Cdrama Review: Bu Bu Jing Xin (2011)

Bu Bu Jing Xin
步步惊心
10/10 ♥♥♥♥

Twdramas have been failing me recently – so I took a trip to the mainland instead. Bu Bu Jing Xin, or Startling at Each Step, will be my first mainland Chinese drama. It came highly recommended, and is talked about in some circles with almost cult-like fanaticism. Recipe for something good, yes? Yes!

The Premise

Our modern day heroine has a car accident and her soul travels back in time 300 years into an old incarnation of herself: Maertai Ruoxi (Cecelia Liu). It’s the Qing dynasty and Emperor Kangxi reigns; spoiler alert: he’s got over a dozen handsome sons. Stuck in the past Ruoxi is forced to live the life of a court lady, maneuvering herself through a web of princely politics, succession battles, and of course love.

So which prince will she end up with? 

Don’t be fooled. BBJX is not another elaborate time travel drama. Based on a novel, it’s merely an excuse to throw a lady of the modern world into a stunning and gorgeous period setting, and let history take over. Ruoxi ‘arrives’ years before the next exchange of power will take place. She therefore comes with the foreknowledge of which prince becomes emperor, and which princes will fail at the attempt. They only unknown is how exactly she should live, walking the careful path of survival.

And what her role is, no one knows.

Why is this drama is a cut above anything else with a vaguely similar plot?

• Because, Ruoxi is an intelligent woman who more or less knows how to survive; she adapts to her surroundings, plans her life as best as she can, and never loses her humanity, or her love of forging and maintaining relationships. 
• Because, BBJX isn’t just about the love entanglements of the main actors. It’s about everyone’s relationships: brothers, sisters, servants, lovers, and most importantly, friends. Their ties to each other are deep-rooted, and highly explored within the course of the drama. They might lead to sacrifice or death, or be the sole reason a person wants to be alive. 
•  Because, there are some killer love stories. Choose the right OTP and you’re almost rewarded, but I can count at least 9 different ships, four of which I hung out my sails for. Romantic or non-, these ships could break your heart.   

Warning - Super feels will be had by all.

Is it funny or serious? Both. Bu Bu Jing Xin walks a fine line between the genres of youthful comedy, and more melodramatic settings of life and death in the Forbidden City. So stop everything you’re doing and WATCH IT

And if you have already, read on for a short series of essays on Bu Bu Jing Xin. :) 

WARNING: Major Spoilers - Stop reading now unless you've finished the drama and are majorly obsessed with it. Like me.

Jdrama Review: Zenkai Girl (2011)

Zenkai Girl
全開ガール 
5/10 

Hardworking, ambitious lawyer-to-be Ayukawa Wakaba (Aragaki Yui), meet stay-at-home daddy Yamada Sota (Nishikido Ryo). Add some kids. Watch the sparks fly. Then fizzle. Then die away. Add more cute kid scenes, and you’ve got a Jdrama. Oh, Zenkai Girl, how I wanted to like you so much. You were sharp, fast-faced and totally fun for the first few episodes. You had a completely adorable nice guy who’s destined to get the girl. Why we gotta get so boring and episodic? Why must our lead girl be so silly and anti-love for sooo long? 

I jumped ships. 

Hey, take my hand and let's go make our own show!

Maybe this is just where Jdramas fail me. If there’s a hint of romance, it’s usually not enough – but when the genre is primarily rom-com, they always spoil it being lame and adding so many “plot twists” and backwards character development that I can’t stand it. Now I admit that this isn’t a fault found exclusively in Jdramas. But when it’s coupled with the standard set-back of the episode type storytelling, some occasional overacting, and wait until the very end love stories, I’m guaranteed to check out emotionally well before the end. 

Just what does Zenkai Girl have going for it though? 

Rosie's Cuts: Dream High (2011)

"Or How I Learned to Stop Hating, and Love the Secondary OTP"

Dream High

드림하이

6/10 ♥

I couldn't squeal enough! Dream High is a beautiful love story between two aspiring singers set in the fictional school of Kirin High. This show has everything: the love, the music, the story, the plot, conflict and resolution, and the most adorable OTP you've ever seen:

Confused yet?  Well this is a review where I conveniently forget about everything I hated about Dream High, and instead focus on the only part of the drama I actually found compelling. I shall again redirect your attention to the most adorable OTP you’ve ever seen on the small screen, as pictured above.  

Jason (played by 2PM’s Wooyoung) is a bad-boy Engrish speaking super dancer whose audition for Kirin High ranks him No. 1 out of all the incoming freshmen.  Kim Pil Suk (played by the adorable IU) is a chubby girl in a Miss Sushi outfit, whose body type doesn't make “Future Idol” standards, but her voice is so gifted, she's allowed entry into the school in spite of her looks.

Obviously, Jason is super popular. All the girls want to dance with him; all the boys want to emulate him; and Pil Suk falls madly in love.  But is Jason’s friendly attitude towards Pil Suk simply because he has good manners, or because he actually likes her?? *gasps* I don’t know! Does he or doesn’t he? What is it that always makes him stick up for her, open doors for her, want to sing with her, or when he gets frustrated, drag her away to sing karaoke with her? I’m just going to hold out on the hope that he’s secretly coming to luuurve her. It’s okay.  We’ll just call it ‘manners’ for now.