Platinum Fox

Not sure where you are getting that I thought you hated Xu Yan. I don't believe that. I, too, enjoy complex characters.

I agree. The first couple of episodes are some what confusing. However, she married him because she really loved him and thought he loved her as well.

If you think she got bailed out because of him being worse, you would be mistaken. She also has her own redemptive arc. She tries to get another job in TV without his help, and the only job she is able to get is retail TV. That is the lowest form of entertainment on TV. After only receiving 1200 yen after earning 20,000 yen, she walks away to begin her own company. Her redemptive arc is the retail shows and building her own company without his help which wasn't easy. In order to get a million yen, she pimps herself out to be his "wife". So don't think she got off scott free.

Again, thank you for the discussion and happy drama watching.

When they first met, she was trying to get an interview with him for her show because of his agave store. Both of them had done research on each other before this interview. He knew about her grandmother and her wish to be the host of the TV show she created in the first place.

Remember he kept saying no he wouldn't be interviewed, so she went in under the guise of becoming his employee. He knew all about her before they even met for this interview, and I think then is when he decided to woo her for his own purposes. She didn't know a thing about him outside of his agave store until he asked to meet her at his office. He does some really nice things for her, and she fell in love before they get married. She fakes her mom and dad because of the mother's desire for her to be independent and not rely on his money. She marries him because she loves him.

Once she finds out the truth that the host job, own TV show, and anchor job were part of her rewards for "being a good wife", she couldn't look at herself in the mirror. There are several scenes of her trying to look at herself in the mirror, and the image just kept going and going. Meaning she couldn't stand the sight of herself in the mirror. She needed to change her image of herself. She tried to stay with him, but knowing that she hadn't earned anything on her own she left and even apologized to the Shen family for faking her own family.

Xu Yan didn't care that HM faked his family as she faked hers as well. She really and truly loved them all. Even mom realized that Xu Yan was sincere towards HM and HC. It was why she gave Xu Yan the responsibility of taking care of HC. Notice dad passed on the responsibility of caring for HC to HM. So in a sense even the mom knew that at some point they would become their own family, and they did until the blow up.

Xu Yan leaves for two reasons: one she faked her family and felt bad for lying to the family and didn't feel worthy of their love, and she wanted to make a name for herself using her own merits just like the girls the mother wanted him to marry.

This is why I get tired of viewers saying Xu Yan is gold digger. She isn't. If she was, she would have stayed even when she found out he already knew about her parents, and he didn't really love her. She tries to stay with him because she really loves him, but it became detrimental to her own well being.

Notice by the end of the drama, Hao Ming never goes back to agave store and Xu Yan never goes in front of a TV camera. Both understand how fake these things were in their lives.

Thank you for the discussion and happy drama watching.

I agree. Your analysis of the symbolism is wonderful. But you missed two very important ones which are the focus of this drama: the dog named Luke and the use of English and Chinese names.

Both the main characters have a transactional point of view. From the very beginning Luke feels he is above the company policy of no dating in the work place. He "falls in love" with this fresh out of college subordinate who wants to make a name for herself. Someone who needs to be taught the ways of business and life in Beijing. In their first sexual encounter, she consents to sex in hopes that this will solidify her promotions. It does for awhile until it gets to the biggest award or promotion in her career. During their six years together, she holds him at arms length, doesn't call him anything but Luke (his work name), and follows the plan of going to his place every Friday as they have arranged. She fulfills her obligations of their verbal agreement. Yet, when the final promotion comes through, he is unable to deliver because of their affair. This is poetic justice as both of them did something against company policy. In this relationship, he apparently wants a girlfriend who will put out, and she wants to solidify her promotions.

The fact that she names her dog Luke tells you that something is wrong with their relationship from the beginning. Luke, the boss, is a dog. He manipulates situations to get what he wants. Their first sexual encounter tells you that. Both using their work names throughout most of the drama lets you know that their relationship is strictly work related. Both do not use their Chinese names until after she has left the company, and they can truly focus on their personal relationship without any overarching barriers.

