Zogitt

Interesting but meandering love story that could be a lot tighter

I really enjoyed this series. The acting was good, there was nice growth in the characters, the music played a key role and the story line fresh. However, I did get annoyed with the show towards the end. It is not like they killed one of the main characters or forced the OTP to breakup but it was how they dragged on and muffed up the OTP romance line that had me baffled and annoyed.
Let's face it, the bulk of the plot is the romance of the OTP. They are cute together and their dynamics are great. BUT that went on and on for 40 episodes and they don't even hold hands! Even though both are totally into each other and there is constant flirting and teasing (and no small amount of prompting by the ML). When you considered that each of them have separately told everyone who would listen that the other half of the OTP is their one and only. They even told the rival love interests so that there is absolutely no chance of a love triangle. Yet the OTP still live in this bubble where they don't seemed to believe that the other half are in love with them. OMG, are they deaf and blind? It is so obvious to everyone else that they are in love.
Fine, drag it out if you must but why when the ML finally confesses in Ep 42 (out of 44), the FL rejects him, calling it a joke. OMG! Why? She even stated again and again in other episodes that she hope he loves her as much as she loves him. I wished I can reach inside the screen and slap some sense into her! LOL Luckily, the writers saw the errors in their way and she accepted him at the beginning of Ep 43. The down side to this meandering plot is that all the skinship was crammed into the last 2 episodes. So much time was wasted. When you consider this show suffers from the usual mid show drag, they could have done so much more with their love story. Converting a lot of that cute but ambiguous "we are just friends" moments mid show into sweet couple time would be real fan service and I would gladly give it an extra point.

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Spare us the schadenfreude

Let me be clear in the outset, if I were to give this show a score based on when I think the show should logically end then it would have scored a 9-9.5 but the tail end really disappointed me and I can only give it a borderline 8.
I was really enjoying this show from the start because the acting of the ML was superb. He made the younger, cooler actors look like they OD'ed on Botox. The FL was pretty good too, cute but feisty. Their chemistry was great and felt organic. The ensemble cast was above average with the bromance between the ML and his BFF a real highlight. The night market crew were real characters.
I also liked the fact that there are no psycho plot twists and the "villains" were not really evil but more meddling and driven by petty greed. Pretty harmless by dramaland standard and they even generated the occasional laughs.
Refreshingly, the 2FL was actually quite sensible and pragmatic. She lost to the FL and just moved on and even cheered the FL on. I do pity the 2ML, he was just a sad puppy for most of the show and he knew that he didn't stand a chance against the ML but he just kept needling away regardless. I know he acted his heart out but his love sick scenes were wearing thin.
As a rom-com with a cliché storyline, it was actually going nicely and there was no mid show drag so typical of t-dramas. If anything, the middle episodes were actually the highlight of the show (ones I would re-watch). I can see why some reviews wanted the show to stop at episode 17 as the story sort of peaked then. However, I think the next couple of episodes were ok. The 2OTP love story was kind of cute and it was worth the screen time. Sure, the plot about saving the night market was standard trope but it wasn't a waste of time.
Oh, before I go on to detail the big negative for me, I want to highlight the odd way time was handled by the show. The initial promise of the show was based on the FL achieving something in 7 days to win a bet. No issue with that, however, by episode 7 or 8, I was getting weird temporal vibes. Let me explain, the structure of the show meant that we were watching events happening on consecutive days but what we saw felt temporally disconnected. A case in point, quite early on, the OTP went to a swanky party, got drunk and shared a bed (no hanky-panky, thank you). They just showed up to work the next day. More major events happened. A day or two later, they ended up camping overnight in the middle of a work week, does that happen in real life? What we saw felt like it should logically spanned weeks. But the show kept telling us it was only 7 consecutive days. My brain hurts if I stop and think about it.
So .... what got me really annoyed was when the ML played the Noble Idiot card just after they saved the night market. It was so unnecessary. The OTP was riding high and totally in love. Good place to end the show on a high, right? No such luck! We ended up with 2 episodes (over 1 year in show time) of the OTP walking around in misery and longing for each other after the breakup. While the acting was fine, the plot was just convoluted and unrealistic. The FL more or less morphed into a female version of the ML and assumed his mannerism and roles. The ML became a love sick stalker, nice. I would be ok with the breakup if they get back together quickly so that we can get more happy couple time in the last episode but it just dragged on and on.
If they really must keep going after ep 20, the simple fix would be for the OTP to have a nice heart-to-heart talk at the beginning of episode 21, resolve all their misunderstandings (and it was just a misunderstanding). They then formed a partnership and conquer the corporate as well as culinary world. Job done, high five all round!
Instead we got the longest, most pointless detour to an ultimate happy ending in the literal dying minute of the show. Please, writers, stop Noble Idiocy now. Yes, a bit of emotional rollercoaster is mandated but the quota was full by episode 20. Why tack on a poorly scripted extension? Maybe the writers like a bit of schadenfreude. Just spare us.

