Completed
Petmac
11 people found this review helpful
Dec 28, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 5.5

Love it or hate it

Based on previous reviews people either love or hate this show. I personally found it totally binge worthy.
My favourite part is the bromance. The drama depicts four very different men who have forged a great relationship. They spur each other onwards, giving courage and counselling, sharing fears and pain. It is a truly special thing when men become brothers.
I love that all the women have have strength of character, they are shown to be equals in their relationship with their male counterparts.
I think all the rom-com tropes are covered, so have a go of trope bingo.

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Completed
bagel
36 people found this review helpful
Oct 8, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 1.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 1.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers
Okay so, as someone who watched a bunch of c dramas, proud to say that this show is one of the worst one yet. I've watched countless tucao(vidoes of complaints) about this c drama. There's certain things that the writer wrote that I believe is just...disgusting.
Some tucao videos that I watched(chinese subs):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqPj1X_uRME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2sk1QMcnxo&t=2s

I wanted to start off by saying, the overall rating for this show in china is from 2.1-2.5(I believe). I think this shows enough of how people think about this show.
Something I absolutely disliked about the show is how the male lead had like 3 love interest. The doctor, his ex, and of course female lead. ML(male lead) kept thinking about his ex girlfriend(who passed) while being with two girls. Like bro, please make up your mind. I find it so stupid how he already had many interactions with the doctor and Fl but he was still thinking about his ex girlfriend. Until one night he imagined his ex girlfriend telling him to find his true love. Uhm... okay....Something else I wanted to say is that there were so many disturbing moves that zhang han did in the show that disgusted me. He sexually harrassed FL, yet she was still calm, he pulled her bra strap????

The start of the c drama was pretty typical in most c drama- male lead went to the wrong hotel room and ended up with the female lead, then FL got scared and started running around calling for people , and then wow ML fell ontop of Fl and kissed. In addition, FL wanted ML to fake being his boyfriend. This completely ruined the show for me because the ML follows up with, his rules of fake dating. "You have to take care of me, have to follow whatever I say, and you have to understand what im trying to tell you based off of my expression(how i'm looking at you)." Uhm.....do i even have to say anything. Understand how you guys are working together, but these rules are way to unfair. Like following the rule of "you have to follow whatever I say." FL has her own thoughts too, she shouldn't be following all of your instructions.
(forgot to point out- when you just start the show, you'll see the 4 ML running in the rain on the race track by themself. This was to show how they were when they were younger, but I can't see how they portray teenagers. Looked more like my uncles running together trying to get mcdonalds.)

Many of the lines that Zhang han says in the show annoyed me a lot. When they ML and FL started fake dating, they missed the elevator for work together and FL suggested to take the staircase, but ML thinks it was an excuse of wanting to be with ML. In addition, ML made Fl watch a drama about a girlfriend taking care of her boyfriend and said "you have to learn from this girlfriend."

please go away.

Along with that, when male lead got with female lead, he confessed his love to her at where he cried for his ex girlfriend. He said a bunch of stuff abt his ex and why he couldnt' get w her until now. Bro, please remember that ZHANGHAN WROTE THE SCRIPT! and so, suddenly FL decided to get with ML and thats when ML started to talk more about his ex and told his entire back story about his ex. After wards, he asked FL, "you're not uncomfortable with me telling you about this right?" My god, I will literally wish santa to make FL say "i am uncomfortable." but because zhanghan wrote the script.. he made FL say "no it's fine" WHAT????? This just isn't realistic.

fast foward, they are delivering deserts to customers, and wow if you look at that! they started to tease each other and run around. FL was running after ML, ML had the deserst in the bag while runnig around crazy. And suddenly he felt unwell and FL said, "you have low blood sugar?" And this girl SHE PULLED OUT THE DESERT FOR THE CUSTOMER, THE CUSTOMER, AND SAID "we delievered a whole day, and we didn't even try the food.” Did you pay for the food? Are you the customer? And there she was feeding the ML the customers food.

bro this is such a fucked up show and plot

There is a lot more stuff that I can talk about but I'm going to stop here.

