My Page in the 90s

Lazy ending

This is usually my favorite kind of plot: a female lead transported into a novel or the past, so I was genuinely excited, especially since the male lead is quite talented. Unfortunately, while the story had potential, it was painfully slow. I kept watching, hoping it would pick up, but it never did. Nothing about the drama felt exciting, which is disappointing because this type of plot has huge potential to be genuinely funny...and it wasn’t.

The ending didn’t help either. I could predict it from miles away, since this isn’t the first Chinese drama to use the “writing the story” loophole to get around the transmigration ban ( wink a dream within a dream which did this way better ). The conclusion felt extremely lazy : “how he comes into her world is a story for another time” just sounds like the writers didn’t know how to end their own script.

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Still waiting for it to click

My Page in The 90s is about a modern-day love advice streamer gets pulled into a cheesy late 20th century romance novel, she finds herself entangled with a cold CEO archetype and forced to play out a love story she never signed up for.

But honestly? This drama spends its entire runtime almost convincing you it has something interesting to say, but then stopping just short of actually saying it.

On paper, this is a classic transmigration setup. Lin Huan’er is initially sharp, pragmatic, and refreshingly clear about her goal: she wants to go back to her own reality.

Huan’er works fine on a surface level. She’s fun, reactive, and decently written. But the second you try to dig underneath that surface, there’s nothing there. Her emotional interior is frustratingly underdeveloped. We’re told she wants to return to her world, but we’re never shown why. What is she leaving behind? A family? Friends? A career she cares about? A life she built? We have no idea. And that becomes an issue later on, when she suddenly decides she might not want to go back after all.

This is, in my opinion, one of the most grotesquely common flaws in transmigration stories: the protagonist’s original life is treated as disposable. Wanting to return becomes a purely logical stance at the start, and abandoning that desire later is framed as emotional growth. Except it isn’t, because there was never anything tangible to give up in the first place. It makes her choice feel hollow because there is nothing to compare it to. Does she truly find something worth staying for, or does the story simply stop caring about the question?

Then there’s Gao Haiming. He is the hyper-competent, emotionally constrained CEO who is secretly warm, loyal, and willing to burn the world down for the woman he loves. Nothing grounds breaking, but decent enough.

Chemistry is another stance in which the story wobbles. It almost works. There are moments, especially in the very last episodesof the drama, where you can see what the writers were aiming for. But for a long time, I felt… nothing. Not even during scenes that were clearly meant to be intense or intimate. Their affection doesn’t feel like it grows, it just appears. One moment there’s emotional distance, the next we’re meant to accept that something deep and irrevocable has formed between them.

A significant chunk of the runtime is spent on Huan’er running away from her feelings, and it feels like a way to avoid doing the actual work of building the relationship. Those episodes would have been far better used letting us watch the affection develop organically, rather than being told it exists.

Secondary characters don’t help. Most of them are painfully uninteresting. Zhu Mengmeng starts off as someone who at least feels relevant to Huan’er’s story, but as the drama progresses, the narrative splits into parallel tracks that intersect every now and then. It ends up feeling like two separate dramas awkwardly stitched together, instead of a cohesive world where relationships actually matter.

Performance-wise, this drama is frustrating. I’m already familiar with Chen Xingxu, and he is undeniably a very good actor. This was my first time watching anything with Wang Yuwen, but she leaves a good impression. Which is precisely why some scenes are so hard to get through. The emotional beats don’t always land, and when they don’t, it feels less like an acting issue and more like a directing and pacing problem.

And the ending? Lazy and emotionally unsatisfying.

I don’t want to get into spoilers, but I have a deep dislike for abrupt endings that simply happen. No explanation, no thematic resolution, no real invitation for interpretation, just a narrative shrug that suggests the writers were tired and wanted to be done. It doesn’t feel open-ended in a mysterious and intricate way, it feels unfinished.

What makes all of this more frustrating is that the drama repeatedly comes close to being good, but it never quite gets there. It gestures at depth without committing to it, sets up questions it doesn’t want to answer, and relies too heavily on familiar tropes without doing enough to justify them.

