sulkytofu

Some have also commented on the elephant in the room, which is the reason why Taeyang was ostracized from the badminton community and how that may relate to Taejun's family history. I'm a little confused by this, because given how small the training community is and how serious the rumours were against Taeyang, there is no way that Taejun in particular can be oblivious to the connection they have. I have a feeling Taejun may already know, while Taeyang has no idea (since a lot of people don't realize that Taejun's older sister is very famous).

Although I like the chemistry of the drama, I do think it is going too fast, and because of that there are certain logical inconsistencies and the pacing of the plot is a little awkward. For one, I think more time could have been spent with relationship development, especially as I feel as if delving into some more of Taejun and Taeyang's past history (i.e. meeting as children) or addressing how everyone seems to know each other and not know each other at the same time (Taejun and Junghwan's antagonism) would help to fill in the story a bit.

I also always get nervous when the main couple get together quickly because it means something else will be needed to fill in the next 10 episodes. In addition to how I think both of them haven't had the time for their relationship to really develop yet, I'm also not sure how they could fill up the rest of the episodes without becoming draggy. I'm hoping we don't enter the misunderstandings/break up cycle, but it seems inevitable given the current length and pacing of the plot.

For those who are looking for dramas that have very similar tropes and give off the same feelings (either historical or wuxia setting, ML and FL equally competent, a slow-burn romance), I'd mention some lesser-suggested recommendations such as Sound of the Desert (2013), Under the Power (2018) and Love is All (2019)! All have "hidden identities," expansive stories, and also couples that are both equally skilled an talented, and often work together in order to resolve cases and problems. All are definitely lower budget than this one, but I think they definitely fill in the niche that this one left me with while waiting for new episodes.

Ironically, Zhang Haowei (who plays Yu Wuyuan here) did an amazing job as the swoony male lead in Love as All; he is so devoted to the FL and he's very sweet to her. I'm kind of surprised at his characterization in this one; but if you'd like to see him in a very different role I would definitely recommend this one too.

I do agree with some of the comments that while the drama has a very interesting plot and overall backdrop, I think the way in which they have spliced the overall narrative is a little awkward. On one hand, this storyline allows for logical consistency with the fact that nobody knows Hei Fengxi's real identity. On the other hand, however, it takes away a lot of time from the FL's character development (even if it comes in the later episodes, doesn't that mean screentime and development for Hei Fengxi also gets taken away?)

One way I feel they could have addressed this problem is by having Bai Fengxi actually be, for example, Feng Qiwu (wouldn't it be really interesting to have this position switched/if both the leads were hiding their double identity?) Or they could have opportunities for Bai Fengxi to be more involved in the palace politics in Hei Fengxi's other identity. I say this because the actual politics is really interesting (props to Zhang Tian Yang for doing a great job for example as Prince Chang, that there are royal members of the family who don't actually want to get rid of Hei Fengxi makes the politics much more intriguing!)

I also think in some ways the lore around Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi is much more interesting at times than Hei Fengxi's political backstory. For example, if they had done something similar to Under the Power in which the two characters travelled together for a while through multiple smaller story arcs, and then ended with the palace politics, then I feel as if that would streamline the story a little more. To that end, however, I do like Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi's chemistry (Yang Yang is absolutely perfect as the doting ML who watches his leading lady from the sidelines, while Zhao Lusi does a great job at showing the righteousness and upright nature of Bai Fengxi), and I'm looking forward to the next episodes.

I'm really disappointed in Song Weilong as the ML, I really feel like the ML in the original novel had a lot of presence while also giving off a much more mature feeling. I still think he's quite young for the role, and he doesn't match how the couple in the original novel gave me a bit of an "age-gap" feeling. Song Zuer however has surprised me a lot with some of her past roles (such as in Legally Romance), and so I think she's actually quite well-casted for this one!

For those who have finished and are looking for another sweet, fluffy romance, it's a little bit of an older one but Something but 1% (2016) has the exact same feeling. A fluffy and adorable webtoon romance with little drama that's focused on the main couple, along with some great side characters!

Does anyone who is currently watching this have a mini-review or any comments about how they feel about the drama so far? I know that it's still quite early/we're really only in the half stretch, but how's the romance and the storyline for this? I'm still not really sure what the genres are for this drama, and wanted some advice on tempering expectations before going into this one!