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Ongoing 40/40
SumoBrown
19 people found this review helpful
Sep 15, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Ongoing 5
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

A well written fictional drama of man’s point of view according to HIS experience

I have enjoyed my 6 episodes so far and I am excited to finish. I read some negative and seemingly immature reviews. Immature because you have to have respect for the art of a writer creating a portrait with words. I advise everyone who expresses a negative review to go back and rewatch it with a sense of fairness and open your mind to what the message truly is. Bra snapping on purpose or accidental happens in real life should we throw stones or work to address and correct the situation. Please remember not to bring down the writer’s PERSONAL and Professional life. Let your power of the pen be used for critiquing the drama and not for stabbing with non related jabs to the real man/woman. My2cents worth. Again, AWESOME. I loved this drama and I believe this is the beginning of Zhang Han becoming a great writer. Don’t be discouraged by negative reviews that’s clouded with personal attacks… shame on publishers who bank and stoke hateful comments. Waiting for more like this.

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Completed
Myexperience101
5 people found this review helpful
Jun 29, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

The WOKE vs FICTION!

I remember reading a couple of reviews before I watched this on a few platforms. One reviewer talked about the woke crowd. Yes, it does seem as if everything under the sun has been shifted under that category. It was originally used to bring awareness to police shootings. Now it's overused, holds no value, and no one cares to listen. Can you blame them when we do things like wanting to bring awareness to a series about FICTIONAL characters?
Sheesh!!! That's like me assuming if my nephew watches Spongebob with a scene of him burning crabby patties, he will do the same. It's just not going to happen. He knows it's not real and if he doesn't like the new episode he turns the channel. If a 6 y.o. can do something as simple as finding something else to watch instead of complaining, why can't adults? If your complaints are interfering with your morals and values, don't watch it.

Do you recall the series, Saimdang, Light’s Diary? (Great series by the way.) There was a scene of a character who was very young throwing herself at a much older man. She promised to give him kids, I think. No one said omg, that's disturbing, no one. Ffwd to 2023 and a bra strap seems to be the bigger problem. You can't say it was because it was allowed during that time. I could argue and say boys at school were also innocent when they pulled straps trying to inflict pain.

How about we as Americans have watched far worse on cable television or streaming platforms, i.e., Scandal, The Handmaids Tale (boy that one would really wake the woke up), and even the Outlander had a few moments. No complaints right, because you understood you could have just dropped it or not watched it at all. However, somehow there we go inserting ourselves in the political standards of shows allowed in a country we don't reside in nor have citizenship for and probably use subs. It's been 18 years for me and I still use them. Imagine trying to place your morals and values on someone from another country with a different culture and language. Don't get me started on the people who are upset because he had multiple partners living in his head rent-free. Like no one has ever cheated but the divorce rates due to unfaithful spouses are very real all over the world.
If you notice they are not even reviewing the story just a few scenes of him being too dominant in their eyes.

None of this has any right to be on a review. None of what they wrote has a right to be on a review. If you are reviewing based on your standards, then say that. Say, you didn't like his domineering attitude because “you” felt uncomfortable but please include it has nothing to do with the actual story. Also, don't realize you haven't proven your argument and then totally discredit the series to do so. There is nothing wrong with not watching something that doesn't align with your values. However, it would be wrong for me to leave a horrible review because of that. I just want you to see how absurd it is to place importance on someone’s imagination. It was, after all, birthed from his imagination.

