Why Is He Still Single?

First love at 40 is tough :)

PLOT: ML, a talented but eccentric and somewhat autistic interior designer, makes life difficult for those around him. He keeps crossing paths with Dr. Gu, also 40, calm and not particularly interested in marriage. As they meet, she gradually begins to open up.

+++ Wallace Huo (always excellent) and Zhu Zhu as CL
+++ The difficulties of a mature romance between two "older" bachelors: a subject rarely explored from this angle.
+++ Very cute and surprisingly expressive dog (kudos to the trainer)
+++ Lively direction, with beautiful work on the visuals, framing, and lighting, but the pacing is slow at times.

### Xiao Man's character is annoying (I don't know how old she's supposed to be, but she's childish, very dependent... I have trouble understanding the connection between her and Dr. Gu (o-_-o) ) and she takes up way too much screen time.

=> Wallace Huo literally carries the series on his shoulders!! Watched it once, but I won't watch it again.
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C'est dur un 1e amour à 40 ans :)

PLOT: Le ML, designer d'intérieur talentueux mais excentrique et un peu autiste, mène la vie dure à son entourage. Il ne cesse de croiser le chemin du Dr Gu, 40 ans aussi, calme et peu tentée par le mariage. Au fil des rencontres, elle va peu à peu percer sa coquille.

+++ Wallace Huo (toujours excellent) et Zhu Zhu en CL
+++ Difficultés d'une romance mature entre 2 "vieux" célibataires : sujet peu abordé sous cet angle.
+++ Chien très cute et étonnamment expressif (Kudos au dresseur)
+++ Réalis° vive, avec un beau travail sur les images, les cadrages, les lumières, mais la narration est lente par moments.

### Le personnage de Xiao Man est agaçant (je ne sais pas quel âge elle est censée avoir, mais elle est puérile, très dépendante, ... j'ai du mal à comprendre le lien entre elle et le Dr Gu (o-_-o) ) et il prend bcp trop de place à l'écran.

=> Wallace Huo porte littéralement la série sur ses épaules !! Vu une fois, mais je ne regarderai pas à nouveau.

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Wonderfully Refreshing

I really liked this series for many reasons. I am a huge fan of Wallace Huo, he is not only gorgeous but he is also an excellent, very talented actor. He basically carries this whole show and his portrayal of the quirky, eccentric character is spot on and his sarcastic remarks were hilariously funny., I was laughing out loud a lot during the show. I also really love Zhu Zhu, a beautiful very talented actress and I think she was perfectly cast as the FL. The ML and FL chemistry were really awesome, loved the mental, sarcastic bickerings between them, perfectly match.ed couple.
The supporting actors were also perfect and the whole circle of friends had a wonderful chemistry/vibe among them. I especially loved the pug, what a cute dog (I want one now!). The scenes between the ML and the FL lead's father were hilariously funny as well.
This is a well written, well directed and well acted wonderful series. The music was beautiful and perfectly chosen for each scene. Thank you for this wonderful storyline and experience!! Bravo to the whole production team!!

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Perfect Ending

This drama was a mixed bag of nuts that I didn’t know what I would pull out if I put my hand in the bag. And I loved it.

The ML - Yu Yu - was endearingly annoying initially. Like many creative people many of his thought processes and social difficulties came from overthinking and the inability to put into spoken words what he was thinking and feeling. This character was a beautifully flawed human being who wanted to connect with people but didn’t know how.

His behavior is classic ADHD with sides of social anxiety and OCD. His design theory of a “warm zone” was also a way he expressed his desire to connect on an intimate level with someone but could only do so through his designs. Wallace Huo performed exceedingly well (as he usually does) and made his character lovable even when he came across as a snob or a jerk. He made you love and feel frustrated with Yu Yu at the same time.

Every character in this drama was well cast - even the little pug.

There were no angst driven sub plots, no villainous characters and I loved how the writer connected all of their lives together and they grew into solid friendships.

The music was lovely and very appropriate to the scenes.

There were chats cters who came in and moved out of the storyline which gave it a slice-of-life realistic feel.

The romance is a slow one between the leads, and it was beautiful, painful, funny and realistic. They weren’t carried away by emotion or hormones, but slowly and steadily drew closer and then came together. Tgey built a good foundation and then started dreaming.

This drama was so good in showing that our assumptions and snap judgements of people that are different from ourselves are often very wrong. It showed that even though someone might be annoying doesn’t mean they are terrible people and how important it is to look outside the “normal” and see the beauty hidden behind the thorns and briars.

By the end of the last episode I was smiling so much my face hurt. The ending was truly beautifully done.

