I binged this in a day and a half while working on a really tedious task for work, and all I can say is, Jerry's still got it. I didn't care about anything else in this drama except the scenes--the gorgeous love scenes--between his character and the female lead. That man is still fire! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
"Who can actually reject Jerry's attractiveness" slight gasp. Well I for one cannot. He has a rocking physique, sexy deep voice and beautiful, expressive face. 😍😘 The amount of shirt off scenes was very satisfying and the cinematography exceptional. Sorry for the gushing but this was the first time I was aware of this actor. I hope it launches more popularity and quality opportunities for him.
I "discovered" Yan Cheng Xu not so long ago in an old C-drama. Apparently he is hugely famous, and well loved, all over Asia, as the most popular member of former boy band F4 and actor in C-drama Meteor Garden. I liked him as a pirate in the film Ripples of Passion.
I feel these older tropes are well received lately, especially when screenwriters and directors can show them in a "modernized" way (adding in more 2020s relevant characteristics/removing older stereotypes). I think this is because there's a new wave of drama watchers that don't venture into older dramas, so these kinds of old tropes that we see feel new and refreshing to them? That's just my take on it though
That's almost exactly what I was thinking when she kept mentioning that this story had already been done and how similar it was to dramas from 20 yrs ago. Most international fans probably weren't watching cdramas 20 yrs ago and aren't likely to seek them out now. It's a fairly fresh story for most of us.
Exactly. I am one of those new fans who is not familiar with these "older tropes" and dramas from 20 years ago and this drama was absolutely AMAZING to me. So amazing that I found myself looking up the script writer to see what other works they've done lol
So bummed that the OST is full of songs from other dramas. I didn’t know that and the music was my favorite part of this drama. I deeply wish some scenes were not cut. I think it would have only added to their chemistry. You were right on about the actors. They sold it. Such a wonderful job. And I love what you said about Jerry’s eyes. So insightful.
This drama has completely changed my perspective on age-gap romance. I have never been a fan of that genre. 10 yrs is fine, but 15 is pushing it for me. They did everything right when they cast their actors, especially Jerry Yan. The story and attraction between the leads is completely believable. If I'd been the FL, I wouldn't have cared what are ages were either.
That’s it for me too Jarry Yan was tailor made for this character and then he finally got a drama that fits him even more at this age.. I especially love him for this drama.. This drama’s main casts were well chosen and I like the 4 actors a lot.. the drama is so good too and the story truly gives that decade ago kinda story and it’s so heartbreaking but warming too
Human emotions are human emotions ... they do not "go out of fashion" or require "modern treatment" to be relevant or relatable. Seems AvenueX ignores the fact that the earliest film/TV output from both sides of the Atlantic & beyond now dates back to the 1920s! Themes & narratives have been endlessly rehashed since that time. I personally have been brought up on a varied diet of "vintage" USA/UK/European (Italian/French) works of both "high" calibre & non. So to me, the narrative of The Forbidden Flower was definitely not novel but the sincerity of Jerry Y's embodiment of his character definitely hits hard ... the authenticity of his expressions/body language is breathtaking, he is Xiao Han. Jerry Y has ensured that for some time to come many will remember The Forbidden Flower very fondly indeed, despite the plot blind spots & lack of "originality".
Oh my goodness I feel like you heard my comments while I watched this drama. I quit watching halfway through and watched some clips instead. I decided to wait until all the episodes are available to me and then finish watching. You share details that are spot on. Thanks so much.😊
I like the story how the artists play the Character specially the 2 lead artist. The good vibes is always present. The feeling of being young and feeling of too much emotions that can't be hide. The lead star role how he reciprocate the lead star feeling. Its pretty obvious that they will never fall in love again until the found each other again. ❤
completely agree with this review. It's a passionate story with many amazingly beautiful shots of flowers, sea, palm trees, all things bright and beautiful. The relationship between the two leads is amazing and very charged, and they are beautifully portrayed and very easy on the eye.... the rest, and indeed the story itself, do not gel so much. Still, I'm watching it and really enjoying it, the love is very intense. (btw, I have the same cherry earrings too, they are so nice!)
At the moment I am stuck at episode 18 of this drama. I started watching it without really taking much toughts into the age difference between the two couples. I agree that the tension between them is almost a physical thing that gets out of the screen and hits you between the eyes. As said, the friend who keeps on trying to get the lead female is soooo boring, he does not add anything to the drama. So far I have to say I like it a lot but I believe it is not one of dramas I shall watch again and again. I hope that more dramas with this kind of energy will be made in the future.
I absolutely loved this drama. Beautiful love stories. Romantic, gorgeous, and dreamy. Gave me all the feels. I was excitedly looking forward to your review. Balanced and informative as usual.
one think I know you put to words what this drama did, I had nothing but complains about this drama until a scene when the male lead is drinking water and then the camera slowly zooms in , I swear to you my mind went blank , this will be the first cdrama that was so open about the attraction and desire ...
I have to say, I have been Jerry's fan for 15 years now.... he looked like a dream then, and he still does now... how is that even possible?? Umm, there might even be 15-year-olds who were just born when I started being Jerry's fan and are now watching this video....
The editing in this drama was a massive trip - I assume because of censorship, but it made some of the continuity an absolute shit-show - to the point where I realised I had accidentally skipped episode 8, and didn't realise until several episodes later; there are that many random skips in this drama.
