January 27, 2024

Small Town Stories | Open Thread + Reviews

A suona player begins anew in her hometown with a (funeral) event planner and a DJ artist. 
Notable Actors/Actresses
Gao Zhi Ting: Bai Lang 
Director
Chinese Title
小城故事多
Small Town, Many Stories
Year: 2024
Episodes: 30

Jump to Remarks | Reviews | Recs | Comments


Cast

Bai Lang 
 Zhang Jia Ning:
Mu Di
Wu Xing Jian:
Wei Lian		 Lv Xiao Yu:
Qu Wen Wen
Song Jia Teng:
Huang Jin
 Wang Qing:
Huang Tao
Tian Zheng:
Wei Zai Dong
(Mu Di's bro-in-law)
 Zhu Rui:
Mu Tong
(Mu Di's sister)
Tan Xi He:
FL's Father		 Na Ren Hua:
FL's Mother
Xu Shao Ying:
Ding Yi		 Chen Xin Xuan:
Xu Huan






Romcom/Romance Checklist


How much of the plot is angst/romance?
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
The ML: 
Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General /
The FL: 
Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better than ML / Noble Idiot / 
Describe the Relationship (the tropes):
Annoying Love (F/M) Rival+++ / Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Friends to Lovers / Harem / Hidden Identity / School to Adulthood / Love Triangle / Married Couple (Real) / Secretly in Love (F/ML) / Star-Crossed Lovers / 
Relationship Progress (officially together; first (official) kiss; breakup*):
Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30
# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Ending:
Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad / Rushed+++

Screencaps


[Ep1]
No, Huang Tao. No.
[Ep2]
Red? No problem.
[Ep3]
Oops. [An advance for later. xD]

[Ep4]
[Ep5]
[Ep6]

These idiots.
[Ep7]
[Ep8]
Oops.
[Ep9]
Eyeroll.
Don't do it.
[Ep10]
[Ep11]
Share?
[Ep12]
[Ep13]
Dough-covered T-Rex!
Kind of matches...
It's hereditary: Not being able to handle one's alcohol.
[Ep14]
She did look back!
[Ep15]
Fidget, fidget, fidget.
[Ep16]
Head pat + shoulder.

[Ep17]
Their "weapons".
[Ep18]
Very awkward.
[Ep19]
[Ep20]
This is [not] the face you make during pre-prenatal check-up.
[Ep21]
[Ep22]
Narwhal tusk Suona necklace for him.
[Ep23]
No boys!
Buh?
[Ep24]
[Ep25]
Go!
Knife?
Nope.
[Ep26]
[Ep27]
[Ep28]
[Ep29]
Mom helps.
He's hugging her so tightly.
[Ep30]




Remarks



by FanFanX

[First Impression (Ep1-7)] I wanted to run away after the first two eps. It's loud and chaotic, so it took several eps to settle into this one. I enjoy seeing Gao Zhi Ting as ML (who will get the girl this time?). Subs are tricky... This is also why I was struggling to get into this one at first.

[Cast & Crew] I also like seeing the hilariously weird Song Jia Teng and Xu Shao Ying in this.  

Guo Zeng You also directed A Year Without A Job (2022). 

[Drama Info] (By cynlynn)

Real Couple. It’s just the first month, and already another real couple drama. Gao Zhi Ting and Zhang Jia Ning are rumoured to be dating. “Coincidentally” their date was exposed the day before drama announced its premiere. 

Zhang Jia Ning and CPF. Zhang Jia Ning trended for calling herself a CP magnet (since she’s got three projects airing, all with a romantic line for her characters: the movie Shining for One Thing, Like a Flowing River, and Small Town Stories). It’s such an open praise that people were asking if she was hacked. Witty and kind fans supported her that she's just telling the truth. Can’t a girl compliment herself? (I agree. But it’s probably just not the smartest thing to do boasting on Chinese internet). 

I suspect the above was the switch that led to her almost crying on a livestream. What happened: “cpfs” (= CP fans) of Shining for One a Thing left hurtful messages criticizing her, telling her to promoting her CP with Zhang Wan Sen. Now I didn’t watch the livestream to know how awful and how many comments there were, but girl had to end the livestream early ‘cause she was holding back tears. 

[Behind the Scenes] 

→ The instruments.  
→ Suona is serious business. Practice, practice.
 
[CP Names]
 
♥ Glittering Jewels to Delight the Eye ♥
Bai Lang 白浪 + Mu Di 穆笛
= Lin Lang Man Mu 琳瑯滿穆 
→ 琳瑯滿目



[Ending] Happy. Way too many couples. 




Reviews



Five (5/5)


Four (4/5)


Three (3/5)


Two (2/5)


Reviewer: cynlynn
Date: February 2024
Hearts: ♥
Find a Bai Lang who will fall in love with you when you puke and snore! 

The main couple isn't the main catch. It's the only catch. They're enemies to lovers. ML is so good at picking on her with his wit. I was going to say he's not a CEO, but he technically is. However, he's a really poor CEO. That doesn't stop him from doing the impossible for the FL. He's the type of the guy who could organize an orchestra for you if you needed one. Our FL rocks too. When she has chosen the man of her life, she openly glares at him, ha! When it comes time to actually be together (near the end), it's really simple, but both of them are teary and laughing. I really loved how gradual and natural their relationship is. 

I really wished the quality in this would translate to a more heartfelt story. I'm not asking for groundbreaking, but I wanted the "small town stories" to be memorable and emotional. I remember starting this, loving the cinematography: natural. crisp and clear, and calming. Then it's penetrated by the shrill sound of the suona, the "king" of instruments as described by our FL. Marriages and funerals happen in tandem. The lively and boisterous townspeople gush in. Among them is a DJ artist who will transform music with our traditional suona player. I was attracted to this fusion of everything that collided. But this fusion doesn't really evolve beyond the setup. 

The cases may not be relatable or too emotional, but I do have a favourite: the marriage between the nurse and police officer. If they struggle to walk down the aisle tell me how a doctor and SWAT officer managed to date. Anyway, I loved this the most because they had to steal a document from the nurse's mother and Mu Di had to pretend to be pregnant. That was fun. 

I skipped every scene that included the FL's brother-in-law. His agenda in this drama is to tell its audience (us) to trust the government. Bye. 

I really like that they got Gao Zhi Ting as the male lead. He makes this so much better. He has such witty lines, and I bet some were his ad-libs. There's one time he calls his rival having a darker heart than his face. Pft. I love funny self-disses. (He's known for being "dark". Apparently he uses the darkest foundation colour there is in China). 

Reviewer: FanFanX
Date: May 2024
Hearts: ♥
Aesthetics: B
Acting: A
Plot: B-

I watched this because of Gao Zhi Ting who portrays Bai Lang, a very salt of the earth funeral event planner. Soon, he becomes entangled with a suona player, Mu Di, who has returned to her hometown as she’s trying to figure out what’s causing her performance anxiety. The cure turns out to be Bai Lang himself. (Cdrama magic.) I love the bickering turned to friendship and then more between the two. Two other CPs in this - not really necessary. The story also dragged a bit with 30 eps, and this might’ve been better with 22-24 eps.  

Random Recommendation: 

Rating: 2/5♥


One (1/5)



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