New and Updated Top 10 Taiwanese/Chinese dramas
Twdramas were my first drama loves (Mars and Meteor Garden were my first and second drama, respectively) and you never forget your first love, do you?
That is why, much as I might love the slickness of kdrama and the understatedness of jdrama, few things will get me as giddy or emo as a well-done twdrama.
So, after I’ve done my Top Dozen Jdramas and my Top 25 Kdramas, the next logical step is the Top 10 Twdramas/Cdramas, isn’t it? So I did one over a year ago, but have found that I need to majorly revise it.
So here is my updated Top 10 twdrama/cdrama list. Once again, same thing applies: only finished ones (or nearly), as unspoilery as I can make it, blahblahblah.
1. MARS (2004) (20 episodes)
Starring: Vic Zhou, Barbie Hsu
Plot: Set in a college in Taipei, Mars is a story of two broken people: Qi Luo (my favorite, Barbie Hsu), an artist who is so shy as to be dysfunctional, walking through her days as a zombie, praying for no-one to speak to her, and Chen Ling (my fave drama actor ever, Vic Zhou), a seemingly well-adjusted slacker whose passion in life is to be a motorcycle racer, but who is arguably even more messed-up than Qi Luo. Their paths intersect and the story goes from there…
Why: This was my first ever drama, and for three+ years remained the favorite drama, period (Legend has since got to share the top spot). I have metaed enough about it to fill a book, so it seems redundant to reiterate it, but Mars is not just one of the most amazing love stories I’ve ever seen, but it’s such a complicated, nuanced story of two extremely broken people who heal each other (but never mawkishly). It can get incredibly dark (rape, child abuse, insanity, murder) but is somehow uplifting. Chen Ling is my favorite drama hero of all time, and Qi Luo one of the favorite heroines. There is so much in the delicate, crucial relationship between the two, that you could watch and analyze for ages, and the chemistry is through the roof and the story is just like a gorgeous Victorian novel.
Favorite Moment: The love-making scene. Oddly, not for pervy reasons at all (you don’t really see anything), but for how enormously important it is for the character progression (to say more would be to spoil it). Or maybe when he rides to find her at the metro, after their fight.
Vid:
2. THE OUTSIDERS/THE OUTSIDERS 2 (2004) (20 episodes per each)
Starring: Dylan Kuo, Ady An, Blue Lan, Michael Zhang
Plot: Ah Hao, Shan Zi, and Xiong Qi are delinquents from poor backgrounds. Ah Hao, the leader among the three, falls in love with Yu Yen, a total opposite of everything they are (a sheltered pianist from a good family) and, miracle of miracles, she falls back in love with him. In order to protect her, he ends up joining the Triads and the story goes from there…
Why: Probably the most ‘grown-up’ twdrama I’ve ever seen, and the most complex, this is both very dark and giddily romantic. This takes something that could be a rather cliched story of forbidden love (low-class gangster and sheltered pianist) but builds it into something entirely different and better: loss of soul (yes, really), and secrets and spaces between people, even those who love each other. Yu Yen and Ah Hao are one of the most fascinating couples I’ve ever seen on screen, because the story gets them together very quickly but what we follow are the cracks and unevennesses in the relationship, all the flaws and hurts. And both of them are flawed, lost individuals somehow, who lose so much through loving each other, and yet you cannot be sorry for it at all. But it is not just a love story, but also a Greek tragedy really, of a loss of innocence, and descent through good intentions, and inevitability of betrayal. It just kills me that more people don’t know about this drama.
Favorite Moment: Oh, so many. But probably (because yes, I am a glutton for punishment), Ah Hao sobbing over and over that he is sorry, in ep 15 (to say more would be to really spoiler it). Or in ep 14, when Yu Yen is repainting the piano and stages the concert for him. Or the scene after Ah Hao et al’s first murder.
Vid:
3. BLACK AND WHITE (2009) (24 episodes)
Starring: Vic Zhou, Marc Chao, Ivy Chen
Plot: A complicated mystery thriller involving a global conspiracy, tangled emotional relationships, and two very different policement - the duty-driven, law-obsessed Ying Xiong and a quirky, hyper playboy Zai Tian.
