Somewhere Only We Know (2019)

I absolutely adored this show. I must thank Netflix for bringing this beautiful show on because otherwise I would’ve never known about it.

Firstly the drama is a slice of life. It felt quite realistic and the pace is slow but satisfying.
Each character was endearing and relatable. portrayed. The actors all did an amazing job. From the four friends, we can all find someone who is most like us since their personalities are so varied.

With many Chinese dramas I’ve noted they follow the infamous trope of arrogant lead leads. Here the male lead was so pleasant and soft spoken. He seemed pure at heart albeit some flaws but that only made him more humane and relatable. The chemistry between the leads was subtle but unique.
I never felt the age difference with the leads as a hindrance or disadvantage to development of romantic relationship. I felt both characters brought the best of each other and they were soul mates.

Usually I seldom care about plots of supporting characters but in this drama I found myself caring for them just as much I did for the leads. The drama definitely had some subtle surprises in store. Whilst I didn’t agree with some, it did not disappoint me enough to even contemplate dropping the drama. And I’m the queen of dropping dramas, if I can say so myself.

For those loving dramas with romance, this is definitely one to go for. I wholeheartedly recommend this. I truly hope the cast achieves greater success because they were all very talented. I will end my review here.

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A good university series, relatively realistic

Romance between 1 foreign language student and 1 doctoral student / replacement teacher. The series deals with the university life of a group of 4 friends from the same dormitory, in a fairly realistic way.

PROS:
+ slice-of-life where everything doesn't go well: lover of a married man, ex-lovers who can't be together, good reasons for a break-up, etc.
+ the characters are complex, tortured, endearing, and the actors bring them to life with great talent.
+ Fairly well-written story (except the last part which contains quite a few inconsistencies).

CONS:
- Friends of the ML don't know the rule "no drop of alcohol for an alcoholic in withdrawal"? The relationship with alcohol seems complex in China...
- The last episodes are too long (3-4 episodes without the ML)
=> skip 21->23
- Ending which leaves a taste of unfinished business...
+ Fortunately there are 3 special episodes because the ending of the drama is too abrupt!!

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Romance entre 1 étudiante en langues et 1 doctorant / prof remplaçant. La série traite de la vie universitaire d'un groupe de 4 amies du même dortoir, de façon assez réaliste.

PROS:
+ slice-of-life où tout ne se passe pas bien : lover d'un homme marié, ex-lovers qui ne peuvent pas être ensemble, bonnes raisons de break-up, etc.
+ les personnages sont complexes, torturés, attachants, et les acteurs leur donnent vie avec beaucoup de talent.
+ Story assez bien écrite (sauf la dernière partie qui comporte pas mal d'incohérences).

CONS:
- Les amis du ML ne connaissent pas la règle "aucune goutte d'alcool pour un alcoolique en sevrage" ? Le rapport à l'alcool semble complexe en Chine ...
- Les derniers épisodes sont trop logs (3-4 épisodes sans le ML)
=> skip 21->23
- Ending qui laisse un gout d'inachevé...
+ Heureusement qu'il y a les 3 épisodes spéciaux car la ending du drama est trop abrupte !!

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Overall, this show was good. It's super cliché but it's also unique in its own way. My favourite part about the show was how it showed people with ordinary lives. They didn't try to perfect the cast, and I thought that it was their best feature. I would've given this a 10, but some details aren't too great.

For example, I'm going to start with the ending. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED IT YET!
So. Xue Tong chose Mu ChengheThe ending...was weird, in some ways. I'd always shipped her with Sir Mu but when they broke up, he was gone for 3-4 episodes...then miraculously shows up, AND Xue Tong chooses him?! It's too good to be true. I felt really bad for Liu Qi because he did cheer her up when Chen Yan died. Anyhoo, I felt like the ending was too inadequate.

I also thought that Xue Tong's friend Ba Lin was in a toxic relationship with her boyfriend. I felt disgusted and shameful about how she treated him.

This is an amazing tv series, but if the producers want to make it better, I suggest they focus on 1 couple instead of all the other support characters.

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Toxic relationship& red flags

Although the character development of the FL and her 3 friends is really beautiful to see throughout the series ( bailin story was a bit annoying but the ending is graceful for her :) ) I am really disappointed in the story.

It would have been perfect if the ML and FL story actually ended when the ML left before coming back by the end of the series.

I feel the Fl needed to fully move on from this guy as he has been a great lesson to her.

We have no clue what happened to make the ML deserve the FL and see them married all of a sudden in the last minute of the series.

The SML had many chances to showcase and present the Fl with a healthy relationship. The show took the time to develop their relationship , I feel bad for the SML. The scene after death of a friend was really well done and how the SML even knew the Xue tong better than Mu were great elements. I thought the show was really about personal growth and lessons from past relationships. -but it ended up being a sucker for love story cliché

Her heart belonging to the ML by the end of the show was not realistically shown. Was she just waiting for him to apologize? Why did the show not encourage a more healthy development for the ML? Or for the Ml to own up to his toxic traits?

While the main love story development leaves me in disappointment, I did enjoy some of it, especially in the beginning where the FL is navigating life and her first romantic relationship.

