This review may contain spoilers
Sometimes...the remake....is worse
Woof. This was rough. Like I almost dropped it rough. This wasn’t a bad drama per se, I’ve seen far worse, but rough is the aptest word I have for it. I’ve seen quite a few reviews give it very positive feedback and while I think some of it is warranted, I think it overlooks some of the glaring issues this show has that may make someone want to not watch the show.Okay, so I need to address something first because most of the issues in the show stem from this, it’s kinda like the original sin. This drama is based on the sleeper hit Thai film CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE, and it explains so much of the weird stuff that happens in the second half of the show. Like after I finished the drama and had taken a few days to really take it in, I watched the original movie, and everything that had confused me suddenly made sense.
Story: The story...bad. I love the first half, the part set in high school, it was the best part of this story and character-wise. It was fun and cute, a perfectly fine teen drama, a good adaption of the original text. But when it gets to the college stuff, it gets real weird. Some of the story plots make zero sense cause they are in college, they don’t fit into the setting nor do they do anything for character or relationship growth. Characters and character arcs get destroyed. Product placement galore (this one is bad morally, considering who their target audience is, what they are saying through framing and story, and what exactly they are selling - but as an adult who can do critical thinking I found it funny, do a drinking game to it, take a shot every time Angel Zhao is forced to be like “wow these products are making me prettier and now hot boys like me” while she’s slowly allowed to take off what they used to “uglify” her). Bad writing period. Angel Zhao had the weirdest makeover/character story ever. It was all so goddamn weird to me that a story could fail so spectacularly after a very solid start, especially in terms of messaging. And then I watched the original movie. And then it all made sense. All of it, why Angel Zhao had face paint, fake teeth, and a bad wig the whole time (I don’t even want to touch on the colorism). Why they had Zhao twirl a baton for an overly extended period of time even though, I repeat, she’s in college and a fashion major. This explained why the fashion department was in charge of the school play, I mean theatre production. Why Zhao had to fall into a pool when her feelings get hurt, presumably multiple times cause tv. Why her character has a Cinderella transformation and most of the typical beats of a Cinderella story but falls flat in practically all aspects especially the messaging. It’s all cause it was originally in CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE. If you want to know the major sins of adaption sickness that this suffered, I’ll put it at the end since it really is spoiler heavy. Anyways, the story was bad. Moving on.
Acting/Casting: I actually really liked this cast, they just got a subpar script, especially the secondary female lead. Like her character changed completely during the second half of the show and it was an insult to her acting abilities. I think all of the cast can act, maybe not all of them have a range but none of them were miscast. But this show was not what it wanted to be. And poor Angel Zhao had to show up early to set nearly every day to put her ugly suit on and do what she had to do. Pour one out for her.
Music: It was okay, it’s fine. The thing that really got to me was some of the sound editing choices, Most of them were fine, but some of them really were baffling. If this drama had a better, more cohesive story, the sound design/editing would have been the weakest part.
Rewatch Value: I wouldn’t. It’s not particularly spectacular or life changing, it’s not even the best of its genre. It is at times cute and entertaining but that’s about it. If you watch it once honestly that’s enough. I would recommend watching the original movie instead.
1. The first issue with this show is that it tries, to its detriment, to be like the movie. Now, this wouldn’t be bad per se, but the way in which they employ this it’s quite obvious that it was a part of adaptation sickness where they weren’t able to pinpoint what made the original good so they took the most memorable scenes of the show without consideration of the new thing they have created and also they were trying to pad this out. Like honestly this show would have been better as a 16 to 24 episode show. Also, this show does not consider the setting of the original movie in contrast to what it becomes. The original movie is set in middle school. I think it’s quite obvious why this would make for a rocky transition. That said, this leads to the high school half being the strongest part in terms of story and character. High school isn’t that far off from middle school so moving the setting to there doesn’t make me pause and ask "what was that" and "why is this happening". But when placed in a college, it just comes off weird. Like, the reason why she is in the play even though she’s a fashion major is that her movie counterpart was coerced into the school play cause she’s a middle schooler in the drama club. Angel Zhao falls into a pool since it happens in the original when she gets rejected cause angst. This is why her character has a Cinderella transformation, it happened in the original movie because its main target was preteen/teenage girls who know what this means and may love the fantasy. This is the reason for that stupid extended baton twirling subplot and it makes me so unreasonably mad.
