Minalapinou

What would I give for this exact drama with a better actress (and some budget). Yang Shu Yu is the epitome of the apathetic "Go girl, give us nothing" actress, a total woodblock, and poor Chen Si has to act around her and sell the romance alone while she just smiles awkwardly. She is pretty and has some "heroïne aura" but she's way too wooden, and isn't helped by frumpy clothes and messy hair. It's a real shame because this is one of the most interesting and thrilling take on the "Captive from the Mob Boss" plot I've seen. Chen Si's character just straight up force-buys the heroïne off the hostess bar she has fallen into (classic Cinderella who has to pay her mom's hospital bills scenario) and tries to make her his canary but his plan fails spectacularly. I love the writing, the drama is quite long but has no fillers, strong pacing, didn't slouch on its conflicts' climaxes and resolutions, and got rid of some tropes I can't stand (loved what they did with the aggravating last-minute separation to study abroad for example !). The twist is that our Cindy is caught in a Love to Kill-like plot where her ex's brother is trying to date and torture her to avenge him, so Chen Si feels like the better option, until another twist (I was not the biggest fan of the last reveal at the end but it did provide some closure). As I said, Chen Si is carrying the drama, with his usual mesmerizing looks and intensity, and he sells it so well his moody, obsessed ML becomes truly endearing. The scene where he's back is epic and on the level of the "Baby it's been 5 years, did you miss me ?" ZZD scene in Desires. I'm desperate for a version of this with an actress with bite like a Meng Na or a Zuo Yi...