We are coming to my absolute favourite part of the drama, which is when Qian Wei returns to the "present" timeline. I don't want to spoil too much, but what I love so much about this story is that when this happens things aren't perfect or magically resolved. In similar "time-travel" or romance dramas the story ends when the protagonist returns to the present day, but as we know this is absolutely not the case in this story. In fact, both Qian Wei and Lu Xun have so much that they need to communicate over, especially because rather than being at the stage of youth, they are now adults who have known each other for so long that it becomes difficult to move from where they are currently standing. If the Lu Xun during their university days was straightforward, passionate, and headstrong in his pursuit of Qian Wei, the Lu Xun now is much more conservative, worried about change, and continues to reserve his feelings out of fear of rejection. It's Qian Wei's turn now after reflecting on their past to do the pursuing, and I can't wait to see how the relationship between the both of them changes.

I also think the drama added a lot more nuance and layers to the novel itself; if the novel was tinged with pink and gave you a warm and bubbly feeling inside with its sweetness, the drama itself is much more muted and contemplative. In a way, I liked how Li Chong Wen and Qian Wei had those conversations about whether she had come from the future because it was an opening for them to communicate over what went wrong in their relationship. It is also, however, proof that Qian Wei indeed does love Lu Xun more, that even after being able to have the chance to be together with Chong Wen again this time she must choose Lu Xun first. I like it when characters are straightforward with each other and their feelings, but also when love triangles are done purposefully and meaningfully (rather than simply being used to create situations of jealousy). I'm excited to see everyone's comments on this part of the drama, especially as it's very satisfyingly handled and the book does a really good job making Qian Wei's "return to the past" a highly meaningful experience, rather than invalidating it by making it "all a dream."

I will be truly so happy if this is the ending, so many fluffy romance Chinese dramas don't end in a wedding!

I hope so as well! There is still a lot of growth that both of them need to go through after getting together. Let's wait and see how they decide to handle that part of the story!

The part when they are adults again/in the same time as Episode 1 and 2 is my favourite. It's very sweet, cute, and awkward. I am hoping that we do not get too much angst, and that we get to that part very soon!

The reality is that the legal system is never unbiased or fair. Even what we consider as justice and law can be shaped by our own social and cognitive biases; not to mention that different rulings and decisions may be formed based on these decisions. I do agree with you that I think the framing of the drama does have its limits. This is first and foremost a fluffy romance drama, and even the original novel completely sidelines the legal aspect of the story. In many ways, the drama also makes Chong Wen seem like a very "bad" character, but in fact the way in which he went from seeking to pursue justice to wanting to acquire greater fame and fortune is very sympathetic and understandable. In fact, if the drama were framed differently, I am sure that Li Chong Wen would have also made a great ML (but that's another drama and another story). One can have conflicting or even complementary opinions (of wanting to uphold justice and then of wanting to make more money); what's refreshing is that we see Qian Wei handle these decisions through the course of her entire adulthood period.

I would recommend also if you are comfortable waiting until maybe more episodes are out. Then we can see if they deviate from the novel and add in a bunch of problems that are not in the story to create "angst," or if they maintain the crackly, fluffy, and wholesome story that is happening right now.

In the original novel, it is a very, very happy ending.

Yes! To be honest, the original story did not really have angst which I actually appreciated. I don't like it when a great romance where the two leads actually communicate really well suddenly face a bunch of contrived issues to create problems or angst; not to mention that Lu Xun does such a great job at being upfront of his feelings and not beating around the bush, while Qian Wei doesn't take advantage of his affections and is very clear to Chong Wen about how their (former) relationship is not working. Moreover, the original story also devoted time to real problems for the couple that while they aren't angsty, are still interesting to see (i.e. we've been friends for so long, how do we get used to be intimate and affectionate with one another?) I really hope they do not throw in a bunch of "time-travelling" "parallel worlds" "other dimensions" into this drama because I think it would take away from what is the core of this story - that is reflecting on how someone who you may have missed in the past may in fact be one of the most important people in your life.

I do not want to spoil you, so I will warn that my comment below has spoilers for the novel. If you want to skip it, I will say in the novel there is no fantasy/parallel world/reincarnation.

