A girl goes back to her “rainbow” hometown and meets a boy on a horse.
My Altai
Idyllic. The sound of nature is its OST. The vast sky seems touchable. The very simplicity of this drama uncomplicates complicated feelings.
My biggest concern going into this is the cinematography. Listen. It’s effortlessly stunning, but I’d hate it if that’s the only good thing about a drama – it’s not. Phew. There’s a slice-of-life plot, memorable characters, and a romance that tickles.
→ It's a happy ending for the couple. There's no screenshot because I hate Ba Tai's hair. Give me back his mane!
→ The mom, Zhang Feng Xia. Why do I feel sad for her :| Is she happy? Is she okay? Or is it okay to not be okay?
Network: iQIYI
Cast
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| Zhou Yi Ran: Li Wen Xiu |
Yu Shi: Ba Tai |
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| Ma Yi Li: Zhang Feng Xia (FL's Mom) |
Jiang Qi Ming: Gao Xiao Liang |
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| Huang Xiao Juan: FL's Grandma |
海拉提·哈木 A Yi Bie Ke |
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| Alima: Tuo Ken |
Yan Pei Lun: Chao Ge |
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| 阿力木江·吐魯過拜克: Su Li Tan (ML's father) |
Romcom/Romance Checklist
How much of the plot is angst/romance?
0.25 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5The ML:
Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General /The FL:
Awkward / Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better than ML / Noble Idiot / Describe the Relationship (the tropes):
Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / 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*(The kiss is on the cheek)
# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3
0 / 1 / 2 / 3
Ending:
Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / BadCyn-opsis
The bring-the-girl-back-to-his-hometown trend has travelled northward to Altai (without Li Xian!). Li Wen Xiu (Zhou Yi Ran) wants to be a writer, but she just doesn’t know what to write about. I want to be a pilot too. I just don’t know how to fly an airplane. Will the deep valleys and broad basins, a free-spirited Kazakh boy (Yu Shi), and a lot of poop and rain inspire her?
This drama is adapted from essay collections by Li Juan, which will cover various ethnic groups. There's also a movie.
Review
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My biggest concern going into this is the cinematography. Listen. It’s effortlessly stunning, but I’d hate it if that’s the only good thing about a drama – it’s not. Phew. There’s a slice-of-life plot, memorable characters, and a romance that tickles.
It's a romantic glimpse at the lifestyle in Altai. Almost too romanticized. But I'll take the pleasantness. I know a 3 is low to many of you but I think 3 is a good score and perfect for this little show. This is the last drama to go in with high expectations. The plot is the ebbs and flows of the idyllic life. I would love the show to reach deeper into their feelings (and my feelings), but it's just not that kind of drama. It's meant to be uncomplicated.
Rating: 3/5 ♥
Micro Recaps
These are retrospective notes, meaning I may have Ending Spoilers as soon as Ep1. These episode notes are more for picking up details now that I have finished the show.
[Ep1] The foreshadowing:
[Ep2] Ba Tai’s immaturity at full display as soon as the second episode. He’s the elementary boy teasing the girl he loves.
[Ep3] [Ta Xue] can't be ridden and is easily scared. Isn't that so weird. – Li Wen Xiu (I laughed at Zhou Yi Ran's curious sarcasm in that statement.)
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| It's eerie that Ta Xue came here with them! D: He really is easily scared and can’t be ridden D: |
[Ep4] "Li Wen Xiu, don't smile, or you're going to have lots of boyfriends ~ Even with poop on your face. – Ba Tai.
Despite Bai Tai's immaturity, I like how he told his father in his own language that Li Wen Xiu lost their horse. That way, FL's mother doesn't hear. That was thoughtful of him to protect Li Wen Xiu.
[Ep5] Mom went to buy a sheep, and brought home a really baaaaaaaad one.
→ Kazakh's "I love you" = "I'm carefully looking at you." 😍 (Other than the binocular scene (lol), there are numerous scenes of Li Wen Xiu and Ba Tai face-to-face. On the other hand, Zhang Feng Xia and her lover boy don't have these shots).
→ The bullets that saved Zhang Feng Xia from wolves, which she later retrieved before saving her boy, was a foreshadow of the wolf hiding in sheep's clothes.
→ Li Wen Xiu knows she was dissed at, right?
A Yi Bie Ke (genuinely): I see that you’re actually smart.Li Wen Xiu (bashfully): I did hide it pretty deep. ?? xD
Hahahaha.
Li Wen Xiu was rude and deserved the fart.
Zhang Feng Xia bargained all day and ate it.
Ba Tai is totally carefully looking at the one he loves xD
[Ep6] Ba Tai confesses! Half of the apple for Li Wen Xiu, and the other half for Ta Xue. She should be honoured. LOL. (I can't believe it though, our FL’s biggest obstacle is the horse)
[Ep7] Li Wen Xiu reciprocates!
Sweet/Poor Grandma xD
💋💩
[Ep8] It's not an ending without a dramatic finale. Ba Tai has to make a choice. He can't give them each half an apple anymore :(
→ It's a happy ending for the couple. There's no screenshot because I hate Ba Tai's hair. Give me back his mane!
→ I’m going to say it though. I wasn't a fan of this time-skip-to-heal-the-pain plot. I would love to know more about his feelings. Also...we could have tried treating the wound first.... That was brutal.
→ Those very cute grandparents.
[Ending] Happy.
Recommendations
| "Iconic" | Actress | Random |
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