Farm Romance
I have seldom given any drama a 9.5 rating, but I have to make an exception here, because this drama is exceptional. Never did I feel even slightly bored so far. The cinematography is top quality. The senior actors are divine, and so, so funny! Slight criticism in terms of the ML. I don't know why, but the male actor gives off an arrogance that I find uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, he's not bad, I just find the SML more likeable, as I did when he was in the piggy and tiger drama... whose name I will be looking up and putting here.... shortly (Love You Seven Times). I prefer actors with "nice guy" energy over those with "arrogance energy". That's just my personal preference, and probably always will be.This is one of those drama series that really feels local. I mean, the humour and essence of it feels like it could only have come out of chinese culture. The best of Chinese culture.
I can't say enough good things about this series. It's outstanding in every way, and they would have to really mess up the plot for me to stop enjoying it (fingers crossed they don't).
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This review may contain spoilers
It's fine I guess. Not bad for a quick watch.
It was funny that the ending gave me quite a jumpscare coz seriously?!!! thank goodness it was back on track few mins later. This drama was about FL's determination to never give up, strive for her own success in businesses, bringing happiness to her family and finding love in the midst all of it.ML, Shen Nuo, was a calm, clever man that knew how to measure up situation after a few minutes and full of ideas. He was a smooth talker too but he also had a kind heart. He had a mission when he was injured in the area of where FL lived. He decided to lay low and made a deal with FL to help her since he will be staying at her family's place. They grew closer after a while especially after they both had been through so much to help FL set up her businesses and ML fell in love with FL bcs of her personality and how she was different kind of young lady. He understood her as a person and that lead him to make a hard decision that really showed his love for her.
FL, Lian Man'er, was a country girl that was smart on certain things because she definitely had her stupid moments that makes me want to strangle her. She was not afraid to offend her relatives since she wouldn't stand for their bullying her family. She might be a bit brash but she also had a big heart. She wasn't discourage when her first business had to come to an end and she even came up with another thing to sell not long after it. She stumbled and was tasked to help ML. She reached a deal with him and from that moment, he helped her with a lot of things particularly dealing with her difficult relatives and her businesses. She began to like him but something happened and her trust to him was tested. It was only after she knew what he had done for her that it moved her and showed he really care for her, made her take the plunge and expressed her feeling for him. She cared for him and willing to help even though imo, she herself caused the situation to worsen (remember when I said I want to strangle her?). I like that after that one hurdle, she decided to trust him after everything and bcs she believed that was not who he was. They both communicated and that helped.
Love the another couple story, her relatives character growths and of course our 2ndML, Youheng. I can't believe I saw him again as 2ndML consecutively but he was a kind man and knew when to wave a white flag and it helped that FL also was direct to the point with him.
There were two ost that I quite like and I really like how this was different from typical palace and noble household setting.
The ending was happy but not quite what I want but it was fine. Also what was with the special episode?? B for effort, we can't even seen the ML's face the heck??? I don't want to give this drama 8.0 rating but I don't want to give it 8.5 too. More like 8.3.
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The meaning of family
To be honest, I had low expectations for this drama since the promotions weren't very big back in 2023. However, it attracted me because it’s a drama with Joseph, so I decided to give it a try.
As for the plot, I’d definitely say there was a plot hole in the beginning of the episode, but the storyline slowly started to come together. I do enjoy stories that involve business and life, so this one grew on me.
For the characters, I’d say they had good development. Honestly, in the first episode, I had a bit of a problem with the grandma since she had a pretty bad temper 😭, but after 20+ episodes, she became a much better character. One of my favorite side characters is definitely Song Hailong. His character is incredibly loyal—he treats his wife and in-laws so kindly 🥹🥹. He’s just so cute!
Last but not least, I have to mention the ending. In my opinion, I see this as a Happy Ending (HE) because, for me, the special episode doesn’t count, and in the game, they did have a HE since her money wasn’t completed until 1,000 gold.