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Promising start but very uneven writing

I was going to review this show without spoilers but there are problems with the story telling that won't make sense if I don't make specific references so you have been warned. Spoilers ahead!
The show started well and in general, when the writing is good, it works well and a decent watch. It does not shy away from challenging topics and there is no shortage of skinship and sex scenes (low level). The problem is that the promise of three strong women challenging the business world didn't held for long. Within a few episodes, we are really down to 1.5 strong women. If you want to watch really strong FL's then please watch "Search: WWW". Much, much better in that regard. What made it even more complicated is the writers decided to throw lots of societal issues into the story lines and it became a hot mess.
Several messy relationships and conflicting point of views of love, sex and age gaps. Several plot lines went nowhere and others ended up being wishy-washy and lost focus. The ending wrapped most things up with a pink bow and suppose to give everyone a happy ending but some poor writing really distracted.
Two big no-no for me, one is the whole mistress sharing house with the wife situation was an interesting twist. They could have done so much with it and make the wife character stronger as the story unfolded but she was just pitiful and didn't breakout until the very end. The last straw was when the wife found out that the mistress was carrying someone else's baby and did nothing, that is just weird. You can call it revenge (no hint of that in her character before) but it just didn't gel with me.
Another one is when the ML found out the FL is pregnant and without any resistance agreed to go overseas to study for over a year. The show implied that he was absence for most of the pregnancy and even missed the birth of his son?! This is poor writing. During the whole show he was shown to be super sweet and caring but when his GF is pregnant, he just decided to go away willingly?! Missing his son's birth is just wrong. There are compassionate leave and airfare is not that expensive. The whole setup was unnecessary with little gain. Why writers and writer-nims still insist that once someone goes overseas to study/work, they are locked away in a different universe for the whole duration is beyond comprehension.
Yet another promising start but ended with a thud.

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A gilded cage by any other name plus meet-cute

As a whole, this is an entertaining drama with great OTP chemistry and lots of cute moments. However, once again we have a Chinese drama that fagged in the middle third of the show. Don't get me wrong, it is not the usual mid drama drag as the plot was moving along nicely but it was just the story and setting that became a bit stale.
To understand that, we must first discuss what is actually very good about this drama. Within minutes of starting this drama you will be impressed by the cinematography, setting (set design) and lushness of the scenes. It is a rare combination for a Chinese historical drama to nail all three at the same time. This general ambience was carried through the first 1/3 of the show as the relationship of the OTP took shape. It is a good thing that the chemistry between the M/FL are so good as it formed the bed rock that the rest of the show anchored upon. So what is wrong with the middle 1/3 of the show, you asked? The problem is that they must have invested a lot in building the set for the Duke's mansion (or paid a lot to use the already build set) and they just can't leave that place alone. Sure, there were sub plots that is set in the nearby town and a few trips to the "countryside" but again and again, the action comes back to the mansion and it is forever on show (inside and out). The storyline is not helping either as the middle to even the late stage of the show are build around the growing love of the OTP and the vendetta of one scorned lover. There are lots of scheming and backstabbing but we are talking about mostly "storm in a teacup" scale. Sooner or later, you just know that they'd put out one fire and another will be lit somewhere else to make the OTP's life more "interesting".
It is just as well that the later part of the show does move on and take things to a grander scale and some of the action are set off site (hooray!). As I mentioned before, if you have lasted through that middle section, you are fully invested in the OTP's love life and that is why you kept watching. The show does reward us with some skinship and lots of cute moments. The final consummation of their relationship was swoon worthy and it gets better after that but it was a tortured path to get there.
Overall, acting was good but most characters were fairly one dimensional. They played their role well but there are not many twists and turns. This may be a good thing as that dropped some of the potential for angst but they just become tools to move the plot along or inject some romance from another pairing.
One last grumble, why do most villains in Chinese dramas get away with murder (not always figuratively speaking). The main villain of this drama was caught and without a shadow of a doubt of his guilt. He was just packed away to be tried in the capital. IMHO, a duel (to the death) with the ML would have been 100 times more satisfying.
In conclusion, did I enjoyed this show? Yes, on the whole. The skip button was getting a workout in the mid section though. Would I recommend this, yes, with the same caveat.

