"Ghost Writer" in my opinion is the best series released in the first half of 2010. As the first ghost story and mythical series in years, it did not disappoint.
Characters & Performances
Hilarious and cute in the beginning as the playful Chung Ling, Steven Ma is a great actor who gives a solid performance. However, it's nothing that should be winning him the Best Actor award. The one downside was that his "tragic" love story with Sum Yin fell flat. Steven and Linda usually have a lot of chemistry but it does not show here, resulting in a draggy storyline. This caused "Ghost Writer" to have a major flaw.
Although Linda Chung is a decent and improving actress, she has yet to impress me. I cut her slack though as her performance was still very acceptable for someone who was suffering from insomnia at the time of filming. She seems like a very sweet and hardworking person (though some her fashion choices are extremely questionable), but I'm just not a fan of her as an actress just yet. Lau Sum Yin was a "goody goody" character, but still likable. She also looked beautiful in her last scene, while I didn't like her hair and attire in the rest of the series.
Fala Chen proved that she can be adorable in ancient series earlier this year portraying in In the Eye of the Beholder. She further proves her capability of being naturally cute as "Ling Wu Siu Chiu" here. In fact, I love her in ancient series even more so than modern. While Siu Chiu is a cute and innocent character at the beginning, the script writers drastically changed her in the last few episodes or so. How Siu Chiu suddenly fell head over heels in love with Chung Ling and stopped at nothing to get him was irritating to watch and out of character. I only believed that she admired and respected him. However, I must admit that while appearance wise they only look like brother and sister, Fala and Steven have fantastic chemistry. They make such a cute couple, and I can't wait to see them pair up in Links to Temptation.
Sunny Chan is a very talented actor who often lands unrealistically good characters. When I found out he would be portraying a villain, I was excited. In the end I found myself disappointed with "Ko Jit's" development. I had hoped that the reason he became evil was a result of getting fed up with corrupt government officials. Instead, he became evil because his best friend happened to be in love with Sum Yin, the love of Ko Jit's life (what I was afraid would happen). Nevertheless, Ko Jit is a good example of someone who unintentionally and unwillingly becomes evil.
Human Nature
What I enjoyed most about "Ghost Writer" was the theme of human nature, and how that was touched upon by talking about corrupt government officials. The theme was interesting and it reflected real life. While the reason why Ko Jit turned evil was disappointing, it showed how a good person can be "turned" into an evil one. When one is as generous and forgiving as Ko Jit yet constantly pushed around, they'll eventually be frustrated. They'll be tired of everything, and become "possessed" by an inner demon, as described in "Ghost Writer." The characters experienced different emotions and some underwent different changes, all relating to human nature.
Conclusion
"Ghost Writer" is a unique series dealing with more serious issues without being too "heavy" and stressful to watch. It was refreshing to watch another mythical series, especially one that didn't offer ridiculous CGI effects. I definitely recommend it, as it is one of the highlights of this slow and mediocre year.
Rating: 4 stars