I’d give it an 8.5⭐️. I’d definitely rewatch it since it’s become one of my comfort dramas. I would 100% recommend it! 💯
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Rage on the Farm: You Reap What You Scheme
I picked up Romance on the Farm as a palate cleanser, something like a cup of light roast coffee to balance out the heavy, emotionally taxing dramas on my watchlist. With only 26 episodes and a familiar “entering a game world” premise, I expected a breezy, no-brainer ride. The kind you watch with your brain on standby mode. Instead, what I got was a show that had me fuming, my patience tested, and my blood pressure doing interval training.The story follows Lian Man Er, who enters a virtual game and finds herself living as part of the chaotic Lian family in a rural village. Along the way, she meets Shen Nuo, and together they navigate family conflicts, farming ventures, small business ambitions, and some covert missions on the side. On paper, it sounds like a balanced mix of slice of life and light adventure. In execution, it leans heavily into family drama that feels less like storytelling and more like emotional warfare.
I went in telling myself not to get invested. Game world stories rarely stick the landing, and the awareness that everything is “just virtual” usually creates a layer of detachment. Ironically, that awareness made the frustration worse. Watching Man Er endure the Lian family’s relentless schemes while knowing she understands it is a constructed world made it all the more baffling. The household itself is pure chaos. Grandma Lian screams like it is her full-time job, the extended family schemes non-stop, and Man Er’s parents have the combined backbone of overcooked noodles.
The conflicts are not your typical petty family squabbles either. They are extreme to the point of disbelief. We are talking about forced marriage to become a burned widow for a dead man, intentional harm leading to miscarriage, and repeated attempts to ruin lives without consequence. What truly fuels the frustration is the lack of accountability. The elders constantly forgive these actions, brushing them aside in the name of family unity. Man Er’s father, in particular, is the embodiment of misplaced filial piety. He stays silent when his daughter is nearly sacrificed but suddenly finds his voice when his sister is wronged. The inconsistency is so glaring that it almost feels like unintentional satire.
Even after the family “separates,” they are still essentially living under the same roof, just divided by a wall. Predictably, the schemes continue, and so does the cycle of wrongdoing followed by easy forgiveness. Man Er herself adds to the frustration. For someone with modern awareness, her naivety is difficult to ignore. She rarely stays guarded, even around those who have harmed her before, and often falls into situations where she needs rescuing. It is a bit of a damsel in distress loop that grows tiring over time.
The drama places heavy emphasis on the sanctity of family, almost to an exaggerated degree. It pushes the idea that blood ties justify everything, no matter how extreme the wrongdoing. This makes the eventual harmonious ending feel staged and unearned. Character shifts, especially for figures like Grandma Lian, happen so abruptly that it feels like a switch was flipped rather than a journey completed. Some side characters show believable growth through consequences, but others seem to change simply because the script demands a happy ending.
The game premise, unsurprisingly, does not fully deliver either. The conclusion in the real world feels incomplete, almost like an afterthought. Without the special episode, the ending would have landed even flatter. Even then, it leans into the classic ambiguity trope, hinting at connections rather than committing to them. It is the kind of ending that makes you go, “That’s it?” rather than leaving a lasting impression.
There are also moments of questionable morality presented under the guise of justice. Shen Nuo, despite being one of the more likable characters, participates in actions that indirectly cause harm to Man Er, such as the wine incident that leaves her drowning in debt. While he later compensates for it, the situation highlights a double standard in how justice is carried out. It raises the question of how many others might have been collateral damage under similar assumptions.
That said, Shen Nuo does stand out as a character. His calm demeanor, intelligence, and steady sense of justice make him more compelling than most. His relationship with Man Er develops gradually, which is a refreshing change from instant love tropes. His quiet affection and composed approach to romance are easily some of the drama’s highlights. The way he handles love rivals with respect instead of sabotage is surprisingly mature.
