sulkytofu

The legal part has very little to do with the actual storyline; this is first and foremost a sweet and fluffy slice-of-life romance, centred about the question of, "what if we did something different when we were younger, would our relationship be different?" The legal element is used to provide a career backdrop, to show how their lives have been entwined for so long from when they were students to now. They do not solve legal cases together, there are no legal matters, it's more about their relationship (kind of like Le Coup de Foudre where at one point they work together but it literally is not the main part of the story).

I can't say whether they've changed this in the drama because I'm waiting for more episodes to come out before I start, but if you're worried about long-winded discussions about work or thriller cases, there is absolutely none of that in the original web novel.

It's a very sweet romance. FL is completely oblivious to the ML's feelings, ML is the type who is cold on the outside but passionate to the one he loves and he only sees her in his entire life.

It's not draggy but it's more comedic, if the drama sticks to the storyline something viewers may be bothered by is that FL really does not know at all the ML likes her (even though it's really obvious from an outside perspective.) There isn't really a big love triangle (ML kind of blocks anyone from coming near her) , and it's more about how two people have a "second chance romance" due to the coma.

For those who are interested in the web novel, it's available here and it's entirely completed: https://www.novelupdates.com/series/dont-fall-in-love-with-the-boss/. It's a very sweet story, and I like how it takes place across a lot of time. In other words, it doesn't just magically conclude with her waking up from the coma, but rather about how both the ML + FL's life changes through their experience with her being in a coma. Not to mention, ML is truly very doting and devoted to FL; I hope that they will keep this throughout the drama.

One thing I find especially interesting is that criminal profiling is highly, highly contentious and academic analyses (as well as meta-analyses) have found conflicting conclusions and results from its effectiveness. I think a lot of what we may associate with profiling in popular media may also be considered now as forensic psychology or even criminology, and that there may be significant overlaps (and even updated developments or theories) that are shared between these fields.

What I really like, then, is that this drama shows a protagonist who is not arrogant or infallible, but also doubts himself and his work. Kim Nam Gil does such an amazing job with his facial expressions, especially when he shows himself both trying to think like a murderer, while also being disgusted at the stories and experiences that he hears from talking to killers. I remember that while watching some of these interviews I felt very revolted at some of the discussions even though there was rarely any gore or horror; instead it was about the psychological tension and anxieties surrounding the cases. Even though the drama immediately reveals who is the murderer, you are left continually wanting to watch the acting performances. Most of all, it is really exciting to see the way in which our protagonists grapple with increasingly more terrible cases, as both a result of and an influence on their growing abilities with profiling.

Last of all is that I think it is also really nice the drama also occurs over an extended period of time (sometimes bureaucracy, missed cases, lack of information also result in certain cases needing years to resolve). There is so much character development that can still be covered, and it's a shame that this drama is so short when it is so tightly written and the performances are so well done.

I feel a little nervous about this one, not because of the actors, but rather because the scriptwriter and director have productions to their names that had a lot of problems with pacing and plot. Sassy Go Go is one of my all time favourite dramas because of its complex characterization and its pacing, while also maintaining its light and fluffy tone. On the other hand, Jugglers was great as a fluffy com-com but had lots of logical inconsistencies and pacing issues. What this drama ends up being will be very interesting, especially as the screenwriter seems relatively new as well.

That being said, Kim Jae Wook always chooses such different and interesting scripts, and has played so many different characters it'll be exciting to see him in this one. Fans have always wanted him to do more romance dramas, so it's great to see that he's in his next production. I'm also looking forward to Krystal's growth as an actress, especially as she's taking a wide variety of different settings in her acting projects. I also always have a soft spot for a super introverted heroine who may seem unassuming on the outside, but is mentally and emotionally very strong internally. Overall, the tropes in this one seem ripe for a sweet and odd romance, and I'm really excited to see how this unfolds!

The thing that's been really interesting is seeing William's career trajectory, because he honestly was never known in the Hong Kong entertainment industry as an actor, and really only became popular in mainland China. I definitely agree with you that William's acting still needs work and that I'm not yet convinced by his performance; while Mark's stage presence is incredible and I can't really ever imagine anyone else playing Ye Hua.

I'm still definitely invested in the story and I think William should be complemented on taking a role that is definitely challenging, but personally I find both Xu Kaicheng and William's acting right now to be slightly lacking given the weight of their roles.

His performance in Goodbye My Princess was incredible, he was only 23 years old back then. He's been a child star for a long time, it's been amazing seeing the range and depth of characters that he can portray.

As a joke, his voice in real life is very, very deep and low, which which is why people often say he has the voice of an "old uncle." It's definitely not what you would expect from someone his age!

Some general first thoughts: I'm not really convinced of the acting of Xu Kaicheng and William Chan; Xu Kaicheng's expressions sometimes are a little exaggerated, while I don't think William Chan gives off the worldy and even "immortal-like" personality of Fang Zhu. I think they are interesting casting choices for this drama, and really look forward to seeing their development. I do have to say, however, that visually they make a great contrast — I especially love the serene blues and verdant gardens of settings where Fang Zhu resides, and the dark and twisted environments that the Emperor inhabits.

