Acting can make or break a show for me
STORY: I enjoyed the Korean version more, mainly because this version was entirely too long and drawn out. There was so much that could have been left out entirely, without losing any of the storyline. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for the destiny, we knew each other years ago storyline. However, here the male lead was pretty unlikeable, so I couldn't fathom how either woman could fall in love with him. I didn't feel that the male lead's character was as mean as in the Korean version, but that's mainly due to acting...ACTING/CAST: I enjoyed Dilraba Dilmurat as Li Hui Zhen (though she was considered ugly because of frizzy hair and freckles? Although the freckles were so poorly done, but that's another issue). I didn't think she was as over-the-top as the actress in the Korean version, which I appreciated. Peter Sheng as Bai Hao Yu - his acting was terrible in this. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything else, but here he was wooden with no expressions. There are so many actors that can play the cold hero well, by use of expressiveness of eyes. He, unfortunately, appears to not have this capability. Vin Zhang as Lin Yimu was AMAZING. First, I think his part was really well-written, so there is that. He and Dilraba had amazing chemistry, which was lacking between Sheng and Dilraba. Li Xi Rui as Xia Yiao - she had a few scenes (which seemed to involve movement, so maybe acting and moving are too much) where all you could see was her acting. However, for the most part she did a pretty decent job. The rest of the cast was okay. I did like the progression of the friendships between all the workers in the office.
CHEMISTRY: Great chemistry between Dilraba and Vin Zhang. Between Dilraba and Sheng, not so much. I enjoyed the scene where they were eating together in the car, but I never really felt that they were in love.
This is actually a show that you could watch the first few episodes and then skip to the last 10 episodes and not miss out on anything.
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I'm disappointed with the ending
I enjoyed the first half of the drama. I especially love episodes with Dilmurat Dilraba (Li Hui Zhen) and Zhang Vin (Lin Yi Mu). Zhang Vin was sooooooooooo charismatic, funny, caring and self-less. I think he should had been the male lead. I really was rooting for him to end up with the girl. Watching the drama, I totally get how he fell in love with Li Hui Zhen. And I truly feel that she should had love him back. They had so much chemistry!!Meanwhile, I found it unbelievable that Li Hui Zhen was in love with Bai Hao Yu. Yes, they were best friends when they were younger. But, I don't get why Li Hui Zhen would love him. First he totally ignored her on their first meeting, didn't spare her even a glance. And then throughout the drama he was terrible to her. There was no romance at all between the two leads.
Halfway in the drama, I couldn't stand the suspense anymore, I read spoilers and found out she doesn't end up with Lin Yi Mu. I was super upset. I wanted to quit the drama. I wish this drama had an alternate ending. She definitely picked the wrong guy.
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Nothing like the original and a miscast ML
The original is better imo. There was something about the sillyness and slapstick nature of kdrama that made it work. ML in kdrama was written well and made likeable. This show has not really redeemed him and it was "put them together 2 together just because. So watch it as just another show forget the other show! Now as a show:The trip in kdrama when they bond and talk like old friends made me ship them. We didnt really get the long sweet moments of just and FL was in love with younger ML.
2ml and 2fl are strong characters and shouldnt have been cast as seconds. I feel they got a bit more airtime than they should have. A lot of scenes of them talking about the other two instead of more scenes of ml and fl just ",hanging out". I see why people have 2ml syndrome. We just didnt get enough of ml and fl chemistry. I even didn't see why he left 2FL. It was just a bunch of weirdness!
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama ia so stupid, At first episode i enjoyed the drama because it did very well built ugly girl feeling until mid episodes, After that the next episodes Got very wrong, The Lead and the seconds actor was changed. it was very sad for the second lead male because he loved that girl purely, But this stupid fuckin girl, Still wanted to the other man with just "We have child memory" , Just by watching the painting. The writer rooted The main lead girl with the second lead girl , but after that, He Made the second man lead Sad until ending . Even after what all he gave to the ugly girl, it wasn't fair at all. the Main Lead man in this drama even could date 2 girls, and kissed them. WTF was the writer thinking?, Did she leaves her brain ? . So, don't watching this drama, especially for a man who want to do all the best for someone he likes, Because you'll be sad until you die. ( massage from this drama). The Korean version is waaayyy waayy better. Thx Was this review helpful to you?
