BLISS RATING: ★★★★+
“SIBLINGS: the only enemy that you cannot live without.” – PinQuotes App
Deliciously wicked and funny! I liked this series. It is very short consisting of 10 episodes averaging 12 to 13 minutes each. It is a very simple story of a very overbearing, angry, no fun to be around father of a wealthy family with three sons from three different women. Each not liking one other and certainly not trusting each other. The oldest brother, Juncheng (Lee Si Kang). He is half-Korean and recently returned from Korea to claim what used to be his mother’s property. While returning he is helped from being beaten up from his Uncle’s henchmen, by a person he bumps in to literally, Lin Xun (Mi Ji Hsu). Juncheng feels an instantaneous connection to him. The second brother, Jundao (Wil Chang), lives with his best friend Yang Xiang (Guo Yu Cheng). It is obvious that they have a connection, but Yang is treated more like an indentured servant. Jundao is quite self-centered and very possessive and says to Yang that “my family owns you”. It is obvious that their love is undeveloped but surfacing. Jundeo cannot bear the thought of not having him around but is unable to show that with any real conviction. The youngest brother, Junping (Jerom Huang Alouf), is always accompanied by his academically brilliant best friend, Yan Yue (Wells Su). Ironically, Lin Xun may be related to these three brothers as in the past their father and his mother were deeply in love. The story from that point is interesting and I shall not spoil it for you. There are great imaginative twists and turns here that are quite enjoyable.
Overall, this series is a story of love and brotherhood. These three siblings are almost to the point of being just like their unhappy bitter Dad, driven only by work or immediate pleasures. And maybe that is what I liked about this story because it is an all too familiar story in families. Sure, it is simple, and it is told simply. Three brothers begin to crack the walls around them and begin to see that they are lovable and can be loved. The impetus to this change is the connection of Juncheng and Lin Xun. His simply philosophy of life is a welcome change from the driven mad success of their family business. He helps break down the walls of pain that were built around Juncheng and helps him to love. Yes, some of it is silly and essentially light comedy but it is fun to watch especially when Juncheng gets to experience Lin Xun world (particularly with food and drink).
There are some poignant moments when Lin Xun scatters the ashes of his late mother. When he is asked why scattered into the ocean, he simply states that his mother will always be there and is connected to all the oceans of the world. There is a beautiful kiss and profession of love between the two of them that is quite moving in its simplicity. As Juncheng stated to Lin Xun, “My old man and your mother were too stubborn. They treated love as a battle which leads to a lifetime of regret”. The father indeed has a life of regret and bitterness for losing her. The father never got over the loss of that love. This was not going to happen to them though.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. the series? Lin Xun, played by Mi Ji Hsu. No question here. While all the actors were good and believable, he really put life, character, and a greater sense of humanity to not only the role but to the whole series. He brought it down to a human and normal level and helped them all realize that what they had was superficial wealth but nothing touching their souls. He did that with total commitment and a sense that I am your equal even if you do not think that I am. I loved his sense of timing and subtlety in his role, and he played it with such a conviction. In other words, he was so believable and even if he were a part of this ‘family’, you just knew he would not let him corrupt him. Well done!
There is tremendous tension between the three brothers. But as their own feelings begin to emerge through their connections with the persons around them, the brothers are all able to grow and see what is obviously in front to them. They change. They blossom. And they love. Yes, perhaps it is fantasy, but it made me feel good. I wish the series was longer so we can see them grow more deeply but they did pull off each of their transitions with warmth and convictions. Of course, they are all stunningly (and I do mean stunningly) handsome.
Yes, this is a ‘guilty pleasure’ for me because it is so easy to watch and tells a solid story of love and brotherhood.
Leave a Reply