In the end, this is a drama that had all the necessary components: a capable cast, a workable premise, and moments of genuine charm. But instead of fully committing to its ideas, it settles for “good enough” and for a story about rewriting fate and choosing one’s own ending, that feels especially disappointing.

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I’m not sure why, but I didn't really like the drama. Either the plot was presented in a strange way, or I just wasn't interested in it that much. I didn't feel any chemistry between Chen Xing Xu and Yu Wen. There wasn't any spark between them. Yu Wen's performance was rather lacking or maybe it was just her way of portraying the character. I'm not familiar with her previous works, so I can't say for sure if it was her acting or her character that turned me off. However, I'm already familiar with XingXu, and I'm once again impressed by his acting. He truly excels in such roles! I really loved his character!
The drama is easy to watch and it’s also short, so it's worth watching at least once. I won't be too critical, as I didn't have high expectations for it. The ending is happy, so it's not that bad.

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My Page in the 90s – A Delightful, Retro Rom-Com Escape

My Page in the 90s is one of those C-dramas that sneaks up on you and suddenly becomes your comfort watch.

The story follows a modern-day live streamer who gets transported into the world of a novel she constantly criticized. But this isn’t just a random isekai situation she’s trapped in a game-like system where she’s given quests, earns rewards, and is told her ultimate mission: win over the male lead if she wants to leave. It sounds chaotic… and it is in the best way possible.

What truly makes this drama shine is its comedy. I haven’t laughed this much at a C-drama in a long time. Every character has impeccable comic timing, and the humor actually landsinstead of feeling forced or cringe. It’s witty, self-aware, and genuinely fun.

Then there’s the 90s setting, which I absolutely adore. The pagers. The landline phones. The maps instead of GPS. Dating rumors in magazines. Vintage CEO suits and ties. Bold polka dots and loud colors. The hairstyles. The entire aesthetic is nostalgic, cozy, and ridiculously charming. I’m completely absorbed in this world.

Lin huan er, the female lead, is a standout. She’s smart, witty, chaotic, and genuinely funny but not a pushover. I love how she uses her modern-day mindset to navigate this old-school world. What really impressed me is how her approach to “winning over the male lead” evolves: she goes from impulsive and reckless to strategic and thoughtful. That growth makes her feel mature and layered rather than exhausting or one-note.

Gao Haiming, the male lead, is everything I didn’t know I needed from a CEO character. Yes, he’s dashing. Yes, the vintage suits, ties, and hairstyles are doing things for me. But more importantly, he’s calculating, intelligent, driven, and emotionally guarded with actual depth and baggage. And for once… he really *works*. Like, he actually goes to his office and does his job. Chen Xingxu is genuinely bringing back the charm of CEO leads.

And their chemistry? Perfect.
They have this “you use me, I use you, and we both know it” dynamic that’s so refreshing. There’s mutual awareness, tension, and unspoken rules. They don’t cross emotional lines too early, and that slow, strategic dance between them is exactly my kind of romance...their interactions made me giddy and thats how I know iam sold on chemistry...loved every minute of these two.

My Page in the 90s has been a delightful watch simple to follow, genuinely funny, retro, cute, and full of charm. It doesn’t try too hard to be deep or dramatic, and that’s exactly why it works. It knows what it is and fully commits to being an entertaining, feel-good rom-com with a clever twist.

If you’re looking for something light, nostalgic, and ridiculously fun with great chemistry and lovable leads… this one is 100% worth your time.

Conclusively;


"Sometimes, a drama doesn't need to be grand; it just needs to be simple yet entertaining, and this show is proof of that. My rewatch value for this is incredibly high, and I know I'll definitely watch it again. The chemistry between the leads was a major highlight, making me giddy throughout. And the comic timing of the various characters? Chef's kiss! The 90s setting added a wonderful layer of nostalgia. Give this show a chance; it will sneak up on you when you least expect it.

