Begin Again

A Slice of Life Worth Biting Into:Macau by the Sea

I don’t usually start drafting a drama review , especially not after just one episode. But there’s always a first, and Begin Again (2024) caught me off-guard in the most refreshing way. I pressed play expecting background noise and somehow ended up emotionally invested, mildly obsessed, and googling “what’s rent like in Macau?” by the 30-minute mark.

1. Hallo Macau – Are You Always This Photogenic?

Macau has made the occasional cameo in dramas, but this? This feels like a love letter to the city. It’s not just the casino skyline or aerial shots for flair, it’s the narrow streets, early morning jogs by the sea, the kind of neighbourhood cafés where people actually bump into each other (without coffee spilling or fate intervening, thank God). If Shanghai had a quieter cousin and Taipei had a more stylish sibling, Macau would be their well-adjusted middle child. I’ve seen enough to want to get lost there on purpose.

2. The Cast: A Surprisingly Perfect Ensemble

Elvis Han as Han Jun Hao

He continues to confuse my expectations in the best way. Loved him in Fake It Till You Make It, thought that was his lane. But here he is again, giving us Han Jun Hao: a former sportsman teetering on the edge of burnout and self-doubt, trying to figure out who he is when the medals stop shining. He’s got that dependable charm with just enough emotional bruises to keep things interesting. Somehow, Elvis makes it all believable, even the part where he's basically a walking existential crisis with great posture.

Zhong Chu Xi as Chen Jia Hui

Our female lead, Jia Hui, played by the ever-captivating Zhong Chu Xi, walks into Macau on a business assignment and accidentally stumbles into the kind of self-realisation people pay therapists for. She’s sharp, stylish, and clearly capable, but you get the sense she’s been living on autopilot, checking boxes without asking who gave her the list. She’s not a tragic workaholic or an overly quirky mess (bless the writers for this); she’s just... figuring it out. And you can only root for her already.

Amy Chen as Mai You Ge

Mai You Ge — now this is the girl you meet once and instantly want in your group chat. Amy Chen plays her with a warmth that makes you want to sit next to her on a park bench and spill your whole life story. She’s sweet but not naive, grounded but quietly curious about the world beyond her routine. And just when you think she’s coasting along in the background…

Enter: Sunny Sun as Xu Jun Le

…in walks Xu Jun Le, and suddenly there’s a second love story forming and I’m hooked. Sunny Sun, personal revelation, frankly, brings a softness and ease to this character that feels lived-in. Jun Le is the kind of guy who smiles at strangers, rides a bike like it’s a religion, and doesn’t care about optics. While his best friend Han Jun Hao was out chasing glory and trophies, Jun Le stayed back and learned how to be. Yes, he comes from money, but you'd never guess it, unless you count how good he looks doing absolutely nothing. Sunny’s performance is quiet, confident, and utterly magnetic. Where has this man been hiding?

3. Begin Again – Finally, a Slice of Life That Feels Real

I’d nearly given up on C-dramas when it came to portraying real people with real problems. Too many times, “slice of life” turns into a soulless parade of plot devices or monologues disguised as dialogue. But Begin Again feels... honest. Four people at different crossroads, pulled together not by fate or dramatics, but by the gentle, inevitable rhythm of life.

Each character has a reason for being in Macau, but none of them quite know what they’re really looking for. They’re not running toward love, they’re just trying to stop running from themselves. And when they do connect, love doesn’t come crashing in like a wave; it seeps in like light through a cracked window. Quiet. Patient. Just enough to make them stay.

Final Thoughts (aka My Unasked-For Emotional Investment)

Begin Again feels like a promise, of warmth, of thoughtful pacing, of characters who grow instead of spiral. A quiet burn, but one that respected my time,my intelligence and made me want to book a one-way ticket to Macau and let the city fix my life too.

Writer's note: Watch out for Han Jun Hao and Xu Jun Le's legendary bromance( they even got same middle name 😂)

