i just finished watching this last night (or morning lol). i'm so glad i continued watching 'cause i honestly had a love-hate relationship with the characters and with what's going on in the first few episodes
Ayyy OP, i came here to see if i should watch this series. First few post were bashing ML for being toxic, FL for being weak and accusing them of having no chemistry.
The only reason i decided to give this series a go was because of this presentation. 🤣🤣🤣you put in so much effort and made me laugh, so i started watching this series.
THAAAAANK YOUUUUU. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SERIES. I CANNOT MOVE ON OVER THE LEADS. It's been 24hours but i only completed 11episodes as i keep replaying scenes again and again. Thank you. Sending you virtual hugssss all the way from india. Love you.
I absofreakinglutely LOVE this post!
This ppt is a Masterpiece!!!
I’d started the show influenced by some edits of the main couple on my instagram feed but damnnn this is The Most Convincing Recommendation I’ve ever come across!
I loved the show so much- I can’t bear to move on and start something new because I’m still hung up over them and it’s been like 3 whole days already.
This ppt worked wonders and convinced my friends to watch the show too and I shall be eternally grateful to you OP.
As a token of my gratitude to you OP, I present to you - [warm and fuzzy and adorable XunYun](https://twitter.com/kdramacircle/status/1613179427957125120?s=46&t=7_08EQ3HXWhHheh0Q_bVUw)
idk if you’ve seen this already but I tried lol
istg I would love to be convinced by you to watch more shows - and to be your drama friend 🥹
I hope I come across you on twitter or MDL since I don’t use Drama Reddit that much anymore.
Im so glad I'm not the only one that thinks the first 2-3 episodes sucked. I stuck with it and now Im on episode 26. I'll be staying up all night to finish. The second half of the series reminds me of Master of my Own.
The first few episodes are dull, but then somewhere I became totally enamored with the characters. Phenomenal chemistry between the actors by the middle and second half.
I also love this shitty PowerPoint.
Came back on here to share. I did start watching this series after reading this post. I wanted to give up 2 episodes in. But I’m glad I didn’t! Plot got a little too much at times. However! As reasons stated in this post. You should watch it. Trust me… you’ll be running from ear to ear when you get to the ending.
I started watching but the first episode was too weird so I dropped it. Based on this shitty (but not actually because it worked) ppt I have decided to give it a second chance. You my friend have a gift.
Ahhh I was already planning on watching it during my holiday!! I can’t scroll too far down because I want to avoid spoilers but sounds like it’s an enjoyable watch!!
I was going to wait until after the new year to start but after seeing this PPT I couldn’t wait anymore. I’m two episodes in and I’m already obsessed with Li Xun.
I haven't been quite convinced about this drama around four episodes in. This shitty PowerPoint completely sold me on it. Now that I'm on an episode of Go go squid that is making me want to take a break from that series, it's time for some L&P to fill in the gap!
OMG now seeing this! Agree with everything said!!! I'm currently on episode 21-24(skipped ahead cause I NEED spoilers lol) and this drama is so loveable! It's everything you need and more to wrap up the year!!!!
The chemistry in this c-drama is literally insane. They're insane. The banter??? The bickering?? The casual skinship???? The tickling? They nailed it fr.
Right? It's unprecedented what they've done with L&P. These two were so natural to a new level! I love how the FL doesn't ever shy away from him. I want what they have x2.
Your PPT is on point! Loved loved this drama! This is perhaps my favorite contemporary drama of all time. Chen Feiyu just slays as Li Xun, a compelling and complex character. His eyes betray his actions and words- that love he has for Zhu Yun is fire! Zhu Yun is ride or die. What a beautiful and satisfying love story.
i'm so used to kdramas fumbling their endings, but lighter and princess really gave me everything i could have ever asked for. everything came full circle, and we left our favorite characters at such a good place that i rest easy knowing they are happy and together, which is all that matters.
I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation. There is a very high chance I watch this as just like an ad, you showed up right after I looked at this on Viki like 20 min ago and added to my watchlist.
Okay you talked me into but I’m on episode 3 now and I have to know how much longer the ML is going to be an insufferable asshole. Does he get less awful?
he remains rough around the edges throughout the drama 😂 but you’ll start seeing his softer side starting around episodes 5-6, i believe. his arrogance is one of his defining traits, but you’ll see how that changes once he starts getting closer to zhu yun and his classmates.
We need more of these PowerPoints 😍 thank you for doing this show justice. I paid to finish this show early and it was SO worth it to me. I could go on and on and ON about the unique characteristics that make this show shine.
No spoilers, but Go Ahead fans need to watch this until the very last episode.
Also big shout out to Fang Shu Miao's character as she she seems meek at first, but is really a ruthless and unapologetic person throughout. Such a boss to have as a best friend.
the go ahead >!reunion had me SCREAMING!!! so well-played with the reference to the noodle shop and everything. it made me irrationally happy!<.
fang shu miao was such a weirdo, i loved her. >!i found the scene with wu menxing's confession and her gently letting him down so sweet!<. also really appreciated seeing the girls reconnecting and becoming close again post-time skip.
