Gen Z (2023)

REFRESHING DRAMA

It's the first time I have watched a drama related to medicine and I surely loved it. There would be many reviews which will be stating that it's very slow and all, yaa it is correct but I loved it. The initial episodes were enjoyable, but the pace of the drama slowed down a bit. However, it gradually picked up and became more captivating again. I liked the relationship between TT and this master aka RXZ. It showed the pure relationship between a teacher and a student. The chemistry of TT and RTZ is so good. They had pure and innocent love, and I loved watching them. Then the chemistry of both the couples aka RTZ parents is lovely. This drama is so pure.
Wished we had more RTZ and TT moments. They were so lovely together. I would love it if Zhao Lu Si and Luo Yi Zhou could collaborate once again. This pair looks fresh and they have very sweet chemistry with each other.
Lastly, I would say it's a very refreshing drama and I loved enjoying it so much. The entirety of this drama was flawless.

Read More

Learning the ways of the classic Traditional Chinese Medicines

I would like to describe this drama in general as educational. Having this theme to be used in a drama may unlikely attract a legion of viewers but as a foreign spectator, I find it profoundly interesting. It showed the depth of Chinese culture in view of the natural approach to healing and providing remedies for an illness. Watching this was like taking a course where you learned and made a lot of realizations about life and how it directly affects the condition of one’s health.

Zhao Lusi gained my adoration again. I can’t think of any actress that could better fit the role other than her and act splendidly the way she did. The same goes with her mentor here who portrayed the role flawlessly that you could wish for someone like him to be your teacher as well.

The story was inspirational. It was a journey for all the characters in relation to a change of understanding between TCM and Western medicines resulting in positive holistic progress for everyone. Though it talked about a serious subject, in between, you could have a good laugh and a feel of romance.

This drama is not conformist but I praised the creators for deviating from the norms of the drama genre to come up with this. I sensed patriotism.

Read More

A feel-good drama

If you have loved Go Ahead then this might be your cup of tea, or even Hospital Playlist. The series has a warm, feel-good vibe to it that is even more enhanced by the excellent acting of everyone. Lusi's acting as usual is enthralling, from making the audience laugh to making them cry, she has nailed it as usual.
The character development of the main leads were significant and praiseworthy. The transitions of seasons and their meanings that were illustrated were beautiful and informative.
However, there are things I did not like
-- There were too many characters that kept getting added, hence main plot was compromised a little.
-- The main leads should have gotten some more time, and I am talking about Tian Zhen and Tou Tou
-- The family sometimes seemed warm to Tou Tou and then at any given chance she made a mistake, and she was discarded, Tian Zhen included. Their love story's progress was abrupt, one moment TZ treats her like a friend, and next, we know, he says he likes someone and that's TT.
-- Hoped for a better apology by both Master and his wife when they just made TT leave without believing her.
-- I was looking forward to the development of the 5 focal characters including TT and TZ, but the sub-plots kept cutting the flow.
-- The last bit felt rushed, and [SPOLER] when master declared TT is his daughter, after that no one seemed to care lol. Also after that benefactor was becoming better, his wife and mom just stopped visiting.
--the sudden onslaught of covid, didn't see that coming.
And yet! I loved the story and would watch it again. I loved the father-daughter kind of relationship between master and TT. I would have loved special though with TT living as TZ's gf.

Read More

old

This drama glorify a narcissistic middle aged man that can't even do the bare minimum as a husband and a father. This selfish man, a gold digger, live off of his wife's money, but act like he's the wisest kindest greatest man. Like that family owed him something, when actually he was the one that owed everything to them. He never respect his wife nor his son, disregarding their feeling, and demand them to go along with anything he wants. No one was allowed question his action. Every decision he made was absolute. Everyone was obligated to immediately forgive and forget any of his wrong doings. He never acknowledge his mistakes or sincerely ask any forgiveness. He even gaslight his wife, whenever she express any personal thoughts or disappointments.

Read More

Dragging. Forced subplot. Unnatural dialogue.

40 episodes is truly too long. It's dragging in general and forced plot would pop up from time to time. The last straw for me would be at ep27 with an irrational scene that shows how unprofessional job the writer team has done.

