Don’t let the drama’s poster fool you into thinking Shining for One Thing 一闪一闪亮星星 is just your average high school coming-of-age romance. Nope. This under the radar series which stars Shawn Qu Chuxiao and Karlina Zhang Jianing packs a mix of tearjerking young love with a huge helping of time travel. And based on viewer reaction, the web drama has also has been getting a lot of positive word-of-mouth online.
Storyline
At first glance, the plot sounds a lot similar to Someday or One Day 想見你, the hit Taiwanese drama starring Greg Hsu, Patrick Shih and Alice Ke that finds her travelling back through time after an accident. In Karlina’s case, her character Lin Beixing’s life as an almost 30-year-old is anything but together – her boyfriend dumps her before their wedding whilst life and her career are also a mess. But in a twist of fate, Lin Beixing goes back in time to her high school years, paving the way for her to “set things right” and also meeting Qu Chuxiao’s character Zhang Wan Sen.
Silent but affectionate, Zhang Wan Sen looks out for Lin Beixing. Little is revealed about him at first until the story delves into their connection.
Praise for Qu Chuxiao’s acting
Qu Chuxiao was previously in and out of the news due to controversies over his alleged bad behaviour, something which he vehemently denies. In Shining for One Thing however, audiences see a vastly different side to the actor. His character Zhang Wan Sen appears to be shy type who even has a difficult time looking at the object of his affection in the eye. Whenever he sees her coming, he quickly lowers his head and leaves, keeping his feelings to himself all while being so pure and captivating as the romantic lead. This turnaround has earned him considerable praise from viewers.
Zhang Jianing’s Effortless Transformation Between Timelines
Meanwhile, would you believe Karlina is already in her 30s? Having to travel back in time multiple times, she plays a high school student in a decent chunk of the series. Karlina sure makes rockin’ the youthful school girl style of her character look so easy (and believable too!). Netizens have already pointed out how her sweet and cute smiles totally suit her youthful character. So kudos! And ultimately, both leads shine together as an onscreen couple.
Now for those of you who have already watched the series, the umbrella scene is certainly a topic worth discussing. Do you think it was a happy ending or a bad one?
Source: 1
K
This was such a gem of a drama that I stumbled into watching. I started really liking the drama after episode 3. The first couple of episode seems to be a copy of the “Playful Kiss” drama where the girl kept following around a stoic guy who kept telling her he didn’t like her no matter what.
SPOILER******
I would like to think it is a happy ending– since the resounding theme of the whole drama was “your happiness is behind you” or look back and you will find happiness. Since the guy stood behind her with a umbrella on a rainy day, which was how the first “return” was. It has to be a happy ending. I am hoping there is a season 2.
I was wanting more episodes after the last one.
Dramallama
Happy ending!!! Im 1000% sure thats wansen holding the umbrella. But I need season 2!
Yooi
Best drama of 2022 so far. I really loved the acting, the plot and how she changed to be the better person. I liked it bcuz there wasnt really any villain in this drama. Just human being human being.
Highly recommended and i hope there’ll 2nd season of this drama.
Ps : i rarely cried while watching but this one… too deep and depressing sometimes but i couldnt stop.
K
I also had this theory when I watched the end. The drama never confirmed if he really did die. I wonder if perhaps he never died, and was in a coma or something and his brainwaves is sending signals for her to go back in time. Just my theory.. I am thinking that old man is probably him when he got old nd he traveled back in time…