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Good try but too long
Full disclosure, I watched the K-drama original awhile ago so I do have a frame of reference for this review. I suppose the simple one sentence review is that it is not as good as the original. Why? That is a lot more complex and I'll try not to constantly refer to the original but some comparisons are unavoidable. LHZ's family as a whole was a missed opportunity. They could have done so much more with their characters. I do feel sorry for the 2ML, in this drama, he had the most emotional depth but the writers decided that the FL is going to reject him from day 1 and on to the bitter end. I'm ok if there is no wavering but there is so much opportunity for cute, witty banters but every encounter from the 2ML was brushed aside as a joke (that would make it the longest running gag for any drama!). I'm not sure what is the instruction the director gave to Peter Sheng but for most of the show, he was expressionless whether he was happy, angry or sad (maybe a little smile or a little frown). Most of the time, Just a stony face. I see so many ML played like that in c-dramas. They are handsome guys but you almost think that they are told not to emote so not to distract from the perfect model shot. Now the elephant in the room, Dilraba Dilmurat is a good actress but LHZ is a no win for her. The FL is suppose to be funny, competent but a bit awkward and she just came across as borderline annoying, a lot of it has to do with her speech pattern. In this version, she speaks very fast but rambles on about nothing most of the time which is distracting and tiring to watch. She should have been seen as a smart, bubbly person but a bit naive and trusting. There are glimpses of that but most are lost in her endless bumbling and rambling. Also, after the transformation, she did look beautiful in some scenes but a lot of the time she looked tired and she still has that posture where she is trying to look shorter/smaller. The chemistry between the OTP is ok and we are told endlessly that they are THE OTP but they just don't have the sparks flying. Speaking of chemistry, the bromance between the ML and the 2ML in the original was a joy to watch and so funny but in this case, there was just a hint but went nowhere. In a sense, that is this c-drama in a nutshell. The plot focus has shifted heavily towards saving the magazine and a lot of the nuisances became muted or lost. When you consider the original k-drama was only 16 episodes and packed in more humour, more drama and more growth, you know there are lots of empty space in the 40 episodes of this version. It is totally watchable but it could have been better. Finally, I actually really liked the editor-in-chief character in this version. She mixed eccentricity with sage like presence so well. I look forward to her appearance every time.Was this review helpful to you?
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Okay. but....
I always love drama by Dilraba but I would say, so far, besides King's Woman that I avoided to watch due to the Sad Ending (I'm not into sad ending drama), I will said, this is not the best.Her acting was her average acting (I think I have high expectation since my favorite of hers is The Eternal Love of Dream), but at least it is better than Fallen in Love Like a Star movie.
Plot - 7.5 / 10
I'll said, by episodes 33 you will feels like it is super dragging already. 40 episodes is too much for modern day drama. Tho it tried to said she was ugly, but she was just not ugly. It is super weird being that she is so pretty when she is a child, she just not developing herself. Instead of the freckles, they should make like she wear braces and her glasses are permanent like in Ugly Betty which is more believable.
ML was quite naive. In his head, he already has this amazing physical image of what LHZ should be. I truly understand being that she was beautiful during their childhood time. And his heart do waver to the true LHZ since what he truly loved was her personality. tho i hate some action he took but he was tricked and although he cannot hate her but it is truly understandable why he hate 2FL when he found out. I mean, she tricked him with the puzzle when she noticed that he started to doubt her! This one part that still making me confused, why he didn't tell LHZ what 2FL do - especially about the puzzle thing. If he did, LHZ might not take the time to let them speak to each other and they get straight to the relationship.