(MAJOR SPOILER FROM THE NOVEL) In the novel, there is no fantasy because Qian Wei realized that she was going through her memories. She remembered things that she had not paid attention to before or noticed previously, which was why her relationship with Lu Xun turned out to be very different. In other words, the entire "time travel" portion is actually just her in her coma rethinking events and sifting through her memories. I actually loved this approach because when she wakes up, they don't just magically fall in love. Their relationship is still at a standstill; they are still boss and assistant, Lu Xun has no idea Qian Wei now knows he always loved her. Qian Wei after the coma then realizes who has cared for her for so long, and then now has to think of how to build that relationship with Lu Xun in real life. (END SPOILER FROM THE NOVEL).

I feel the same way in that I am worried about the angst. If there is a lot of angst it means there is deviation from the original webnovel, which is a shame because I liked how there were no useless problems in the original story. At the heart of the story is both people's relationship and their character growth; nothing to do with trying to figure out how to turn back time, change the timeline of what happened, etc.

I am a little worried too, because without spoiling too many things, even when Qian Wei and Lu Xun get together there are still other challenges they need to address. To put it simply, the coma really provides a catalyst for their situation, but does not resolve it. However, when I watched the trailer I saw a lot of angsty previews which the original novel did not have, and it worries me that we are already at this point even though there are still 20 episodes remaining. We will wait and see, but my hope is that both of them do not go through too many tough times together, and that the drama sticks closely to the novel.

It's truly a very sweet and lovely drama! I admit I may be biased as this is one of my favourite cnovels, and I really loved Lu Xun and Qian Wei's hilarious dynamic. However, I've just watched the trailer and saw so many angst scenes and some discussion of parallel worlds, which makes me nervous since these did not exist in the original novel. I hope that this drama continues to maintain the comforting, sweet tone that it currently has, and does not put our main couple through too many difficult times!

If the drama sticks to the original novel, @sakie is absolutely correct that there is no fantasy element or parallel worlds or reincarnation involved. However, I am watching the full trailer right now and am a little worried about how many angst scenes there are (these did not really exist in the original novel) and all of the discussions of parallel worlds. So we will wait and see what happens, because I am not too sure either.

Surprisingly, at first I was really hesitant about the casting as someone who's already read the novel first. This is because Tao did not match what I envisioned Lu Xun to be like, while Song Zuer seemed to give off a much more elegant demeanour than what I expected Qian Wei to have. After catching up to the majority of episodes, however, I can say that both of them are perfect for the role. The chemistry is sparkling, and the way in which they bicker, their facial expressions, and how they always take care of each other is so swoonworthy and adorable. I also remember thinking the novel gave off a much more "pink" and rosy-tinted feel, but I love how the cinematography, muted palette tones, and the filming of the drama have made the story feel a lot more mature and sweet; like a cup of tea that gently warms your heart over time. They did a wonderful job with the adaptation, and I'm so excited for every week as the new episodes get released.

Reflecting on the actual storyline itself, this drama also has some of my favourite tropes. For those of you still on the fence about watching, these are my favourite elements:

(1) Second Lead Gets the Girl: This is one of my favourite and underrated tropes, but this is a second chance romance, where two people who missed each other before now have the opportunity to be with one another. It's ironic in that Lu Xun is the ML, but he also technically fits the "second lead role" since previously Qian Wei never saw him as a romantic love interest. The drama does a really great job showing how what was once a missed opportunity is now the start of a new romance, and paying attention to little details (i.e. folding paper origami, bottles of milk tea, handwritten notes) that show the development of their relationship.

(2) ML Always Loves FL: ML is considered cold, but actually he's very nice and kind to other in my opinion. He's not a jerk at all, is very balanced with his emotions. Although he is very logical when it comes to his work, he is really devoted to the FL and becomes passionate around her. Tao also does such a good job showing some of the ML's quirkiness, but also how he is the FL's rock, and is always there to be by her side when she is going through difficult times.

(3) Not A Fantasy Plot: If the drama follows with the storyline, what I will say without spoiling things is that this is not a fantasy, nor do things magically get resolved out of love. Both the ML and FL have a lot to communicate over and to navigate as they get to know each other differently from what their relationship was in their "first life." I really like how the story does not stop at their high school and college years, but instead follows them to their adult life.

I'm unsure if things will change with the later episodes, as 33 episodes is quite long for a fluffier romance drama. However, I loved the book so much and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a very sweet and warm romance. I'm so excited to be able to watch it live with everyone; and I love all of the happy and sweet discussions on this thread!

Bonus: Qian Chuan and Shi Yun are my all time favourite second lead romance, I absolutely love their dynamic. They are definitely the "idiot" x "idiot" couple, and I love how protective they are of each other.