A Familiar Stranger (2022)

A FAMILIAR SURPRISE!

Rated a 10 entirely based on the way this made me feel, and it was unexpectedly a pleasant surprise! I didn’t expect too much from it but also wondered why it had such a high rating of 9+ on Viki. Thought I’d get it over with watching it in one go with only 8 episodes. To my surprise, I loved it! Although, it was so short, it was cleverly written to tell the story and executed quite well. Most of the time I wonder why these C-dramas are so long, I feel like they have so many clips of reminiscing that become dragged out many times. THIS show was quite simple, to the point, had enough humor added, a tender romance between the leads, even the little kid was adorable, and of course, it had a pretty cool twist the viewer probably wouldn’t think of (that’s what made the ending so good). Kudos to the writers/creators! This was a little gem that made my Top 10 Faves, and made me watch it a second time already (I’m sure it won’t be the last time). Enjoy! ????

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Wholesome.

If you are seeking to watch something quick and short, yet with a clear plot and a convincing cast, this one is for you.

After getting her face swapped and identity stolen from her by Shen Qin, the cunning daughter of the Prime Minister, Shi Qi, a painter must wade through dangerous waters in order to get her identity back. This includes deceiving her new husband whom she had married in Shen Qin's stead, as well as looping around the shady Prince Ning, Shen Qin's lover.

The plot is straightforward and doesn't mince words, neither does it become too illogical.
I am glad that this was not a full length drama as the shorter duration made it an easy viewing experience for me as well as the story was conveyed in a succinct manner.

The handful of characters were excellently portrayed by the cast. I was impressed by everyone's performance. Even the Military General.

There were some unexpectedly comedic moments amongst the overall ominous tone of the drama, and the romance seemed almost like a breathe of fresh air for Shi Qi, who for most of the drama, goes through emotional and mental stress.

Overall, it's a wholesome, yet serious and entertaining drama worthy of a quick watch.

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Unique storyline, mid execution

I was drawn to this mini series because of the glowing reviews and people talking about how great the couple is, as well as how there are no breakups/misunderstandings, but low key lost interest halfway through. I think the story had a lot of potential but low key wasn't a big fan of how everything went. I would even say the story bit off more than it could chew. Your mileage may vary though since the rest of the reviews are pretty positive.

PROS
❀ Mini drama energy
I'm a fan of these short yet satisfying mini dramas, and this one fits the bill. It's pretty fast-paced, focuses *mostly* on the main couple, and has a happy ending. At 10 min x 18 ep (with ep 18 being 20 min), you're looking at a commitment time of just over 3 hours.

❀ Nice skinship, sweet romance
Another mini drama pattern I see is making sure viewers are satisfied with skinship, LOL, and again this one delivers. Outside of the smouldering kisses, the couple's romance is very secure and steadfast. The ML saved the FL from bandits a while back, then she saves him from wolves after he passes out. Apparently after the whole scenario, they lost each other and now they reconnected - although the FL has a different face.
A large testimony to their romance is the ML having a suspicion, early on, that the FL was the woman who saved him. He confirms it very later on, but his "instinct" allows him to open his heart to the FL and trusts her even though the face didn't match the woman in his memories. (Her body and mole did though, lol)
Even though the FL doesn't reveal anything, the ML finds out himself. And even though she's technically working for the other side (they're not exactly enemies per se, I don't think?), she still finds ways to circumnavigate their plans and stay on the ML's side. So all in all, they're quite supportive of one another.

❀ Cute ML
Honestly, even though the ML's character is a general, he gives cutesy vibes. His face lights up when he finds out the FL likes him, he's very cute and sweet to both his adoptive daughter and the FL, and most of the light-hearted moments of the drama stem from his character. Did I wish we saw more general aura? Yeah, kinda. But his cute side is nice too I guess.

