The Best Thing

a subtle but memorable modern romance

A lot of things about this series are so pretty. The actors. The visuals, sceneries, and sets. The music. The story. The symbolisms. All very beautiful. There are a lot of sincere interactions, meaningful messages, and depth in the storytelling. 'The Best Thing' definitely left an impression on me.

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● REVIEW
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[ --LIKES-- ]

✔ The series has a lot of beautiful scenes and visuals.

✔ I really like the OSTs in this series.

✔ The series stimulated many of my senses as it incorporates things like food, herbs, and flowers on top of stunning settings/visuals and music.

✔ Lots of little cute, romantic, and touching moments. Even simple interactions made my heart smile.

✔ The progression of the leads' romance felt very real and natural. There were moments of awkwardness at first that were very cute, but then they grew very cutely comfortable with each other.

✔ The traditional medicine aspect is interesting and educational.

✔ I like the handling of the FL's story with her ex-boyfriend. The ML was patient and understanding and waited for her to be ready. FL was strong and clear in her resolve to not get back with her ex.

✔ Both the male and female lead characters are supportive, kind, intelligent, understanding, and thoughtful. Both were able to help each heal from an aspect of their past.

✔ I like that ML and FL both get along well with each other's family. Everyone was pretty supportive of the relationship.

✔ Some nice themes about family and letting go of things. "Some things are better left in the past." - Suye's Grandpa.

✔ Xifan's ex showed no growth. His past behavior wasn't a misunderstanding of any sort. There was no redemption arc for him. He was just a not-great guy and I liked that. Made it easy to root for hero ML.


[ --DISLIKES-- ]

✖ There's an episode where the FL misunderstood that the ML had a kid and just kind of started treating him like a stranger without a proper conversation. I dislike it when someone doesn't give the other party a chance to speak or explain something. It's important to verify information before jumping to a conclusion. In this case, it worked out in a cute way because it kind of exposed the FL's feelings, so I'm willing to forgive it a little in this instance.

✖ There's not a lot of focus on the second couple. I do wish we spend a little more time on their development.


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● IN-DEPTH REVIEW
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[ --STORY/PLOT-- ]

Even those that grow up in a nurturing, supportive environment can have scars in their heart. Our female lead Shen Xifan have loving, supportive parents and great, supportive friends. However, a toxic relationship with her ex-boyfriend has left both her mind and heart scarred. When she is unable to sleep, she seeks the help of a traditional medicine doctor, He Suye. Almost right away, she leaves an impression on Suye, and their journey towards love begins. There was a point in the series where Bi Wenjun showed up, which was funny to me because the vibe of this initially reminded me of "Sweet Teeth", a drama Wenjun starred in. Handsome guy in the medical field (dentist vs doctor) treats a female patient and falls in love with her quirkiness/personality. Both have an overall sweet, cute, heart-warming vibe. However, that's about the extent of their similarities though.

I think it was the rain scene in episode 4 that really set the tone of this series for me and captured my heart. Xifan running at Suye with an umbrella while his eyes are locked on her was such captivating scene. The bright flowers in her hands, the cherry blossom tree in the background, the rain and the soothing sound of it pouring down all worked well together to create a stunning scene while building and evoking the feeling of a romance quietly blossoming. I just really loved that imagery. The series uses a lot of cinematography and symbolism to help tell the story. From the medicinal foods and its properties to flowers to the seasons and other things, they all contribute to the experience. The story isn't about big moments but is built up by a lot of memorable little ones, and there are a lot of them. Not just cute, but also heartfelt, touching ones. The first one that came to mind was a scene where Suye and Xifan were walking under the osmanthus trees. He was feeling sad and Xifan knew he was upset, but wasn't sure how to comfort him. In that scene, he pulls her in for a hug. That was warm moment. It was quiet, but memorable. There are quite a few moments like that.

