Pu Ju Hai Pien Chui Chui Feng (2024)

Comfort zone ≠ safe space

It is a small space t-dramas occupy nowadays. They can't compete with mainland China for sheer volume of drama output nor their varieties. They don't have the hype/star power of the Hallyu Wave. They can’t compete with J-dramas for sheer quirkiness. T-dramas just don't have the clout to muscle into the global market so the few shows they produce each year are mostly for local consumption.

This can lead to a kind of creative stagnation. There are telltales, for instance, over reliance on certain tropes and settings. To wit, this series is set in a coastal village with its own cadre of aging villagers and urban refugees. As a counterpoint, we have the taciturn top star being exiled to the sleepy village to escape prying eyes after yet another damaging scandal.

If I am being honest, there is nothing new to the A-plot. There are minor variations, but it is a well-thumbed playbook. We knew who are the OTP and the second leads right from the start. The ML is the agent of change and the growth of the various relationships is the raison d'etre. Totally serviceable but hardly thinking outside the box.

The senior villagers are played by veteran actors, and they earned their keeps. Particularly the FL's grandmother. She is the rock that anchors the show. Everything is as it should be, and it is a solid production that made good use of their limited resources. Some of the scenic shots are picture perfect.

Puff Kuo is in her element. In fact, she has been doing similar roles for some time. Maybe she decided to leave the glam idol roles to rising starlets as she approaches middle age. Her portrayals of earnest FL's are finely honed and resonate with her audiences. The OTP has good chemistry, and we can ship them with ease.

However, I am a little disappointed with the tepid ending. When it should have been confident strides to the finish line, it felt more like a series of awkward little stumbles. We got there in the end, but it is baffling. This is particularly true for the 2CP. Every sign points to a done deal and yet they failed to launch, at least officially.

As I mentioned before, I have watched several recent t-dramas which are quite similar, and I can sense that they are in their comfort zone. They know their audiences and their preferences. What can go wrong?

That is a core issue with some t-dramas at present. They are decent shows. Well-acted by and large and skilfully made (within a limited budget) but they can feel quite introspective and hemmed in. If it is not Taipei-centric urban/business tales, it will be set in a quaint village that feels more like a travel vlog with a hefty dose of nostalgia. They are watchable, but also forgettable.

I can understand why some t-dramas have retreated to this comfort zone, but it is not a safe space. Death by a thousand cuts is still a slow death in the end. One time watch for me. Peace.

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