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A cliché breaking take on an old formula

On paper, this show seems to tick all the cliché boxes. Contract marriage, cold, smart ML, a naïve, bubbly bumbling FL, etc. So if you are expecting a walk down the well trodden path then you will be pleasantly surprised.
Yes, it started with the contract marriage but instead of the usual scheming/blackmail/scandal setup, the marriage was to placate a sweet dying old man. The motivation was not greed, what a surprise!
Yes, the ML has a cold exterior, poor EQ and super smart but he was also a real gentleman and had this innocent aura about him. When he fell in love (for the first time), it is just so cute and adorable. The FL is kind of typical for that genre but at least she is not annoying and is kind and caring. You do need someone like that to play off the ML, it is dramaland, after all.
What you don't expect is when you thought the show will have the ML bully the FL or put her down, the ML actually showed the FL the error of her way (indirectly most of the time) and help her to correct her mistakes. Where the problem is too big for the FL to handle, he will quietly work behind her back to resolve her problems and then take no credit for it. Awww.
BTW, their chemistry is off the chart. It felt organic as they dance around each other at first and then try to make their blossoming love life work. To be fair, the FL does have a crush on the ML (with a dose of love-hate in the beginning) and the ML tried to keep things business like but fell for her over time. It was fun watching them trying to keep their "relationship" purely platonic but failing miserably. When they did confess their love for each other, it was so cute and swoon worthy. Their love is strong and with every challenge, it grew more unshakable. Any potential love triangles are quickly dealt with with some straight talking between the parties.
It was super cute how the ML analysed how much he loves the FL and come up with statistical chart. In the same vein, we also see real growth in the FL as the ML supported her career decisions and nurtured her. Honestly, if you ask me if their love will last forever, I would say yes without hesitation.
The final cliché breaker was the old chestnut, the 1/2/3 years overseas posting/training/job separation plot. The story line was all set up, they said their goodbyes at the airport and we were sobbing quietly while cursing the writer and then the FL did something unexpected in this type of drama.
Support cast is generally good to excellent. The grandfather was a gem. Wise, kind and understanding. He was a real scene stealer. The FL's sister and ML's best friend were good as well. They were another odd couple but they made their relationship work but their journey was a lot more bumpy. It provides a counterpoint to the sweet love story of the OTP. The weaker link was the pairing of the FL's best friends. Their pairing was not convincing and served only to occupy some screen time and move the plot along.
I know some reviews are calling this light, sugary fluff and I can see their point of view but I enjoyed this very much because how it did not follow the cliché leaden path and turn it into a melodrama or a farce. It will bring a smile to your face and you will swoon from time to time. These are not bad things, we can dream sometimes too, right?