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Love, Music, and Macau

Begin Again is the story of the various people living/ temporarily staying in Macau. They are all in some way or the other, interconnected with one another, but that's not what the drama is about. It follows various pairs of people as they navigate a point of their life in the beautiful and peaceful city of Macau.
First of all, the cast. I absolutely loved the whole cast. They perfectly fit in their roles and brought a certain charm to them. The acting is brilliant.
Second, the music. PHENOMENAL. If you want to listen to some great summer tracks, then slice-of-life dramas are what you need to go for. Every song, every melody fit into the series perfectly. I liked how they were mostly jazz or ballad, which helps convey the emotions of the characters to the audience. The music went well with the backdrop of Macau.
Third, the production. REFRESHING. There was something about the drama that was aesthetically pleasing. I loved how the drama used colors. Most of them were summer tones or neutral, which suited the summer theme of the story. I especially liked how the different pairs (especially the two main couples) always wore matching or complementary colors, showing their compatibility.
And finally, the plot and the characters. The plots was nice and manages to be very engaging. However, it does mess up as it nears the ending. It becomes rushing, and the ending was (for me personally) not very satisfying.
The characters are great and I especially loved the chemistry of Mai and Le. They were very relaxing and refreshing to watch. It wasn't a new dynamic that I've seen in dramas, but they still had good chemistry.
I won't write anything more because I'm trying to not spoil it.
I would recommend watching this drama if you're tired or just need to lay back. It's a great summer watch.

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Unexpected

Story:
First, stumbling upon this drama that only had two episodes, I did not expect that this show would be this good. This drama was not like your cliche, the cast was delightful, with no frustrating dubbings that could make your head explode, especially with the female characters since they're annoying and act like their age, unlike many Chinese actresses who have their voices dubbed in childlike voices and act like literal toddlers. Furthermore, the male actors weren't your typical Chinese standard, which made it more realistic. The three different storylines were done well as they were entirely different, which catered to more viewers and made the show less boring. The first storyline with the thot racer and the art curator was hot and new; this was a new storyline for a drama which made it interesting, and the high emotions they had for each other made it intense in a good way, somewhat addicting... The second story with Mai and Junie was my favorite; it was a slow burn but a good what if you know what I mean. Jun le was patient towards Mai, and their scene with another was a chef's kiss ( although I was at the end, they had more screen time). Their situation was maybe one of the healthiest relationships I've ever seen in a Cdrama. The third story with Casey and the piano Prodigy was not my favorite, but it was very interesting since I did skip their scenes I was more interested in the other characters as I was watching this for the romance; it is still a great story if you needed the break from the romance.


Cast:
All actors and actresses suited this role perfectly, and I can't nitpick them since they all did so well! But even though Elvis Han is not my favourite actor as I don't see him as great as an actor but he pulled through

Music:
I didn't care for the music, but the variety was great.

Rewatch value:
I wouldn't rewatch it any time soon, but It's a new comfort show and background TV series whenever I'm bored or studying and need something on the TV.

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"We all have the right to choose what makes us happy"

The life that is happening now. There is no frenetic action that leaves you anxious to see what will follow. Just bits and pieces of life. Just, as one of the main characters says, moments that remain to exist forever in parallel space-time, not linearly.
Both female protagonists have a fear of commitment, and both male protagonists strive to experience love.

It's a series that has sadness, tranquility, passion, trepidation, beautiful cityscapes, copious amounts of food, Macau - enchanting day and night, great music that reflects the frozen moments.

A series that looks at the place of relationships in life, of work, of family.

The actors are very real, the situations are not fictional, but ones that can be experienced every day.

Two main couples, lots of additional characters, in the second part of the series they added another bunch of characters whose relationships the viewer follows, but unlike other commenters, I don't think it hinders the series, on the contrary, it broadens the perspective.

Cinematically, the series is very different from the usual Asian series and is more reminiscent of a European series.

Some quotes from the series that reflect the authors' conception:

"We all have the right to choose what makes us happy"

"We all want to make money, but we don't make enough. So not enjoying your life, at the expense of making money, would be a waste."

" Our lives are hectic and every landscape we pass by is a unique little poem."

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Were the side characters' unnecessary stories more important than the main characters?

Beautiful cinematography, great location choices, a safe story, and a great couple. But the story was absolutely ridiculous.

Mai and Junle were one of the safest and most beautiful couples I've ever seen. The actors' chemistry and storylines were incredibly good. However, the biggest problem with the series was the introduction of too many characters. Yes, there are two main couples in the series, and I never liked the other couple; they were completely insincere. Just talking about their stories alone, so many characters were introduced that I couldn't make sense of. All I'm saying is, why is this even happening??? Mai and Junle were a really good couple. I would have liked another pairing for the actors, but other than that, the series was a complete waste of time.

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It's kind of a Chinese take on La La land with a tremendous amount of filler..

Sure this one is not at all a musical, but the mood, the ambiance and the circumstances felt quite similar to me. Instead of one couple there are two main couples here, but this comparison still fits alright for either of them. What they've shown of Macau is absolutely magical -and probably not all that realistic, but who cares- and in the first half of the show the romance is also mostly excellent.

