Monday, February 27, 2017

C Drama List

I just start following C drama not long ago. So yes the list is not long. But I think it will grow fast, even faster than the Japanese ones. I want to separate the list from drama from Taiwan that I know it earlier, since they are such different beast. If I want to make ‘stupid’ comparison between the four of them, it is like Korean drama is the popular, main stream, friendly type of student at school, Japanese drama is the edgy, cool-as-cucumber, carefree type of student, Chinese drama is the conservative, your teacher favorite, righteous type of student, and Taiwanese drama is one that is squeezed between the conservative C drama and the main stream K drama. We, as fans, just have to choose one that suits our taste.

What I mean as conservative is that in C drama if the main character is a guy, he must be excellent at his field. If he is a student, he must be the smart top student, if he is a lawyer, he must be a good lawyer who likely wins every case, if he is a banker, he must be in the top ten banker in the country, if he is a general, he must be a God of War 😄 He is likely to be the quiet type, reserved, done everything matter-of-factly, no none-sense the alpha male type. He must be a capable man whom everybody can depend upon, especially by the main female lead a.k.a the love of his life.


If the main character is a woman, she must have such unattainable virtues or qualities. She must be pretty, tall and willowy. But Also she must be good at cooking, sewing, gardening, embroidery, playing music instrument, painting, reciting poetry, what have you, and excellent in doing other house courses. She must be warm and friendly yet fragile and vulnerable (how to do that exactly? 😰) She must be loyal to her husband/boyfriend. She tends and takes care her or her husband’s family without a fail yet still a smart, successful career woman.


The drama probably promotes such values that Confucian society hold up highly, the importance of family and social harmony. The children character must be respectful to their parents and elderly people. Between family members must show a filial piety and tight kinship. As a part of large society and a citizen of a county or kingdom, someone must be obedient to the government/ruler/king. He/she must be a loyal and he/she must even be patriotic. I can’t shake the feeling how big influence of China government on controlling contain of their drama, especially if the drama is a period drama in the revolution time of establishment of People’s Republic of China. It is like 'Hey peep your drama must have the historical fact right! That is the one that is right according to Me'. And it is not like I’m protesting either, that is their drama, their country, they can do as they please themselves, I’m here just gonna sit, watch, roll my eyes, and flip my screen if too grating my nerve and not suit my taste.

And the romance. Ha, ha, ha it must be conventional type of romance. The man has to be the hero who must save the girl every time, no every single time. Though sometime the drama tries to divert from the conventional by making the main female character to appear strong and grow some backbone at the end of the day, the man still become the one who save the day. J drama likes noona romance, K drama seems to think noona romance is the new cool thing, C drama says no, no, no. Sometime when I’m tired of being strong, independent woman in real life, some doses of C romance drama may offer solace. Hey a girl can dream a prince with white shining armor to save the day before waking up tomorrow morning to face the harsh reality of there’s no such of thing of a prince with white shining armor, there is only….You.

Gal don't give me that look! 

What I like about C drama is that they likely to have their drama based on some written novel. Though sometimes there’s deviation from the novel at least they have some solid story base. It is not like some drama that makes adjustment to overall story according to viewers’ taste once it’s aired. Dude if you don’t have confidence on your story, you simply just don’t make an airing drama based on it, Gee. And usually C drama has this smart, beautiful, poetic tittle at least the story on which it is based, I can’t even. Can I watch drama solely because of the title?? Three Worlds, Three Lives, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom; A longtime Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated.

Oh yeah there are another thing I like about C drama. Their drama set 😃 If you follow Korean family weekend drama, you will find many scenes are done at prop set inside studio. If only it has to be done to a scene in which the characters have done something inside a room, it is quiet accaptable, just accaptable, but if it is done to show a neighborhood where the characters live, I find it is quiet jarring. Okay I hate it. In C dramas especially in modern ones I think they try to shoot scenes using a real prop, real house or real office. They always manage to look grand, spacious, or small but feel old vintage (I love dramas that take place in old city like Shanghai) all picturesque. Sometimes, I feel like they are kind of showing off that China has been doing great like its neigbouring country South Korea and Japan. But who the hell I care, as long as I got drama with beautiful prop set.

