[Mainland Chinese Drama 2022] The Killer is Also Romantic 念念无明

[SC2019]

 

Details:

Chinese title:  念念无明
English title: The Killer is also Romantic

Genre: Historical, Romance

Director: Zeng Qing Jie
Episodes: 18 (each episode is only 12 minutes)

Broadcast Date:  Apr 2, 2022 - Apr 11, 2022

Network: Mango TV

 

Cast:

Hu Dan Dan as Si Xiao Nian
Yang Ze as Yan Wu Ming
Xiao Ran Xin as Si Bao Er
Wang Jun Hao as Wen Fang
Hu Dong Qing as Luo Qian

Synopsis:

Set in the Qing Dynasty, the story unfolds with the consensual marriage of Si Xiao Nian, the graceful owner of a garments shop, and Yan Wu Ming, a gentlemanly doctor. However, on the day of their wedding, the two are late for their own wedding ceremony, much to the dismay of the wedding attendants. It turns out that both of them were elsewhere, attending to official matters related to their true (hidden) identities. They experience a mutual deep love for each other, yet have secrets that they dare not reveal. This is the story of how fate brings this couple together, what lies in store for them and how they deal with their relationship as the secrets are finally revealed.

 

Preview:

 

Can't locate an official trailer from MangoTV, so this is a preview by an alternative source

OSTs:

 

Additional Links:

 

RULES of SOOMPI
Don't post any requests for subs! Anything unrelated to the drama plot is considered spamming. Don't quote images. Due to the copyright/legal problems, no illegal streaming links will/should be posted on this thread as there had been major crackdowns going on lately. Any complaints about any streaming links will be counted as spam. Any complaints of the respective companies such as Viki, youtube, etc. should be reported to the respective companies instead of posting your complaints here.  PLEASE GIVE CREDIT TO WHERE CREDIT IS DUE!

[SC2019]

@leo2020 @realistic2280a @ElleSor I've created this thread finally, after thinking whether I should or not.

I went ahead and did it because I truly believe this drama is worth watching and introducing to other silent lurkers and members in this forum.

Here's what I like about it:

• The two leads have good chemistry (the ML was in a supporting role in No Boundary 1 & 2, Jiu Liu Overlord, My Heart and the FL was in My Heroic Husband, also in a supporting role) 
• The second leads are also fun to watch, the 2nd FL has really got quite an interesting appearance and hair-do
• The 12 minute format makes it an easy watch for those with too much to watch/to do, and with hardly enough time for other dramas
• The ending is satisfying and well-executed
• The storyline is engaging, (I don't bother with whether the plots are cliched or not), entertaining and humorous, I burst out laughing just as @leo2020 told me she did. Trust us on that one, you will too!

For these reasons, I would say, go ahead and jump into this drama. It's available with subs if you know where to look for it, the usual suspects. Have fun, peeps!

 

[leo2020]

@SC2019 

 

BTW, the 2ML is in Blue Whisper! I just realized it last night that he is Qu Xiao Xing . Wow, almost unrecognizable). 

[omiki]

I enjoyed watching this drama. The two leads were likeable, and supporting actors were on point in their acting and comedic timings. The short episodes are easily digestible and convenient for people who want a short break, or while gobbling down your lunch. I wonder if this type of 15 - 20 minutes episodes duration drama will gain popularity. I’m sure there are people who will like it. I did.

[SC2019]

@omiki thanks for your feedback about the show. Shows with such comedic scenes are few and far these days; so this was really a gem for those in need of a good laugh, it was quite therapeutic for me. 

 

I've seen 3-min, 8-min, 16-min, all sorts of short formats these days. I think the networks are experimenting to see if they will gain popularity and thus, have any commercial value. As to whether people like it or not? I think it goes back to different strokes for different folks. I've seen comments on other forums whereby people shunned these formats, citing them as being too short to be engaging and they should have been longer. But when some dramas are long, people criticise them for being too long drawn-out. I think it boils down to the story-line, execution and editing; really whether the director and producers know what they are doing; as the saying goes, 'If the shoe fits, wear it!'

[pad-hari]

Nice drama

Finished in one stretch  Literally MR & MRS SMITH in periodic times  

[SC2019]

@pad-hari my thoughts exactly! I don't quite recall what Mr & Mrs Smith was like, but I know in essence what the show is about. I would concur that the theme for this drama echoes that one.

[pad-hari]

4 hours ago, SC2019 said:

@pad-hari my thoughts exactly! I don't quite recall what Mr & Mrs Smith was like, but I know in essence what the show is about. I would concur that the theme for this drama echoes that one.

Oh I remember each and every scene of that film as Brangelina's chemistry was on fire and not to say their acting was excellent. 

[omiki]

This drama got all its episodes combined into 3 episodes of 1 hr+ each at Mango TV’s YouTube channel so you can now marathon it without the intro and ending credits. A YouTube drama reviewer said it was made with a small budget. I can’t really tell because all the scenes, whether fighting, street, forest, manor, all seem to have been done sufficiently well to me. Maybe the savings came from hiring unknown actors …
 

 

[SC2019]

@leo2020 @omiki @ElleSor @pad-hari @MayanEcho @nitepolaris and calling out to other silent lurkers, there's another short-format drama that's produced by a Wang Hong (网红) or Internet celebrity known as 知竹 Zhi Zhu, featuring other Wang Hong. She has been producing short movies about 2-4 mins long, kinda like a music video for sometime now and has gained quite a following in China. Her works have been centred around costume drama. 

Spoiler

this is supposed to be her bili bili account and a tiny snapshot of what she looks like.

The reason I've decided to mention it is because I think we should keep abreast with the trends in the C-drama world and have the opportunity to appreciate independent producers who are really challenging the norms of drama production. I won't start a discussion thread for it, as it may not be everyone's cup of tea. But you can find out the details in the spoiler section.

