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Did anyone noticed that TQ uses his middle finger as the print for his door code. 😭😭😭 When SCC was trying out all his fingers to get in and it was his middle finger. This drama just has so many hilarious mini moments too.

This drama honestly has a lot of great cultural jokes/puns. I didn't catch them all either until I was reading analyze posts on Xiao Hong Shu and you got people going through every line to figure out the puns. 😂

Like even in the afterwork drinking scene when SCC told the BBQ boss that she isn't close like that with TQ. The boss said in reply that "And I am not close with him at all" (which then implies SCC is still at least closer to TQ than a straight up stranger). Those kind of throwaway lines are hilarious. 😂

TQ was lowkey attracted to that Tong Ren statue. 😭

Some more fun titbit to explain some of the jokes:

So the bronze statue in episode 6 is called Tong Ren (铜人) and it is associated with acupuncture and the practice of medicine in China. The painting of that baby is Nian Hua (年画) aka pictures used to celebrate Chinese New Years. People are speculating that Tong (Ren) + (Nian) Hua = Tong Hua so those are meant to reference Tong Hua, the scriptwriter of this drama. 😂

I think that is the beauty of this drama. The audience got filters on too when watching this drama and we as an audience must also realize the way this drama is set up + POVs we are seeing might lead us to feel strongly about something one way but it is also the drama /leading/ us to feel that way. It is honestly really fun LOL.

I have a theory on how TQ ended up falling in love with the alpaca but I am so curious about him falling for Fang Jin and why that persona popped up for SCC.

SM was more of an accident and when SCC was struggling with people's expectations of beauty for her. The alpaca... I have an idea on why she used that persona.

But Fang Jin? 🤔 She is meant to be the professor aka the intelligent one so I wondered if that persona was required for something going on with SCC's sister (since her sister is a divorce lawyer).

Then we have the man, Quan Sheng Tang, who TQ hates and I too have a theory on that.

Li Landi actually said in an interview she did on the 24th that SCC came to love TQ eventually because she realized that TQ was different than what she thought of him (that he isn't some scum who only cared about looks) and that TQ respects women a lot.

I don't even think we can label TQ as green flag/red flag because he is just a regular man who is extra nice to the person he likes.

He doesn't like SCC as he had prior negative (false) impressions of her (his bully) so he isn't going to go out of his way to be nice to her. He isn't making her miserable on purpose either, if anything, he tries not to interact with her.

I actually think in terms of C-drama land, TQ is one of the most normal MLs, I think people just think he is "red flag" or terrible because they are looking at him from SCC's POV aka with filters on. But if you are looking at him from an audience's POV (aka no filters on), he is just some guy who doesn't have the highest EQ and doesn't care for this woman who he thought used to bully him.

If this drama was from TQ's POV and we knew nothing of SCC's POV, we might even dislike SCC a lot for being a bully and seemingly interfering with TQ's interactions with his crush. We might have even cheered on TQ for saying those harsh words to SCC because he got back against his school bully.

Our FL (SCC as SM) actually later schooled some of the men on why they think just a make-up eyeshadow is enough to define beauty or just that would give women confidence when beauty comes in different forms. People/women can be beautiful for their courage, for their kindness, etc.

SCC also reflected with her bestie that being SM (a beautiful woman) is not that great as there will always be the thought that others only like her for her appearance/not actually her. And she also commented on understanding now why some people get addicted to plastic surgery as they don't want to lose the positive things they had gained due changes in apperances. There is also a convo with her bestie about how the face is not needed for survival, etc.

Beauty standard is kind of the central theme of the drama and it is definitely explored and reflected on as our characters encounter different things. Some spoilers below:

The 2D monkey king got me rolling lmaooooooo.

Freaking hilarious that with the bracelet being updated, SCC can now transform into objects and some of the objects (even 2D versions??) she transformed already have been so out of pocket. 😂😂😂

Yup, it is such a delicate relationship because if you upset the platform too much, they can easily bury your fav's upcoming dramas/not air them and there is nothing you can do about it then.

Yup! You can definitely tell the directing/writing put heart into this drama with them even making sure to highlight this detailed difference.

Yay! There is a Bilibili reviewer who just posted about Filter positively! https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1k8PhetEcr/?spm_id_from=333.337.search-card.all.click

I saw a post on XHS that mentioned something interesting about their school memories.

In SCC's flashbacks, she clearly remembers herself as having quite a bit of pimples (we tend to be critical of ourselves and remember our "flaws" more). But in TQ's flashbacks, the SCC in his memories didn't really have pimples (in others' eyes, they don't really see/remember our perceived "flaws" as much). It also aligns with how children/teenagers tend to be more concerned with their own selves and their own struggles, so they aren't really that focus on other people's "flaws" as much. I thought that was a neat little detail. 🤩

Yes, her sister is essentially trying to encourage her via tough love, but SCC didn't see it that way since at that moment in time, she was struggling with people talking about appearances. Her older sister loves her a lot for sure though.

SCC also technically got the job via her sister (aka connection), so she already rubbed people the wrong way just from that. You can't expect co-workers to be friendly right away when those co-workers need to pass interviews to work there while your sister called around and managed to get you an intern position with her connection. Then their impression was strengthened with her disappearing and seemingly slacking off, so it didn't help her case. Then getting hired full-time when they didn't think she did any work. There will be some other drama with a co-worker later, but SCC knows when to fight back and when to back down.

Yeah, I did hear they did UTS2 dirty too. And for sure, these platforms have certain people they want to do /really/ well since they invested directly in the person while for some other projects, they are more concerned with sucking money from because they can. It is what it is since this is the current C-industry. But like you said, I do think Filter is a gem.

Yes, and everyone else there straight up thought TQ called SCC ugly too. But TQ lacks awareness in those type of situations so he probably didn't even realize people thought he meant it that way until later on (and he probably didn't care to explain even when he realized later on because he saw SCC as his bully and why would you care about hurting your bully's feelings). SCC got her revenge though hah.

TQ was later shown in that scene with his co-worker about looking into athletic women/women who uses the gym and how water/sweat would affect make-up. He also had his co-worker double-check on their own brand to make sure that won't happen. His main concern in that moment was about the make-up because he is passionate about his job, so it didn't even cross his mind that his words during the reunion would be taken the wrong way.

Yup, it has been a while too since a drama is good from episode 1. There have been too many dramas where fans have to say, "After episode X, it gets better!"