But the downside is that a lot of half-baked CG for the period and fantasy dramas. That one thing also driven me batty, sometimes I wish they just don’t push it too hard like why don’t make it shorter drama but higher quality prop and CG or why have to make it daily airing drama that causes them have to make more drama productions in a year with lower quality as compensation. I think live-shoot drama system is not the case in C drama since they have to finish the drama production before submitting it for censorship to China government so than they can get approval for airing.

And the schedule. Since I start to follow C drama only recently, I don't quite figure how C drama airing schedule. But what I got so far that those C dramas with many episodes that I had watched, were airing daily, even in a day there can be more than one episode. So even there seem so many episodes, C drama finishes airing fast. It is great for marathoning or filling the waiting time if you do a watch-while-airing. And there seem million people ready to sub them. Oh yeah the episode is around 45 minutes with long opening and closing part (beware of spoiler in it 😁), so the effective time is just around 30 minutes. 😄 If J drama, I choose to wait till it is fully subbed before watching it, their drama has fewer episodes, but the risk no one takes it for subbing is higher, even if there is one who wants to sub it, it can somehow stop in middle of the way. Oh the pain! K drama is perfect for watching while still airing, because it is so mainstream, many want to take it for subbing if only for commercial reason. And T drama, their drama is airing one episode per week though longer time per episode. If it is not popular enough, the sub takes sometime to be available. Yes, if you have the endurance you can do the watch while airing style. 😂

So here we go the C dramas I have watched to this day (will be updated):


Ashes of Love
Country: China
Released Year: 2018
Episode: 63 episodes
Genre: Romance, xianxia
Source: Heavy Sweetness, Ash-like Frost by Dian Xian
Rating: 3.5/5
Actors: Deng Lun, Yang Zi
sPlotlight:
I get it: Being love by many is a good fortune, but cost you a bad karma! LOL



Best Time
Mandarin Title: 最įžŽįš„時光
Country: China
Released year: 2013
Episode: 47 episodes + 2 special final episodes
Genre: Romance drama
Source: Secret Hidden in Time by Tong Hua
Actors: Wallace Chung, Janine Chang
sPlotlight:
Torturing plot with terrible ending. Period.



Bu Bu Jin Xin/Scarlet Heart
Country: China
Released Year: 2011
Episode: 35 episodes
Genre: Period melodrama
Source: Startling by Each Step by Tong Hua
Actors: Liu Shishi, Nicky Wu, Kevin Cheng, Yuan Hong
sPlotlight:
I almost forgot that I’ve already watched this drama. Probably it is because I don’t like this drama. Let’s see I even don’t like the China version that people think it is way better than the Korean version which is many people think it is such a remake failure. It is a love story of a 21 century woman who time travels to Qing dynasty period then she falls in love with two of so many princes on that time. Reason of dislike: First I didn’t buy her feeling to both of the princes. I don’t know why I got the impression she doesn’t love any of the princes deep enough. Second, I never really get behind a love story between a prince and any woman when he already has so many concubines. Love is never meant to be shared  :P Third, I don’t really get why she needs to time travel, why she is endowed the right to time travel which you know required to bend time and space continuum which required so much energy physically speaking. Why? So she can have some romance that ends tragically bad. I don’t befriend with Tong Hua apparently.


General and I
Country: China
Released year: 2017
Episode: 62 episodes
Genre: Period, romance drama
Source: A lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciate by Feng Nong
Actor: Wallace Chung, Angelababy
sPlotlight:
It is not that the chemistry between Wallace Cheung and Angelababy is off the chart, in fact it is just so so. Angelababy's deer-in-the-headlight expression keeps me frustrated. But I think it shows the advantages of having a good story source. I forked my eyes out reading the 3 novels in three days. Chu Bei Jie and Bai Ping Ting is such a well written lovely couple. Their marriage is showing what a good marriage should be. Marriage is a true partnership, instead of who-lead-who or which is better than other or who love more or sacrifice more. Everybody has to have stake in the partnership and the same right to have investment in the relationship (Dude, what I'm talking about like I've already married myself 😂). They complement each other, give each other room to grow. One of the character says there's reason why people want to keep them separated, because together they are unstoppable. The 53 episode onward are golden. I miss Wallace Chung right now, off to finish Best Time.....


