This review may contain spoilers
Healing drama, but I actually have a lots of question.
[This review contains spoilers – read at your own risk!]This drama is actually simple and healing. It follows a woman struggling with insomnia due to overthinking, who ends up meeting a man—her doctor.
Here are a few things I didn’t quite understand:
The male lead falls in love with the female lead at first sight, which didn’t feel very believable to me.
The female lead seems to fall for him just because of his kindness. Shouldn’t she have taken time to heal first? Learning to love herself and recognizing her worth might’ve made the relationship more meaningful. Instead, it feels like she’s stuck in another emotional loop.
When her ex comes back and asks for a second chance, the female lead keeps running away instead of confronting the situation. I understand she was hurt and never got closure, but repeating the same avoidance behavior doesn’t help either. It would’ve been more satisfying to see her face the issue and move forward.
Both actors gave solid performances, and there were definitely some cute moments. Still, I felt like the chemistry between them was a bit lacking. Honestly, I kind of wish they had cast a different female lead.
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Easy to watch & enjoyable however…
This show is easy to watch and enjoyable HOWEVER, as someone who mainly watches costume dramas, if it wasn’t for ZLH, I probably wouldn’t have watched this.I don’t have anything against this drama, I believe this drama is a lot of people’s cup of tea in terms of little misunderstanding and little drama, the “drama” were not outlandish.
This is all personal, I’m someone who watches more costume/period pieces so I’m used to 30 episodes of misunderstandings and heavy angst and yearning — so that’s MY cup of tea and I know that may not be yours.
I would highly recommend this show to someone who wants to watch something easy to follow along, a show that doesn’t leave you on a cliffhanger, a show that you can truly unwind to and this is definitely a show that you can watch between your heavier shows.
I believe everyone can enjoy it, the show plot isn’t too heavy so you can go into this story line workout having to feel too heavy hearted.
It is a show that I believe is geared towards those who truly want a lot of fluff and sweet sweet toothache romance.
I overall enjoyed it and give it a solid 8/10 despite the show not being my type of show, but I fully gave it a chance for ZLH and I’m glad to have seen him in a modern setting.
You can take my review with a grain of salt, watch and see if you will enjoy it or not.
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Somehow, It Brought Me Comfort •́ ‿ ,•̀
Give me that sachet ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっI rlly liked this drama, it’s so soft and cute—way different from what I usually watch. The ✨ aesthetic ✨ totally drew me in—those text messages, the pretty nature spots, and the recipes I wish I could try but probs can’t. Manager Shen’s room and her keyboard? So cute.
The info on TCM and the whole hotel vibes? Obsessed—wish I could work in this field. The toxic relationship stuff hit deep; I get how someone can really mess with your head, but I feel kinda bad for the ex—don’t come at me lol. Part of it was his dad’s fault, but he’s wrong too. Also, I speed-watched the last 4 episodes cuz they got kinda predictable, but I’ll rewatch them when I miss it. Ms. Shen? Gorgeous. The chemistry? Fire. Love the second couple too. 🍃🌷
Also, the songs were so good—I saved some to my playlist bc I loved them. Cdramas' songs rlly be hittin diff.
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Sweet and Interesting!
Just finished The Best Thing, and it reminded me a lot of Love Me Love My Voice in the sense that it is truly a sweet love story that is relatively angst-free. A "feel-good" drama...that may have had me shedding a few tears here and there, but mostly I was smiling over their unfolding love story. I also found it interesting that each of these two dramas had underlying references to historic Chinese traditions...LMLMV's story revolved around Traditional Chinese Music, while The Best Thing revolved around the art of Traditional Chinese medicine, giving both dramas an added dimension and depth.While some have said Zhang Ling He's acting was just so-so in this drama, I disagree and thought he played his character, He Su Ye, perfectly...as a kind, maybe a bit shy, no-nonsense, dedicated and knowledgeable TCM doctor, who could be sweetly teasing but was always loyal to a fault and full of love for Xu Ruo Han's character, Shen Xi Fan.
And speaking of Xu Ruo Han I thought she did another wonderful job with her character, Shen Xi Fan, in The Best Thing. She has always been a favorite of mine, ever since The Forbidden Flower...and she didn't disappoint in this drama either! She always plays her characters so naturally and unforced, and manages to be both sensual and innocent in all I've watched her in.
I also thought the supporting roles were beautifully cast, and I loved all the characters, especially the always wonderful actor Li Jian Yi, who plays He Su Ye's grandfather.
And finally, I ESPECIALLY loved all the information integrated into this drama about TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)...so fascinating that I found myself often pausing the episode to do a quick search on my phone about the plants and recipes used in this drama. And at each Episode opening a medicinal plant was featured with it definition and uses....GENIUS!