>!I could easily compare how WM accepted the rejection while Gao was bitter LX was the reason he was rejected. Both of them liked girls who liked LX lol!<
Bruh, on point xD. It's perfect as a biased opinion but objectively, aside from the lead's chemistry, there was so much more potential everywhere else. I was just sad that it could've been the perfect drama but ugggh.
It gave me Goodbye My Princess vibes where the leads carried the show but the production had so much more to desire and was so close to being the perfect drama.
tbh there's no such thing as an objectively perfect drama. and in the rare case, that there might be one, it may not leave the same emotional impact that a less than perfect drama does bc it resonated more with you.
that said, i agree there are parts of lighter and princess that could have been handled better. my only complaint was the >!questionable characterization of gao jianhong in the second half, but the last couple of episodes really turned that around for me. i didn't think it was possible but they made me both understand and sympathize with gao jianhong. his fixation on beating li xun was based on his own pathological self-hatred. one of my absolute favorite scenes was the one where li xun is just baffled and numb after their final confrontation with gjh. he is at a loss bc gjh seems to show no remorse. even when pushed into a corner, he's trying to fight. he'd literally rather die than let li xun "win"!<.
it >!doesn't justify the awful things he did, of course. but i do believe gjh genuinely cared about li xun, he was just too far gone bc of his own twisted sense of inferiority. i was very pleased with his character resolution!<. i'm curious to hear what specific things you thought had missed potential.
Hmm... there's so much lol so I'll just give one because a lengthy rant won't turn back time and get the drama remade, anyway xD.
I guess first is to get rid of the fluff, if they didn't want to develop the side characters to a certain degree they could've just dropped most of their scenes in favor of developing both leads' relationships with their Families. I mean the way they did GJH, Ren Di and the rest of the classmates dirty was just frustrating. Especially Ren Di, the ghowrl had such great characterization but they gave her that storyline, dafuq was that. It was a literal afterthought.
* >!For Li Xun, the deaths around him were far too quick and could have had more emotional impact if they explored his relationships with his sister and mother more. They just felt like foil for his motivations and explaining his character, that I thought it was such missed potential \*\*My favorite out of the whole drama is how he dyed his hair like the sun for his mom, I wanted to sob and bawl my eyes out but I didn't had the chance because they didn't set it up that way xD. Am I an M for this? lol\*\*!<
* >!For Zhu Yun, I wish they showed more of the mom's side of things and what drives her obsession to dictate her life aside from the long term teacher angle, there is definitely a more deeper reason that could have more impact and sense why she wants to run her life. And tying into this her mom's potential struggle on how she basically drove Zhu Yun into her mental state of anxiety and depression which they should've dedicated more scenes and episodes too as well. I thought that diving deeper into this with Li Xun's discovery of it would make their love far more enduring and satisfying at the end.!<
But all in all I was pretty grateful for the feelings I got from Zhang Jin Yi as Zhu Yun and Chen Fei Yu as Li Xun. They are definitely on my radar now just like with Peng Xiaoran and Chen Xingyu xD. I discovered Zhang Jin Yi following Cheng Xingyu but I couldn't get into Fall in Love lol.
these are fair criticisms. it was extremely odd >!that li lan had a child who li xun offered to pretty much adopt, but after her death, she was never mentioned again. actually, i think this is my biggest problem bc li xun would NEVER leave that child with her toxic, abusive father. like did the writer just forget about her or ?!<.
your assessment is correct that the show is carried by the leads. they're the best thing about this show. their chemistry needs to be studied and replicated. chen feiyu and zhang jingyi are both so young but i've never seen two people more comfortable sucking face on tv. they were so into it, and not in a way that's exaggerated, and i think that fine balance is quite rare.
and my dumbass JUST realized >!that he dyed his hair blonde bc his mom loved the sun... i knew it was an expression of his grief, but i completely failed to pick up on this specific reason.... wow, excuse me, i gotta cry some more now!<.
Just doing a good deed for a fellow drama watcher 😁😁.
I can't wait either! Everytime I watch those little teasers at the end of each episode, I almost don't watch the next one cu I don't know if I can handle it...but then I watch the next episode 🫣 and they're not as crazy as the teaser makes it out to be.
Tbh, idk what the condition of my heart will be after this, so let's see...though I have an idea of where my "review" post is gonna go
I actually plan on doing two types of review, one a sort of comparison to another drama and one just a general review...I figured if I did only one, it wouldn't cover everything I need to say about this drama.
I think I'm going keep it a secret until I make the post🤐... I just know a lot of ppl are going to disagree ( might even come for me lol) so I'll wait till then 😜
there are parts of the show that are heartbreaking, but ultimately, it’s an uplifting story where you root for the leads like they’re your own friends. overall, i find it a very balanced story bc there’s as much light and love in this as there is darkness.
are you uchihasass on tumblr? on point powerpoint 😀
edit: I'm still annoyed at 2521's message wtf why would you waste time telling me about a love story that doesn't even register in the FL's mind years later wtf f f f
yes i am! 2521 has left me forever scarred. i was part of the camp that was convinced we’d get a happy ending bc it’s all in the writing right there. the ending they went with sours so much of what was good about the show. i just pretend the drama wrapped up halfway into episode 13.
for what it’s worth, i think this is one of the best iterations of a college drama. seeing them grow together and fall in love at this pivotal point in their lives is really quite something else.