A sister/friend of ML has died suddenly, which has a big impact on ML. ML decides to leave home without telling anyone for a while to stay alone at a little village in the mountain. His family is very worried while FL has an idea where he would be, so she follows him and meets him when he bungee jumps and almost dies.... There're quite a few weird things here. Let me point them out one by one...

1. At the bungee jump spot, there's only ML without any staff, but that place is fully equiped for bungee jumping. ML's legs are properly roped. - How come no staff? Where the equipments come from then? Who helps him tie his legs?

2. ML carries his traveling backpack while bungee jumping......??!

3. Then he jumps, and the rope is tied for the distance that ML would dip into the lake below, but it isn't a dip. The rope never bounces and everyone concerning to the business leaves ML head stays in the water for as long as he stops breathing eventhough the rope is still tightly tied to his legs. No one drags him up. No rescue team preparing at the lake, either. FL is the one who jumps into the lake and drags him to the bank and gives him CPR. - Wow... really?? No staff around to the point that no one makes any kind of moves when his head stays in the water that long?? And what the hell with the rope not bouncing?? This is so anti-science.

4. There's surely some error along the bungee process. The ML says himself that he has thought thoroughly before bungee jumping, but this still happened which almost made him die. So, he doesn't intend to commit suicide, there's some error, but no one around to take responsibility at all? Like... there's not only staff but no people at all. Not even a crowd to poke their noses. And then, the bungee jumping accident has just passed. No one cares that it happened even the ML and FL....

For the acting.... Zhao Lu Si's acting here is quite unnatural, esp. the last scene when she has the last conversation with ML's father - both her acting and the dialogue are unnatural and awkward. Though the dialouge is awkward, the acting of ML's father is passable, which emphasizes how lacking Zhao Lu Si's acting is when the plot and dialogue given to her are also lacking. (She's normally done her proper jobs when delivering proper plot and dialogues.)

Luo Yi Zhou's acting is surprisingly passable. It's passable on averge, but if considering this is one of his first acting jobs (it's his first series), he's done a quite good job.

Read More

ONE MAN SHOW ZHAO LUSI

This is the worst drama Zhao LuSi has been in (even worst than Please Feel at Ease Mr Ling). Other actors did not do well, even Wu Gang did not shine his character through collaborating with LuSi, she's annoyingly overpowered the rest of the actors - like she's hyper - overacting - overly dramatic of characteristic, loud (appeared disrespectful to the elders) not in good way. The rest of actors were gloomily out of sort, serious, criticized Sun Tuo Tuo all the way, no interesting wordplay, no ingenuity.

Story was promising, I was curious about the science behind Chinese traditional medicine, what can we learn from such remarkable well-kept traditional healing methods. Unfortunately, the screen writer focused on remedy using human urine and animal dungs, wth. Health consultation was more common as anyone can give same advise to a friend. Remedy for poisonous snake bite? Lets's drink concoction instead bringing him to ER. Last stage of cancer? Healed (where there wasn't cure recorded medically) plots were credulous, being such a young age LuSi was already a senior (patriarchal system) which pathetic when uneducated, untrained, nonprofessional high school graduated forced to study medicine for someone else's ambition. For real though, even a medical genius doctor can't really treat patients without years of experiences and well conduct. While there're Pediatrician, doctors, lawyer Phd, those apprentice with medical degree background, as students. Funny too, a medical degree doctor couldn't find a job and working part time as masseur. A lawyer who suddenly inspired to learn medicine just because someone died beyond her ability. Giving praise testament how wonderful Prof Ren as a healer...such a BS. I felt like this drama had preaching vibes, superior above other mortals, giving high-horses attitude toward inferior minions. What's wrong with Sun Tuo Tuo always ready to took in the falls? Screen writer was a disaster, fire her.