Now to the review.
1. The one or two holes were overshadowed making them appear as just an extra component.
2. It has a couple of overacting moments done by support or guest roles but the leads made up for it.
3. It's worth a try. It could be a hit or miss.
4. The story was an untraditional writing style for most but I like different.
5. Overall acting was standardized.
6. Romance and relationships from a male’s perspective are seen throughout the entire story.
7. Brotherhood.
8. Written from an actor’s perspective with no skills or prior education that I know of, and he did it exceptionally well.
8 1/2. Seasoned veterans that brought it to life.

There you have it, my 8.5/10 rating

Happy Viewing

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Completed
Le Ho
4 people found this review helpful
Dec 12, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 2.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 3.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Very bad drama - don't waste your time.

Gentlemen of East 8th is the worst drama that I have watched, with Zhang Han as the ML. I watched quite a few dramas where he always plays the arrogant and bossy character.

However, in this drama, it seems life imitates work. He plays one of the four gentlemen in their late 30s and (early) 40s who have not been in a marriage or lasting relationship.

The story's premise and flow are dragging and boring, and the acting of the supporting cast is not good either. I can understand why Douban only gives it a 2.0 rating.

I have watched 14 episodes already, giving it a 2.0 rating. I may finish it because I want to know why these four guys take so long to settle into any relationship and how Tong Yu has a son. So far, there is no mention of it, and YouTube has an auto-translated caption which is no good. Stupid but expected ending.

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Ongoing 38/40
CristyRawks
15 people found this review helpful
Sep 27, 2022
38 of 40 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

WHAT A JOURNEY INTO THE OVER 30 CROWD'S HUMAN EXPERIENCE

To a much older woman, I am enjoying the introspective look through the thoughts of the over 30 crowd, especially the men. I don't give a crap what others think negatively I think it's good. It's mostly this new gen who think that are all so woke and they just have gone off on some close minded trip with these trending words like misogyny. smh To me this generation is anti-men for some reason. Don't compliment her outfit men or else she will scream sexual harassment. These are the ones who are tearing down this drama. My astonishment comes from the fact that they are crying about one of the tamer dramas in Dramaland. My gosh, how many MLs throw the girl on the bed or up against the wall to force kiss her? How many dramas has the woman being the aggressor and yet NOTHING is said about that. What about the rich witch who imprisoned her boy toy, Fei, and emasculated him at every turn (which seems to be this generations intention in reality) and made him feel less than nothing with surveillance cameras and her men tailing his every move? Huh?
Listen, 98% of the dramas are far worse in PDA than this, as a matter of fact the PDA in this one has been disappointingly low, almost non-existent. Which is one of my only complaints. What happened to you Zhang Han? You were the passionate one who made us women swoon with your kisses. And yes close-minded ladies, we love the romance with PDA such as beautiful kisses in our dramas! And? Anyway, where did you go ZH? Now you're boring with just hugging. Like the actor Jin Han. He is very boring. Anyway, this is really a good example of brotherhood and being over 30 and single. The women pitch in, which gives the other perspective. It's intelligently written and with the different occupations and obstacles and problems, it's very in depth and thought provoking. Going back to the brotherhood, that is special, that is what true bonding is. How many of us can say we have that beautiful experience, with the ladies in their lives, being by their side, seeing the great partnership and also having their own bond. The meetings over dinner and drinks all together is tender, even when it gets harsh. It shows how they work it through. I for one, even being American, am fascinated by the Transportation system that Tong Yu was designing. And watching the sweet cakes being eaten made me salivate and wonder if there was a way to order those delicacies to be sent here. lol One bad note and that is, while I am all for age gap romances, heck I've been in a few myself when I was young and cute lol, but I do not like Guo in the first place so I am against Amy being with him. She is so alive and he is so dead. ha He is a hot mess and is all screwed up. At one point he had 4 different women running through his head. Even chasing one of his buddies interests and then trying to discourage another one from his other buddy. One other woman, that he didn't want, but when she started dating someone else, he got jealous. Then of course the one that got away. What a stodgy bore!! Sheesh he will hurt Amy for sure. I feel for Fei with that horrid woman that he shockingly loves. And now for her to be pregnant is horrible for him. I love the CP of ZH and Wang Xiao Chen and how they finally went from enemies to collaborative partners, showing the extreme intelligence of both of them. EXCEPT, like I said already, the lack of PDA. sigh... Oh well there are plenty other dramas with romance, I just miss ZH's lol.
Let me finish by saying that this gen is too stuck up and stuffy and don't understand that this drama is far more than the two incidences they all are so hung up on. They must see the bigger picture, unless you are too young in your maturity to get it. Oh and just a suggestion, you should start watching all these other dramas that will have you screaming your lungs out over the "misogyny". smh In the meantime leave this drama alone with your bitching and Directors, give us more of the deep exploration of the human condition please and ignore the haters. End of story.