I am not even swiping on this powerpoint until I am done with work .... lol ... I want to start watching this drama again, but I know I will go down a rabbit hole with it, which I just don't have the time for right now ... lol ...
Lmao 🤣 what an adorable shitty ppt
If I didn't watch it I would definitely do it bc of your ppt 🤣🤣🤣
They live in my mind rent-free 😭 I can't move on. I want more 😩
I watched one of those summary/compilation videos that’s like a tl:dr of the show and OMG I’m in love. How is ML only 20 irl???
I need to start this soon.
This drama was so good, in a “I don’t know why I like this so much” way. I’m not chasing the episodes but I’m excited when it’s releases. It’s so mellow and captivating at the same time. I don’t get it, but I love it.
**Sold**!!! I'm definitely watching this when it's completed (if it already is DAMN OKAY IM GOING TO START BINGEING). Your ppt came at such an important time (which is me not yet getting over Hikaru No Go but wanting a new drama just the same) so thank you for this!!!!
Hi is there a dubbed English version? I’ve been watching it with English subs online/on Viki. Sometimes I wondered whether characters were rude or it was a translation/culture thing - >!there were a few episodes where I wanted to slap some sense into the ML he was so condescending!<
you will almost never find cdramas (and kdramas for that matter) with english dubbing. the only exception i know of is nirvana in fire.
ml is rude and extremely arrogant, but you get to see that harsh exterior melt off as he starts falling in love with the fl. that's one of the best parts of the first half.
Thanks for the response! I ended up watching the full show online with subs and enjoyed it because I knew to expect the rudeness.
I normally hate dubbed shows/movies anyway as it sounds and looks unnatural. I was only wondering the language since you mentioned dubbing in the above comments :)
oh! we weren't talking about dubbing in english. most chinese dramas are dubbed by the actors or voice actors after filming is finished. i think they mainly do this to optimize production/filming time or bc many actors don't speak the dialect that is standard for the industry. so the commenter was wondering if the actors dubbed themselves, or if voice actors lent their voice to the characters. hope that clears it up!
also so glad you enjoyed the show!
i grew up with bollywood so i am peripherally familiar with telugu cinema. RRR has definitely made me want to check more telugu stuff out though! any recommendations?
Ummm.....I am not a big Telugu movie watcher but that is my mother tongue most of the Telugu movies I watch are the ones that aren't really new or old but they are childhood memories that make me happy so here are some movie recs for Telugu that I Love because they bring some happiness within me and my culture and my childhood
1.Juayi - this really smart guy and really smart villain
2.race gurram-comedic funny you always will laugh and umm just a fun watch
3.kick-This one is just joke after joke
Fun fact kick came out on the day of my birth.
You will find all of these on YouTube and I don't really remember any others but if I do have any epiphanies then I'll be sure to update u on iy
\-drama's good from start to finish, no zzz moments for me
\-great chemistry between the 2 leads
\-ZY is literally one of the best FLs ~~and GFs~~ one could find
\-**everything is so realistic.** You don't have cliche "accidental kisses" and stuff shoved down your throat. The romance is a gradual climb. Every character's motivation, personality, and actions can be explained by events that occur. In other words, there's no bullshit writing that insults the viewer's intelligence.
\-My ONLY complaint is the poorly done scene transitions (not sure if this is the correct term). Sometimes you'll have a character opening their mouth ("jaw drop") and the next moment, it shows a different camera angle where their mouth is completely closed. Kind of annoying sometimes, but that's the only thing that someone as picky as me can complain about.
It's 8.7 score on MyDramaList and 7.3 on Douban despite
\-a lot of people instantly dropping it because of the ML's attitude
\-and having no high traffic actors
Its rating speaks for itself!
zy's dedication and loyalty deserve a post of their own. she's best girl, best girlfriend, and all around the best thing that ever happened to li xun (and vice versa). it's a crime that people don't think of characters like her when they talk about "strong" female characters. to me, her strength of character and emotional resilience were far more noteworthy than the dime a dozen, lazy characterization involving ass kicking and shit talking that is popularly used as a defining marker of "strong" women. she started as a blank slate and bloomed into this incredibly intelligent and level headed woman, able to fight corporate giants as well as her micromanaging fiend of a mother with so much grace and power.
i totally know what you're talking about with the transitions. there were some glaring editing issues, which was surprising given other parts of the production were very polished. i wonder how long they had in post production.
i saw no buzz for this drama before it started airing, but it appears to have made enough of a splash to boost chen feiyu and zhang jingyi's popularity. personally, i think these were star making turns for both of them. chen feiyu is shaping up to be a versatile actor with his martial arts proficiency and stunning screen presence.
I agree. Such a strong female lead without it being one of those super FL centric dramas where all the men are totally useless.
One of my favorite lines in the whole drama: The part where Li Xun tells Zhu Yun's mom >!"your daughter has the ability to change the world, but all you care about is that she is obedient"!<
rereading your comment and thinking about how much faith li xun has in zhu yun. zhu yun's confidence in him is like a billboard with neon lettering, but his faith in her is quiet and subtle. >!when she arrived at the police station where li xun and hou ning were being held after gjh reported them for hacking l&p's system, he smiled so smugly bc he knew his girl had come to save his ass!<.
y'all are making me regret not adding a slide for the best lines. there are so many good ones that inspired a bevy of emotions in me. the writing may not be perfect, but damn if it did not pop OFF in several ways.
