Any other couple in this series has better chemistrie then ML & FL...
Kinda fluffy story, not that many anoying missunderstandings but their chemistrie.. awfull...If you like slow (as in realy fuc... slow - do not except them to become a couple until the very end...) burning romances.. without that many anoying side characters (except that Teacher Yang.. uff), this will do. Do not except to see any intimicy (except for hugging... Every side couple does feel more like a couple than ML/FL... Gosch, even their kisses are more realistic than ML/FL).
Overall, ok'ish to watch if you have have enough time.
Was this review helpful to you?
Leave this woman alone, for f sake!
I did find the premise of a relationship between an older woman and a younger man interesting.Unfortunately it and the chemistry between the leads are the only aspects of the show that make it somewhat worth watching.
The writing oscillates between surprisingly realistic and restrained to soapy melodrama bullshit, it feels quite inconsistent.
There are scenes I really liked especially at the beginning, but also lots of uninteresting and unnecessary stuff happens to pad the length of the show. As the show went on I started fast forwarding through more and more parts.
The main issue of the story is that Jian Bing is absolutely correct - she should be focusing on herself right after her divorce and balance her life again. And yet! Everyone seems to be pestering her constantly - her ex about work and marriage issues, clients are being awful and into all of this comes Sheng Yang with his absurd childish crush from ten years ago.
And. He. Does. Not. Leave. Her. Alone.
I was sincerely hoping they would not get together in the end, that they become friends, she mentors him or something like that. Because it would be a nice subversion, while still exploring this unusual friendship.
Alas, we get a soap opera romance instead.
I'm a bit annoyed that his strategy of persistently hounding her and constantly doing things for her until she relents is shown to be effective. I guess I wanted more of his character to show through earlier, rather than him just being useful to her.
But the actors do work well together and I mostly enjoyed Bai Bai's performance (which reminded me of Crystal Liu in "Dream of Splendor").
What also hugely drags the drama down are many of the side characters - they are as soapy and annoying as some of the subplots. I super didn't give a shit about the hockey sister, her boyfriend and his dreadful uncle.
And of course the ending is what it is, everyone pairs up exactly as you'd expect.
If they trimmed all the boring side characters and plots and turned this into a 15 episode drama ( and maybe tried to make it less cliched and predictable) I would've enjoyed it more.
In the end it's just sort of average.
Was this review helpful to you?
Best show ever!!!!
The chemistry between Jian Bing and Sheng Yang is absolutely electric. Watching them grow and evolve not just individually but together has been a touching and heartfelt journey that mirrors real life in the most poetic way possible！A beautiful exploration of love and personal growth, this show deftly portrays the magic that can occur when two people meet at the right time in their lives, ready to heal and grow together.This show does a brilliant job of capturing the nuances of modern relationships.Was this review helpful to you?
Underrated jewel
Has been sometime since I had the urge to write a review, but this series deserves one.To me the plot itself wasn’t anything new or way above , but the actors did such a wonderful job.
Because in this age gape stories, the ML is usually super jealous, or too immature, and always have that bunch of stupid and annoying superficial “misunderstandings “ that makes me feel sick, but this show doesn’t have that.
The ML has a good character, seems like down to earth but of course does some noise things but I like his acting.
The FL to me was the real gem of this serie. Always steady, calm, racional, passionate and logic.
Even her way of speaking and demeanor made the scenes realistic.
Themes like poverty, family and many aspects of life were well explored to me and the support roles also did a pretty good job.
My evaluation is high because I really could feel many of the emotions that they wanted to convert, so If you’re in doubt, I suggest you give this serie a chance.
Was this review helpful to you?
This is not for me...especially the Main Romance
I don’t usually write a review of a dropped drama, but I figured this could be helpful to others who feel the same way. Is this a horrible drama? No, not really. But it’s not enough to keep me wanting to continue on and there are elements I don’t enjoy that are central to the plot.Disclaimer:
I am a romance lover. Romance (whether it is a main plot or subplot) can make or break a drama for me. If I love the main romance, I can overlook some flaws.
Not always a fan of noona romance (older woman/younger man). I want to give this drama a chance because of Xiao Zhan. The only other noona romance I can think of that’s similar and I liked is “The Rational Life”. But I watched that years ago, and I might not like it as much if I were to watch it today.
Let’s start with what I Like:
Strong Female Leads - Stories about women in their 30s can be inconsistent. Dramas claim they are independent and mature, but their actions tell a different story. However, Jian Bing (FL) and Liang Shan Shan (2FL) prove to be the minority. Through their actions, thoughts and feelings within the first 18 episodes that I watched, they are truly mature and independent. They don’t rely on men to provide them with happiness. They live for themselves and are professional when at work.