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All about the feels

This show is all about the feels. :) The OTP is just so amazing together. Sure, there is the cliché love-hate beginning but it is the growth that hooks you. I have to say, as their love grows, the show will grow on you (or you'd have dropped this by then). The writer took their time to explore the many phases of falling in and out of love and how love grows and matures. It starts with the attraction, then a spark. Infatuation, longing and obsession all got explored in a mature way. Ultimately, the show took us beyond the typical total episodes minus one "will they, won't they" formula and allowed us to watch their characters grow while in love.
BTW, I like Dilraba so much more in this drama than Pretty Li Hui Zhen. She gets to play a mature woman with strong character and great personality. Some might say a bit naïve but she is trusting and will not say a bad word about anyone. She has so much chemistry with the ML it is swoon worthy in most scenes after their confession. They just behave so naturally around each other. I would believe it if someone tells me they are dating in RL. I would ship them in an instant. Their interaction is so natural. From the teasing to casual touching, it does not feel scripted which is an achievement in a c-drama where the odd awkward kiss is the norm.
The OTP carried the show. The main plot is ok, very heavy on the scheming and make the fashion industry looks a bit grim (maybe it is all true! LOL). Certain scenes are almost contemplative. Thoughts and ideas are expressed by the characters like snippet of life lessons. The 2OTP is good but the 2ML lacks that natural charm that Johnny has in spades. It does allow the writers to explore other aspect of love and loving though. My one negative are the moms. Boy, did the meddling moms get a run for their money, not 1 but 3! Why all the moms are so one dimensional and controlling? I get they want to get some angsts happening but not all moms are like that, surely? They all have their redemption at some point but it is very monotonal.
Two minor gripes, so much PPL and they are everywhere and a couple of minor plots seemed to disappear into the ether and then got a quick scene in the last episode. To bring some closures? In conclusion, if you want big dramas, explosive plot twists and suspense galore, go watch something else, if you want to see two mature, stubborn and charismatic people fall heavily in love (for realsies) and live through a slice of their lives with them then pull up a chair. You will get your romantic fill.

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Easy binge when you feel a little blue

To put it simply, this is a sweet, angst light rom-com with a good amount of skinship. There are no evil villains, no nasty love triangle and even the mom is nice (to a degree). My only slight negative is that while there is a lot of hugs and kisses, there don't appear to be a lot of passion. It is more on the nice and sweet spectrum. The 2OTP had a bit more angst and spark but everything worked out just fine. The 3OTP is a bit of a long shot but hey, when you are on a rom-com row, you much as well pair everyone up and get the trifecta. Technically, there is even a 4OTP but who's counting! Being ONLY 16 episodes long kept things moving along nicely and spare us the notorious c-drama mid show drag. It is definitely one to binge when you are feeling a little down and need a warm hug.

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Finally a logical plot and it is a good thing!

First of all, I really enjoyed this show. Binged it easily. The good thing is that they have well defined characters and the plot is well crafted. Being largely a detective story, crimes have to be solved and that leads to clues to the bigger conspiracy as the show progressed.

If you watch a lot of Chinese dramas you will know that most of them suffers from 2 problems, mid show drag and weird plot twists towards the end just so that they can introduce angst (oh how the OTP will suffer) or patch plot issues. In this case, I'm happy to report that the pacing is fine and the main plot did not take a weird detour so that we arrived at a logical conclusion.

While the story was good in general, the main plot was telegraphed fairly early on and we are just watching to see how the main characters play detectives.

The OTP and 2OTP have great chemistry and they are steadfast once they confessed their loves which is a plus. The characters thought through issues or talked it out which is quite refreshing. There was a good amount of skinship and hot kisses which were mostly well done.

It was also nice that the weight of the plot swung between the love line, light comedy and detective story fairly often and smoothly so that you are not getting bored.

The only slight negative is the acting of the ML (I believe this is his first lead role). He can be a little stiff at times but his interaction with the FL is nice. I would definitely recommend this for an easy watch with bonus romance.

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Love is a blessing. How ironic.

There are not a lot of collabs between Japan and Korea on the drama front. This is a rare exception and it is a good one.

The A-plot is simple. The OTP meets in Japan. Falls in love. Falls out of love. They meet 5 years later in Korea.

I'm glad that the Korean production team embraced the J-drama style because it kept the story simple and focused. This is why it is only 6 eps long instead of 16 and is not weighted down with filler subplots and multiple couples. BTW, because the plot is so simple, I'm not going to spoil it. You really need to experience this yourself to fully appreciate it.

Let's get straight to the point. This drama is wonderful. The acting, dialogue, cinematography and OST are all topnotch. The sum is definitely greater than its parts. As such, this is not an easy watch. While there are cute and swoony moments during their meet-cute and honeymoon period, the wheel starts to squeak as their relationship is put under pressure later on.

