這裡發現愛 / Zhe Li Fa Xian Ai

                
2008 Drama from Taiwan that stars Vic Zhou as an orphan, a shy-guy, a recluse, and a famous Romance Novelist who uses himself as the protagonist in his stories.

I thought that was hilarious, but maybe I'm alone in thinking it's weird to do such a thing.

Anyway, Wish to See You Again was AWESOME!

It's a 17-episode drama about a lot of different stories rolled into one, and yes, it did drag a bit in some places, but that's entirely beside the point, trust me.

There are too many characters to mention them all here, and I'm sure millions have already seen this one, so I won't go into detail.

Vic plays Xu Le in real life and his alter ego or pen name is Ye Zi.

Like I said, he's a famous romance novelist who, at the beginning of the show, is suffering from writer's block. He's holed up inside The Sherwood, a 5-star hotel co-owned by his buddy from high school, and for weeks on end, the maids have not been able to get inside the room to clean.

Xu Le also refuses to answer his cell phone, which prompts his eager agent to tell a lie to a girl working at the hotel that his client might be suicidal, so she naturally becomes worried, breaking a house rule and letting the agent into the room w/out permission.

Xu Le has a knife in his hand thinking that if he cuts an apple he has an ingrain aversion to, and by pouring ketchup over said apple, that it might bring on the inspiration he is so desperate to obtain.

Michelle Chen portrays Pan Neng Xian or Nancy, (though every time her mother said her name, I heard Sinead, but whatever), the eager-to-please hotel clerk who thinks the suicide attempt is now eminent, so she hurries to Xu Le and tries encouraging him to drop the knife, naming some landmark places in Taiwan he might not have visited yet and would not get to see if he ended his life too soon.

The minute Zu Le touches her hand, words begin to float around him, and the story takes off from there.

Since watching Mars five years ago and Meteor Garden a year later, it's been VERY difficult to find anything from Taiwan that can compare, much less break free of the shadow of two, such fabulous pieces of dramatic art, and though I've tried in vain to find something even mediocre to come out of that country - nothing has impressed me as much until now.

Vic isn't what I would consider to be my idol, but like his counterpart, Takeshi Kaneshiro, the man has got a lot going for him to include a terrific voice, interesting eyes, and the ability to morph with ease into whatever character he portrays.

In short, the dude's got mega-talent!

There were a few issues, and since that's generally what I write about here anyway, mentioning them in this, particular blog should in no way reflect my five-heart review.

First of all, the hair styles of the guys were disappointing. Too short, too lopsided, and not the least, bit flattering to their faces, either.

Case in point -


Ken Zhu
It was really short on his right side and too long on the left, making for a fatter face than usual and a lot of unnecessary bang tossing throughout the drama.

Same, too, for the guy I waited, waited, and WAITED to show up -


Van Ness Wu NO


same guy - YES
In the drama, he had a Chen Xiao Chun vibe going on that made me all the more interested in him, which was a good thing, and then to see Eric Tsang as the cab company owner made it even better, bringing back that good-ol-days appeal when Hong Kong cinema reigned supreme and I got hopelessly sucked in and fell so desperately in love with Asian pop idols.

Sigh -

Then there was the star of the show (in a strange sort of way since about 3/4 of the drama revolved around Kingone, but I'm not up to him yet) -





This isn't how I remember Vic, and that's not to say he was a total disappointment either, but long hair will always hold mass appeal for me, so what can I say.

Never noticed his lazy eye before, either.


Ok, so finally we come to the somewhat main character of this drama - and I say that in an odd way because, well, it was odd!

The story is supposed to be about a reclusive author in need of a life change in order to regain his writing ability, yet a majority of the show centered around this guy and his desperate attempt to make a skinny chick with a hair piece fall for him as deeply and as fervently as he has fallen for her.



Kingone
btw - is it King-one, Kin-gone, or maybe Kin-gon-e??

I guess he's all the rage over there, and while I can see it - I can't, quite feel it.

Too Ken doll for my taste, and I don't know about anyone else, but I kept getting this tranny/mannequin thing in my head every time I saw him on screen.

Too much make-up, perhaps?

Anyway, he's diggin' on this chick here -



she had short hair when she was living with Ken's character back in the States, and her 10-year-later self has longer hair. You can see the faux piece clearly in the scene where she finally gets to confront Ken's character and she has her back to him.

It's funny stuff.

I didn't like her character or her, but what bugged me the most was the frosting lips.

This is somehow attractive?





sorry, but me no likey. too pale and too shiny.