This review may contain spoilers
Another 10 for Bai Lu - Second review after watching only the main couple parts
I wrote a first review after watching the series for the first time and I never thought I would go back and change my review, but here we are. My rating went from 9.5 to 8.0 after watching again all the episodes focused only on the leads. I did that in parallel for Love is Sweet and Only for Love and the comparison was detrimental to Only for Love. I wasn't expecting my rating to fall so much. If you are interested in what changed, read the new review as well as the amendments I added for some of the things I listed in my first review.
Things I adored - Second review
1 The actress who played the niece. She was the best actress, she embodied her role and she was the only one to act as a mature person although she was the youngest.
2 Daniel Zhou. he gave once again a great performance and he was much better written than the ML. It's funny to me that the two youngest roles were the better written.
Things I loved - Second review
1 The relationship of the ML and his niece. This felt much more natural and I was looking forward to their scenes together. This tells me that the actor can act, but for some reason he didn't find a way to bring his character as a romantic lead to life.
2 The ML's family. I loved his sister and his father and his uncle. I enjoyed the scenes they were together.
3 The friend and colleague of the FL who got together with the ML assistant. She was a good person and good friend.
4 Some of the kisses in the last episodes. They were passionate enough to make he romance believable because otherwise it was hard to believe they were in love.
Things I disliked - Second review
1 The lack of chemistry. After watching the series for the second time I realized what was missing. Apart from the script that didn't do any favors to the main leads, I didn't find there was any chemistry between them. Sure it didn't help that their lines were cringe or nonsensical, I want to blame some of them to the translation, but I get what some reviewers said when they talked about him looking younger and their relationship like one of a older sister younger brother.
At first I was looking forward to their scenes together because I was hoping for some banter or electric chemistry like in Love is Sweet, but it was every time lackluster so after a while I didn't care anymore about their scenes together. Such a shame.
I hated that he called her by her full name because after a while it lose its cuteness. I hated that every time she said something stupid or not he answered with "Hm". There was no chemistry regarding the kisses etch but it was worse actually when they tried to communicate. I'm surprised how much these things stood up with this second viewing. I think the first time I was more lenient because other parts interfered and it wasn't so painful to watch their interactions. It was also probably the anticipation that it gets better, that they kiss, that they exchange more than two words.
It wasn't only the lack of chemistry the problem, but an overall feeling that there was no romance, no real feelings. As I said I was watching one episode of Love is Sweet and one episode of Only for Love and the contrast was startling, i was looking forward for the main couple to be alone from Love is Sweet because the romance was everywhere. from hey way they looked at each other to the smallest gesture. It was electric and believable. Not the same feeling while watching only for Love. It was weird and sometimes frustrating as hell.
2 The outfits. The ML had it worse since most of his suits were bad. They didn't fit him at all. Not to mention that the glasses they chose, and I love guys with glasses, weren't at all complementary to his looks. When he didn't wear them he was much more handsome.
The FL wasn't better, some of the outfits were hideous and most were for an older woman. The other two FL had better taste in clothes. Again, a shame they didn't manage to do well in that department.
3 I didn't like at all how petty both the leads could be like when Daniel Zhou's character called while they were in bed and the ML made it clear that they were together. Not cute for me, plain stupid. There were many other instances I felt both characters were far from endearing and when I watch a rom com I want my leads to be exemplary.
Things I adored
1 Bai Lu. She's my favorite romantic comedy actress and I'm a romantic comedy expert since I've seen hundreds over the years. Not a single actress comes close to her except maybe Sandra Bullock and Meg Ryan. She's great as per usual and this time she works with a character that isn't as adorable as the one in Lucky's Love or Love is Sweet. But she pulled it off, so kudos to her.
Amendment: She didn't really pull it off. I was wearing pink glasses the first time after watching her in Love is Sweet. She tried too hard to be cutesy and the writing didn't do her any favors. Also some lines she said or some thoughts she had didn't make any sense. Maybe it was the translation, but I'm sure it was also that the screenwriters tried to make it more intellectual than they should. She irritated me a lot and I think there were two reasons to that.
She wasn't a good person, which I noticed the first time as well, but what bothered me the second time it's the inconsistency she behaved. I was irritated by her coldness toward some of her colleagues, but also her constant cute remarks about her beauty. I could find that cute and funny if it weren't used too many times.
The second reason she irritated me were some thoughts about their relationship. She thought that kissing in public would be bad for children. Ridiculous thought from a smart modern woman. She was at the end of the day a very poorly written character and although I know Bai Lu is a fine actress and gorgeous, she wasn't the best here.