Acting - There’s really nothing for me to pick on in terms of acting. From what I’ve seen so far, the main and supporting cast deliver good performances. I was especially impressed with the veteran performance from ML’s parents when they were having a big argument. I bet that sequence was done in one shot as the way they yell at each other seems so real.
Make-up - It’s lovely to see a drama without white filters, strong backlighting or white thick foundation on the actors' faces. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Xiao Zhao look so ‘real’. Everyone just looks normal and in character.
That’s all I can think of. And now with the negatives and why I can’t continue on.
Main Romance - As I mentioned, the main romance can make or break a drama for me. Unfortunately, this romance is giving me similar vibes as “Go Go Squid 2”, another drama I dropped. Sheng Yan (ML) is a mature 26-year old at work. He was professional and knows enough to keep his mouth shut and to Fake It Till he Makes it (<-- a little plug of another drama who has an excellent romance LOL). However, when it comes to love, he is a little puppy, always following FL around. And because FL is such a mature woman, his puppy eyes stop being cute after the first few episodes. I dropped “Go Go Squid 2” for this same reason. I like an unrequited love, but for that to last so long, when ML is a mature adult at work, seems off to me. I like a slow burn romance, but not when I don’t feel any romantic chemistry between the leads and when they are so different in the stages of their lives. They seem more like sister/brother or mentor/mentee to me. Maybe the romance develops into something beautiful in the second half of the drama, but at ep 18, it is not motivating me to continue on.
Plot - The pace is also quite slow. 36 episodes are way too long. There isn’t much happening in the first 18 episodes, and nothing different. I do appreciate the story of a female (and badass) director. Everything that happened is predictable. I don’t think this is supposed to be a slice-of-life drama, thus, I expect more from the plot. Are there touching moments? Yes. Is it well-acted? Yes. Does it make me hit the “play” button next? No. As a binge watcher, this is a big indicator of when the drama is not for me.
This review is super subjective and I am sure many love this drama. To me, I was expecting more and it didn’t deliver. It’s not a bad drama, just not enough for me to continue on when there are too many other dramas waiting for me.
Completed: 9/30/2023 - Review #360
Was this review helpful to you?
a lil sunshine who beings joy and happiness?
first of all i just want to say thank you to the whole crew who made this work come to life.this drama is healing as it brings joy to one's life and all the actors made their characters come to life, and especially Xiao zhan. while watching Sunshine by myside i feel like i am watching xz's daily life, before he had joined the entertainment industry, interpreting himself and he NAILED IT. he is a hardworking young man who is trying to achieve great things by working very hard. ❤
So far, i just mobe everything about this series and cant wait for the rest of the episodes ( even tho i wish there were 100 eps of it)
Was this review helpful to you?
Well written
I struggled with this until I realised it was a Jane Austen story in modern clothes! A woman wants to make her own choices for her own reasons and everyone in her circle feels perfectly entitled to share their opinion about it. The opinions and judgments show the insecurities of the different characters, who are beautifully and carefully developed. I found many layers to this drama and found it shone a bright light on the viewer’s own inconsistencies and shortcomings by highlighting the behaviours of the characters. I’m glad now that I didn’t give up and could grow somewhat along with the characters although in the beginning a few of them were maddening. I would suggest watching this in close proximity to “The Rational Life” which has similar themes, or even with a Jane Austen such as “Persuasion” where everyone chips in their opinion and influence whether or not it is welcome or qualified. I found this show quite deep from a feminist perspective. To really understand the heroine, you need to watch to the very end. Your patience will be rewarded.Was this review helpful to you?
Série "slice-of-life" and "old FL / Young ML" but with Xiao Zhan (＾◡＾)❤❤
The series follows the daily life (work, family, friends, events), in a subtle and quite realistic way, of our two heroes. One (FL) is an established advertising director who must deal with divorce and its consequences. The ML is a young designer, admirer of the FL, who is trying to make a career and have his talent recognized.They form bonds, fall in love, and must face obstacles, linked in particular to their age gap of 10 years.
PROS:
+ Xiao Zhan ♡ლ(-༗‿༗-)ლ♡ of course, handsome, moving, so talented that he IS his character!!
+ I really like the character of the FL, mature, decisive, vulnerable but who faces all hardships the life give her. [[I divorced after a long marriage, and the story is very well written, enough for me to recognize myself in this character]].
+ The 2ary characters are well developed. Everyone has their own temperament, their history, their goals, their dreams.
