This review may contain spoilers
The difference about this and the original novel
This mini drama is completely underrated. This drama is based on Passionate Honey (百香蜜)'s webnovel, Trial Marriage Husband: Needs to Work Hard (试婚老公，要给力). The English translations of the novel is available on Webnovel app. In comparison with the original novel, this is way exceed my expectations. That's the reasons why I give this drama a high rating. If you haven't read the original novel first, you may think that this is just another trash drama, as the plot is used many times too.1. Story
This drama summarize 1-100 chapters of the original novel. The original novel has 1100+ chapter and each chapter is longer than average chapter on Webnovel. The novel itself is a never-ending backstabbing story and green tea bitches. In a short span of time, there're always people envy them. I personally frustrated with it. Every 100 chapters, there will be new male/female green tea bitches who envy Tang Ning and Mo Ting. After they completed their roles, they just gone without a trace. As if their existences are merely to support Tang Ning and Mo Ting's story. As if the entire universe is rotating around them. But, the drama writers summarize and adapted it to be way more realistic. I personally love rewatching dramas, and this is one of my top mini dramas to rewatch. I think, I've watched for 10+ times already in the last 2 months.
Major differences:
- In the original novel, Tang Ning has 2 elder sisters and 1 younger brother. 1 of her elder sister is a green tea, while the other is a quiet INFP doctor. Then, her younger brother is a singer, named Tang Jingxuan. His MBTI is ENFP. While in the drama, Tang Ning is the only child. This alone eliminates Tang Ning's siblings' love stories too. Yes! In the original novel, her INFP elder sister and ENFP brother have their own romantic stories. Her sister's love interest is the genius, yet cold man at her hospital where she works. Her brother's love interest is his childhood friend who is also his bully.
- In the drama, there are reasons of why Mo Ting fell in love with Tang Ning. Tang Ning used to save him when he was injured 3 years ago. It's her innocence and kindness. On the other hand, there were no stories at all about why Mo Ting is kind of slave to his wife. At early chapters, I already know that it's a completely Mary Sue story. No matter how life throws at you, someone will immediately helps. But when I watch the mini drama, I immediately hooked up and I can feel his love for her.
- In the original novel, I cannot really feel the influences and wealthiness of Tang Group (Tang Ning family's business). 80% of the story stresses how rich and influential Mo Ting and Hai Rui Entertainment (Mo Ting's company) in China. This fact is not in line with Tang Group itself as Tang Group is an internationally approved perfume company. While the drama has a scene which completely shows how wealthy and influential Tang Group is, which is when Mo Ting's dad opposes Mo Ting and Tang Ning's relationship.
- In the novel, Mo Ting's mom is actually a genius scientist who live outside for too long. It's not the reasons you can think of. Mo Ting's mom has a twin sister who envy her. She then set up a fire in Mo Ting's mom lab when Mo Ting was little, making her face unrecognized. This gives opportunity to the Mo Ting's mom's twin sister to marry Mo Ting's dad by using the identity of Mo Ting's mom. For 10+ years, Mo Ting's dad didn't know that his wife was switched. I mean, how could Mo Ting's dad didn't recognize at all! No matter how similar twins are, if they love their partners, they would understand even the slightest differences between their partners and her identical siblings. On the other side, Mo Ting's mom got married again with another man and they have a daughter, who is also Mo Ting's half sister. Their life is harsh and poor, making the half sister worked at an early age. While in the mini drama, Mo Ting's dad cheated and he has illegitimate child. However, Mo Ting's dad in both versions are complete jerks!
- In the novel, Lu Che (Mo Ting's assistant) and Long Jie (Tang Ning's manager) got married and they have their romantic story fully described. In the drama, they took out all of the romantic stories of the characters except for Tang Ning-Mo Ting and the cheating stories of Han Yufan-Mo Yurou
(PS: Mo Yurou is not Mo Ting's sister, they only share the same surname. There are many people with surname Mo, but not also too common).
2. Acting/Cast
- Xiong Yunhao
In the original novel, Mo Ting is a very cold person. The way he described was far too icebergish, seems having immune to any of desires except from protecting his wife. In the drama, Xiong Yunhao did exceptionally well. He brings the character alive and much more human. I can feel Mo Ting's love for Tang Ning which I cannot imagine years ago when I only read the novel. Mo Ting is too stiff and stern in the original novel.
