Le Jun Kai Episodes 1 to 2 thoughts

(This web drama has 9 episodes! I wrote 7 episodes before but that is incorrect, sorry…)

 

I may make this post sound redundant when I say – it’s difficult to form an opinion about Le Jun Kai based on two episodes, mostly because each episode (excluding open and closing credits) is only about 15 minutes each. I am annoyed though this is dubbed. BOOO. Peter’s ending song = good, I want to hear the full version! Other music in this drama = so so. At least not as cringe worthy as the teasers. Content wise, there isn’t a lot to get our teeth into. However, I do want to jot down some thoughts mostly because I’ll be busy for the next 2 weeks and won’t have much time for drama/blogging.

Episode 1 opens with the ending? Le Jun Kai (Peter Ho) is being kicked around, with blood running down his face while Li Ye (Janine Chang) screams for the men to stop. Le Jun Kai is willing to give up everything he has for Li Ye’s release. The antagonist of the story, Lei Lun is having fun watching them suffer – this guy has a an axe to grind for various reasons. One of them being Li Ye didn’t choose him all those years ago, even though she knew Le Jun Kai was responsible for her own father’s death.

 

Then our OTP look at each other like this. Yes she still loves him even after he did all sorts of things to torture her while they were married. Le Jun Kai on the other hand is too blinded by his revenge to accept that it’s not so bad for him to love her. Oh torturous melodrama, here we go.

Before we find out whether Le Jun Kai lives for another day, we get that dreaded “One month prior” thing – oh I hate it when they tease the audience like that.

 

What I like about Le Jun Kai so far is definitely Peter as a gangster. Credits to the makeup artist Peter looks quite different in this drama. He has always given me the ‘happy, sunshine’ feeling – a sense of warmth especially when he smiles. Le Jun Kai is the total opposite. Haunted by the death of his wife Xiao Cai (while carrying their unborn baby), he loses himself in trying to seek revenge on the person he thinks is responsible – Li Mo Hui (who is Li Ye’s father). He doesn’t hesitate pushing Li Ye around, putting his hand around her neck etc.

I would also like to thank the costume designer who obviously got his measurements wrong because all his clothes seem a size too small. Hrm. I’m sorry, I can’t concentrate when he’s wearing that white singlet and those unusually tight pants. But I’m not a fan of double breasted anything, that brown jacket is awful.

Janine Chang was born to play this kind of role – with her long hair and innocent looks (plus she’s so skinny!), it’s not hard to believe her life has been difficult as a single mother raising a son, Tian Tian. She works at a small beauty salon, but making barely enough to make ends meet. She doesn’t have enough money to send her son to kindergarten. When she’s working Tian Tian is locked inside their ‘house’, although it’s more like a shack which might get blown away if there’s a storm.

Before this drama aired, some netizens had commented that Tian Tian looks too well fed for this role. I kinda agree with that! But it’s a minor shortcoming I suppose, since his mother gives him all her food anyway…

As for the story itself, whilst I’m okay with starting off in the future then going back in time where the story slowly reveals itself (although to be honest one month is not much of a time jump?), what I dislike about this web drama so far is all the flashbacks. Episode 2 was loaded with them. The whole scenario of how Le Jun Kai and Li Ye met was told via a flashback. Everything that happened during their marriage is going to be revealed via flashbacks. Yes, I understand that was the how the original story was written but to establish the foundation of how a man like Le Jun Kai can be in love with Li Ye, I really would’ve liked to see how their story began in a more coherent fashion, instead of bits and pieces here and there. In such a short timeframe the audience has to assume a lot already, for example – in episode 2 we find out our OTP kissed like, the first time they met. Le Jun Kai saw Li Ye rehearsing a play, afterwards she got into his car, talk for a bit and start making out. What?

 

Another gripe which relates to a change from the original story to the web drama is the scene where Li Ye was rehearsing the play. The whole monologue there was used in a different context in the original story. That whole scene, I felt was weird. The whole circumstance surrounding how they met was weird. In the original story it was hinted that Le Jun Kai never even met Li Ye before he suggested to her father that he wants to marry her. He simply heard she was smart and beautiful and he wanted to marry her simply for revenge, nothing else. Here, I got the impression he had feelings for her before they got married. I might be thinking too much of this at such an early stage but perhaps the writers don’t want to make Le Jun Kai more human?

So one of the ‘selling points’ (I have issues using this phrase but can’t think of anything else) of this drama is the ‘abusive male’ angle. The original author Fei Wo Si Cun is well known for this type of story. (Her other adapted works include ‘Sealed with a kiss’ and ‘Endless Love / Lai Bu Ji Shuo Wo Ai Ni’.)  It hasn’t been too overpowering in the first two episodes. There was only one scene where Le Jun Kai gets a bit rough on Li Ye. He pins her down, she tries to struggle then he puts his hand around her neck. It is troubling he then starts kissing her… and she doesn’t struggle anymore and well, lets him. I know, I will remind myself not to take this kind of storyline too seriously. Or we can feel better if we acknowledge this kind of abusive relationship does happen in real life? The battered woman syndrome defense exist for a reason, no?

