My Boss (2024)

Dumb story with dumb characters

After 10 episodes I decided to drop this drama for reasons I'll address below:

ML is a typical CEO: cold, arrogant and demanding. FL is cute, nice and lovely. He is her boss so we got that dynamic where ML exploits and abuses of his power over FL, and she just goes on with it bc sHe neEdS The joB. I'm a little tired of these kinds of plots. But it was still quite enjoyable in the beginning. However, it felt like nothing was actually happening most of the time. The drama has a comedic tone so most of their scenes are supposed to be funny or even cute but not swoony or deeply romantic. At least in the first 10 episodes it's just him ordering her around and remembering her of how unnexperienced and dumb she is, while she just flatters him because of concern of being fired. It wasn't the right energy for me. Also, I don't think I understood the humor. I laughed sometimes but for the most part it was kinda boring.

The plot seemed a little dumb from the beginning. And like is gonna be really hard to get through 36 episodes without it falling apart. I mean, 6 eps in and nobody has any depth and everything is just played for laughs. There's no real plot. Surely this drama could be 15 episodes shorter.

I personally didn't like how FL acted like a child sometimes. The tone of her voice, the way she runs, how she behaves in general. It's all so silly and childlike that it bothered me. And it gets worse when she's put in contrast with ML's cold demeanor. He behaves more like an old man. And that made it difficult for me to feel their chemistry. Not to mention how he cannot let us forget the reasons she isn't made to be a lawyer. It's funny how in the office he insists that men and women are equals while at home he makes her cook and clean for him. Such a hypocrite!

SML is such a cool guy. I like him. However, the way he crushes and pursues SFL is a little weird. It's an almost stalker-like behavior. And their relationship felt vague. Like, did they spend a night together or not? Why didn't he make things clear with her sooner? I was confused.

That was pretty much it. It wasn't one of the worst dramas I've ever watched. But it could've been waaay better.

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DONT BELIEVE THE OTHER REVIEWS...

man another flop drop from male lead... I thought Zhang ruo nan ( female lead actress0 could save it but no!
IT starts off with the troupe of a CEO boss ( male lead), and the female lead is a noob in her career as a lawyer.

The female lead is not really ft for being a lawyer, she is way to emotional. Her characters is not dumb, she is hardworking and remembers what her boss said. Honestly her personality doesnt really shine in this one.

Male lead is stone cold, smart. He is really dumb in admiting his feelings to the female lead.

36 episodes and more than half way for them to confess their feelings. I didnt feel any chemistry between the leads.

I thought it would be good because the female lead could help cure the male lead's insomnia but that part sizzle out before any romance. The female lead keep denying/ saying she has no feelings for her boss because thats her boss why would the boss like her...

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The Love Story of a Handsome Divorce Advocate

Abuse, infidelity, divorce and fighting over inheritance are the colors in this drama which is an adaptation of the web novel "What Comes Around Goes Around" (你也有今天) by Ye Fei Ran (叶斐然). Exciting! Ye Fei Ran successfully mixed his romantic drama with articles in the marriage law, including loopholes that can be used to win a lawsuit.

The casting is also clever. The seven advocates are beautiful and handsome. Typical Chinese drama. 😊😊 Their acting is very capable, and most importantly: The two main actors managed to provide adorable chemistry!

Romantic scenes intertwine with hilarious behavior, including Tan Li Min who plays Qian Heng's mother, and He Wen Jun who plays lawyer Bao Rui.

Unfortunately, screenwriter Li Jing Ling was so engrossed in concocting casting and scenes that she failed to compose the story as a whole. The puzzles are scattered, don't connect, and don't complement each other.

Like the story of Cheng Yao who still has an older sister named Cheng Xi and intact parents. They only appear before scenes that cause friction. Cheng Xi suddenly appears to entrust a puppy that Qian Heng doesn't like.

Cheng Yao's parents suddenly appeared at Cheng Yao and Qian Heng's rental house. And coincidentally they caught Qian Heng on a date planned by Cheng Yao and Qian Heng's mother.

They appear without a prologue that they are a close-knit family like families in eastern culture.

Another hole is the scene of proving family relationships with a DNA Paternity Test which seems easy. The fact is, it's not that simple.