2. The next issue may be baffling considering what I previously wrote but these mad lads tried to do it: the show tries to separate itself from and critique the movie. And it is not done well. [play clown music] Like, the movie is flawed - it exits in a weird logic realm and perpetuates harmful messaging at a group primed to take it in uncritically and internalize it in the worst possible ways in the way only 2000s teen girl media could - but at least it’s coherent. I’m not going to go into detail cause the headache is so not worth it, but a good example is the messaging that you should not change yourself for another person. This is laughable for the next reason that this show bites, and yes this did exist in the movie but more in an “I became pretty cause I wanted to attract a guy but I ended up becoming a fashion designer because of it and maybe love allows us to change in good ways”. The point is that the show tries to pointedly go against this, which is comical considering the framing around Angel Zhao’s transformation as being a good thing and “don’t you want to stop being an uggo and be pretty like Angel Zhao? Buy these products and you too can have hot boys want to be with you.” Maybe they should have just let that one go.
3. Product placement! That’s one of the reasons the transformation takes place and they are by no means subtle about this (it wasn’t as bad as ANGEL BESIDE ME but if you’re like me you too will find it comical), they really want their audience of teenagers to buy these products, some which can potentially be dangerous. It’s crazy that they kind of spit on the source material but then go against everything they are saying. And, like, I wouldn’t have an issue with this if one of the products was not basically skin bleach so you can stop “being ugly” cause you have melanin. Which is an insanely dangerous thing to promote to teenagers, a group that is already insecure about their looks and doesn’t think about the long-lasting effects something like that could have on them.
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Coming-of-age C-drama
The main premise for this is quite standard for "coming-of-age/young love" C-dramas:Geeky girl falls in love with handsome school ace, mix in some friends and enemies, love triangles, a pinch of adults' interference, and a dash of going away/abroad, and there you have it.
So, after reading this, why should you bother watching this, you probably wonder?
It is a rather soothing drama, with good character developments, especially the FL (Miao Miao). I read some reviews not being too happy about her initial appearance and the physical changes, and although I do see the points about her skin tan and the glasses especially, it is a cultural thing.
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This review may contain spoilers
" 9.30 in de evening. De time I realized I am in love wid Xiao Miao Miao.”
Basically watched dis drama 4 Lai Gualin as this was de startup vehicle 4 de 17-yr-old in de drama world. De main character develops a full-blown crush on a popular boy in school, but because she has such a shy personality & an appearance that’s—let’s just say she’s not to her fullest potential, de romance stays 1-sided until the boy wakes up and realizes she’s perfect.If I had a high school senior like our ML, Liang-You-Nian (I’m pretty sure half my school would b just like Miao-Miao falling head over heels 4 him. He’s the whole package. Good-looking, smart, athletic, mature, & most importantly, he’s so nice! Sure, he can be a little awkward @ times& isn't super aware of his feelings (we all know he’s in deep wid Miao Miao long before he realizes). But he’s a kid, he will learn! FL's overnight 360-degree transformation was soo cool , Miao Miao slowly changes over a period of time which makes it feel organic and real. It’s also nice to see that her outward physical transformation reflects her internal transformation
@ first glance, it might seem like a run of the mill first love youth romance. However, de drama is so endearing and sincere that you cannot help but keep watching.
DRAWBACK--The romance between Miao-miao and You-nian was slow. And I do mean slow. I kept getting frustrated at the loads of missed opportunities to advance their romantic relationship and get things more physical.
THING I LOVED_ I will say that their break-up scene at the pool was one of the better break-ups I’ve seen. There’s nothing like a male lead refusing to clear the air and communicate that gets things to bubble up. Miao-miao’s impassioned speech about her feeling insecure about his feelings for her and her just waiting for the other shoe to drop during the entire relationship was stirring. It made total sense, too.
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This review may contain spoilers
I started watching this just as a way to practice my Mandarin listening skills, but I ended up really getting into it. I'm usually not a huge fan of Chinese dramas, but I thought this one managed to avoid a lot of the things I usually don't like. For example, even though Miao Miao definitely idolized You Nian while she was in high school, she learned to be more comfortable with him and focused on herself. The only thing I had an issue with was Miao Miao's physical transformation, but I think it could have been worse, so I'll let it slide. If You Nian had only started to like her when she became more attractive, I would definitely take more issue with it. Was this review helpful to you?
