It has been announced that the director of this drama has passed away today from her battle with cancer.
Even though the drama might seem a bit dated now whenever I re-watch it—since it’s a 2009 drama, and also that Taiwanese dramas are slow in general, imo— this drama definitely spoke to me when I first encountered it and it still speaks to me whenever I do a re-watch of it.
It highlights many topics—problems—of society in a very lived-in sort of way, without the feeling of getting whiplash, or that the happenings are drama for the sake of drama, or that things are being shoved down my throat. Van Ness’ acting, though not perfect, perfectly encapsulated the awkwardness and the struggles of his character always trying to find a middle ground between those around him and also the internal struggles he himself held in trying to find himself, identity which and who’s side he’s on, and the struggle to pick what is right versus what is beneficial, which isn’t always mutually exclusive.
This was my first (maybe 2nd? I’ve forgotten) drama with Ady An, and she immediately captured me with her acting out of the FL character with her softness, her gentleness, but with added grit, dignity, and pride. She successfully demonstrated the emotions and struggles of—once again— having to choose what is right versus what is beneficial, but with the added factor of being a single parent to a special needs child.
I’m not sure how much of the script is impacted by the director in Taiwanese dramas, but I tip my hat to the director of THIS drama for capturing ALL THE THINGS so beautifully and with such emotion



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    which drama is this?

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    Autumn Concerto was my first Drama, and I remember how much I loved it and cried.
    Just yesterday, I was wondering what Vanness was up to nowadays.
    It is a sad news to hear about the passing of the director…

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      Yea, I think the drama does so well in appealing to the pathos in how relatable and sympathetic it makes everything, and that is why it is such a timeless drama for me.

      Van Ness has been shifting his career to be more Mainland China focus for the last while— I’d say for the last 10 years, if not more— but it feels like it’s only been the last 5-6 years wherein the results are finally coming in and showing themselves

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      And I agree that the news is saddening, especially when we consider the general impact in that there’s already not that many female directors in the entertainment industry as a whole, not just speaking to Taiwan, and not that many female directors who are celebrated in their own right, but always seems like they’re 2nd fiddle as a co-director to a male director

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      Autumn’s Concerto was my second drama (after A Love So Beautiful cdrama) and it just floored me.

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    Oh my God, that’s awful! I LOVE this drama. It’s one of my top favorites and I still rewatch scenes from it pretty frequently (in fact, I rewatched almost the entire thing not too long ago). I read the novel it was based on (well, an English fan translation) and the drama was quite different, so I imagine the director had a lot of influence in it being SO good.

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      Yea, another one gone too soon 😢
      The tributes to her are beginning to roll in on social media. I just read the tribute from TW actress Janine Chang that she posted on her instagram

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