So all said, The Best Thing is truly a lovely drama...I usually like my dramas darker, but sometimes a light satisfying drama like The Best Thing is...dare I say...Just what the doctor ordered. ;-)
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Cozy and healing
==Breakdown==Background plot - 20%
Romance - 70%
Misc comedy - 10%
Background plot - fine
Romantic chemistry - Amazing
Misc comedy - fine
Production value - Good
If you're looking for a cozy, sweet and sexy, lovely, feel-good drama, this one is it. The only reason it gets a 9.5 from me is because there is one plot element in the middle episodes that made me dislike the FL character for 2 episodes / made her appear petty and shallow. She somewhat redeemed herself, but the shadow of her actions never fully receded. (The kid in the hospital storyline... I was so irritated with her choices after that and thought she didn't deserve the ML; there's nothing wrong with being a single parent!!)
I will say, both leads in this drama are absolutely stunning. They're almost aggressively beautiful. I couldn't watch more than 1 episode at a time because it felt like an overdose of prettiness and sweetness. But 1-episode at the end of each day brought a smile to my face and was the perfect dose of this lovely drama.
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True to its name
This drama is literally the best thing. It shows the kind of love we all deserve. In all sense of love; significant other, family, friends, and people you meet along the way.For such a feel good drama, I didn't expect the angst to also hit hard. I love how this drama delivered in showing up the lowest points of the leads and eventually how they overcome it. The process of healing is also relatable. It's never rushed.
Something I really didn't expect from this drama is how it has become so much better after the dating era. I usually lose interest when couples get together officially but this one I found myself looking forward to what sweetness they are serving next. I'm in awe of the actors. They really performed well because I'm so convinced of their love. It felt sooo real. Kudos to Zhang Linghe and Xu Ruohan. They're perfect as He Suye and Shen Xifan 🙌
One of my pet peeve in some dramas is when 2nd leads overpower the main leads. In this drama, I loved how the 2nd leads and other cast have just the right amount of screentime. No unnecessary plot points. Each has their own purpose.
Some may say this drama is boring and bland but that's not the case for me. I never skipped and I never found anything dull. I loved every bit of it. It's so beautiful in every sense. The cinematography? Cast? Story? Pleasing to the eyes and the heart.
It felt like I only started this yesterday. This has been my comfort after a busy day at work every night since its release. Highly recommend if you want a stress free drama to watch, if you want to smile until your cheek hurts, if you want to feel so single lol 😆
I'm gonna miss this drama a lot and everyone in it. Rewatch value is definitely high. I'll visit it again and again. My favorite modern cdrama 🌷💗🍃
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Love That Feels Real—Effortless Chemistry and Heartfelt Moments
The Best Thing completely changed my perception of Chinese dramas. I don’t usually watch them, but this one made me reconsider everything. Shen Xi Fan and He Su Ye had undeniable chemistry—every glance, every touch, and every emotion felt incredibly raw and sincere. Their interactions weren’t just scripted romance; they felt genuine, as if I were watching two real people fall in love.While the storyline isn’t overly dramatic, the perfect balance of heartfelt performances and strong friendships made the series flow seamlessly. Every element worked together so naturally that I couldn’t help but be immersed in the journey. It’s a drama that speaks through emotions rather than grand twists, and that’s exactly what makes it so special.
For a show that touched my heart this deeply, giving it a perfect 10/10 was an easy decision!
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A cute love story with sprinkles of learnings on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
Okay I admit. I watched this for Zhang Ling He. Well, I'm sure most of everyone who watched this did.So it's not just me yea ( ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ )
I did enjoy the drama overall! The leads are super super cute. It has this soft, sweeting and calming vibe that makes me wish I was the FL here with the ML heh- “爱你，是我做过最好的事。” aww.
💖 What I enjoyed
• Story: Overall it's a healing, spring-themed drama where our FL grew from her heartbreak and learn to prioritise herself better. A modern drama that is relatable to those of us who are often so busy we lost sight of ourselves. Watch this if you need a break from life and want some sweetness and hope that things will be better... well they will definitely be!!
• ML & FL pairing: Super good-looking pair! The site I watched the drama on has a this live comment section so I was constantly seeing people questioning the pairing of Xu Ruo Han with Zhang Ling He- I was so annoyed omg. Girlie is confident and so pretty, idk what's wrong with people's eyes. Sure, Zhang Ling He is like the epitome of ~good looks~ but come on. I really like the vibe they bring together and this brings me to my next point-
• Chemistry: The pairing has a healthy relationship together, which some people may find boring/not exciting/not loving enough, but I really enjoy the lovey dovey calming vibe around them without crazy dramas. Just a regular couple finding their way in life :) Kissing scenes are not bad hehe
• ML, specifically: Come on, he's just perfect. Good-looking, good personality (with a healthy dose of green tea 小心机 that makes him even cuter haha), reputable job, clever, practically the home doctor now for FL, tall, rich, loving, considerate, CAN COOK?! Omg they need to stop making perfect ML it's not healthy cough...