Why: One of the tightest-written dramas out there, with a complex clever plot, great characters, incredibly tough women, delicious OTP action and gorgeous angst.
Favorite Moment: Zai Tian and Chen Lin talking after a certain revelation changes their relationship, they believe (I am trying to be unspoilery here); Ying Xiong confessing to Chen Lin. Chen Lin rescuing wounded Xiao Ma.
Vid:
4. METEOR GARDEN (2001) (20 episodes)
Starring: Barbie Hsu, Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Ken Chu, Vanness Wu
Plot: Shan Cai (Barbie!!!) is a poor but strong-willed student at an exclusive, richy-rich college ruled by the offspring of the four richest families, known as F4. When something she does angers the tyrannical F4 leader, Daoming Si (Jerry Yan, showing off his yummy cheekbones), F4 declares she is persona non grata who must be bullied to be expelled. But Shan Cai, full of backbone and common sense, refuses to take it lying down and declares her own war on the F4. Parodoxically, her sheer nerve catches the attention of Daoming Si, and he ends up falling in love with her. One little problem: not only does she (justifiably) hate him, and is also crushing on his best friend, the quietly elegant Hua Ze Lei (Vic Zhou), but Daoming Si wouldn’t know how to woo a girl if his life depended on it…
Why: This is the daddy of all the current twdramas, really. It is ridiculously fun, with some hilarious bits and some incredibly emotional bits. There is a fantastically strong heroine, an amusingly dense hero, plenty of eye-candy, and a story that has been enthralling people for ages (there is a reason Hana Yori Dango, the manga this is based on, has been adopted seventeen billion different times). True, the F4 boys are learning their acting on the job, but the story is so good, it really doesn’t matter. And unlike the jdrama adaptation, this is very very faithful to the manga, which is a huge plus.
Favorite Moment: Daoming Si letting the goons beat him into unconsciousness because if he resists, they would hurt Shan Cai. It’s actually hands-down my favorite scene in any drama.
Vid:
5. MY LUCKY STAR (2007) (19 episodes)
Starring: Jimmy Lin, Yoo Hana
Plot: Yoo Ha Na is Zhi Xing, a con artist who gets caught during her 'last job before marriage' due to an unfortunate chance collision with Tian Qi (Jimmy Lin), a rebellious Second Son of a jewelry empire, who has just been jilted. Zhi Xing takes the blame both for herself and her man, a fellow con-artist who promises to marry her when she is out if she takes the blame for him. But when she is out, the slimeball does not want anything to do with her. Meanwhile, Tian Qi is back in the country after a lengthy absence to attend the wedding of his older brother to the woman who jilted him. Can the ditched con-artist with nothing to call her own, except for her cheerfulness and grit, and the son of a rich but extremely dysfunctional family (his mother killed herself because his father had an affair with someone else etc) have anything in common? You betcha, in the delicious world of Taiwanese dramas! Zhi Xing is about to prove that her cellmate's statement that "nobody marries a woman who has been in jail" is so very wrong...
Why: It's both utterly hilarious and also made me bawl. The OTP, the OTP, the OTP! They are both such lovely people, oddball but no-matter-what mature and grown-up: there are no ridiculous drawn-out misunderstandings that could be cleared with two words, or behavior that makes you want to strangle one of them. The leading male is not a jerk, the leading female not a dimwit. Their chemistry is out of this world and the love story is pitch-perfect. It reminded me a lot of the Korean drama My Girl, only if Yoo Rin hooked up with Jeong Woo instead.
Favorite Moment: The scene in the warehouse in the fire (see pic 2) - I am such a sucker for guy getting harmed for the woman he loves and this is made all the better when she comes back for him.
