gf44

Such a good drama. To call it a tropey rom-com is to do it a great disservice. Yes, the genre is familiar and the narrative shape is also deceptively familiar but the story they are telling in a fairly lighthearted fashion is pretty grim.
A pretty girl, who comes from a poor but loving family, is ostracised and sees the worst of people outside her home because of the way she looks. It's interesting how her abrasive social awkwardness and 'rudeness' is an extension of her self-protection. Haneda-san embodies the saying that if you're going to be blamed for something then claim it as loudly and as offensively as possible before someone can pin it on you. She's not about to let others enjoy humiliating her. Better to just embarrass everyone and be the 'wicked woman.'
I went into this drama thinking at best it would be a funny, somewhat charming, feel good story and at its worst, cringey and a time suck with some nice people to look at. But I got so much more than that. The sweetie tucked away inside the wrapper is tart, sometimes bitter, with the occasional hit of sweet. It's a a clever incisive commentary on misogyny - how some men embody it, and how some women internalise it; and how women are objectified. This most recent episode really highlights this aspect. And for the first time we see Haneda-san's real thoughts and feelings burst through her incredibly high self-protective barriers. Not to belabour the point but there is a lot traumatic social isolation behind those few lines.
The ML always knew his own mind but he's really stepped up. In some ways, I think, he's coming around to decoding her personal protections and ways of behaving. As someone who probably has a strong sense of camouflage since he's been raised to be a commodity by his putative parents he's probably better placed than anyone (apart from her fam) about Haneda-san's oddities.
An engaging watch. Thank you to ecotvsubs for translating!

Oof, Ep19 was brutal. Hats off to Chen Xiao - his micro expressions, his mannerisms, and the incredible emotive expression in his eyes is fantastic. I think, he's outdone himself in the acting category in this role. Such a fine tuned, deeply nuanced performance.

hahahahahaha

He 's such an interestingly written and performed character. Morally flexible, pragmatic, far-sighted and definitely, a shrewd businessman. Definitely the man you want managing your money (if I had any!!). I'm really enjoying how they've progressed from side-eyeing and hissing at each other to adversaries to grudging pals (altho they'd both be horrified if they heard that characterisation! LOL). He'd be wasted up at on that mountain. ;)

Thanks! :)

Song is fab! Does anyone know who it's by and what it's called? In some scenes he looks lovely in others...the makeup is a bit off. Can't help but wishing this had Lee Se Young my Red Sleeves FL. :( They're chemistry was 🔥❤️‍🔥🔥. Hopefully, this will live up to the hype coming our way.

Chen Xiao picks good roles! Been a while since I saw such a morally ambivalent and at times, cold as a snake, ML. FL is BAMF and getting wiser to his schemes. Supporting cast is doing well too. Pleasantly surprised by Tang Xiao Tian. Last I watched him in was My Little Happiness. This is miles away from that role. And he's doing it well. Overall, interesting and complicated story line. Very reminiscent of Joy of Life albeit a smidge less aware and significantly less funny. 8 episodes in and the story is rocketing away: either they have a lot of story to tell or they are going to suffer from track B blues. Let's hope not.

My god, just imagine, food and a dining table as a battleground. Appalling. It's surprising that his relationship with food is so good. Now, on with the joy, I say, and the sprinkling of BL feels. It's all so homey. I want to cuddle all of them.

This drama is my lovely soothing setting. Food that heals and brings people together...now that's my kind of place setting. Toxic family relations aside. Can't have everything. Tane-kun, as usual, is a gust of affection and cheer.

This is what happens when good dramas happen to crappily short-sighted production, distribution channels. :( Sigh. I gave up a long time ago. My hats off and sympathy for everyone still waiting it out. But I'm going to bow out. See you on some other drama page. 👋🏼

Hi, for what it's worth I think read the novels. They are excellent. The translations are really well done especially if you are reading E. Danglers (link to original translation in the discussion section above). Don't punish yourself for Youku's continued idiocy. If anything, now you can populate your imagination with the leads as you read the book. Enjoy!

Thanks OP.
This is not directed towards you but Youku's ridiculousness. The post from the JITD team is dumb. Essentially, it translates to hold on while we milk you, our unsuspecting viewers for advertising money, views, ratings, and fanship. While holding on to IP we are not going to do anything with (for whatever reasons legit or otherwise). Meanwhile, we'll toss out some meaningless pseudo clever words your (viewers) way which are virtually meaningless because we clearly don't have a plan of any kind. What a farce.
Please don't @ me commenters/posters. I am sure everyone has their views this is my limited perspective, not really an invitation for discussion or commentary on how I'm wrong. Thanks! Peace.

I lose it while trudging through the subtitles! LOL

Seems promising but on hold until such time as Mango TV improves its super crap subtitles (next to never!) or some kind soul chooses to do so (can only pray!).

Not as gripping as the first one. But let's hope it picks up.

Ugh Same. She's such an underrated natural actress. Really needs to dump her shite agency and find a new one that gets her roles in big budget productions where she can really shine as the main. If I have to watch on more plastic faced, identical expression, stick figure c-drama actor, ISTG,

Such a soothing drama. With finely if minimally sketched out characters. Everyone is so lovely. And I think, they are half way in love already. It's like the line from a book I once read (paraphrased): I didn't fall in love. It happened all at once and little by little: all at the same time.

Ooh, do you have a link? These two need to act together more often. Insane chemistry.

I cannot wait to watch this...althought it's probably 6-months or more away from a North American release. #cries

Nope. It's about one lead couple and some support characters. Nothing cliche or extraneous.