While overall, the series was mostly sweet and cute, it's not without its angst. As mentioned before, Shen Xifan has trauma in her heart from her past relationship with her ex-boyfriend. This becomes the biggest obstacle between Suye and Xifan getting together. I think that story arc was very well done and highlights the strengths of both of their characters. I like that the FL is very firm in her resolve to cut Heng from her life, even blocking his contact. She doesn't entertain the idea or possibility of getting back with someone who has cause her mental anguish. She has a strong will. Sadly, while she maintains a strong exterior, internally she is struggling. More and more, I just wanted to hug Xifan. It was heartbreaking when the words of Heng and Kexin kept echoing in her mind. I'm glad Suye was around to keep reassuring her that the trauma is not her fault. She deserved a love that truly cherishes and values her.

The reappearance of her old boyfriend caused her a lot of mental stress and discomfort, but reading a simple text from He Suye made her smile and comforted her. One man was the cause of hurt, while the other one is the reason for her healing. Suye was very understanding of her and waited patiently until she was ready to open up to love again. Once she was ready, she went straight to him, and I really liked that. She gave a bold and straightforward confession. He had confessed to her before, but she rejected him. However, he never pushed her or placed any pressure on her as she healed from the trauma of her past. He was just always there. She recognized that and when she finally lets go of her past self, she took the next step forward herself.

Suye also had his own issues. His relationship with his father is estranged, and he still carries the shadow of his mother's death in his heart. It is his relationship wit Xifan and her family that ultimately help him move forward from the past. Suye's grandpa said a very memorable line and it's an important bit of wisdom that applied to both of our leads. "Some things are better left in the past."


[ --ACTING/CAST-- ]

I really enjoyed the leads' chemistry. I liked the long lingering gazes of affection. I also enjoy the awkward interactions, the silent and dead air between them sometimes. It is awkward but also very natural. A lot of their interactions felt relatable and real. Overall, the acting left an impression in my heart. They are also both very attractive and beautiful people with pretty smiles, so that kind of helps sell this series, I won't lie. The rest of cast were also good. Though I did wish we could see more of the second lead couple and also more of the supports like Tang Jiuzhou (Li Jie).

[ --MUSIC/OST-- ]

This series had a lot of great and memorable music that really set the vibe. I playlisted a lot of them. Many had a vibey guitar sound that I really like. Of course, always a fan of Silence Wang, so I really liked 'You Are In The World I Like'. I also really really liked '最好时候 (The Best Time)' from 符雅凝 (Fu Yaning) and 都智文 (Baby·J). My favorite out of all the soundtracks though would probably have to be 'Fate' from Lauren Woo.

[ --REWATCH VALUE-- ]

When it comes to modern romance, this one is up there for me. I really liked it. There is definitely a lot I want to go back and see so I will be rewatching this at some point.

[ --FINAL THOUGHTS-- ]

I'm about to make a comparison to another series. The audacity! I know. Feel free to skip the rest of this. It was just something I was thinking about while watching this. It also may be a series that you may not have seen, so proceed with caution! Very high-level though so not too spoilery.

So, this drama actually reminded me a lot of "The First Frost". They both aired around the same time. For those who have seen it, yeah, I know, that's stupid and weird of me to say considering it has a very different mood/tone. I actually think that their opposite vibe makes them great companion series to watch at the same time. However, vibe aside, they have many similarities. Great cinematography/visuals, amazing OSTs, and very likable leads. Both female leads are strong, smart and have scars from their past (which affects their sleep) that they are healing from. They both also have some guy that kept bothering them. Meanwhile, both male leads are patient, kind, and understanding and help the FLs lead move forward. The MLs also try to act cool but hide cute ulterior motives, so the humor and cuteness is about the same. Both series is a bit of a slow burn.

Cinematography is used to help tell and enhance the story of both. The visual of the world in both is a reflection of our leads' hearts and the love that they hold in it. Cold, dull, bleak versus warm, colorful, and hopeful. Just a lot of little details in both that hold more meaning/significance than what they literally are. Obviously, there are differences in story details and structure, but for me, overall, they are more alike than different when examined with a broad lens. I think that's why I kind of like them about the same, which is reflected in my overall/general rating for them.


