Saved By The Chemistry
Once you learned that this is a contract marriage rom-com, I’m sure you have a pretty good idea what you are getting into. If you love this kind of storyline and a fairy tale romance, Once We Get Married would be a gem. But if you are tired of cliches and stale plots, you would end up questioning its value or even hating it altogether. So, do not be surprised if you see vast differences in ratings for this drama. It is really a love it or hate it kind of production.The other point to note is that this is really a low budget flick. So, you will see choppy editing and poor cinematography at times. The costumes also suck which is made obvious because the male lead is supposed to be super rich while the female lead is a fashion designer. Compared to You Are My Glory with its beautiful gowns, Once We Get Married is like a poor relation. Thus, you will see the leads wearing the same clothes and accessories for different scenes with some of them being pretty plain which is inconsistent with the characters’ background.
Same Old Plot
Basically, the producers for Once We Get Married are merely rehashing an overused theme that is tried and tested. They don’t even attempt to inject any freshness or twists to the plot. Just stick to what has been successful in the past and simply produce another one with a different cast. So, the result is this drama that sticks to the usual of a couple being forced to marry for mutual benefits for an agreed period and then falling in love. Bring in a jealous second female lead that is hell bent on wreaking havoc and a second male lead who is always there for the girl and you end up with another contract marriage drama.
Some people may not like how the story begins though because there is an element of manipulation in getting the female lead to sign the marriage contract. But the trickery is not bizarre or cruel like in Well Intended Love. Both parties know what they are getting into. Due to the old plot, everything is predictable from start to finish. But the good thing is there is no disapproving parents to throw a spanner in the works for the couple unlike Forever And Ever. The other glaring selling point for the drama is the blazing chemistry between the leads.
Undeniable Chemistry
This is what saves the drama from being relegated to the unwatchable list. With a stale plot and typical scenes that include accidental slips and kisses, you really need vivid chemistry to make viewers hooked. Without it, those romantic moments and sweet filler scenes will be bland and boring just like in Fall In Love With A Scientist. Luckily, Wang Yu Wen and Wang Zi Qi seem very comfortable with each other so much so that their interactions are naturally captivating as an on-screen couple.
Their chemistry is what you would be hanging on to once you begin watching and will carry you all the way to the end. Their visuals and height are ideally matched. So, chances are you will love this couple as they are easy on the eyes and very natural in their sweetness towards each other.
Wang Yu Wen plays the role of Xi Xi in a convincing manner. She gives the character some toughness and mischievousness that matches up to Si Chen. This is also my second time watching Wang Zi Qi after The Imperial Coroner. He has the required charisma to make Si Chen appear attractive despite the character’s cold personality. Essentially, the casting was done right and the resultant chemistry is the key in saving this drama from mediocrity.
A Word Of Warning About The Characters
Before you decide if you should watch Once You Are Married, perhaps it is good the know a little bit more about the 2 main characters. As far as the male lead is concerned, you really need to have a thing for cold and domineering CEOs. Not everybody sees them as heroes especially one who is fond of advancing towards the female character until his face is right in front of hers. In the real world, this would be tantamount to harassment! But in the drama, it would be seen as romantic and flirty. So, you will get those scenes which may not go down well for a feminist and may be seen as sexist.
For the female lead, some viewers might see her as dumb and annoying. This is because she is close to the second male lead and seems clueless that he has feelings for her. She still has frequent contact with him even after she got together with the male lead. It is not a dealbreaker for me but her behavior might put off those who want to see more wisdom and intelligence from a female lead.
As for the second couple, they are a waste of time. I can’t understand why the screenwriters even bother with them. The second female lead is a jealous and toxic character. The second male lead isn’t evil but is annoyingly persistent. He will keep appearing in front of the female lead as he tries to gain a foothold into her life. Therefore, be prepared for not very likable supporting characters if you watch.
My Verdict – Just For Contract Marriage Fans
Well, if you like contract marriage dramas, then you would most likely enjoy Once You Are Married. But there is nothing new here that could capture a broader fan base. It is a drama that thrives on romantic chemistry and nothing more. It is for the viewers to feel good and experience all the fluff and sweetness. The drama certainly succeeded in this aspect for those who can feel the leads’ chemistry and just want a simple love story that is close to a fairy tale rather than real life.