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A Little Thing Called First Love: Shy, Awkward, and Hopelessly Crushing
📝 Review (WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Emotional Damage)From the first episodes, I couldn’t stop smiling at Xia Miao Miao’s awkward charm. Leaning in for every shy glance, every tiny stumble, I found myself rooting for her in a way that made bingeing impossible—it’s the kind of romance that demands you savor each moment.
Her journey through school clubs, fashion experiments, and friends’ advice feels like flipping through a diary filled with tiny victories, cringe-worthy moments, and soft little emotional beats. Liang You Nian’s stoic expression? Infuriating at times, but it makes the rare moments of warmth feel like fireworks.
When misunderstandings, rivalries, and family interference hit, they land just enough to make me gasp without derailing the story. The series manages to stay grounded, sweet, and relatable—a breath of fresh air in a world of over-the-top teen drama.
By the finale, Xia Miao Miao has found her confidence, Liang You Nian softens in all the right places, and the supporting cast ties everything together. Those shy confessions, awkward stumbles, and little wins make the ending feel genuinely earned. I closed the final episode grinning like an absolute fool.
💭 Final Mood
🦢💖 Cute, soft, and slightly frustrating—but that awkward, slow-burn charm keeps it endearing
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The story was pretty cute, with a nice paced romance. The love triangle was interesting too, with enough intensity to keep things fresh for a while. Although, her friend was a bit clingy and overdoing it with her obsession for her love interest, which was obvious that wouldn't lead her anywhere. Nevertheless, the main character was pretty likable, with a nice, smooth character development that was well handled. However, the final episodes were disappointing. Especially the last one, was a bit open, as they didn't conclude everything nicely.
So, overall, six and a half out of ten.
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✒⛴ Mouse & Lighthouse /or/ Never underestimate the power of a good hairdo °8.5° °angelic°
“As long as there's a lighthouse you'll never get lost.” Mom’s an optimist. Even still, business has been bad. Hopefully this location near the lighthouse will turn it around. Speaking of lighthouses, not all are mere buildings: Some people can light our way.Every element of ALTCFL is solid. It is the best modern-day Cdrama I've seen. Headed up by women, writer Zhao Qian Qian is a force for good w/ A Love So Beautiful-7 (already adapted into a Kdrama), Put Your Head on My Shoulder-7.3 & The Love Equations to her credit. The director is Qi Xiao Hui of Consummation. Gentle piano playing & soft techno-pop create a soothing effect. Spotify has the playlist.
That doesn't mean it's blemish free. It has typical Cdrama quirks, like when characters complain about the heat, yet they don't take off their jackets, smh. Kai’s father falls in the water. In Cdramas, going into the water is treated as a threat of imminent death. Just swim w/ it as a traditional representation rather than realism. Such small foibles can add up, but ALTCFL doesn't have many. What's probably the most offensive is how, when Miao is in her ugly stage, her skin is darker. Asia is under a shared delusion that pale skin is most attractive. Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but just like a sunset is undeniably beautiful, so is nicely copper-toned skin. For Asia, this isn't really a looks-based preference at all, though. It's an antiquated fashion based on a prideful perspective from the days when fair skin was associated w/ wealth. Field workers were the ones w/ the tanned skin. The important people were the pasty ones. Psst- Hey, Asia!! - Pasty isn't prettier than a lovely tan.
Lai Kuan Lin (Don't Disturb My Study) plays ML & human lighthouse “Nian”. I've gotta admit he's delish. Even his coach seems to have a crush on him. He's kind to kids, including Miao's sister. When he says Miao’s name, he makes it sound scrumptious. Think his voice is a rich & woodsy bourbon? He was a pop star before he acted. Call him Mr. Asia: He's Taiwanese, a K-pop star, & is now a Chinese actor. He's also a superb romantic ML. What they did nicely in My ID is Gangnam Beauty-7.5 they do even better here. He sincerely seems to find her cute when she's in her “ugly” stage. The viewer believes he's being drawn into her w/ his eyes doing the majority of the work. At times he seems more likable than 🍦… or did I mean lickable? 😜
Zhao Jin Mai (Princess Royal) plays the homely Miao Miao. Her name sounds like “meow-meow”, but she's not a 🐈, she's a 🐭. She's got awful teeth & worse hair (it looks like a scotchpad scrubber). She ain't Ugly Betty. UB is a cutie. One can tell Miao’s impy face is cute, but only barely. Miao struggles w/ math, but she is good at making doll clothes for her sister's enjoyment. (When mom finds out why her curtains keep getting shorter - they've been using the fabric - it's not Miao's happiest moment. Mom is scary.)