I loved this drama sooooo much. It felt so enchanting and I loved the music ❤ For me it’s a 3 goldmine drama 🔥 Edit: but I do agree that aside from the leads romance the rest of the drama was very forgettable
4:58 mood 😂 5:32 exactly(i actually thought she was in her 30s at most like wow) I am very very surprised you watched this drama and gave it a gold mine ratings at most, i agree with most of what you said as usual. This is my official introduction to Jerry yan and truly does he look good😭(I'm relatively new to Cdrama world, started officially watching in 2016ish compared to my kdrama watching since 2007ish), heard of him when i watched Wang hedi and Shen yue's meteor garden also his 2014 drama loving never forgetting you i think (i just watched a bit of it cuz of an edit i saw on yt). Yes, truly they were very daring, a lot of scenes (cut scenes too) had me jaw dropped, i was so stunned(in my mind, i was always like this cannot be a cdrama, what's happening 😂). 10:52 Yes, Hanyu's role was just extremely annoying and useless, Asian dramas in general need to stop this nonsense. 11:30 same my lady, i just wanted him gone from screen😭 This is the first cdrama i officially watched and finished for 2023,so far I've been watching older ones mostly from 2020 below. Truly it had potential to do so much better and the cut scenes just made it worse and made some part of the drama look messy/choppy 😭, anytime i saw a cut scene it pissed me off so bad. The Beautiful locations and the music, i haven't heard any of them till now and they are a wonderful addition to my playlist esp half dim sum by Grasshoppers. (not a fan of that ver of the ending song i wanted it gone😂, found out it was from WYWS and i prefer that ver). Also this was like an introduction to the Qiang Tribe, never heard of them and their language just sounded so lovely(ended up looking them up and doing a mini research). Nevertheless, i enjoyed and will be doing re watchs when i have the time , also will be watching more of Jerry and Ruo han's works❤️👍🏻(started Count your lucky stars days ago and will continue Perfect and Casual too). Thank you for the wonderful review as always,my lady 🫶🏽.
Thank youuu so much for this review! I dont have a lot of people in my place to talk to about these things so I hope it’s okay to share this here… 😅 I Agree with your rating. For me, It was a bit unsettling at first but I finished til the end. The story telling and the beautiful sensual shots got me hooked. The female lead did a really good job portraying an imperfect, somewhat insecure and spoiled girl who had challenges to face of her own. I may not agree with her decisions and actions but that’s her personality and it can actually does happen in real life- and I guess that’s how I came to accept her role/character, eventually. The male lead here was too silent and aloof for me, but in the later parts when he actually speaks and interacts more, I get to see a mature and not so clueless guy (the kind with uhhh naughty (?) thoughts but chooses respect, control and responsibility rather than just jumping into a temporary bout of excitement or lust). This story is indeed cliche but the imperfect characters and the cinematography for me made it unique and worth the watch. 😊
I think casting was perfect for this and their chemistry was really good what I don’t like about this drama is the editing damn i was so frustrated about the directing it could have been so much better and also there are so many intimate scenes unlike most cdramas I’ve watched
100% agree with the review! I love the second lead couple even more.. the drama got interesting when this couple started.. for me, they sold out way more than the main lead. 😅😅.
She does only Chinese dramas. I'm glad she is doing it,to spread Chinese dramas more to international audience. Imo, Chinese dramas have to be finished first before airing them to the public,unlike other asian dramas where they are shooting the scenes as they are being broadcast. The plot,the details the producers and staff give attention to is what make Chinese dramas very worth watching.
For me the main romantic/erotic relationship set in an environment of beauty (artistic and scenic) rated three gold bars. Nothing else came close and was a distraction.
only about 2/3 of the way and my thoughts: - i really liked the chemistry between the mother and younger man possibly even more so than the main leads chemistry. their acting together was also very good because their conflict and storylines felt emotional but not melodramatic. - i thought there were too many moments of bad editing especially the most basic continuity editing with the actors going from smiling one shot to frowning the next, i thought it really let the actors down and the strongest scenes were when there was minimal cutting between actors. - regarding the music them constantly using the song "trouble i'm in" immediately made me think of the film in your eyes which uses it during an intimate scene but only once so using it again and again kind of weakened its impact imo. also speaking of in your eyes there were a lot of shots or moments that made me think of other films like i could see the directors inspiration and sometimes it worked but other times the comparison didn't benefit the tv show. - i thought yan chengxu's hair was a bit distracting. he's meant to be a very practical, salt of the earth guy but his hair with the highlights and volume made me laugh a little its very early 2000s idol styling - the childhood friend in the band feels unnecessary, maybe his inclusion will matter more in the last 3rd of the show but right now he feels somewhat useless - right now the show is enjoyable fun but the unique directing, acting choices makes me think how this could have been a much better show. had the plot been straightened out through rewrites and more time given to editing to make sure basic issues like discontinuity between shots didn't exist this could have been a much stronger show.
I too like more the chemistry of the mother and young man more than ML & FL. I always waited for their parts in the different episodes, both the mother and the young man showed great acting talents!
Loved your review. I did have the old-school romance feeling when I watched this drama and deemed it a "Classic". I appreciated the realism of the writer and director in filming the actual sexual tension that exists in relationships. The "puppy love' genre of romance dramas of adult actors has got to stop and the censorship of critical and logical romance scenes needs to end. The 99% of what was invested in this drama was worth it to make the drama have a feeling of voyeurism for the viewer. This drama defines love in all aspects and I would only suggest (after the Qiang cultural insert into the drama) that 2 bars would not have been too much. Thank you [ binged 10 straight hours to finish last night and this morning].
I watched this up to episode 13 and i think it’s better if I not continue. I can’t remember when I watched this review but I guess it was when it was released. The drama is kind of weird to me and feels like it doesn’t make sense in the story line. And it’s kind of weird how I feel like no one talks about how weird the female leads behavior is along with her mom. But the female leads whole motive and reasons for chasing the male lead’s character when she hasn’t even told him that she has an illness and will potentially die along with lying to him repeatedly especially about her age was so weird to me. And her mother has so many issues going on with her I don’t know why she doesn’t get help. I really tried to like this drama but I can only like the filming shots and songs and music. This drama is so weird and hard to like when I can barely understand the characters.
You must be very lucky in your life to find a true love...and then ....you can understand what hapiness mean.I Can feel this kind of love in this drama and made me happy too..because stil exists this marvellous feeling.The actors were very convincing and the love scenes very beautiful.So I enjoyed the story and for me worths 3 golden stars.
I really think Yu Xiang was the best actor in this drama; I was always looking forward to seeing how his character would evolve. I was a bit let down with some of the plot elements, but I enjoyed the bit where they introduced us to the Qiang culture; you don't really see things about specific ethnicities in modern dramas ; I want to see more of that instead of just trying to make everything so standardized and almost white washed... It was very different from Jerry Yan's previous romantic dramas. It was a bit hard for me to get into his character at first because he felt too detached , but that's how they wrote him so he did his best to portray it as was requested, The visual style was very refreshing; I like how it enhanced architecture and landscapes a lot. I agree with you that Han Yu's character was just like too right out of an idol drama aimed at teenagers... He was really too childishly written to be believable for an over 20 guy and the vibe was off with the rest of the drama. But I'm surprised they didn't make him end up with one of He Ran's roommates. I think they managed to make the ending feel right, which is often the point most of these types of dramas would get wrong: it wasn't too mushy or sob story for the sake of getting a facial tissues company to sponsor the show. I found the ending satisfying. As someone with a chronic illness, I found it touching and somewhat hopeful. It had a very different vibe from other dramas about illness I've seen (like say the K-Drama Scent of a Woman). I think they didn't make the OST as good as it could have been; some scenes made it seem very repetitive; it didn't contribute to the ambiance as much as it should have for this type of drama.