What most viewers disregard is the fact that what Luke and Flora are doing is against company policy. If Flora had consented to sex with Dony would that have been sexual harassment on his part? What Luke does is no different than Dony, Luke is just better at manipulating the situation and has plot armor a mile thick.

Happy drama watching.

In stories we suspend our disbelief all the time. I do it all the time as long as the suspension of disbelief doesn't go against the internal logic of the story. In The First Frost, (I only watched four episodes and don't plan to watch more), them cohabiting makes sense as she doesn't have any family to protect her from the creep who tried to rape her in the first episode. Yes, there are a million other solutions to the problem, but because he is someone she knows, it makes sense for him to live with her. Sang Yan and WFY's relationship doesn't need mile thick plot armor to keep it together for the sake of romance.

Let me ask you two questions. If Flora would have consented to sex with Dony in exchange for help with promotions would that have been sexual harassment or romance? Both Luke and Dony were her bosses and she was their subordinate. According to her break up statement, she only had sex with Luke because she wanted to get ahead. It was why she called it a filthy dirty relationship, and in the end it did not get her what she wanted. My second question, why did the writer make Luke her boss rather than just another co-worker? The main theme of the drama didn't require the two to be boss and subordinate.

From the beginning Luke and Flora do something against the internal logic of the story all for the sake of romance. For you and other viewers, your suspension of disbelief requires you to forget that they are doing something against company policy and their positions in the company all for the sake of romance. Their six year relationship required plot armor a mile thick, so the story could keep going. Even after they are found out, Luke has plot armor. He's not fired, docked pay, just gets a cushy job in the U.S. For me, any type of plot armor weakens a story.

I'm glad you enjoyed the drama. Some people actually like dissecting dramas as a mental exercise in critical thinking. Just because you don't, doesn't make these people clueless.

Happy drama watching.

I don't want to spoil anything for you, but there is a reason why the two don't talk or communicate well. And it's not because of ego or love.

Happy drama watching.

Just finished this a few days ago and finally have time to write about it. First, thanks to all the commenters who conversed with me about their perspectives. I learned a great deal from you. I write to learn, so here it goes.

If I look at this drama on the surface and through the lens of the main theme about worthiness of love and flaws, nothing screams that Luke and Flora are unworthy of love. Even if they didn't love each other, both of them had numerous people who loved them despite all their flaws. So for me, that weakened the message of the drama, especially about the two main characters. They were both loved by people other than their parents. Also with this theme, there is no need to make them boss and subordinate. They could have just been two employees at the same company.

So why did the writer (a woman) make him the boss and her the subordinate with a no company dating policy? Flora is a fresh out of college graduate and naive about the ways of business and life in Beijing. She is eager to learn from Luke as he is considered the top in the field. She is a child needing to be taught, and he becomes her teacher. However, he is also a fox, a predator, and she is the perfect prey as she is just beginning her career and wants to make a name for herself. She's willing to work hard, but she wants to make sure she gets what she wants by sleeping with the boss. The first time they sleep together, I have to ask the question, why is he the one taking care of her after this party? Where is Lu Mi her mentor? Where is Tracy? There is really no need for him to take care of her, but he does. Why? We are not shown where Lu Mi or Tracy have been asked to look after her, and they are busy. For me, it is to distinguish the difference between what Dony does and Luke. Dony and Luke are both her bosses. Dony openly and clearly tries to have sex with her against her wishes with the promise of a promotion. Dony does this with multiple girls making it clearly sexual harassment. Luke, however, has so much plot armor that it is hard to see that what he does to her is just the same. He has just learned how to manipulate people better than Dony. In the end, Dony gets even with both of them, but with plot armor, Luke gets promoted to president of the company in the United States whereas Flora must, out of shame, leave the company. For me, because of the main characters' mile deep plot armor, the story becomes very weak.

Two things interested me. First, the use of English names at work and in their private life their Chinese names. The fact that both Flora and Luke never use each other's Chinese names until much later in the drama shows that the relationship isn't love or even friendship. It is just purely work related. The second is her calling the dog Luke. When he asks why, she doesn't really give a good reason. The fact that the boss Luke is a dog is what makes it so funny.