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Why Would Anyone Drop This Gem? (FINAL THOUGHTS NO SPOILERS)

First, I think it is unfair to compare Chen Xing Xu's last drama, Love Between Lines, with his current one, My Page in the 90s, as they are vastly different genres.
Lin Huan Er was drawn into a book during a debate with a fellow reviewer (from 2025 to 1999). She was strongly opposed to the way female characters were depicted. The storyline is unique in that it uses a completely out-of-place animated pager to guide the female lead through her daily challenges so she can get back to her "real' life in 2025. Thus, the title of the drama. I don't understand why anyone would tank this gem without giving it a fair chance. It is not the serious drama that one expects; no, it is beautifully absurd. The acting is natural and hilarious. Because of the deadpan humor and overuse of ridiculous clichés, My Page in the 90s is so amusing and is a joyful viewing experience.

The chemistry everyone desperately looks for between the lead characters is definitely unmistakable. Chen Xing Xu and Wang Yu Wen are well-matched in acting skills here and visually make a lovely pairing.
As new episodes are released, the storyline grows more complex as the characters fall in love with each other. It is difficult not to laugh out loud when the female lead is going to such harebrained, risible lengths to prolong her time in the novel, leaving Gao Hai Ming, who has her heart and her love completely and utterly confused. Stick with it; you won't be disappointed as long as you keep in mind that MPIT90s is in no way supposed to be serious. It is ludicrous on steroids!

Will she make it back to 2025? What will happen to Gao Hai Ming's character from 1999? Will she meet him again in 2025? Will he recognize her as Lin Haun Er from 1999? Hmmm...

February 1, 2026 🌹FINAL THOUGHTS🌹
You all can not begin to imagine how much I have enjoyed being immersed in this brilliantly written drama. Chen Xing Xu and Wang Yu Wen brought their characters to LIFE in a way that depicted a quiet, unassuming, sweet, innocent love between two people who had never given their hearts away before. For any of you who are doubting whether this drama is worth watching...IT IS! I walked away feeling satisfied, excited, happy, yet very sad that their journey had come to an end.

Wanna hint? Pay very close attention to episode 1. It sets the foundation for the entire storyline.

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹HAPPY WATCHING!!🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
HAVE A BOX OF TISSUES HANDY!
#BLESSINGS


***WATCH WITHOUT COMPARISON OR PREJUDICE!***

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Illogical, Fun, Twisty, Cheesy Romcom! Just Turn off Your Brain and Enjoy!

I'll start by saying that I don't compare any dramas ever especially if they're not in the same genre and their only similarities are the ML and SML being the same actors. I was wondering what this drama was going to be like but since I also go into each one without any expectations so knowing this was a comedy, I just jumped into it and boy, did I have a good time! It was an illogical, fun, twisty, cheesy romcom; just turn off your brain and enjoy!

Pros: So one of my pet peeve's is slapstick humor which I can't stand but here the comedy was as smooth as water on a quiet lake. A girl, our FL or LHE who is basically allergic to romance gets transmigrated into a 1999 vintage romance novel in the middle of her livestream broadcast being against anything love related. Now, what also makes this different from other transmigration series except ADWAD is that we also meet ML or GHM in the first episode and he seems to recognize her though she's got no clue who he is, she's busy bitching at her boss while he's there to buy the entire company. That gave us all room for pause because the entire premise of her going back in time and into a book is to win over a cold CEO and get and accept a marriage proposal from him while also falling in love with him. In the book, GHM has no idea who she is and she tries every trick in as she later called it her 2025 "romance playbook" to get him but he also needed her to get rid of an annoying chick and his toxic father's attempt to arrange a marriage for him. So they for a bit were using each other for their own purposes. She was given missions to grow GHM's fondness for her by some supernatural pager system that gave her rewards or punishments based on how she did but many times those rewards were cheesy as hell and you were just left cracking up and shaking your head. She couldn't reveal the plot of the book to the people in it or change the narrative. Nothing worked until as she summarized herself later upon returning back to 2025, that once she stopped with the tricks and started being sincere, is how she ultimately won his heart and she in turn fell for him. But because she started to care deeply not just for him but the friends around her, she started to not want him to propose so soon or she would have to return; her solitary, career-driven life in 2025, was no longer appealing.