Jerry Yan is actually slightly older than Huang Yi, who played the mother of female lead. Almost all scenes are beautifully set, and I like the music and songs. It’s unusual to find a C-drama that’s full of eroticism and sexual tension like this drama. This is definitely not a usual C-drama. The downside : it’s like a compilation of 1990s MTVs and the pacing is really slow making the whole drama feels draggy. Jerry Yan’s fans would probably love this drama.
I was going to comment here that Jerry Yan at least di not use his trademark line...but alas he did at episode 12 ( i am currently just watching it after dropping it at ep 8, went back after watching your review here) He did it again!!! hahaha his trademark line "sha gua" (stupid) hahahaha Also his Taiwanese accent is less now in this drama which is better to blend with the other actors.
The drama is good I can’t lie…but I had to drop it after being told the age difference between the leads…it’s just doesn’t seat right with me. But I was impressed with the actress’s acting skills. And I’ll be searching her other dramas up to check them out.
watched eps 1 and 2 and i think i'll pass for now. it's rlly unique and the atmosphere is different but familiar. and i get what they're trying to show and what kind of feeling they want to induce but for some reason i don't clearly know, it's not just my vibe. i mean i watch many different kinds of things and i'm rlly not restricted by genre or smthng but i know myself i watch worth-while stuffs. music, movies, drama whatever i have always believed i have great taste in those. not to say this drama is bad but i just think this is not it. i stumbled upon the forbidden flower cause i was trying to find great c-dramas since after a long while of drama-break, i stumbled upon the c-drama called My Calorie Boy and I rlly rlly liked--maybe even loved it. i was hoping to discover more gems so i tried this the forbidden flower stuff. guess i'll have to just accept that all great things come at the right time. if u have 'great' suggestions, pls drop em below, xiexie ✨
Very good review, echoes my sentiments about this drama. I'm on TH-cam, so I catch up on this one when awaiting new episode releases of other dramas I am following. Doesn't get my hopes up, but the pretty & spicey intimate scenes are eye candy
As for me I don't like these kind of dramas. Because it romantisize the reality of my culture that to this day we fight for our rights. The culture: Grooming girls since birth (even before) to be the perfect wife for the much older men. And men growing up groomed to be granted a much younger wife like it was their due. If these girls don't follow that, they are rejected by their society. Like something is wrong with them.
Thank you for your review! Thankfully I pick and choose what I will watch so the storyline is not old fashion and ok with me. Also the timeline for the drama is 2017, 7 years ago already. I love the credits and is the only drama, whose credits I won't skip. Yea the story was not really a story you can retell because looks more like a sequence of moments of their relationship so i can see how you say, this would make a movie better. I also like the acting in here was believable which is why I am watching it. The young guy with her mom should have been better in She and Her perfect Husband because Xu Kai is cute and all but so cute and popular, you know he will no fall for an older lady. When men have the world at their feet they only want what they consider the best of the best.
LOl I didn't know ost of while you were sleeping is in the drama hahaha, seeing as to how I didn't remember the Korean version of the ost, seems like the english version is much better
Very few of these am I anticipating. I am still hoping for release of some of the BL dramas. Sad they produced so many that are shelved. Especially Immortality. Other than that I generally wait for celebrities or really good reviews. Currently went back to watch The Legends. Interesting to see BaiLu and XuKai at young development as actors. Story drags a little. Waiting for Journey of ChongZi to update. So far mildly disturbing drama. And still enjoying Meet Yourself. Relaxing.
I watched 6-7 episodes of the drama before giving up. I didn't like the story telling and continuity fails. FL seems delusional. I have no problem with age gap dramas or love at first sight concept but they need to be done right. Also FL's attitude felt like harassment than romantic. And then the continuity issues. Most of the time the girl is running all over places whether on foot or taxi and she doesn't even carry any money or purse or even phone with her. How is she getting all the free taxi rides?? Only thing I liked in the drama should be the ML character so far and the songs. They have a feeling of older days nostalgic song vibe. Now I realize they are reused songs. Not enough for me to continue watching...
I myself found the FL character questionable and as you haved stated I was also irritated by the fact that she runs everywhere without even a phone ( which is often used as a payment method ). I did continue watching and came to the conclusion that the FL is a child in a womans body. I see this character as someone who has been secluded from normal interactions, then became sick and was more or less isolated. One day this ' child ' walks into a hair-salon and it happens that a very attractive male touches her and he happens not to be family or a doctor and there begins her obsession with him. The ML character is a bit more complex but I can understand why he may fall in love with her. The script isn't perfect but I must say the acting is great , the skills and the OST are what keeps me watching and also the fact that they use their voice.
LOL, that part where she's taking taxis without paying is what bugged me the most. Also, didn't her nanny ever notice how long she's been absent from the house and not tell her mother?
This video made me want to rewatch while you were sleeping AGAIN 😂, honestly don’t think i will watch this drama, the age gap things still bother me a bit to much as a woman of 20yo I would find it creepy to have a 40yo man being my lover 🤷🏼♀️
The sensuality of the drama is almost required in order for the story to be believable ... we believe the story because we can understand why it might happen. Plotwise, this type of story went out of style in English romantic writing back in the early 80s .... I'm kinda happy that I tend to ignore the OSTs on just about everything I watch ... lol ...