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Dropped 22/40
Mary Gonzalez
9 people found this review helpful
Oct 15, 2022
22 of 40 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 1.5
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 4.0
Music 3.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

No! Simply no!

I'm going to make it very short, I don't recommend it at all!
I'm not a person who usually drops series, I don't like it, and I always have hope that their stories improve towards the end.
But in this case I couldn't take it anymore. Supposedly Zhang Han has thought about this story for years and has been writing his script for I don't know how long! he's its main investor and obviously the protagonist. It honestly leaves a lot to be desired.
Things I didn't like:
-The story is flat, it does not have a good development (the premise was interesting but it is not specified)
-It's a walking cliché
-Characters have zero development
-Harassment scenes... please... if someone, who is not your partner pull your underwear so you fall into his arms is not charming or romantic
-Zhang Han's character, he has this aura of playboy heartthrob and supposedly charming, but he's pathetic and misogynistic
-The comments... for God's sake... the comments he makes. They are misogynistic, discriminatory, offensive, sexist and degrading. For example: "my mother taught me as a child... that skinny girls are cute... and fat ones are easy to use" or "I have to invite the dinner... because you are a woman" or "you pretend to be strong , but deep down you're fragile... actually you're all the same, you're just a woman," and I could go on all day. The worst thing is that the character doesn't say it as if he were a lout and the series condemns what he says... the phrases must be supposedly romantic and the FM must fall absolutely in love.
If you wonder how bad is it? Well imagine how terrible it must be for everyone in China to be criticizing and making fun of it.
Anyway, this was my way of letting off steam for the frustration this series caused me.

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Completed
Sugar Crown
4 people found this review helpful
Apr 13, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

solid script, great brotherhood + interesting relationship dynamics

I watched this drama under the title "Flirting with my Enemy" on YouTube and was unaware that it's actually this drama until I was about half way through - and I am SO GLAD about that!

If you happen to read this before watching the drama. STOP. Just watch it, don't read up on it. It's the most enjoyable going into it without much prior knowledge about. But now for my actual review and why I think this is criminally underrated (7.7...really?!)

SCRIPTWRITING:
The drama was written by the leading actor and it makes a lot of sense. It just feels different, less dramatized and more focused on the individual personalities and relationship dynamics. Yes, it has tropes and a few flaws but I'll take a script like that over other dramas of the same genre (business, friends, adults). I normally struggle with a drama this length but I could have watched another 10 episodes, no problem.

FRIENDSHIP:
What I enjoyed most about this drama was the brotherhood of the four guys in their mid 30s, even if its unrealistic - this is how imagined me and my friends from high school would end up like as adults. One can really be called lucky to have such a bond even as adults.
A Chef, a Salesman, A teacher and a tech engineer. I really appreciated the diversity, in their style, overall personalities and how they approach their aspirations in life. I loved how they all evolved over time. Everyone had their own struggles, unrelated to the rest of the guys, yet they each supported each other and like true brothers sometimes had arguments over beers.
I think the actors were well casted, again no two are alike and all delivered good, natural performances. Both for the guys and the women. I loved the curly heads! Sad we dont see that more often.