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● NOTE
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I'll always conclude my review by saying that ratings and reviews is not really a indicator of whether you may enjoy something. We all have different criteria and standards. Don't let a bad rating, review, or comment discourage you from watching something. My advice will always be to give something a chance if the premise interests you, and only use the ratings/reviews to determine priority if you have a list, or if you're deciding if you want to continue it due to time limitations.

♥ Thanks for reading my review! Feel free to comment or hit me up if you want to discuss anything ♥

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Okay to me, nothing more

So, this drama was my most awaited 2025 modern cdrama and it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

What I liked :
- this was mostly a light watch without much angst
- beautiful happy ending
- I think the leads had chemistry. The kissing scenes weren’t that good to me
- I liked FL’s relationship with her parents
- I think the medicine thing and ML’s work was somehow interesting, learned new things.
- the ex boyfriend was not present much
- liked the grandpa
- both had like some trauma and pain (her with the ex boyfriend and him with his dad, even mom story), we saw both backstory and they help heal each other pain
- acting was good

So, I don’t know but I found this pretty boring at time and I had a hard time keeping my focus and not going on my cellphone.

Second couple was not really interesting. We didn’t have enough scenes or development for me to get attached and enjoy them. Just felt like characters only there for FL and not to have their own story. Most of their scenes was with FL as friends and coworkers. I know it’s friends to lovers, so not much development, but still didn’t found them appealing unfortunately, so losses points with this.

ML’s dad character development… that’s that I guess, not really surprised


light romantic tone, not much angst and good ending. Not interesting second couple. this drama was pretty boring to me, so I give it 7-7,5

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Healing Through Patience & Love is Truly the Best Thing

I've wanted to see ZLH in a modern drama for a while now and though he had those before, only after he shot to stardom after his roles in MJTY and KP, did more audiences see him as a versatile actor. This drama was a perfect offset of all of his previous roles because it was calming, relaxing, while showing how love grows naturally. Healing through patience & love was truly the best thing.

Pros: This was such a lovely and fun in a subtle way series. I loved how every episode started with a particular TCM ingredient and it was explained how it worked and then it was incorporated into that episode for better or for worse. Both leads had their fair share of pain to go through and heal from and they found those ingredients if you will in each other. The ML or HSY was definitely the more mature and wise of the two. FL or SXF met him in the first episode just as she was going through a rough patch with her asswipe soon to be (like in the next episode) ex boyfriend. Due to the fact that all of the stress from that, work, etc, caused her insomnia, she was recommended to the neighborhood TCM doctor and that's how they met. Fate or the universe couldn't be more perfectly aligned for that meeting. For him it was like at first sight and this was he fell first and hard and it took her a much longer time to realize her feelings.

Let's not forget their chemistry! Well we all know ZLH can get it done; even XRH said that he is an eye-showing actor; so he shows you how he feels with his eyes before he says the words. But their kisses and even hugs were all that and then some! It got warm in my room quick lol! I also loved that she initiated a lot of their make out sessions and didn't just wait to be kissed. That was a lot more natural than the woman just standing there as the man goes in.

Their lives and romance were immediately intertwined because they also happened to live in the same neighborhood. He was the gentle healing soul that always told her to take her time and learn to love herself while he took care of the rest. He was literally the perfect man. You can call this a slow burn because it took her quite some time and funnily enough a push from her aggressive, arrogant ex to get her to understand what her heart and soul had known for a long time; that the right person was in front of her and next to her the entire time.

Though there was a third wheel in here, she was after the ML and once he found out what her thoughts were, he cut the cord quick. He wanted to be with one woman only. This was a mature romance with great characters. Not a single one took up space or needed to be tossed off a cliff. There was comedy especially the references to certain characters and series the actors actually played in was a great way to both promote those series and give it a real world feel. The leads way of expressing love was through flowers, sachets, nature, and cooking not always words and that was for the most part a great and symbolic thing.