I haven’t watched the drama yet but from the descriptions of erotic scenes and sexual tension etc it appears to be bordering a bit into light pornography but without nude scenes
Old enough to confirm societies I know (continental European) recently becoming more (read: too much) conservative (and boring). Not that I like films with erotic tramas (besides, I also think that certain US and UK productions would gain more if spared the audience of some totally unnecessary obscenities), but I remember Chinese films of this specific genre which were "poetically-aesthetically" amazing: just to mention three Wong Kar-Wai's gems, In Mood for Love, Happy Together and 2046, all HK productions having Tony Leung as a protagonist (and adding to this genre Leung's taiwanese movie Lust, Caution) were one class superior to anything produced in the West in that same period of time. Naturally, those movies won everything they deserved (Cannes, Venice, Montreal...) and, although I am not a Chinese and Asian, I sincerely share your mood and nostalgia for that level of quality, today blocked by the censorship. Lets hope it will be removed
I think the one gold bar rating is too high. Yes , there's nice scenery (Jerry Yan, Hainan Island, the Himalayas), but the FL character is so immature and so childish in her interactions with the ML. After they start dating, she's listed in his phone contacts as "Favorite Child." How creepy is that? But away from him she's an absolute witch with a b while confronting a perceived rival and rude to her peers. What the ML sees in her (other than a Lolita fixation) is beyond me. The second couple, especially the anxious, depressed mother, was far more interesting. The second couple is why I watched to the end and wished I hadn't. I can't recommend this drama. For nice scenery and more relatable characters, "Meet Yourself" is vastly superior.
Same here. I cringe with the "Favorite Child" Really creepy. Lust/sex was the main reason, my opinion for the ML to forgive and accept FL despite all the lies he found out. Whenever he founds out something bad she did, he rewards her (or himself) with sex 😏. I found the drama so slow and felt like I was watching early years of MTV. Not very good video editing too. The drama used the same soundtrack Lucid Dream as another K-drama: While You Were Sleeping. So, just like the reviewer, I had to fast forward the rest whenever Lucid Dream's played - all I could think of was the K-drama While You Were Sleeping. I just got tired of Lucid Dream played over and over in TFF drama. Excessive kissing/erotic scenes kind of destroyed the supposed to be romance in the story. I find TFF drama a take off from the old movie Lolita.
I wanted to watch it so much, but i had to drop. There are sooooo many scenes stolen from kdramas and jdramas (korean...well, im not a big fan of them btw but it gets on my nerves to see the exact scene repeated). For example the scene where he sits back on an armchair outside drinking orange juice, its copied by "K2" with Ji Chang Wook. ML's appearance, clothing, hairstyle, even his body language looks the exact same as the ML in jdrama: Million stars falling from the sky (oldie but goodie) .And so many other elements that are not even a bit changed, they just put it as the original! Also the kissing scenes were too pretentious, too many special fx, too many filters, weird lightning and not believable action. And its not about censorship, i ve watched quite some chinese dramas with very well directed and performed kissing scenes. Last but not least, some scenes looked so cheap-metaphorically speaking- like a cheap soft erotic movie-the scene in the middle of flowerfield, where he's wetting himself with water, com'on! Too bad, i wanted to watch the whole thing cause the photography and the whole visuals look so beautiful and i really loved both the couples in terms on chemistry and storyline
I also thought the same thing about K2 and the jpanese vibe. I also had to drop this drama. Especially I gave up after the 3rd shower they took because they got a few drops of rain, in a hot island during summer Lol
@@lindamolinari4951 if you watch the 100 million stars falling from the sky (the jap version-cause there s a Korean remake too) you ll be shocked of how identical the 2 ML are! Even some kiss scenes are choreographed the same way
True. I found the kissing scenes too pretentious. Stars scenes were also used in MG1 & early part of MG2, remember? 😄 I watched it all the way cause I already paid for my Tencent membership, but have no plans to re-watch it. Too many special effects used to enhance the drama. Lucid Dream sound track was played over & over & all I could think while watching was the k-drama While You Were Sleeping (where I first heard that music).
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This is honestly the best Asian drama I’ve ever seen out of ALL of the Asian countries that make dramas.
I was amazed at the emotion.
I binged this in a day and a half while working on a really tedious task for work, and all I can say is, Jerry's still got it. I didn't care about anything else in this drama except the scenes--the gorgeous love scenes--between his character and the female lead. That man is still fire! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Right? I ff all the other parts
I love that "old fashion" spirit in this drama!!! Love is old fashion.... ans the same strory keeps replying over and over again.
"Who can actually reject Jerry's attractiveness" slight gasp. Well I for one cannot. He has a rocking physique, sexy deep voice and beautiful, expressive face. 😍😘 The amount of shirt off scenes was very satisfying and the cinematography exceptional. Sorry for the gushing but this was the first time I was aware of this actor. I hope it launches more popularity and quality opportunities for him.
I "discovered" Yan Cheng Xu not so long ago in an old C-drama. Apparently he is hugely famous, and well loved, all over Asia, as the most popular member of former boy band F4 and actor in C-drama Meteor Garden. I liked him as a pirate in the film Ripples of Passion.
You may like to watch loving never forgetting with Jerry. It is a beautiful drama too.
Jerry Yan is still so gwapooooooooooo!!! Casting is superb! Great actors! Really convincing.. 👏👏👏⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved everything about this drama. It touched me in such a way I can't explain ❤❤❤❤
I loved it. Three goldmines in my heart. But logically, I agree with your criticisms of it
I feel these older tropes are well received lately, especially when screenwriters and directors can show them in a "modernized" way (adding in more 2020s relevant characteristics/removing older stereotypes). I think this is because there's a new wave of drama watchers that don't venture into older dramas, so these kinds of old tropes that we see feel new and refreshing to them? That's just my take on it though
You are just right✔
That's almost exactly what I was thinking when she kept mentioning that this story had already been done and how similar it was to dramas from 20 yrs ago. Most international fans probably weren't watching cdramas 20 yrs ago and aren't likely to seek them out now. It's a fairly fresh story for most of us.
I call it recycling.
Exactly. I am one of those new fans who is not familiar with these "older tropes" and dramas from 20 years ago and this drama was absolutely AMAZING to me.
So amazing that I found myself looking up the script writer to see what other works they've done lol
So bummed that the OST is full of songs from other dramas. I didn’t know that and the music was my favorite part of this drama.
I deeply wish some scenes were not cut. I think it would have only added to their chemistry.
You were right on about the actors. They sold it. Such a wonderful job. And I love what you said about Jerry’s eyes. So insightful.
Watched it 3 times and cried alot.