There are a lot of near kisses in the drama especially in the beginning of the couple’s relationship. I guess they got that right to heighten the anticipation of a real kiss and those scenes will feel a lot like flirting. It helps to light up the sparks too which makes viewers crave for more from this couple. There are also a lot of kisses once love developed between them. But they are not as steamy as those in My Little Happiness.
In conclusion, there is no reason to watch this except for the chemistry. If you want a more matured romance drama with a fashion design theme, you would be better off watching Sunshine Of My Life and Love Designer. So, for this Once We Get Married review, I can only give it a 6.5/10 score. But for this type of drama, the rating doesn’t really matter. It is whether you are a sucker for this type of romance that is the key once it is clear there is sizzling chemistry between the couple.
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Again like the love triangle, where the evil second female lead does things to sabotage the female lead. Don’t know what happened to Mo Zitian, he kinda just disappeared after Xixi said she didn’t have feelings for him. Overall not bad, short drama.
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Ants will be ashamed in comparison to how Ridiculously Sweet & Cheezy this drama is. ♡
It was beautifully wrapped and I can't stop my fascination and satisfaction on how well-created and produced this drama is. I got the bare minimum expectation for this due to its common clichè plot but I guess you can never judge a book by it's mere cover without checking what's actually inside and I gotta say that I LOVE it so much.It started as an average drama but as it goes on and on it eventually showcases how good it is as a whole. It's like a medicine that will taste bitter and weird at first but will soonly shock you with it's sweet and enjoyable aftertaste.
It has provided several scenes that truly shocked me and even made me so overwhelmed to the point where I had to cover my eyes cause it felt so much for me to take. Those cheezy and cringy scenes that will make you jealous so bad is what I am talking about. Like, there's just so much of it in the drama and it made me feel like 90% of it is just them being so sweet and cuddly. Oh Gosh I cannot!! Anyways, let me move on and start the more serious analysis stuff cause i've been fanboying since the very start. HAHAHA~!!
The drama itself is like a cure that can remove your stress and bad mood like literally each episode has its own unique and lovely scenes that will make you forget time and space. It's one enjoyable production which has so much fun and enjoyment to watch.
At first, I was craving for a more competitive 2nd ML but then I realized that this drama doesn't need that. The ML is already enough with his possesive and adorable character that helps to make the whole Main Couple overflowing with love and chemistry. On the other hand I was so infuriated with Ran XiWei for being the badly badly deceiving bitch who always wears the same outfit. Does she have 1 outfit the entire time? or was her scenes shot on the same day? cause I really find that her clothes never changes.
One last thing, the kissing scenes is everywhere. They literally make out even during the most unexpected situations and I love it. Hahaha~
P.S. I love the 2nd Couple as well. They keep the story well-balanced and intact. I just feel like they need more screen time compared to what they've got with this drama or just give them a whole entire show. ?
Story - 10, It started with the usual clichè set up but eventually shine by itself due to its unique plot and different execution of character build up. A drama that deserves commendation for not taking the usual tiring love story plot and even adding their own spice and twists to it.
Acting/Cast - 10, The actors acting and the way they execute their characters are great. I only have praises and adoration towards them in general and I must say that we've got a set of professional and stellar actors/actresses in this production.
Music - 10, The BGMs are so good and they fit this dramas overall vibe. I love the songs so much and as I always says "Pop-sweet songs and ballads can never go wrong".
Rewatch Value - 10, Despite the Clichè plot I must say that this drama will never be tiring to watch. It has its own taste and feel that can make you binge watch it even 2-3 times a row or Maybe it's just me? Lol~ This drama just hits differently and got me so obssessed with it. Haha~
Overall - 10, I would never have it any other way. I got complaints at first but as the story progresses you'll realized that they're presented for the whole shows sake and it worked out perfectly well. A drama that can quench your thirst and can bring your appetite back to its energetic health. Will Recommend for sure.
IF you find my reviews helpful please let me know.
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The more I watch, the more annoyed!!
OH MY #^##^^!!! It’s got all the annoying elements- lack of communication✔️ SO MANY misunderstandings✔️ FL going to male love rival for help instead of talking with her husband✔️ Push and pull✔️ Stupidity✔️Sigh... it started off well. You have the usual overbearing CEO, accidental falls and kisses, FL gets tricked and then of course the contract marriage. It was kinda cute and there were loving and caring moments, but then it started getting sour and pure angst after episode 10. Too much of the push and pull factor. They would seem to be progressing in the romance, even have kisses and PDA, then the next day it would be back to square one of pretending, bickering and being cowards. One step forwards two steps back. Serious lack of communication, can’t understand.
