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Cute Chinese medicine practitioner heals both body and soul
**Top Notes**A very green flag male lead heals a heartbroken girl. It's slow and simple without too many complications. The biggest barrier between the leads is themselves.
It's your classic mellow, heart-warming drama. The male lead is VERY caring and thoughtful.
**Middle Notes**
Some people might find it slow, but I think it shows how thoughtful he is, always going at her pace and being considerate of her emotional state. The drama didn't emphasize it, but she was going through a tough time and could definitely be scared off if he approached too aggressively.
I personally like the pacing because it felt like 2 individually happy people coming together. Both their lives were centered around family and career until their lives collided and they brought that joy to each other, him a little more than her. No silly misunderstandings and realistic communication; not perfect, but they're communicating.
They kept He Suye's backstory short to keep it simple, and I'm glad they did that. It really highlighted what a great person he is because he had his own trauma and problems, but he never burdened her with them. He's able to handle his own problems and has the capacity to support her as well.
The drama's visual aesthetic was very beautiful, a fusion of traditional Chinese visuals and modern aesthetics. I personally love modernized traditional Chinese styles, so this was a feast for my eyes. It matched the theme perfectly, as this is a modern romance with a backdrop of traditional Chinese medicine and culture.
The last time I watched Xu Ruohan was in Perfect and Casual, and her character there was different from The Best Thing. It was nice seeing her in a more mature role, and she's gotten better at expressing complex emotions.
Zhang Linghe's face card is still lethal. He did well with He Suye and had great chemistry with Xu Ruohan. Their sharper features also look great together.
**Base Notes**
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE EX'S PLOT SHORT. This drama is about healing and would have been annoying if the ex kept coming back to traumatize her and cause miscommunication. I like that they stuck to the theme the whole time and just let everyone heal and live quietly.
He Suye is not real. Ima tell you now, men like this don't exist. I have not met a single Chinese medicine practitioner below the age of 40. Men also do not wait months for you to heal from heartbreak before pursuing you cautiously. They also DO get mad when you give mixed signals before rejecting them, just to take it back again.
I will be rewatching this one.
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This review may contain spoilers
Three sisters and their grandma healing after tragedy
**Top Notes**ADORABLE DOGGIE <3
A beautiful story about 3 sisters and their grandma navigating love and life after loss. Each has their own love story, and everything is well-paced even within 12 episodes.
This is an emotional, but feel-good drama. The plot is simple and follows the recovery of Sunwoo's memories, unraveling the events from 7 years ago. It did drag out towards the end with the repeated flashbacks, but the story does end well, and all the loose ends are tied up nicely.
**Middle Notes**
All the actors did great with portraying the deeper, complex emotions these characters were feeling. This is my first time watching Chae Jong Hyeop, and I think he did great in expressing both sides of Sunwoo's character. Lee Sung Kyung has never disappointed before, and she did great here. I feel like all the characters she takes on are quite similar, but she does it well.
The main leads and Hadam with Yugyeom had great chemistry, but I was a bit disappointed with the development between Hayeong and Taeseok. I think they dragged out his guilt for too long, which didn't allow time for him and Hayeong's relationship to develop on screen. I think they have a really cute story and would have liked to see more of them.
The story between Grandma and Manjae was really sweet. Manjae and his coffee shop played a healing role for the main leads, so it was nice to see him heal Grandma as well. They were all just one big happy family by the end.
**Base Notes**
I think more than each of their love stories, I loved seeing the relationship between the sisters. They genuinely care about each other and have the kind of relationship where they understand, even if you don't speak. They support and depend on each other, even with their different personalities.
Genius is the bestest, goodest dog I've ever seen. I'm so glad he played a central role in the story, and we got lots of scenes with him. I loved it when they all sat at the window waiting for Sunwoo. Genius did so well!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Do not try this at home type of love story
**Top Notes:**An immersive and fun story setting. The plot flowed well, and while it can be slow in some arcs, there weren't any annoying time fillers or plot holes.
The backdrop and costumes for the game scenes were unrealistically beautiful, which helped keep the in-game story separate from the real-life one. This was done really well, so I wasn't confused by the different plots and how they played into each other in real life. I'm also just a gamer and have a taste for traditional Chinese design, so I loved watching the in-game scenes.
**Middle Notes:**
It's a slow burn love story, but it's definitely worth the wait. YangYang and ZhengShuang have great chemistry, and I was riding off their obvious interest in each other even before they officially got together.
All main characters had their own backstory and character arcs. I didn't feel like I was watching how the 2 leads fell in love, and everyone else was just an accessory. It felt like every character was the lead of their own story and could see potential sequels for many of them. All the different love and character stories were intertwined and built on one another.
Mao Xiaotong wasn't very popular at the time of release, but this role definitely helped her build more recognition. She surprised me with her acting, as her previous roles were very serious and cunning, so honestly, I struggled to see her as the fun, playful Erxi. But by the time her character was tested, I believed wholeheartedly that she was good and kind.
**Base Notes:**
The friendships were very heart-warming. Great friendships tug at my heartstrings more than beautiful love stories. Both the male and female leads were surrounded by friends who were loyal and genuinely cared for them. I loved that, as I find dramas with scheming and backstabbing friends draining to watch.
If I had to rate this drama from cozy watch to scheming palace intrigue, this would sit somewhere in the middle. It leans towards cozy, but it also uses some mini-villains to test the characters.
From start to finish, this drama had me sucked in. All the side plots embellished the main story and made the world feel more real and engaging. I was a teenager the first time I watched this drama and thought I could find my XiaoNai in real life as well. HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND TRYING THIS IN REAL LIFE. You will not find your XiaoNai; you will find creepy strangers and creeped-out strangers instead.
It's been almost 10 years since I first watched this drama, and I've probably rewatched it over 5 times from start to finish. If you're sleeping on this one, don't. It's a classic for me, and I highly recommend it to every C-Drama enthusiast.
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