Alone at a new school, Miao is transfixed by Nian. With her new house ensconced on his route to school, they /always/ seem to run into e/o. He is /always/ kind. Miao is seatmates w/ the surly “Kai” who is antagonistic towards his cousin, Nian. He's got a “thing” for family members: It's love or hate. But even he is patient w/ our sweet 🐭 who gets into everything, everywhere. The prim “Xin” initially is awful to our 🐭, but after a couple random acts of brave kindness they become friends. Xin appears snobbishly self-important at 1st, but she has a warm 💗 & she's true. Wang Yi Miao is the special topping on this confection as Miao's lifelong friend, 'Xia’. I'm jealous. I want a 'Xia’ too. She doesn't get to shine until the summer before college. Miao's Mom has a sharp tongue. Dad is warm & quietly content to let mom take the lead, but will step up when bravery is required. Miao's alot like dad. Little sis is a touch entitled & bratty but still endearing (she's alot like mom).
Soon, Miao starts to want to do more, to be more. Like a 🐭 grabbing crumbs & dedicatedly working the wheel, it all starts to add up to something good. In bangs she reminds me of actress Maisie Williams who plays Arya Stark. Like Arya's journey, this'll take awhile. Miao's teeth are even worse than her hair, & the viewer has to put up w/ them until the end of ep4. The braces don't come off until ep7. She still has dreadful hair, but she is a cutie-pie w/o a doubt. Ep7 also sees Nian going to college as the other 3 go into grade 12.
ALTCFL is a superb romance. They slow-walk it, yet every moment is delightful. I had just finished watching Ms📝Zhao's PYHoMS, which starts strong, but falls off in the 2nd half as they drag out the romance in a frustrating way & don't seem to have enough content for all the episodes. In ALTCFL the director stretches it out perfectly. Nothing feels like filler. Nian excels at everything he does, afterall. So, when it comes to love, we shouldn't expect anything less.
Physical appearance is a theme. Many truths are parallel despite seeming opposite. “There are no ugly women in the 🌎 just lazy ones,” Xin avows. ‘No matter how pretty a woman is, someone out there is tired of putting up w/ her $h!+,’ on the other hand, is a common saying. People love to complain about the privilege of beauty, but it seems that 90% of us are part of the problem. Respecting, trusting, or going after a person merely for looks is as common as it is foolish. Drying up the deep-end, too many people treat beautiful people like collectible figures, & shallowness begets shallowness. Be that as it may, we will never stop people from judging external appearance, & looks will never NOT be a part of romantic attraction. Protesting it is like protesting the color of the sky. Wrongs should be called out, but complaining & name-calling are rarely (if ever) the right tactic. You will never complain your way to the top. (Complaining is a communicable disease that attacks emotional health but will never change core designs. It just drives them underground). True, beautiful people have a great advantage in life, but most of us are average. The good news is that confidence is the sexiest thing, & true lasting beauty comes from w/in.
Too little focus on appearance, on the flipside, is almost as imbalanced as too much. The physical, emotional, intellectual & spiritual are the 4 legs of the table that is humanity. To be fully developed, a person should work on & derive pleasure from each. Humans, by nature, take everything too far - people aren't good at balance or moderation. I've noticed that many of my fellow nerds refuse to compromise, believing they shouldn't have to change a thing to fit in. That's choosing to believe a lie. (The word for such a person is: Mumpsimus). We ALL need improvement, & most people should pay more attention to their looks (even moreso, their health). Don't spend 1 moment feeling sorry for yourself, Miao teaches. Keep going forward. Keep picking up crumbs. Keep improving. Steadily foster good habits. Life can get hectic & our busy schedules can be murder, but if all your energy is going into your job or being a mom then you aren't a wife or a completed woman. Try new looks - accessorize - put on makeup - try a new hairdo (it grows out, don't be scared) - pick up HEALTHY habits. If all your energy is going into work or worse things (like sports or video games) then you aren't a husband or dad. One could argue that there's a self-indulgent arrogance to neglecting one's appearance, especially if one is married. That person is saying that their mate is not worth the effort.