Goodbye My Princess
Mandarin Title: 东åŽĢ / Dong Gong
Country: China
Released year: 2019
Episode: 52 episodes
Genre: Period, Romance drama
Source: Dong Gong (Eastern Palace) by Fei Wo Si Cun
Actors: Chen Xingxu, Peng Xiaoran
sPlotlight:
The leads are so young, and so pretty. But their love line is so damn tragic, like the other C dramas that I have watched. Why I’m even surprised? I can’t get happy ending for onccccce, can I? But a sad broken heart need a company  :P I keep watching Chinese period drama for its penchant for sad, tragic ending ha, ha, ha. Bye sageuk drama for your political heavy plotline. Hah. And why must the girl has to be the one who dies eventually? Hmmmm…..


Good Times
Country: China
Released Year: 2015
Episode: 38 episodes
Genre: Romance
Actors: Hu Ge, Wang Xiao Chen
sPlotlight:
Get the infatuation on Hu Ge after watching Nirvana in Fire, I started to watch this. Just the ordinary, modern romance drama. But what I remember the most is the lead female character, she is one the coolest lead female character whom I have ever seen. Though the last few episodes the plot goes makjangish and affected the heroine, yeah at least 80 percent of the drama I don't have the feeling to drag the heroine to have back bone operation. 😜


Here to Heart
Country: China
Released Year: 2018
Episode: 46 episodes
Genre: Romance
Source: The Warm Cord by An Ning
Actors: Hans Zhang, Janine Chang
sPlotlight:
The OTP is so cute together if only they share enough screen time together. Their chemistry is great. A lot of filler scenes, annoying mother in law, underdeveloped side character make it dissipated, such a waste. After watching several of Hans Zhang's works, I notice that he has some weird fashion sense. It is tacky, sometimes too gaudy, often seems misplaced. Those stripped pans with matched tuxedos at the church scene from the last episode are sore to my eyes. Thanks God, Janine Chang can hold her ground, still has some decent, lovely dresses, not like the poor Aki Dan in If Paris Downcast. Her costumes at that drama are soo fugly for the expense dressing the forever CEO Hans Zhang? Hah. I feel sorry for her.


Love's Lies
Country: China
Released Year: 2018
Episode: 44 episodes
Genre: Romance, Action, Police drama
Actors: Luo Jin, Pan Zhilin
sPlotlight:
This is like Internal Affair, story about undercover cop. It always got me on the brink what if they finally found you out!? Who is the other spy? Step aside lady, you make your man vulnerable. Grrr. It is fun, but the ending is not fun. At all. C drama and its open, sad ending. Gah


Love Me If You Dare
Country: China
Released Year: 2015
Episode: 24 episodes
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Source: Close your eyes and close to me (Ta Lai Le, Qing Bi Yan) by Ding Mo
Actors: Wallace Huo, Sandra Ma, Wang Kai
sPlotlight:
It is the police procedural drama that is trying to be psychological. The main character is a genius crime psychologist who doesn't handle people well, even bent to psychopath direction (or at least it is what the writer and PD want us to believe). He meets the heroine who teaches him how to be 'more' human. Lol the irony. The heroine is such a stunted, weak character. If you are looking for a drama with strong female character, it is not the one. If you watch for Wang Kai, it is not the one either 😜 There are only little tiny bit of him, and forgettable character nonetheless.


Memory Lost
Country: China
Released year: 2016
Episodes: 36 episodes (3 seasons)
Genre: Psychological, thriller
Source: Memory Lost by Ding Mo
Actors: Yang Rong, Bai Yu
sPlotlight:
The sheer amount of patience and time waiting for this drama to be full subbed, gives me extra push to finish this drama. I won’t waste away all that patience and time by not finishing the drama. I won’t be the losing end here. Ha, ha, ha. Because how the writer tried to make the male lead as obtuse alpha male by down grading the female lead character is really rubbing me the wrong way. I see your pattern Writer-nim. I.Am.Watching.You. Be careful of my wrath. Hah! 


