Shine On Me Discussion
I think I finally understand why Shine On Me was never something I was obsessed with to the level of popularity it had at the height.
Everything just felt very average or even cheap, from the storyline to the acting to the costume design. Granted I'm not some connoisseur of Chinese dramas, I've watched less than 10, but this was the only drama I recall that felt more like a very long ad for why Chinese products are great and why traveling in China is great, combined with a romantic and dramatic storyline. I skipped all the PVC scenes entirely (unless the male and female lead were together). It very much felt like trying to film/write the drama had about equal importance as advertising.
Aside from that, the acting was fine. Song Weilong and Zhao Jinmai did a fine job. They were nowhere near fantastic but also nowhere near terrible. They, including the script, did not push the buttons or try something new. I know this is definitely a subjective take, but it just kind of felt like they were asked to show an emotion and they just.... did it? That probably doesn't make sense, but what I'm trying to say is it didn't really feel like they connected with the characters and more like they knew how to act their roles technically and followed simple directions.
What I said probably comes off as way more critical than how I actually feel about the drama because I actually really don't mind it. I normally am not this picky or critical and I certainly thought there were good parts, but it was bugging me for a long time why I didn't feel the way everyone else seemed to feel about the drama and I finally realized why it didn't click for me. Does anybody else feel the same way?