CONS
✕ Storyline bit off more than it could chew
There's a lot of potential with the foundation of the story but literally unanswered questions scattered everywhere. I don't think it costs too much time/energy to literally give a one sentence explanation of why something happened.
Do I consider this a major fault of the drama? Not really, considering mini series are short to begin with and this one planned to fit a bunch of elements in it.
Do I think a short explanation would have added to the depth and my overall enjoyment of the show? Honestly, yes. It's honestly quite frustrating to follow these characters and get onboard with their decisions without understanding *why*. It makes me care less about what is currently happening because I have no attachment to what is going on. And once you don't have that attachment, well, the viewing experience starts going downhill.
Random plot points that, with a bit of explanation, would have made me more sympathetic to the characters:
- Literally why the FL was so loyal to her older sister and how they got separated/their backstory because most of the plot was contingent on this and I was never convinced on it
- How the older sister got into face-swapping magic because otherwise it was just used as a random plot device despite it being the biggest issue in the show
- Why Prince Ning (2ML) started getting obsessed with ShiQi-with-ShenQin-face because all she did after the face swap was reject him from time and time again
I mean, even Shen Qin (2FLish role) being obsessed with Prince Ning made sense because she had ONE scene that talked about how he saved her when she was young. The show leaves room for a LOT more questions but these were the biggest ones that made me skeptical of the story.

✕ FL was super passive
I would say, hmm, yeah she helped out the ML a few times. But something about her mild-mannered, innocent, pure demeanor got me annoyed (LOL). I didn't understand why she had to hide her identity so bad to the ML. Like yeah, Shen Qin was using her older sister as blackmail. But did she not think she could tell the ML so he could help her solve the problems?? Until like literally the very end? I guess this was to add angst, but I was more annoyed than anything. She's lucky the ML trusted her from beginning to end. Also idk why she wanted to hide her pregnancy from the ML too. Again, an unanswered + unnecessary plot point that miffed me (unless they answered and I just didn't understand from the broken subs). For most of the drama she just acted nervous and guilty (that she was hiding her identity). Also she kept getting targeted and that annoyed me too.

✕ Palace drama was ???
I didn't understand the Crown Prince death side plot nor did I care. Did the janky subtitles play a role? For sure. But most of all, I didn't feel like the stakes were high because I didn't care about the side characters. Literally I still don't understand why Prince Ning married off his woman to the general in order to get the general "on his side" and then try to kill him after. Like at this point y'all just writing this stuff in to get the plot moving I s2g.

✕ That unnecessary "redemption" for the second couple (Prince Ning x Shen Qin)
Idk why they showed a happy-ish ending for them via a lookalike in the end because Ning was obsessed with the FL until his death and didn't care jack sh*t about Shen Qin. It's not satisfying because you KNOW he didn't want to be with her like... He literally pushed a pregnant realbody!Shenqin away. I know the show was trying to wrap everything up with a pretty bow but this couple was an ick and imo it wasn't necessary to give them a happy ending...

✕ Misunderstanding level: 1/10
Hard to rate because the FL's identity is "hidden" for the majority of the show (Spoiler: ML discovers her identity / she confirms it around ep 15 out of 18). Otherwise, the ML trusts the FL 100% of the way. I know there's probably some messaging in the show about loving someone no matter what they look like, but I feel like the identity thing is too ambiguous for me to accept. It's fine if her face looks different and you still love her, but can you still say the same if you don't know who she *is*???? Imo, I don't think the show should have dragged its feet in terms of the ML figuring out who she was. Like, he's had the suspicion since their first encounters, so idk why it took him so long to uncover everything. Or rather, I guess his "instinct" knew the identity which is why the romance was able to progress. Idk, I don't buy it.

OVERALL
Ehh if the things I mentioned in the cons don't bother you, then I'd say go for this series. Otherwise, despite the happy ending I'm kinda left scratching my head. I was intrigued by the premise of the drama but I just feel like I'm missing out on a lot of details for important tidbits that the show introduces. Obviously as a mini series the storyline can only be surface level, but I definitely think they could have used the same premise and navigated certain plot points differently to make the overall watching experience more enjoyable. I also feel like just because it's a mini series, doesn't mean I can turn my brain cells completely off. I'm not even trying to overthink any of this, I just feel like the promise of a cool storyline fell flat when it came to actual execution.