Miss Truth
Country: China
Released Year: 2020
Episode: 36 episodes
Genre: Period, Mystery, Romance
Source: Tang Dynasty’s Female Forensic Doctor by Xiu Tang
Rating: 4/5
Actors: Toby Lee, Zhou Jieqiong
sPlotlight:
I love the OTP relationship. They don’t make the male lead comes to rescue every time the female lead got in trouble. They are challenging each other. They complement each other. *squee* What’s not to love. There’s a hint about second season. Yay


My Sunshine
Country: China
Released Year: 2015
Episode: 32 episodes
Genre: Melodrama
Source: Silent Seperation by Gu Man
Actors: Wallace Chung, Tang Yan
sPlotlight:
What I like about this drama is that it focuses on the romance story with the typical romance conflicts. And there's only one central romance to follow and the story is so simple and only one way, you know not the one that go back and forth, back and forth only give you headache and emotional whiplash. Tang Yan is a little bit stiff in it, but Wallace Chung make up for it, hot and sizzling. I'm falling in love 😍😍😍 This short and simple drama is perfect for re-watching.


Nirvana in Fire
Country: China
Released Year: 2015
Episode: 54 episodes
Genre: Period drama, revenge
Source: Lang Ya Bang by Hai Yan
Actors: Hu Ge, Wang Kai, Liu Tao
sPlotlight:
When the others say it is epic, it is truly epic. Well act and well written. And if you look for good romance, this is not it, but if you look for great Bromance, this is the one for you! Hu Ge and Wang Kai stole my heart with their sizzling bromance 😃 The greatest bromance couple ever. Ha, ha, ha.


Princess Agents
Country: China
Released year: 2017
Episode: 58 episodes (uncut version)
Genre: Period drama, romance
Source: Queen of No. 11 Agent 11 by Xiao Xiang Dong Er
Actor: Zhao Li ying, Lin Gengxin, Shawn Dou
sPlotlight:
It is a laughing stock how many times the said badass heroine has to be saved by the hero. Not to mention how many time she got hurt and suddenly collapse. If there's not the hero, there’s the second male lead who will save her day. I meant I want to take the female lead seriously as a badass agents who take no one as her boss, but the plot that insist that the hero must be cooler, better than her by saving her every single times is glaring I can't close my eyes. And she doesn't have any female close friend and the writer makes every female character is antagonist toward each other. Meh. But Yue Yuwen is love...


Siege in Fog
Country: China
Released year: 2018
Episode: 50 episodes
Genre: Period drama, romance
Source: Mi Wu Wei Cheng by Fei Wo Si Chun 
Actor: Elvis Han, Sun Yi
sPlotlight:
I hate C drama from this period of time, so many people die. Human life seems so meaningless. But I like story about forced married couple, who finding their way to love each other. Ha, ha, ha. The crux of drama addict, no? But yes other drama with sad ending. I think I just accept that sad ending and C drama as part and parcel.


Surgeons
Country: China
Released year: 2017
Episode: 44 episodes
Genre: Medical romance
Actor: Jin Dong, Bai Baihe
sPlotlight:
And it feels like Chinese version of Doctors. Look even their title bear the similarity of being too generic. Next Psychiatrists, Detectives, or Writers are on the way. Now, I get it, a way to make me enjoy a medical themed drama is to make it less procedural, heavy on the romance and personal stories. Lol. What I like in Surgeons, is that doctors behave like doctors and no one is pure black or white. And of course Jin Dong is one of hella hot ajussi, right up on my alley.


Ten Miles of Peach Blossom
Country: China
Released Year: 2017
Episode: 58 episodes
Genre: Period, Fantasy, Romance
Source: Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom by Tang Qi
Actor: Yang Mi, Mark Chao
sPlotlight:
I'm not fan CGI in drama, still, but now I watch it with mind frame like when I watch theatrical show, not in a movie standard. Once you familiar with the abundance character in this drama, sure the drama will suck you in like no other. I realize my kind of romance is the conventional one. I think romance in C drama suits me. Bad CG is widespread but good flowing silky costumes and good wigs make up for it. Seriously I envy Mark Chao 's wig for Ye Hua's character. It is way better than all the female character's wig (hair extension). It looks, dark, glossy, and flowing. I find the drama quite funny, without trying too hard, in subtle way, which I like. Oh the irony you're immortal but you can die? You are god of war but you lost in one of your war? Ehmm. Or all the heavenly artifacts and whatever deity that they invent to make their life easier? Like kaboom you have copper mirror as walkie talkie, white silk scarf as dark eye glasses, or twig as a compass? Or the bemused Vengo Gao, playing Lord Dujin, the retired sky, heaven, and earth past ruler when dealing worldly matters. Priceless. And I know Mark Chao is this pretty but how can you make him compete for the female main lead character’s affection with himself?? Not that I'm complaining. We got two Mark Chaos!! Win-win. 😁