Spoiler

Spoiler

It was released on China's platform 快手 Kuai Shou, equivalent to TikTok. Each episode is 2 mins long, only 26 episodes with 2 extra specials. So, you can essentially finish everything in 1 hour. She produced this entire drama in 10 days, directing and shooting the scenes herself. It's available on YT with Eng Subs.

 

Genre: Historical, romance

Synopsis: The story revolves around a princess who appears to have a tight grip on the government and her brother (same father, different mother), a young politically inexperienced Emperor who is trying to keep the power-hungry Prime Minister at bay. Despite having a good relationship between the siblings, after the young man has ascended the throne, it has turned sour and the Emperor appears to be finding fault with the Princess for her controlling ways, access to the coffers, manipulation of the court, and personally indulging in men. A bodyguard gains her favour and makes his way into her 'office' and the story unfolds from there.

 

The link is here: 

 

And for those who are curious about this kuaishou platform, here's the link featuring the scenes from this drama; https://www.kuaishou.com/hashtag/长公主在上?source=3

 

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I would say this format pushed the boundaries of drama production and story telling beyond The Killer Is Also Romantic, which I thought was highly commendable in its own right. This is a different kettle of fish but a rather appealing fish!

[MayanEcho]

@SC2019 Cross fingers nothing else crops up, I'll try to start watching this weekend. 

 

On 4/21/2022 at 9:13 AM, SC2019 said:

I've seen 3-min, 8-min, 16-min, all sorts of short formats these days.

 

I actually like the shorter number of minutes. Unless it's a movie, an hour per episode is the max attention span I have to watch. A couple months ago I enjoyed watching a 24eps, 8min per ep drama even if story plot is nothing new.

[realistic2280a]

Thanks for the thread @SC2019...

 

Yes it was funny and it was easy to watch... one must never forget the terrible subs that i read as i watch the drama in one sitting... gritting my teeth coz the subs makes no sense...

 

But overall good show and kisses were good

[SC2019]

This drama is no. 5 on the chart of top 10 webdramas

So happy for them!!! I am sure this was a dark horse as well, least expected to be such a success.

[SC2019]

@leo2020 @pad-hari @realistic2280a @omiki don't know about the story/plot and execution, but our ML from this drama is soon to appear in

Spoiler

 

 Anyone thinks I should create a thread for this??? I don't want to end up creating a thread that no one is keen on, LOL

[realistic2280a]

4 hours ago, SC2019 said:

@leo2020 @pad-hari @realistic2280a @omiki don't know about the story/plot and execution, but our ML from this drama is soon to appear in

  Hide contents

 

 Anyone thinks I should create a thread for this??? I don't want to end up creating a thread that no one is keen on, LOL

 

 

Drama looks good... wouldnt hurt to have the thread?... subs from that tv ststion/broadcasting might take a while right?.. hmm

[leo2020]

On 5/13/2022 at 12:20 PM, SC2019 said:

@leo2020 @pad-hari @realistic2280a @omiki don't know about the story/plot and execution, but our ML from this drama is soon to appear in

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 Anyone thinks I should create a thread for this??? I don't want to end up creating a thread that no one is keen on, LOL

Thanks, seems like another light and short comedy, just what I need these days, so I'm definitely going to watch it, if it is available for international audience). 

[SC2019]

 

@omiki @pad-hari @leo2020 @MayanEcho from the same director (Zeng Qing Jie) as The Killer is also Romantic.

A Familiar Stranger - 18 episodes that aired from Sep 23, 2022 - Oct 3, 2022. Subs are there but likely to be auto-translated, better than nothing-lah. All 18 episodes can be viewed from that video link above. The voice dubber sounds like the same one who did the FL in the Killer drama.

 

Spoiler

Shi Qi is a talented and good-natured artist who, during one of her painting assignments, learns of an affair between the chancellor’s cruel and exploitative daughter, Shen Qin, and the ruler of the realm, King Ning. Shen Qin, however, is engaged to marry the powerful general Xiao Han Sheng. But when Shi Qi accidentally witnesses deadly and nefarious goings-on at the court, she finds herself drawn into trouble. Shen Qin devises a way to enlist a magician to swap her face with that of Shi Qi – so that she and the painter can “switch” identities. As such, Shi Qi ends up “engaged” to Xiao Han Sheng, while Shen Qin takes up the painter’s identity. But the “real” Shi Qi has already crossed paths with Xiao Han Sheng many years ago – even though he has no idea who she truly “is” now. King Ning, meanwhile, is still keen to continue his relationship with the woman he believes to be Shen Qin. As the two women begin to live each others’ lives, though, both King Ning and Xiao Han Sheng begin to suspect that the women they are with have undergone enormous personality changes. Could something be amiss, they ask themselves. Will the truth come out? And will Shi Qi and Shen Qin ever regain their “true” faces?

 

[ElleSor]

I hear good things about this one. 

[omiki]

The YouTube link to ‘A Familiar Stranger’ didn’t work for me. It took me a while to figure out that the Chinese name is ‘虚颜‘ (Xu Yan) so if you couldn’t find it, like me, then try searching the Chinese name in other streaming platforms.

 

I’ve watched 4 episodes - about 10 minutes each, so it’s easy to watch. It’s holding my attention so far. Like ‘The Killer’, I don’t know the actors but they are doing alright in their roles. There are some nice surprises in some of the shots - rather poetic and thoughtful, and of course pretty and pleasing to watch. Not totally convinced about the ‘sister as hostage’ plot but let’s see where it goes.

[omiki]

The OST is available on YouTube for my region, unlike the drama itself. It is nicely put together with highlights of the drama.