RELATIONSHIPS:
I have to admit that no couple has insane chemistry or anything like that BUT the relationships were all so different from each other and the dynamics were as unique as the guys themselves, which made every couple interesting (to me). I liked how not every relationship started right away or was obvious. enemies-to-lovers, contract marriage, age difference (both ways), Ml chases fl first, simp and levelheaded girl... it has it all.

Healthy Spicy Times! Yes! Finally a drama where it's not a taboo topic at all nor is anyone shy. I was sooo glad that non of the gals were damsel in distress. They were as strong as the guys and 3 out of 4 were more accomplished than their male counterpart.
In the same breath I also wanna mention how much I appreciated the asexual relationship of the curly-hair-couple! It had nothing to do with being a prude or shy and I absolutely loved how she communicated what she needed in a relationship. He was just so adorable and they grew on me the most. They stayed true to their commitment and it shows just how every relationship is different and if you truly love each other you can make it work.

THANKFUL FOR:
...every drama that has adult leads and no evil parents in law (in that department we actually only see them in the final episodes) deserves praise from me. It was just so relaxing to not have to worry about that aspect.
I liked the adult humor, no need to be chaste among guys in their mid thirties. Maybe that's the reason this drama got pulled? There were a few zesty moments and I almost suspect that XF was Bi, but it's a cdrama so shh!
The King, damn his voice is just so great! - Platonic friendships are just great and they truly stayed that. I also loved his last minute coupling, made me smirk.

FLAWS:
Nothing truly bothered me, it was just small things that I didn't fully love. For example I couldn't fully catch the moment where XF and Shangneng fell for each other, since she just wanted a husband on paper and he's a playboy but suddenly he loves her?
This couple only grew on me the second round. At first he became too tame too quickly and basically became a trophy husband. + the initial love interest of Guo Teacher wasnt my favorite. Also the business side of the tech guy was too business-like for me at times but I still didnt skip.

ENDING (spoilers) & CONCLUSION
At the end of ep39 the guys reach a conclusion that induces this-is-gonna-be-the-end-of-the-drama type feeling. From that moment on, the plot was basically over and we got an entire episode of happy-ending. All struggle was left behind - almost fairytale like or the ending of a fantasy novel where a narrator takes over - but I liked it. It left me with a warm feeling.

All in all from beginning to end this drama has a solid script and a conclusive storyline. There are no plot holes or questions left at the end. A very satisfying watch to me and will stand out as the best male friend group cdrama to me :)
I recommend it as a chill watch, that has all elements you could wish for.

Edit: Just to address the "controversy" of this drama. It was removed from streaming services due to heated response from the public, expect from YouTube, but I find the reasoning hypocritical. 1st: The SA allegations came from viewers, not the actress herself. 2nd: these viewers seem to have been blind the moment the FL grabbed MLs butt a few episodes later. Where's the SA allegation here? Hm. Plus just in "My Uncanny Destiny" the ML also touched FLs chest? I don't get how a scripted (fictional!) drama, where you have to shoot a scene several times, can get such allegations? ...

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Dropped 20/40
Lecia Zhu
28 people found this review helpful
Sep 14, 2022
20 of 40 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 1.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 1.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

I don't even know what to say...

Honestly, it's not that good. The plots are cringe, cliché and basically 4 guys trying to be cool and flex on everyone. There is also really problematic values reflected like how rejecting the invitation of a white women is ''for the glory of the country''??? and that if the ML accidentally stumbles into a women's room and sleeps on her bed, it's the women's fault and she just wants money even tho she offered to pay him because he keeps saying its her fault???? apparently the ML can also threaten the boss when he makes a mistake and talk his way out of situations??? For a film that ''claims'' it reflects the daily lives of middle age men, its far from that and for some reason they are definitely richer and more privileged than just ''average''. Also, when there is the cliché FL falling and ML catching her slowmo, he grabs her bra from the back??? and there is so much more bs in this show. not worth at all, unless u wanna watch for comedy? ig?