Vin character in this is very confusing (I'm not sure because I skipped most of the drama after ep30) but I don't see the reason why he need to work at the company when he himself is a successful comic artist. Being that he own the hq but why don't he himself checking the place instead of sending someone there. maybe he wanted to bonded with the workers but why? i mean hq decided to close the editing branch, so why do he need to bonded. I truly truly feels tricked.
For the 2FL, she is not in love with him. she just in love with people who care about her. she should wake herself up when he despised him after he learned that she tricked him. she can simply end her charade and avoid him. she should realize that putting it off to later was nothing good. she was a good friend, sacrificing everything for LHZ but I truly believe that a true friend will not be that selfish to get EVERYTHING that her best friend have.
SPOILER ALERT:
Tho I hate it that they did not let 2FL and 2ML ended up together since they should be best friend and at least shows like a snippet where they met abroad or something. but no, they decided to only put the dot for the leading couple.
Overall, I'm still waiting for a drama where Dilraba and Vin will ended up together. Until then, I shall secretly ship Dilraba x Vhin and Dilraba x Gao. KBYE
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Pretty good.
I started watching this drama because of a reel. I researched the Korean version, but I knew the story and did not go for it. I just watched it for fun. Dilraba rocked the character of Li Hui Zhen. As for the Peter-ML, someone could have replaced him, but he still acted so well. I liked Vin Zheng's character a lot. He was always with the FL. FL and 2nd ML's duo was the watchable event. As for Huizhen's bestie, first, I wouldn't say I liked her character but then completely understood her feelings. Other office characters were fun to watch. Rather than the main couple, I think FL and 2nd ML would make a good couple. But overall it was fine though.Was this review helpful to you?
Second male lead syndrome
Although the plot was real draggy in the beginning, it turnt out to be quite fun later on. There was moments I had multiple feelings towards actors, like till the half or so of the drama female lead was pretty much meek, frustrating and what annoyed me more is her attitude towards the second male lead aka Lin Yimu, she was always annoyed by him but later on she had a massive makeover not just physically but attitude-wise too and then i realized they had a bond where they can bicker back and forth and still remain same.Her best friend gave me mixed feelings as well, she kept going back and forth with her attitude towards Li Hui Zhen, even though understandable, it was her own fault. The whole show was carried by Lin Yimu (second ml), his care, annoying moments, gentleness made the show memorable, i gave this show a rating 4 but later changed it to 7 because of him.
Main lead, Haoyu is so emotionless and he is a bit bossy as well and I don't like him much.
This is the drama which gave me major second male lead syndrome...
Li Hui Zhen and Lin Yimu all the way!!!
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Loved it!
This was the first Chinese drama I've watched. It was recommended by a friend and I'm glad to have seen it. I loved the lead actress ( Dilraba) but the main male lead was robotic and un- engaging. I loved the second male lead ( Bin Bin Zhang) and definitely thought the actress should have chose him. Most of the cast were well chosen and did a great job. I would recommend this drama and I would watch it again. It was a a fun way to do my Chinese homework and learn a little about Chinese culture. I'm finding out that food is a huge deal, as it played a key role in the series.Was this review helpful to you?
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Having watched You are My Glory, Hot Girl, & Diamond lover, i'm impressed with Dilraba's range of acting. The story started off strong with its quirkiness and romantic comedy aspects, as the episodes went the audience was more drawn towards Zhang Vin's character, as they developed his relationship and personality more. In comparison to Peter Sheng, who was basically hung up on his old image of the girl from his memory., only to realize the girl he wanted was always in front of him.
They probably could've developed the female lead + her old friend who came back for her relationship further, instead of banking on 10 year memory of each other. Zhang Vin's character from a story standpoint was kind of annoying, behavior was over PDA, which would question would someone really be able to act like this in society, or over dramatization for a story point.
The major love challenge was getting together, usually there are two obstacles, in your typical drama, getting together and finding ways to keep together through obstacles. The latter they kinda rushed through, would've loved to see them develop things further.
Overall the first 20+ episodes were good, the story hit a drag point where they didn't develop explore the relation further, other than use the typical distance move, get back together and then phase out, which many dramas have a tendency to do.
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