramas and have him pair with Puff again but Puff couldn’t step up for it due to prior commitments with her virtual hubby of Super Junior‘s Heechul on We Got Married Global Edition Season 2. So instead Puff’s bandmate Tia Li will be taking up the position instead. Puff’s got a busy year ahead because right after WGMG, rumour has it that she will be filming Love Meets Cupid with Jasper Liu, the drama that is to follow after In A Good Way. Noooooo, it’s hitting home that IAGW will be ending soon! Oh, on a sidenote, IAGW has been extended from 21 eps to 24 eps. 😦 Okay, back on topic, FILWM is one of your typical idol dramas, following a tried and tested formula. If it’s going to work, it’s going to be the acting and chemistry that takes it home and not the storyline and frankly, I am a bit iffy about this drama. I love Aaron, there is no doubt about that, and he has progressively improved with his acting skills over time whereas the same cannot be said for his leading lady. Tia just doesn’t hit the spot. She has the pretty face and seductive voice but that does not transfer to her acting skills. I’ve seen her in Office Girls and Miss Rose but I couldn’t bring myself to like her despite her sweet character in MR. I’m not sure how she will fair leading a drama but hopefully she will have chemistry with Aaron because chemistry is something that can break or make a drama.