Down With Love

Down With Love (就想賴著妳/Jiu Xiang Lai Zhe Ni) is a 2010 Taiwanese romantic drama starring Ella Chen, Jerry Yan, Kelly Huang, Michael Zhang, Chen Zi Han, and Amanda Zhou. The summary is as follows:

Xiang Yu Ping, an expert divorce and inheritance lawyer, is seen by others as cold, selfish, and ruthless. After Yu-ping’s older brother dies in a car accident he has little choice in taking in his brother's two orphaned children, Fei and Ting. Every nanny he hires to care for them is either scared off by the mischievous children or ends up falling in love with him. Fed up, Yu Ping asks his secretary, Yang Duo, to find a nanny that meets his requirements. Having lost all their wealth when their mother passed away and being abandoned by their father after racking up heavy debts; Yang Duo can not ignore the fact that she needs the money and recommends her younger sister, Yang Guo, for the job; assuring Yu Ping that her tomboyish sister will not fall in love with him by lying that she does not like men at all.

This has been on my list of dramas to watch ever since I heard that Ella was going to star in a drama. And I finally finished it yesterday afternoon. I have no complaints when it comes to the acting although some of the characters seriously got on my nerves - but when is that something new when it comes to dramas? There were your normal ups and downs as well as comedic antics that occurred that made one go "aww" and any other variations of said phrase. There seemed to be people pairing off every which way and a main love triangle that just kept on adding people onto it that I almost got a headache when friends asked me about the drama - I'm just not good at explaining things - but I highly enjoyed it.

However, one thing I noticed was that none of the sites I went to were set on agreeing with the amount of episodes the drama contained; some said 16 whereas others listed 25 episodes for it. Then I remembered that while it was airing, some episodes were leaked and I also read somewhere that the leaked version was 28 episodes long but what was actually officially released totaled to 16. O_o I have no idea if it's right or not but either way, I think the fact that the drama was leaked rushed the ending. On that note, I'd like to elaborate and say I really loved the drama although it had its fair share of infuriating parts as per usual, but then it suddenly seemed to end and everyone came together in a happily ever after epilogue set 6 years later. Basically, it was rushed. I wish they could have spent some more time on the ending and perhaps even elaborated more and such on their courting and even the wedding ceremony itself instead of a kiss and then - bam! - she has a 4 year old son and is pregnant with her second child.

You can watch it at Drama Wiki (28 listed episodes but only works up to 16) and My Soju (16 episodes). Although the ending was a bit of a flop, I still recommend it. ^^

Silence

I finished Silence (深情密碼/Shen Qing Mi Ma) today, a Taiwanese romance that could be considered tragic... and bittersweet, depending on you and how you see it. In all honesty, I watched it because I heard how utterly depressing it was, haha. It stars Vic Zhou, Park Eun Hye, Andy Hui, Megan Lai, and Kingone Wang. The summary is as follows, taken from DramaWiki, though with some editing on my part:

Zhao Shen Shen loses her voice after a bus accident and gets taken to the hospital by her friend Zuo Jun (who blames himself for making her mute), where she meets Qi Wei Yi, a boy who got his leg broken by jealous peers. He finds a letter she had placed in a bomb shelter wall. They leave each other letters and promise to come back in the Christmas of 2006. They become good friends and fall in love but Wei Yi is unaware that Shen Shen is mute. When he has to leave, he gives her his phone number and tells her to call him. Years pass and in the year of 2006, they meet again but is unaware of who each other is until Wei Yi finds out he has liver cancer and is dying. So, he decides to go back to the hospital he went to as a child and he finds out that Shen Shen is his childhood love, but not wanting to hurt her when he dies, he hides his identity and eventually pushes her away.

I found the cast for this pretty interesting since they're from Taiwan (Vic and Megan), Hong Kong (Andy), and Korea (Eun Hye). Pretty diverse, I'd say. Of course, this means several things has to happen. Zhao Shen Shen was made to be a mute [spoiler] until the very end [end spoiler] because (and this is me assuming) her Mandarin isn't all that good. Some Korean is spoken, but really, it was more like just two phrases throughout the entire drama. In fact, Cantonese was spoken more than that. As someone who understand Cantonese and can speak it... to an extent, I found it interesting when the conversations between Zuo Jun and his father are half in Mandarin and half in Cantonese. I like diversity. :)

What I also like is things that veer from the norm. For a romance drama, it has the sweet moments, but all in all, the moments between the main couple aren't really all that much until the very end. There's the really slow process from getting to know one another, to friendship, through obstacles and hardship, and to the ultimate getting-together stage. Of course, this all happens in the course of just a couple of months (and in 20 episodes) and in the end, Qi Wei Yi dies, which makes it more interesting because Shen Shen only knows about his illness at the VERY END. I mean, we know from the beginning-middle of the drama what would happen to him, so it's looming above our heads, but then we go through everything. It doesn't go too in-depth on what's happening to it, so sorry, medicine enthusiasts (like me, hehe), but it's somewhat believeable enough. The acting, overall, is not bad.