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Completed
yopekas
4 people found this review helpful
Oct 8, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

Great !, Great !, Great !

I felt in love with this drama. At first I thought it was going to be about 4 wild and arrogant men. But the ladies' in this drama win it all. I love how strong and confident they show us front of everyone but they also show us how weak and soft they are inside. These 4 men who are insecure about love but start to fall for these strong women who help them as they go thru life ups and down. It shows that women can be beautiful, smart and still be a leader and can be soft toward love. The lessons these man are put through to understanding women and how to love them is great in this drama. I have not seen a great drama like this in a long time to show what women stand up now and their independence. The tittle might give you an Idea that it is all about men but it is more how men can learn to know what women want now and how to love them. The actors performance was great and the chemistry between the characters was great. Very realistic that absorbs you into the drama and you fall in love with it. Great job in this story.

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Completed
Tashm
3 people found this review helpful
Jan 17, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Anytime

..recently, i picked up a likeness for Chinese/thai/Korean shows...up came this show ....i started it and dedicated my entire day and night to it..at work,home etc...this show was very interested..love how it wasnt focused on 1 individual only..it was well balanced..despite watching all 40 episodes everyday i go bk n watch atleast 2..i even recommended it to my frenz..i would of like to see a lil dating between the 2 teachers tho but other than that everything was on point... Zhang Han omg!! U are a natural...i wish i can see this exact cast in another show..loved the brotherly live..the females were on point. Everyone was great in their role... hats off to u zhang han ?

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Completed
virgievirgie
2 people found this review helpful
May 21, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Great Bromance; Cliche Romance with Cheesy Lines

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

The decision to watch this controversial drama is because I am a big fan of Jing Chao (big crush on him since “Princess Silver”) and I just discovered Du Chun (“To Love”). I also want to find out if “Gentlemen of East 8th” really is as horrible as the Douban rating shows (currently at 2.1).

I can definitely see why many dislike this drama especially with the few questionable scenes of bra strap pulling and inappropriate hand position. I am not going to argue with someone who is really offended by this drama. My review and rating are entirely based on my enjoyment and I am not one that is very sensitive or easily offended.


What I Like:

Bromance - The friendship between the 4 male leads is without a doubt the best part of this drama. It’s easy to find a similar drama from a female perspective. But to find one that solely focuses on the bromance in a non-BL manner is harder. I enjoy seeing them bickering and fooling around, supporting each other through thick and thin. But I am especially impressed with scenes when the guys are arguing and being totally honest with each other, despite accusing others of wrongdoing. As viewers, you know they are going to be fine because you believe in their strong bond and loyalty. Even with some drunken unkind words, their friendship is strong enough to endure it and such honest conversations can only make their friendship stronger.

Acting - Excellent acting all around from the male leads and their leading ladies. The four male leads are veteran actors and have proven themselves that they can act. The drama does follow Zhang Han’s character, Tong Yu, more than the other three. Aside from being an excellent cold CEO in other dramas, Zhang Han is a lot more relaxed here with many scenes when he’s with his brothers, and especially with his son. I never knew I would see a playboy in Jing Chao. His roles are always so proper and charismatic. I am totally in love with a different Jing Chao. I just wish they would put less makeup on him. He looks so handsome in a modern drama, even more than in “City of Streamer”. A dorky Du Chun is interesting. I might have preferred him as the cool cop in “To Love” more. However, he does play an adorable and nerdy Chinese History Professor well. I’ve seen Huang You Ming in so many other dramas as a supporting role, and I am glad to see him in a main role. The ladies are great as well, especially Wang Xiao Chen. She is excellent as the smart and independent COO of a big company, spewing facts and strategies as the smartest person in the conference room. On the other hand, she becomes a vulnerable woman with a tragic past, longing for love and companionship.