LuSi has been partnered with most gorgeous and talented men in the industry; Yang Yang, Wu Lei, Neo Hou, Ryan Ding, Liu YuNing, Xiao Zhan, Then here he came Luo YiZhao where LuSi had to settle with a co-star that has (let me say it in a nice way) sparse promise of bright casting. He had a chance to prove his talent/acting skill in this drama but unfortunately he's not compatible with LuSi. Wu Gang is a veteran great actor, more suitable with antagonist role than light drama. With his tight lip, sharp and cold gazes, serious face, frowning, stern voice, forced smile, he went flat in this drama. LuSi couldn't lighten his serious personality with her overly cheerful and carefree demeanor, Wu Gang was like snuffing out of LuSi's exuberant. Not to mention Jiang Shan (Song Ling Lan) she's patronizing, criticizing, looking down people.

The last 2 episodes was pointless, nothing but discussion of old love bird Song Ling Lan and Ren Xi Zheng, clarifying their misunderstanding and forgiveness. It's cleared that Sun Tuo Tuo wasn't exactly Prof Ren's daughter but rather a perspective daughter in law. I would rather have them a tragic end rejection by Sun Tuo Tuo to accept inter-changing status with Ren family; student, inheritor, biological daughter, prospective daughter in law. But maybe Tuo Tuo think she hit the jackpot by integrating to Ren family since she's an orphan. Zhao LuSi did one man show, the rest of actors were not even worth mentioning. Disappointed, not a good drama, not good plots, not good castings.

Read More

For once, I'll jump to the conclusion: this is a M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E !!!
First of all, the message is so deep that it simply humbles at least 90% of other dramas (and basically every Western series ever - but well, that's easier).
The script works like a Swiss clockwork, seriously; and seeing how this drama consists of 40 episodes of around 45' each, that alone is quite a feat! You laugh, you cry, you learn, etc....the whole nine yards! Or rather, Yin & Yang and all 24 solar terms!
The characters are so well-written and tridimensional that when you finish watching the series, you feel like you're saying goodbye to a group of friends!
The acting is simply superb. At this point I usually give three "honorable mentions" but here it's hard to name just three, one would want to praise *all* of them with a virtual standing ovation! Anyway, traditions must be kept, so let's say I'll stand a little longer for Jiang Shan, Zhao Lu Si and my beloved Dai Lu Wa.
The music is just lovely and adds greatly to the viewing pleasure.
As for the "packaging" (direction, editing, photography, etc.), that's top-notch too.
What's not to like? Perfect 10! Goes instantly into my top-5 of all times! ^_____^

Read More

Laugh, learn, Live. Be good.

This series has the characters written carefully and its a matter of execution by the artists which they delivered so well. Kudos to them.
Its not much on TCM, nor romance but delves more into building and nurturing relationship, a healthy one with family and the society.
I started to watch this expecting for a romance but I realized through, life and drama is more than romance, people. And I find more interest and curiosity on the simplest bits this drama shares so I really had to skim through every episode for learning and understanding. Here, I laughed so hard then I get to thorough silence. I'm watching this again as some kind of an inner healing, an inspiration to stay good, finding balance to life.
Watch this through understanding the characters, the story is a picture of life, sketchy as it is but the characters are really inspiring.
For I who is fond of romance drama, I find this better and among the most interesting drama that has little of it. I won't threw in spoilers, you have to figure in the drama whether you agree with me or not.

Read More

a long review for a for a rollercoaster of emotions

I have a lot to say about this drama, so if you haven't watched it yet and want an opinion (beware of spoilers!) feel free to read my LONG review.

I'll say one thing: Gen Z is a good drama, but it suffered from repetitive and dumb script choices.

If there's Lusi and the topic interests me, I'm in. That's how I got to Gen Z. I thought about watching it while was airing, but I decided to watch it when I was ready to really dive into the narrative.

This cdrama was a rollercoaster for me. I felt anger, hate, sadness, pride, happiness, anger again, warm in my heart, and many other sensations.

I had never seen anything about Chinese medicine, and I found it very interesting. Despite a lot of information that I couldn't understand - about 75%, if I'm being honest - at various times I managed to apply the things that Dr. Ren taught, in my life. Although, of course, I think that not everything is beautiful and not all things in life you will achieve just by wanting and having faith.