Well - onto the next!

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Best short drama!! A male lead who falls for the female lead's heart and personality, not her looks.

"Her looks aren’t imprinted in my eyes but in my heart". If you want a male lead who falls for the female lead's heart and personality, not her looks, this drama is for you.

The story is about a female painter who wakes up to find that another girl has swapped her face with hers in order to escape her arranged marriage. To her even bigger surprise, the husband is a man she met years ago.

POSITIVE:
- Cinematography is top-notch.
- Main leads are super likeable. Their romance is the main focus of the story and I enjoyed everything about it.
- The second leads add a good angsty vibe.
- Well developed plot and engaging story.
- Kiss scenes are great.
- No fillers, no stupid or annoying characters.

NEGATIVE:
Nothing!!! I absolutely loved everything in this drama.

Basically the drama has everything you need. Cute romantic scenes, intrigue, sensual scenes, scheming, mystery, light comedy. So if you are still reading this just go and watch the drama right now!

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Fun

This was so much fun, short, to the point without fillers, overly annoying characters (okay one slightly annoying)... It offers us a bunch of interesting characters some more or less predictable twists, and moments of surprise not so much twists more of that is not how this trope usually goes type of deal making this a highly enjoyable watch.

The male lead is the cutest guy ever, the way he expresses his lust and feelings is outstanding and very gifworthy.
The female lead is pretty cool, she has some moments of "oh come on", but she is lovable and interesting.
The villains are surprisingly well written and have more depth than one can expect in shuch a short drama. The kid in this drama is a great shipper, the friends and other supporting characters do not steal the show and assist the story just right.

Short as this drama is, it left me satisfied, not that I would mind more episodes, I felt like what was needed to be said was said wrapping the story up well. It is not high quality, nor is it some kind of low budget masterpiece... But it is definitely a drama I recommend to most romance lovers out there.

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A short, mini drama that packs a lot of punch

I avoided short dramas like these for the longest time because I thought they would be badly made and just wouldn't be satisfying enough.

Eighteen episodes? Ten minutes per episode? Really? What can you absorb in a mere ten minutes? Turns out: more than you think!

However, after watching my first short web drama, What's Wrong with My Princess?, which I really enjoyed, I became a short drama addict

This could be an unpopular opinion, but while the actors of these mini-dramas are unknown most of the time, their acting is often way better than the idols in blockbuster Chinese dramas. I am glad these dramas exist because they could help some of these talented actors get noticed. It's a sad thing that a lot of actors in China don't get that chance because they don't happen to have the right looks or fan base and most are forced to second lead roles just to make way for less talented actors.

Also, mini-dramas tend to be "braver" so we get edgier storylines.

If you're thinking about trying Chinese Dramas but feel like 40-episode monoliths are just too much commitment, starting with mini-dramas like A Familiar Stranger is a great way to do this

What drew me to A Familiar Stranger is the premise, and the chatter around it being excellent even if it's a short drama.

Once I started it, I was really impressed with the production quality and how well the two main actresses could play each other so convincingly.

But what shocked me was how sensual it was, especially since I'm used to (sigh) cold fish kisses in Chinese and Korean dramas. No, they actually showed bare legs and bed romps in this one! (Though not to the level of what you see in Game of Thrones, thank God.)

Apparently, some folks theorise that shorts like these can get away from the Chinese censors because they are too small and insignificant, which makes me a tad sad because it shows how much potential is currently being capped by the draconian Chinese censors.

I think the short format forces the writers to be more disciplined and the producers to be more creative with their filming. (As a writer of serial fiction on Substack, there's a lot to learn from these short 10-minute-per-episode dramas.)

That said, due to the tight timeline, there were a lot of plot threads that were unexplored.