+ The life of urban employees is well described, in subtle details: working conditions, pressure from customers, transport, shopping, meals, meetings, etc.
+ The narration is fast, modern and the OSTs are well suited to the emotions.
CONS:
- I regret that the SMS are not translated, because they have an importance in the story.
- the character of Sheng Fan's mother is excessive, poorly constructed psychologically: overprotective (OK, it's partly the result of the one-child policy), 50 years old but with the soul of a little girl, opposes the his son's relationship for ridiculous reasons, etc. No Western child would put up with being under the thumb of their parents at 26 like this...
- unlike other reviewers, I cannot perceive the charisma of Professor Fang's character, narrow, rigid, full of quirks and OCD.
=> It's a beautiful, comforting series, about perseverance, family, human's connections...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Série """slice-of-life" et "old FL / Young ML" mais avec Xiao Zhan ( ＾◡＾)❤❤
La série suit la vie quotidienne (travail, famille, amis, évènements), de façon subtile et assez réaliste, de nos 2 héros. L'une (la FL) est une réalisatrice de pub, confirmée, qui doit faire face au divorce et à ses conséquences. Le ML est un jeune designer, admirateur de la FL, qui essaie de faire carrière et faire reconnaitre son talent.
Ils tissent des liens, tombent amoureux, et doivent affronter les obstacles, liés notamment à leur age gap de 10 ans.
PROS:
+ Xiao Zhan ( ＾◡＾)❤❤ bien sûr, beau, émouvant, tellement talentueux qu'il EST son personnage !!
+ J'aime le personnage de la FL, mature, décisive, vulnérable mais qui fait face. [[j'ai divorcé après un long mariage, et l'histoire est très bien écrite, assez pour que je me reconnaisse dans ce personnage]].
+ Les personnages 2aires sont bien développés. Chacun a son tempérament, son histoire, ses objectifs, ses rêves.
+ La vie des salariés citadins est bien décrite, en détails subtiles : les conditions de travail, la pression des clients, les transports, les courses, les repas, les rencontres,...
+ La narration est rapide, actuelle et les OST sont bien adaptés aux émotions à transmettre.
CONS:
- je regrette que les SMS ne soient pas traduits, car ils ont une importance dans l'histoire.
- le personnage de la mère de Sheng Fan est excessif, mal construit psychologiquement : surprotectrice (OK, c'est en partie le résultat de la politique de l'enfant unique), 50 ans mais une âme de midinette, s'oppose à la relation de son fils pour des raisons ridicules, etc. Aucun enfant occidental ne supporterait d'être sous la coupe de ses parents à 26 ans de cette façon ...
- contrairement à d'autres reviewers, je n'arrive pas à percevoir le charisme du personnage du professeur Fang, étriqué, rigoureux, plein de manies et de TOC.
=> C'est une belle série, réconfortante, sur la persévérance, la famille, les liens...
Was this review helpful to you?
A mature, fluffy "romance" that could have been much better
I must start this review by saying that I watched this solely for Xiao Zhan, and was not particularly impressed with the trope-heavy first episode. Nonetheless, the show did get better till I considered an 8.5 for this show, only to be a bit disappointed with the last episode.There were certainly many positives. Although the show appears to be a romance it is more a navigating-through-life drama. There are many lessons to be learned, particularly for the young but mature Sheng Yang who has to learn to manoeuvre through his career aspirations, love, and his parents' expectations of and from him. The scenes at work were really well-written and well-done, and all the circumstances and the outcomes made perfect sense. It was during work that the friendship between Sheng Yang, Song Chen and Pan Rou evolved and the interactions between these three made for some of the best moments on the show.
Although falling in love is easier, working with it is the hardest. Jian Bing (Bai Bai He was great in the role) knows this perfectly well, so her reactions and her hesitance are fully comprehensible. Despite the utterly out-of-character Jian Bing in the beginning episodes, what we get is a mature, introverted, solemn and measured Jian Bing whose wisdom and age show in her actions. Her mentoring of Sheng Yang made for some of the best moments on the show- she rubs off on him in all the best of ways, through her words and actions. Jian Bing is a role model, someone to aspire to and such female mentoring is truly wonderful to watch. We should befriend and fall for those who make us better versions of ourselves, and that is perhaps one of the best takeaways from the show.
I looked forward to these interactions- between Sheng Yang and Jian Bing, between Sheng Yang and his parents (his parents were such beautifully-written characters!), Sheng Yang and his friends, but unfortunately, for some strange reason, the show makers decided to spent a large amount of time on the ice hockey trio- characters that emerged out of a need to showcase this game, and from the game multiple unnecessary interactions emerged. Sadly, I forwarded many of the scenes involving these characters, and was thoroughly disappointed when a large proportion of the last episode was devoted to these characters. By doing so, necessary screen time for the main characters was unduly snatched.