No wonder the Chinese drama "My Boss" only got a rating of 8.0 on Mydramalist. The numbers are actually quite good. Perhaps the audience appreciates the difficulty of novel writers and screenwriters in presenting drama in dealing with divorce cases, complete with legal regulations.

Hehehe, imagine Chen Xing Xu as lawyer Qian Heng memorizing chapter and verse completely. If you make a mistake, a real lawyer will sue you. 😀😀

So, eniwei baswei…. Chinese drama "My Boss" is recommended to enjoy. Just don't think about imitating.😊😊
The next review can be read at https://www.maria-g-soemitro.com/2024/02/my-boss-cerita-cinta-advokat-ganteng.html

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Sweet Law-Rom series with Chen Xing Xu in ML & Zhang Ruo Nan in FL.

Meeting between 1 junior lawyer and an experienced and famous lawyer in Family Law, during the rental of an apartment. The ML is cold, hyper rational and the FL, warm and cheerful (but not stupid). She will join the ML firm.
=> Slow taming (very very slow => skipped 17-22) and 2gether in episode 23.

PROS:
+ a great CL, talented, with very natural interactions and chemistry. I really like Chen Xing Xu and I appreciate that the FL character is smart, strong, not at all a "damzell in distress".
+ an excellent cast, with well-developed, endearing 2ary characters (especially the Team).
+ the storyline is realistic, and the pace is correct (except in the evolution of the Main Romance).

CONS:
- we are entitled to a few clichés: the girl obsessed with the ML, the cunning and sneaky rival, the ML with trauma that the FL helps him to overcome, the slightly crazy mother-in-law, etc.
- But above all, the initial bickering within the CL lasts too long. They could have advantageously shortened the series by 10 episodes.

=> Very enjoyable drama, with a CL that I would like to see again together, and a cute final wink.
***************************************************************************************
Série Law-Rom avec Chen Xing Xu en ML & Zhang Ruo Nan en FL. (๑◔‿◔๑)

Rencontre entre 1 avocate junior et un avocat chevronné et fameux en Droit de la Famille, lors de la location d'1 appartement. Le ML est froid, hyper rationnel et la FL, chaleureuse et enjouée (mais pas bête). Elle va intégrer la firme du ML.
=> Lent apprivoisement (très très lent => zappé 17-22) et 2gether dans l'épisode 23.

PROS:
+ un super CL, talentueux, avec des interactions et une alchimie très naturelles. J'aime beaucoup Chen Xing Xu et j'apprécie que le personnage de la FL soit smart, strong, pas du tout "damzell in distress".
+ un excellent cast, avec des personnages 2aires bien développés, attachants (notamment la Team).
+ la storyline est réaliste, et le rythme sans lenteur (sauf dans l'évolution de la Main Romance).

CONS:
- on a droit à qq clichés : la fille obsédée par le ML, la rivale rusée et sournoise, le ML avec trauma que la FL l'aide à surmonter, la belle-mère un peu follette, etc.
- Mais surtout, le bickering initial au sein du CL dure trop trop longtemps. Ils auraient pu raccourcir avantageusement la série de 10 épisodes.

=> Drama très agréable, avec un CL que j'aimerai revoir ensemble, et un cute clin d’œil final.

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Worth Every Minute!

I just finished this series last week and have already begun rewatching. I’m so glad I fell upon this series!

The boss/male lead does arc - so his annoying character does a full 180 by the time they start dating and even towards the end. And he gets there in the right way and for the right reasons. I felt like they really developed the characters well and touched on some great topics that are difficult to express easily. The ML does have some very admirable qualities as it turns out (tho rough around the edges). The female lead is absolutely adorable and kinda reminds me of a Lucille Ball type of character, but in the cutest & most relaxed way. Both leads are very honest and principled people which really made me respect their characters and the series development as well.

The best part is - no annoying side characters. I loved them ALL and in fact, some of the side characters were my favorite of the entire series.

It’s a very light show with a good amount of fluff, but it does a good job of addressing some tough workplace / life topics so it’s not too superficial or stiff either.

I can’t say enough good things, there were a few moments that dragged out a bit here and there writing-wise but overall it was worthwhile. I also really enjoyed the way it ended. Sometimes series start off really strong and promising, then trail off with a less than satisfying ending. Not so here. I felt what they did was very realistic and wrapped everything up nicely.