Happy drama watching!

For me, it deserves a 10, and the writer deserves an award. This is a wonderful social commentary on traditional and modern Korean beliefs and values about love, marriage, death, and ghosts. Viewers only look at the surface of the drama, but the writer repeatedly says, "Look beneath the surface." Underneath the surface is a whole other drama.

This drama is based on a 2011 movie called Spellbound, and the writer expertly fleshes out the characters while still maintaining the plotline, themes, spirit, and essence of the movie. I encourage you to watch the movie. Then come back and watch the drama.

Happy drama watching.

I think I will watch something older as the last two new dramas I have watched have left me exhausted: one in a good way and one not.

Happy drama watching and thank you for the friend request.

I finished the drama. For me, nothing in the drama screams that Luke or Flora are unworthy of love. Yes, both are scheming, manipulative, and controlling, but they do it to each other. In the end, neither one really get what they deserve, especially him. This drama is packed with so much plot armor that it weakens the story.

The only thing that bothers me is that it sets women's lib back about 150 years and cheapens the hard work and messages put into Love's Ambition and Hidden Love as this drama blatantly follows the format and concepts of those two dramas. To me, it almost seems like the writer (a woman) was mocking those two dramas.

Thanks again for all of the discussions and info. What are you watching now? Happy drama watching.

I have now finished the drama, and now I understand where you are coming from with Alex and agree with you. She would have been better off with Alex, but the pull of Luke's notoriety vs. Alex's in the industry got the better of her.

The fact that neither of them are fired for their transgression shows you that the policy is extremely weak. But It also shows that the story is full of plot armor for our main characters which for me weakens the story.

Thanks for the discussion. Happy drama watching.

Don't get me wrong, the HR person suspected that they were having an affair, but she didn't think Luke would go that far or that Flora would disobey the rules. It was after the pictures were sent that she followed up with the cameras. Dony was smart in his timing with the pictures, he took out both of them at the same time with the biggest award. The higher you are the farther you fall.

But you are right, Lu Mi and the HR person don't say anything until there is proof. For me, the main characters have so much plot armor, it weakened the story.

What are you watching next?

I agree. I feel like I watched something from the 1950s.

You seem to be forgetting the HR person confronted Luke about his affair after the interviews. She says to him, "You know we can't give the award to Flora, right?" He tries to excuse it away with that it must be the Dony plant. She then says something like, "It's because you intervened with Dony that I suspected you and Flora were having an affair. I even checked the cameras and every Friday you would leave first and she would follow soon after. I didn't think you would go that far or that Flora would disobey the rules." For me, this means that HR couldn't trust his evaluation of Flora for the interview which he gave her a high score. Presumably to give her an edge over the other candidate.

He understands that what he did to Flora was worse than what Dony did to her. Because of their affair for six years, none of her evaluations could be taken seriously until he left the company. It's why he chooses to go the U.S. , but only under the condition that Flora could remain at Lime. By this time, she's smartened up and realizes that the only way she will prove to herself that she is good enough is to get away from Lime and Luke. So the break up is not impulsive. It is the smartest move she could make given the circumstances.

Happy drama watching and thank you for the discussion.

I disagree. Luke played a huge role in her not getting the promotion. Because the two of them were having an illicit affair against company policy, his judgment about her could never be trusted. If he gave her a bad rating people would say that he was just trying not to be biased. If he gave her a really high score, then people would say that he was favoring her. No matter what Luke did, because he was having a personal relationship with his subordinate, it would be questioned as biased. Her work in the northeastern region may have been spectacular, but quite frankly her answers to the promotion questions were terrible. She relied on Luke to get her that award. In drama land, Flora not getting the award is poetic justice as she went about it the wrong way. If Luke had wanted to make sure she got that promotion, he would not have started dating her to begin with. Then, his evaluations of her work would have been free of suspicion. So both main characters shoot themselves in the foot when they proceed to have a relationship. There must be consequences for their actions.

For me, the drama lost its charm when the main characters' storyline had to be held together with plot armor a mile thick. Why have a policy if is not going to be enforced?