The way they helped each other with things as well as their friends did; her bestie cleared the confusion of why XF rejected SY's confession in the first place; that it was out of fear not that she didn't care. Meanwhile, XF helped reconcile SY with his father towards the end after many years of estrangement. SY helped heal XF's existential identity crisis post breakup and made her stronger in her convictions not just as she even pointed out "an obedient dog that would follow your every command." I loved the united front that the parents and SY showed against the ex as he was kicked out of their house and also at the hotel, where even the GM stood up to him along with her two best friends and some other hotel staff.

All of the supporting characters were great! XY and LYS who were friends for 10 years and loved each other just as long but only got together after XF's constant pushing and prodding. XF's parents were funny and so great and supportive. All dramas should have parents like them. SY's grandfather was just awesome and comedic in a good way; when the families blended it was a very strong unit. SY's interns especially LJ are funny as well as the dude that's always single and his patients. You can see who all matters to them from who's invited to their wedding in the last episode. And the wedding was lovely especially the choreographed dance of the leads in the heart made out of flowers.

OSTs, extra info on TCM, sets though modern, we're all lovely and fit. For him the symbol of love was that keychain ring she gave him to ward off matchmakers and for her it was the satchet.

Cons: Though very few I did have some issues. For starters, the FL had this annoying tendency to go all deer in headlights when she was around him and couldn't say a single declarative sentence and that got kind of annoying. Because when she had to ask him questions about TCM or things she was interested in or talk to her friends or at work, she could just babble forever. But simple conversations were hard won. And at 27, you should be able to speak like an adult all the time. Glad that once she realized her feelings and they got together, she "grew up" so to speak.

The old people clothing, I don't understand. Both leads wore clothes that were suitable for their parents and grandparents and you could see them wear that. I don't know why in modern dramas they do this to young adults making them look so elderly with the wardrobe. Only when at work and they had to wear a uniform or a suit did they dress their age.

Felt the ending was a bit rushed with her mom's illness and her again having thoughts of studying abroad. Also the fact that at the wedding SY said this whole monologue of things and XF said maybe a sentence or two felt uneven. They could have placed the illness somewhere else and then made her studying abroad, returning and having their wedding so much smoother. That's it.

Would I recommend it? I totally would. This was a breath of fresh air and homey and so nice like a warm hug at the end of a long day. A simple romance with symbolism, meaning, and a bit of humor. Definitely the best thing.

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Zhang Ling He is The Best Thing of this drama <3

[I respect other reviewers and their individual choices. There are plenty of dramas out there to suit every taste. Direct your support or lack of to the drama itself. If you support this drama, good for you and please continue to. Please write your own good reviews. If you do not support this drama, please also write your own review. We are reviewers. Not personal attackers. We review. We do not attack. Reserve your opinions for your reviews and not for the reviewer who is responding to the drama itself and not to other external aspects. I am responding to this drama that I have watched and I am not personally attacking any actor or actress in real life. It is all based on this particular drama only/ this particular reel life only.]

I decided to watch this drama because I like ZLH.

ZLH was exceptional in Kunning Palace and the dark, tortured man that he was in the drama and the way he growled "Ning Er!" will be forever etched in both my consciousness as well as my sub-consciousness. He even made me toy with the idea of changing my name to "Ning Er". LOL :o) So, I watched this drama for him.

What I Liked:
- Very low angst plot but this also translated to a plot which was kind of boring as nothing riveting and suspenseful happened.
- The FL's parents, especially her father, were such nice people. Drama land should have more of such lovely, reasonable parents instead of crazy kind of parents.
- The ML was "da bomb" of course. I loved the way he smiled and how he was such a wonderful person and bf and husband-material. All green flags like what some other reviewers mentioned. (But, such men usually only exist in drama land, yes?)
- The OST was very modern and catchy. The lyrics were quite laughable and yet, heartfelt in a simple, straightforward manner. "When I see you, flowers bloom..." GOSH! "Love, love, love, it's right in front of me..." GOSH! Cheesy? Corny? But, definitely CUTE!
- The other characters were all sort of lovable. No one was the villain whom viewers would want to curse and be all mad at. Everyone was quite pleasant.