I watched this while sick and recovering from surgery - and it was the perfect show to keep my mind engaged & off the pain. If you’re looking for something to really lift your spirits - or just looking for a cute & respectable romcom - or even if you enjoy workplace dramas - this is a good one!

I honestly was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did - and I think this has made the top of my list for cdrama favorites thus far. It even rivals some of my favorite kdramas like Secretary Kim.

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roller coaster

i love zhang ruo nan, i feel like she's so real with her facial expressions and cxx is a very good actor, very mature, and fits the character of a businessman, unlike dw for example. but i gotta say that i absolutely HATE what they did to cheng yao after he confessed, she was an extrovert, fun, and honest, which is why qian heng fell for her. but the closer they got, she was getting shyer and distant and indifferent, while qh was getting warmer and kinder, i hated that change. i know she values her job and he wasn't being reasonable, in fact, he was being a jackass at the end, but the changes are happening since ep 25 or 26, and rn i just feel like she transformed into a whole different person and i really don't like it.

anyway, after ep 36 things kinda get better, and i love how this drama is often speaking about inequality, and difficulties faced by divorced women and kinda focused on women's rights, not that this is anything new, but i noticed that cdramas are mostly focused on a hardworking FL who faces injustice and there's a savior ML whos always helping her.

although the drama isn't perfect, i found it mature (relationship and work), the actors look their character's age, are really kind to women and respectful. loved the FL maturing at the end, when she chose her career and demanded to be respected by her boyfriend, not only that, but she also broke up when felt like he crossed her lines, and also loved the ML and how he opened up to the world after seeing it through FL eyes and also being a fluffy ass boyfriend

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What a Rom-Com should be!

I LOVED this drama! I think it's rating of 7.9 is far too low. It was a heart-warming, satisfying romance with plenty of amusement and very little of the things we hate about C-drama Rom-Coms. Here's my take on the characters:

ML - I absolutely loved him! He shot into my ML Hall of Fame, coming in at third place behind Min-Min of 'Strong Woman Bong Soon' and the Grand Tutor of 'Be My Princess'. He shares the spot with Gu Yanzhen of 'Arsenal Military Academy'. This is my favorite role that this particular actor has played (I wasn't crazy about him in 'Fall in Love' or 'The Starry Love'). He plays the bad-tempered, aloof/arrogant yet inwardly warm-hearted and emotionally bumbling ML to perfection. I think it's the best I've seen this actor look too - his hair style fit him perfectly. All he needed was glasses (which he got at the very, very end). He does an excellent job of switching from the aloof, scolding boss to the sweet, tender, smiling boyfriend. And gosh, what a boyfriend! He supports and believes in FL unconditionally and immediately gets justice for her when the obsessed chick frames her. Just an FYI - his heart has only and always belonged to FL. There's no ex-girlfriends, no childhood sweethearts, no fiancées. He's never been in love before until he meets FL so he clueless about what to do with his feelings. Once he finally confesses, his heart belongs 100% to FL - no wavering. He shows no mercy to the obsessed chick despite their past university acquaintance. Some might says he's controlling, but I see it as his desire to help FL achieve her dreams and potential.

FL - she's cute without being that annoyingly cutesy character that C-dramas tend to love (and I hate). A warning to the faint-hearted, FL goes through a lot of character development so if she seems far to apologetic and ditsy at first, hang in there! Remember that she's young and inexperienced and had a terrible boss prior to her coming to ML's law firm. She does mature as both a woman and a lawyer. Her influence in ML's life causes him to soften his hard-nose lawyer demeanor and philosophy. However, my goodwill toward her did cool when she sort of breaks up with ML following the obsessed chick's little framing trick. She has an inferiority complex throughout the drama - feeling that she's useless except as a sleep aid to ML, feeling she's not worthy of him loving her, etc. So, in the latter episodes, she's hell-bent to 'prove herself' and she's hypersensitive to everything ML says. I honestly don't know what her problem is. Should they work at different law firms? Yes, I think so, but she puts distance between them and ML doesn't have a clue why bc she doesn't really explain it. In my opinion, ML is wonderful and does everything he can to please her yet he's in the doghouse. It's like the writer suddenly decides their relationship is too perfect so she has to toss in some angst. What was all this angst about? Gaining ML's respect? I feel he already respected her - he's always praising her abilities. To change ML's view of marriage? I don't know how what she put him through did that, but his perspective did change. FL's behavior after the obsessed chick was sort of crazy and my warm feelings towards her cooled. My only other complaints about her was - 1) her hair when she had it down, it looked like she was wearing a fuzzy fur stole; and 2) sometimes she'd widen her eyes, making her look a little psycho.

