Breaks me we lost Kimi Qiao, Be in a better place. Rest in peace.
He has a rare gift, hard to come by a very classic CNperiod face, promising young actor and idol at 28 with decades ahead to mature into fine fine thespianhood if he chose to, impressive in Lu Zhen/Female Prime Minister, and was quite delightful in new take of Justice Bao, Detective Alliance/ 新神探联盟. I am looking forward to the upcoming cute fluff Stay with Me with him in it, anchored by JoeChen and WangKai. Why don’t you stay?! Lesighlesigh
There is a HK drama that is worth savoring, tastefully done in all department: Margaret and David: Green Bean/瑪嘉烈與大衛: 綠豆. 芝蔴綠豆 (lit. black sesame green bean) is a cute Canto slang describing It, a thing, a bother which is not worth a trivial dime like a sesame seed or a green bean. I have not seen a serious slice of life adult romance about the murky in betweens, where we juggle the alrights and not actually, the almost happy and discontent, the little snags, disagreements, compromises, the almost there but not quite, the inertia we can’t let go, but should… The story is nothing earth shattering, nor epic in sweeping romance but about the little drops of je ne sias quoi being in a relationship or not in adulthood.
One may not like any of the characters, nor their stories, but I dare you not to find resonance in one or two, and before long a line or two hit that sticky inner spot. There is a lush application of voiceover, I almost always hate the overzealous poignancy VO forces me to pay attention to, the twerp in me rebels to be forcefed, so smug of my intuition I could figure it all out and it is part of the fun. It takes some getting used to, esp for me, not everyone’s cup of tea, but there are moments when it suddenly spook me graciously speaking my read my emotions my comprehension my thoughts my conviction my reaction my inner voice in head, it is surreal. It is like a watch-buddy ingrained, a green bean that we all bump into whether we notice or not.
I love it is so tactfully framed just to look at, but the blanks, at times bleakness add a greyscape of nonchalance, soothing, therapeutic, an understated calm of simple muted aesthetics, appropriate canvas allowing these characters to live a little and breathe a little and us audience to break from an overload of senses. They are telling their often insignificant but relatable sounds of their lives, inhibiting a city that is still quietly steadily thumping when we have looked away, counting it passe and out.
Hong Kong is often lamented as a depressing aftermath of roaring fireworks of brainstorms in this industry. Downtrodden, it is not dead yet.
And it touches on essaying homosexuality. Not cheeky BL fanservice. It seriously takes a look, however superficial on love and yearning of the same sex.
It was his birthday, he gave him a puzzlebox.
Years later, he rents out a shift of the taxi he owns (taxi license in HK is worth a small flat/fortune there)
Thank you, without you there is no ‘Me and You’.
He keeps casually throwing it out, over snooker. He must’ve never opened a box perhaps with 2 green beans in it, it sounds like.
Bowie Lam is almost always terrific, characters are reassured to be in his good hands, but seldom in such lovely nuanced material showcasing his gift, our loss not watching for his acting alone. He reminds me of Tony LeungCW in a pipedream of mine where he could just be at ease at his most relaxed form and enjoy doing sth he could just breathe in and out effortless almost meditative, without any pressure and compromises of Tony’s status.
My bromantic mind makes me see the bearded guy next to HuGe is YuanHong and they are driving off to the sunset eloping:
Onto much sillier cuter puppie things:
PARK BO GUM!!!!!!!!!!!! You are, this is, entirely, not legal, everything! You, KYJ, You+KYJ, you flirting with a 17yo KYJ unnecessarily but so acting out ALL our polluted minds what should happen in much prettier visuals, and you SCARED the pretty actor, she said it out loud, but is so professional as to LET you hold her as long as you want or camera stops rolling finishing scene or not (they still filming forgetting to hit stop get a rm) and you hold out your arms as if nothing happened other than your crazy yummy adamapple shaking with your impish crackle. Arrest him, his rightfulprison is my spare room.
KYJ, by all accounts is crazily gifted and the most seasoned saguek veteran of the lot and you distract her I bet just w the glare of ur ridiculously white perfect teeth into giggles, the crew is calling you out! enough of you I’m sure. I suggest PBG should walk around in a sandwichbag over his tiny head… oh but the suggestion of yumfood in neat package. Hmph.
I can’t kiss I did not do it well, *let’s kiss more*...blablabla I won’t cognitively say PBG is the best kisser that is not true, I just Feel for KYJ’s knees.
…Very weak buckling knees. *I’m kidding sorta the teenager seems mostly exhausted, flabagasted catching her breath…, I do not ship, need not toenjoy the joy of dying in cuteness overload*
I don’t know what they are doing but I saw that crew lady getting out of her way just to make room for them since they are not getting themselves one.