What I Did Not Like:
- The FL lead was okay. It was probably my first time watching her. However, I kept thinking about other actresses who would be more suited to be paired with ZLH and more suited for this role. I felt that the chemistry between the FL and ML was not too sizzling. It was so-so only.
- The plot was NBD. Nothing much suspenseful happened. I guessed it made a pleasant and "healing" watch. However, it was also rather mundane and draggy.

In a nutshell, I recommend this drama if you're a fan of ZLH like me. I also recommend that you watch this drama on 1.25 speed to get things moving. At usual speed, things take too long to happen. I can only give this drama 7/10 and it's simply because of ZLH. <3

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'The Best Thing' is actually one of the The Best Things I've ever watched

I've never made a review though I've loved many dramas in the past but i felt I had to this time. For anyone wondering whether to watch it, YES please do. I went from starting this drama on a whim to looking forward to episodes. It quickly became one of my favourite dramas ever. I also feel like it healed a part of me. Whether it was the story, the cinematography, or the characters, they were all immaculate. I actually read the book while waiting for the next episodes to come out and feel like this is one of the rare cases where the drama surpassed the book. The book was already good but I'm in awe of the drama. I hope everyone involved from the actors to all the staff, knows how well they've done. You can clearly see the love, care, and attention to detail that was put into this drama. I loved the message about self-love, healing, and chasing your dreams that were a constant theme throughout. I also loved that misunderstandings weren't dragged out.

SPOILERS (skip to the last paragraph if you don't want to be spoiled)
I loved Shen Xifan getting herself flowers. I loved her giving He Suye flowers. AND I loved it even more when she and He Suye started exchanging flowers. Anyone can receive flowers regardless of gender. I love sunflowers, but this drama has me loving tulips now also. I loved He Suye's quiet way of loving Shen Xifan and how he supported her without being aggressive or pressuring. He showed that its possible to have quiet strength. You can still exert authority without being aggressive. I also loved the other sides we saw of him, like him being mischievous and sometimes a trickster. And Shen Xifan. I know some people might not have liked when she initially rejected He Suye, but I think it was the right thing to do. Its better not to get into a relationship when you're still unsure of your feelings and also still having problems from your past relationship. And as we saw, when she realised she liked him, she ran to him. I believe she's also an example of quiet strength. She seems like such a gentle and caring soul. But she's also firm when she has to be and has a humorous side to her.

I think they'll forever be one of my favourite drama couples. I found myself enjoying even their most domestic moments. From cooking to just sitting and chatting on the couch. Many scenes had me giggling and kicking my feet in the air. I've never been so invested in a fictional relationship before. I teared up so much while watching the wedding scene. Daylight by Taylor Swift popped up in my mind and I think it describes them perfectly. I actually ended up playing the song to that scene, and it fit so well🥹.

I'm really going to miss this drama. It brought me so much happiness and was something to look forward to every day. I literally counted down to episode releases as I was too excited. I also replayed so many scenes in many episodes countless times. I'm jealous of the people who haven't watched this yet. Now I have to wait a while to forget what happened just to experience this all over again. This really felt like an experience. I've learnt so many things, and I think some of my outlooks on love and life generally have changed. This is really one of The Best Things I've ever watched😊

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A Calm and Beautiful Drama with Flaws

I'm currently watching episode 20. This drama is calm and relaxing, with a Zen atmosphere surrounded by traditional medicine.

The main idea of the drama: taking care of yourself—your heart, your mind, your nutrition, and living at a slow pace… The rest, concerning the psychology of the characters and their actions, doesn’t feel complete or deep.

The drama is perfect for Lin He’s fans, who can enjoy his radiant smile and his prince-like image, as he takes care of his beloved with great patience and ultimately wins her over—let’s be honest—with quite a bit of determination (he’s not as naive as he might seem, our prince :)).