Speaking of rivals, the second male lead, Wang You Heng, is almost too good for this world. He is thoughtful, patient, and genuinely supportive. His gestures, like lighting fireworks simply because it would make Man Er happy, add a layer of sincerity that hits harder than grand romantic declarations. Watching him stand there, holding those fireworks while witnessing Man Er’s turning point with Shen Nuo, is the kind of soft heartbreak that lingers.
The supporting cast is a mixed bag, leaning heavily toward frustrating. However, a few bright spots do exist, including the loyal Chang Feng, the kind-hearted cousin Lian Ye Er, and You Heng’s family. These characters provide brief moments of relief in an otherwise tension-heavy narrative.
One area where the drama truly shines is its production quality. The visuals are surprisingly polished, with well-balanced color grading and lighting that enhances the mood of each scene. The rural setting is captured beautifully, and there is clear attention to detail in costume and styling to distinguish between social classes and character progression. Even the action sequences are handled with care, adding a layer of visual engagement that keeps the show watchable despite its narrative frustrations.
In the end, Romance on the Farm feels like a misleading title. The romance exists, but it is not the main dish. It is more like a side garnish to an overwhelming serving of family drama. Despite all its flaws, it remains oddly entertaining in a “why am I still watching this” kind of way. If you go in expecting logic, consistency, or emotional payoff, you might come out disappointed. But if you treat it like a chaotic rollercoaster and keep your expectations in check, it can still be an engaging, if slightly rage-inducing, watch.
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There is no romance on the farm
"Players of the video game take on roles and complete tasks assigned to them. One such character is Li Man Er, played by the female lead, whose task was to collect 1000 taels of gold. To achieve this, she worked on a farm, made and sold wine, and roasted and sold groundnuts. Throughout her journey, she faced numerous hurdles and conspiracies. Her parents, brother, friend, and lover provided significant support.As Li Man Er and her lover were about to reunite, she completed her task and returned to the real world. The question remains: did she meet her lover, who was also a player? The answer is ambiguous. The drama hinted at her lover's presence, seen only by her, leaving the audience to speculate about a possible second season to complete their love story.
I hope there will be a season 2, potentially related to the drama 'Boss and Me' in a different version.Despite the title 'Romance on the Farm,' there was little romance, and not many romantic scenes were included.
The first three episodes were comedic, but the drama became boring after that.I wish for a season 2 that truly explores the romantic elements hinted at in the first season."
Background song was good.
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A Cluttered Transmigrating Story
To be honest, I'm not sure where to start with this story. It begins with our main character, Lian Man'Er, entering a VR gaming world as a beta tester and gets stuck in the system. The only way out is to complete only one task, which takes an entire series. Another character, the male lead, Shen Nou, appears, hinting that he's in a game, but as the story progresses, it isn't clear. Its obvious he's from the real world.What I appreciate about the story is the family relationships, which is the heart of the story. It explores favoritism, selfishness, healing and learning to get along with one another.
However, I dislike the story itself. It's unclear what the story wants to convey. I would have preferred the story as a period drama leaving out the random VR video game.
Joseph Zhang is a great actor, and I enjoyed his performances in other dramas like Fighter of Destiny, Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre, and Take My Brother Away. However, I the character he portrays as Shen Nou is his worst yet. I mainly watched this drama for him, but unfortunately, he was cast in such a disorganized story. This is my first time watching Tian Xi Wei's performance, and it's not bad. While the actresses and actors protraying the Lian family felt genuinely real, Man'Er and Shen Nou felt more like live action anime, webtoon characters.
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Romantic drama with family feuds
I truly appreciate the three main leads as they are fantastic actors. This is a drama more than a comedy. There is a lot of family feuds and plotting against each other, and at time difficult to watch. I did fast forward many of the family feud episodes.Personal choice is important when writing reviews as I personally like light romantic comedies of political dramas.
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Short, pleasant series, without pretension other than having a good time.