Vid:
6. WHY WHY LOVE (2007) (15 episodes)
Starring: Rainie Yang, Mike He, Kingone
Plot: Jia Di is a hard-working girl burdened with a family that goes through money like water. Her life could be different if she wasn’t too busy to find love, or so her best friend thinks. The perfect candidate to make Jia Di’s life brighter? The kind, clever manager, Huo Yan. Now only if she didn’t get stuck babysitting his bratty younger brother, Huo Da, instead…
Why: This was a totally unlikely favorite. I didn’t have much interest in it when it started, as it looked like a hang-over from Devil Beside You, a drama I am in a tiny minority in not caring for. I checked it out merely because I like Mike, Rainie, and Kingone, and it looked cute. And somehow, after the first few eps, I discovered I fell madly in love with it. This was a hilarious drama that made me cry, a romance that made me care about family issues, a story with one of my favorite OTPs which made me adore the Other Guy. It did everything right which DBY did wrong, and made no mistakes of its own. It was not draggy or repetitive, nor did it gallop too much. The hero was someone I ended up caring a great deal for: he both grew and was also ‘opened up’ to the viewer, and the heroine was a total darling, whom I loved and wanted to protect myself. The heroine was not a dishrag and the hero was not a mope. Plus, friends who become lovers? Yes please. Oh, whatever. Enough of my blathering, just go watch!
Favorite Moment: Huo Yan explaining himself to Jia Di (by the car) or Huo Da running looking for Jia Di when he is worried she was caught by loan sharks.
Vid:
7. IT STARTED WITH A KISS/THEY KISS AGAIN (2005-2006) (20 episodes)
Starring: Ariel Lin, Joe Cheng, Jiro Wang
Plot: Our heroine, Xiang Qin, might not be the brightest bulb out there, but she knows what she wants: the brainy, good-looking Zhi Shu, the pride of the school. A pity her love letter gets rejected out of hand, and Zhi Shu not only does not break his stride but asks her if she really has nothing better in life. This could be the end of it all, and just an embarassing teen memory (except Xiang Qin is too spunky to be embarassed) but a series of hilarious events conspires to have the ill-matched couple live together. Can the bubbly, not-too-bright Xiang Qin win over Zhi Shu, who is entirely unfamiliar with human emotions? What do you think?
Why: ISWAK is just wonderfully good fun. I watched it in the middle of moving, and remember giggling and sniffling surrounded by boxes. ISWAK makes you forget your daily troubles, it’s true! This is a rare drama with which I fell in love from the opening scene, one where I adored the chemistry, one which (even if the outcome is certain) is full of the wonderful ‘but how on earth will this happen…’ vibe. I love it.
Favorite Moment: Confession and kiss in the rain.
Vid:
(this is a MV for They Kiss Again)
8. RETURN OF THE CONDOR HEROES (2006) (41 episodes)
Starring: Huang Xiaoming, Crystal Liu
Plot: HXM and CL play the star-crossed, sword-wielding lovers in this wuxia cdrama based on a famous novel. He is her martial arts disciple thus it can’t be, which would be enough plot right there, but throw in evil poisoners, mystical hermits, the most obnoxious character to ever exist, and a Mongolian invasion, and you got yourself a riproaring good time, plus my favorite wuxia ever.
Why: This is a fairy tale for grown-ups, full of magic, star-crossed lovers, gorgeous costumes, and wikedly cool fights. I love the hero but I love the love story even more, pushing every kink I have, and then some. And, a rarity in wuxias, a happy ending!
Favorite Moment: The night after the wedding, in the cave and with her fear of death. Or their fight against Valley Overlord.
Vid:
9. SILENCE (2006) (19 episodes)
Starring: Vic Zhou, Park Eun Hye
Plot: The heroine of the story, Shen Shen, is a half-Korean girl who has been mute since a childhood accident. When she was in the hospital recuperating, she met and made friends with a boy who was on crutches, Wei Yi. Both of them felt alien so bonded with each other and even fell into a childhood sweethearts type thing, very Victorian. He didn't know she was mute, and he only knew her Korean name. Oh, and he left her his phone number but even if she could call, she's lost it. When the proper story starts, Shen Shen is a grown-up woman, living with her loving family, sunny and unretiring, and not cowed by her handicap. Her father figure gets fired by the young, icy CEO of a company he's worked at for years and ShenShen crosses the man's path as she tries to get him to rehire Uncle. And it goes from there. Of course, the CEO in question is the grown-up Wei Yi. But neither of them know of the fact.
Why: Silence is an amazingly shot and acted drama, and would normally be much higher, except I cannot bear to rewatch the angst again. The OTP is pitch-perfect, Vic Zhou gives a wonderful performance, Shen-Shen is a heroine who makes you love her, and the whole thing has these amazing moments, of either beauty or being punched in the gut and crying until you hurt. But I cannot take the misery a second time, I cannot.
