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This review may contain spoilers
Proof that being mid is still miles better than being a melodrama mess
This drama came at me like a glass of lukewarm tea after choking down the flaming garbage smoothie that was Seal of Love (2022). To say I breathed a sigh of relief is putting it mildly—I nearly sent Richard Li a fruit basket for reminding me that not all short-form dramas are allergic to coherent storytelling. This isn’t a standout drama by any means, but in a world where “unwatchable” is increasingly common, middling felt like a quiet victory.
Xue Ning, who I first noticed in The Sword and the Brocade as a standout support role, brings that same quiet steadiness to the lead here. She’s not reinventing the wheel, but she doesn’t need to. Her performance is grounded, consistent, and—bless her—devoid of the blood-spewing dramatics that haunted my last viewing experience. She doesn’t steal scenes, but she gives them structure, and sometimes that’s all a short drama needs.
Plot-wise, this drama is what happens when A Familiar Stranger (2022) bumps into The Killer Is Also Romantic (2022) in a dimly lit corridor, whispers “what if we kissed,” and forgets to polish the script before heading to set. It’s got the undercover twist, the romance smokescreen, and just enough tension to keep your thumb off the skip button—most of the time. It’s not offensively bland, but it’s definitely not gliding into my top 10.
Emotionally, it coasts. The stakes aren’t high, the feelings aren’t deep, but it never fully bores. It sits comfortably in the middle lane, with just enough charm to avoid being forgettable. And after the narrative trauma I’d just endured (Seal of Love, I’m looking at you), this felt like a decent emotional palate cleanser—bland, but mercifully digestible.
Final take? My Decoy Bride isn’t here to impress, but it won’t make you rage-quit your screen either. Not great, not bad, not shabby. Just fine. And after Seal of Love, fine feels almost luxurious.
Xue Ning, who I first noticed in The Sword and the Brocade as a standout support role, brings that same quiet steadiness to the lead here. She’s not reinventing the wheel, but she doesn’t need to. Her performance is grounded, consistent, and—bless her—devoid of the blood-spewing dramatics that haunted my last viewing experience. She doesn’t steal scenes, but she gives them structure, and sometimes that’s all a short drama needs.
Plot-wise, this drama is what happens when A Familiar Stranger (2022) bumps into The Killer Is Also Romantic (2022) in a dimly lit corridor, whispers “what if we kissed,” and forgets to polish the script before heading to set. It’s got the undercover twist, the romance smokescreen, and just enough tension to keep your thumb off the skip button—most of the time. It’s not offensively bland, but it’s definitely not gliding into my top 10.
Emotionally, it coasts. The stakes aren’t high, the feelings aren’t deep, but it never fully bores. It sits comfortably in the middle lane, with just enough charm to avoid being forgettable. And after the narrative trauma I’d just endured (Seal of Love, I’m looking at you), this felt like a decent emotional palate cleanser—bland, but mercifully digestible.
Final take? My Decoy Bride isn’t here to impress, but it won’t make you rage-quit your screen either. Not great, not bad, not shabby. Just fine. And after Seal of Love, fine feels almost luxurious.
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