This review may contain spoilers
Infuriating watch
What If is a drama that, unfortunately, managed to frustrate me with both its main leads. While the concept of a parallel timeline where Xia Guo navigates two different lives—one in Leshan with her boyfriend and the other in Shanghai to advance her career—was intriguing, the execution left much to be desired.
The Leshan timeline, in particular, was a major letdown. It felt like Xia Guo didn’t experience any meaningful growth. At the start, she’s passive and constantly at the mercy of the male lead’s indecision, and by the end, she’s still the same—nothing changes. Speaking of the male lead, his character was even worse. The show does a lot off-screen to "help" him (like how he prepared the surprise in the final episode), but his on-screen presence is just a string of wishy-washy decisions. One moment, he’s fully on board with something, and the next, he’s questioning it again. This back-and-forth gets tiring quickly, especially when his character lacks depth or development.
In contrast, the Shanghai timeline was much more interesting. Xia Guo starts off as a small-town girl trying to make her way in a big city, unburdened by societal norms and office politics. As she grows and matures, she becomes more independent, and her development felt more genuine. Her relationship with the second male lead, her boss's rival, was also much more compelling. While he wasn’t perfect, he at least seemed more mature and self-aware compared to the first male lead, which made their dynamic more enjoyable to watch.
What bothered me the most, though, was the mismatch between Xia Guo and the first male lead. They are supposed to be in their early twenties, yet the male lead's behavior felt more like that of a high schooler—constantly wavering and making dumb decisions. It made the whole thing feel more like a frustrating teenage drama than a story about adults figuring out their lives. By the time I finished all 20 episodes, it felt more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.
Now, a lot of people might say this show is "realistic," but honestly, that’s not what I watch dramas for. There's already enough "realism" in my own life, and TV shows are, for me, an escape. I want stories that give me a sense of something bigger, something to look forward to. But What If didn’t deliver that. The show gives us a "realistic" ending, but it doesn’t offer any kind of real substance. The final happy ending feels hollow, like it doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things. I would have much preferred a true "cold truth" ending—something more raw and real, or at least a conclusion that doesn’t feel forced or empty.
And then there’s the ending of the Leshan timeline. It’s meant to be this big, fulfilling moment where Xia Guo finally gets the wedding she’s always dreamed of—something she never had with the first male lead when they initially married. But here’s the kicker: the wedding is kept a secret for months, and when Xia Guo is about to call him out for cheating, it suddenly happens. It feels forced, like a desperate attempt to make up for all the past disappointments. And then, to top it off, the "lover" (who’s been pining for the first male lead the whole time) ends up with his friend. We never see them together, and it’s just this weird, unresolved subplot. Did the first male lead really change, or was this just another of his “one-moment” gestures to make Xia Guo happy, only to disappoint her later? I honestly can’t tell, but it certainly doesn’t feel earned.
The acting was decent, nothing outstanding but above average. The OST didn’t leave much of an impression either—few tracks and none of them stood out.
Overall, What If was a missed opportunity. The premise had potential, but the lack of character growth, coupled with the frustrating dynamics between the leads, made it hard to fully enjoy. It’s a drama that tries to be “realistic” but forgets that entertainment doesn’t always need to mirror reality. Definitely won’t be rewatching this one.
The Leshan timeline, in particular, was a major letdown. It felt like Xia Guo didn’t experience any meaningful growth. At the start, she’s passive and constantly at the mercy of the male lead’s indecision, and by the end, she’s still the same—nothing changes. Speaking of the male lead, his character was even worse. The show does a lot off-screen to "help" him (like how he prepared the surprise in the final episode), but his on-screen presence is just a string of wishy-washy decisions. One moment, he’s fully on board with something, and the next, he’s questioning it again. This back-and-forth gets tiring quickly, especially when his character lacks depth or development.
In contrast, the Shanghai timeline was much more interesting. Xia Guo starts off as a small-town girl trying to make her way in a big city, unburdened by societal norms and office politics. As she grows and matures, she becomes more independent, and her development felt more genuine. Her relationship with the second male lead, her boss's rival, was also much more compelling. While he wasn’t perfect, he at least seemed more mature and self-aware compared to the first male lead, which made their dynamic more enjoyable to watch.
What bothered me the most, though, was the mismatch between Xia Guo and the first male lead. They are supposed to be in their early twenties, yet the male lead's behavior felt more like that of a high schooler—constantly wavering and making dumb decisions. It made the whole thing feel more like a frustrating teenage drama than a story about adults figuring out their lives. By the time I finished all 20 episodes, it felt more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.
Now, a lot of people might say this show is "realistic," but honestly, that’s not what I watch dramas for. There's already enough "realism" in my own life, and TV shows are, for me, an escape. I want stories that give me a sense of something bigger, something to look forward to. But What If didn’t deliver that. The show gives us a "realistic" ending, but it doesn’t offer any kind of real substance. The final happy ending feels hollow, like it doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things. I would have much preferred a true "cold truth" ending—something more raw and real, or at least a conclusion that doesn’t feel forced or empty.
And then there’s the ending of the Leshan timeline. It’s meant to be this big, fulfilling moment where Xia Guo finally gets the wedding she’s always dreamed of—something she never had with the first male lead when they initially married. But here’s the kicker: the wedding is kept a secret for months, and when Xia Guo is about to call him out for cheating, it suddenly happens. It feels forced, like a desperate attempt to make up for all the past disappointments. And then, to top it off, the "lover" (who’s been pining for the first male lead the whole time) ends up with his friend. We never see them together, and it’s just this weird, unresolved subplot. Did the first male lead really change, or was this just another of his “one-moment” gestures to make Xia Guo happy, only to disappoint her later? I honestly can’t tell, but it certainly doesn’t feel earned.
The acting was decent, nothing outstanding but above average. The OST didn’t leave much of an impression either—few tracks and none of them stood out.
Overall, What If was a missed opportunity. The premise had potential, but the lack of character growth, coupled with the frustrating dynamics between the leads, made it hard to fully enjoy. It’s a drama that tries to be “realistic” but forgets that entertainment doesn’t always need to mirror reality. Definitely won’t be rewatching this one.
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