GHM, for his character was great as a CEO because he actually worked hard as opposed to other characters out there in these roles that just walked in and out of rooms and strutted around like peacocks. He wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty so to speak and given the fact that the business he was in was feminine products and diapers, said a lot in 1999 China. He oozed sex appeal; whether he was cold, jealous, grumpy, polished, lazy at home, and especially when he was in love. I was a bit worried that since CXX and WYW had known each other for 16 years, their chemistry wouldn't be believable but I had nothing to worry about, it crackled especially episode 20 and when they did the deed and we got to see him take his shirt off to reveal a masculine body and not a stick figure as we know CXX works out so all the muscles were there without looking super buff with a six pack or anything extra; nice flat stomach works too.

What worked so well for this series is that you laughed at all of the ridiculous happenings because they were funny but in the last episodes when you knew she had to return and after another manipulation by the pager which I'll speak about in the cons, GHM and everyone that had ever seen them together forgot about her or that, as he regained his memories after a near drowning incident, started to put pieces together that she didn't belong in his world and had to leave soon with the proposal, there were a few moments when he cried and we cried too. So it was this rollercoaster of believable emotions. Another thing that worked was that when she returned back to her world, and he had also somehow come back or maybe he was there the whole time (many unanswered questions with this transmigration thing), was that on her way to meet him, she passed his assistant from the book as well as her two friends one who was killed in the book, but alive and well here with her book best friend happily together. So they properly exited out the important characters from the story. We didn't see her book father and sister but assume they should also be part of her world somewhere. Plus though the ending of them together was like two minutes; unlike a lot of these dramas, they got to hug, cry, and kiss. That was so important as opposed to just standing 5 feet apart smiling at each other and roll credits. Honestly, I ffw'd the 2nd couple for a bit but more towards the end they started to grow on me especially during everyone's memory loss, it broke up that whole thing up a bit.

Having been in High School in 1999-2000; a lot of the costumes, technology especially the phones and computers made it nostalgic and fun, though much of their wardrobe kind of reminded me of the late 80's/early 90s with shows like Saved By The Bell and Beverly Hills 90210 lol! But everything was pretty on point with OSTs, locations, sets it being a modern, etc.

Cons: I had a serious problem with the pager system for LHE; it created the unnecessary issues in the book. So LHE couldn't break certain rules or she'd get punished but the system could make her book gold digging ex kidnap her sister and harm GHM so GHM's fondness for her would grow faster. And I'm almost 100% sure the pager wanted to harm GHM by having him push her out of the way when the truck came through only to get hit himself; when he proposed on NYE of the millennium (neither of these scenarios were in the original novel; so why was the system allowed to rewrite the book published for 25 years but LHE would be punished for trying to do the same?) which is why she broke the "cardinal" rule and revealed that she was from the future and they were all just characters in a book after which all the memory of her were wiped. Also pretty sure the system was responsible for a random NPC to jump into the water and bystanders told GHM it was some girl drunk and on the phone and he assumed it was LHE because her phone had cut out just as they started yelling so even though he couldn't swim he jumped in, followed by LHE who was by then told the original girl was pulled out but XL (GHM's assistant) told LHE GHM had jumped and he can't swim which she knows is his trauma so the system created this outlandish way for him to get his memories back by her saving him.

After he got his memories back is when he started piecing together things about her not being from his world. And the system was at it again. First, it told her that she was only supposed to be in the book until the millennium and if she didn't secure a proposal and leave, GHM and his world would collapse. Now it's been at least a month past the millennium so the new deadline was 72 hours and the new threat was that everyone who she cared about, their worlds would collapse. It was ridiculous. But he agreed to her request for the 72 hour proposal because he knew by then she would leave. I really wish the 1999 him told her he loved her before she poofed.