2 The SFL. The niece character was a rare case of loving so much a second character for me. It happened before once or twice, but this time I truly loved the actress and her character. So cute and charming and not annoying at all. Comparing her with the SFL of the Love is Sweet who got on my nerve more than once and ruined the series for me, I have to say that here the actress did a fabulous job to make her character adorable instead of annoying.
Things I loved:
1 The ML. I've seen better actors, I found him wooden sometimes, but all in all he did a good job and I was drawn into his character. I don't find him as handsome as some other reviewers seem to find him, but maybe that's because of his character. If he played a more emotionally available character maybe it'd work for me. I can't help but compare him to the ML of Love is Sweet who also isn't handsome for me, yet he embodied his character so well, I fell in love with him and now I find him handsome.
Amendment: I think he was the weak link of that series. Bai Lu's character was poorly written but she still salvage it somehow. His was poorly written and he made it worse with his acting. What is funny is that this time I got the handsome thing, but there were some many more things I didn't like. He also tried too hard to play the aloof CEO and he didn't do it well. The bigger issue wasn't even the wooden acting, it was that his lines were awful. Most of the times he stayed silent and it wasn't endearing. It was frustrating as hell. The kiss scenes weren't good either. There was even one scene that made me cringe bad when he entered the apartment and kissed the FL to show he was jealous her ex appeared at her doorstep. It felt more like a performance than a true passionate act.
2 The premise. I thought it was a great premise for a romantic comedy. Maybe it could be a little better executed but it didn't take out of my enjoyment.
3 The superior of the FL. Great actress and I loved her character as well. She's also such a beautiful woman, and her smile and voice fit with the characters I've seen her playing. Charming and heartwarming.
4 The ML uncle. I loved his character and the relationship he had with the superior of the FL. Realistic and sweet.
5 I loved the friendship between the three male characters.
6 I loved the friendship between the three female characters.
7 I loved the humor the SFL (the niece) brought in the mix. Her character allowed for many comedic scenes.
Things I liked:
1 I liked the relationship of the niece and the professor.
2 I liked the SML both of them. They had a good and interesting story both. They were also good people and none annoyed me at any time. I think it's the only series where none of the secondary characters annoyed me.
3 The antagonist of the FL at work. I didn't like her as character, that's clear. But I liked the dynamic her character brought and also that her rivalry seemed real and not like something pushed to create drama. I think the actress conveyed the character well.
Things I adored - Second review
1 The actress who played the niece. She was the best actress, she embodied her role and she was the only one to act as a mature person although she was the youngest.
2 Daniel Zhou. he gave once again a great performance and he was much better written than the ML. It's funny to me that the two youngest roles were the better written.
Things I loved - Second review
1 The relationship of the ML and his niece. This felt much more natural and I was looking forward to their scenes together. This tells me that the actor can act, but for some reason he didn't find a way to bring his character as a romantic lead to life.
2 The ML's family. I loved his sister and his father and his uncle. I enjoyed the scenes they were together.
3 The friend and colleague of the FL who got together with the ML assistant. She was a good person and good friend.
4 Some of the kisses in the last episodes. They were passionate enough to make he romance believable because otherwise it was hard to believe they were in love.
Things I disliked - Second review
1 The lack of chemistry. After watching the series for the second time I realized what was missing. Apart from the script that didn't do any favors to the main leads, I didn't find there was any chemistry between them. Sure it didn't help that their lines were cringe or nonsensical, I want to blame some of them to the translation, but I get what some reviewers said when they talked about him looking younger and their relationship like one of a older sister younger brother.
At first I was looking forward to their scenes together because I was hoping for some banter or electric chemistry like in Love is Sweet, but it was every time lackluster so after a while I didn't care anymore about their scenes together. Such a shame.
I hated that he called her by her full name because after a while it lose its cuteness. I hated that every time she said something stupid or not he answered with "Hm". There was no chemistry regarding the kisses etch but it was worse actually when they tried to communicate. I'm surprised how much these things stood up with this second viewing. I think the first time I was more lenient because other parts interfered and it wasn't so painful to watch their interactions. It was also probably the anticipation that it gets better, that they kiss, that they exchange more than two words.
It wasn't only the lack of chemistry the problem, but an overall feeling that there was no romance, no real feelings. As I said I was watching one episode of Love is Sweet and one episode of Only for Love and the contrast was startling, i was looking forward for the main couple to be alone from Love is Sweet because the romance was everywhere. from hey way they looked at each other to the smallest gesture. It was electric and believable. Not the same feeling while watching only for Love. It was weird and sometimes frustrating as hell.
