These are the #Kdramas and #Cdramas that I plan to catch up with this year. I have a feeling I may end up dropping The Legends, because I have very little patience for xianxia, but since it stars Xu Kai maybe I'll give it more of a chance :P
You know what #Cdramas do so well?
Emotional intensity. #Chinese people are stoic, reserved and not physically demonstrative. So, one has to read the emotional queues in a glance, a gesture and most importantly through words. For eg, in #JoyOfLife2 polite words are exchanged in seemingly genteel banquets, but there's no mistaking the hatred. ❤️ Is expressed through a longing look & a tear. When characters finally get physical, the tension is explosive! 🙀 #Cdrama
You know the kind of drama where every moment is just an utter delight that you wished it was 70 episodes long? #JoyOfLife2 is it. The last drama that was like that for me was Mysterious Lotus Casebook.
I know this is probably the last week for #JoyOfLife2 but damn it the 2 ep per day release is slowly killing me inside despite me just being on episode 10. That's because I know the last arc is a really exciting one and I want it to be here NOW
The cutest boyband ever! If only they weren't trying so hard to kill each other 😆
PS: Found this on Twitter. Couldn't get this out of my mind cos they look so cute in this clip! I am taking my time with #JoyOfLife2. Only at episode 2 and this is because I rewatched the episodes twice haha. JOL has such intricately written plots you really need to pay attention!
Somebody shared the #JoyOfLife novel, translated into English (her pet project) in epub.
I was bracing myself to read it on the web. I tend to compile the reads into an epub for my own personal consumption as I don't really enjoy reading things on the web. Fansubbers don't like people scrapping their stuff and resharing (for obvious reasons) but as this is from the translator herself, I think it's safe to share.
Damn it, I can't move on from #TheLegendOfShenLi . The only drama that did that to me was Mysterious Lotus Casebook. Took me weeks to get over that one.
It's a little puzzling cos Shen Li had a lot of flaws that I disliked, but the positives overpowered it. I loved Lin Geng Xin's performance (oddly was warned that he's a bad actor) and loved his character's Xing Zhi's arc so, so much. I resonate with his struggle with loneliness and desire for a simple life with loved ones.
The #Netflix drama's depiction of China is, well, problematic. How did the people of China react to it? In this issue I highlight what Chinese viewers think about the 3 Body Problem.
I'm now trying to decide what to watch next and looking at the current slate of dramas, it'll probably be continue #TheLegendofShenLi and start #BlossomsInAdversity. Though if I want to be more ahem, responsible, I should pick from this list I created for myself 😛
It is indeed an odd experience to be part of the 1% of the human population who was not swept up by the #Untamed craze and kept failing to be swept up by it despite numerous times trying to.
I tried reading the novel, watched the donghua and even the #Cdrama and could not last more than a couple of episodes. People tell me to "soldier on" for a few more EPs but I couldn't I just couldn't.
Also tried reading the author's other books & just 😴
Was halfway watching #TheLegendofShenLi which I enjoyed, surprisingly. (I think of the first arc as Meet Yourself, #xianxia version 🤭.) I love our main couple's idyllic countryside life, the cooking scenes. It was a respite from their duties as bigwigs in the heavenly realm.
Most of all, I am liking the fact that we have a mature couple, acted by older actors in a genre dominated by mostly young actors.
I am currently seperated from my beloved Chromecast and TV so have to make do without my Youku, WeTV and iQIYI. So I am rewatching Ancient Detective. I watched it many moons ago in a very chaotic fashion, so I made a promise to rewatch it, but slower. It's even better than I remember - a #wuxia detective tale, very classic in its set up; focuses on brotherhood and fighting between sects, the whole deal. Every character is unique! If you've not watched it, give it a try!
I watched all episodes of #InBlossom - no spoilers, promise.
I love it. Love, love, love it. Am very satisfied and happy with the ending.
Sure, it's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but Pan Yue (or rather, Liu Xueyi kahkahkah) gave me so much joy. Darling, please grace me with your abs and embroidered hanfus once again. The world needs this community service.