To be honest, it pains me to watch their sad moments. It helps that the plot is not convoluted nor bloated. It is just real people doing their best with the hand they are dealt. That's RL, chingu.

BTW, there is a 2ML and he is a good man who deserves every happiness in the world but he is the second lead so you get the drift…

OK, this is where I stop rambling and let you go and watch the show. No spoilers. Watch to the end and you shall be rewarded. Hwaiting!

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Messy, inconsistent drama that was exhausting to watch

Firstly, I dropped this show after 20 episodes and this is my impressions up to that point. I might be swimming against the tide but this is my honest opinion.

Secondly, I wanted this show to succeed. I was enticed by the synopsis and the idea of a more realistic FL in a sea of pretty clones.

To be fair, the first few episodes do deliver. It was zany and breaks the mould of a typical historical drama. The FL is certainly full of vivacity and largely worked without a filter which is good. However, as a whole, it is poorly written and executed. Some of the acting is patchy and the Show suffers from an identity crisis.

I know this is harsh but I exhausted myself trying to like it and this is why;

1) It doesn’t really have a plot up to this point. The ML doesn't want to be a puppet king and the FL wants to be accepted and loved. That’s nice but the story telling is messy and contrived. This is back-of-a-napkin writing with time wasting fillers.

2) The FL didn’t become a better/proper Queen but more or less browbeat the court into submission. I don’t mind that the FL is unconventional, I welcome it but her plot is just a series of cliché trials or watch her steamroll through everything else. I was looking forward to her growth in statue and abilities so that she can be the rightful Queen. So far, she is turning the palace into her whacky playground (square dancing anyone?). It's fun for a bit but where's the growth after 20 hours? Similarly, the ML has shown little aptitude of being a good king. He could have been a typical scion from any costume drama. He has the visual but not the gravitas unless you count being stony faced.

3) Very few of the secondary characters behave consistently. You have to question their personality or even their IQ.

4) Mel Brooks once said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into a sewer and die.” That resonated with me as I wrote this. Most of the Show’s humour is bold and loud but there is little witticism nor nuances. To be fair, the FL has good comedic timing and an expressive face, so she did a lot of the heavy lifting. This also means that we expect something "funny" every time she is on screen. That’s a lot to ask of one character to sustain for 36 episodes. Most of the support casts are just cannon fodder during slapstick routines.

5) The OTP will fall in love and have a HEA ending, the drama gods have spoken. The show created every cliché situation to throw them together. Nevertheless, and it pains me to say this, there is little chemistry between the two. Kiss scene felt flat. There are dream sequences, piggyback race, they behaved like lovesick puppies and on it goes. Unfortunately, just like some of the comedy, it doesn’t always stick the landing.

6) I know the Show is not historically accurate, but it is an awkward mash-up. There is little chance of immersion due to constant hints of modernity. The costumes are a hotchpotch of styles/epochs and some have distinctly Japanese feel. The palace protocol goes from overbearing to non-existent. Want the royal couple to have a cat fight in the middle of the palace, sure, why not! Ditto the tone of the show swings from moment to moment. It spans genres with no firm grasp of any of them.

The sad thing is that the potentials are there. The production quality is generally good, the sets are lush, costumes are rich. No doubt the FL was giving us her all. But . . .

In the end, quirky is good, funny is good, support diversity is very good, but good components still need a decent script and good directions to tie them together. We need plots that are meaningful and characters you’d care for and want to ship. Alas, this show is like trying to herd sheep with a cat.

I don’t hate the show. I just feel exhausted from trying too hard to like it. I am dropping this for now so that I can clear my head. Peace out.

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A sentimental journey to a simpler time

I'm just going to say it upfront. I want to love this show, but ends up liking it but not loving it.

It is set in 1930's Japan where mass media is limited to newspapers and periodicals. Some live very sheltered lives. Arranged marriage is the norm. In this case, the show builds a lot of the comedy around the cohabitation trope. Not only are our OTP total noobs in dating, but the very idea of cohabitation is alien to them! Neither of them knows how to behave around a spouse who is basically a stranger. We bear witness to their growth, discovery and romance. It does work . . some of the time.