For example, why would our villainess give up her lofty position as a high-ranking Prime Minister's daughter to exchange faces with a lowly painter? How could she sashay around the mansion, unimpeded after that? Although there's some explanation at the end, I thought it was all very convenient, and not a smart move. But maybe it wasn't supposed to be … love makes a fool of us all.

The romance between the general and Shi Qi is sensual and beautifully done. And the story comes together in a satisfying and beautiful way. Part of the satisfaction comes from having a quick payoff. Instead of slogging through 40 episodes, you can get the whole story in three hours, and with the same highs of episodic serial storytelling every 10 minutes.

Also blogged at: https://wp.me/pf6C2d-1R

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Butterfly inducing attraction

Well, I loved it! For the first time in a very long time, I felt butterflies while watching the interactions between the leads.

A Familiar Stranger is first and foremost a romance having as the backdrop a power fight for throne with a touch of fantasy. The main character is Shi Qi, a painter looking for her long lost sister. The prime minister's daughter, who is soon to be married, asks her to come and paint for her in exchange for information on her sister's whereabouts. But she uses this occasion to change faces with the painter (important: not bodies!) who marries the general in pm daughter's stead. The general turns out to be the painter's first love and he finds her oddly familiar even though he'd never met the pm's daughter before.

This sounds a bit complicated: it is simpler when you watch it!

The story flows seamlessly for this type of drama: which is usually a bit rushed and stilted. No such problems here! The story take the time it needs to develop, and since it is short, there are no unnecessary side characters (the blessing of short c dramas!). The characters are mostly down to earth, human if you like! The painter is a smart, strong woman. The general is a good man who thinks, the prince is evil enough not to be a caricature, the pm's daughter is just someone trying to be happy. No one is perfect, they all have flaws which makes them real.

The two main actresses were amazing: going from one character to another smoothly and managing to show their character traits with the minute facial expressions. The actors playing the villains excelled as well at portraying the human side behind the evil deeds so one just can't help but feel sorry for them in spite of all the horrible things they do.

The love story is the center of this drama. The general and the painter recognize each other but one finds it hard to believe his eyes and the other is blackmailed into keeping it a secret. So they dance around each other succumbing to attraction and falling deeper and deeper in love. As I said, this was really butterfly inducing chemistry.....

The production was lush and rich and windy, mostly white: all those drapes floating in the wind artistically hiding the characters. The shots of rain and the final scene in the snow were just beautiful. The music was nice. The only thing that bothered me was the way they spoke most of the time: whispering, soundless and breathless voices.

I cannot recommend this enough! Go watch it! I haven't seen many short c dramas, but this one is definitely one of the best considering high production values, talented actors and a screenplay that makes sense within the genre!

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Romance, drama, great couple, and a sweet story!

What a gem! This was a totally unexpected find, and I am so glad I decided to watch this. Usually, I don't like the short episode format, but I was able to binge-watch from start to finish and it was great! The continuity between episodes was smooth, no repetitious scenes, and overall, a good watch! No silly, immature characters, no overused tropes, no over the top storyline, no what-the-heck moments, or loose ends. A well-written, well-told and well-acted (short) drama.

The ML & FL were superb! Can I repeat that? This couple made me want to keep watching. Their chemistry was smoking - and their love scenes were also. Even the villains had me kind of hoping for a happy ending for them. The supporting cast did a great job also. The military adviser, the little daughter, the courtesan, the maid! I wasn't rolling my eyes or skipping through scenes; all the performances fit nicely together in this story. I really liked this drama - and was sorry to get to the end of it, and what a twist! I didn't see that coming at all.

This director really has the right idea (from the dramas I have seen that he has done). In fact, when I looked at his production list, there were names of shows that I have watched and liked and didn't realize it was the same director. Good job! I'll try to watch more of his work from now on, as well as Cheng Lei's work. (He is so super-cute)

I will definitely be rewatching this one - especially for the sweetness and passion of the main couple.

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