• Acting: Cast is good, feels very natural in showing various emotions from happiness to tension to sadness etc. Especially, FL's parents?! At the back episodes when they went through an... ordeal, the emotions they showed with their eyes red and brimming with tears I was impressed and really cried along.
• Story around TCM: Refreshing. There has been other dramas surrounding to the topic of TCM, but I haven't seen a lot of those, especially where they dive more into tips and specific ingredients. I did come out of this with new knowledge so who says drama is a waste of time huh? hahaha
• Music: 你在我喜欢的世界里 by Silence Wang is sweet and pretty representative of the entire drama for me
💥 What I didn't quite like-
• Also... story: While I enjoyed the healing story it does feel a little boring sometimes. Having come from a serious period cdrama marathon where we have families and clans dying, the stakes are definitely higher lol. For modern dramas it does lack a bit of zest? Maybe they can have more meaningful things happen I guess, not necessarily people dying left and right, it just felt a bit bland. And by that I don't mean misunderstandings and problematic things I just want something more exciting to happen...
• FL's personality, sometimes: She's super brave for walking out from her heartbreak with her ex-boyfriend of 7 years, but it's just a bit annoying at times especially when she handled things too slowly when her ex came back again. I know I don't understand how she feels as a victim of getting gaslight on all the time, I tried my best to empathise anyway. Not a big problem on this for me, I just wish she was stronger (just a personal preference!)
• Ethicality: Hmmm. The fact that the ML as a doctor got together with his patient FL was a little iffy for me. Not very ethical in my books... everything is cute and fluffy, but I wish there could have been more that connects them (like they joined some flower arrangement workshops and met each other there, rather than just the oh-so-convenient we live in the same estate!) This did put me off in around the first 5-8 episodes and took me more time to get into the healing ~vibes~
• Depth of the TCM topic: I loved how they dive into the topic of TCM, but I want something more? It felt like they went in with a bit of depth but it also feels like they barely scratched the surface ya know what I mean? Maybe a future drama with a bit more technicality weaved in together with the storytelling could be interesting.
• Voiceover: Very weird, some characters are very obviously recorded naturally, while the 2 leads are voiced over by their recording. It is super obvious and you can 101% tell. I understand the production wanted a better for quality for the leads but this is my main qualm about cdramas - the juxtaposition between the voiceover for the leads and the natural recording for the supporting characters really threw me off sometimes and make them feel robotic and fake :( One moment you're like aww this scene is so cute and the next you're like wait what who's that robot-
Had a good time with this regardless, very cute (I have repeated this for so many times)- just lacking the excitement which makes it feel almost like another typical modern romance drama. The TCM part saves it quite a bit in differentiating.
Can't wait to see Zhang Ling He in his other upcoming dramas!
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pure fluff
this was pure fluffy through and through, and I was smiling the entire time. I really loved the first half of the series, when they were getting to know each other and especially before their dating starts. I loved that our heartwarming our leads were, but they were also funny and spunky in their own ways. It made the eventual romance all the worth it.flat points... it definitely felt dragged out by the time the leads got together and there was an unnecessary drama point that thankfully did not last long. I always enjoy stories before leads get together, so I think the second half could've been condensed better.
overall, a very lighthearted and warm watch, perfect for the spring!
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A sweet romance that somehow tastes bland
My review after finishing all 28 episodes: sweet but overrated. The drama has beautiful scenery and those typical slow-motion romantic moments. The story is a kind of slice-of-life with no heavy conflicts or red flags. Supportive friends, a warm family atmosphere, and both the female and male leads are complete green flags... everything you'd expect from a comforting, feel-good drama.But in the end, it tasted like unsalted popcorn. What went wrong? Well, if the narrative itself doesn't create tension or excitement, that responsibility falls on the main characters - and here, they just don't deliver.
Unlike other dramas in this genre, you don't get that overdose of sweetness or that urge to step into the screen and be part of that community. Apart from the kissing scenes, the chemistry is missing, as well as that comforting sense of warmth. And although the narrative is consistently focused on romance, it still fails to pass that feeling to the viewer.
In the end, the drama feels like a utopia: a gentle, romantic world with no villains, yet somehow still rather flavourless.
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A must watch drama
I'm so addicted to this drama. It's a def must watch drama! I myself was wondering why I'm feeling connected with it, then i got to know that the writer is the same one who wrote Hidden Love, which is my absolute favorite 🥹 This writer has something special, cuz i can rewatch the drama she wrote & also actors specially the male leads r so charming 😍Was this review helpful to you?
