Miss Jiang Beautiful Alone

FL chose herself over romantic love and I loved it!

Thank you to JustOneMoreEpisode for creating Si Jia Li's profile. I have been a fan of hers since my first month of vertical drama exploration. She was spectacular in a drama about female CEO with challenging family members. Si Jia Li is still lesser known so there isn't a playlist of her dramas on YouTube. This drama is different from the usual FL with scumbag boss/lover and I liked it!

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - FL was paid by ML to be his employee and lover. At first I was afraid that she would stay meek but no, she left the toxic environment once the contract was over. Good character growth.
2. Writing - I must say that second half of this drama was more exciting. She thrived after leaving ML. I liked that her new colleagues were supportive.
3. Ending - I loved it because she prioritise her self.
4. Romance - Actually this drama doesn't have strong romance element and I liked it a lot. There was another love interest but FL decided not to pursue.
5. Duration - This drama is only 70 minutes long. Well paced story without drawing out the negativity. I appreciate it!

What I disliked:
1. ML characterisation - Damn he was mean to FL. He was also passive about his arranged engagement when ML & FL were together. I was relief with how his character was wrapped up.

Favourite scene
When ML beg FL to come back with him and she firmly said "No"

Read More

production failed it .

Why I Clicked on This Drama:
I had recently watched another drama featuring the male lead, and that's when I noticed him for the first time. I was genuinely impressed by his performance and screen presence in that show, which made me curious to explore more of his work including this one.

First Impression:
My initial impression was a bit off. It felt like the production had compromised on both quality and depth, and that was evident from the very beginning.

Summary:
This drama follows the typical "secretary plus lover" theme, which has been done many times before. As a result, the storyline feels quite predictable.

Acting & Performances :
I didn’t enjoy the performances of either of the main leads. I was genuinely shocked to see such a contrast in the male lead’s acting he had impressed me in another drama, but here, his performance completely failed to capture my attention. As for the female lead, she came across as dull and lacked the spark needed to bring her character to life.

Cinematography & Direction:
The direction was noticeably off most of the time. Even in basic two-person scenes, the framing felt wrong both characters should ideally be in the frame, but that wasn’t always the case. It felt like the shooting was rushed, with scenes lacking the necessary attention to detail. Filming even a one-minute scene usually requires multiple takes, proper framing, and shots from different angles. But here, it seemed like all of that was compromised, possibly due to production or time constraints. Either way, the lack of effort was quite evident.

Storyline & Writing:
The storyline was just okay nothing new or exciting. While it had the potential to be engaging, the execution and presentation fell flat.

Styling:
From the very first moment, I noticed the female lead had pinned her shirt, which immediately felt off to me. It’s surprising that the production couldn’t provide a proper, well-fitted outfit for the cast. As for the male lead he’s undoubtedly handsome, but the styling choices made him look older and unatractive . The wrong attire and hairstyle can completely change a person’s appearance, and unfortunately, that was the case here. The overall styling lacked thought and polish, which affected the visual appeal of the drama.

Why I Dropped It:
I eventually dropped the drama because it simply wasn’t appealing in any aspect. Visually and emotionally, it failed to hold my interest or offer anything worth continuing.

Read More