I…still am ugly crying because very chatty cousin of mine had to tell me everything about her BubbleGummy and I can not watch a scene of PrinceYeong missing Mom and not have my heart pulled out of me in lots and lots of tears and convulsions. Goodness for the sweetness of mankind and PBG’s face no more gorgeous young heroes missing his Mother, I can not bear the thought of PBG channeling anything from missing his own Mom. T____T someone cast him next in a drama where he is happily married to a noona thus could have Kim HyeJa, Na MoonHee, Go DuShim…etcetc to be his Mom/Grandma, MiL and Grandmainlaw the likes.
I love KDY here as ByungYeon. I had an agree to disagree with a dramachingu I do think KDY is doing a better job than YAI, even though I could concur YAI is more gorgeous. Just the work on his hair is marvelous, it does look convincing unattended to yet so hot a mane of untamed glory. I have never seen nor heard of him. Imo he is doing a v similar MoonyYAI role w a touch more subtle nuance and aware in a good way of the station of his character. He is very immersed in scene as a set piece, every reaction alert of being a very loyal sharp bodyguard and best friend to his Prince Yeong…take that about to check out her injured neck but slapped by a possessive Prince.
His eyes fixated on Yeong disclosing just enough shock and comtemplating for Prince’s wellbeing of both this must be a first of how Y is treating him, and sensitive to Y’s everything, blatant affection towards RO. BY sets his eyes sternly on Y to most importantly warn him in wary of how precarious Y’s attachment to RO is, and clearly Prince is aware, but BY doesn’t back down, yet never crossing the line as a subordinate, with just that he conveys how competent he is at his job to be eyes and ears for his Prince and that sensitive concern and worry of a friend.
Let’s pray they stay happily a 3some watching the sunsets forever
mookie 
‘Margaret and David’ sounds like something I might like but I doubt there’ll be subs. There are dramas I don’t need to understand the dialogue to enjoy them, like e.g. Mystic9, but this probably ain’t one of those.
You’ve never come across KYD before? I’ve been keeping tabs on him since Adolescence Medley, a 4 epi drama special. He was rather wonderful in it. Hard to believe the boy is only 19 yrs and this is his first proper adult role. I’m ever so glad FNC had him debut as an actor first as I think he’s better off with an acting carreer than being an idol. He was supposed to be in a band too but that fell through, so hopefully they’ve now buried that idea.
how few kdramas I watch and far inbtn nowadays compared to a few yrs ago … off the wagon/less time/urge/changin habits… so lazy now w convenience of 1click streaming thus a leaner menu of just the mass popular to choose fr and not getting any less annoyingly nitpicking
Last DramaSp gosh was it Red Candy/White Christmas ?! I will look 4 Adolescence Medley then. He is impressively wonderful!
I think M&D could be enjoyd in whatever capacity and from many aspects, a moody slice of the feel of HK, this streamlined cinematography is super rare… or just on it is hard to miss how well acted… the VO commentary, taking a good chunk of the 30min~ ep sounds grandiosely pompous lol according to my 30sth brother skipping that romance fiend gene yet he is quite a fan. Amuse me much. I’m sentimentally biased as it is voiced by a local DJ I had been stanning since highschool as in writing fanletters delivering personally waiting 4 him outside radio station those kind of super creepy stalker days muahahaha.
Oh gosh, yes. My kdrama count has dropped considerably in the past fiew years. It’s quite hard to come across anything I genuinely like, let alone adore.
KDY has been playing mostly teen versions of main chars but maybe now he’ll finally get elevated to do more supporting work. He looks quite mature for his age. Adolescence Medley was fun, his char was adorkable. Boy is great in comedic roles. Drama had fiew other nice performances as well, besides KDY.
Haha! I somehow can’t quite picture you as a stalker fangirl. Never did that meself, always too sensible and stuffy. 😛
There r many hints of him w very exquisite timing in MDbC, often in a literal blur. Great! AM seems what I am interested in nothing but (lighter but v well made) lately.
14yo self is someone so remote and foreign yet we rem everything about her in a weirdest secondhand embarrassment. There’s also that great push of peer enabling, when there r 4 of us crazy lot.
Adulting is no time to check out even 10min of everything under sun and do my pickings, then there was a period I’d feverishly fish 4 recs but it just was mostly tiresome, a lot of explaining it’s me not youdrama but … things r just generally not worth time, anyone’s. I find enjoymt on the sideline of watching folks enjoying dramas more than dramas themselves now, sad, true.
I didn’t know which post to comment on, a fair share of pretty in all three of them. 🙂
For once I’m determined to watch Stay With Me for Kimi 😦
Usually Joe’s dramas tend to fizzle out in the second half with a frustrated me wondering why they are dragging things along.
Probably in the minority as I’m not really into the two Moons (k BBJX and Moonlight). One being awful with the production. Only Lee Jun Ki is the better of the lot. Maybe I’m not fully invested so I just find the actress serviceable in what I considered a poorly written character to begin with. The other drama being something I am not interested in, regardless of how great the two leads are. Just personal taste. Hopefully this success brings the two leads with more offers and different roles. Wonder if KYJ ever play a villain? Would love that.