2 The outfits. The ML had it worse since most of his suits were bad. They didn't fit him at all. Not to mention that the glasses they chose, and I love guys with glasses, weren't at all complementary to his looks. When he didn't wear them he was much more handsome.
The FL wasn't better, some of the outfits were hideous and most were for an older woman. The other two FL had better taste in clothes. Again, a shame they didn't manage to do well in that department.
3 I didn't like at all how petty both the leads could be like when Daniel Zhou's character called while they were in bed and the ML made it clear that they were together. Not cute for me, plain stupid. There were many other instances I felt both characters were far from endearing and when I watch a rom com I want my leads to be exemplary.
Things I adored
1 Bai Lu. She's my favorite romantic comedy actress and I'm a romantic comedy expert since I've seen hundreds over the years. Not a single actress comes close to her except maybe Sandra Bullock and Meg Ryan. She's great as per usual and this time she works with a character that isn't as adorable as the one in Lucky's Love or Love is Sweet. But she pulled it off, so kudos to her.
Amendment: She didn't really pull it off. I was wearing pink glasses the first time after watching her in Love is Sweet. She tried too hard to be cutesy and the writing didn't do her any favors. Also some lines she said or some thoughts she had didn't make any sense. Maybe it was the translation, but I'm sure it was also that the screenwriters tried to make it more intellectual than they should. She irritated me a lot and I think there were two reasons to that.
She wasn't a good person, which I noticed the first time as well, but what bothered me the second time it's the inconsistency she behaved. I was irritated by her coldness toward some of her colleagues, but also her constant cute remarks about her beauty. I could find that cute and funny if it weren't used too many times.
The second reason she irritated me were some thoughts about their relationship. She thought that kissing in public would be bad for children. Ridiculous thought from a smart modern woman. She was at the end of the day a very poorly written character and although I know Bai Lu is a fine actress and gorgeous, she wasn't the best here.
2 The SFL. The niece character was a rare case of loving so much a second character for me. It happened before once or twice, but this time I truly loved the actress and her character. So cute and charming and not annoying at all. Comparing her with the SFL of the Love is Sweet who got on my nerve more than once and ruined the series for me, I have to say that here the actress did a fabulous job to make her character adorable instead of annoying.
Things I loved:
1 The ML. I've seen better actors, I found him wooden sometimes, but all in all he did a good job and I was drawn into his character. I don't find him as handsome as some other reviewers seem to find him, but maybe that's because of his character. If he played a more emotionally available character maybe it'd work for me. I can't help but compare him to the ML of Love is Sweet who also isn't handsome for me, yet he embodied his character so well, I fell in love with him and now I find him handsome.
Amendment: I think he was the weak link of that series. Bai Lu's character was poorly written but she still salvage it somehow. His was poorly written and he made it worse with his acting. What is funny is that this time I got the handsome thing, but there were some many more things I didn't like. He also tried too hard to play the aloof CEO and he didn't do it well. The bigger issue wasn't even the wooden acting, it was that his lines were awful. Most of the times he stayed silent and it wasn't endearing. It was frustrating as hell. The kiss scenes weren't good either. There was even one scene that made me cringe bad when he entered the apartment and kissed the FL to show he was jealous her ex appeared at her doorstep. It felt more like a performance than a true passionate act.
2 The premise. I thought it was a great premise for a romantic comedy. Maybe it could be a little better executed but it didn't take out of my enjoyment.
3 The superior of the FL. Great actress and I loved her character as well. She's also such a beautiful woman, and her smile and voice fit with the characters I've seen her playing. Charming and heartwarming.
4 The ML uncle. I loved his character and the relationship he had with the superior of the FL. Realistic and sweet.
5 I loved the friendship between the three male characters.
6 I loved the friendship between the three female characters.
7 I loved the humor the SFL (the niece) brought in the mix. Her character allowed for many comedic scenes.
Things I liked:
1 I liked the relationship of the niece and the professor.
2 I liked the SML both of them. They had a good and interesting story both. They were also good people and none annoyed me at any time. I think it's the only series where none of the secondary characters annoyed me.
3 The antagonist of the FL at work. I didn't like her as character, that's clear. But I liked the dynamic her character brought and also that her rivalry seemed real and not like something pushed to create drama. I think the actress conveyed the character well.
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