In Between (2024)

Know your value. If you don't... then learn.

I learnt a lot from this drama as a woman. Instead of setting standard for a man this drama taught me how to set a standard for myself.
I've never written a review before. And all the dramas I watch are light hearted like the on I'm watching side by side 'You are my lover friend'. But I always found myself waiting only for the episodes of in between. It goes around the stories of different women pursuing different lifestyle. But that doesn't keep us women away from some men.
Which take me to the charachters of this drama and their experience with differnt types of men which only gave one conclusion.. we women don't really need a man to make a living and live a happy life.
I won't write about the acting or music but yessss, this drama goes around different stories which represents the different types things that are happening in this materialistic world. Cheating, harassment, lying, backstabbing, revenge etc. This drama is definetely a good drama if you want something different. And not some honey coated lovestory.

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Realistic depiction of the complexities of Love

This is not just a typical plot based romantic drama with fluff and beautiful faces. Of course, it has beautiful faces (and I can’t wait to see Edward Chen, my newest crush, but I digress). After finishing the drama, I love it even more the when I started. This drama that leaves you thinking after each episode ends.

This is a great study/exploration on human’s need for companionship, human shortfalls, human motivation, different views on what love means; basically the complexities of relationships/ love. In a way, every character has their own selfishness & shortfall that causes failures in their relationships. It feels realistic as we can think of a few people in our own lives who have similarities. We cannot be quick to judge anyone’s actions (except maybe a couple of characters) because they are imperfect humans just like us.

The quality of the production is top notch in my book. You feel the vibe of these cities they live in. The actors are fantastic. The way it’s directed is interesting and creative. It interjects skits that summarizes the theme of each episode.I appreciate how it uses symbolism (in stead of just narrating peoples thoughts) to depict a person’s character, or the MFL’s internal battle/thoughts with her conscience which is supposed to guide her but doesn’t always succeed nor is it always right. Each episode you learn a little more about each character and boy…..it changes how you view them. All the complexities make this drama a fun, interesting, and worthwhile watch.

I look forward to soak up my one episode a day.

Updated after finishing (below comments do not give away specific details but may give overall ending):
I bumped this drama up to a 10 for me due to enjoyment value.




This is an enjoyable self growth drama. Realistic. Three ladies with different backgrounds, motivations, and values. Neither one feels fulfilled in their current lives. As they embark on the journey of life seeking what they think will fulfill it, they discover what truly does with the support of true friendships. Love the various relationships portrayed, whether romantic, platonic , family, or professional. Love the growth of each character.

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Romance in reality

Am sure, this is not everyone's cup of tea. This is basically one of those dramas in real form.

Yes, I got hooked because of the good story plot of this drama. It showned how romance in reality is. It is not your typical damsel in distress, overbearing CEO that will save the FL using money and power and yes, not really the lived happily ever after ending.

For the good points, all the casts really pulled off their role. Specially, the FL, Tian Xi Wei. I usually see her playing cutesie roles in Xian xia and historical dramas. It's good to see a different side of her playing a bit mature role. Her heart breaking parts really lead me to be teary eyed. For the 3 ML's whom I should say should have been tagged only as support roles as all of them are antagonists so to speak. For Qu Yi Peng, his character seem really hateable, but, in reality, yes, there are men out there who really is just like him. Just to get out of poverty, would find his way up in whatever methods he would use may it be risking love. For, Zhou Bin, Oh yes, a lot of men like him is totally out there. To be specific, married men. Once gaining money and power, cheating should also be in his system. Not generalizing, but, it's a fact that there are also lots of married men just like him in reality. And lastly, Gao Peng, I really feel sad for his character. I was really hoping the writer would give him a charcter development, but sadly, it turned to the opposite direction. I really felt his sincerity for Nan Nan in the beginning. He may not be the expressive guy we wanted him to be but he tried his best in the beginning and I believe his loyalty for Nan Nan was there. Sadly, money and power ate him and made him the most hated guy you'd ever want. I was hoping for him to remain loyal for Nan Nan inspite the obstacles their relationship have to go through. Hoping, he would realize that Nan Nan is absolutely the rightful and only woman for him since Nan Nan is always there in his lowest moments. Am definitely disappointed that the writer ruined his character. I would have given this a higher rating if they actually ended up together.

Anyways, for Han Su, Yu Tong always play this kind of roles. The smart, workaholic girl who always doesn't have time for romance and work is always her top priority. Not a fan of her role, but she became the bestie of all I should say. She was always there to listen to each of the characters in this drama....literally.