Although I know it's meant to be ambiguous in the beginning, I (ironically) feel as if the Emperor and Haishi have a lot more chemistry; it feels a little strange seeing Haishi as a little girl grow up directly under Fang Zhu's tutelage and have romantic feelings for him. Honestly, I feel like they should have just kept Yang Mi as the girl in the beginning instead of replacing her with a much younger actress.

That being said, I'm therefore really looking forward to the growth between the Emperor and Haishil; especially as I'm a fan of the second-romantic-lead becomes the main romantic lead trope, but also because I currently like their enemies dynamic at the moment.

Yep! I think I was a lot more forgiving as well because he and Sun Qian were adorable in Dr. Cutie, and I could ignore the stiffness due to their chemistry.

I also agree with what you said, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he does. I think Wang Kai did an interview a couple years ago where he described luck (whether that be coincidence or your corporate/financial backing/personal connections) often takes much higher priority than talent and hard work. This isn't a problem exclusive to the acting industry, but in situations like this it is painfully obvious that certain stars really need to improve if they are to seriously be considered for their ability than their looks.

Huang Junjie is notorious as solely a pretty face to be honest. There's nothing wrong with that and it's completely alright to be a fan of him, but his acting in previous dramas have also been an issue and detracted from his dramas. I really think it's a mistake that he's casted when there's so many male actors who have demonstrated their acting skills, yet receive less works for a variety of different reasons. His facial expressions are not only stiff but awkward in conveying emotion, and I think because he's frequently been casted as "cold, princely" type characters that this sometimes obfuscates just how much his acting needs work (keeping in mind as well of the edits that occur in post-production, which likely already keep the best of his performance).

No problem! At this point, I'm really tired of takes that call out elements of dramas (which is absolutely warranted) but don't elaborate more on why. These discussions are important to have, and I'm glad to know that my comment was useful for someone else (although I would not rely too much on my perspective of knowledge, and would definitely recommend continuing to read more if possible!)

Oh boy, what on earth happened to this drama! Judy Qi and Kris Fan have so much chemistry together, and their kiss scenes are really well done. Unfortunately, the drama seems to waste their diverse acting ranges, and has a whole cast of characters and a setup with lots of potential, but completely undermines it with its plot and writing issues.

Honestly, the fact that Siyi can feel Xu Nuo's emotions, while Xu Nuo always feels Siyi's pain, should lead to a whole bunch of hilarious comedic hijinks (similar to that of body-swapping dramas such as Secret Garden or even in the gender-bending tropes in Mr. Queen). Unfortunately, the drama doesn't really spend time showing character development and growth, and instead uses bland and uninteresting misunderstandings in order to drive the plot.

There are so many elements that could make this a real standout romcom drama, including how Siyi can fight and is capable of being a very tough lead, how Xu Nuo slowly comes to terms with handling his emotions, the interesting VR/psychological dimension, and common well-loved tropes such as cohabitation and "childhood" lovers. Unfortunately, the drama doesn't really bother with fleshing out any of these, and meanders into lazy plots and bland jealousy storylines.

It's really a shame since I think Kris Fan and Judy Qi's acting skills are wasted in this one, despite the fact that Kris himself rarely does fluffy romcoms, and how much chemistry they both have together. I'd probably go into this one fast-forwarding all of the plot, but watching for all the cute moments between the main couple (they're really the only thing holding this drama together).

So I'm going to do a review of this drama first, before providing some more details about exactly why what was said is racist and some of the issues with the sentence.

Overall, this is a really fluffy and sweet drama. It's quite cliched and has the usual "hardworking and optimistic FL" and the "cold ML," except the ML is actually very doting and falls for the FL first, while the FL remains oblivious for some time. There's a lot of common tropes in this too, including enemies to lovers, an ML who is slightly possessive, and cohabitation in the middle of the series. It's a solid mindless watch, and it has a lot of the same light feelings as some recent dramas as Well Intended Love, Perfect and Causal, The Sweet Girl, where really the whole drama is about the romance. It is a very fluffy and adorable show, and it's something that it easy to sink into especially when you're in the middle of watching other dramas. That being said, I 100% understand if you cannot support or watch the show because of the controversy, and think that having this discussion is important.

There are a lot of comments about the show being racist, and to talk about what exactly was racist, the ML uses the term 费用 fei yong. He says this to describe the girl to show his displeasure, when she had changed into a dress and he didn't feel like it suited her. Fei yong literally means Filipino maid, it is meant to be a literal defintion. I also want to acknowledge there are other terms that are used similarly, i.e. in Hong Kong the Cantonese word which is considered more derogatory is bun mui 賓妹, with the "bun" from fei lei bun or Filipino, and "mui" as little sister. These words are used very commonly and in daily conversation. They are as common as things like "gwai lo" which is used for white foreigners.