Highly rated isekai (with Joseph Zeng)PLOT: The FL, needing money, agrees to be a beta tester of an immersive VR game. She finds herself in a historical era, in a family of farmers, mistreated by her grandparents and aunts and uncles. She saves the injured ML ( fleeing from officials) but he helps her escape from a "sacrificed widow" marriage. She will do everything to earn money (her game's mission) while the ML tries to foil a conspiracy.
+++ Very well played, lots of complex but endearing characters.
+++ Effective, lively production
+++ Consistent story, quite realistic
+++ Very nice OST.
### More family oriented than romantic, with few OTPs.
=> short, pleasant series, without pretension other than having a good time.
*************************************************************
ICK bien noté (avec Joseph Zeng)
PLOT: La FL, ayant besoin d'argent, accepte d'être bêta testeuse d'1 jeu en VR immersif. Elle se retrouver dans une époque historique, dans une famille de fermiers, malmenée par les gds-parents et oncles & tantes. Elle sauve le ML blessé (qui fuit les officiels) mais l'aide à échappant à 1 mariage de "veuve sacrifiée". Elle va tout faire pr gagner de l'argent (sa mission) pdt que le ML essaie de déjouer une conspiration.
+++ Très bien joué, bcp de personnages complexes mais attachants.
+++ Réalis° efficace, vive.
+++ Story cohérente, assez réaliste
+++ OST très agréables.
### Plus familial que romantique, avec peu d'OTP.
=> série courte, agréable, sans prétention autre que passer 1 bon moment.
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non consistent story
I watch a lot of reincarnation in a other world's story so I am very used to it. there are also a lot of stories about people being trapped in an on line game. there always are some connection, something logical between real life and game story that makes the story captivating and entertaining. this one wasn't.although it kept me hooked because I really wanted to know how she would get herself out of it, I really didn't like the script. I asked myself continuously who would play that game on purpose. certainly not me.
what are the odds that someone lands in a so messed up family? even if you are willing to discover how people lived in the old dynasty's era, things are already difficult as is, you really don't need a family who wants to kill you, exploit you, and leave you to die. I mean, come on! you are playing a game, there is so much interesting things she could have discovered, while having a crush on a character, there was really no need of so much dramas, in a remote countryside place, with a so poor family.
The story also ends in fishtail, we do not know if it is a happy ending or not.
I feel like I wasted my time, and more importantly, I wouldn’t have watched if I knew it was so violent.
when to watch: it's entertaining, so do as you wish.
audience: I'd say not under 18 because there is so much (violent) crazy things in the script it'd be difficult for youngsters to understand. I mean I don't understand how people can be so cruel and selfish and I am more than 18.
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How to outwit your frenemies & enemies and bag yourself a Prince
I choose to watch this drama thinking I was in for a lighthearted rom-com between 2 young actors, working as farmers labouring in some rural province of China. Turns out, it wasn't. The title is rather misleading. Although the setting starts off in a farm (a virtual computer game farm, to be precise), the story is really about how the female protagonist, the underdog stacked with the odds against her, schemes her way in order to survive and thrive. Her male lover is an undercover prince, who takes on the identity of a humble farm boy. He becomes her brainy side-kick and partner-in-crime.The Meta-context
Lian Man Er, portrayed as your average girl-next-door person, is invited to beta-test a company's new computer game that is set in a virtual Farm. Once the game begins, she is parachuted into a rural farming village as a player with a mission to earn 1000 taels of money. Every new character in the computer game is always introduced by their names, and every episode concludes with a total tally of money that Lian Man Er has earned or expended in her account.
Obstacle 1: The Heroine's Toxic Family
The bulk of the drama's storyline quickly becomes engulfed by the petty rivalry and silly squabbles between Lian Man Er's family members. The only saints in her family are her long-suffering parents, her cute little 7 year old brother and a mild-mannered weak cousin. The rest of her biological relatives, from her grandfather grandmother, aunties, uncles and cousins are portrayed as lazy, gluttony, dumb passive useless and scheming personalities who go all lengths to frustrate Lian Man Er's morale and diminish her hard-earned money pool to line their own pockets.