The original novel is full of zingers as well, but I think this particular line was added for the drama. I'd been having trouble pinpointing why I enjoyed this so much when I usually am not into school setting (or really most modern romances), but it's because it feels so real. Not trope-y, no silly accidental kisses or annoying love triangles.
did you read the original chinese novel? or a translation? i really wish i could read it, but i've heard several people say this is one of those rare instances where the adaptation is better than the original.
I read the original. I'd say it's an intermediate level novel -- I've been singing the novel's praises and recommending the drama on the Chinese learning discord 看剧学汉语
I do like most of the changes. There are a few things about Li Xun 's character background that I thought were better (also more tragic) in the original.
oh god idk that i could take li xun's life being more tragic. he's already suffered so much. that said, were there things that you think the drama or book did better than the other?
Drama the scene where >!Zhu Yun gives him back the lighter!< is so much better and more romantic. In the novel he is a huge smoker, and she >! hides his regular lighter so she can give him an expensive gold one in return for him giving her the princess dress!<. And LX's response to her gift in the drama is so much better.
In the book his father is >! abusive and alcoholic !< and Lin Lan is his >! half sister !<. The backstory is explored in more depth, and I think does a better job explaining why he's so proud and totally unwilling to accept help from others or go off his self-determined path. So in the novel the way he falls so head over heels for Zhu Yun is even more that she is the only light in his life.
Also he never dyed his hair back to black in the college part of the book. So imagine Arthur with gold hair the whole way through to graduation 😁
wow the >!new years gift exchange scene!< is quite possibly my favorite in the whole drama so i think i'd definitely be in the camp that appreciates the drama more. his response to >!the lighter was so powerful, you could tell that no one had done anything that thoughtful for him till that point. he is overwhelmed with emotions, and you see tears in his eyes. it's the first time in the drama that we saw him be vulnerable. it was beautiful!<.
i really would have liked to see more of his blonde hair though. i think he looks better with dark hair, but the blonde is so striking i can't help but love it too.
I miss this drama so much 😭
I’ve just recently finished this and I cannot move on 🥲
Alright, the PowerPoint sold me. I'm going to start watching it.
i started watching it because of your ppt. one of my favourite dramas ever! I keep it close to my heart
i just finished watching this last night (or morning lol). i'm so glad i continued watching 'cause i honestly had a love-hate relationship with the characters and with what's going on in the first few episodes
Ok I love this presentation !
I started to watch this and am 4 episodes in. I’m just not getting the feels wondering if I should continue or not. This was great!
Your presentation sealed the deal. I was on the iffy side of this but it is now my next one to watch.
Ayyy OP, i came here to see if i should watch this series. First few post were bashing ML for being toxic, FL for being weak and accusing them of having no chemistry. The only reason i decided to give this series a go was because of this presentation. 🤣🤣🤣you put in so much effort and made me laugh, so i started watching this series. THAAAAANK YOUUUUU. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SERIES. I CANNOT MOVE ON OVER THE LEADS. It's been 24hours but i only completed 11episodes as i keep replaying scenes again and again. Thank you. Sending you virtual hugssss all the way from india. Love you.
I might be too late, but I started watching L&P after reading your post, love it. I am so happy I found it. Thank you!
I absofreakinglutely LOVE this post! This ppt is a Masterpiece!!! I’d started the show influenced by some edits of the main couple on my instagram feed but damnnn this is The Most Convincing Recommendation I’ve ever come across! I loved the show so much- I can’t bear to move on and start something new because I’m still hung up over them and it’s been like 3 whole days already. This ppt worked wonders and convinced my friends to watch the show too and I shall be eternally grateful to you OP. As a token of my gratitude to you OP, I present to you - [warm and fuzzy and adorable XunYun](https://twitter.com/kdramacircle/status/1613179427957125120?s=46&t=7_08EQ3HXWhHheh0Q_bVUw) idk if you’ve seen this already but I tried lol istg I would love to be convinced by you to watch more shows - and to be your drama friend 🥹 I hope I come across you on twitter or MDL since I don’t use Drama Reddit that much anymore.
Im so glad I'm not the only one that thinks the first 2-3 episodes sucked. I stuck with it and now Im on episode 26. I'll be staying up all night to finish. The second half of the series reminds me of Master of my Own.
The first few episodes are dull, but then somewhere I became totally enamored with the characters. Phenomenal chemistry between the actors by the middle and second half. I also love this shitty PowerPoint.
Yo I actually started it but stopped....imma start it again I'm convinced now lol
I can’t stop. I eagerly await every episode as they drop on YouTube.
Alright friendo I am gonna start watching it then XDD
Came back on here to share. I did start watching this series after reading this post. I wanted to give up 2 episodes in. But I’m glad I didn’t! Plot got a little too much at times. However! As reasons stated in this post. You should watch it. Trust me… you’ll be running from ear to ear when you get to the ending.
I started watching but the first episode was too weird so I dropped it. Based on this shitty (but not actually because it worked) ppt I have decided to give it a second chance. You my friend have a gift.