I'm glad that everything worked out in the end, and though it was sort of a little too quick to be all that believable, but death can do some unbelieveable things, yeah? It's sad, and though there seems to be a sort of sense of closure for Zhao Shen Shen, it also sort of just leaves us there. Personally, I thought an epilogue of some sort could be in order, but that's just me. :) In the end, I thought it was enjoyable, but not one of my favorite tragic dramas (that still goes to One Litre of Tears), but it's not bad. I mean, it has to be hard when one of the main characters is mute - but I applaud her for learning Chinese sign language!

You can watch it here.

MARS

I finally watched MARS (戰神) and I finished it last night. :) It's a Taiwanese drama based on a Japanese manga of the same name consisting of 21 episodes that touches upon several 'sensitive topics' - but it's not all that graphic (it just gives you enough), then again I like graphic things. It stars Barbie Hsu, Vic Zhou, Megan Lai, Xiu Jie Kai, and An Jun Can. The summary is as follows:

A shy artistic girl, Qi Luo (Barbie Xu), is approached by a the care-free and play-boy Chen Ling (Vic Zhou), who asked Qi Luo for directions to a hospital. In a split-second Ling forgets what the hospital name was. Hurriedly Qi Luo draws a map for him, unknowing that she was drawing on the back of one her drawings. Ling thanked her but she ran off before she could hear him, he then noticed the picture and was touched. The next time they had seen each other, Ling told her about the picture but Qi Luo ignored him and said he could keep the picture. Ling was very touched by the picture and that drew him closer and closer towards Qi Luo. But his past comes back to haunt him when a new student arrives as well as Qi Luo's past comes back. Feelings will collide when you have a jealous ex come to stand up and fight for Ling against Qi Luo and an known admirer confesses his feelings to Qi Luo.

I have to say that the series was pretty good - the acting, the topics - all of it. Of course there's one item that I thought would only happen in dramas (spoiler alert here): there would of course be a girl who was soooo in love with Chen Ling and do several horrible things to deter Qi Luo from him (like smashing her hand with a rock) but then they almost immediately become best friends. (end spoiler alert) O_o Anywho... the following topics are mentioned and portrayed in this drama: sexual harrassment, murder, suicide, and a setting that reappears includes a psychiatric hospital.

There are some moments that could be categorized as under "scary" but it's only a handful of times due to some psychological problems addressed, the rest is rather sweet and cute and the ending is sort of fitting. It also touches upon the topic of love (unsurprisingly): loving too much, loving too little, needing love... All I can say is that I loved this. It sort of made me think, like with Death Note, and I like that. And again, like Death Note, I ended up deciding both sides had a point. -shakes head- This is why I can never choose, haha...

You can watch it here.

Smiling Pasta

So last night, I finally finished the Taiwanese drama Smiling Pasta, aka 微笑 Pasta (Wei Xiao Pasta) on the big screen because I decided to watch it from the DVDs I had gotten from China. Well, honestly, I had started it a long time ago (it was one of the first dramas I started watching) but then somehow, when I was only two episodes from the end, it stopped and I decided I needed to finish it. It's a romantic comedy starring Cyndi Wang, Nicholas Teo, Gino, and Joyce Zhao. Here's the summary, taken from DramaWiki:

Xiao Shi is a girl who has gone through many short relationships, 17 to be
exact, not one lasting more than 3 months hence, she was cursed with a
three-month curse. After being dumped by her 17th boyfriend, the world looks
grimmer than ever. At that time, a famous idol, He Qun runs past, bumps into
Xiao Shi, and they end up "kissing" on the street. Paparazzi swarmed by and to
avoid a bad reputation, He Qun’s manager declared Xiao Shi as He Qun’s
girlfriend of one year and fiancée. Thus, a love contract was made. This story
is about how the couple learns to like each other after having disagreements in
the beginning, as well as fighting the injustices the media throw at them. Will
Xiao Shi finally break her 3 month curse?

For those of you guys who have watched the Korean drama, Full House, it's said that this is the Taiwanese version (also according to DramaWiki), but as I haven't I can't say anything about it. However, I can say this this drama has it's cute and sweet parts along with the funny parts as well as the overexagerrated acting which just makes it, well, a drama. The main couple is as stubborn as you can get and is actually a nice match, with the guy being a celebrity and the girl being this pure, innocent girl. The stubbornness (as well as the pride) makes them go back to step one often enough which is rather frustrating (you'll get what I mean once you watch it) but the ending is really cute. I was in bed trying to be as quiet as I could with my sister trying to sleep next to me but it was really hard! :)

Anyway, I recommend it as it's pretty good and it'll occupy a good amount of your time as it's 17 episodes long but if you're in the mood for some romance and laughs, give it a go.