Gu Xixi (FL) is the most annoying character. One minute she’ll be loving towards Yin Sichen, the next she’ll be cold and uncaring. And she’s always so nice to Mo Zixin (love rival) who clearly likes her oblivious to the fact that her husband is unhappy about it. Even after she confesses she loves Yin Sichen, MZ is still crossing boundaries giving her flowers and bubble tea in front of her husband in their home! And she accepts it willingly!!! Dumbfounded. To the scriptwriter, please don’t write stories like this anymore.
I haven’t finished this yet, but I’m already screaming at the screen a lot. Lol...
Update: after finishing this, I still stand with what I wrote. More typical and annoying scenes towards the end. All in all, the script could have been written much better. There’s a lot of PDA , so just skip and FF the annoying scenes ;)
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I liked it well enough
The fact that the FL is meant to be a fashion designer yet has zero dress sense is the biggest irony of this drama. Similarly, I'm tired of watching skinny, pubescent-looking actresses who aren't even pretty to start with. Why do C drama creators hate casting pretty actresses in the lead role? C rom-coms are filled with the ghosts of these types of dramas where a cold CEO gets with a limp noodle female lead for no good reason. Also, the least the directors could do is match the ambiance to the story. If you want me to believe the ML is rich, then FFS give him the appropriate props. This guy had one servant and at best 3 or 4 different suits. Likewise, the FL repeatedly wore the same really cheap clothing mere days apart. Her wardrobe consisted of 5 maybe 7 outfits. How?Can I also mention that parts of the story supposedly happened in Italy (when they met with Alex) yet not one extra spoke passable Italian and the hotels and street scenes could have been filmed on a lot with CGI background? Why?
On a different note, I hope, Wang Zi Qi, the ML actor gets better projects because he has such an on-screen presence and talent for one that could be considered an idol actor.
Anyways, yeah, I liked it but hated that it was obviously low-budget.
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I wanted to like this but...
Starting out its not great and the ML is a total jerk. Not just like cold jerk but hurtful and overly manipulative. (Strictly talking about the beginning here)I mean okay the feeding each other bit at his work was pretty funny but there was just so much boredom for me that soldiering through all the dull moments didn't make the cute scenes worth it. Not to mention the 2nd couple is so unbelievably pointless. Eventually I wound up skipping through all their scenes. They had like .5 connection to the main couple. Honestly what was the purpose of them being in the script?
As someone who enjoys the cold CEO trope as well as the contract marriage story line I really wanted to like this and I was sure that I would but I just didn't. There are so many other dramas that do all the cliches in a much more satisfying way.
For me, this just doesn't have it.
Is it original? Not even a little.
Will it scratch that the need for a cute fluffy stereotypical overbearing CEO romance? Perhaps but this wouldn't be my first choice by any means.
Would Not Recommend
Would Not Re-watch
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just 1 word to describe this drama
just like many people write review here, yeah this drama full with old tropes or old clichés. But like AvenueX in YouTube said, although full with old tropes I still like it, that old tropes not boring at all...Yin Si Chen (SC) is one unique CEO. He is surely one narcist human being. Usually they give us overbearing or cold CEO, yeah i know as usual the cold always just the outward appearance not for our FL. In here we can see although SC is cold but he is also quite narcistic & very proud of himself. & after they become real couple SC is surely become clingy.
Gu Xi Xi (XX) is one girl that full of dream. She dream to make her own clothing line. She is also typical our FL with this kind of scenario, simple girl that easy attract our ML. But when they become real couple she become quite spoiled.
Love SC mom & grandma. Love how they support our FL. SC grandma like usual energetic grandma that also very cute. SC mom even though looks though & hard to crack, but turn out she's not like that.
Love Lin Xiao Ya & Mo Zi Xin (ZX), They are really a good friend for XX. Even though ZX is our SML, but he really one gentlemen & good friend that only want the best for XX.
Like some people wrote here I also not too like our SLC. Their relationship just simply not necessary. Thank God they don't have too much screen time together. But their couple problem quite relatable, one spoiled little brad & the other independent women. How they try to erase the problem or accept other circumstance.
And yes of course our SFL is one crazy b*tch. That her life goal currently only to make troublesome for XX.