So why is it only a 7.5? Well the second half of the drama only had like 30-40 mins of what I wanted to watch & there were all kinds of miscellaneous plots. While I knew very early on that we're faced with sort of an omnibus style storytelling & but there was so much there that I found incredibly boring. (Casey + kid | Older Brother + wedding | divorcee parents) The ending here is better than La La Land's, which is honestly not very difficult, however I expected way way more from a show this long & one that had so much filler and I mean SO EFFIN MUCH filler.

The OST & cinematography are top, about as good as it gets in this genre, It's almost worth it just for that.

People compare this to `Fake It Till You Make It`, other than Elvis Han acting in both there are not all that many commonalities I think. Even if we approach this topic with the "mature love" angle, I think everything is just too different..

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Drama Travelogue

The main couple in this drama were interesting and Warm. He was lovely and natural. His character held the rest together. The female lead was a sad, work abused workaholic with no life outside of her job. I am hoping that she extricates herserl from her empty life. The second couple of pretentious characters were really boring and misplaced. It was like watching 2 separate dramas. I was sorry Elvis had such a boring role. The warmth of the lovely lead's family was really nice. Their restaurant was a meeting place for the community. I didn't undersatnd why there were so many glamourous females in the pretentious couple's story. Neither of them gave off any depth or significance Just thrill seekers. Sadly China seems to have caught up with the US in terms of workaholic , money chasing, fake people. That is sad. Chinese Period Dramas leave the present day life ones look shallow and overly westernised.

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Mediocre melodrama story, but good cinematography of Macau.

Begin Again is a melodrama about young professionals who crossed paths in Macau and found inspiration for the meaning of life and love for each other.

The story is mediocre, and the ensemble's acting is the same. I love Elaine Zhong and Elvis Han, but the characters they portrayed in this drama were not that exciting. However, I love the cinematography of the city of Macau; it makes me want to visit it since I have not been there.

Synopsis: In the bustling city of Macau, where glittering high-rises and traditional districts co-exist in the same space, there's always something interesting taking place. Free-spirited art curator Chen Jia Hui has lived in Macau for years but lacks inspiration. Unexpectedly, she crosses paths with professional race car driver Han Jun Hao, who's come to Macau to participate in the International GT Cup. Although he's past his career prime, he's finally determined to win – or lose – on the track. Ambitious, career-minded Mai You Ge travels alone to Macau due to an urgent task from her company. Still, setbacks have her questioning whether she's made the right choices in life. She meets "Macau know-it-all" Xu Jun Le, whose carefree personality seems the opposite of hers. Still, his upbeat demeanor might be just a front. Will the magic of Macau help them all find their place in the world?

My Reviews:
1. Acting: 7
2. Script: 6
3. Music/OST: 6
4, Production Quality: 6
5. Cinematography: 8

Overall Rating: 7

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Fast & Flirtatious: Macau Drift!" ?

**Begin Again (2024) – 6/10: A Chaotic Cocktail of Romance, Race Cars & “Wait, what?”**

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WHY IT’S A GUILTY PLEASURE: 😏

Macau looks so good it deserves its own credit.
Sunny Sun is the kind of guy your mom wants you to marry—too bad the script treats him like background noise.
Language mix-ups? Hilarious. Love in translation, baby.

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THE “GIRL, PLEASE” MOMENTS: 🙄

Plot twists like a soap opera on Red Bull.
The dubbing sounds like someone left the GPS on.
Emotional arcs? Nah, just emotional drive-bys.

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ICONIC SCENES: 🔥

Motorcycle flirting—because helmets are for cowards.
Heart-shaped plants = peak romance capitalism.
That bus ride? Weirdly deep for two people avoiding eye contact.

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VERDICT:
“Like ordering romance and getting a side of car chase and mild confusion.”

**Paired with:** 🍜 Leftover takeout and your last ounce of patience.

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Wasted potential

This was such a frustrating drama. The first half I was interested and invested and then we completely switch focus to some randoms that we've never met before. I care about the other characters, I don't care about these people. I am baffled by that second half, such a waste of time.

I loved one of the couples and I wanted to see so much more of them. I can't believe they wasted their chemistry in favour of the new characters. The other couple was okay, but I was nowhere near as interested in them as in the other one.

I loved the setting. I was unfamiliar with Macau prior to watching this. Other than knowing of its existence, I knew nothing and now I know a lot more and it's a place I would love to visit so the drama did promote Macau well.

Overall, this was a disappointment. I really liked the first half and while I did enjoy the ending, the rest of the second half was a huge disappointment.

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