It Started with a Kiss

I finally finished It Started with a Kiss [惡作劇之吻], dramawiki here, today. In actuality, I had started it earlier on the year but had stopped after the first three episodes but recently decided to give it another try, this time with my sister. It's not bad, I mean, it stars Ariel Lin, Joe Cheng, Tiffany Xu, Jiro Wang, and Cyndi Chaw - Arron Yan also makes an appearance in a number of episodes. :) In addition to that, it was one of the most popular dramas in 2005. There were just some things... that I will get into after the synopsis is up:

After an earthquake destroyed Xiang Qin's house, she and her father moved in with the family of her father's college buddy, Uncle Ah Li. To her surprise, the kind and amicable aunt and uncle are the parents of her cold and distant schoolmate Jiang Zhi Shu, a genius with an IQ of 200 whom not too long ago rejected her endless crush on him. Will the close proximity give her a second chance to win Zhi Shu's heart? Or, will her love for him end under his cold words? What happens when there is competition for his heart?

SPOILERS BELOW

It's a really good story, but Ariel Lin's character (Xiang Qin) was portrayed to be particularly lacking in brains. Normally, it's fine, but this time, she over did it, in a sense. The first time I watched it, I couldn't bear taking it without complaining or just plain screaming at her (made the person I was watching it with stop - he said it was cute. O_o Sorry, but there's a fine line between being adorable and blatantly stupid.) This time, I admit it was much the same - except I KNEW what was going to occur. My sister actually watched the entire thing, but for the first thirteen episodes or so, I would have a book at my side just in case something got too much.

For instance: if you see a banner held by a group of people that was taking up the hallway, you go around the people and the banner or under, correct? Well, she ran through it, bounced back, and did it repeated. Finally, one of the guys holding the banner up lifted it up for her and then she went through again. At this point, I was furious at her. Also, with the amount of tutoring she got, you would think she would remember something. In addition to that, if you didn't know anything you would ask, wouldn't you??

Needless to say, for a good amount of the drama, I was on Joe Cheng's character, Zhi Shu's, side saying about how hopelessly idiotic she was. I eventually really got into the drama by the fourteenth episode and the further it went, the more I liked it. In short, even though I couldn't stand most of Xiang Qin's antics and quirks, the drama was good - and she was nice, cute, though a bit low in IQ points. I mean she couldn't do much of anything except stay by Zhi Shu's side.

Ah yes... does Jiro have a thing with taking roles who never gets the girl he wants? I always find myself feeling sorry for him. Zhi Shu's mother is delightful and their wedding is so cute! I loved it all. My sister and I could barely contain our excitement in the last few episodes.

The entire drama is thirty episodes long and we watched it on MySoju. The already completed sequel, They Kiss Again (惡作劇2吻), has twenty episodes. It's next on the list to be watched before I leave for China. :)

The Rose

The Rose (薔薇之戀) is a drama broadcasted in 2003, based on family and love (unrequited love, in particular). It stars Ella as Zheng Bai He, Jerry Huang Zhi Wei as Han Jin, Joe Cheng as Han Kui, Joelle Lu as Han Fu Rong, Hebe as Xiao Feng, and Selina Ren as Zhuang Zhe Qin and Da Ya Man. The "summary" DramaWiki gave is as follows:

A stone with an ugly outward appearance and doesn't catch the eye: would people be able to see the glittering gem that's hidden inside?

Being looked down on by people for a long time and treated coldly with indifference, it will gradually turn rusty and lose its brilliance. Or, maybe after experiencing all these hardships, its luster and beauty will be highlighted even more?

Since I find it lacking in some aspects, I'll try to elaborate more on the plot without spoiling it. Basically, Bai He is a girl supposedly lacking in the looks department who is going through a day of misfortune when her grandmother dies. She finds out that her real mother is alive and she is none other than the big movie star, Han Li. She moves in along with three other half-siblings (all of whom are related in halves as well) who are all rather pretty but rather cold and a bit harsh. As the drama continues, various secrets are revealed and romance blossoms. Everywhere. If you want a more revealing synopsis, there's one on the DramaWiki site.

I actually found it very cute and funny, but with meaning at the same time. At first, it dragged a bit, but I started to really get into it by the seventh episode and a couple more later, I was obsessed. However, I do want to point out that no matter how many times Bai He was said to be fat, they have got to be kidding. It just made me wonder what would have happened if I stepped in there. haha... I would be called 很大很大的肉包. Even so, watching it, I have learned a lot more Chinese and it's really deep. I mean, it has to be, since it has a total of 26 episodes (and I watched it all in under four days). I watched them on MySoju and you can get the OST here.

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose

- The Rose, Bette Midland -