1
Good cast doesn’t completely make up for a mediocre script
Despite its talented leads and sweet, slow-burn office romance, “Shine on Me” gets bogged down by a rocky beginning and a business-heavy script.
The story follows Xi Guang (played by Zhao Jin Mai), a recent college graduate from a wealthy, well-connected family. She’s nursing a powerful (and painfully awkward) crush on her university classmate. Why is anyone’s guess — he has the personality of a wet blanket — and on top of that, he’s already rejected her.
But she can’t get over him — even after our male lead, Yu Sen (played by Song Wei Long) comes onto the scene — though the two get off to a pretty rough start themselves. In fact, neither of the leads are particularly likeable at first, and the setup of the series withholds certain key pieces of information, leaving the audience in the dark about why characters behave the way they do.
The FL’s pining over her crush seems foolish rather than sweet, and the ML acts so petty, even vindictive, that you wonder how she’s ever going to warm up to him. You want to shake them both by the shoulders and tell them to get a grip.
For the first 6 or 7 episodes, I was doubting whether it’d be a worthwhile watch, but suddenly circumstances arise that allow the leads to have some compassion for each other, and it’s like a switch is flipped that changes their dynamic.
That’s when the slow-burn romance starts. Both Zhao Jin Mai and Song Wei Long play their parts well and do a fine job showing the characters’ development, emotional struggles, and growing connection as colleagues and then as a couple, but I wouldn’t say this is a standout role for either of them. I’ve been hoping to see SWL in another role that rivals the complexity and emotional resonance of his performance in “Go Ahead” (2020), but this isn’t it.
Most likely because the script doesn’t give them a whole lot to work with. The first part makes it hard to feel invested in the main characters because of their unexplained tension, while the rest of the drama spends a lot of time on unlikeable side characters and business dealings that don’t add a whole lot to the story.
What to Watch For:
- The arc where Yu Sen is trying to win over Xi Guang is super cute and cotton-candy sweet. His patient and persistent pursuit is the probably the highlight of the series.
- The soundtrack
What to Potentially Skip:
- The tedious business discussions and solar energy hype
- The time spent on the second male lead, whose indecisiveness and insecurity is frustrating to watch (why do so many women like him?)
The story follows Xi Guang (played by Zhao Jin Mai), a recent college graduate from a wealthy, well-connected family. She’s nursing a powerful (and painfully awkward) crush on her university classmate. Why is anyone’s guess — he has the personality of a wet blanket — and on top of that, he’s already rejected her.
But she can’t get over him — even after our male lead, Yu Sen (played by Song Wei Long) comes onto the scene — though the two get off to a pretty rough start themselves. In fact, neither of the leads are particularly likeable at first, and the setup of the series withholds certain key pieces of information, leaving the audience in the dark about why characters behave the way they do.
The FL’s pining over her crush seems foolish rather than sweet, and the ML acts so petty, even vindictive, that you wonder how she’s ever going to warm up to him. You want to shake them both by the shoulders and tell them to get a grip.
For the first 6 or 7 episodes, I was doubting whether it’d be a worthwhile watch, but suddenly circumstances arise that allow the leads to have some compassion for each other, and it’s like a switch is flipped that changes their dynamic.
That’s when the slow-burn romance starts. Both Zhao Jin Mai and Song Wei Long play their parts well and do a fine job showing the characters’ development, emotional struggles, and growing connection as colleagues and then as a couple, but I wouldn’t say this is a standout role for either of them. I’ve been hoping to see SWL in another role that rivals the complexity and emotional resonance of his performance in “Go Ahead” (2020), but this isn’t it.
Most likely because the script doesn’t give them a whole lot to work with. The first part makes it hard to feel invested in the main characters because of their unexplained tension, while the rest of the drama spends a lot of time on unlikeable side characters and business dealings that don’t add a whole lot to the story.
What to Watch For:
- The arc where Yu Sen is trying to win over Xi Guang is super cute and cotton-candy sweet. His patient and persistent pursuit is the probably the highlight of the series.
- The soundtrack
What to Potentially Skip:
- The tedious business discussions and solar energy hype
- The time spent on the second male lead, whose indecisiveness and insecurity is frustrating to watch (why do so many women like him?)
Was this review helpful to you?