The female lead doesn’t have any particularly outstanding traits in her character. Sometimes, I wonder—what exactly attracts the doctor to her? I don’t understand or relate to her actions, even though the entire series revolves around her character. I don’t see any real drama in her life, as they try to portray. I just can’t believe in this "drama." She has a loving and supportive family, perfect friends, and a job she enjoys. I also don’t see much need for her to study abroad if it’s just for prestige ?
She is very beautiful and visually appealing as a couple with Lin He.

Her ex is portrayed in a very one-dimensional way to convince us that he is the villain of the story. As a character, he lacks depth and influences the plot in a childish way.

The second couple is very pleasant and charming, although at times, I feel like the female friend is too intrusive in her role. She solves all problems and takes the initiative without consulting her…

The supporting roles, in my opinion, are ok.

As for Lin He, there’s nothing to criticize—he does his job wonderfully, although his world is entirely confined to medicine. We never hear him talk about anything other than his herbs or treatments (this is a weakness in character writing: for me, he comes across as a very sweet but somewhat dull person). We’ll see later…

The script is based on endless recipes and plant names… without any remarkable dialogues (except for one or two amusing lines from Lin He). It contains a lot of text messages, which create a static and non-artistic rhythm.
For me, the series ended at episode 18. What are they going to show that’s interesting after that? If it’s not 8 episodes of feel good vibes but flat and linear.

This drama is mainly aimed at Lin He’s fans (to be honest, he is the only reason I’m still watching).

The music is pleasant and atmospheric, using piano, cello, and other instruments, but it lacks memorable themes or originality—it’s a copy that works.

The cinematography is visually appealing: colors, camera angles, looks…

In general, I’ve pointed out both the positives and negatives of this drama. It all depends on your personal perception!

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Cute and Fluffy romance with great kisses and a super green flag ML - Perfect stress reliever

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

Writing this review after watching the Easter Egg and BTS clips of Zhang Ling He might have affected the rating. LOL. He’s quite adorable and personable in all those clips and he puts a big smile on my face. But for real, he did a really good job here. I am looking for a drama to relieve stress, and this is the perfect drama at the moment, though “The Best Thing” is not a perfect drama objectively.

What I Like:

1. Zhang Ling He - After his recent success in all the non-modern drama, it’s so refreshing to see him in “The Best Thing”. He’s so well-casted here. He has a young face, and is playing the role of Dr. He, who is serious at work but innocent in love. This is perfect for Zhang Ling He. He wears a mask during many of his scenes, yet you can tell from his eyes what he wants to convey. His eyes can smile! It’s hard to not fall in love with his character and him.

2. Romance - This is the sweet, adorable, flirty and fluffy romance that I need at the moment. The leads have a lot of chemistry and their scenes together are fun and flirty. Who knew you could flirt with Traditional Chinese medicine and names of herbs. There’s no angst and they understand each other so well. Su Ye (ML) always has Xi Fan (FL)’s best interest. He is patient and supportive, and gives her time to make her decisions, and waits for her to be ready to share. But I also like that Xi Fan doesn’t hesitate to take the initiative, though she’s not the first to fall in love and to court. There are many ‘first’ moments in the drama that she is the one that took the first step.

3. Kisses - We know Zhang Ling He and Xu Ruo Han are great kissers from other dramas, so it’s a pleasure to see them here. There is an abundance of good kisses and they all happen naturally. It doesn’t feel like they’re kissing for fan service, but really kiss when it’s the right moment.

4. Traditional Chinese Medicine - For some, this might be too much. But I love learning about TCM and its usage throughout the drama. I also like how ML tries to use the names of the medicine to express his romantic feelings, and flirt with FL. Since I am reading Chinese subtitles, I am not sure if other subtitles could convey the same message or if it's all lost in translation.

5. Cinematography, Flowers, Wedding - There are many pretty scenes in this drama and I’ve seen many screenshots that many MDLers posted. There are beautiful flowers in many scenes for different reasons and conveying different messages. The wedding takes place at a gorgeous location and beautifully decorated with flowers as well. This wedding also makes me smile and grin. I feel truly happy to see the leads getting married.