Favorite Moment: Shoes. Oh my God.
Vid:
10. LOVE CONTRACT (2004) (20 episodes)
Starring: Ariel Lin, Mike He
Plot: The story centers around Xiao Feng and Ken, college students. Xiao Feng is a tomboy (she wears loose, baggy clothing and even an unpretty short wig to school so as to get less attention) and is a president of the college kendo club. She runs it with a strict strict hand, and two of the members rebel and decide to join the swim team instead, only to find out too late that the swim team captain is just as strict and perfectionist as Xiao Feng herself. The captain in question is Ken, who is a quiet loner, the strong and silent type. Well, the friends decide to make life easier for themselves and offer Ken a deal. In exchange for finding a coach and swim team members (no one really want to join), he would have to take Xiao Feng out for a movie. That way (reason they) maybe both of them will mellow out. And it goes from there.
Why: This is a very flawed drama. The parts with the friends were designed for the fastforward button, and the ending literally makes no sense. And yet, and yet…This is put on the list because the relationship between Ariel and Mike (both playing completely against type) rings painfully true and is one of the most romantic and complicated relationships in twdramas.
Favorite Moment: The underwater kissing. Or the dance scene near the end.
Vid:
10 (tie) CORNER WITH LOVE
Starring: Barbie Hsu, Alan Luo
Plot: A rich girl loses everything and ends up living with the family of a young male artist/cook. Can love blossom? In such a madcap comedy, of course it can.
Why: It's so very funny and the chemistry is lovely - the constant fighting becomes awesome.
Favorite Moment: They are in the middle of a conversation and he asks her to close her eyes and she does, because she thinks he is doing this thing where you have to describe the other person's face with eyes closed (long story) and in the middle of it, he just swoops in and kisses her! And her eyes pop open but she doesn't move for a long time and then she does shove him off and is all 'why the hell did you do that?' and he looks totally dazed and is 'I don't know.' *pause* And she grabs him and kisses him!!
Vid:
In conclusion, yes, Vic Zhou is still my favorite drama actor, all these dramas later.
That is why, much as I might love the slickness of kdrama and the understatedness of jdrama, few things will get me as giddy or emo as a well-done twdrama.
So, after I’ve done my Top Dozen Jdramas and my Top 25 Kdramas, the next logical step is the Top 10 Twdramas/Cdramas, isn’t it? So I did one over a year ago, but have found that I need to majorly revise it.
So here is my updated Top 10 twdrama/cdrama list. Once again, same thing applies: only finished ones (or nearly), as unspoilery as I can make it, blahblahblah.
1. MARS (2004) (20 episodes)
Starring: Vic Zhou, Barbie Hsu
Plot: Set in a college in Taipei, Mars is a story of two broken people: Qi Luo (my favorite, Barbie Hsu), an artist who is so shy as to be dysfunctional, walking through her days as a zombie, praying for no-one to speak to her, and Chen Ling (my fave drama actor ever, Vic Zhou), a seemingly well-adjusted slacker whose passion in life is to be a motorcycle racer, but who is arguably even more messed-up than Qi Luo. Their paths intersect and the story goes from there…
Why: This was my first ever drama, and for three+ years remained the favorite drama, period (Legend has since got to share the top spot). I have metaed enough about it to fill a book, so it seems redundant to reiterate it, but Mars is not just one of the most amazing love stories I’ve ever seen, but it’s such a complicated, nuanced story of two extremely broken people who heal each other (but never mawkishly). It can get incredibly dark (rape, child abuse, insanity, murder) but is somehow uplifting. Chen Ling is my favorite drama hero of all time, and Qi Luo one of the favorite heroines. There is so much in the delicate, crucial relationship between the two, that you could watch and analyze for ages, and the chemistry is through the roof and the story is just like a gorgeous Victorian novel.
Favorite Moment: The love-making scene. Oddly, not for pervy reasons at all (you don’t really see anything), but for how enormously important it is for the character progression (to say more would be to spoil it). Or maybe when he rides to find her at the metro, after their fight.