I was so engrossed with this drama Jerry made me blushed too much
I like that description. Becoming "detailed, layered, refined with age but not cynical". Tough to pull off tho :)
This drama has completely changed my perspective on age-gap romance. I have never been a fan of that genre. 10 yrs is fine, but 15 is pushing it for me. They did everything right when they cast their actors, especially Jerry Yan. The story and attraction between the leads is completely believable. If I'd been the FL, I wouldn't have cared what are ages were either.
Trueeee this is the first time this much age gap worked for me
@@yuhyi0122 and Oh boy!...does it work! 😍🔥🔥🔥
Same for me the casts did well with the trope
The Storyline is simple but im still in love 😂😂
I watched it 2 times and i fell inlove with the character of jerry yan.and he is really great in his acting it feels so real.
That’s it for me too Jarry Yan was tailor made for this character and then he finally got a drama that fits him even more at this age.. I especially love him for this drama.. This drama’s main casts were well chosen and I like the 4 actors a lot.. the drama is so good too and the story truly gives that decade ago kinda story and it’s so heartbreaking but warming too
I think this type of storyline is still popular in Japan. But I am looking forward to watching it. Jerry! Original F4 forever!
Human emotions are human emotions ... they do not "go out of fashion" or require "modern treatment" to be relevant or relatable. Seems AvenueX ignores the fact that the earliest film/TV output from both sides of the Atlantic & beyond now dates back to the 1920s! Themes & narratives have been endlessly rehashed since that time.
I personally have been brought up on a varied diet of "vintage" USA/UK/European (Italian/French) works of both "high" calibre & non. So to me, the narrative of The Forbidden Flower was definitely not novel but the sincerity of Jerry Y's embodiment of his character definitely hits hard ... the authenticity of his expressions/body language is breathtaking, he is Xiao Han. Jerry Y has ensured that for some time to come many will remember The Forbidden Flower very fondly indeed, despite the plot blind spots & lack of "originality".
Oh my goodness I feel like you heard my comments while I watched this drama.
I quit watching halfway through and watched some clips instead. I decided to wait until all the episodes are available to me and then finish watching.
You share details that are spot on.
Thanks so much.😊
I like the story how the artists play the Character specially the 2 lead artist. The good vibes is always present. The feeling of being young and feeling of too much emotions that can't be hide. The lead star role how he reciprocate the lead star feeling. Its pretty obvious that they will never fall in love again until the found each other again. ❤
I love the music in this drama a lot.
I think it was for 2017 because the polaroid of the flower He Ran found in his bedroom says 2017
completely agree with this review. It's a passionate story with many amazingly beautiful shots of flowers, sea, palm trees, all things bright and beautiful. The relationship between the two leads is amazing and very charged, and they are beautifully portrayed and very easy on the eye.... the rest, and indeed the story itself, do not gel so much. Still, I'm watching it and really enjoying it, the love is very intense. (btw, I have the same cherry earrings too, they are so nice!)
I can tell you are so happy explaining this drama esp when you talk about Jerry 😂😘
At the moment I am stuck at episode 18 of this drama. I started watching it without really taking much toughts into the age difference between the two couples. I agree that the tension between them is almost a physical thing that gets out of the screen and hits you between the eyes. As said, the friend who keeps on trying to get the lead female is soooo boring, he does not add anything to the drama. So far I have to say I like it a lot but I believe it is not one of dramas I shall watch again and again. I hope that more dramas with this kind of energy will be made in the future.
I think it was about episode 18 that I started to wonder wtf I was watching 🤣 The final episode I quite enjoyed.
@@celinahatton2653I just fast Forwarded those parts 😂😂
Both have good chemistry and cute.. Jerry is super cute every time he smiles.
I absolutely loved this drama. Beautiful love stories. Romantic, gorgeous, and dreamy. Gave me all the feels. I was excitedly looking forward to your review. Balanced and informative as usual.
I really wish avenueX has another channel that she can do k-dramas review😭💗
one think I know you put to words what this drama did, I had nothing but complains about this drama until a scene when the male lead is drinking water and then the camera slowly zooms in , I swear to you my mind went blank , this will be the first cdrama that was so open about the attraction and desire ...
I have to say, I have been Jerry's fan for 15 years now.... he looked like a dream then, and he still does now... how is that even possible?? Umm, there might even be 15-year-olds who were just born when I started being Jerry's fan and are now watching this video....
The editing in this drama was a massive trip - I assume because of censorship, but it made some of the continuity an absolute shit-show - to the point where I realised I had accidentally skipped episode 8, and didn't realise until several episodes later; there are that many random skips in this drama.
I loved this drama sooooo much. It felt so enchanting and I loved the music ❤
For me it’s a 3 goldmine drama 🔥
Edit: but I do agree that aside from the leads romance the rest of the drama was very forgettable
Thanks for your review, i love si much This drama. It vives me happé vibes during 3weeks and i often listen go it music
Perfeito a escalação do elenco❤ Jerry Yan💐😍
4:58 mood 😂
5:32 exactly(i actually thought she was in her 30s at most like wow)
I am very very surprised you watched this drama and gave it a gold mine ratings at most, i agree with most of what you said as usual.
This is my official introduction to Jerry yan and truly does he look good😭(I'm relatively new to Cdrama world, started officially watching in 2016ish compared to my kdrama watching since 2007ish), heard of him when i watched Wang hedi and Shen yue's meteor garden also his 2014 drama loving never forgetting you i think (i just watched a bit of it cuz of an edit i saw on yt).
Yes, truly they were very daring, a lot of scenes (cut scenes too) had me jaw dropped, i was so stunned(in my mind, i was always like this cannot be a cdrama, what's happening 😂).
10:52
Yes, Hanyu's role was just extremely annoying and useless, Asian dramas in general need to stop this nonsense.
11:30 same my lady, i just wanted him gone from screen😭
This is the first cdrama i officially watched and finished for 2023,so far I've been watching older ones mostly from 2020 below.
Truly it had potential to do so much better and the cut scenes just made it worse and made some part of the drama look messy/choppy 😭, anytime i saw a cut scene it pissed me off so bad.
The Beautiful locations and the music, i haven't heard any of them till now and they are a wonderful addition to my playlist esp half dim sum by Grasshoppers.