 

Although this kind of image below reminds me this is really just a bit of escapism. Poor Le Jun Kai goes looking for his ex wife Xiao Cai and he finds her sitting gracefully on a chair, clearly pregnant… with a bloody knife RIGHT IN HER STOMACH. Who kills someone like that? Oops, I laughed out loud at that scene.

Overall, I don’t mind Le Jun Kai so far but I would recommend waiting until all the episodes come out and watch it in one go? All the jumps back and forth in time already makes the drama a little disjointed and taking so many breaks in between (since it’s only 2 episodes a week) just makes it worse.

 


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27 responses to “Le Jun Kai Episodes 1 to 2 thoughts”

  1. heisui Avatar

    My main focus of this post was your hilarious pic of Le Jun Kai’s badly fitted jacket, OMG. I totally cracked up!

    I also think Janine is really suited for this role in terms of her petite stature and innocent looks. I think she does pretty well in ep1. But I also want to see more from her than just fear and vulnerability..I want to see her anger towards Le Jun Kai as well as her strength as a mother protecting her son.

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      LOL! Yes all his clothes are kinda tight fitting in this drama (which is welcomed!) but that brown jacket was just all sorts of bad. Actually, if he just unbuttoned it, it might be ok.

      Hopefully Janine gets some good opportunities to shine when LJK decides he wants their son back. Would be good if we get to see what happened while they were married, blurry flashbacks just doesn’t quite have the same feeling…

  2. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    Is it English subbed and where did you watch it? Thanks! Liked your review!

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      Yes you can find it English subbed on Viki – http://www.viki.com/tv/12313c-le-jun-kai 🙂 Thanks!

  3. imallheart Avatar

    I get that it’s a story that someone else has written and granted I haven’t read it since it’s probably in Chinese and I can’t read enough Chinese but I don’t know how I feel about the whole “abusive” angle. I’m just watching mostly cuz of Peter and Janine. Loved them in Ring Ring Bell.

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      Maybe it’s best not to take the events too seriously and just watch for the chemistry. 🙂 🙂

  4. Crazy Fan Avatar
    Crazy Fan

    After months of anticipation, this Cdrama is just so bad. From stilted dubbing to ill-fitting jackets, everything in this Cdrama just spells bad cinematography. This looks like a low-budgeted production. What a letdown ep 1 & 2! Hopefully Peter will shine in Shining Days.

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      I have to agree the dubbing is bad. I hate it in general and expect it for CDramas but I just didn’t think they would do it since it’s a micro/web series. Ah yes that jacket, it’s the colour!!! Who picked it!!!

      If anything I’m sure the producers threw a lot more money at Shining Days, everything looks sparkly there. Just hoping the plot is bearable.

  5. misscupcakees Avatar

    Janine and Peter have great chemistry even though the mini-drama itself is very melo. I really love their interactions, especially their portrayals of their respective characters. (: Janine is perfect for her character, in fact, she has always been stereotyped to play those innocent type of characters.

    I dislike the dubbing! The first trailers had the original voice and it was so much better!

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      Yes!! When I first saw the trailers I really thought they were using their real voices. >< I still can't get used to it, especially Janine's. She just sounds weird and totally not like her. Really want to see more of their chemistry, there was a glimpse of it in that scene in the car but then everything else is too crazy....

  6. heisui Avatar

    By the way, Le Jun Kai got on the front page of Viki. I bet you the drama will get much more attention now that more people know about it. :3

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      I was wondering how all of a sudden there’re all these comments and ‘favourites’… o_O

  7. Crystal Avatar
    Crystal

    Anyone know what the ending song name? I really like it a lot. I know it Peter’s voice but I couldn’t find it online. Help please T_T

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      The ending song is called “Regret” (遺憾), it’s on the Themesongs page.

  8. ana Avatar
    ana

    where can i watch ep 5?

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      Ep 5 will be out next Tuesday.

      1. ana Avatar
        ana

        ohh thank you , one other thing do you know whats the name of the song that is at the end of each episod cause i cant find that on youtube

        1. kat Avatar
          kat

          The ending song from the drama is called “Regret” (遺憾), it’s on the Themesongs page.

  9. Nagat Avatar
    Nagat

    This is my first cdrama I saw it on viki and it looked interesting and I have to say I’m loving it. I just think there should be less flashbacks and le yi needs to stand up to him and show some anger for his mistreatment.

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      Yes all the flashbacks are annoying!! It’s hard to keep the story coherent when it keeps jumping back and forth. It would be interesting to see her ‘fight back’, but then it’s not really that kind of drama… ><

  10. Cris Avatar
    Cris

    Do you happen to know what the opening song is??

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      Do you mean the ending song? It’s called “Regret” (遺憾) and you can find it on the Themesongs page.

  11. Yaya Avatar
    Yaya

    Where did you read the original story?

  12. missienelly Avatar

    Hi Kat, thanks for stopping by on my blog :D. Did you say 9 instead of 7 episodes? I was wondering why MyDramaList.com has it for 7 episodes? Do you happen to know the opening credit song? And also the OST to it?

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      Hello~!! Yes it’s 9 episodes on the Sohu website. I think it’s because originally all the news (even Peter said in an interview) reported it was going to be 7 episodes..?

      I only have the ending song though…

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