Born for the Spotlight Review: Simply Fantastic

Netflix’s Taiwanese drama series Born For the Spotlight follows stars Hsueh Ya-chih and Chou Fan whose friendship in the cut-throat landscape of Taiwanese showbiz showcases the beauty of sisterhood. However, when an incident presents a rift in the friendship, what consequences follow?

The series has 12 episodes, each with a runtime of around 50 minutes.

Born for the Spotlight Review

With 50 minutes per episode to view, this 12-episode series, on par with Netflix Taiwanese dramas, is a deep and thorough look at the acting industry and the personal and professional lives of the divas that audiences love to fawn over. Weaving a complex narrative surrounding personal and professional challenges, the series is moving and sweet, with humour peppered in between.

The story showcases the lives of different actresses in the Taiwanese entertainment industry and thus, we are introduced to a whole league of characters in the first episode itself. Most are contemporaries, friends or acquaintances and we go through their different problems and dissect them while exploring their friendships. Throughout the 12 episodes, we learn about these people in-depth and go through the motions of their lives one after another, getting an intimate view of these characters that ultimately draws us to the story.

The storyline is simple and the uncomplicated nature is what will draw you to them. While Ai-ma struggles to make it big, award-winning actress Chou Fan is struggling with her past and is living a friendless, booze-filled existence in a hotel room. Meanwhile, Hsueh Ya-chih, Chou Fan’s ex-best friend, is doing her best in her talent management business while harbouring a secret past fallout with her. Meanwhile, TB and her mother Li-fen struggle to come to terms with their terrible relationship on the set of a new film. All of these relationships are delicious to break down, all the while we are taken on a journey through the ins and outs of the insanity of the film business.

Also Read: Citadel: Honey Bunny Review: Fun and Bingeable

However, the most interesting dynamic is undoubtedly between Hsueh Ya-chih and Chou Fan. Although all the other stories are heartbreakingly relatable and moving, it’s these two characters who hold the most interesting parts of the series. Best friends turned enemies, their deep friendship, eventual fallout and the following consequences can leave anyone hooked. The actresses do a fantastic job – Hsieh Ying-xuan and Cheryl Yang are both fantastic in every scene. In that respect, Chloe Lin and Hsieh Chiung-Hsuan are fantastic as well and provide absolutely moving performances.

In the end, if you love dramas, Born for the Spotlight is fantastic. It features some great stories that will move you to tears but it never goes overboard with the drama. It’s deliciously juicy but thoroughly emotional, which the series balances well. Every character gets their moment to shine and their emotions will leave you moved and affected throughout the runtime. One can’t help but wonder what happens next but the 12 episodes are easy to binge because the story is told in such a delicious way and is acted so well that one can’t help but keep pressing the next episode.

Final Thoughts

Born for the Spotlight is simply fantastic for those who love to watch dramas. The characters are rich and told with compassion while the storyline intertwines and weaves together to create a wonderful experience where no one is left behind. The dramatic aspects don’t overwhelm you are there’s a strong dose of emotion to keep everything running smoothly. However, it is probably the performances that will simply win your heart. All in all, this one is a must-watch for this weekend!

Also Read: 10 Days of a Curious Man Review: Intriguing Yet Confusing Crime Thriller