Episode Guide
The Diary Those left Behind K&Cream Forever For Your Happiness Stranded Relationships Variation Cream&K Disorientation The Other Side of the Shore -| Review Score – 4/5 Remakes are all the rage right now and it seems even in Asia we’re being graced with this same phenomena. Next in line though is the beautifully poignant and emotional rollercoaster, More Than Blue. While the show is a tad overlong and has a few subplots that don’t add much to the story, overall this is a solid remake and a real tear-jerker from start to finish. The story takes place across two different timelines. In the past, and weaving both the past and present together, are star-crossed lovers K and Cream. After their amusing introduction at school, the tone abruptly whiplashes across to melodrama as K is hit with a double-bill of bad news. His father is involved in a car accident and he himself receives a life-changing diagnosis. I won’t spoil what that is here but it’s tough going and the first two episodes are particularly poignant as they flesh out the story that dominates large swathes of the run-time. Now, most of K and Cream’s story is confined to the pages of a diary, with Po-Han and Yi-Chi uncovering this while hunting for a lucrative song. This essentially works as a window into the past, giving the flashbacks – and the main theme of the show that binds everything together – context. The middle slew of episodes does shift that focus a little too much to the present, with an additional subplot involving photographer Cindy and Dr James Yang. While it still ties into what happens with the album, one can’t help but feel this show could easily have been 6 or 7 episodes rather than a rounded 10. Despite that though, the characters are well written and some of the editing is beautifully done. The soundtrack is suitably poignant too, and the lyrics to the final song K and Cream have composed hits a lot harder after experiencing their journey first-hand. Of course, given what sort of show this is, prepare to have tissues at the ready – especially during the final few episodes. There are a few strange elements though, like a stabbing in episode 9 that feels superficially melodramatic, but largely the show manages to hit the right notes throughout. Hats off to the cast for that though, they all do a great job, especially the two leads who play K and Cream. Their doomed romance is so beautifully portrayed and each of the flashbacks to their time hold significance that only compounds into a heartbreaking, cathartic ending that rounds everything out nicely. It’s always hard to stick a landing of a story but More Than Blue does a solid job of that. While it’s not quite as tightly composed as the movie it’s based on, for those who haven’t seen the film this is actually a good alternate. Poignant and incredibly emotional, More Than Blue is a solid Taiwanese drama and well worth checking out.
