Alrighty. I have to say, that I really, really wish that, like
dangermousie, Mars had been the first or at least one of the first doramas I'd ever watched. Because whatever dorama you do first watch, will always have a special place in your heart, because of the sheer, umbelieving, delirious joy that anything could be this good. Had it been the first, I would have been able to love Mars with a special, unreserved, adoring my-heart-aches-just thinking about it kind of love. Unfortunatately :( - as it's my 7th or 8th dorama, I have so much more to compare it to and so see it's flaws. However, having said that - I loved it. Haven't quite finished it yet - 3 more episodes - but it had one of my favorite themes of all time - this may sound odd or disturbing but I've always been interested in rape, just the psychological effects of it(and on a romantic level the protectiveness and angst it calls out in the male hero) and I can say the following three things about it:
1) The first few episodes were quite probably the most perfect I've ever seen in a dorama. Perhaps the most perfect I've ever seen. Seriously, I don't hesitate to call it brilliant. Just the development of the themes - her being a painter, the Mars theme with him, her being a shy, dysfunctional rape victim and he being an uber-confident, good-looking, and yet senstitive and tortured playboy...oh, it was perfect. I think my favorite scene of the entire drama was when he comes in and rescues her from the pervert teacher and threatens him so effectively and chillingly - I think that's the first time the two really see each other.
2)Vic Zhou is hands-down my favorite drama actor so far. (
dangermousie, you and I are slightly frighteningly alike in some ways:)
He just gets me. He and(don't laugh at the difference) Colin Firth are perhaps the only two actors I've ever seen in which I like them in everything and find every expression on their faces, every screenshot of them, every word they say, intensely compelling and hot. And I think Vic Zhou is the only actor I'd ever us the word just beautiful to describe.
3) I am officially sold on Taiwanese dramas. Meteor Garden made me realize that they really are different than Kdramas, Devil Beside You went a long, looong way to convince me they're amazing and unusual, and Mars has convinced that there's just something different about them - something compelling and different. I can't quite put my finger on it - aside from the fact that they're just steadier in general than other dramas, and that unlike most kdramas the couples portrayed tend to be actually functional - but other than that I can't articulate why or how they're different. Not yet anyway. And I'm still not sure which I prefer - Taiwanese or Korean. I do know now, however, that they are indeed different and that Taiwanese fulfill a side of me Korean haven't so far. And vice versa I think. It will be interesting changing them up in future. I don't think I'll have time to watch another drama for a while - they have to be carefully rationed like chocolate, like pleasure, like a drug - but the Taiwanese hunger is still on me so any other particular recommendations of Twdramas?
P.S. Barbie Hsu is AMAZING and may very well become my favorite drama actress as well.
P.S. II. Love Vic Zhou with all my heart.
E.T.A - so, let me get this straight. Barbie Hsu and Vic Zhou first did Meteor Garden, then did Mars, and all the while were NOT together? Because their chemistry is so intense and exquisite I just assumed, after hearing that they did get together in real life, that it was going on while they were working on these. How is that even possible? Well, all I can say is, no matter whether Barbie was dating someone else at the time - I dont' think all their scenes were feigned(mm, the lovemaking one) and if I were Barbie - I would have been attracted to Vic too. And promptly dumped Blue Lan(Yamen in Meteor Garden? ?? The more I delve into the personal lives of dorama actors the more confused I get, particularly time-wise). And then Barbie and Vic were together for two years and THEN broke up? That still breaks my heart. :( It's just not FAIR.