What I have Mixed Feelings and Dislike:

1. Drama Length - This drama could be shortened to 24 episodes instead of 28. There’s really not a whole lot going on once the leads got together. I think we can forget the mother’s arc at the end and just focus on FL’s future plans.

2. Music + Slow motion- The songs are lovely (except I don’t quite like the English ones). However, they are played ALL the time. I don’t need a song when a romantic moment happens. I don’t need a song when the leads are looking at each other. I don’t need a song when I am trying to listen to the dialogs. On top of the repetitive music, I also don’t need every single romantic moment to be in slow motion to tell me this is a romantic moment.

3. Red lips - Zhang Ling He has such pale skin and they put red lipstick on him. HIs lips are as red, if not redder, than Xu Ruo Han’s lips. I looked at his handsome face and I got distracted by his lips and not in a good way.

4. Too Homey? - Aside from walking, cooking, eating and hanging out, the leads really didn’t do much for fun. It works for ML’s personality, but maybe a little boring for the viewers.

5. Unprofessional? - OK, this is a romance drama and courting has to be done during those medical appointments. But when you think about it, it’s a little unethical and unprofessional, right?


Lastly, I would recommend "The Best Thing" if you:
- Are looking for a cute and fluffy romance with a super green flag ML (who can be too perfect for you).
- Are looking to relieve stress and not think too much about anything.
- Are a fan of Zhang Ling He and Xu Ruo Han
- Are interested in learning about Chinese Traditional medicine
I am all of the above, therefore I am rating this an 8,25 (rounding up to 8.5 because of Zhang Ling He)

Completed: 3/14/2025 - Review #554

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Who needs Chinese medicine? Just bottle the ML!

I'm only half joking when I wrote the title. While the drama has multiple side plots and an ensemble cast, the A-plot is simply how good the ML is to the FL and why are they not married yet? LoL

Right from the start, the ML took care of the FL. First as her TCM doctor who saw her at her lowest ebb. There is an instant attraction but he kept it professional for as long as he can.

We are never in doubt that he is a pure soul and cares for all his patients. The FL is lucky to be the Chosen One™. However, she is one confused puppy and the last break-up hurt her deeply. While he is helping her to heal, she just can't see the forest from the trees and ended up pushing him away.

Of course, she soon saw the errors of her way but she is still stuck in "no man's land" without a clear path forward.

Then all hell broke loose when her ex-BF shows up to "reclaim" her. That was the catalyst for her to act decisively and break with the past completely.

From then on, it is pretty much smooth sailing for our OTP. There are endless happy couple scenes and a goodly amount of skinship. They even squeezed in a bit of sexy time as bonus. Also bonus points for the FL's parent being so chilled and loving.

There is a bit of angst towards the end but inconsequential. For instance, the FL going overseas to study was the sword hanging over their heads for half the series but it ends up being almost meaningless. The only impact is their forced seperation for a few months but they video chat constantly. The studies and internship means little as she ends up managing a local restaurant with her bestie and gets married before she unpacks her suitcase. Where is her growth? What is the point of the trip to Switzerland?

It would have been more impactful if she gave up her study for love and then find fulfilment managing the restaurant.

Ditto, the mum's health scare. It was barely a ripple in the Force. It feels like nothing is allowed to get in the way of the HEA ending.

I can't complain because I wholeheartedly ship the OTP. However, it does feel stretched. I think 24 eps would have been perfect.

In the end, I felt oddly detached. It is like I'm watching my besties getting together. I am very happy for them but I'll be the one teasing them endlessly with "get a room already!".

It is an enjoyable show because it is designed to please. It will give you the warm and fuzzy feelings in spades but I can't, in all honesty, sit through it again.

OST is fine but the love theme is on HIGH rotations in the second half. Production value is good.

P.S. One thing that I'm happy to see is TCM being shown as complimentary to western medicine. This is much more realistic than some depictions that implies TCM is akin to magical cure-all.

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