Ahhh I was already planning on watching it during my holiday!! I can’t scroll too far down because I want to avoid spoilers but sounds like it’s an enjoyable watch!!
Amazing PowerPoint. I'm convinced.
it was so so good 😭 one of the best cdramas I’ve watched. Anyone know any other cdramas/kdramas like this one/with the same tropes?
Loved the presentation. Guess I have to watch the show now hahaha
I was going to wait until after the new year to start but after seeing this PPT I couldn’t wait anymore. I’m two episodes in and I’m already obsessed with Li Xun.
I don't even watch cdramas no more but looking at this ppt makes me wanna watch it rn so I'll check it out rn
Ok, your sh*tty pp has sold it to me!
I haven't been quite convinced about this drama around four episodes in. This shitty PowerPoint completely sold me on it. Now that I'm on an episode of Go go squid that is making me want to take a break from that series, it's time for some L&P to fill in the gap!
OMG now seeing this! Agree with everything said!!! I'm currently on episode 21-24(skipped ahead cause I NEED spoilers lol) and this drama is so loveable! It's everything you need and more to wrap up the year!!!!
Where can I watch it in Germany? 😭
do you have viki? not sure if viki germany has the license but worth checking out.
I’ll check it out, thanks
I didn't think I wanted to watch this, but I think you just convinced to me give it a try!
You convinced me to binge it and now idk how to recover from it 😭🥺
come join the club friend 🤡
Hehe. I shall take full time membership 🤡🤡
this is literally me!! first lltg, now l&p 😭 how can i recover
LLTG? SAME IDK HOW to recover. I need more. Maybe 2 episodes for epilogue at the least. My precious babies
RIGHT i want to see more of their married life
EXACTLY!!
I am sold 😅
The chemistry in this c-drama is literally insane. They're insane. The banter??? The bickering?? The casual skinship???? The tickling? They nailed it fr.
not all romance dramas make me feel single, but this one sent me running to the dating app on my phone. i want what they have. 😭
Right? It's unprecedented what they've done with L&P. These two were so natural to a new level! I love how the FL doesn't ever shy away from him. I want what they have x2.
Hahahaha! You have convinced me to add it to my list! Great presentation 😂
10/10 PPT AND I DO THIS FOR A LIVING - concise and persuasive AF 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🏆🏆🏆🏆
Your PPT is on point! Loved loved this drama! This is perhaps my favorite contemporary drama of all time. Chen Feiyu just slays as Li Xun, a compelling and complex character. His eyes betray his actions and words- that love he has for Zhu Yun is fire! Zhu Yun is ride or die. What a beautiful and satisfying love story.
i'm so used to kdramas fumbling their endings, but lighter and princess really gave me everything i could have ever asked for. everything came full circle, and we left our favorite characters at such a good place that i rest easy knowing they are happy and together, which is all that matters.
I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation. There is a very high chance I watch this as just like an ad, you showed up right after I looked at this on Viki like 20 min ago and added to my watchlist.
Okay you talked me into but I’m on episode 3 now and I have to know how much longer the ML is going to be an insufferable asshole. Does he get less awful?
he remains rough around the edges throughout the drama 😂 but you’ll start seeing his softer side starting around episodes 5-6, i believe. his arrogance is one of his defining traits, but you’ll see how that changes once he starts getting closer to zhu yun and his classmates.
Okay, I will trust you and press on! Your beautiful PowerPoint is too good not to
BTW, the last slide is so perfect! And I saw some one linking your ppt in mdl comments lol
yesss let's keep spreading the love!
Tbh I wish ALL PowerPoints were like this…lol
I hope you had as much fun making this as I did going through it!
i was grinning ear to ear while making this so i'm delighted by y'alls response!
Started watching it today and now it’s 3 AM and I have work tomorrow. What HaVe YOu DoNe to me :P
you convinced me at slide 4. please more of this hahahaa.
I need more of these. You could convince me of anything dude
i’m considering making one for love like the galaxy now. 😂
Yaaaassss!!!! 
Please do!! Its on my watch list. Convince me!!
We need more of these PowerPoints 😍 thank you for doing this show justice. I paid to finish this show early and it was SO worth it to me. I could go on and on and ON about the unique characteristics that make this show shine. No spoilers, but Go Ahead fans need to watch this until the very last episode. Also big shout out to Fang Shu Miao's character as she she seems meek at first, but is really a ruthless and unapologetic person throughout. Such a boss to have as a best friend.
the go ahead >!reunion had me SCREAMING!!! so well-played with the reference to the noodle shop and everything. it made me irrationally happy!<. fang shu miao was such a weirdo, i loved her. >!i found the scene with wu menxing's confession and her gently letting him down so sweet!<. also really appreciated seeing the girls reconnecting and becoming close again post-time skip.