FL's three co-workers - Absolutely loved them! Finally, Chinese supporting characters that are just as memorable and loveable as the Koreans! They were had good chemistry together and they didn't take over the scene. They were great supporting characters that added humor. I loved the glasses guy (Brother Bao) - he was amusing with his belief that ML's favored him and his constant chatter and drama. He was my favorite supporting character along with ML's mom. The other two coworkers formed the 'third couple' of this drama, and seriously, I liked them better than Wu Jun & FL's sister. Their romance was there without taking attention away from ML/FL (just like a Korean drama). Loved how the group protected FL from ML's scolding. So refreshing after watching so many drams with workplace bullying.

Parents - LOVED ML's mom! So glad that his parents weren't demanding he marry some rich girl or some childhood sweetheart. Mom was just happy that he liked someone, and she tried to help their romance along...although it backfired on her. We didn't see as much as FL's parents as ML's mom, but they were likeable as well. They only disapproved when FL made up lies about ML's profession, etc. So that tyrannical parent factor was not part of this drama. The writers/director used the parents to add humor instead of angst. Bravo! These are the type of parents I like!

Wu Jun & FL's sister - I liked Wu Jun's personality (and that adorable dimple & cool sunglasses), but he was kind of dumb. He recruited the scheming chick into their firm bc he thought ML liked her. Really? As far as I could tell, ML hadn't had any contact with this woman since university and SML thinks he likes her???? For someone who supposedly had people skills, he was pretty dumb when it came to discerning who ML liked. He thought the 'friend' ML talked about was this chick while most people know that when someone refers to a 'friend's problem', they're usually referring to themselves. If Wu Jun hadn't been such a dope and ML so clueless, we wouldn't have had to watch the scheming chick in the final half of this drama. That entire story arc was all Wu Jun's fault yet ML suffered the consequences. As for the sister, I liked her hair style, but as for her character, my reaction is - blah. I fast forwarded through Wu Jun & her scenes as well as her scenes with the ex.

Finally, the scheming chick. She wasn't able to interest ML all those years ago in university yet somehow she thinks he's hers and destroying FL will secure him. Because of her arrival, the pleasant workplace became toxic with a head b** and her gang of little b**. Didn't anyone notice that their formerly harmonious workplace was suddenly filled with nasty rumors and was directly related to this woman's arrival? Wu Jun knew what was going on and did nothing to prevent what happened except give the skank a weak warning. Fortunately, ML returned and obliterated the b**. He only relented from annihilating her completely bc of SML's pleading. I can't understand C-drama obsessed chick logic - just because you're stupid enough to like a guy for years, he's supposedly yours? And they always ask - why her and not me? Maybe because you're a vindictive, delusional, self-centered b**? Could that be the reason?

This drama was a great watch, and I highly recommend it. The angst is at the minimum and the romance at the maximum. It's took Asian dramas a while to understand that principle. Rom-Com stands to Romance | Comedy, and so few Asian drama focus on the comedy aspect. instead they fill it with angst. This drama, however, is what a Rom-Com should be!

P.S. the OST was good too, especially their love theme 'Loving You'. I liked the lullaby about the lazy cat too. It reminded me of Sheldon's Soft Kitty song.

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Charming Series!

Although My Boss is an understated RC, it is a solid series in its genre just the same. In my view, it is better for example than the current Our Interpreter or the recent Only For Love. Neither series are without appeal..but they are missing some element that would make them a stand out. This series by contrast has consistently delivered. It has a been a pleasure to watch for multiple reasons. There are thrills but without extreme angst. A fun and enjoyable watch ...but absent the frivolous fluff. The release schedule for this series has also added to the fun. Slow releases often negatively impact a drama...yet on this one...they chose to air one new episode almost every day. What is not to love about that? ❤️
Some have complained that it took too long for them to become a couple. I respectfully disagree. Half the fun of any trip is the planning and anticipation, right? So why the rush? Savoring suits an adult palate. Lol. Although the build up is relaxed...it has made this romance feel all the more legit. As if we have a window into a love affair from its conception to its maturity. Besides as viewers, we already know they love each other....even before they appear to know it themselves.