I love that they pick XYH despite his short height and soft facial features, giving him more feminine and soft energy. In the novel, Mo Ting is described as a tall guy that his mere presence, adding to his rich, cold, intimidating, and business aura. In the manhua, Mo Ting also have high facial features. On the other hand, XYH's height and soft facial features made Mo Ting more human, as the original novel never describe Mo Ting's weaknesses. I guess, Mo Ting's weakness in the drama is that his height is a bit shorter than Tang Ning.
Their MBTI is vastly different, Mo Ting in the novel is more the stereotype ISTJ-like, with enneagram 8w9. His Si-Te is obvious. Very dutiful and law-abide to his wife, yet cruel to the outside world. He is a bit like Kim Jong Kook who is ESTJ. Kim Jong Kook is soft to women, yet, is a tough guy that no men dare to provoke. While the Mo Ting in the mini drama is more INFJ-like, maybe 9w1/2w1? I feel him sillier, a bit like Ryu Sungjae in Lovely Runner, especially whenever he smiles. He is much less domineering. I feel that his Fe is higher.
I love his choices of clothes. Those clothes made him appeared more classic and give the "old money" vibes, yet down-to-earth. It completes his features too.
His kissing techniques are way hotter than more popular Chinese actors who acts in bigger-budgets dramas. I was literally blushing the moment their kissing scenes comes! There're so many kissing scenes!
- Wang Mu Xuan
Her acting is well exceptional too! I cannot picture any actress portraying Tang Ning when I read the novel years ago. But, Wang Mu Xuan 100% nailed it! She has high facial features and tall body, similar to the Tang Ning in the original novel and manhua. However in the original novel, Tang Ning is way crueler. She cares more about surviving herself in the cold, cruel world after Han Yufan cheated on her than the Tang Ning in the novel. For example, when Han Yuruo sent men to kidnap Tang Ning and Mo Ting's elder sister. I cannot explain as long as I desribe Mo Ting since Tang Ning's personality in the novel and mini drama is not too different.
3. Music
The music is good, some of it are memorable, but no more. An 8 is good.
PS: I'm an ENTP with tritype 417 (4w3, 1w2, and 7w6), a completely living contradictions and devil advocate. I love giving contra opinions. This drama is totally recommended!
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This review may contain spoilers
I've seen 3 versions of this plot, but this drama is the first one. I'll write according from the first one I watched.1st version: Chen Bai Qian and Peng Yao
2nd version: Wang Haozhen and (?)
3rd version: Wang Haoxiang and Wang Yu Ke Qing
This very drama is the first ever Chinese short drama I watched and got me addicted to Chinese short drama lala land. I saw Peng Yao here is very beautiful, and managed to pull of an innocent girl image. I can tell from the wardrobe and make up she used are very suitable.
The story began with Shen Chaoyan (FL) packed her things to leave the house she has lived with Pei Muchuan (ML). Then the story began to flashback to 2013, where Pei Muchuan visit his close friend's tomb. There, Shen Chaoyan is still a child. I assumed Shen Chaoyan is still around 10 years old. Since that day, Pei Muchuan raised Shen Chaoyan. The story fast forward to how Shen Chaoyan celebrated her 18th birthday, making her legally an adult, with Pei Muchuan. She wanted to be eith Pei Muchuan forever and confessed to Pei Muchuan that she likes him. Pei Muchuan was taken aback and told Shen Chaoyan that he will assume nothing has happened. But, every year, she confesses to Pei Muchuan on her birthday.
Until her 21th birthday. She celebrated her birthday with her friends and Pei Muchuan. There is alcohol too. After party, Pei Muchuan is kinda got drunk and Shen Chaoyan brought him home. She took advantage of it and kissed his lips. Pei Muchuan became sober and disgusted by it, saying that he is her uncle. Since that day, Pei Muchuan brought his girlfriend back home. Her girlfriend is a very green tea bitxh and plotted Shen Chaoyan at every opportunity available. One time, Shen Chaoyan was packing her thing and that green tea entered her bedroom. She took Shen Chaoyan's only picture with her late parents, and pretended to accidentally smash it, making that green tea bitxh's hand slightly bleed. Pei Muchuan then more care towards his green tea bitxh.