Don't want to put in the effort? That's a personal choice. Just accept the truth about the likely outcomes of your decisions. Don't carp because things align w/ the standard profile. “Just because I'm fat doesn't mean that I'm not aware of how society operates,” snaps the zaftig Xia. Xia inhabits reality. She understands what she must accept. She's made her choice about who she is, what she's about & she doesn't complain. She embraces life & she elevates the lives of those around her. She will always be loved just the way she is. She's the healthiest person in the show & the one we all want to hang with. If one looks at a photo of the writer, Zhao Qian Qian, it's easy to imagine that she wrote herself into Xia. I'm a fan, so I'd like to think she did. My biggest criticism of the show is that in the 2nd half, Xia devolves into a caricature of herself. She becomes a background eating machine as her character stutters & goes into neutral without continuing her arc. After building her up, they left her half done.
Finally, don't be part of the problem. Awareness is the key. Attractive people are given more deference & generosity. That ain't fair. Try to ignore looks & treat everyone the same. Don't be the 10,000th person to make a height joke or ask about a scar, birthmark, or some other anomaly over which a person has no control. Can you imagine having to hear the same jokes & comments from everyone that you meet? What a nightmare. Scripture talks about how when we help a stranger we might be helping angels, unawares. If angels do exist among us they probably do take on the appearance of street people more than celebrities. So be an angel & treat everyone w/ respect. You never know…
“You never know what the future holds.” The math teacher encourages Miao after she failed the exam. (Only one other student failed, & he's been absent since a serious accident). Her teacher wants her to keep plugging away. Don't give up. That's the theme: Stay on that wheel. Adjust. Try things. Maintain hope. Always be decent. Do your best. No quitting. Soon, YOU will be the lighthouse.
QUOTES📢
This is learning. You learn because you don't know it.
Attitude is Altitude
〰🖍 IMHO
📣8.3 📝8.5 🎭8.2 💓8 🦋7 🎨7.5 🎵/🔊7 🔚8.5 ▪ 🌞7 ⚡2 😅3 😭2 😱2.5 😯3.5 😖0 🤔3.8 💤0
Age 11+
This show can be appreciated by a wide age range of viewers. There's nothing objectionable. There's little physical contact. The relationship progresses slowly. No kisses until the mid to late eps. Rated- Per IMDB it's TV-G: General Audience & per MDL it's TV-PG-13: Parents Cautioned
Re-📺? Definitely
In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:
♥️ -
C: Well-Intended Love 7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine;
I Hear You ‘19 7.3, so cute but w/ many flaws
You are my destiny 6.8 ‘20 cute & sweet & 1/2 padding
Find Yourself 8.9;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1
K:
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love To Hate You 8.9;
Touch Your Heart 8.2;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not to Be Okay 9;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;
Period -
C: Overlord 8.4,
Under the Power 8.6,
The Rebel Princess 9.1,
The Sword & the Brocade 8.6 (in ancient Chinese opera style),
The Rise of Phoenixes 9
K:
My Only Love Song 8.7 excellent comedy;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl 8.5;
The King's Affection 8.3;
Mr. Sunshine 9
Fantasy
C: Love Between Fairy & Devil 8.9;
Once upon a time in Linglian Mountain 7.5;
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Eternal Love 8.3,
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
Love & Redemption 10
Japanese lite romcoms: Maid Sama-10, Mischievous Kiss Love in Tokyo-7.8, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions-8.4, Toradora-8.5
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This review may contain spoilers
Why you should watch this drama.
The actor playing Liang You Nian is called Lai Kuan Lin. The actress is named Zhao Jin Mai who plays Xia Miao Miao. I really love her acting and some of the sweet moments that are included in this drama. This drama mainly focuses on art and their slow development in love. This isn’t the best drama, but this is super low key and adorable. Sometimes, I can’t grasp the acting of the actors and actresses for some reason. They don’t express the emotions in some scenes but that doesn’t mean it ruins everything, rather they are super adorable and laughable.I’m really looking forward to other school dramas which could peak my interest. This drama shows us many relationships between humans and many dating skills. Of course, although you may hate some actress because of their character role, you have to forgive them because it is a role after all.
This drama has some familiar faces. Actor Lai Kuan Lin who was in wanna one. Xu Haiqiao who played in The Journey of Flower. Chen Ke Fan who played in Ten miles of peach blossom. These people are very unforgettable to me. They are very unique in these dramas and I really love them for their art and passion.