KDY is indeed great in the minor roles he has been given before. Really wish they cast him more.
瑪嘉烈與大衛: 綠豆 seems interesting, I do need subs for that though. Bowie tends to play a cop so I guess this is somewhat new for me. Haven’t seen Bernice in a while. Felt discourage from the HK dramas coming out in the recent years that I haven’t really invest myself in watching a HK drama.
Hu Ge and Yuan Hong should film themselves driving into the sunset. For the fans lol.
Joe has the ability to stay as normal as whatever crazy crap slammed at her but what I would give to watch her in a decently written simple adult romance. I just expect SwM to be watchable enough (loads of JCWK skinship) we can enjoy the chemistry… but lesigh… Kimi… it would be oddly devastating a watch.
Not a fan of shoujo? Gender bender? MoonCloud fine tuned all the clichéd genre contrivances so much it is beyond astonishingly lovely. Both the young characters r believably sensibly constructed so befittingly, w such an open fresh mind of own, again convincing within even the confines basing Prince off an innovative real young Joseon man, heroine never loses her brains even in a lot of distressed damsel situations, my jaw is dropped constantly in a lot of just right touches, almost negligent fabricated angst which the darlings themselves handle with such tenacity making it not worth a notice, so much things to mine and appreciate everywhere I dare to notice on top of the very decent writing all things considered even if not a groundbreakingly fresh story. I do not have to compromise for the sweets. I dare anyone to name me a drama with this lvl of great acting for a fluffy saguek and not just GuyGirl1, but everyone. Such a delight. I am not being pushy, world is better when we all have different things rocking our boats. If this stays this quality, it is on my fav Kdrama list for sure.
Yes, MoonRyeo had my crapometer screaming off bat. It just looks a load of cheap stinky mess. I like LJK’s face and acting less than the world so I haven’t been able to brave though his dramas exc a solidly good one, Time of Dogs and Wolves but he deserves much better writing at least.
I haven’t seen Bowie 4 so long, my typecast of him is actually baddies in TVB moons ago. He had played a gentle romantic before in War of Beauties 2004 no?!
Actually HKdrama has shockingly a few lil unique gems last few years, perhaps not masterpiece perfect, but their niche of quite a slap of self deprecating humor, cheeky kitschy smartassery, the heart and soul hitting closer to slice of life uglier reality still palpable and endearing warts and all… what it is offering, nowhere else in sinodramaland, even fr TVB, I guess one can only go up, upped their game when at the edge of free falling into abyss w v respectable competitions. HKTV has at least 4, 5 dramas quite lovely in its short existence esp 來生不做香港人 w MaggieCheung, drama will going down in drama history as a classic of the 2010s for HKers. 火線下的江湖大佬 / My Dangerous Mafia Retirement Plan will strangely worm into heart… there r quite a few more if u r interested and look more keenly.
Lol as if HG and YH won’t enjoy it wayyy more themselves if given the excuse/smoke screen it is all for a cushy paid job.
Hello Mookie.
For Moonlight, I’ve seen such generic plot before. It’s not really interesting on paper per say. However, I guess the stills and gifs are slowly convincing the worthwhile, albeit knowing the two leads’ previous works help too. I guess one day I will marathon the whole drama, but until then, I shall wait to see how things turn out 🙂 I’m really curious what kind of ending they are going for, knowing the historical background of the main character (the prince). Or maybe they will show us a open ending or go with a happy ending like what the drama’s tone has been. I feel I should just let everything finish before I start 😀 And no, you aren’t pushy 🙂
I’m more in the mood for a darker tone dramas like the kdrama Signal (detective mystery thriller) and I guess Josei kind of vibe?! Hence Margaret and David Green Bean is appealing to me.
This is on a previous post, but… why is someone by the name 朱一龙 so pretty?!
Seems like he’s the only good thing in Border Town Prodigal… someone should comply a video of only his parts.
Qin Empire 3 seems interesting. Makes me want to watch Three Kingdoms again.
Hihi!
Exactly my gripes too, frankly wished I had self-control and not start till it is all aired knowing the historical PrinceY (Lesigh)
***Spoiler fr novel*** is HE, they pull a WeiXB/LingHuC . Drama have made a lot of alterations adapting (LURVE them all), but if sticking to novel canon, still seems very apropos story/tone/etc and satisfying after all the necessary Angsts surfacing this pt of story. It feels wuxia-esque last ep as plot thickens, such perfection.
Signal is good! I wished it had an even tighter script though.
I am further into Margaret and David now, it is crazily real and enthralling, ‘actress’ playing M, only knew of her as an MC/host/anchor of entertainment news but she is such natural… nobody has much seams of trying/acting showing at all.
Gosh, 朱一龍，sooo pretty and only in craps. I have a nth but scenery wuxiap0rn post of BTP just as my own rewards for the suffering.
Qin3 should b 3K lvl of seriously good, should be. I think this has even better actors going for it. I can’t honestly say PeterHo is the definitive choice 4 even just a himbo LuBu.