This drama was mostly enjoyable to me, thanks to the leads' friendship being adorable. They really were the bestest of buddies and VERY lucky to have each other. So, this is a solid 8.5, if I have to rate it. But, I have some thoughts...
It took too long for them to go from bffs to lovers. >_< They could have solved their reservations about entering a romantic relationship [and, potentially ruining their decade long friendship] in the first 10, maybe 12 episodes, with the rest of the drama being about them adjusting to their new relationship, and building their life together as lovers/family. The way it is, they get together fairly late in the drama, then there is a period of adjusting to their new relationship, and a period of keeping the relationship a secret [which made difficult for them to be intimate with each other], and then the FL has to leave for 3 weeks, and then the ML has business trips, and then there is that whole nonsense with Zhou Mo, and...
Maybe if they had more intimacy after they decided to be a couple, I would feel a little less bothered by this. It is just that their relationship does not actually change THAT much after they are a couple, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it makes perfect sense, as they already spent so much time together as friends, as they were mostly in sync with each other through life, they mostly only lacked knowledge on each other regarding romantic and sexual stuff, everything else was familiar between the leads...
And, that is where the "curse" comes. Listen, I am not into super horny dramas, but would a certain focus on them knowing each other in a more sexual way make sense? I am not even asking for a bunch of bed scenes, just a certain level of exploration of their intimacy. If anyone reading this watched "The Best Thing", I would expect the leads' relationship here to be like how Xifan and Dr. He acted with each other in that drama, with lots of touching, hugging, kissing, teasing... Are you telling me that with the amount of pent up emotions and desire both Yang and Shiyan were holding back, they would not express them in a physical manner after becoming a couple [and getting past the awkward transition, which they did quite fast]? Then again, the comparison I made is unfair, because the leads here were never in relationships, while the leads in "The Best Thing" had years long relationships before getting together. My point is I hoped for more in the intimacy end.
Putting the intimacy thing aside, for the longest time, I thought the ML liked the FL more than she liked him, and maybe that is the case, but I also feel like I was being a little unfair to Tang Yang. I think it is pretty clear she loves Shiyan, shown in an obvious manner in the two times she said "fuck it" to her job [which she very obviously hold in high regard] for the sake of the ML, first when the guy with the knife was threatening him and second when he was in the hospital and she took a three days leave from work. I think it is just that the ML shows his affection in a more obvious manner, and more frequently? On the other hand, given how obsessed people are with their jobs and careers in Asian dramas, her actions speak volumes.
Anyways, for whatever reason, I really enjoyed the scenes between Cheng Hui and Sheng Nina. I like how literally the only time we saw Cheng Hui smiling was when he was interacting with Nina. Melts my heart.
Dropping this on episode 23. The main couple is EXTREMELY cute when they are allowed to be together and happy, but that rarely happens. The road from their initial state of bickering, to falling in love and then dating was amazing, but after FL's aunt discovered FL and ML were dating, shit went downhill FAST. A shame.
I am doing a rewatch and hating all over again the deranged mother and drunken BFF. I hate the way they just walk…
It is crazy, is it not? If I had a child, and of dating age, I would want nothing more than for them to be happy, healthy and loved. But, time and time again, dramaland mothers and fathers do their best to make their children miserable.
Agree with you on everything except the kisses, I thought they were intense especially in the intimate scene in…
I was browsing the comments looking for a mention of the leads breaking up/separating... And, I just found it... XD Fuck me, I hate separation in dramas. Sours the shit out of my enjoyment.
Omfg the ending of episode 2! Jesus!!! :O Driving me crazy. That is all I can say, really.
Short final thoughts: Incredibly adorable couple. Their love was so cute. There is something so soft and nice about GL couples that I rarely see in straight couples [have not watch a BL drama yet, so I cannot comment].
I actually did not know we lived in an era where GL dramas could be so explicit [so glad we do, nothing worse than censorship ruining something potentially great]. On the matter of explicit content, I high key love that they had a "good time" while still body swapped. Very daring.
Secondary leads [Wanmai and Saifon] were great, too and incredibly attractive, on top of that.
On the other hand, I hate, I hate, I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate break ups/separation in dramas, and years long separation, on top of that? Fuck no, man. Why? WHY? WHYYYYYYYYYYY? Why must you torture us, overly romantic viewers? Gosh ;-;
to put it simple, this drama will torture male viewers, right?!
Do not be mistaken, what NopeNope described sounds like torture to me as well, a female viewer. I would rather have my front teeth pulled out with no anesthesia than watch another drama where the FL [or ML] have boundary issues or are forced into spending time with 2ML [or 2FL].
Will Love in Spring ~~ No official breakup, but a couple of big fights, which got resolved very quickly.
