Not Perfect, but Felt Real
After her parents’ divorce, Lin Yu Jing is forced to start over in a new city, where she crosses paths with the aloof and hot-tempered Shen Juan. Though circumstances pull them apart, fate brings them together again in university. Supported by her stepfamily and friends, Lin Yu Jing grows into her new life, while Shen Juan confronts his lingering family trauma and begins to heal—with her by his side. Along the way, both learn to move forward and find their own paths.
This was the first Chinese drama I’ve ever watched, and I started it after seeing a clip of Lin Yu Jing and Shen Juan’s first meeting on the street. As a K-pop and K-drama lover, that two main leads immediately reminded me of Winter from aespa and Beomgyu from TXT. On top of their similar visuals, the overall mood of the scene gave off a “good girl, bad boy” angsty vibe, which instantly piqued my interest.
Once I started the drama, I was immediately hooked and ended up binge-watching all of it in just two days. The story was not as simple or cliché as I initially expected. It explored various forms of trauma and numerous issues faced by the characters, including family problems, loss, betrayal, jealousy, loneliness, and more. Within 30 episodes, these themes were packed especially well into the first half of the drama, effectively building curiosity about what really happened.
The first half also did a great job establishing the dynamics between Lin Yu Jing, Shen Juan, Wang Yi Yang, and He Song Nan as they faced challenges together. Alongside their friendship, the romance between Lin Yu Jing and Shen Juan was introduced. Since they were still in high school and likely each other’s first love, their relationship developed subtly and slowly. It felt like a friendship sprinkled with heart-fluttering moments. During this time, He Song Nan acted like their love sidekick, while Wang Yi Yang remained completely clueless.
After the happy moments came the first storm. Lin Yu Jing was forced by her mother to return to her hometown to finish high school. I was frustrated by the separation and angry at her mother for being so controlling. Thankfully, this phase passed quickly before it became too exhausting. I was happy to see Lin Yu Jing’s firm decision to return to Puheung and reunite with everyone. Her reunion with Shen Juan was even cuter — watching them transition from friends to lovers, learn to trust each other, and maintain a sense of innocence in their relationship was genuinely heartwarming.
Unfortunately, the story and pacing began to falter in the second half of the drama, especially after Lin Yu Jing’s mother arrived in the city. The plot became a repetitive cycle of problem, revelation, and solution, which quickly became tiring. Everything also felt messy and all over the place, making this a drama best watched in one sitting so details aren’t forgotten.
The introduction of whales near the ending also felt abrupt. While they were meant to symbolize freedom, Lin Yu Jing suddenly drawing them felt random and hard to connect with emotionally. Additionally, the plot involving Nie Xing He and the uncle became confusing in the latter half. For such a serious issue, its resolution felt rushed and anticlimactic.
One thing I truly disliked was the ending. It felt incomplete, as if the writer simply forgot to write a proper conclusion. I actually swore when I realized that was how the drama ended. Fortunately, the special episode provided some closure, though not much. It felt realistic — so realistic that it left me feeling bittersweet. It reflected how high school can be the happiest, most carefree time of life, followed by college, where life-altering decisions begin, and then adulthood, where everyone walks their own path and goodbyes become inevitable. Still, the message that everything will eventually be okay and goodbyes are just a step towards a better reunion left me in a melancholic mood.
Sabrina Zhuang did a good job portraying Lin Yu Jing. She embodied an intelligent, cool-girl aura that suited the character well. Expression-wise, she mostly maintained a straight or smiling face, which worked given Lin Yu Jing’s calm charisma and blend of tomboyish and feminine traits. While her outfits were cute, her hairstyle and makeup were underwhelming. The only look that really stood out was when she wore a ponytail with a denim-on-denim sleeveless outfit at Shen Juan’s basketball match. Her red lipstick often made her look older and occasionally reminded me of her mother. I also found it distracting when her eyes appeared under different lighting compared to the rest of her face in later episodes.
Zhou Yi Ran was excellent as Shen Juan, especially in terms of expressions. I did find his messy “bird’s nest” hairstyle annoying, though I expected a change when he entered college — unfortunately, it stayed mostly the same. That aside, Shen Juan’s character was well-written. His unexpected talents, like shooting, along with his growth from being hot-tempered to more patient, made him very appealing.
Apart from the friendship and romance in this drama, I really enjoyed seeing Lin Yu Jing and Fu Ming Xiu’s sibling chemistry. Despite being step-siblings with no blood relation, they come across as each other’s most reliable family member. Although they had a rough start, their bond and care for one another gradually grew over time, which I found very heartwarming.
What I particularly appreciated was the drama’s commitment to realism. Every character’s choices felt grounded and personal. Unlike many dramas, love and friendship were not the sole driving forces behind major life decisions. Instead, each character chose what they believed was best for themselves. The monologues at the end of each episode were also effective in helping me better understand Lin Yu Jing and Shen Juan’s thoughts and emotions.
Overall, this drama was entertaining despite its flaws. While the second half and ending were far from perfect, the strong first half, realistic character portrayals, and emotionally grounded relationships made the journey worthwhile. It’s a drama that captures the bittersweet process of growing up—learning to love, letting go, making difficult choices, and moving forward even when things don’t turn out as expected. As my first Chinese drama, it set a good starting point, reminding me that sometimes a story doesn’t have to be perfect to feel real and memorable.
