More than Blue: the Series

"More than Blue:  the Series" (2021) is a sad story, but also inspiring about the strength of love.  Another great series from Taiwan.  It is a story within a story.

Near the beginning we see a young woman pummeling a young man for no discernible reason.  We learn eventually that the boy's father had killed her parents in an accident and she, soon known as Cream wanted revenge.  Soon she learns the boy's father has leukemia and dies.  The boy to be known as K has his mother also die.  Cream realizes they both lack a family and she ironically, perhaps moves in with him, as a family.  Neither wants to admit it, but they end up loving each other.  K. learns he has leukemia like his father and gradually deteriorates.  His concern is to find a good man for Cream.

The story adds a complication.  He picks his dentist, Yang Yu-hsien as the ideal candidate, but he already has a fiancee, Cindy, a photographer.  K persuades Cindy to break up the engagement and then maneuvers Cream to get closer to Yu-hsien.  K manipulates her to marry which she does only to please him.  A frame over this is that K is a song writer who is poor on lyrics.  Cream laughs at his attempt to put words to an admittedly good melody and comes up with a much better song.  It appeals to the record boss, but the copyright is elusive.  K dies and she disappears after arranging his funeral.

Another frame is three years later when Wang Po han, a manager wants to include the song in an upcoming album.  Chasing the copyright he gets involved with  An Yi-chi, an employee and a single mom.  Her son, An Ke-le, has been told to call his mother his sister.  Ke-le has a heart condition and is conscious of his mortality and his mother's vulnerability.  Po han wants to help, but she is resistant and he develops a relationship with Ke-le.

Cindy is still involved.  Two singers are also involved and chasing the copyright is a challenge.  For many of you, you will shed tears, but you will also feel good about love.

As usual in such good films there are a lot of people responsible.  Here are only a few. 

Pei-Ju Hsieh was the director.  He has 8 writing credits, 7 for directing and 4 for assistant director.

Francis Sun was one of the composers.  Although raised in Taiwan he resides in Los Angeles.  He was inspired by an album by Yo Yo Ma of film music by Ennio Morricone  (in my music collection).  Francis  has 113  composing credits, 3 for the music department and 2 for the production department.

Tomm Matthews was the second listed composer.  He  resides in Auckland.  Tomm has 11 composing credits and 9 for the music department.

Randy Che was the cinematographer.  He has 47 cinematographer credits, 58 for the camera and electrical department and 2 for directing.

Yi-Ning Chiang was the editor.  He has 13 credits as editor, 6 for the editorial department and 1 for cinematography.

Fandy Fan played K.  He has 19 acting credits.

Gingle Wang played Cream.   She has 19 acting credits including "The Falls" ((2021), "Light the Night" (2021) and "Wave Makers" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/08/taiwan.html

Po-Chieh Wang played Wang Po han.  He has 47 acting credits including "Life of Pi" (2023) and "Forget You Not" (2025), one of my top series,.  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/06/forget-you-not-something-from-taiwan.html   

Yu-wei Shao played An Yi-chi.  She has 32 acting credits and 1 for soundtrack.  

 Eleven Yao played Cindy.  She has 39 acting credits.

Figaro Tseng played the dentist.  He performed in a boy band, Comic Boyz for a few years.  Figaro has 34 acting credits and 1 for production design.

Bai Run-yin played Ke-le.  His mother was a translator from Japan and his father was a Taiwanese photographer and an agent for his two children.  Run-yin did his first tv commercial at age 5 after the producer had seen a photo from the father.  He also has done music videos.  When he started doing films he was praised for psychological sensitive roles.  He has also done a Japanese film perhaps because he had been active in martial arts.  In "More Than Blue:  The Series" he won a supporting actor award.

It is available subtitled on Netflix.  It is a tear jerker for sure, but a strong love story.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  They are not necessarily a recommendation, but generally I found them pretty good.  Check out the links to get a fuller idea of what those films offer.