This review may contain spoilers
Started, stayed and finished just for Zhao Lusi!
I enjoyed this drama, but I don't completely buy the male lead's redemption arc. I understand, for the purpose of the storyline and genre, that he needed to appear changed and that he realised the error of his ways. I felt the music/soundtrack played a huge part in portraying this and giving the audience clues about how we should feel. However, if you strip that all away, his 180 was too abrupt and not entirely earned. Perhaps it was because his portrayal of the domineering, manipulative CEO archetype was so good. He came across as so callous and cold in episode 14, and coupled with Xu Yan's subsequent heartbreak/ breakdown, it made his character unforgivable if I'm honest. It all seemed too 'real'. I think this is where Kdramas often have the edge - these scenarios are usually played out with a 'manhwa lens', so you know from the start that the ML is a red flag (think What's Wrong with Secretary Kim/ When the Phone Rings, etc.). In Love Ambition, Shen Haoming seems so genuine at first, but then his true persona rears its vicious, ugly head. And then we're just supposed to believe he changes again.Of course, Zhao Lusi has this magical quality of selling the trauma and betrayal, like she's truly lived it. Her crying scenes are always so raw and overflowing with emotion. In similar dramas, you don't usually portray scenes like this unless you really want the audience to hate the male character, whom usually then becomes the pathetic second lead whilst the ML swoops in and helps to heal the FL. Nevertheless, I do love how Xu Yan then became stronger, more confident and independent.
I agree that Xu Yan's lies about her background were bad and she essentially committed fraud. However, she didn't fabricate this lie until after they were already together (therefore, she did not lie to him from the start/to be with him). Yet he manipulated her from the very beginning - he wanted to see how far she would go and even took pleasure or amusement from it. Her emotions were genuine and sincere (which ultimately helped him to realise what he had lost). EVERYTHING she did was for him: whether to help him succeed or to enable her to be accepted by those around him. His lies were deceitful and only served to help him: to mask his true, calculating nature.
I think it could have worked IF they hadn't gone so far with the betrayal in episode 14 AND if the redemption arc had focused mostly on HIM doing everything to serve her, not for any gain, not for forgiveness, but simply because she deserved it. As it was, I actually hated the storyline where she had to help him (once again) with the business deal. It could have worked if that had come later, perhaps. Ultimately, I enjoyed the drama but only because I'm a huge fan of Zhao Lusi. It left a bitter taste, and it was one of the few times I would have been happy for a drama not to end with the quintessentially 'happy ending'. It would have worked just as well, if not better, as a story of self-realisation, overcoming trauma and betrayal, and achieving your own success with your strong, female-centric team.
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