Also how was it that in episode 1 it was February 28th and in episode 24 when she returned, it was the 16th? So she had also traveled back in her own timeline? Does that mean again now on the 28th, he will come to purchase her company now with her as his 2025 girlfriend or fiancée whichever? I have no idea if he had her pager or his own afterwards, because how was he able to see her in the future a few times? And the 2025 him, same guy as we saw in episode one, was this the same one from 1999 or were there two because while she was only able to bring back a note from him from the book, he was able to bring back the pager where it showed their moments on the carousel as well as multiple models of those airplanes. Also it seemed like all of their shots together were taken from a distance and by a third person when the 1999 GHM looked at his camera. I know the director said that the 4 episodes cut by censorship would have explained all of that, instead of someone typing words on a screen making it seem like the 2025 world was possibly a novel too or they were living in a wormhole of space. I wish we got an extra episode to at least explain some of that lol.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! It makes you giggle and cry and just enjoy all the nostalgic moments. Don't compare apples to oranges but just enjoy each drama as a separate experience!

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“A 90s page, turned by modern hands. A story written in doodles, laughter, and retro dreams.”

The Page in the 90s is a cute, lighthearted watch that doesn’t aim for emotional depth—and maybe that’s exactly why I enjoyed it. It’s the kind of drama you don’t overthink. Much like watching a cartoon (Doraemon comes to mind), you don’t question the logic, you don’t stress over missed “what ifs,” and you don’t expect complexity. You simply take it as it is—and if you do that, it rewards you with laughter and comfort. The retro-theme is so cute, and the mix with 2025 logic is fun. Absolutely adored it.

At the heart of the drama is yu wen aka huaner, who makes everything lively and fun. Her perspective as an overseer who enters the book and treats the world like a system to beat—earning points, completing tasks, and avoiding punishment—was far more engaging than the actual romance. Watching everything unfold through her modern, detached mindset made her reactions entertaining, and slowly, just like her, you grow attached to this world and hesitate at the thought of leaving it behind.

I genuinely don’t know when or how Huaner fell in love..but she did because from the start they seemed like good friends…and suddenly she was afraid to leave. The emotional shifts felt sudden, and moments of sadness or crying came across as abrupt and even out of character. Because of this, it was hard to connect to her love or feel invested in the relationship in the start.. However their acting was good enough to make it believable by the end.

Yu Wen, stood out as the life of the show. Her bossy, dominating presence felt so natural that it was hard to tell whether she was acting or simply being herself—perhaps helped by how comfortable the cast feels with one another. She’s practically a cartoon character: capable of pulling jokes out of nowhere and instantly ruining any moment that seems like it’s about to turn serious. And honestly? I loved her for that.

Xing’s role as a ceo didn’t have much depth like the typical ceo…moreover huaner’s original life is not explored as well.. , but both handled it well. His micro-expressions were effective, his emotional delivery felt natural, and he was quietly funny and undeniably cute.

That said, this couple shines in comedy, and comfort. Huaner’s hilarious banter paired with Gao Haiming’s perpetually dumbfounded expressions creates excellent situational comedy. They feel fluent as friends—or “more than friends” like an old-friends turned lovers set-couple, colleagues-and-partners-in-crime energy—rather than passionately in love star crossed poor lovers. Every time the drama starts leaning toward something emotional, it almost feels intentional that a comedy track is added, pulling you right back into laughter instead. The random, out-of-nowhere conversations and oddly genuine questions only add to that charm.

The second couple, unfortunately, did nothing for me. Their dynamic lacked both humor and emotional pull. The female friend was fine at first, but her constant “system-triggered” interference to keep Huaner and Ouyang from separating quickly became irritating. The police officer character, in particular, was unbearable (purely personal opinion). Compared to Wu Yen’s scenes, theirs felt dull and skippable—and I did skip most of them.

Also—poor Luo. Loved him too. Our luo is still in the company ahahahahahhah.


