A Beautiful Lie

Why lie to us? ?

Let me start with “A Beautiful Lie.”

I watched it from episodes 1 to 20+, where the ML and FL were starting to develop their love story, and it was perfect. I mean, it really made me fangirl.

But then, is this series some kind of lie to us?

When the ML started to get better, I was so happy, like, YES, finally! Their love story is about to happen next, just like the second leads.

At first, I thought the “beautiful lie” referred to the FL pretending to be Xiaojiao/Cato to help the ML recover faster—and it worked. But why? Why did the lie turn out differently?

The ending was completely unexpected. We’re not okay with the ML dying, and the FL being left to suffer alone afterward. She’s still lying to herself, holding on to the idea of a beautiful love story. It feels so unfair.

Seriously, what happened to the plot? Were there any issues with the series during filming that led to this kind of ending?

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The audience was coldly betrayed, and the communication was totally unclear.

Let me tell you straight up: the male lead dies. He dies completely without reason. He didn't even put himself in any danger—he was just minding his own business, walking in the market. Despite his tall and large build, he was swarmed, captured, and killed just because they wanted to steal his camera. It makes absolutely no sense for a doctor on an international mission. Normally, they are well-protected by security agencies and would never go to a high-risk area or do anything risky.

The male lead's decision-making makes it feel like he practically committed suicide, but the drama didn't dare to tell the story based on actual facts.

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This could have been better

There were parts of this that I really enjoyed. Then there were other parts that were so inane. It was a mixed up mess in places, particularly at the end.

Good: FL did not seem to fit the character, but grew on my. 2nd FL and both ML were really good as well as the other two couples.
Little brother was perfectly annoying as he should have been.
Sets were good and disaster sequence was also well done.
Chen was a great character and the actor was really on point with the reactions and emotions.
The little girl and her guardians were a delight. Auntie bickering in that voice. She is one of my favorite character actors.
Xiaojia character and sequences were very well done. Took me a couple of episodes to figure him out.

Bad: ongoing hallucination device became overdone and just irritating.
The music became irritating in the last half. It wasn't bad music, but using theme songs as plot devices is poor directing.
On and off and on and off. Romances were too melodramatic too often. The third couple were more straightforward until late and that was a new irritation the director/writer did not need.
The ending was an unfair, convoluted, without reason mess.

My main complaint is the story used mental health and the difficulties dealing with and the PTSD, though not named, was treated fairly well. It is a journey to overcome PTSD. One journey I've taken myself. Then in the last two episodes a sudden event? It cheapened the whole story line. And for no reason. I realize this is a book adaptation, but disappointing isnt a strong enough word. And the final scene, is it real or is it not? That was unfair to audiences. The last two episodes were just tacky and we got to see the bratty brother in trouble but not the baby?

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Not sure how to feel about this drama

This drama started off well but it was quite draggy halfway through. I felt like the drama added elements to drag the story out to make it become 36 episodes at the end.

I think it would have been better if this drama had less episodes and more concise storyline. I felt that this drama wanted to throw in different tropes to make this drama interesting.

The main couple had a lovable relationship. I think there were elements that made their relationship issue realistic but towards the end of the drama, it was heavily dramatisied. Like some of the plot in the later part of the drama felt like it was thrown in to lengthen the drama.

Also all the side characters had a story and it didn't overshadow the main couple. It felt purposeful. Though, with the second couple, their relationship and the reason why they separated for so long didn't seem like a good enough reason and didn't make any sense. It felt like they made something up on the spot and filmed on a whim probably thinking no one would care about a couple that wasn't the main couple.

In addition, I don't feel satisfied with the ending and the last two episodes were quite confusing. I watched until the end and I think this is due to watching it when it was still ongoing. I reckon if you watch this drama now that the drama is complete, the probability of dropping this drama is high.

This drama had good bones but the execution was disappointing. Overall, this is a good filler drama but I don't think it's binge worthy.

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I wasted my time on this. The first couple of episodes went by in a blur, Qin Fei thought Xing Zhizhi was some sort of obsessive fan and then she all of a sudden works for the hospital recuse team with him and their relationship just slowly gets better.

The show does a terrible job depicting why celebrity life actually is. In so many scenes that celetbrites in the show are just so easily seen in public with no agents or helpers or staff around them, like in real life a celebrity has so many workers aroung them but in this show just a regular walk in the parking lot, and Qin Fei was kidnapped.

The last couple of episodes made no sense what so ever to me.

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