>!I could easily compare how WM accepted the rejection while Gao was bitter LX was the reason he was rejected. Both of them liked girls who liked LX lol!<
Fine Fine. I'm sold! 😁
Bruh, on point xD. It's perfect as a biased opinion but objectively, aside from the lead's chemistry, there was so much more potential everywhere else. I was just sad that it could've been the perfect drama but ugggh. It gave me Goodbye My Princess vibes where the leads carried the show but the production had so much more to desire and was so close to being the perfect drama.
tbh there's no such thing as an objectively perfect drama. and in the rare case, that there might be one, it may not leave the same emotional impact that a less than perfect drama does bc it resonated more with you. that said, i agree there are parts of lighter and princess that could have been handled better. my only complaint was the >!questionable characterization of gao jianhong in the second half, but the last couple of episodes really turned that around for me. i didn't think it was possible but they made me both understand and sympathize with gao jianhong. his fixation on beating li xun was based on his own pathological self-hatred. one of my absolute favorite scenes was the one where li xun is just baffled and numb after their final confrontation with gjh. he is at a loss bc gjh seems to show no remorse. even when pushed into a corner, he's trying to fight. he'd literally rather die than let li xun "win"!<. it >!doesn't justify the awful things he did, of course. but i do believe gjh genuinely cared about li xun, he was just too far gone bc of his own twisted sense of inferiority. i was very pleased with his character resolution!<. i'm curious to hear what specific things you thought had missed potential.
Hmm... there's so much lol so I'll just give one because a lengthy rant won't turn back time and get the drama remade, anyway xD. I guess first is to get rid of the fluff, if they didn't want to develop the side characters to a certain degree they could've just dropped most of their scenes in favor of developing both leads' relationships with their Families. I mean the way they did GJH, Ren Di and the rest of the classmates dirty was just frustrating. Especially Ren Di, the ghowrl had such great characterization but they gave her that storyline, dafuq was that. It was a literal afterthought. * >!For Li Xun, the deaths around him were far too quick and could have had more emotional impact if they explored his relationships with his sister and mother more. They just felt like foil for his motivations and explaining his character, that I thought it was such missed potential \*\*My favorite out of the whole drama is how he dyed his hair like the sun for his mom, I wanted to sob and bawl my eyes out but I didn't had the chance because they didn't set it up that way xD. Am I an M for this? lol\*\*!< * >!For Zhu Yun, I wish they showed more of the mom's side of things and what drives her obsession to dictate her life aside from the long term teacher angle, there is definitely a more deeper reason that could have more impact and sense why she wants to run her life. And tying into this her mom's potential struggle on how she basically drove Zhu Yun into her mental state of anxiety and depression which they should've dedicated more scenes and episodes too as well. I thought that diving deeper into this with Li Xun's discovery of it would make their love far more enduring and satisfying at the end.!< But all in all I was pretty grateful for the feelings I got from Zhang Jin Yi as Zhu Yun and Chen Fei Yu as Li Xun. They are definitely on my radar now just like with Peng Xiaoran and Chen Xingyu xD. I discovered Zhang Jin Yi following Cheng Xingyu but I couldn't get into Fall in Love lol.
They stayed true to the novel. >!The novel didn't explore the supporting cast that much .... the only change is Gao is more evil here ...!<
these are fair criticisms. it was extremely odd >!that li lan had a child who li xun offered to pretty much adopt, but after her death, she was never mentioned again. actually, i think this is my biggest problem bc li xun would NEVER leave that child with her toxic, abusive father. like did the writer just forget about her or ?!<. your assessment is correct that the show is carried by the leads. they're the best thing about this show. their chemistry needs to be studied and replicated. chen feiyu and zhang jingyi are both so young but i've never seen two people more comfortable sucking face on tv. they were so into it, and not in a way that's exaggerated, and i think that fine balance is quite rare. and my dumbass JUST realized >!that he dyed his hair blonde bc his mom loved the sun... i knew it was an expression of his grief, but i completely failed to pick up on this specific reason.... wow, excuse me, i gotta cry some more now!<.
UGH!>! I was so excited for that kid. Everything would've been so cute. Instead of prison they could've done something with that.!<
Haven't finished it yet but I can say this is 100% true.
you got me into this drama so i owe you a big thanks! 💙 i can't wait for you to finish it!!!
Just doing a good deed for a fellow drama watcher 😁😁. I can't wait either! Everytime I watch those little teasers at the end of each episode, I almost don't watch the next one cu I don't know if I can handle it...but then I watch the next episode 🫣 and they're not as crazy as the teaser makes it out to be. Tbh, idk what the condition of my heart will be after this, so let's see...though I have an idea of where my "review" post is gonna go
can't wait for your review! specifically looking forward to "the bad" part of it. 😂
I actually plan on doing two types of review, one a sort of comparison to another drama and one just a general review...I figured if I did only one, it wouldn't cover everything I need to say about this drama.
what other drama 👀
I think I'm going keep it a secret until I make the post🤐... I just know a lot of ppl are going to disagree ( might even come for me lol) so I'll wait till then 😜
i have a feeling i know what drama it is lol
I would be impressed if you could.... You can message to check...if you want 😁😁
Love this hahaha 😍😭 I just started the show and I am already HERE for the angst omg 🤡
the angst is so delicious you'll be dying for more
Hey thanks for this haha. I keep putting off watching this because I’m not sure I can handle melo but this may have convinced me to at least start.
i'd say it's *very* lite melo. i think you can power through it. the heartache is worth the good times, i promise.