If you’re hesitating to watch because it’s not a typical rom com, put the thoughts aside and watch this. There’s so much packed into 16 episodes and worth the time to watch and rewatch!

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What a warmth-laden, well written show (a.k.a Wallace Huo is handsome!)

I had started the show soon after it dropped though I put it on hold for some time, and came back only recently. So my review is in three parts here (after Ep1, after Ep 7 and finally after Ep 16).

Ep1: I saw Wallace Huo on the poster and decided to click and watch it.
I don't know how this show will pan out--Chinese shows seem to have more budget now than before and in ep 1 the show gives off a glossy tint--with everything shiny sparkly (like the netflix shows we get to see nowadays)
I am not sure about the FL, haven't watched her before but she is beautiful.
But the highlight for me is Wallace Huo who plays the Male Lead. At 45 the ML looks as smouldering as he was the first time I saw (in his show as Bo Jin Yan). Ep 1 of Why is He Still Single (WIHST) was funny and I was laughing out loud at several places. The only thing that keeps nagging me at the back of my mind (after ep1) is the kind of eccentricity they're showing the ML has--at moments he doesn't look eccentric he looks a wierdo...anyway, let's hope the show doesn't disappoint as a lot of modern c-dramas have in recent times.

Ep 7: I am on Ep 7 now and I have already had several laugh out loud moments. As the show is progressing, I am increasingly feeling for the ML. Basically he is a genius, aloof, eccentric but childlike person, with a heart of gold, high IQ and...very very lonely. This loneliness stems both from his introvert nature and from the fact that he probably doesn't find anyone who matches him in wit sans, as increasingly evident, the FL. I am liking her nature, she is refreshingly real, warm, and gives the ML the much needed life lessons he needs to get and (ahem!) that he seems to listen to as well. As someone in their late 30s this show is resonating so well with me. It is indeed a real, a very real take on present-day urban lifescapes.

Ep 16: I just completed the show and I have to admit, it has been one of the most real experiences I have had,I mean I forgot I was watching a drama, it felt like I was watching and navigating experiences and people I knew. The show is not plot-driven and at no juncture does it seem to mistake itself to be so. It is essentially a character-driven show and at the same time manages to show different aspects of modern-day urban relationships. Apart from the organic growth of the ML and FL's relationship, the portrayal of the dynamics of friendships, the professional relationships, everything was refreshingly real...in a way I haven't seen in dramas as such in a long long long time.
Like I said above, the ML and FL are close to my own age is, i.e. late 30s and being independent, career-driven but with roots grounded in family values, I could so well relate to the characters, especially the two leads and their discussions. The show's strength lies in the dialogues and the incredible performances of the cast, headlined by Wallace Huo. It is his performance that prevents the ML's character from becoming a wierdo--what I had expressed right at the beginning (in Ep 1 above). As time progresses the show portrays how Yuyu's bluntness and dedication to his work is a veneer that covers his vulnerability and loneliness. He basically is afraid of being hurt and lonely, while Ye Jia also is afraid of being hurt (given her family background and failed relationship). What I also loved is how the show debunks certain tropes (and myths) about relationships, but in a subtle way. Xiaoman and Wen Shu's relationship for instance, initially almost made me think of the SML and SFL. But then Wen Shu and Xiaoxiao's relationship unravels, gradually, and as audience we see how they are in such a stable relationship, practical supportive and they can actually teach the older characters a lesson or two about relationships. Likewise, the show portrays how Xiaoxiao is a mature partner in her relationship as she desires to meet Xiaoman and afterwards they become besties. Wen Shu and Xiaoman's relationship is pure friendship with no romantic associations(though Xiaoman, coming after a bad break up inclines towards Wen Shu's attention initially and after meeting Shu and his girlfriend has to call Ye Jia to overcome what she admits as a hint of jealousy). This and so much more add to the refreshingly real portrayal of life--without any sugarcoating nor any unnecessary angst nor melodrama.

Yes, I do feel Xiaoman's character is given quite a bit of screentime (reducing which would not have harmed the show but she is like the filter through which the audience sees the characters). At several times it occurred to me that Yuyu and Xiaoman's story could be a love story (what we can expect after our dramaland experiences) but again the show portrays the almost filial kind of relation between the two and tbh it is a bit disappointing to see how it pans at the end. But then again, it is not simply Xiaoman but we as audience that gets to see what an incredible man Yuyu is and coupled with his handsome face his good qualities shine.
And it is this that shines at the end--when he finally lets Ye Jia inside his home and shows her how he had her in his heart for so long--that he had been designing his house thinking of her but was too scared to be confident that he could do it the best way he wanted to do for her. His romantic side, his softness, his warmth, his kindness, and his deep dependence on Ye Jia shines and brings a fitting warm end to the show.

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