John Smith

After reading the synopsis and watching a few episodes, I found myself wondering how will they fill 40 episodes of a story that probably should have been told in 24. The irony is that a show about cooking and taste seemed to have a heavy hand when it came to melodrama. A bit would have helped to add depth to what was looking to be just another classic fluffy Chinese romantic comedy. Too much was added and it affected everything else. Too many cooks (couples) in the kitchen. Overall, it seemed to be a case of liking what something looks like on a commercial, only to be disappointed when it is on your plate. Sorry, I cannot help the kitchen references.
The show is not without its strong points. The food was amazing, especially the camerawork. It was like watching a food show. The ML and the FL were really superb with their roles and the chemistry they had.
I thought it was a good watch. If you come into this looking for a masterpiece, you will have to temper your expectations (last one... probably).

I think overselling would be to use one incident for which very little is known to diagnose a whole generation with madness. Too complicated? Both people were there and there are two stories. It is possible one is right and the other is wrong. Both could be telling their truth or lying. Telling partial truths or partially lying. Or one or the other could be misremembering things. I do not see how that can be anything but complicated. And let's just say that a whole generation (of a small segment of the world's population) went "mad". Like in Salem as a familiar example. To blame it on one thing is just not factually accurate. Then you compound the misdiagnosis by prescribing outdoor play as a corrective measure. You can do research and find that Millennials and Gen Z spend more time outdoors than any generation. I am not saying to take that as fact (you can probably find research to prove just about anything), but the flimsy logic you use to prescribe a remedy may just be from your eyes, and not the eyes of those who know better. Obviously the PR and legal machine is working to keep the focus on fifth grade and his side of the story as truth. The habit you have of making broad statements that we should take seriously, but are not helpful is not nice.
I have not said that anyone should hold on to grudges, even for one minute, let along years or decades. It is not healthy. That is something you just decided. I do not know what happened in this situation nor how long it lasted, or what problems it caused, or how much truth is known. I would like to clarify that there is a difference between holding a grudge and continuing to deal with issues from the past.

Thanks for the reply. I was just amazed how comfortable the FL was considering it was her first lead role. Romantic comedies are probably my favorite genre to watch, and I have noticed that it is usually a "cold" ML paired with a "warm" FL. Perhaps being a "warm" character is closer to their personality than being a "cold" character is to an actor.

One lead has over two dozen main roles, and the other had none before this drama. After watching this, I would have said that the FL was the more experienced one with the ML getting a later start. The ML seemed to improve in the last half (especially with chemistry), but the FL knocked it out of the park in her role from the start. She was mesmerizing, but never went over the top in a way that other FLs who are cast in a bubbly, plucky, lively role sometimes do. The drama was short and sweet, but did drag a bit in the middle, but quickly picked up for a heart-felt (see what I did there?) finish.

Every generation thinks they had it the best/roughest and worry for those coming after them. It is probably just human nature. I am operating under the assumption you are somewhere between the Silent Generation and Gen Y.
I have no problem with your opinion, although the way you worded it made it seem like it was something that just happened recently. The world has always been mad, with pockets of ignorant bliss. Sometimes the older people get, the crazier the world seems to them. Even if it is not the truth, it does not make it any less real to them.
I honestly was not there at the invention of the printing press, postal system, telegraph, radio. or even television, but I would think that there were unintended consequences regardless of how much benefit they have delivered to the world. So it is with social media.
One of the unintended consequences is the short attention span for such articles and incidents. Quick to hear about it, quick to move on to something else, and quick to forget... wait, what was this all about again?

The previous generation said that about your generation. The previous generation said it about the generation that said it about your generation who said it about this generation. The only difference is that where issues used to take days, weeks, or even longer to reach the masses (with no guarantee that anyone outside a small circle would know it), you can now share it with the entire world with a simple click.

For what is was, it was pretty good. I started expecting less and getting more, while I have watched many dramas expecting more and getting less. The leads were classic Chinese romantic comedy leads. Handsome and cold ML and pretty/cute bubbly FL who had chemistry together. A bit clumsy at times, but it sort of worked in their favor.
If I had to pick one thing (or two) I did not like, it would be the ending. I know it was a short drama, but the story seemed to place an emphasis on the fact that the FL did not care (almost to the point of not even noticing) that the ML was in a wheelchair. Then he returns to their engagement party walking. Maybe the short length did not give them time to set up everything to make it more palatable, but I think it would have been better to have left him in the wheelchair. That leads to the second point which is we did not know much about the ML, especially in comparison to the FL. Knowing more about the ML might have made that ending work better. At less than five minutes an episode, I think it is worth checking out.