Yes, the setup is undeniably cliché, but that seems to be the point. The drama treats love itself as something familiar and idealistic—old, predictable, cliché wanting to make a point of that.. A kind of love that softens you, makes you gentler, and quietly stronger.The story is lacking, not all parts land, and emotional depth is minimal.

But despite all that, The Page in the 90s is genuinely fun when it works. It’s a short, refreshing watch with no emotional strings attached—meant to be enjoyed, not analyzed. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.

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Funny, Sweet, and Surprisingly Natural

First of all, My Page in the 90’s uses the familiar “transported to another world” trope—but it’s funnier, cuter, and overall much better executed than expected. The drama knows exactly what it wants to be and leans into its charm without trying too hard.

Wang Yuwen is completely in her element here. She feels so natural that it’s almost like her real personality is bleeding into the character, making her performance effortless and very endearing. Chen Xing Xu is also great—no awkward moments at all—and the chemistry between them? It’s chemistry-ing, no question. They’re genuinely adorable together.

Personal opinion, but he seems much more at ease here than in Love Between the Lines, and it really shows in his expressions and interactions. Everything feels lighter and more natural.

My only real complaint is the last four episodes. They dragged more than necessary, relying too much on repetitive flashbacks and reminiscing scenes. We get it—they’re sad, reflective, emotional—but those moments could’ve been replaced with more meaningful content instead of replaying the same beats over and over.

That said, My Page in the 90’s remains a cute, enjoyable watch with strong chemistry and a warm, easygoing vibe—perfect if you’re in the mood for something light but well made.

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Good show to watch after a busy workday but WTF was that ending? It wasn’t explained well.

I’ll still gave it a 9 because it’s hard for a low budget drama to engross me into binge watching it.
The drama may have not been edited well enough with how fast it tends to get especially with the reality setting, it’s like the director wants to just focus on the book version.

With that said, the world building in the book version is miles better than the reality one. You might wonder though if they’re historically accurate with all the tech they’ve introduced despite it being set in 1999 but then you’d realize that it’s just 1999 based on a book, not really 1999 time travel so you’d have a sense of understanding that it does not need to be 100% accurate.


The screenwriter definitely messed up the last episode, especially how it left to the viewers to decipher how it ended the way it ended. I’m still confused but still happy that it ended that way. It’s really just the big HOW. A little explanation would have sufficed but no, they decided to just roll the ending credits and be done with it. The WeTV comments are even so funny as everyone was just confused and asking others how they understood it.

Acting-wise, I never really expected for Chen Xing Xu and Wang Yu Wen to have the best on-screen chemistry especially after watching their bestie coded clips in Wow The World. Watching them in this show suddenly shifted their “besties” energy to “are they perhaps dating in real life? they seem to like each other so much and they’re so comfortable”. Yes, that’s the effect. You could tell that they really became close friends after filming this show, which is a good nod to their middle school selves who were too shy to speak to each other.

And can I just say how good of an actor CXX is?? This is my third consecutive drama of him being in a CEO role but his acting here wouldn’t remind you of his other roles. His facial expressions, mannerisms, body gestures, even his gaze and the way he talks— all just for Gao Haiming and that to me is such a lovely thing to watch as a viewer and a fan.

Alsooo, please cast Wang Yuwen more in rom coms. Her comedic timing is just top notch. I laughed so much in this drama that I couldn’t really rate it to anything lower than 9, it’s that lovely to me!

Overall, this is a good watch. The kind that makes you excited after a busy workday. The OSTs may have been repetitive as they apparently have only 4 but they hit the right spot.
I watched this a day after finishing Love Between Lines and although I loved LBL with all of my heart, I didn’t find myself comparing the ship there with Gao Haiming and Lin Huaner here. It helped that this is a rom com and the first few scenes weren’t romantic, just pure fun and laughter. And when the ship sailed, you have already forgotten CXX in LBL as CXX really owned his Gao Haiming with Wang Yuwen’s Lin Huaner. Their promos are also genuinely good, you can tell they’re truly comfortable with and close to each other. It’s nice to see CXX relax because of Yuwen.

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