BanxiTheCommentaryGrrl

Normally, I wouldn’t be into something like this. It’s a heavy romance, and they lay it on thick. But several nuances made it work for me. This isn’t meant to represent real-life love or realistic scenery—it’s a storybook version of romance, told through fictional characters who feel stilted because they’re written in that way on purpose. And by following a scripted novel that we see the lead getting pulled into preserves that “author” vibe. It makes it clear that the cheesy delivery is intentional, not because the directors thought that’s what viewers wanted (at least, that was my interpretation—and why the romance felt digestible to me). And whenever the romantic script became a bit too much, it would balance itself out with comedy or a lingering sense of sadness.

I do have a few disclaimers, though. I skipped through the second lead’s arc because it felt a bit sleepy to me, even though I know what happens with them. I also really like Wang Yuwen, so I’m more inclined to give her performances a chance. Overall, though, this was a great watch for me. I connected with most of the characters, loved the soundtrack (even if there were only a few songs on repeat), and I really enjoyed the narrative. It had nice angles and a few compelling twists that gave the story depth. The color palette was beautiful, and I loved being transported back to the ’90s. Now I want to watch more circa-1995 dramas!