Here is the problem: Even if fei yong is a literal definition, its usage often speaks to broader anxieties and tensions. Such terms are often evocative of, and unconsciously or subconsciously loaded with intentions and connotations, which CAN be colourist, sexist, and racist. Many Filipino domestic workers work in environments where there is precarity, where they are obviously not given social benefits or unions, where often their treatment varies (often can involve verbal and physical abuse) and is dependent on their employer. There is a lot of xenophobia towards Filipino domestic workers (and other marginalized populations, like ethnic minorities, labour migrants, etc.) as well. It is very easy for such workers to have to pay unregulated broker fees to agencies, take on lots of debt in the hopes of sending remittances back to their country, and face exploitation as they are legally required to live with their employer (again, which causes issues with how exactly working hours are defined). No matter how long they have lived in Hong Kong for, they will obviously never be considered citizens or regarded as "equal."

Much of this has to do with broader issues of global capitalism, lack of labour protections, predatory regulations, and other similar issues. I think the common use of the term itself reveals just how embedded and systemic these kinds of behaviours are - even though in this time it was in the drama and can be "edited out" by IQIYI, I can't stress enough how this type of wording is normalized and embedded within the daily practises of people. I think having this discussion is important, and reveals a lot about some of the ways in which such scriptwriting and lines resonate with broader social and political problems.

I'm kind of surprised MBFB let them adapt this? She's been so adamant about not letting anyone else adapt her scripts, which was why it took forever for her first novel to be turned into a drama. But it could also be because she's working on Beautiful Bones at the moment as well.

She did write the script for GGS, so perhaps that's why I found some of the quotes there a lot more reflective of her generally poetic and careful writing style (even though Honey Stewed Squid was much more fluffier and easier to read).

For those who are curious about the actual timeline of the series, or are wondering whether you need to watch Go Go Squid first, here's some (heavily summarized) information:

Go Go Squid (the drama) combined three of Mo Bao Fei Bao's novels together. The first novel is God's Left Hand. The main storyline here is that the original gaming team that Appledog, Han Shangyan, Solo, and some other members belonged to eventually broke up because of issues between Appledog and Solo's relationship. Han Shangyan retires without being able to achieve his dream of representing his country and entering the international stage. Appledog and DT's story is actually part of the second novel, Fish Playing While Trapped in a Secret Room. Both of these novels focus a lot on themes of youth and is more introspective, specifically about how complicated relationships are.

After completing these two novels, Mo Bao Fei Bao noted how Han Shangyan's storyline was rather gloomy and tragic, which was why she wrote the fluffy and much more light, "pink-tinged" novel Honey Stewed Squid (which Go Go Squid is based off of). In other words, Honey Stewed Squid is actually the last novel in the series, which is why it feels like a bit of a departure from the reflective novels that preceded it.

However, it was clear that MBFB likely didn't expect that Appledog's Time would be made, which was why she kind of packed all three novels into the drama Go Go Squid instead. In the drama, we see all the flashbacks that narrate the events of the first two novels, and it kind of makes Han Shangyan as a main character and the narrator of the series (instead of a side character as he was in the first two novels). Personally I can see why Honey Stewed Squid was chosen to be adapted, because it fits in with the light and fluffy romances that often do really well as a web series. Because the show was so popular, the sequel was greenlit, and I think that's why there's a bit of a struggle now with working out some of the storylines (since technically all of the meaty parts of the story have been covered in Go Go Squid already).

To summarize, I think Go Go Squid actually streamlined the content of the novels a lot better. I personally liked Han Shangyan as a character much more than Solo, DT, and Appledog, and I think the drama was one of the rare ones that was a better adaptation than the source. BUT I think had DT and Appledog's storyline been adapted first, many people would like them as characters more. I think this is why there are some difficulties with working out the plots and the storylines, and why the timeline of the drama is a little hard to understand.

I'm wondering if anyone here who has read the books has any comments on the adaptation's loyalty or difference from the original story?

Photos of the scenes have been leaked a while ago and you can find them online!

The flashbacks themselves are really keeping me from liking this one. For some reason, it wasn't as if Go Go Squid didn't use a lot of flashbacks either, but in this story itself it just doesn't work as well. I'm also surprised because I think the story would have been a lot better if they focused on post GGS instead of splicing the timeline in between, but given that Mo Bao Fei Bao wrote both scripts and the original novels, I trust her insight.

I will be honest that I don't feel much chemistry between Li Yitong and Hu Yitian, and that I'm finding it hard to keep watching mostly because of that (although it's great seeing the other cast members, and I think Wang Anyu is an absolute perfect casting!). I admit however that I think it's because I went in with really high expectations and I'm not a fan of Hu Yitian himself. That being said, I definitely appreciate how you can watch this without Go Go Squid.

I remember from the tone of the novels, Appledog's story was much more mature feeling, while Honey Stewed Squid was light, fluffy, and had a very "rosy" and "pink" tint. In a way I liked this contrast because I felt so terrible for Han Shangyan in the novel and his story was quite saddening (I really wanted him to find his happiness). In that sense, one thing I think the two dramas did really well is that they feel like a cohesive series while also maintaining the different "tones" of the original story, and I think they did a good job with this.

I'm disappointed, I'd honestly just rather they go straight out the fluffy-rom com route instead of throwing in plot issues for the sake of stretching out the drama. It's even more disappointing since this is one of the rare times Shawn Wei finally gets an ML role, so I'm going to be wary about going into this one.