For me, this show is too cringey. Yes, there are some cute and swoonworthy moments. The show knows this. It loves to recap them for us. That's fine, they are highlights after all. What is less fine is the characterisation of our leads.

As the series is based on a webcomic, there is a lot of exaggerated acting from our leads in every episode. Works well in a 2D panel but live action needs to be more aware of space and timing.

Early scenes when our OTP first start living together made me wince. Both are constantly pulling faces and stumbling around as they try to "hide" their surprise reactions to the most mundane situations. They also use a lot of inner monologue as if their scrunched up faces is not telling enough.

I suppose Japanese audience are more used to this style of acting. I have seen this in other productions, but this is one of the more extreme cases. I pity the ML when he has to put on the "constipation" face so many times. The FL would jerk and stutter repeatedly. Her brain seems to get overloaded and she'd act like an out of control robot. Naïve, stoic and inexperienced does not equate stupidity and ineptitude.

To be honest, you'll need industrial grade rose-tinted glasses to enjoy it to the fullest. As if to highlight this, no other character behaved like them. There is a 2CP who are also navigating their way towards an arranged marriage yet their interactions are perfectly normal. In fact, it is fun to watch the 2CP's verbal jousting as part of their courtship.

The show, like their life, does settle down as time passes. The old tropes like commitment, misunderstanding and jealousy rear their collective heads. Thankfully, they are quickly dealt with and left no lasting damage. This is definitely angst lite.

In the end, it is a fun watch but with caveats. There are some good ideas and the unusual setting spiced things up. It is also interesting to see how the pre-war Japanese society functioned. However, the delivery made it difficult to fully engage.

Another issue is the timing of this series. It is set in 1936-37. Japan invaded China in 1937. That eventually led to an all-out war in the Pacific. While the show ends on a sweet and positive note, there is an amazingly destructive storm on the horizon. I won’t even mention over 300 thousand Japanese sailors died by the end of WW2. Not to mention atrocities and countless civilian deaths.

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This urban fairytale needs to come with a health warning

This show may not be a great drama, but it is a good textbook rom-com. It is totally divorced from reality and its characters are distillations of the classic Cinderella trope. It ticked all the boxes with workman like efficiency. Whether you love or hate this show will largely dependent on how much sugar you can handle before going into diabetic coma. DO NOT watch this show if any of the previous words is a trigger for you. You have been warned.

From start to finish, the show is an escapist fare. You have to accept this to enjoy it to the fullest. Hence the following checklist;
• Industrial strength rose tinted glasses ✓
• Left brain - disengaged ✓
• Comfortable loungewear ✓
• A tub of ice cream and 1 spoon ✓✓

To review this show as a serious drama is pointless. The performances are decent but most characters are one dimensional. There are many swoon worthy moments and a decent amount of skinship. Most of them centred around expensive and beautiful set pieces. Everything has been polished to a high gloss. Nothing is left to chance. It is the equivalent of a glamorous coffee table magazine.

Speaking of a glossy mag, this show also has product advertisements. So much PPL! Obviously expensive brands are prominently featured but wait, we can do a tin of paint as well. Oh, you want something bigger? Let's write a whole episode selling Bangkok and then continue to sell other Thai products in the next episode as well. It got to the point that I counted 11 PPL's in the last episode and that is not including a few implied ones.

However, all this PPL pales into insignificance when you consider the shiniest product on display, Mr Lee Jun-Ho. He is always impeccably dressed and groomed . A three-piece suit is his weapon of choice. It is cut so sharply that he should be declared a lethal weapon. The ML doesn’t carry the show, he IS the show. There are so many close up of him looking handsome, dashing, smouldering, sexy . . This is how you market a celeb, baby.

On the other hand, the FL only have a few glam moments. Most of the time she lives in his shadow, and she is almost always in uniform or loungewear. She plays the supporting role well. However, he is the Prince to our Cinderella. He literally comes to her rescue more than once.

While the ML is flying high in the business world, her goals are much more modest. It is a little unfair when you consider how capable she is suppose to be. It is further exacerbated by the ML pulling off win after win with ease and what appears to be minimal efforts.