Characters - I really like the four distinct personalities of the male leads. In the dessert competition, Li Jie Sen sums up each of the characteristics very nicely. Because they are so different and with different career paths, their dynamics and stories make this drama interesting.

Lu Yu Hao/Jin Gang - This little kid who plays the character of Jin Gang (Tong Yu’s son) is adorable! He is smart and cute, and says the best lines. He’s like the 5th bro in the group. This child actor also has great line delivery and I believe he uses his own voice and says all the lines himself. I love this father/son duo and they have amazing chemistry and a really fun relationship.


What I have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like:

Romance - I find the romance between Tong Yu and Xu Duo very interesting in the beginning. I love to see them compete professionally yet can’t help but be attracted to each other. I love their push-and-pull relationship and they have good chemistry. However, their romance is dragged out for way too long. The fake relationship is too cliche, in a not very good way. Once they get together, there aren’t enough cute and sweet scenes, and they become boring. The other 3 couples have way less screen time than the former couple. As much as I love Jing Chao, his character, Xiao Fei’s romance with Sheng Nan doesn't make a lot of sense. Not enough is shown during their time together to tell me that they are in love with each other, before or during their marriage. It’s really hard to picture a smart woman like Sheng Nan being so clueless in being a wife. People complain about how women are treated in this drama. I think I am going to complain about how Xiao Fei is being treated by his wife. Li Jie Sen and Yue Zi Qian could have a cute and adorable relationship, but it’s missing something. YZQ seems to be Jie Sen’s navigation system to help guide him through romance and professional life. Dorky professor Guo Chong and Ai Mi are an even odder pair. How did Guo Chong fall in love with Ai Mi? What’s the meaning with all the ‘looks’ he has towards Xu Duo?

Monologues/Cheesy lines - There are many monologues in this drama from all characters. In a way, I like storytelling from different perspectives. However, some of these monologues are very preachy and cringey. They seem to want to tell a story, tell me the meaning of life, tell me how to live my life and then show me how they can profess their love. There are many quotes from poems, books, history, etc. in this drama as well. In a way, I can understand since we have a Professor as a lead. But the amount is too much. I feel like the drama is trying too hard to seem ‘cultured’ and is trying to force feed me and show me how intelligent they are. Zhang Han, is this the best you could come up with after writing this script for 10 years?

Those questionable scenes - True, pulling the bra strap to prevent from falling and the hand position are not the best ideas and should not have passed review. I couldn’t say if Zhang Han intentionally places his hand on Wang Xiao Chen’s chest/breasts during that one scene. I feel that with the way he tries to move her to his lap, it is quite possible that it’s just an accident. HOWEVER, if it is, the scene should have been re-shot upon review. Having said that, I have seen many other dramas with back hug scenes and I think the position of the arms might have touched the actress’ chest as well.

Pacing - This does not have to be a 40-ep drama, I would say 36 max. If they want so many episodes, I would have liked to see a better distribution of screen time between the four male leads and their romances. Maybe then, those three other romances would be more believable.



Other Random Observations:
1. Zhang Han cries a lot in this drama. Not anything particularly tragic, he just gets emotional quite a lot in a modern drama.
2. A lot of tech talk and some propaganda of the Chinese tech industries.
3. Wang Xiao Chen/Xu Duo never takes off her makeup, even if she’s lying in a hospital bed.
4. Zhang Ya Mei looks the prettiest in the last scene - her crazy hair throughout the drama is not a pretty sight to me.
5. Because of the unpopularity of this drama, I couldn’t find the OST on Spotify. I quite like the title theme song sung by all four male leads.

Overall, I have a decent time watching this drama. I would not recommend this if you are really sensitive to claims that this drama is sexist and mistreats women. If you are not too sensitive about such issues, and are looking for a romance-centered drama about mature couples and strong male friendship, this could be an option.


Completed: 5/20/2023 - Review #309

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