The Eternal Love
Country: China
Released year: 2017
Episode: 24 episodes
Genre: Period drama, romance, time travel
Source: Hilarious Pampered Consort: Lord I Will Wait for Your Divorce by Fan Que
Actors: Xing Zhao Lin, Liang Jie
sPlotlight:
It is so, so drama. But watching the two leads romancing each other feels like watching your younger brother suddenly bringing his girlfriend and dating her in front of you. That put me in giggle. And other fun part, how the drama production team’s effort to tackle time travel theme ban done by China Government when the original source of story has one of the element. Sure it makes the drama seems so jarring and laughable. In a fun way, I promise you. It makes China like a whimsical land where time travel can’t be happening in and off real life. Ha, ha, ha. And look how funny the title of novel source. LOL


The Princess Weiyoung
Country: China
Released year: 2016
Episode: 54 episodes
Genre: Period drama, romance
Source: The Concubine's Daughter is Poisonous by Qin Jian
Actors: Tang Yan, Luo Jin, Vanesse Wu
sPlotlight:
Tang Yan and Luo Jin really sell the romance. Who doesn't want to have a partner that so romantic, trusting, and supportive? I'm so envious. Lol. The ending is so bitter sweet, I like it. I think Tang Yan, overall is just decent actor but she got herself something that makes me always root for every character that she plays.


The Rise of Phoenixes
Country: China
Released year: 2018
Episode: 70 episodes
Genre: Period drama
Source: Huan Quang by Tianxia Guiyuan
Actors: Chen Kun, Nini
sPlotlight:
I don't know why it got low rating. It gave Nirvana in Fire vibe which got good rating. Ningyi (Chen Kun) is playful and funny, with a dramaqueen strike and a good heart but still cunning, not like some other China Emperor (you know what I mean :)) His interaction with Feng Zhiwei (Nini) is so much fun to watch, though tragic, but lovely. I love it. She is so beautiful. I don't know why they insist on making different ending from the novel. What is it with sad ending fixation?? Is it giving the drama more impact? More artistic? Than happy ending? Nah...


The Romance of Hua Rong
Country: China
Released year: 2019
Episode: 24 episodes
Genre: Period drama, Romance, Comedy 
Rating: 4/5
Actors: Yuan Hao, Zhao Zhao Yi
sPlotlight:
I don’t know if the OTP are really dating in real life. But they do flirting with each other in real life, do they?? Gosh look at those NGs.


The Way We Were
Country: China
Released year: 2018
Episode: 50 episodes
Genre: Romance drama
Actors: Luo Jin, Tiffany Tang
sPlotlight:
Aww I'm so happy finally they get married for real. I love this couple, ha, ha, ha. You have to be patient watching this drama because the OTP only get to be together at the latter half of the series. I wanted to pull somebody's hair. The second female lead character is so cool, but I want my Luo Jin and Tiffany Tan asap. And every men in this drama has the tendency to be stalkerish, worrisome I know. The life in C drama.



When A Snail Falls in Love
Country: China
Release Year: 2016
Episode: 21 Episodes
Genre: Action Thriller
Source: When a Snail Falls in Love by Ding Mo
Actors: Wang Kai, Wang Zi Wen
sPlotlight:
It is a good break from a rom-com drama. Wang Kai as Ji Bai is mesmerizing. Ji Bai is a perfect example of Alpha male character, without being asshole, yet still makes the female lead character shine in her own light. Xuxu is an introvert police intern with psychology background. She reminds me of Lisbeth Salander from Staiglarson novel, but less eccentric. Somewhere inside my mind I wish her more emotionless and romance relationship retarded. Just for make everything more interesting 😈

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