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Ook so as per i can tell this story was good neither too bad not too good...the main thing i like about the story apart from the love story is the friendship the bond of friendship shown..how they supported each other through difficult times and how they helped each other...which was portrayed very well..coming to the love story it was ook good...the lead characters were both good...i genuinely thought the female lead would end up with the second lead only after the break up with the main lead.. they showed the story almost like that i feel for it..but yea at the end obviously she ended up with the main lead only...and coming to the side characters i know they are not important but still the story could have been better if it was focussed properly on the main leads as well as the side characters..i dont know but why the endings are always absurd in c-drmas which i probably hate it...it almost looks rushed and hapazzard..i feel the endings are very abrupt and rushed in c-dramas...very few dramas i have seen where i can get a proper ending compared to Korean or thai dramas..where the endings are not best but pretty good ..and secondly I feel in c- dramas emotions are not potrayed to the level where u will love it no!!the characters really lack a depth in showing emotions..which is the main flaw of c-dramas,,if comparing to Korean dramas then i would tell c-dramas lack these..this is what i can feel about this..i won't say it's pretty bad or good but can just tell it could have been better from what it was..

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WARNING SPOILERS BELOW

The first few episodes were slow but the way the couple fell in love with each other was sweet and the directors were clever on some parts, like how he revealed his love to her and some small details as well.

Overall, the drama I feel was very good, except for the ending which i'll lightly explain below. There are small storylines introduced in the drama which ends up insignificant anyway. They could've made a second season and taken their time with some of the things that were introduced instead of just mentioning them once.

For example, *spoiler* his mom, and how she didn't approve their relationship, they could've spent more time on that, his medical condition was only a one time thing, and apparently could be deadly after diving but that was only mentioned one time and he never had another issue with that, maybe some flashbacks of how his dad's death affected him like how they did with Xue Tong, and that ending! My God, they just rushed her into another relationship, with the guy she totally hated mid-way through the drama. He just comes back into her life and she accepts him? Until the VERY last episode, then it was only 20 minutes of the OG couple together, barely any dialogue, and then they end up back together. They should've taken their time with that! Instead of him literally showing up at her door 3 years later as they say she's married. The ending was so rushed. It literally made me angry and upset that they didn't take the time to rekindle their relationship or to show how they made up. But i'd watch the first half all over again. I hope they are partners for future projects. They're really good looking and talented.

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Drama start well.three friends who enter in the college to pursue their dream but on their path there are so many obstacles some they cross successfully but some path make them obsessed ,some path make them insecure ,some path give them a lesson ,in this way they all are leading their way having some regrets eventually they handling and balanced their life .
Over obsessed with the relationship make hard to live as a result fighting ,loosing confidence in a relationship ,no trust,no honesty ,only isolation.
Pursuing the goal with full determination where ones forget food ,sleep even home . it is okay and good but you can't neglect your relationship ,it is your responsibility to cherish it and as a partner or in a relationship sometime you have to compromise then only you can cherish your relationship ,mutual understanding , mutual trust are very important in any relationship.
You have no right to deceive your relationship and make it with another and then say sorry that you can't leave yours first what the held is this and how 2nd one knew about everything that they are cheating them that they still with their older one but still want them this is stupidity ,craziness.
All such thing had shown in this drama
Ending still not getting.
At some point drama is slow
So at some stages it getting bored.

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This drama is a good one just that it involves a lot of complications and arguments between the two main leads. It kinda affected me as a drama lover who loves drama that only involves sweetness than bitterness. Its my fault for not liking this drama but i still recommend this as its a really realistic drama that happens in real life. Overall, those who dont enjoy drama with lots of arguments and prefer cuteness, this drama isnt for you. Wherelese, for those who enjoy a real life drama, this is perfect for you as it clearly shows how love actually works. This drama shows love that has fights in between to make the relationship even stronger. It really shows that love doesnt only include loving each other but understanding plays an important part in a relationship. As a 15 year old, it really teaches me to face the reality that love isnt all about kisses, holding hands and hugs. It involves different kinds of challenges. Really hope this review help a lot of people who wants to watch this drama.

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An Underrated Gem

this drama has been flying under the radar, with little to no buzz surrounding it. The one reminded me of the well-known "Reply 1988," although there were some differences between the two. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have always been drawn to stories set in universities, especially those that delve into the lives of young individuals. This drama provided a glimpse into the Chinese university culture and the nature of relationships and interactions among students.

One aspect that stood out to me was the portrayal of the characters. They were vibrant, diverse, and well-acted, which was a pleasant surprise. Unlike many other dramas, this one didn't solely focus on clichéd romance plots. Instead, it explored the complexities of the characters' hearts, showcasing their experiences with heartbreak, falling in love, and the challenges they faced. It reminded me of my own time in college, from rushing into lectures when running late to interacting with professors.

Another element that caught my attention was the age gap romance, which happens to be my cup of tea. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the chemistry between an older man and a younger woman in this drama. It added an extra layer of depth to the story and kept me engaged throughout.

One thing that stood out to me, and I'm surprised it hasn't been widely noted, is the natural beauty of the actors and actresses. In many current Chinese dramas, there seems to be a trend of excessively lightening the actors' skin, creating an unnatural look. However, in this drama, the actors' natural beauty was showcased, which was a breath of fresh air.

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