The rest of the support cast is straight out of central casting. The ubiquitous BFFx2, sidekick secretary, executive yes-men, etc. The one antagonist is low impact and achieved little. Side plots are inconsequential and only serve to take up the slack. There is growth in some characters, but they are totally predictable and all paths lead to . . . the Happy Ever After Ending or HEAE™.

In fact, there are so many feel good moments in the last episode that it should come with a health warning. It is serious sugar overload. Every side plot is tied off with a huge pink bow and the thundering herd of unicorns are on drugs. Redemptions are handed out like free samples at the supermarket. There is no point in being judgey because this show exists in its own fairytale universe. All is well in this corner of dramaland.

You can certainly rewatch a few episodes on a rainy weekend and it will make you happy. Don’t expect to be touch in the heart but your dopamine level will rise. I did groan a few times early on before I gave up the fight and attack the ice cream instead and got comfy in my loungewear. If you can't beat them, join them with gusto is my motto!

P.S. I got to get my hands on that portable BBQ set. It is spiffing!

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Watchable noona romance saddled with a lazy, transparent script

On the positive side, this drama has a decent cast, and you can't fault the visuals of the OTP. On top of that, the CP has good chemistry, some sweet swoon worthy moments and a decent amount of skinship. It is also relatively low angst and has no silly breakups. The two secondary couples are fine and did their duties occupying some of the screen time.

To distinguish itself from similar shows, the OTP are step siblings, but not blood related. I don't have any issue with that but some might.

Now we need to look at the other side of the ledger. What stood out for me is the lazy and transparent writing. This is evident right from the start. For instance, the ML recognised the FL immediately at the start of the show but pretended not to. The FL was clueless which was odd because she has been living with his mum for years. It is true that he has been studying and working overseas for some time but why doesn’t his mum have any recent photos of him at home or on her phone? No video calls, ever? Sure, it sets up the meet-cute but if you pause for 2 seconds you can see how problematic that is.

The show is also prone to parachute in characters and plots just because it can. The 3FL(Xia Xiaomian) is a young adult just arrived in a major city with no relatives nor friends, but she magically knew where the ML lives and latched onto him. I do find it a bit farfetched for c-drama.

The script writer likes to telegraph plot development way in advance as well. The FL has a boyfriend but he has to become the EX-boyfriend for the show to progress. To pave the way, we were presented with a laundry list of hints why they are incompatible. We have the co-worker who became a trophy wife but is treated more like a servant and her husband is a womaniser. Ouch! The BF shows up time and again with flowers even though the FL is allergic to them, and she told him so. Consider they have been together for 4 years; you’d think he should know. Similarly, she is portrayed as an ambitious career woman and all he talked about are his goals and how she can quit work and be a good housewife and so on. Was it a big surprise that she ditched him?

All the secondary CP’s are preordained. Yes, there are the usual push-pulls and misunderstandings, but their love lines are on rails. It is all nicely done but it is hardly original.

The pacing of this show is languid. Most plot developments are clearly sign posted in advance. The dreaded mid show drag is real and its length can do with a decent pruning.

The ending with the actors talking about love and how it relates to their characters is nice but is that a sign that they have run out of material and needed fillers?

Acting is mostly fine. Some roles like the FL’s father is very stereotypical. The younger actors is a bit rough around the edges but they earned their keeps. The FL did a lot of the heavy lifting, but it is hardly a breakout role. The ML is nice and handsome, but his delivery seemed a little stilted.

All in all, it is a decent rom-com. Its straightforward plots and low angst makes for easy viewing. There are better noona romances out there, such as My Fated Boy, so it is not high on my rewatch list.
OST is serviceable, nice but generic.