Obstacle 2: The Hero's Undercover Takedown
Shen Nuo, the Male lead of the drama, is an undercover spy sent from the palace sent to find evidence against a marquis, who is secretly accumulating wealth to mine weaponry to wage war against the Emperor. He is picked up by Man Er while on the run, and makes use of her hospitality to claim a resident status on her family's farm in order to keep a low profile and gather more intel about the marquis's secret plans. As an "ordinary plebeian" who makes a sudden appearance in town, he faces difficulty establishing links to the illegal business organisation that is funding the marquis's political rebellion.
Obstacle 3: The Couple's neverending obstacles and challenges
In order to earn money to fulfil her game mission, Lian Man Er has to constantly hatch multiple businesses, from selling roasted peanuts, then to selling fresh leafy greens, then to selling grape wine brandy and then setting up a restaurant in the city. Every one of her successful business plans is always met by competitor saboteurs and internal espionage, but Man Er and Shen Nuo have a very winsome way of working together to outwit their rivals and dissenters while achieving their own goals and bottomline. Their like-minded thinking and easy-going partnership is what builds their chemistry, and eventually the bud of romance.
The Romance
Lian Man Er meets her prince-charming in a forest when he is severely injured and on the run. Out of compassion or perhaps his sheer good looks, she takes him (a complete stranger) in and allows him to stay on the farm when he agrees to help her breakaway from an arranged marriage. Shen Nuo continues to hang around the farm to help Man Er & her family, contributing more of his brains than actual hard work. Their budding romance experiences a short disruption when Shen Nuo abruptly disappears from the village without a proper farewell because he is unable to disclose his mission to Man Er and her family. When he abruptly reappears back on the farm and finally reveals his true identity and agenda, Man Er accepts him without much resistance and readily assists him in his undercover mission. The only rival for Man Er's affections is her goody-two-shoes kind-hearted neighbour, Youheng, who silently yearns for Man Er from afar, as most wallflowers are scripted to do. Thankfully, there is no other toxic romantic-rival to make the story defocused from its existing sub-plots.
The (Virtual) Happy Ending
An abducted family member gets rescued by Man Er, the mastermind enabling the illegal ore-mining scheme gets nabbed by Shen Nuo, the villagers get to return to their homeland and Lian Man Er's toxic family members magically morph into angelic souls who forgive each other's past transgressions over a heartwarming family reunion dinner. Shen Nuo disappears to return back to the Capital and returns years later to reunite with Man Er on the farm, promising a more committed relationship in the near distant future. But why not now, we wonder? All seems well.
The Reality
Man Er is brought back to reality once she completes her game mission and is sad to leave behind the virtual farm village world. The last scene is intentionally left ambiguous and open-ended: Will Man Er ever meet her prince-charming Shen Nuo in real life? I am left feeling utterly unsatisfied with such an incomplete ending.
The Bad Parts
The biggest weakness of this drama is it's setting. Most of the story revolves around how a Heroine meets her Hero and how they overcome their struggles and outwit their enemies together. But their relationship and romance (as the Title suggests) has no closure. Instead, we find out from the bonus special episode that Shen Nuo is actually the CEO heading the gaming company. Does this mean that he controlled the game settings all this while he was also a player in the game? What was the whole point of the game challenge? Will they ever continue to build their romance and live happily ever after after the computer game ends? The ending was so ambiguous and unsatisfactory because it did not answer these key questions, it makes the computer game meta-context feel pointless and irrelevant for me. This drama could have just focused on the Farm instead of trying to add a computer meta-context setting to make the story feel different.
The second issue with the drama is that I found many of Lian Man Er's family members scripted to be so unbearably toxic and grew tired of their petty politicking and fast-forwarded many of those scenes. I wish this drama could cut back on the toxic family squabbles and give more screen time to the key plot.