Things I Loved:
The ML, Chen Xing Xu:
The camera loves this guy, I swear he does not have a bad angle. His stylist played up his good looks with clothing that was interesting yet totally fit his quieter persona. And his hair...well, it is really, really nice. Lol.
But more importantly, I really liked his character in this series. He gave a much used stereotype a fresh new take, how that is possible given the many RC's out there I dunno......but he did it. And he did it in such an understated way that it felt authentic. And ummm...can we just take a detour to talk about his chest? Hey!! Don't laugh...his muscles are serious business. Don't believe me? Research it. Lol. But since I am a serious reviewer, you can take it from me darling...his chest muscles are for real. How do we know? Well, dang it...he has the pics to prove it...can you believe? And those pics have dealt a blow to his harshest critics who said that he wore chest pads. Grrr...the very idea! So life in China as a celebrity is tough business....evidently you gotta prove those abs are for real.

The FL, Zhang Ruo Nan:
She is adorable...and I am taking nothing away from her by saying that. She just is. She is not a bombshell, but the more you look at her.....she is gorgeous. She is also very adept at playing her role..it has never been plain vanilla or perky/silly...or one of those pushy females pursuing and being rejected, instead her role feels uncontrived and unusually fresh. She holds her own with a much more dynamic ML without losing a step. She is easily as interesting to watch as he is. I especially love it that despite his strong personality ...she has an equal confidence in herself. She is not led around by her emotions or by his moods. She appears to value her own life independent from his opinion of her. I liked that. I do love strong FL's.

The Setting: The Law Firm
Cheng Yao (Zhang Ruo Nan) is a young and talented lawyer who has bigger ambitions than she has connections. Her biggest problem? She has never tried a case before. So she is in desperate need of a quality mentor. She gets an unexpected chance to join an exceptional law firm, blissfully unaware that her new Boss, Qian Heng (Chen Xing Xu) accepts no one less excellent than himself. He is infuriated with his partner who has hired Cheng Yao. Qian Heng is one very determined guy. He has made a name for his law firm by sheer talent and hard work. His strong desire to succeed means that he will only hire the best, those who don't meet the grade...are fired on the spot. He has carefully built his reputation...as a top notch lawyer who never loses a case. So when he sees that his partner has hired Cheng Yao because he is in love with her sister...he dislikes her on principal. Things escalate further when they discover they will end up sharing an apartment. Both are wary, yet living together has unexpected side benefits. He finds that she is surprisingly good for his mental and physical well being and she benefits from having him to mentor her. So the law firm adds a cool element to the story, the cases and coworkers are interesting and the writers have sketched a mentor/mentee relationship that is turning into a toe-curling romance. For now it is a 10. I will be back to update you.

@20 This series is a gem and if romance is your thing, you will love this one.
@23 I have smiled my way through this series. If you've experienced the excitement of a love affair where all your senses are engaged...you will relate to this one. Watching them feeding each other pizza was such a legit moment that I felt the joy. This relationship has come full circle. He is now the vulnerable one and she appears to be the more mature one. She may not be experienced in love, but she has self-respect (I love that!) so she is no pushover. She is making him work for it and you gotta love that! Update at Final.

Happy Watching!

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Un romance dulce y con gran química

Si estás buscando una historia simple pero con personajes entrañables esta es la series que deberías ver.

Al principio es la historia típica de de romance de oficina de jefe y empleada, pero a a medida que avanza la historia te va enganchando.
El personaje femenino al principio comete errores como abogada ya que es aprendiz pero luego madura mucho.
Pareja con gran química, y que se apoya mutuamente,
Personajes secundarios muy graciosos.
Un drama para relajarte y y enamorarte de las escenas entre los protagonistas
El novio perfecto(Qian Heng al principio es más serio y pero cuando comienza el romance con la protagonista es lo más dulce del mundo ,su sonrisa me da mil años de vida.
La madre de Qian Heng ,la mejor suegra del mundo ( su personaje es tan gracioso)

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