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It might be unrealistic but the story will buoy you up

I do find some Japanese dramas tend to be quirky and larger than life. This show is definitely quirky and not very realistic but it was just so sweet, fun and swoon worthy. It is also short so that there is no drag and the pacing is spot on.
The premise of the show is simple. A young girl was smitten by a doctor after a chance meeting. She decided that she will become a nurse just so that she can pursuit him romantically. After a few years of hard work, she graduated and managed to get posted to the same hospital as a junior nurse. At first the cold and aloof doctor only see a silly young nurse who confessed to him on her first day at a new job. Over time, he saw her better side and fell in love. Oh boy, when he fell in love, he was a smouldering hot mess!
Yes, the story is tropey and there were more than a decent serving of clichés but the story was so uplifting, warm-hearted and the emotions were so pure and strong that you just have to hang on for the ride. The acting was good from everyone and you can't help but fell in love with the feisty FL. Speaking of the FL, instead of just being a bumbling damsel, she actually grew and became an excellent nurse and admired by everyone. The ML, on the other hand, changed from a cold and prefectist doctor to be a sweet and hot blooded lover. His confession scene when the FL was injured was so touching and heartfelt. Swoon!
Some will find it too sweet but give it a go before judging it. Highly recommended for anyone who likes a good rom-com.

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Draggy drama with ambiguous characters and an obtuse A-plot

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate this show. It is acceptable both in terms of acting and production value. However, the longer I watch this show, the more frustrated and dejected I feel. This is rare for me and I can only put it down to the script.

The start of the show is engaging. A struggling FL who seems to get the raw end of the stick no matter how hard she tries. She ran into a super handsome ML by accident. He is totally out of her league and yet they are oddly attracted to each other. The chemistry of our leads is undeniable. Throw in a centuries old curse and a mysterious spell book and we should have an intriguing and engaging story. Unfortunately, the show drags out the plot to the point of exhaustion. To add to our woes, the A-plot is obtuse. Most characters are ambiguous and lack depth.

The show spends so much time on the ML and whether he is under a love spell or not in the early episodes. I don’t blame them because they obviously want to capitalise on his visuals and he acts so cute, but it does wear thin after a while. BTW, is the FL also cursed because by all accounts she is smart, diligent and sweet, yet she just can’t win a trick. It doesn’t make sense. They are trapped in narrative purgatory by mid show.

On the other hand, some behaviours are too predictable. The two-timing girlfriend of the ML (SFL) steadfast refuses to breakup with the ML for the most selfish reasons. The longer it drags on, the more toxic it becomes. Then we have the SML who rejected the FL even though he knew she has a crush on him. He then flips 180 degrees and chase after the FL even though he knew that the FL is in love with the ML by then. Forget couple therapy, the show needs therapy. It got to the point that the FL said on multiple occasions that she is so confused. So are we, sister, so are we.

Storylines from other shows might shuffle back and fore, but this show elevates it to an art form. The various plots just circles each other like a swarm of bees. A case in point, the ML finally confessed in the middle of ep.9 but the ML’s behaviour at work totally confused the FL but he never explains himself. Then the SML confessed in ep.10 which clears the air, NOT! We finally see the OTP’s first kiss at the end of ep.10 but the romantic spell is immediately broken by the reappearance of the ancient curse. It is unrelenting. We don’t even get to enjoy one tiny sugar hit.

Throw in an evil antagonist who appears to lust after the FL for no apparent reason and then teams up with the SFL to sabotage the OTP with glee. At first, I was baffled by his ability to put a curse on the OTP but then I have a lightbulb moment which took the wind out of this sail.

What I realised is that all the main characters are retracing events from their past lives. It is not just the OTP but every key characters. The SML was probably an acquaintance of the ML who has a crush on the FL but missed his chance. The SFL was likely to be a daughter of a rich family who got betrothed to the ML and then play merry hell with the OTP once she was rejected. If we play by the rules then the antagonist would be an evil shaman or a local magistrate who lust after the FL, etc. Mayhap he cursed the OTP like he did in the present and brought about their ultimate demise.

If this comes to pass, then the remaining episodes should see all the key players fulfil their destiny. This will necessitate even more troubles and angst for our OTP until we arrive at the final confrontation with the antagonist. A HEA ending will require the curse to be lifted and the evil doers getting their just desserts. It will give me no joy if my prognostication comes true.

This show is not without merits but for each nice moment, there are two negative ones. It really tested my patience. Hence without further ado, I shall bid our handsome ML and long-suffering FL adieu for now. I might revisit this show after it finishes its run.

Oh, if you are still reading. Production quality is fine, OST is decent. Rewatch? You jest.

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