I enjoy the background stories and some of the conflicts the female lead had to face. Honestly, the rewatch value is very high because I feel very comfortable watching this drama, it helps me relax and honestly let’s me see an eye candy. Kuan Lin is a very handsome and unique man with an amazing aura. He looks like he is smiling but can be planning your murder LMAOOO. Gosh, he really scared me with that glare at Wang Yu Tian when they were painting the trucks for the welfare community.
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i really enjoyed watching miaomiao and younian’s relationship developed. the ups and downs, the confusion, frustration — these are normal parts of relationships. the show didn’t portray love as a fairytale, but something you need to fight for, especially with honesty and vulnerability. however, some scenes were frustrating to watch and there were a few plot holes. at a certain point midway watching the show, i felt as if they were running in circles to lengthen episodes. there were a few aspects of younian’s character that could have been written better, but i think they resulted their relationship in a beautiful way and i was pleased with the ending. the youthful and innocent love made my heart warm and i was happy to see them find places in each other’s hearts.
although i did enjoy the show, the reason why i’m not thoroughly pleased was due to the harmful beauty standards that were unnecessarily implemented throughout the show, especially imposed upon xia and miao miao. in the beginning of the show, miao miao was tanned with curly hair and glasses. there are multiple scenes where her friends, family, and peers downgraded her beauty because of that. being tanned was scene as ugly, which is especially harmful for poc. at the end of the show, miao miao eventually had somewhat straight hair and light skin. i didn’t appreciate how ‘beauty’ was portrayed as fair-skinned, having straight hair, and being skinny. the plus sized friend, xia, was constantly teased and belittled to just being the fat girl in her friendships and society in general. her character lacked depth and was solely treated as a punching bag or a peacemaker in miao miao and younian’s relationship. the casual fatphobia and portrayal of fat people was uncomfortable and is extremely harmful for plus-sized women and men. the harmful beauty standards was the deal breaker and is the primary reason why i can’t bring myself to say this show my favorite.
overall, the show was enjoyable, but is hard to watch at times because of the unnecessary commentary. id say give it a try if you’re in for a heartwarming, youthful, exciting show. but beware of how the colorism and fatphobia in most episodes.
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It's about first love
This drama was the remake of Thai film Crazy little thing called love. This is the first drama I watched in Chinese, because of this drama I got interest in Chinese dramas.I don't know why some people didn't like this drama but this is the story about a shy, timid and introvert girl Xia Miao Miao making herself better because of love(Liang Younian).
This drama is about love can make us be better person, real friendship is for forever, communication is really important and shows us every problem have a solution. The story is well written, the actor/actresses all did a good job and this drama gives you a decent picture of young love without making it too sweet or too romantic. It feels very natural.
The OST was really good. It's definitely worth rewatchable!!!
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Very refreshing
Shows like 2019's A Little Thing Called First Love are what keep me kicking and screaming in the Drama community's cast iron grip. The acting is superb. The leads are superb. The side characters are hilarious. Wang Yi Miao steals the show as the feisty Lin Xia. The show's main theme is a BOP.The storytelling is refreshing. It's a cute story about how a FL's crush turns into journey of self-improvement and self-discovery.
One thing did irk me, though: I was surprised that after spending the majority of the show watching Xia Miao Miao blossom into a respected artist, in spite of her looks, suddenly she couldn't complete her transformation into a successful careerwoman until she adhered to the suffocating Asian standards of beauty. I think 99% of the show's budget was provided by advertising from those few episodes. Numerous brands of cosmetics bombarded the screen as the FL was transformed... and her skin whitened.
But that didn't ruin the show for me. I'm going into this with an American ethnocentric lens, and this show was primarily developed for teens and young adults living in China. The ML is a pop idol and this show did the job of sustaining his fame so he can join a second pop idol group... Sub-group. There are so many idols they have subgroups now. Good grief.
Regardless, it was a banger show. Give it a watch.
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A great coming of age drama that gave me butterflies from throughout. This drama kind of reminded me of "A Love so Beautiful" but more innocent. I enjoyed that this drama takes you from the moment they first met then took you on the journey of the characters growing up and finding themselves while also developing feelings. The female lead falls first so you get to see the male lead realize his feelings over time and his jealousy is adorable. I also love that you get to see the female lead grow up and change. Both leads chase their passions in college which was also refreshing. The side stories were interesting enough but didn't overly distract you from the main leads. Overall I loved this drama. It was sweet innocent and wholesome. Was this review helpful to you?