The FL did the ML so dirty in this. She is SO selfish. If anyone else is reading years old comments here like I am, I really cannot recommend this drama as a "no break up drama". If one still wants to watch it, try stopping around episode 18 or 19 and then coming up with a headcanon ending instead.
If I recall correctly, their relationship kind of becomes a long distance one, so there is that. I only remember finding whatever happened on the romance side of the story to be deeply unsatisfying.
Spoiler Alert:Yifan and Sang Yan’s relationship faces a turning point, but it’s not a true breakup. Yifan…
You are 100% right. I am using this list to curate what I should watch and the reason I started doing this is PRECISELY because of TFF. Yifan leaving Yan for SIX months out of nowhere, giving him no information on her status and whereabouts soured what was shaping to me a 10/10 drama to me.
I get that she had her reasons [fear, trauma, etc...], but I thought it was so unfair for the ML to have to suffer from heartbreak for so long because once again the FL did not trust him and did not give him the benefit of knowing what was going on in her mind.
Actually, even without the six months separation later in the story, I would still not put TFF on this list, because the entire problem starts with the FL shattering the ML's heart and leaving him for 6 [or was it 8?] years when they were 17 or so. Sure, they were not a couple back then, but it was clear they both loved each other and even promised going to the same uni together.
TFF is great, but VERY stressful for people who do not want to deal with break ups and separation in dramas.
It took too long for them to go from bffs to lovers. >_< They could have solved their reservations about entering a romantic relationship [and, potentially ruining their decade long friendship] in the first 10, maybe 12 episodes, with the rest of the drama being about them adjusting to their new relationship, and building their life together as lovers/family. The way it is, they get together fairly late in the drama, then there is a period of adjusting to their new relationship, and a period of keeping the relationship a secret [which made difficult for them to be intimate with each other], and then the FL has to leave for 3 weeks, and then the ML has business trips, and then there is that whole nonsense with Zhou Mo, and...
Maybe if they had more intimacy after they decided to be a couple, I would feel a little less bothered by this. It is just that their relationship does not actually change THAT much after they are a couple, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it makes perfect sense, as they already spent so much time together as friends, as they were mostly in sync with each other through life, they mostly only lacked knowledge on each other regarding romantic and sexual stuff, everything else was familiar between the leads...
And, that is where the "curse" comes. Listen, I am not into super horny dramas, but would a certain focus on them knowing each other in a more sexual way make sense? I am not even asking for a bunch of bed scenes, just a certain level of exploration of their intimacy. If anyone reading this watched "The Best Thing", I would expect the leads' relationship here to be like how Xifan and Dr. He acted with each other in that drama, with lots of touching, hugging, kissing, teasing... Are you telling me that with the amount of pent up emotions and desire both Yang and Shiyan were holding back, they would not express them in a physical manner after becoming a couple [and getting past the awkward transition, which they did quite fast]? Then again, the comparison I made is unfair, because the leads here were never in relationships, while the leads in "The Best Thing" had years long relationships before getting together. My point is I hoped for more in the intimacy end.
Putting the intimacy thing aside, for the longest time, I thought the ML liked the FL more than she liked him, and maybe that is the case, but I also feel like I was being a little unfair to Tang Yang. I think it is pretty clear she loves Shiyan, shown in an obvious manner in the two times she said "fuck it" to her job [which she very obviously hold in high regard] for the sake of the ML, first when the guy with the knife was threatening him and second when he was in the hospital and she took a three days leave from work. I think it is just that the ML shows his affection in a more obvious manner, and more frequently? On the other hand, given how obsessed people are with their jobs and careers in Asian dramas, her actions speak volumes.
Anyways, for whatever reason, I really enjoyed the scenes between Cheng Hui and Sheng Nina. I like how literally the only time we saw Cheng Hui smiling was when he was interacting with Nina. Melts my heart.
I actually did not know we lived in an era where GL dramas could be so explicit [so glad we do, nothing worse than censorship ruining something potentially great]. On the matter of explicit content, I high key love that they had a "good time" while still body swapped. Very daring.
Secondary leads [Wanmai and Saifon] were great, too and incredibly attractive, on top of that.
On the other hand, I hate, I hate, I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate break ups/separation in dramas, and years long separation, on top of that? Fuck no, man. Why? WHY? WHYYYYYYYYYYY? Why must you torture us, overly romantic viewers? Gosh ;-;
I get that she had her reasons [fear, trauma, etc...], but I thought it was so unfair for the ML to have to suffer from heartbreak for so long because once again the FL did not trust him and did not give him the benefit of knowing what was going on in her mind.
Actually, even without the six months separation later in the story, I would still not put TFF on this list, because the entire problem starts with the FL shattering the ML's heart and leaving him for 6 [or was it 8?] years when they were 17 or so. Sure, they were not a couple back then, but it was clear they both loved each other and even promised going to the same uni together.
TFF is great, but VERY stressful for people who do not want to deal with break ups and separation in dramas.