Overall this drama over nothing new, but really that old tropes & cliché not boring at all... The cast did a very good job with their role
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Another Love Contract Drama But Special In Its Own Way
Yes, I know... the idea of a love contract is not unique and it's pretty old. Overused many times for sure, but I just adore this one for some reason and I'm not a huge fan of dramas that deal of love contracts.Drama clichés exists in this drama: ML and FL can't stand each other but through the love contract eventually falls for each other for real, a lot of misunderstandings up until Ep 15. After that, it doesn't happen anymore. A witchy second-female lead. She's the worst. She does things to ruin the FL. The only good part is her screen time isn't shown as much so that makes it watchable but she's still annoying when she shows up. SML is the childhood friend who fell in love with the FL. I don't see why some people have problems with him as he doesn't do anything evil to sabotage the ML. Sure he tries to win FL's heart but eventually just accepts being her friend. He's a good guy overall. The good news is that there is no evil Mother in law cliché. Though a bumpy start on impression, the MIL does approve and like the FL.
Honestly, the story is just average. Nothing really that stands out. But I gotta say, I love the chemistry of the ML and FL. Sure it's a rough start but once you get to the point where they start to realize their feelings for each other, you just can't help but adore and enjoy their screen time together. The highlight of this drama is definitely the ML and FL's screen time together. I was able to overcome any drama clichés and the evil SFL because of the strength of our main couple. Best of all, no break ups. I know that this can happen in love contract dramas but the writers did it right by not including this.
Unfortunately, I wished the rest of the cast were more useful. The second couple (ML's best friend & his assistant/FL's friend), the FL's best friend, the ML's assistant. They were just there. I didn't find their roles as important enough to remember their scenes. You could skip their scenes and you probably wouldn't miss much. They were a bit more involved towards the end but for me a little too late. Of course to replace this, we did get more screen time of our leads so I guess I can't complain too much about this. Music is great to hear during the scenes but nothing I would like to add to my music playlist.
Though the story is simple but nothing new, it's actually a good love contract drama overall. I wouldn't rewatch the whole drama per say, but I would probably rewatch the cute and romantic scenes of our ML & FL.
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Cliché
Concept of the drama is good so start was good but reaching towards the end ,it gets bored. Same boss and employee love story . Though she was not his employee but still the way starting story turned after some episodes it was looked like the same boss and employee love story.Artist were good so their acting too but director didn't bring much from them , I think supporting actors story was not that powerful . Abd for the drama to be strong I think every part of the drama should be good . So at some point drama didn't hold much. So loose . That's why I think at some point it didn't connect much with viewer's emotion.
Only romantic scenes were good that's why I think this make drama little watchable . Chemistry between the leads was amazing.
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A joy to watch despite lacking originality in the story line
“Once We Get Married” (OWGM) is the latest contract marriage trope c-drama. Knowing the this is all about contract marriage, I guess you have already covered three-quarter of all storylines, sub-plots, plots twist, and ending. Two (2) strangers are forced into a contract marriage. The ML is a successful rich businessman/CEO/President, while the FL is a naïve, but smart and resourceful young girl from an average family. Along the way, both protagonists experience many ups and downs in their relationship and life in general. Love eventually blossoms and finally they get together for real - a happy ending. Simple enough storyline and plots that have been repeated numerous times in Chinese dramaland.Add a few more familiar sub-plots and you have a story that is both average, and forgettable. You have the second ML, who is also a successful businessman/CEO/President and perfect in every sense of the word who secretly likes the FL from childhood. A sad character!! Then the second FL who is also a beautiful and successful career woman/businesswoman who would do anything to win the love of the ML. Evil woman personifies, bending on destroying Cinderella’s relationship with Prince Charming. Then you have the ML’s grandmother who just adores the FL. Finally add in the office romance between the ML’s male friend and his staff as a filler to ensure that the series is long enough for 24 episodes.
Then why am I watching this series despite all the tropes and cliches in the storyline and subplots? One word – Wang Yuwen. The female lead is an absolute joy to watch. Her character as Gu Xixi – a naïve yet resourceful young lady – fits her to the tees. She is funny, adorable, cute, sweet, bewitching, etc – you get the drift. Her tall and slim physique matches well with the ML and second ML. When they are together, they look like a perfect couple. To me, she has the perfect height and body types for a leading lady in Chinese dramaland, and she is young enough to pull the cutesy role off. Gu Xixi is a perfect role for Wang Yuwen, and she is the star of this drama.