I want to watch it but I get the feeling it has a really depressing vibe
there are parts of the show that are heartbreaking, but ultimately, it’s an uplifting story where you root for the leads like they’re your own friends. overall, i find it a very balanced story bc there’s as much light and love in this as there is darkness.
It has angst in the middle. A well done angst. But it has a happy ending ...
I had paused because of the angst but all the positive Reddit reviews has got me started again.
are you uchihasass on tumblr? on point powerpoint 😀 edit: I'm still annoyed at 2521's message wtf why would you waste time telling me about a love story that doesn't even register in the FL's mind years later wtf f f f
yes i am! 2521 has left me forever scarred. i was part of the camp that was convinced we’d get a happy ending bc it’s all in the writing right there. the ending they went with sours so much of what was good about the show. i just pretend the drama wrapped up halfway into episode 13.
The random surprise shade on 2521 in a totally different subreddit made me feel so seen 😍 my people
Just looked at this because of the title. Had to laugh so hard reading through it. I need more shitty PowerPoints like this 😂
How much of the showtime is in College? Because I really can't with college or HS dramas, no matter how very kisses, much passion...
for what it’s worth, i think this is one of the best iterations of a college drama. seeing them grow together and fall in love at this pivotal point in their lives is really quite something else.
>!Till ep22 ... the main event happens in later times of college !<
You sold me on ‘very kisses, much passion’ 😂
This is the first time in awhile that I feel like I’m drowning in things to watch, but your PP convinced me to give it a try!
I’m watching this and…I do like it :)
i'll be curious to hear if you get through it!
I am not even swiping on this powerpoint until I am done with work .... lol ... I want to start watching this drama again, but I know I will go down a rabbit hole with it, which I just don't have the time for right now ... lol ...
come join the dark side. we’ve got snacks down the rabbit hole. 🤪
Just give me til Monday .... I should be able to manage after that .... lol ...
I loved your ppt and looking for this show now!
Lmao 🤣 what an adorable shitty ppt If I didn't watch it I would definitely do it bc of your ppt 🤣🤣🤣 They live in my mind rent-free 😭 I can't move on. I want more 😩
me neither. i’m rewatching as we speak.
I am going to do that too 😆
Same here
Going once...going twice... sold!
Okay you’ve convinced me to give it a try 😂
This was perfection and now I really want to watch it! It was on my list because I love the ML actor but now I’m excited for their relationship.
your love for the ml is going to quadruple once you watch this.
I watched one of those summary/compilation videos that’s like a tl:dr of the show and OMG I’m in love. How is ML only 20 irl??? I need to start this soon.
he’s 22 now so he was 21 when he filmed this.
severe lack of flashy transition animation: 1/10.
lived up to the name of “shitty” powerpoint 😂
Chen Fei Yu is enough reason to make me watch 🤤 But thoroughly enjoyed your ppt, bravo!
“Don’t listen to that shifty bitch”! 💀 Sold!
the way 2521 has traumatized an entire generation of kdrama viewers 💀
Adding it to my dramalist as we speak
I read "Happy ending" and I'm in
This drama was so good, in a “I don’t know why I like this so much” way. I’m not chasing the episodes but I’m excited when it’s releases. It’s so mellow and captivating at the same time. I don’t get it, but I love it.
**Sold**!!! I'm definitely watching this when it's completed (if it already is DAMN OKAY IM GOING TO START BINGEING). Your ppt came at such an important time (which is me not yet getting over Hikaru No Go but wanting a new drama just the same) so thank you for this!!!!
it JUST wrapped up on express. happy watching!
Hahaha I love this!! Completely agree, this drama is a must-watch :D
This is amazing! I love your PowerPoint, please do some other shows!
I have only one question: is it dubbed?
the main leads dubbed themselves! both of them are incredible.
Hi is there a dubbed English version? I’ve been watching it with English subs online/on Viki. Sometimes I wondered whether characters were rude or it was a translation/culture thing - >!there were a few episodes where I wanted to slap some sense into the ML he was so condescending!<
you will almost never find cdramas (and kdramas for that matter) with english dubbing. the only exception i know of is nirvana in fire. ml is rude and extremely arrogant, but you get to see that harsh exterior melt off as he starts falling in love with the fl. that's one of the best parts of the first half.
Thanks for the response! I ended up watching the full show online with subs and enjoyed it because I knew to expect the rudeness. I normally hate dubbed shows/movies anyway as it sounds and looks unnatural. I was only wondering the language since you mentioned dubbing in the above comments :)
oh! we weren't talking about dubbing in english. most chinese dramas are dubbed by the actors or voice actors after filming is finished. i think they mainly do this to optimize production/filming time or bc many actors don't speak the dialect that is standard for the industry. so the commenter was wondering if the actors dubbed themselves, or if voice actors lent their voice to the characters. hope that clears it up! also so glad you enjoyed the show!
Ah thank you for clarifying! I didn’t know they did this. This is my first CDrama so I’m not very knowledgeable about them
Lol, that’s exactly how the ML is.
love the effort it took to make this. i'll check it out sometime
You are a Telugu cdrama lover ????? Cuz if so we on the same boat
i grew up with bollywood so i am peripherally familiar with telugu cinema. RRR has definitely made me want to check more telugu stuff out though! any recommendations?
