A surprisingly good show! I had heard praises for the original novel, and with its already strong storyline, it's no wonder the TV adaptation turned out well.
While there were some changes to the original plot, they were reasonable. However, the pacing felt a bit slow for my liking; an ideal episode count would be 18-20 instead of 28. The part depicting Cheng Anxin's mental struggles could have been condensed, as it seemed a bit lengthy with some repeated plot elements.
All four actresses, including former idol Yang Chaoyue, delivered outstanding performances. Despite Yang Chaoyue's known limitations in acting since she transitioned from an idol to an actress, she truly shone in her role as Ruohua. Her character, initially a quiet, smart college student suffering from different treatment from her sexist mother, transforms into a depressed girl due to the loss of her brother. Her mother, putting all attention on her, turns Ruohua into a depressed girl due to her toxic, mentally controlling, and sexist behaviors. Yang Chaoyue's portrayal captured the evolution of Ruohua's character, from struggling with her mother to awakening and rebelling against her. Cheng Anxin's actress also delivered a good performance for her complex character; her character is very challenging, and she performed well with no noticeable flaws.
Special shout-outs to Xu Di and Chen Xiaoyi. Xu Di, as Zhao Xiufang, Anxin's mother, delivered an incredibly convincing performance. I was deeply moved by her portrayal of a strong, determined, humorous, and subtly cunning mother figure. Chen Xiaoyi, portraying Zhao Xiuli, Ruohua's mother, played the villainous role convincingly. Despite her character's toxic and sexist traits, her emotional moments made me sympathize with the struggles between her and her daughter, as well as the pain of losing her son.
"Born to Run" stands out as an excellent TV series. Each of the four main characters, and even the supporting roles, is fully developed, contributing to the completeness and coherence of the series.