A miscasting will make a drama unwatchable. Too many examples to mention such as Zhang Ziyi playing a 15 year old girl in the “Rebel Princess” or Tang Yan as a 17 year old girl in the “Legend of Xiao Chuo”. The selection or casting of the actors is OWGM’s biggest strength that somehow compensates for the lack of ingenuity and originality in the story line and subplots. This drama brightens my day! Score 9/10.
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Decent filler (if you don't take it seriously)
OVERALLYet another fake marriage plot. Watch it if 1) you dig these plots, and you dig them hard, 2) you just need fluff to be happy, 3) you're looking for cute and smexy scenes. Reconsider if 1) you can't stand clichés and plot flaws, 2) you're not a fan of too much work drama, 3) you like well-developed characters, romance and/or plot. Reconsider seriously.
THE STORY
So because life happens, I had to pause this drama for two-three weeks before watching the last 2 episodes. Two-three weeks were enough to make me completely forget what had happened. That goes to show just how ordinary the drama is; nothing stands out. No memorable scene, no amazing joke, nothing. Did I enjoy it? Kind of, in a just-watching-to-have-something-to-do manner. It's fun, when you don't think it through too much. Do I recommend it to anyone? I'm not sure...
The Good
- The "being in love" part of the OTP (once they get together) is actually cute. Sometimes (make that often) that's where romance dramas mess up, so that's cool. The drama is generous with couple scenes and they don't feel awkward or unnatural. That was definitely the best of the drama.
- No crazy annoying, disrespectful and snob in-laws. It's the third time I see this in recent dramas and I'm living for it. By all means, make that cliché die.
- Occasional real fun scene. I can't remember them now, but I do remember that there were some!
...and that's it.
The Bad
- I think China really likes the fake-marriage trope. It's EVERYWHERE. I personally like it, but I have to say, most C-dramas have absurd setups for the fake marriage, and I'm getting tired of it. Sure, fiction is fiction, but there's only so much disbelief you can suspend. The setup in this drama is BEYOND RIDICULOUS. Makes zero sense that the leads would get together for the reasons they do. I think C-dramas should learn from Korea's 'Marriage Contract' or 'Marriage, Not Dating', which had some of the best setup for fake marriages I've seen so far.
- Male lead is like every other cold CEO C-dramas just can't get rid of, and female lead is like every other cute and kind of childish Cinderella C-dramas just don't want to get rid of. She's slightly better than him because she has a bit of wit, but they're still super cliché.
- I'm not too sure I understand why/how male lead and female lead fall in love. Why does he suddenly like her? Why does she suddenly like him? The "falling in love" part isn't really well-written (though, the rest also isn't that great).
- Third wheels are SO annoying (and cliché, of course, but at this point take it for granted). I'm still confused as to why these unbearable, can't-take-no-for-an-answer second leads are still a thing.
- Secondary couple isn't all that interesting.
- The dubbing is HORRID. I heard they had to change the script post-production, so they probably didn't have the choice, but it's really frustrating to see that the audio doesn't match the video (what people are saying).
THE ACTING
Mmm...Decent, from the OTP, but subpar from others. Not that bad that it'll ruin your experience of the drama, though!
THE MUSIC
Okay, I'd say! Nothing I'd listen to now that the drama is over, but it was better than in some other dramas!
REWATCH VALUE
Eh...moderate. I won't say low because I can see myself searching for some clips of the OTP on YouTube one of those days. Sometimes you just need a dose of fluff romance. I really doubt I'll watch the whole drama again, though.
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Who is the second couple?
This was not worth watching. Even thought I liked the main couple chemistry, the story did them DIRTY. I get clichés, I love them, but those accidental kisses were way to much to tolerate. Not to mention that the male lead has some trust issues.The second male lead is really annoying, but even the villain got a better ending (what was his ending actually?).
The second couple was the most unsympathetic I've ever seen. So unsympathetic that I don't even know their names or story, I literally skipped every single scene, even the dialogues between the male lead and this dude, because their storyline was so so so boring I couldn't handle.
I'm going to avoid mentioning the small things that bothered me (like the fl not helping her friend with the store and NOT GIVING HER A RAISE LIKE WTF SHE ASKED MILLION TIMES), but I pretty much didn't like anything, so I wouldn't recommend.
The main couple have some cute moments tho.
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