Do you really have to spoil something that absolutely no one would believe anyways? lol I wish they would have explained it or at least given us some indication of that direction because all I could think of was why she was modeling a habit at the children's home.

Ouch! Looks like I was not the only one for whom the ending did not resonate. There are worse dramas out there, but when a good drama has a bad ending, it can seem like the worst.

What happened to episode 34? Seriously.. sorta. My brain cannot work out how that was supposed to be an ending to a drama. I got flashbacks to Monthly Magazine Home (also on iQIYI), and while not as sour, this drama left me wanting more in a negative way as well.
On reflection, I suppose I should have seen it coming. It was called The Lion's Secret, and I suppose it still remains. It feels like a two week vacation with rain on the last day. It kind of ruins the day, but should not take away from a really good time. That is how I feel about it.
The main couple was great, and I really liked them together. I will be on the lookout for more works from both, especially Yang Zi Shan.

Fighting does not constitute bullying, just as claiming the truth does not make it the truth. I think it seems like a case of "I hope my PR and legal team can get this behind me." I applaud your use of vivid words, but it is not macabre. As for liability, I suppose that will be figured out at the end of the day, but that does not really say much about truth. As far as finding happiness, I hope this could be the first step for both parties finding happiness in their life.

I hope they would not make a big deal out of it only to not make a big deal out of it.

I thought in some ways, she always understood the ML. She was just not very happy having secrets kept from her and being treated like she was not an equal. I am looking for a good ending tomorrow as well, plus doesn't she need to find out about their shared childhood and his heroic actions/sacrifice for her.

I think the drama overall has gotten much better since Mu Wan Qing has softened. I would have liked to seen the last episode today, but I can wait until tomorrow. I am glad it does not have to wait until the next airing cycle (Thursday) to catch it. I cannot speak to how popular this in on MDL, iQIYI, or in China, but it turned out to be better than I expected with a bit of everything.

A really good drama that left me wanting more episodes, but probably one of the reasons it was really good. From the summary, preview, and the first few minutes, I was expecting something much more aggressively adult themed and wondered why many comments called it cute. They were right, it was a cute take on a mature subject. I thought just about everything was tastefully done. The FL was amazing and played her role well, perhaps too pretty/cute/adorable, but I digress. If I had to mention something I thought was odd, it would be that things went too smooth for the subject matter. I guess with only 8 episodes of less than 30 minutes, they did not want to get bogged down dealing with mechanical issues.

I think kids who bully should be held accountable. The question is really how much accountability do they deserve, and exactly what punishment should be dispensed. I agree that these issues should at least start to be dealt with at the parent and teacher level, but that is not always possible, and not always done in a way that benefits everyone (those involved in the incident, parents, teachers, schools, friends, family, and community). Often everyone has different interests, and too often the interests of one party or both suffer for the sake of "the bigger picture."

I think the fact that it was such a formal statement that mentioned one incident in the fifth grade should make the least amount of sense. He admitted to less than stellar behavior for which he previously denied. You also must decide how much weight to give his statement. Was it truthful? Totally or partially? I think the PR department did a really good job in getting people to focus on fifth grade, and having just enough detail to convince readers that he must be telling the truth. I personally did not see anything in the statement to lead me to believe one way or the other, and if anything, leads me to ask more questions that probably would not get answered. I think it is a little presumptuous to assume that there would not be a scenario in which you might feel the need to apologize as an adult for something you did as a kid, even if you were already punished.

They way it is presented in some dramas makes me think that the second leads still think they have a chance. For the ex in this drama, he just did not garner enough sympathy or redeem himself enough for me to say, "He deserves closure or the chance for his happy ending/new beginning." I am glad he was not a constant thorn in the side of the main couple, but that was more the strength of their main couple's bond (and of the ML) rather than the ex deciding to step away.
I think the drama is pretty good.

Really not much of anything. The co-worker figures stuff out pretty fast, and the sister of the teammate seems more bothered by the FL and protective of the ML than actual liking him.

I do not think you are being weird.I think that is just one of those drama devices that is supposed to remind the viewer no matter what was done by the ex, they still care. But unless the ex has a sympathetic story, who really cares if they care. I also think it gives a chance for the new significant other to emphasize that it is their responsibility now. But the viewer should know that already. Dramas being unnecessarily dramatic. I am not sure that is happens in real world relationships, and surely not with the frequency you see in dramas.
One thing I dislike is when they show the montage with the ex and the lead together in the past as a way to close their story. Most of the time I do not connect with their past, so all the flashbacks, dramatically sad music, and misty eyes leave me feeling nothing but waiting until I can say "yes, triangle done."