(not a fan of that ver of the ending song i wanted it gone😂, found out it was from WYWS and i prefer that ver).
Also this was like an introduction to the Qiang Tribe, never heard of them and their language just sounded so lovely(ended up looking them up and doing a mini research).
Nevertheless, i enjoyed and will be doing re watchs when i have the time , also will be watching more of Jerry and Ruo han's works❤️👍🏻(started Count your lucky stars days ago and will continue Perfect and Casual too).
Thank you for the wonderful review as always,my lady 🫶🏽.
ive been waiting for this drama to release their all eps and you posting your review! now i guess i can watch it after this video ~~
Thank youuu so much for this review! I dont have a lot of people in my place to talk to about these things so I hope it’s okay to share this here… 😅
I Agree with your rating. For me, It was a bit unsettling at first but I finished til the end. The story telling and the beautiful sensual shots got me hooked. The female lead did a really good job portraying an imperfect, somewhat insecure and spoiled girl who had challenges to face of her own. I may not agree with her decisions and actions but that’s her personality and it can actually does happen in real life- and I guess that’s how I came to accept her role/character, eventually. The male lead here was too silent and aloof for me, but in the later parts when he actually speaks and interacts more, I get to see a mature and not so clueless guy (the kind with uhhh naughty (?) thoughts but chooses respect, control and responsibility rather than just jumping into a temporary bout of excitement or lust).
This story is indeed cliche but the imperfect characters and the cinematography for me made it unique and worth the watch. 😊
While watching everyone on the comment section is so in love in with Jerry
I think casting was perfect for this and their chemistry was really good what I don’t like about this drama is the editing damn i was so frustrated about the directing it could have been so much better and also there are so many intimate scenes unlike most cdramas I’ve watched
more like 2 CENTURIES AGO story, with the child bride and everything
I love it and was my life. Excellent show. I want more.
I couldn’t stand that one dudes role either! I fast forwarded him too 😂
Most make another season of it...
100% agree with the review! I love the second lead couple even more.. the drama got interesting when this couple started.. for me, they sold out way more than the main lead. 😅😅.
I had also that weird feeling about the OST . But I really liked the drama🥰
She does only Chinese dramas. I'm glad she is doing it,to spread Chinese dramas more to international audience. Imo, Chinese dramas have to be finished first before airing them to the public,unlike other asian dramas where they are shooting the scenes as they are being broadcast. The plot,the details the producers and staff give attention to is what make Chinese dramas very worth watching.
For me the main romantic/erotic relationship set in an environment of beauty (artistic and scenic) rated three gold bars. Nothing else came close and was a distraction.
Yeah! agree if this is made into movie damn it would be very good
This drama was ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I love this drama so,so much. ❤️
I only watched this drama because of its intimate scenes 😅
only about 2/3 of the way and my thoughts:
- i really liked the chemistry between the mother and younger man possibly even more so than the main leads chemistry. their acting together was also very good because their conflict and storylines felt emotional but not melodramatic.
- i thought there were too many moments of bad editing especially the most basic continuity editing with the actors going from smiling one shot to frowning the next, i thought it really let the actors down and the strongest scenes were when there was minimal cutting between actors.
- regarding the music them constantly using the song "trouble i'm in" immediately made me think of the film in your eyes which uses it during an intimate scene but only once so using it again and again kind of weakened its impact imo. also speaking of in your eyes there were a lot of shots or moments that made me think of other films like i could see the directors inspiration and sometimes it worked but other times the comparison didn't benefit the tv show.
- i thought yan chengxu's hair was a bit distracting. he's meant to be a very practical, salt of the earth guy but his hair with the highlights and volume made me laugh a little its very early 2000s idol styling
- the childhood friend in the band feels unnecessary, maybe his inclusion will matter more in the last 3rd of the show but right now he feels somewhat useless
- right now the show is enjoyable fun but the unique directing, acting choices makes me think how this could have been a much better show. had the plot been straightened out through rewrites and more time given to editing to make sure basic issues like discontinuity between shots didn't exist this could have been a much stronger show.
I do love also chemistry between the mother and younger man
I too like more the chemistry of the mother and young man more than ML & FL. I always waited for their parts in the different episodes, both the mother and the young man showed great acting talents!
@@beautifulrosesandmoreetc agreed！
I am watching this drama on Rakutin Viki. I am enjoying it so far.
Loved your review. I did have the old-school romance feeling when I watched this drama and deemed it a "Classic". I appreciated the realism of the writer and director in filming the actual sexual tension that exists in relationships. The "puppy love' genre of romance dramas of adult actors has got to stop and the censorship of critical and logical romance scenes needs to end. The 99% of what was invested in this drama was worth it to make the drama have a feeling of voyeurism for the viewer. This drama defines love in all aspects and I would only suggest (after the Qiang cultural insert into the drama) that 2 bars would not have been too much. Thank you [ binged 10 straight hours to finish last night and this morning].
Songs are great!!!
I watched this up to episode 13 and i think it’s better if I not continue. I can’t remember when I watched this review but I guess it was when it was released. The drama is kind of weird to me and feels like it doesn’t make sense in the story line. And it’s kind of weird how I feel like no one talks about how weird the female leads behavior is along with her mom. But the female leads whole motive and reasons for chasing the male lead’s character when she hasn’t even told him that she has an illness and will potentially die along with lying to him repeatedly especially about her age was so weird to me. And her mother has so many issues going on with her I don’t know why she doesn’t get help. I really tried to like this drama but I can only like the filming shots and songs and music. This drama is so weird and hard to like when I can barely understand the characters.
You must be very lucky in your life to find a true love...and then ....you can understand what hapiness mean.I Can feel this kind of love in this drama and made me happy too..because stil exists this marvellous feeling.The actors were very convincing and the love scenes very beautiful.So I enjoyed the story and for me worths 3 golden stars.
I really think Yu Xiang was the best actor in this drama; I was always looking forward to seeing how his character would evolve. I was a bit let down with some of the plot elements, but I enjoyed the bit where they introduced us to the Qiang culture; you don't really see things about specific ethnicities in modern dramas ; I want to see more of that instead of just trying to make everything so standardized and almost white washed...
It was very different from Jerry Yan's previous romantic dramas. It was a bit hard for me to get into his character at first because he felt too detached , but that's how they wrote him so he did his best to portray it as was requested, The visual style was very refreshing; I like how it enhanced architecture and landscapes a lot.