Following the trajectory of the main character, Tou Tou, was my motivation to finish this drama, to be quite honest. Yes, the core of the family is interesting, but the lawyer and that envious poor boy got on the nerve. Until now, I don't know what Shen Pen saw in her, for God's sake. Well, he was the one who married her, not me, lol.

Anyway, I didn't find anyone outside of the family nucleus, apart from the best friend, interesting to follow. I thought there were so many people that it ended up being poorly developed. Interesting characters, like the doctor of Western medicine, or, as I said before, the best friend, could have been explored more than the annoying lawyer who, despite having evolved, was just annoying and a snob.

Now talking about unnecessary characters: Meng Meng.

I don't think her story wasn't important, but her existence within the plot had no use other than developing the ML's romance with the FL, and make he grows up as a person (and it's good that he became better at some point because, for the love of God, he was such a spoiled brat).

In my opinion, I would have had no problem placing her as a student or as a second female; I would prefer that to simply watching a huge disservice to psychological disorders by placing a character who clearly had a compromised mental condition to be stuck with a 25-year-old guy who basically played the role of her pseudo-boyfriend (and, no matter what you guys say, it did look like a boyfriend. sorry, guys).

There are a lot of things in this drama that I can tolerate if I try really hard, but not this one. There is no plausible and justifiable reason other than that they needed a way out for the two main characters to get even closer and decided to make the worst possible choice: creating a poorly developed female character that will only serve as a development tool for the male character. End. As always.

Like, why does she live in ML's parents' house without any psychological support? is there any logic to this? It's OBVIOUS that whoever watches it will be annoyed by the character, because there's no explanation for 27 episodes about what the hell could have happened with her!

Now, let's be honest: this drama was a representation of the patriarchal system in practice.

Basically, we had all men (the father, the ML, and the poor envious man) making mistakes after mistakes and having the women (whether the wife or the FL) wipe out and take the hit for them. This irritated me SO MUCH throughout the drama, but so much so that it got to a point where I just wanted to curse the writers.

In my opinion, the drama wanted to show that not all the wisdom and altruism in the world is a solution to pettiness. And that's exactly what pp's mother said: we give our best to strangers.

The father, basically, has all the ideas and dumps them in everyone's lap to solve them. my wife to clean it, the other one to lend it to me, this one to solve it for me, my disciple to solve the shit I caused by lying to two patients, and so it goes. Everyone smoothed things over for him, and I thought the words his son gave him was well deserved; He is extremely selfish, indeed.

The son is not left behind, obviously. He almost killed FL with his irresponsibility, he let her take the blame for him TWICE and it took the girl almost dying for him for him to become "a man". At least, he evolved, right? There are people, like the poor envious man, who spent the entire drama lamenting how difficult his life was, humiliated the FL, set her up, and other awful things but, of course, carried on as if nothing had happened, like ?????

Well, I've been through a lot of emotions with GEN Z at many, many points. I don't think it's a bad series, I just think that maybe it tested the intelligence of those who watch it a little, putting things that don't make any sense to the plots, actions without consequences (especially if coming from men), and endings without... Outcomes (?). To this day, I wonder whether or not FL is the successor.

The writers were like: Could it be? find it out!

Other than that, I loved it. I complained, but I liked it. I just thought it was kind of silly that the actor didn't kiss because he was an idol; There are so many idols out there who do this and it's fine, you know? He looks like that boy from Miss Crown and Mr. Lizard, who can't kiss because of his wife. If you want to become an actor and have these silly impediments, honestly...

Anyway. Watch it, give it a chance. Lusi puts on a great performance, we have good performances from other actors too, interesting reflections, beautiful people, hints of romance and a wonderful protagonist.

Read More

It's one of the few love story dramas that I really enjoyed. I received electro-acupuncture treatment for a year so I am interested in this topic of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I really hope this drama inspires more young people to learn about it too. One of the best things I like is Ren Xin Zheng and his wife, they are so cute. The grandparents are also cute too. They are respectful elders with both wisdom and wittiness.
The drama has a good balance between reality and the usual perfection in the C-drama world. Each character has his/her own problem that is common in life and has a realistic ending, some are sad but overall are happy ones.

Read More