Next Time, Together Forever (2018)

There is a counselling session where the leads are asked to write out their experience. They are unwilling to reveal their feelings and so their sentences have "...". This perfectly summarises this drama series.

Romantic moments are constantly interrupted by phone calls, knocks on the door or people.

There are a number of disappointments on the part of the male lead even though he is a charming soul. The number of times he chooses helping someone else, instead of keeping his word to Sheng Xia is extremely frustrating.

The shipper moments are very cute but as said before they are interrupted, just when you begin to swoon.

If I didn't like the look of the female lead or the character of the male lead, I probably would not have made it to episode 40.

OK, my complaints and utter disappointment aside, let's discuss the positives of the series:-

1) Story - it is a different spin on contract marriage.

2) Characters - Sheng Xia is beautiful and sweet natured. Qui Yang is level headed and respectable.

3) Music - both opening and ending sequences are well received. "I love you, I need you, I want you" and " Slowly I am falling in love with you" are solid musical pieces.

4) Rewatch value - I probably will not rewatch this, as the shipper moments are too far apart and too short for it to be considered worthwhile.

5) Overall, it's a good series; it just left us hanging in suspension for too long.

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How to begin...

Yet another 40 episode drama where they finally get together at the very end! And I mean THE VERY END!!! Honestly I skipped parts. There is nothing new in this show. I get the male lead has a good heart but come on... he disappoints the female lead over and over again. If you truly, TRULY love someone you would never let anyone or anything get in your way of that love. Yet he did allow this even until the very end. 20 episodes in I kept says, “When is he going to come to his senses and see that he is breaking her heart and trust?” 30 episodes and I was like, “Why are you still talking with him or having anything to do with him? He is a looser!” 40th episode he is leaving the country with the other girl and “sees” the FL and decides to follow her? And the last 3-5 minutes they are happily together and no explication or words of “I love you” said. Just says her name, holds out his hand, she takes it, and he slips the ring on. (Smack head on the table). That sums it up. Not satisfying at all.

Storyline - nothing new here. Same story of a not so smart male lead who lets everyone and everything interrupt him over and over again and a not so smart female lead who doesn’t open her mouth and tell him how she really feels or thinks about those interruptions. Honestly I have watched so many Asian dramas like this. The FL says nothing to the ML almost the entire show! She really does not come out and say what really needs to be said. If it was me I would have told him how wrong he was for rushing to the other girl at every call or problem. I would have gotten in the other girls face and told her to get out! But no... she does not fight for her love or anything. Even in the end, after he told the FL he “likes her” he decides to leave with the other girl to another country. Really??? Priorities people! Sorry I get irritated at stupid people and honestly stupid scripts. I know it is a drama but please stop making the leads stupid. Make them fight for one another for once. Make them say what really needs to be said rather than making them say nothing and look pathetic the entire show. I have no sympathy for either of them. I don’t relate to their situation because it was just stupid and unrealistic for me!

Acting/Cast - they did as good as they could with the script they had. That is about all I can say here.

Music - ok

Rewatch - nope nada don’t want to torture myself again with a poorly written script. And a show that just drags out to much and leaves you with a blah ending. Sorry I just have to be true to my take on this show.

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