I agree with you that Han Yu's character was just like too right out of an idol drama aimed at teenagers... He was really too childishly written to be believable for an over 20 guy and the vibe was off with the rest of the drama. But I'm surprised they didn't make him end up with one of He Ran's roommates.
I think they managed to make the ending feel right, which is often the point most of these types of dramas would get wrong: it wasn't too mushy or sob story for the sake of getting a facial tissues company to sponsor the show. I found the ending satisfying.
As someone with a chronic illness, I found it touching and somewhat hopeful. It had a very different vibe from other dramas about illness I've seen (like say the K-Drama Scent of a Woman).
I think they didn't make the OST as good as it could have been; some scenes made it seem very repetitive; it didn't contribute to the ambiance as much as it should have for this type of drama.
yes, 于翔 acted so well in this drama!
If you like the ethnic aspects of this series, you can find it in other C-drama too, like the 2022/2023 series Meet Yourself.
@@realmofthesenses thank you so much for the suggestion; I shall look it up! 😁👍
@@LadyDarkSunMoon you're welcome
Why? It's a beautiful story
The whole story was amazing too me. I recorded the songs
Whats the name of 2nd lead actor?
Where i can read its novel?
Jerry Yan is actually slightly older than Huang Yi, who played the mother of female lead. Almost all scenes are beautifully set, and I like the music and songs. It’s unusual to find a C-drama that’s full of eroticism and sexual tension like this drama. This is definitely not a usual C-drama. The downside : it’s like a compilation of 1990s MTVs and the pacing is really slow making the whole drama feels draggy. Jerry Yan’s fans would probably love this drama.
Yeah it does have that kind ofl eisure feeling, good thing there's only 24 ep instead of 40+ ep like other Chinese drama nowadays
Huang Yi ( who played the mother of He Ran) performed very well in this drama. I like her acting. She's 2 years younger than Jerry Yan.
I was going to comment here that Jerry Yan at least di not use his trademark line...but alas he did at episode 12 ( i am currently just watching it after dropping it at ep 8, went back after watching your review here) He did it again!!! hahaha his trademark line "sha gua" (stupid) hahahaha Also his Taiwanese accent is less now in this drama which is better to blend with the other actors.
The drama is good I can’t lie…but I had to drop it after being told the age difference between the leads…it’s just doesn’t seat right with me. But I was impressed with the actress’s acting skills. And I’ll be searching her other dramas up to check them out.
watched eps 1 and 2 and i think i'll pass for now. it's rlly unique and the atmosphere is different but familiar. and i get what they're trying to show and what kind of feeling they want to induce but for some reason i don't clearly know, it's not just my vibe. i mean i watch many different kinds of things and i'm rlly not restricted by genre or smthng but i know myself i watch worth-while stuffs. music, movies, drama whatever i have always believed i have great taste in those. not to say this drama is bad but i just think this is not it.
i stumbled upon the forbidden flower cause i was trying to find great c-dramas since after a long while of drama-break, i stumbled upon the c-drama called My Calorie Boy and I rlly rlly liked--maybe even loved it. i was hoping to discover more gems so i tried this the forbidden flower stuff. guess i'll have to just accept that all great things come at the right time.
if u have 'great' suggestions, pls drop em below, xiexie ✨
Half joking with this comment, but I wonder how much allowance they are making in order to raise the birth rate. 😂😂😂
My ex was 21 and I was 15. Then I left him.
It would have much better without any cut scenes
Very good review, echoes my sentiments about this drama. I'm on TH-cam, so I catch up on this one when awaiting new episode releases of other dramas I am following. Doesn't get my hopes up, but the pretty & spicey intimate scenes are eye candy
This drama was an outlier on my 'waiting to watch' list. I may bump it closer to the top now.
As for me I don't like these kind of dramas. Because it romantisize the reality of my culture that to this day we fight for our rights. The culture: Grooming girls since birth (even before) to be the perfect wife for the much older men. And men growing up groomed to be granted a much younger wife like it was their due. If these girls don't follow that, they are rejected by their society. Like something is wrong with them.
Thank you for your review! Thankfully I pick and choose what I will watch so the storyline is not old fashion and ok with me. Also the timeline for the drama is 2017, 7 years ago already. I love the credits and is the only drama, whose credits I won't skip. Yea the story was not really a story you can retell because looks more like a sequence of moments of their relationship so i can see how you say, this would make a movie better. I also like the acting in here was believable which is why I am watching it. The young guy with her mom should have been better in She and Her perfect Husband because Xu Kai is cute and all but so cute and popular, you know he will no fall for an older lady. When men have the world at their feet they only want what they consider the best of the best.
I don’t care about this drama but I can just watch Avenue X talk all day
Thankyou for the review and love those earrings 🤍
LOl I didn't know ost of while you were sleeping is in the drama hahaha, seeing as to how I didn't remember the Korean version of the ost, seems like the english version is much better
Sameeee. I believe the english version stuck with me better
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Very few of these am I anticipating. I am still hoping for release of some of the BL dramas. Sad they produced so many that are shelved. Especially Immortality. Other than that I generally wait for celebrities or really good reviews. Currently went back to watch The Legends. Interesting to see BaiLu and XuKai at young development as actors. Story drags a little. Waiting for Journey of ChongZi to update. So far mildly disturbing drama. And still enjoying Meet Yourself. Relaxing.
I watched 6-7 episodes of the drama before giving up. I didn't like the story telling and continuity fails. FL seems delusional. I have no problem with age gap dramas or love at first sight concept but they need to be done right. Also FL's attitude felt like harassment than romantic. And then the continuity issues. Most of the time the girl is running all over places whether on foot or taxi and she doesn't even carry any money or purse or even phone with her. How is she getting all the free taxi rides??
Only thing I liked in the drama should be the ML character so far and the songs. They have a feeling of older days nostalgic song vibe. Now I realize they are reused songs. Not enough for me to continue watching...