Which is the 3rd issue I have with the drama. The illegal ore mining scheme is stuffed across the last few episodes and the actual mastermind villain behind the supposed political rebellion does not even make an appearance in the show. Instead all we see are his cronies, the leader heading a powerful network of businessmen, deploying their wealth and resources to execute the illegal ore-mining business.
The Good Parts
This drama is a mini-masterclass about politicking your way out of sticky situations, whether it be a toxic family or unfavorable business and living conditions. The female protagonist does this very successfully with her smarts, sass and big sunny smile. Personally for me, Man Er and Shen Nuo's couple chemistry whenever they had level-headed strategic discussions on how to deal with different challenges were the real gems of this show. They would make fantastic MBA professors. So perhaps the title of this drama could have been Slaying it on a farm, albeit a virtual gaming one.
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Rollercoaster Family Relations on the Farm
The beginning episodes made me wonder if there was any love in this family but still I was entertained with this drama through all the plotting, selfishness and blatant favouritism.I liked the FL’s cheerful personality and her never- give-up attitude despite being plotted against so many times. Her character was well written to be someone smart with a heart of gold and she played it beautifully. Her chemistry with the ML was a joy to watch and the way they looked at each other made my heart melt more than the few kisses that they shared.
For all the evil plotting that the FL’s cousin did to her, it was a bit of a let down to not have her realisations fleshed out better and for her to give a meaningful apology to the FL.
One of the best moments for me was when the FL knew she would be exiting the game and she went around silently saying her farewells to everyone. Lovely music that made her expressions even more touching.
I’m a little bit lost at the very end. The FL exited the game as she and the ML were approaching each other. She was shown to be back in the real world but then, the scene cuts to being back in the game where both of them talking and having a sweet moment together as if she didn’t exit the game… if the drama had provided some explanation of how this happened, it would have given me better happy ending vibes.
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At the end of the day family always matters.?❤️
*** Spoiler Alert (PERSONAL FEEDBACK)Title : Romance On The Farm - 2023 (Complete 26 Episode)
Personal Rating : 8/10
At the end of the day family always matters.🤎❤️
“Maybe this is what home is. There’s sorrow, there’s happiness, there’s good and the bad. The meaning of family is for people not to be lonely in this world.” – Maner
Romance on the Farm" is a costume farming light-hearted drama in the gaming world.
Lian Maner (played by Tian Xiwei), a modern girl with a broken family, applied as the first beta tester for a new game because of her lack of funds. She needs to do the missions and collect 1000 taels for her to end the game and received an additional bonus.
After entering the game, she finds herself in an ancient rural village where she encounters the eccentric Lian family, who are her relatives which have farms. She also meets the enigmatic and "tsundere" male lead, Shen Nuo (played by Joseph Zeng). Shen Nuo is non-player character (NPC) with a hidden identity in the game.
Together, they confront troublesome relatives, engage in farming and business ventures. As they go through various hilarious and chaotic situations, their relationship deepens, and they promise to accompany each other through life.
ROTF focuses on family matters – the drama, chaos, favoritisms, and pressure of being renowned or making the family rich which most of the big-extended families have. You will hate the GRANDMOTHER on this drama. 😁😅
Joseph Zeng & Tian Xi Wei have good chemistry. They are so cute together. Maybe in another drama or scenario their chemistry/couple will be one of the best.
Honestly, I am confused if Shen Nuo is playing same time as Lian Maner.😅 There is a special preview (after she finish the game) where they showed the ML leads name & picture on the organizational chart of the company, he called her name MANER and give her an animal leaf which Shen Nuo gave her inside the game but didn't show his face.😑
Overall, it is okay for me, not great but okay. The lead couple’s romance is light, and they have few romantic scenes since the FL focuses on her family matter and the ML is focused on his mission too. Let me remind you, the story starts and ends inside the game only so after the game there is no other story.
GENRE – Costume, Comedy, Romance, Life, Family
CAST – Joseph Zeng , Tian Xi Wei
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