Vid:
Click to view2. THE OUTSIDERS/THE OUTSIDERS 2 (2004) (20 episodes per each)
Starring: Dylan Kuo, Ady An, Blue Lan, Michael Zhang
Plot: Ah Hao, Shan Zi, and Xiong Qi are delinquents from poor backgrounds. Ah Hao, the leader among the three, falls in love with Yu Yen, a total opposite of everything they are (a sheltered pianist from a good family) and, miracle of miracles, she falls back in love with him. In order to protect her, he ends up joining the Triads and the story goes from there…
Why: Probably the most ‘grown-up’ twdrama I’ve ever seen, and the most complex, this is both very dark and giddily romantic. This takes something that could be a rather cliched story of forbidden love (low-class gangster and sheltered pianist) but builds it into something entirely different and better: loss of soul (yes, really), and secrets and spaces between people, even those who love each other. Yu Yen and Ah Hao are one of the most fascinating couples I’ve ever seen on screen, because the story gets them together very quickly but what we follow are the cracks and unevennesses in the relationship, all the flaws and hurts. And both of them are flawed, lost individuals somehow, who lose so much through loving each other, and yet you cannot be sorry for it at all. But it is not just a love story, but also a Greek tragedy really, of a loss of innocence, and descent through good intentions, and inevitability of betrayal. It just kills me that more people don’t know about this drama.
Favorite Moment: Oh, so many. But probably (because yes, I am a glutton for punishment), Ah Hao sobbing over and over that he is sorry, in ep 15 (to say more would be to really spoiler it). Or in ep 14, when Yu Yen is repainting the piano and stages the concert for him. Or the scene after Ah Hao et al’s first murder.
Vid:
3. BLACK AND WHITE (2009) (24 episodes)
Starring: Vic Zhou, Marc Chao, Ivy Chen
Plot: A complicated mystery thriller involving a global conspiracy, tangled emotional relationships, and two very different policement - the duty-driven, law-obsessed Ying Xiong and a quirky, hyper playboy Zai Tian.
Why: One of the tightest-written dramas out there, with a complex clever plot, great characters, incredibly tough women, delicious OTP action and gorgeous angst.
Favorite Moment: Zai Tian and Chen Lin talking after a certain revelation changes their relationship, they believe (I am trying to be unspoilery here); Ying Xiong confessing to Chen Lin. Chen Lin rescuing wounded Xiao Ma.
Vid:
4. METEOR GARDEN (2001) (20 episodes)
Starring: Barbie Hsu, Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Ken Chu, Vanness Wu
Plot: Shan Cai (Barbie!!!) is a poor but strong-willed student at an exclusive, richy-rich college ruled by the offspring of the four richest families, known as F4. When something she does angers the tyrannical F4 leader, Daoming Si (Jerry Yan, showing off his yummy cheekbones), F4 declares she is persona non grata who must be bullied to be expelled. But Shan Cai, full of backbone and common sense, refuses to take it lying down and declares her own war on the F4. Parodoxically, her sheer nerve catches the attention of Daoming Si, and he ends up falling in love with her. One little problem: not only does she (justifiably) hate him, and is also crushing on his best friend, the quietly elegant Hua Ze Lei (Vic Zhou), but Daoming Si wouldn’t know how to woo a girl if his life depended on it…
Why: This is the daddy of all the current twdramas, really. It is ridiculously fun, with some hilarious bits and some incredibly emotional bits. There is a fantastically strong heroine, an amusingly dense hero, plenty of eye-candy, and a story that has been enthralling people for ages (there is a reason Hana Yori Dango, the manga this is based on, has been adopted seventeen billion different times). True, the F4 boys are learning their acting on the job, but the story is so good, it really doesn’t matter. And unlike the jdrama adaptation, this is very very faithful to the manga, which is a huge plus.
Favorite Moment: Daoming Si letting the goons beat him into unconsciousness because if he resists, they would hurt Shan Cai. It’s actually hands-down my favorite scene in any drama.