I myself found the FL character questionable and as you haved stated I was also irritated by the fact that she runs everywhere without even a phone ( which is often used as a payment method ). I did continue watching and came to the conclusion that the FL is a child in a womans body. I see this character as someone who has been secluded from normal interactions, then became sick and was more or less isolated. One day this ' child ' walks into a hair-salon and it happens that a very attractive male touches her and he happens not to be family or a doctor and there begins her obsession with him. The ML character is a bit more complex but I can understand why he may fall in love with her. The script isn't perfect but I must say the acting is great , the skills and the OST are what keeps me watching and also the fact that they use their voice.
LOL, that part where she's taking taxis without paying is what bugged me the most. Also, didn't her nanny ever notice how long she's been absent from the house and not tell her mother?
Heyy!!! I would absolutely love a video covering some of the lore on Team Ninjas latest videogame Wo Long Fallen Dinasty!! Keep up the good work
Yes.....dropped. Too old-fashioned and it didn't make sense to me how they're together, besides lust and physical desire.
Does any1 have a link 2 those cut out bold intimate scenes 👀👀👀
th-cam.com/video/K88V5D6Jzek/w-d-xo.html
they are on youtube, just search 'forbidden flower', and they usually show up.
The better links are on other platforms outside TH-cam, but I am blocked from linking them here or even referencing them by name.
@@JoyInAccomplishment are you saying there are more than the ones that appear here? My goodness, I'd love to see those!
@@pattyb9445 They are on My Drama List (all one word).
Sounds like a hit will check it out!
This video made me want to rewatch while you were sleeping AGAIN 😂, honestly don’t think i will watch this drama, the age gap things still bother me a bit to much as a woman of 20yo I would find it creepy to have a 40yo man being my lover 🤷🏼♀️
I am uncertain about the review so highly by AvenueX . It’s kind of gross as story went on, l could only endure for 3 episodes.
Yeah, just from watch the trailer i could feel the limit like edge of the cliff it will pass censorship🤭
The sensuality of the drama is almost required in order for the story to be believable ... we believe the story because we can understand why it might happen.
Plotwise, this type of story went out of style in English romantic writing back in the early 80s ....
I'm kinda happy that I tend to ignore the OSTs on just about everything I watch ... lol ...
damn now im curious how would u review a korean drama
I haven’t watched the drama yet but from the descriptions of erotic scenes and sexual tension etc it appears to be bordering a bit into light pornography but without nude scenes
Dao Ming Si!!!!
Old enough to confirm societies I know (continental European) recently becoming more (read: too much) conservative (and boring). Not that I like films with erotic tramas (besides, I also think that certain US and UK productions would gain more if spared the audience of some totally unnecessary obscenities), but I remember Chinese films of this specific genre which were "poetically-aesthetically" amazing: just to mention three Wong Kar-Wai's gems, In Mood for Love, Happy Together and 2046, all HK productions having Tony Leung as a protagonist (and adding to this genre Leung's taiwanese movie Lust, Caution) were one class superior to anything produced in the West in that same period of time. Naturally, those movies won everything they deserved (Cannes, Venice, Montreal...) and, although I am not a Chinese and Asian, I sincerely share your mood and nostalgia for that level of quality, today blocked by the censorship. Lets hope it will be removed
I see Jerry, 😍
I think the one gold bar rating is too high. Yes , there's nice scenery (Jerry Yan, Hainan Island, the Himalayas), but the FL character is so immature and so childish in her interactions with the ML. After they start dating, she's listed in his phone contacts as "Favorite Child." How creepy is that? But away from him she's an absolute witch with a b while confronting a perceived rival and rude to her peers. What the ML sees in her (other than a Lolita fixation) is beyond me. The second couple, especially the anxious, depressed mother, was far more interesting. The second couple is why I watched to the end and wished I hadn't. I can't recommend this drama. For nice scenery and more relatable characters, "Meet Yourself" is vastly superior.
Same here. I cringe with the "Favorite Child" Really creepy. Lust/sex was the main reason, my opinion for the ML to forgive and accept FL despite all the lies he found out. Whenever he founds out something bad she did, he rewards her (or himself) with sex 😏. I found the drama so slow and felt like I was watching early years of MTV. Not very good video editing too. The drama used the same soundtrack Lucid Dream as another K-drama: While You Were Sleeping. So, just like the reviewer, I had to fast forward the rest whenever Lucid Dream's played - all I could think of was the K-drama While You Were Sleeping. I just got tired of Lucid Dream played over and over in TFF drama. Excessive kissing/erotic scenes kind of destroyed the supposed to be romance in the story. I find TFF drama a take off from the old movie Lolita.
i love the second couple too!
I give up at ep6. 😅
I wanted to watch it so much, but i had to drop. There are sooooo many scenes stolen from kdramas and jdramas (korean...well, im not a big fan of them btw but it gets on my nerves to see the exact scene repeated). For example the scene where he sits back on an armchair outside drinking orange juice, its copied by "K2" with Ji Chang Wook. ML's appearance, clothing, hairstyle, even his body language looks the exact same as the ML in jdrama: Million stars falling from the sky (oldie but goodie) .And so many other elements that are not even a bit changed, they just put it as the original! Also the kissing scenes were too pretentious, too many special fx, too many filters, weird lightning and not believable action. And its not about censorship, i ve watched quite some chinese dramas with very well directed and performed kissing scenes. Last but not least, some scenes looked so cheap-metaphorically speaking- like a cheap soft erotic movie-the scene in the middle of flowerfield, where he's wetting himself with water, com'on! Too bad, i wanted to watch the whole thing cause the photography and the whole visuals look so beautiful and i really loved both the couples in terms on chemistry and storyline
I also thought the same thing about K2 and the jpanese vibe. I also had to drop this drama. Especially I gave up after the 3rd shower they took because they got a few drops of rain, in a hot island during summer Lol
@@lindamolinari4951 if you watch the 100 million stars falling from the sky (the jap version-cause there s a Korean remake too) you ll be shocked of how identical the 2 ML are! Even some kiss scenes are choreographed the same way
Lol scene in Flowerfield is like a cheesy 80's commercial 🤣
@@bapyongukgukguk2352 Agree 😅
True. I found the kissing scenes too pretentious. Stars scenes were also used in MG1 & early part of MG2, remember? 😄 I watched it all the way cause I already paid for my Tencent membership, but have no plans to re-watch it. Too many special effects used to enhance the drama. Lucid Dream sound track was played over & over & all I could think while watching was the k-drama While You Were Sleeping (where I first heard that music).