But there is one particular day that completely smash and scatter all hopes and love Shen Chaoyan has for Pei Muchuan. Previously, Shen Chaoyan drew picture of Pei Muchuan, then gave it to him. Then, there is an exhibition where the green tea bitxh presented the stolen picture of Pei Muchuan that was drawn by Shen Chaoyan. Of course, this concerns the matter of plagiarizism. Shen Chaoyan has evidence, but unfortunately, Pei Muchuan chose to defend his green tea bitxh girlfriend by saying that the green tea bitxh has been in the art world for so long, while Shen Chaoyan is just a newbie. Therefore, he told her to give up and told the audiences that Shen Chaoyan is the one who plagiarize.
Shen Chaoyan went home in disappointment. Night after the exhibition, Pei Muchuan went home in drunkness and he entered Shen Chaoyan's room, and forced himself on her. Tomorrow morning when he woke up, he blamed Shen Chaoyan instead. Still, Shen Chaoyan tries to amend her relations with Pei Muchuan by asking him to come home and celebrate her 22nd birthday tomorrow night. But, Pei Muchuan ruthless and coldly rejected it.
When it's Shen Chaoyan's 22nd birthday, she waited and dialed Pei Muchuan multiple times. But instead, it's his green tea bitxh that picked it up, and indirectly told Shen Chaoyan that Shen Muchuan is with him for the night, giving somewhat romantic, intimate scenario. Hearing this, Shen Chaoyan gave up and spent her 22nd birthday alone.
Tomorrow morning, Shen Chaoyan will depart to Australia. Before that, she threw all the things Pei Muchuan gave her. Shen Chaoyan also already sold all expensive things Pei Muchuan gave her. She put all the money into a debit card, and left it on a dining table with a farewell letter on it.
On the other side, Pei Muchuan went insane the moment he woke up and looked at his call history. He couldn't reach Shen Chaoyan's phone either. He went home and saw all the despair Shen Chaoyan left, i.e. a birthday cake, cuisines, a letter, and a debit card. He rumbled around the trash bin, which contained all the precious personal gifts from him to Shen Chaoyan.
Fast forward, Pei Muchuan became an investor to a jewelry design competition held in Shen Chaoyan's university in Australia. He flew all the way to Australia, despite having an upcoming engagement day with his green tea bitxh girlfriens.
For competing in the jewelry design competition, Shen Chaoyan designed a necklace titled "Forbidden Love". This made her won the first place. When she was about to give winning speech, she suddenly smashed the necklace, making it broken into halves. She said that the smashed necklace is the complete work of her "Forbidden Love" Necklace. Everybody on scene were shock. Her quote is "If love is doomed to be failed, why not give up now." Now, Shen Chaoyan is the one who ruthlessly rejects Pei Muchuan.
Days after, Pei Muchuan tries to pursue Shen Chaoyan openly, despite the criticism from his father and Shen Chaoyan's biological uncle. But, Shen Chaoyan already doesn't view him more than an uncle.
Fast forward, Shen Chaoyan is working at a company that has cooperation with Pei Group. There, Pei Muchuan's green tea bitxh came and accused Shen Chaoyan, reminding of the plagiarizim day. Pei Muchuan then defend Shen Chaoyan by presenting a recording audio of that green tea bitxh planned to smear Shen Chaoyan's reputation by putting Shen Chaoyan's drawings for the exhibition day.
As for the ending, it's an open ending. But from Shen Chaoyan's face expressions, she already disgusted with Pei Muchuan.
Review
1. Plot
This drama tells a very controversial, taboo topic of a potential grooming relationship. ML basically watches FL since she was a child, while he already is a legally adult. Despite the illogical story. But believe me, there are way more weird, illogical things happen in real life. This drama has a message to tell us, which is the Forbidden Love necklace quotation. But, I don't like that this drama has open ending.
If I compared this story to other versions, I should say that this story is not as tragic as Wang Haozhen's version. In that version, ML made FL pregnant. At the ending, ML also got crashed by the green tea bitxh. Eventually, he became a crappled man. Peng Yao and Chen Bao Qiao's version is actually in the middle. While Wang Haoxiang and Wang Yu Ke Qing's version has the kindest FL.
2. Cast
Peng Yao is perfect for the FL role. As for Chen Bao Qiao, he's quite good, but his expressions tend to remain the same. He's not that old for the role. I think, it's better to have a young actor to play the 20-years-old him when Pei Muchuan met Shen Chaoyan for the first time. Or, the stylist should made Chen Bao Qiao appears much younger, for example not having him wearing a glasses.
3. Music
Ordinary, as the same as other Chinese short dramas.
4. Rewatch value
An okay. I love the explicit message the writers want to deliver.
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