The acting was fantastic throughout- I enjoyed most of the characters (except the hockey trio, although I cannot blame their performances). I really enjoyed Wang Lin and Yang Hao Yu's performance and their characters- they had excellent chemistry with each other and with Xiao Zhan. I've seen Liu Xun and Julia Xiang in other roles and they were great here. Tian Yu's Xue Yi Ming may have been annoying at times, but I am glad that he did have Jian Bing's back and their unaffected friendship was touching. Liang Shan Shan (Zhu Zhu) was an interesting character, and again, her (and Xue Yi Ming's) devotion towards Jian Bing was one of the show's highlights.
The last episode was underwhelming; too much time was devoted to secondary characters and the last few minutes did not seem consistent with the main characters' personalities.
Nonetheless, this is a good watch overall.
Was this review helpful to you?
Lukewarm, but not bad
This story felt quite realistic, to some extent. Most of the characters are like people one could know.It's not an interesting story, though. I can't think of anything that would set it apart... it's not dramatic, it's not funny, there's barely any "romance", there aren't any moments that stand out as having been specially entertaining. It's not a bad show, the best way to describe it is "lukewarm". It's comfortable to watch it - easy to follow, and the pace is slow.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Reflection on generational differences
Most of the comments I read about this drama point the lack of a true romance between the two leads. But I think that their love story is not so much the focus of the script. Instead it is a very good reflection on sexism and the role of genders in contemporary society. This is especially true if we take into consideration how all the male characters are written and the stark differences between the older and younger generations. Lao Xue and Fang laoshi are two faces of the same medal, they aren’t complete scumbags, both of them are genuinely convinced that what they do is in the best interest of the woman they love, but neither of them are actually aware of how deeply sexism is rooted into their mindset. Their controlling behaviour is out of line and upsetting, but they both don’t understand what they’re doing wrong. Lao Xue believes that he wronged his ex-wife by cheating on her, the real unforgivable thing about him is that he can’t see her as a whole person and he can’t respect her autonomy both in life and at work. Fang laoshi thinks of himself as a dependable caring man, but he actually never put much effort to see and get to know the person he likes. What he does is forcing his presence on her.The younger generation is represented by the three young men Sheng Yang, Song Chen and Hao Junjie. All three of them show a completely different attitude towards the female characters. They never try to force, manipulate or gaslight their love interests. They act like companions, growing along them.
As for Jian Bing supposed coldness towards Sheng Yang, I think that the way she acted was actually very mindful of his feelings. She didn’t rush into a relationship she wasn’t ready for, risking to hurt both Shang Yang and her feelings in the process. She took her time, made sure she was ready to commit and then accepted him fully in her life. And she told as much to Shang Yang’s mother. she is such a well written character with a lot of depth. But I think she is more relatable to a more mature audience.
All in all it was a very enjoyable show, the photography was very beautiful and I have screenshot many scenes because I liked the light so much. I’m an illustrator and I especially loved how they actually showed all of Shang Yang and Jian Bing’s works. Art itself can be considered one of the main characters of this drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
Slow paced, realistic story about life with a bit of love
First of all: I find the synopsis to be somewhat inaccurate /giving a kind of different expectation (the one on Viki too).This isn’t the drama if you want passionate love, big tension between characters, overly dramatic events or lots of plot twists. It is rather the drama for those who like a more realistic portrayal of life and interactions between people. Don’t get me wrong, the story does contain elements to drive it forward and create some ebb and flow. It is just done in a way that is realistic and easier to imagine and recognise one self in. Love is a main theme throughout, but it is rather the paths of love, and the different stages of it, that is in focus. Without spoiling too much: Don’t expect lots of scenes with passion and PDA.
The story also touches upon some cultural and societal norms and issues, like (of course) the opposite age gap, careers, divorce, and sexism. It is done in a very natural way, and not “preachy” one way or the other, more like showing it from the characters’ point of view, so we the viewers get the different perspectives and might understand better.
The supporting characters of course have their own storylines, but they don’t get too dominating.
The casting is good in my opinion, and pretty much all the actors do a good job.
In some aspects, the vibe and mood is a bit similar to “The tale of Rose”.
I’m not sure I will watch this again, but I’m pretty sure this has left me with an impression strong enough for me to remember it also in a couple of months. So, it is a series I would recommend if you are looking for a “real life like drama”.
Was this review helpful to you?
