4 Reasons To Watch Moving And Heartbreaking C-Drama "Angels Fall Sometimes"

Lin Tuo (Lin Yi) is a bright, cheerful, and an extremely kind young man. He is studying design, and his sunny personality and energy are infectious. At a summer internship recruiting event, he meets An Zhi Que (Landy Li) and helps her out selflessly. The two strike a warm friendship, and in no time, love blossoms between the two. They shoulder on the many responsibilities of taking on part time jobs and studying as well as helping each other out as they plan their future. But just as the two think their paths are smoothening out, Lin Tuo is diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), which changes the course of their lives together.

23-year-old Lin Tuo sees his dreams crashing around him. As he comes to terms with his illness, he chooses to hide the inevitability of his situation from Zhi Que as well as his family. He makes some tough decisions for himself and to protect Zhi Que. But he has underestimated the intensity of her feelings for him as she takes it upon herself to be his strongest support and rock in these very tough and trying times. As his girlfriend, family, and friends rally around him, Lin Tuo is empowered, and he bravely moves forward and finds hope in a hopeless situation.

“Angels Fall Sometimes” is a heartrending and an extremely emotional drama. It comes with several life lessons, and Lin Tuo and Zhi Que’s story of love that stays strong and can even defy any challenge is both moving and inspirational. Here are four reasons to watch the poignant “Angels Fall Sometimes.”

An endearing and compassionate male lead

Lin Yi’s Lin Tuo is like a ray of sunshine. His warm and happy temperament is like a magnet, which draws people to him. He goes the extra mile to help those in need and stays calm even in the most choppy situations. His confidence in tackling situations is infectious. From Zhi Que losing money on an investment deal to his own brother’s rebellion against the family, Lin Tuo is the person they lean on and get their courage from. Though his own father, a doctor, thinks little of him for taking to a career in designing than pursuing medicine, Lin Tuo stands his ground. He is passionate about what he does and wins over his cranky manager at work too.

When he is diagnosed with ALS, one cannot help but wonder why bad things happen to good people. His disbelief when he receives the diagnosis, his need to hide it from his family and friends, and his helplessness when he breaks down and tells his mother, “I am sick,” is heartbreaking. He wants to free his girlfriend from the burden of being tied to him, and as he tells her his condition is fatal, you feel his helplessness. His vulnerability as he comes to terms with the hopeless of his situation at age 23 hits hard. Watching him gather strength to live each day to the fullest and impart hope to the rest, even as the disease overtakes his body, it sends out an empowering message of hope.

Lin Yi gives a go for gold performance as Lin Tuo. The actor gets all the beats right and articulates his character’s mental anguish with utmost sensitivity. A physically demanding role as well as emotionally challenging, Lin Yi gives a nuanced and controlled performance. Keep the tissues handy, this boy will make you cry a river.

A loyal and indestructible female lead

Landy Li’s An Zhi Que has had a tough life. From humble beginnings, she works hard and is saving up so that she and her father can move into better living quarters. But she is not the kind to lament and complain about how tough life is. It’s this cheery aspect of her personality which draws Lin Tuo to her. Even though life sends several curve balls her way, from losing her home and her father’s illness, she takes it on the chin.

Her relationship with her boyfriend is pure and simple, and the two are each other’s biggest support. You feel her anguish when Lin Tou breaks things off with her, and she wonders what went wrong. When she learns the truth, it is her strength of character and resilient spirit which shine through. As she becomes his primary caregiver, she nurtures him with the love and support that he so needs. She is thoughtful, and even though she is breaking inside seeing Lin Tuo’s deteriorating condition, her resilience and fortitude are remarkable.

The one aspect that strikes you about Landy Li’s performance is how free she is as an actor. She is uninhibited and will charm you with the sheer simplicity and devotion of Zhi Que.

“Nurture your relationships”

“Angels Fall Sometimes” goes beyond just being a love story that valiantly withstands the test of time. It brings forth the complexity of parent-child relationships, peer and performance pressure, and the many expectations that go along with it. Lin Tuo’s father is a domineering man who wants his sons to take up medicine like him. He has little to no interest in their lives. Lin Quo’s choice of career makes him an outcast at home, and even his mother seems to be more invested in his younger brother’s college exams than in Lin Tuo’s wellbeing.

But Lin Tuo’s rapidly progressing disease opens up a Pandora’s box of regrets, and his father is caught between the what ifs and the many should haves and could haves. He realizes that imposing his own will and being a dictator-like parent only alienates the child. As he tries to make up for all the time he had lost with his son, the message is loud and clear: cherish what you have, since nothing in life stays forever.

On the other hand, Zhi Que is a motherless girl, who has been lovingly raised by her truck driver father. He encourages and supports everything she does and infuses her with the confidence that helps her make some very tough decisions in life.

We also see an amazing mentor in Lin Tuo’s moody but compassionate manager at work. He is a hard task master but gives Lin Tuo credence and self-belief in his abilities as a designer. It’s his manager who also becomes his confidante when he is diagnosed with ALS and has his back at work.

Friends like family is what we see between Lin Tuo and his best friend Guang Pu (Sun Tian Yu) as well as Zhi Que and her friend Xin Di (Li Xian Ran). The drama highlights the fact that it’s our relationships which can make or break us.

“Live each day as if it is your last”

“Life is short, live it to your fullest” is something that is often said. As Lin Tuo remarks, at 23 he was waiting to take on life for whatever it is, only to be facing the inevitability of death. As he and Zhi Que face the inevitability of their situation, the two create a bucket list of things to do together. Why put off things for an unknown future, as many of us tend to do?

Lin Tuo doesn’t let his illness come in his way, and he, along with Zhi Que and his friends, continues to create value and impart hope to others. From raising funds for a child’s surgery to creating awareness regarding ALS, he does his bit.

“Angels Fall Sometimes” is a heartrending and bittersweet show, which makes you cry and smile through your tears. With powerful performances and a deeply moving storyline, the drama is a celebration of life, love, and everything in between.

 

cr: Soompi