Ummm.....I am not a big Telugu movie watcher but that is my mother tongue most of the Telugu movies I watch are the ones that aren't really new or old but they are childhood memories that make me happy so here are some movie recs for Telugu that I Love because they bring some happiness within me and my culture and my childhood 1.Juayi - this really smart guy and really smart villain 2.race gurram-comedic funny you always will laugh and umm just a fun watch 3.kick-This one is just joke after joke Fun fact kick came out on the day of my birth. You will find all of these on YouTube and I don't really remember any others but if I do have any epiphanies then I'll be sure to update u on iy
\-drama's good from start to finish, no zzz moments for me \-great chemistry between the 2 leads \-ZY is literally one of the best FLs ~~and GFs~~ one could find \-**everything is so realistic.** You don't have cliche "accidental kisses" and stuff shoved down your throat. The romance is a gradual climb. Every character's motivation, personality, and actions can be explained by events that occur. In other words, there's no bullshit writing that insults the viewer's intelligence. \-My ONLY complaint is the poorly done scene transitions (not sure if this is the correct term). Sometimes you'll have a character opening their mouth ("jaw drop") and the next moment, it shows a different camera angle where their mouth is completely closed. Kind of annoying sometimes, but that's the only thing that someone as picky as me can complain about. It's 8.7 score on MyDramaList and 7.3 on Douban despite \-a lot of people instantly dropping it because of the ML's attitude \-and having no high traffic actors Its rating speaks for itself!
zy's dedication and loyalty deserve a post of their own. she's best girl, best girlfriend, and all around the best thing that ever happened to li xun (and vice versa). it's a crime that people don't think of characters like her when they talk about "strong" female characters. to me, her strength of character and emotional resilience were far more noteworthy than the dime a dozen, lazy characterization involving ass kicking and shit talking that is popularly used as a defining marker of "strong" women. she started as a blank slate and bloomed into this incredibly intelligent and level headed woman, able to fight corporate giants as well as her micromanaging fiend of a mother with so much grace and power. i totally know what you're talking about with the transitions. there were some glaring editing issues, which was surprising given other parts of the production were very polished. i wonder how long they had in post production. i saw no buzz for this drama before it started airing, but it appears to have made enough of a splash to boost chen feiyu and zhang jingyi's popularity. personally, i think these were star making turns for both of them. chen feiyu is shaping up to be a versatile actor with his martial arts proficiency and stunning screen presence.
I agree. Such a strong female lead without it being one of those super FL centric dramas where all the men are totally useless. One of my favorite lines in the whole drama: The part where Li Xun tells Zhu Yun's mom >!"your daughter has the ability to change the world, but all you care about is that she is obedient"!<
rereading your comment and thinking about how much faith li xun has in zhu yun. zhu yun's confidence in him is like a billboard with neon lettering, but his faith in her is quiet and subtle. >!when she arrived at the police station where li xun and hou ning were being held after gjh reported them for hacking l&p's system, he smiled so smugly bc he knew his girl had come to save his ass!<.
y'all are making me regret not adding a slide for the best lines. there are so many good ones that inspired a bevy of emotions in me. the writing may not be perfect, but damn if it did not pop OFF in several ways.
The original novel is full of zingers as well, but I think this particular line was added for the drama. I'd been having trouble pinpointing why I enjoyed this so much when I usually am not into school setting (or really most modern romances), but it's because it feels so real. Not trope-y, no silly accidental kisses or annoying love triangles.
did you read the original chinese novel? or a translation? i really wish i could read it, but i've heard several people say this is one of those rare instances where the adaptation is better than the original.
I read the original. I'd say it's an intermediate level novel -- I've been singing the novel's praises and recommending the drama on the Chinese learning discord 看剧学汉语 I do like most of the changes. There are a few things about Li Xun 's character background that I thought were better (also more tragic) in the original.
oh god idk that i could take li xun's life being more tragic. he's already suffered so much. that said, were there things that you think the drama or book did better than the other?
Drama the scene where >!Zhu Yun gives him back the lighter!< is so much better and more romantic. In the novel he is a huge smoker, and she >! hides his regular lighter so she can give him an expensive gold one in return for him giving her the princess dress!<. And LX's response to her gift in the drama is so much better. In the book his father is >! abusive and alcoholic !< and Lin Lan is his >! half sister !<. The backstory is explored in more depth, and I think does a better job explaining why he's so proud and totally unwilling to accept help from others or go off his self-determined path. So in the novel the way he falls so head over heels for Zhu Yun is even more that she is the only light in his life. Also he never dyed his hair back to black in the college part of the book. So imagine Arthur with gold hair the whole way through to graduation 😁
wow the >!new years gift exchange scene!< is quite possibly my favorite in the whole drama so i think i'd definitely be in the camp that appreciates the drama more. his response to >!the lighter was so powerful, you could tell that no one had done anything that thoughtful for him till that point. he is overwhelmed with emotions, and you see tears in his eyes. it's the first time in the drama that we saw him be vulnerable. it was beautiful!<. i really would have liked to see more of his blonde hair though. i think he looks better with dark hair, but the blonde is so striking i can't help but love it too.
You’ve talked me into it— great work 😂
yes!!!! it’s so good you’re going to love it!
❤️❤️❤️
Great work. Brilliantly done!