Vid:
5. MY LUCKY STAR (2007) (19 episodes)
Starring: Jimmy Lin, Yoo Hana
Plot: Yoo Ha Na is Zhi Xing, a con artist who gets caught during her 'last job before marriage' due to an unfortunate chance collision with Tian Qi (Jimmy Lin), a rebellious Second Son of a jewelry empire, who has just been jilted. Zhi Xing takes the blame both for herself and her man, a fellow con-artist who promises to marry her when she is out if she takes the blame for him. But when she is out, the slimeball does not want anything to do with her. Meanwhile, Tian Qi is back in the country after a lengthy absence to attend the wedding of his older brother to the woman who jilted him. Can the ditched con-artist with nothing to call her own, except for her cheerfulness and grit, and the son of a rich but extremely dysfunctional family (his mother killed herself because his father had an affair with someone else etc) have anything in common? You betcha, in the delicious world of Taiwanese dramas! Zhi Xing is about to prove that her cellmate's statement that "nobody marries a woman who has been in jail" is so very wrong...
Why: It's both utterly hilarious and also made me bawl. The OTP, the OTP, the OTP! They are both such lovely people, oddball but no-matter-what mature and grown-up: there are no ridiculous drawn-out misunderstandings that could be cleared with two words, or behavior that makes you want to strangle one of them. The leading male is not a jerk, the leading female not a dimwit. Their chemistry is out of this world and the love story is pitch-perfect. It reminded me a lot of the Korean drama My Girl, only if Yoo Rin hooked up with Jeong Woo instead.
Favorite Moment: The scene in the warehouse in the fire (see pic 2) - I am such a sucker for guy getting harmed for the woman he loves and this is made all the better when she comes back for him.
Vid:
6. WHY WHY LOVE (2007) (15 episodes)
Starring: Rainie Yang, Mike He, Kingone
Plot: Jia Di is a hard-working girl burdened with a family that goes through money like water. Her life could be different if she wasn’t too busy to find love, or so her best friend thinks. The perfect candidate to make Jia Di’s life brighter? The kind, clever manager, Huo Yan. Now only if she didn’t get stuck babysitting his bratty younger brother, Huo Da, instead…
Why: This was a totally unlikely favorite. I didn’t have much interest in it when it started, as it looked like a hang-over from Devil Beside You, a drama I am in a tiny minority in not caring for. I checked it out merely because I like Mike, Rainie, and Kingone, and it looked cute. And somehow, after the first few eps, I discovered I fell madly in love with it. This was a hilarious drama that made me cry, a romance that made me care about family issues, a story with one of my favorite OTPs which made me adore the Other Guy. It did everything right which DBY did wrong, and made no mistakes of its own. It was not draggy or repetitive, nor did it gallop too much. The hero was someone I ended up caring a great deal for: he both grew and was also ‘opened up’ to the viewer, and the heroine was a total darling, whom I loved and wanted to protect myself. The heroine was not a dishrag and the hero was not a mope. Plus, friends who become lovers? Yes please. Oh, whatever. Enough of my blathering, just go watch!
Favorite Moment: Huo Yan explaining himself to Jia Di (by the car) or Huo Da running looking for Jia Di when he is worried she was caught by loan sharks.
Vid:
7. IT STARTED WITH A KISS/THEY KISS AGAIN (2005-2006) (20 episodes)
Starring: Ariel Lin, Joe Cheng, Jiro Wang
Plot: Our heroine, Xiang Qin, might not be the brightest bulb out there, but she knows what she wants: the brainy, good-looking Zhi Shu, the pride of the school. A pity her love letter gets rejected out of hand, and Zhi Shu not only does not break his stride but asks her if she really has nothing better in life. This could be the end of it all, and just an embarassing teen memory (except Xiang Qin is too spunky to be embarassed) but a series of hilarious events conspires to have the ill-matched couple live together. Can the bubbly, not-too-bright Xiang Qin win over Zhi Shu, who is entirely unfamiliar with human emotions? What do you think?
Why: ISWAK is just wonderfully good fun. I watched it in the middle of moving, and remember giggling and sniffling surrounded by boxes. ISWAK makes you forget your daily troubles, it’s true! This is a rare drama with which I fell in love from the opening scene, one where I adored the chemistry, one which (even if the outcome is certain) is full of the wonderful ‘but how on earth will this happen…’ vibe. I love it.
Favorite Moment: Confession and kiss in the rain.
