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mhkhung
Reviews
Back to 1989 (2016)
Exciting romance drama with a bit of sci-fi
The story takes the single-mother raised Chan-Che back to the year before he was born in 1989, not only meeting his mother at the time, but also trying to find who his father is. An interesting take on time travel, from how he survived without an identity or much cash left in his wallet; to his iPhone (without service but a charger); to taking him to the family of the lead actress' family (it is a romance drama afterall), and her garment tailor dad that handmade all his suits but couldn't figure out the one worn by Chan with a modern fabric.
The story doesn't progress in a very fast pace (what's fast in Taiwan in 1989?) but keeps you glued watching episode after episode. The ending is a bit of a let-down as I think more time can be spend on the couple rather than the mother, but it does leave room for imagination. (There's also an alternative ending not available on netflix that you can find on the net elsewhere)
This drama is considered the career breakthru for lead actress Ivy Shao, who went on to become one of the most popular and beautiful Taiwanese actresses. I love the setting in 1989 which is just before the internet but modern enough to bring back memory of my own childhood, even I was not from Taiwan.
Ji pin jue pei (2017)
I want to make curry lobster.. and saffron rice
The Perfect Match is the first Taiwanese drama I finished on Netflix (and finished quickly because it is enjoyable to watch). A love-romance comedy crossing a high-end restaurant chef and a girl selling curry at the night market.
As a foodie myself, I was drawn initially to the food (the Taiwan night market is already unique by itself), but I enjoyed the plot that is executed at a good pace and at the right level of details that goes into ingredients and running of a restaurant. Conflicts within the riches' families do not make much sense to me other than as comedies, but unlike most Japanese dramas that may build multiple arcs but only finishes the main one, The Perfect Match did the few well justice.
Romance dramas are usually filled with beautiful actors and actresses and this is no exception. Lead actor Wu Kang-jen is seasoned and lead actress Ivy Shao was having a break-thru year in her acting (and singing) from her first major role the year before (Back to 1989). You will fall in-love with her by the end of the drama.