I'm not filling in blanks. I am thinking like an HR person of China. Luke and Flora flaunted the rules and carried on a six year relationship against company policy. He is her boss, and she is his subordinate. There is no way that no matter how honest his evaluations are of her will they be believable. At the end of the six years when she is finally ready to receive her just rewards after working so hard to get there and putting up with Luke's constant insults, she loses it to someone who brought in more money through nepotism. She is angry that Luke didn't make sure she would get the award. In fact, she counted on him to get it for her. Her interview answers were terrible. Well, in drama world it is called poetic justice. Because she went about it the wrong way, she got what she deserved. Also, his previous behavior comes back to bite him as well. He may get his just rewards as well.

I haven't finished the drama. I just know that from an HR stand point, both of them should be fired. Can sexual harassment be brought against Luke or against her? As viewers keep saying, both consented. In my country both would be fired and criminal charges brought. This is not the same in China.

As always thank you for the discussions.

Yes, a famous Chinese writer Yu Hua has written a book about how China is a nation of copycats. This drama seems to want to capitalize on the success of Love's Ambition by doing something similar. Even the plants have meaning in this drama just like the agave plant did in Love's Ambition.

Actually, the drama does establish his controlling and manipulative behavior throughout the entire drama, especially at the very beginning.

Take a look at their first sexual encounter. It was after she had been drunk to the point of blacking out. Why is he taking her home? Where is Lu Mi? Where is the HR woman? They are in her apartment building on the sixth floor. As the boss, he has access to her personal records and could have looked up her address. He could have called the HR woman to come and get her or even have her look up her address. Her friends were calling her cell phone, and he chose to ignore it. He could have let her sleep it off in his car, and while she was asleep gone and gotten some coffee for when she woke up. He could have called Lu Mi to come and get her. He could have taken her to a hotel and let her sleep it off. Instead, he picks her up "romantically" and takes her to his home, a very intimate but intimidating space. Just before all of this he has repeatedly reminded her that she is not fit for the job, but she is eager to learn from him.

When she woke up, he should have taken her home immediately. Being her boss, who knows the company rules and flaunts them, he has set the stage for emotional sexual harassment which includes consent. He doesn't have to force her to have sex (remember women throw themselves at him). To her, he can give her what she wants, and he can get what he wants which appears to be a girlfriend. Because of the laws in China sexual harassment in this case would be hard to prove as she is of marriageable age and has given consent. This is why the company has a no dating policy which the drama has dropped completely.

And, yes, he does control her friends. How many friends does she actually have that are not related to the company or supports the relationship between them? None, as they were all guys and he's watched her from afar with them. Seeing her happy with them. Something he never sees. Throughout this entire drama, I have never seen her truly happy when she is with him.

Also, screenwriters don't necessarily have to take all the material from the novel. They are free to write whatever they want into the script. The Double did this as a way to enhance the meaning of the title. Remember this is copying Love's Ambition. In Love's Ambition Shen Hao Ming gets rid of the two men who were causing Xu Yan trouble.

You don't have to agree with me. We did watch the same drama, we are just looking at it from different perspectives. Happy drama watching.

Yes, and another commenter explained to me what the actual laws of sexual harassment are in China. This is what makes Luke's actions so horrible in the beginning as he gets her consent and then uses that against her.

We all have insecurities before we start anything. They are a part of life. Her insecurities come out in full swing after she meets Luke as Luke has made it perfectly clear that he feels she is unsuitable for the position. If someone hears something enough, they begin to believe it.

Also, why does he need to go down to the rental agency. The police were handling the situation. At that time, he finds out that she lives with two men. Next thing we know, the landlord found money to buy the house and doesn't have to be there anymore. In another episode, you see Luke sitting in his car watching Sun Yuan and Flora walking Luke. She is laughing and having a good time. Next thing you know Sun Yuan has a job in the far northeast. When she goes out there for 14 months, they break up and he finds an excuse to go out there. And almost immediately they are back in their old ways. And by the way that kidney stone was fake.

You do realize this drama is copying Zhao Lu Si's and William Chan's Love's Ambition right?