Gloomy Salad Days

Name of Topic Being Reviewed: Gloomy Salad Days
Category: Taiwanese Idol Drama
Rating:

I know it's a bit late but as I have always believed, better late than never. And since I am assuming that the only country this drama has been shown is in Taiwan, so there is still a chance that there are some people who hasn't really watched this idol drama yet. So, here I go.

Gloomy Salad Days or what is more popularly known as Death Girl is a Taiwanese Drama with different stories of teenagers dealing with different problems told in a manner that connected one story to another because of a supernatural element. Each episode discusses about a particular student with a particular kind of teenage problem or situation. With each scenario taking place, Du "The Death Girl" appears giving them a choice to either press on and work hard to overcome their challenge or end up becoming a rock in the Bridge of Hopelessness where she stand guard.

With each episode, there is one student named Shen Qi who can see Du. Every time Du appears, Shen Qi tries to stop her from taking another student away. Time passes as he tries to understand her "job" as a guardian and he eventually fell in love with her. In the end, Shen Qi himself tries to overcome a life challenge and the fear of not seeing Du anymore.

This drama is very different from the usual idol dramas that's being shown on the small screen. I think, this is the first time I have watched a drama that tackles these types of issues and it was shown in a way that is both well thought of and well executed.

The different episode discusses different teen oriented issues and challenges. The issues vary from peer acceptance, homosexuality, teen pregnancy, teacher-student relationships and so on, and was performed by the different actors very well. Each story line was properly thought of and was performed by the different actors and actresses pretty well. Each story is with different actors/actresses with only the sole character Shen Qi in all the episode since he is the only one who can see Du even without the rock (the rock that came from the part of the Bridge of Hopelessness or Nai He).

The continuity of the series were well done. With the rock being passed on from one character to another in a very "coincidental way" that one wouldn't really wonder why he or she has it in the first place.

The characters were played very well. You will find yourself sucked into the drama, feeling for the particular character in the story. When you watch an episode, you may feel sorry, annoyed, angry with each of the characters because of their superb acting skills. You can feel that everyone has done their best in the drama.

The two main characters (Shen Qi and Du) were excellent in their acting. Although, I don't really feel that there is much chemistry between the two, you can still feel the effort that they have put in to make the drama really well done.

I'm giving it a 4 out of the 5 tumbling babies for two reasons. One, the two main actors in the whole series lack that kind of chemistry that to me would really make the drama click. And two, it was really just too "gloomy" for me. Don't get me wrong, it was a really great show, but I just feel so "gloomed out" after I watched an episode that I feel for the characters in the particular episode. I usually have to go read or watch something fun to take away the gloom. No wonder they called it "Gloomy Salad Days".

All in all, a very good series...if you're into sad drama series.