Vid:
(this is a MV for They Kiss Again)
8. RETURN OF THE CONDOR HEROES (2006) (41 episodes)
Starring: Huang Xiaoming, Crystal Liu
Plot: HXM and CL play the star-crossed, sword-wielding lovers in this wuxia cdrama based on a famous novel. He is her martial arts disciple thus it can’t be, which would be enough plot right there, but throw in evil poisoners, mystical hermits, the most obnoxious character to ever exist, and a Mongolian invasion, and you got yourself a riproaring good time, plus my favorite wuxia ever.
Why: This is a fairy tale for grown-ups, full of magic, star-crossed lovers, gorgeous costumes, and wikedly cool fights. I love the hero but I love the love story even more, pushing every kink I have, and then some. And, a rarity in wuxias, a happy ending!
Favorite Moment: The night after the wedding, in the cave and with her fear of death. Or their fight against Valley Overlord.
Vid:
9. SILENCE (2006) (19 episodes)
Starring: Vic Zhou, Park Eun Hye
Plot: The heroine of the story, Shen Shen, is a half-Korean girl who has been mute since a childhood accident. When she was in the hospital recuperating, she met and made friends with a boy who was on crutches, Wei Yi. Both of them felt alien so bonded with each other and even fell into a childhood sweethearts type thing, very Victorian. He didn't know she was mute, and he only knew her Korean name. Oh, and he left her his phone number but even if she could call, she's lost it. When the proper story starts, Shen Shen is a grown-up woman, living with her loving family, sunny and unretiring, and not cowed by her handicap. Her father figure gets fired by the young, icy CEO of a company he's worked at for years and ShenShen crosses the man's path as she tries to get him to rehire Uncle. And it goes from there. Of course, the CEO in question is the grown-up Wei Yi. But neither of them know of the fact.
Why: Silence is an amazingly shot and acted drama, and would normally be much higher, except I cannot bear to rewatch the angst again. The OTP is pitch-perfect, Vic Zhou gives a wonderful performance, Shen-Shen is a heroine who makes you love her, and the whole thing has these amazing moments, of either beauty or being punched in the gut and crying until you hurt. But I cannot take the misery a second time, I cannot.
Favorite Moment: Shoes. Oh my God.
Vid:
10. LOVE CONTRACT (2004) (20 episodes)
Starring: Ariel Lin, Mike He
Plot: The story centers around Xiao Feng and Ken, college students. Xiao Feng is a tomboy (she wears loose, baggy clothing and even an unpretty short wig to school so as to get less attention) and is a president of the college kendo club. She runs it with a strict strict hand, and two of the members rebel and decide to join the swim team instead, only to find out too late that the swim team captain is just as strict and perfectionist as Xiao Feng herself. The captain in question is Ken, who is a quiet loner, the strong and silent type. Well, the friends decide to make life easier for themselves and offer Ken a deal. In exchange for finding a coach and swim team members (no one really want to join), he would have to take Xiao Feng out for a movie. That way (reason they) maybe both of them will mellow out. And it goes from there.
Why: This is a very flawed drama. The parts with the friends were designed for the fastforward button, and the ending literally makes no sense. And yet, and yet…This is put on the list because the relationship between Ariel and Mike (both playing completely against type) rings painfully true and is one of the most romantic and complicated relationships in twdramas.
Favorite Moment: The underwater kissing. Or the dance scene near the end.
Vid:
10 (tie) CORNER WITH LOVE
Starring: Barbie Hsu, Alan Luo
Plot: A rich girl loses everything and ends up living with the family of a young male artist/cook. Can love blossom? In such a madcap comedy, of course it can.
Why: It's so very funny and the chemistry is lovely - the constant fighting becomes awesome.
Favorite Moment: They are in the middle of a conversation and he asks her to close her eyes and she does, because she thinks he is doing this thing where you have to describe the other person's face with eyes closed (long story) and in the middle of it, he just swoops in and kisses her! And her eyes pop open but she doesn't move for a long time and then she does shove him off and is all 'why the hell did you do that?' and he looks totally dazed and is 'I don't know.' *pause* And she grabs him and kisses him!!
Vid:
In conclusion, yes, Vic Zhou is still my favorite drama actor, all these dramas later.