Marry Me (2020)

Light And Yet Dark

This is a very delightful drama with comedic acting and jokes, at the same time, it is also dark with bloody plots and mysteries. Accordingly, it has been adapted from a novel and the characters have been drastically rewritten rendering dissatisfaction from the readers. There are many twists and turns, and with great endearing relationships between the main couples and the overall family as a whole, this drama is a rather entertaining watch.

The Story
Ju Mu’er (Xiao Yan aka Shane Xiao) is the daughter of a wine maker. In her daily business transactions, she encounters a miser, Long Yao (Xing Zhao Lin) who is a shrewd businessman running the largest conglomerate in the land. He has deep pocket and has a formidable relationship with the palace. Ju Mu’er is also a virtuoso of the Guzheng. When her shifu is framed and executed, she's determined to find the truth behind his death. Long Yao helps her after falling in love with her. Together, they go through ups and downs, marry each other three times (hence the Chinese title for this drama), and risk losing everything including their lives. Their entanglement also endangers their own family members whom they love dearly. In the beginning, it’s hard to discern who the antagonists are.

Long Yao has an older brother who is the head of the royal guards and a younger brother who is the leader of the wǔ lín (martial arts world). They all live together in an exquisite mansion financially supported by Long Yao through his business income. The Long brothers, though have totally different personalities, love each other dearly and would do anything to protect each other. I love the scenes when they eat their meals together daily, bantering with each other. The Long family is very powerful because they have the royal family’s full support. Long Yao’s miserliness is egregious, making him incorruptible hence trusted by the Emperor and the Dowager Empress.

There are some deadly fights within the harem and some light palace politics. During Ju Mu’er’s investigation, both Long Yao’s brothers meet the loves of their life who are also embroiled in the mystery. The eventual outcome is delightful, giving the audience three beautiful pairs of lovers.

The Acting
Xiao Yan is one of my favorite actors but as Ju Mu’er, I can’t say I like her very much. Her acting here is not that bad, but her make-up is terrible. Her eye make-up in particular, has made her so uncomfortable to look at. On top of that, she has a constant smiling face which makes her sad scenes difficult to comprehend; one doesn’t know if she is happy or sad, giving the impression that her acting does not synchronize with the situations.

Xing Zhao Lin’s acting is not bad as the crafty and prideful Long Yao who loves his money and charges for everything including tea money for the match-maker. Everything he does is viewed as a business transaction. He is very smart but not particularly good in expressing himself to his love, Ju Mu’er, Xing Zhao Lin has convincingly brought out the miser and the prude Long Yao.

The styling for the major couple is quite unconventional for historical dressing. It has a hint of western style and the couple’s costumes are always matching each other’s like lovers’ his-and-hers.

My Verdict
There are some very enjoyable scenes, but somehow, certain parts of the story are also not very coherent. This is very likely that the screen writers have changed the original story from the novel without properly addressing the plotline, hence making it illogical with plot holes and flaws. Having said that, this is a story with mysteries, crimes, investigation and super villains. It is funny and cartoonish at times, and yet dark and bloody. There are strong brotherly relationship and trusted friendship, at the same time, betrayal, deceits and deadly misunderstandings.

Overall, this is a drama with an interesting plotline. Had the Ju Mu’er character been more consistently written and acted, this would have been a very good drama.

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I love this drama! I love the opening theme which set the happy vibe of the whole drama, I love the colourful pastel costumes, I love the settings, I love the beautiful sets, I love the relationships and most of all, I love the characters!

The budget for this drama is definitely on the high side. The sets are beautiful and expensive and the costumes are definitely one of the best parts of this whole drama. I love the coupling costumes that Long Yue and Ju'er always wear after their marriage. :D This is the first time that I've seen a couple in historical drama that done this and I super love it! Their flowery black hanfu is my favourite which followed with their blue coloured hanfu -- they are so so pretty!

The Longs household is definitely a nice place to live in. All the 3 brothers are lovely and their relationships with their ladies are healthy and balanced. Long Residence is such a beautiful and serene home and you somehow get the feeling that it’s gonna be a happy home for everyone when they live there. A residence in dramas usually didnt give this vibe to viewers but the Long Residence definitely gives you this happy and comfortable vibe and I love all the scenes that are shot in there.

I really love if Zhaolin keeps taking this kind of role in the future. His portrayal as Long Yue is hilarious here. He loves for money, being a profiteer and most of all stingy, despite all of these negative traits, he made it very lovable somehow. I keeps laughing how calculative he is even with the Dowager Empress to how petty he is in everything from borrowing his brother's army just to mess with rivals' business to his stinginess with his younger brother -- its all done in hilarious way that instead of being turned off, you will laugh at all the scenes instead. And most of all, I love how intelligent he is, he had his flaws and likes to do things his own way but you gotta admits that most of his plans worked and he saves his loved ones again & again. I think the plot that I love the most is most probably how far he is willing to go to save his personal servant; Li Ke. Dramas usually like to take the female leads as hostage where the male leads need to make impossible choices but here, it was his servants. He has a heart of gold and I love him for that. Long Yue is definitely one of my top 3 Zhaolin's best characters to date.

Shane Xiao as Mu'er definitely one of the highlights in this drama. She is strong, lovely, very opiniated and she definitely has what it takes to take on the rather wild Long Yue. I love how savage she is and her; '2nd Young Master, you are hungry? Aren't you already FULL with jealousy?' and her follow up; 'Chicken soup? I rather not take it or else it will heated up my passion' -- it is a brilliant remarks to deal with a rather jealous husband haha! And Ju'er's fashion is definitely the best. Her costumes are like expensive rags sew on together and it comes out funky and elegant at the same time. Her hanfu itself shows how different she is from other girls and the way she thinks as well is different that set her apart from other people. I love how details the production team in writing and making her character.

I also love how they dedicate the whole 1 episode for the ending. I always have issues how C-dramas like to rush their endings but here, the last episode has everything on why I really like the drama and why it is such a stress relief kind of story. From how the brides do not want to be seen as too eager and acting all demure despite being very excited themselves to Long Fei having to wear recycled Long Yue's wedding dress to how the Dowager Empress trolled Long Yue into paying for the very expensive wedding to Long Yue giving the key to Longs' Treasure Room to Ju'er is the icing on the cake. I like how both of them always smiling constantly thorough out the drama especially when they are together and that’s the very reasons why it is such a joy to see their scenes as a couple.

Rewatch value is definitely 100%. I started the first episode again after I finished it and that’s how I love this drama as a whole.

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