This was the first Chinese drama I’ve ever watched, and I started it after seeing a clip of Lin Yu Jing and Shen Juan’s first meeting on the street. As a K-pop and K-drama lover, that two main leads immediately reminded me of Winter from aespa and Beomgyu from TXT. On top of their similar visuals, the overall mood of the scene gave off a “good girl, bad boy” angsty vibe, which instantly piqued my interest.
Once I started the drama, I was immediately hooked and ended up binge-watching all of it in just two days. The story was not as simple or cliché as I initially expected. It explored various forms of trauma and numerous issues faced by the characters, including family problems, loss, betrayal, jealousy, loneliness, and more. Within 30 episodes, these themes were packed especially well into the first half of the drama, effectively building curiosity about what really happened.
The first half also did a great job establishing the dynamics between Lin Yu Jing, Shen Juan, Wang Yi Yang, and He Song Nan as they faced challenges together. Alongside their friendship, the romance between Lin Yu Jing and Shen Juan was introduced. Since they were still in high school and likely each other’s first love, their relationship developed subtly and slowly. It felt like a friendship sprinkled with heart-fluttering moments. During this time, He Song Nan acted like their love sidekick, while Wang Yi Yang remained completely clueless.
After the happy moments came the first storm. Lin Yu Jing was forced by her mother to return to her hometown to finish high school. I was frustrated by the separation and angry at her mother for being so controlling. Thankfully, this phase passed quickly before it became too exhausting. I was happy to see Lin Yu Jing’s firm decision to return to Puheung and reunite with everyone. Her reunion with Shen Juan was even cuter — watching them transition from friends to lovers, learn to trust each other, and maintain a sense of innocence in their relationship was genuinely heartwarming.
Unfortunately, the story and pacing began to falter in the second half of the drama, especially after Lin Yu Jing’s mother arrived in the city. The plot became a repetitive cycle of problem, revelation, and solution, which quickly became tiring. Everything also felt messy and all over the place, making this a drama best watched in one sitting so details aren’t forgotten.
The introduction of whales near the ending also felt abrupt. While they were meant to symbolize freedom, Lin Yu Jing suddenly drawing them felt random and hard to connect with emotionally. Additionally, the plot involving Nie Xing He and the uncle became confusing in the latter half. For such a serious issue, its resolution felt rushed and anticlimactic.
One thing I truly disliked was the ending. It felt incomplete, as if the writer simply forgot to write a proper conclusion. I actually swore when I realized that was how the drama ended. Fortunately, the special episode provided some closure, though not much. It felt realistic — so realistic that it left me feeling bittersweet. It reflected how high school can be the happiest, most carefree time of life, followed by college, where life-altering decisions begin, and then adulthood, where everyone walks their own path and goodbyes become inevitable. Still, the message that everything will eventually be okay and goodbyes are just a step towards a better reunion left me in a melancholic mood.
Sabrina Zhuang did a good job portraying Lin Yu Jing. She embodied an intelligent, cool-girl aura that suited the character well. Expression-wise, she mostly maintained a straight or smiling face, which worked given Lin Yu Jing’s calm charisma and blend of tomboyish and feminine traits. While her outfits were cute, her hairstyle and makeup were underwhelming. The only look that really stood out was when she wore a ponytail with a denim-on-denim sleeveless outfit at Shen Juan’s basketball match. Her red lipstick often made her look older and occasionally reminded me of her mother. I also found it distracting when her eyes appeared under different lighting compared to the rest of her face in later episodes.
Zhou Yi Ran was excellent as Shen Juan, especially in terms of expressions. I did find his messy “bird’s nest” hairstyle annoying, though I expected a change when he entered college — unfortunately, it stayed mostly the same. That aside, Shen Juan’s character was well-written. His unexpected talents, like shooting, along with his growth from being hot-tempered to more patient, made him very appealing.
Apart from the friendship and romance in this drama, I really enjoyed seeing Lin Yu Jing and Fu Ming Xiu’s sibling chemistry. Despite being step-siblings with no blood relation, they come across as each other’s most reliable family member. Although they had a rough start, their bond and care for one another gradually grew over time, which I found very heartwarming.
What I particularly appreciated was the drama’s commitment to realism. Every character’s choices felt grounded and personal. Unlike many dramas, love and friendship were not the sole driving forces behind major life decisions. Instead, each character chose what they believed was best for themselves. The monologues at the end of each episode were also effective in helping me better understand Lin Yu Jing and Shen Juan’s thoughts and emotions.
Overall, this drama was entertaining despite its flaws. While the second half and ending were far from perfect, the strong first half, realistic character portrayals, and emotionally grounded relationships made the journey worthwhile. It’s a drama that captures the bittersweet process of growing up—learning to love, letting go, making difficult choices, and moving forward even when things don’t turn out as expected. As my first Chinese drama, it set a good starting point, reminding me that sometimes a story doesn’t have to be perfect to feel real and memorable.
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