For Han Han, yes, another hopeless romantic who whose willing to risk everything for love. She may have weak points but gained being strong towards the end. Her role truly depicts lots of women in reality. A victim yet tagged as home wrecker. I guess, the main moral lesson in her story, doing background check before fully commiting to someone is a must. Specially, when you think your prospect have signs of being a married guy.

For the other guys involved such as Wang Zi Lu, I honestly don't like his character. He is straightforward as Nan Nan in which for me is not a good match. They're too the same. In a relationship, it is important to have balance IN BETWEEN the couple's personalities to have a harmonious relationship. If both have the same personalites, no one would lower his/her flag that will just result to separation. And for Luo Ma, his character just seem a filler for Su Su. Yet, his character is what Su Su needs. Someone who will find all his ways to get her heart.

After completing the drama, honestly, it didn't felt good. I still feel Nan Nan could've ended up with a better guy, it really could've been Gao Peng, since they had a strong foundation of friendship even after the breakup, they realized how they matured together. Or, the new neighbor could've been a good prospect. I really don't find WZL a good match for her.

As for the friendship of the 3 girls. It does feel awkward to be friends with the person who technically snatched your ex bf. I know Han Su is too mature to accept that and Nan nan can easily let go of everything as Gao Peng said. I'm just not a fan of that kind of friendship. Overall, it's 7.5 for me.

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Put entertainment aside and value it for its artistry!!!

I admire the bravery of the producer in bringing this kind of show into the mainstream while being aware that somehow, it would be tough to land a spot in the well-rated dramas for 2024. Basically, I watched this for Tian Xi Wei and the genre (romance and life) itself. The opening sequence (prologue) appeared to be odd initially for me because the vibe together with the scoring was more befitting a mystery-type drama instead. However, the unique visual textures struck me and stick out an impression. It gripped my curiosity and approached this rare narrative style with an open mind. Expect symbolism and theater acts that would further challenge your comprehension in the way you interpret the conflicts affecting the romantic relationship of the characters.

The story was far from the usual fancy and romanticizing ideas of this genre. It was a metaphor of a long portrait showing how you survive in life and love on this modern-day stretch with the very nature of it as existent. Many would admit that he or she was that character or has been in that same situation. I loved the story, the portrayals carried convictions, and the cinematography profoundly positioned a defined old urban theme. And essentially, it has imprinted growing realization of the need to make wise choices for our life guiding us to the basic rule of “Find your happiness first and thereafter we can make others happy too”.

Quite a winning blend of classic and modern touch!!! It has a charm of its own, anyhow.

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Strong at the beginning, boring at the end

Among 3 girls, i like most is Sun Han Han

He zhi nan is a female lead but i dont like her character. It looks like she doesnt really know what her goal is in life. She doesnt have proper job, she always drinks all the time

Sun Han Han is not wrong. She didnt know at first if Zhou Bin is still married. She is a nice girl

I just dont like ZYT, she is just not my type.

Among all the guys, Yi Peng is the most disgusting character for me. He only wants to get a rich girl and doesnt have sense of loyalty at all. Cheating and cheating

This drama is unique, strong interesting at the beginning but become boring at the end

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Lesson for lovesick people!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED =D

Completing any series is quite sentimental for me as I put so much heart in some of these that it is like I’m living with these characters daily…

It was a good story… you can’t call it a *Love story* rather it is an *EverChanging Life Story and Lessons* !! What I adore most is the pure bond of these three girls! The way they said in the very last episode to He Zhi Nan that “We know these meat balls are your favourite so we left them for you” !! Such friends are lifetime treasure!! Glad He Zhi Nan ultimately got love of her life and rests happily now!! The truth is this love and world is everchanging, nobody lasts so you have to keep moving, this is what we learnt from this drama!!

Leaving everyone makes you broken inside but there’s nothing you could do. People chose what is best for them like how they left their friend and went to study and work to Shanghai and USA! Gao peng also settled to plant faculty and so does Yi peng who found the rich girl and got married.

I had my eyes full of tears… to bid a good bye to this emotional story! One of the best series so far which I’ve watched in 2024.

❤

Would extend my love for it to recommend it to new viewers. Whoever is planning to watch it go ahead… <3

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Love yourself...know your value and self worth. Lessons from the characters.

I love this drama. So much.
The theme of the show is loving yourself enough to acknowledge that the world will never and doesn't need to revolve around you, people don't need to like you, and you don't have to be perfect just to fit what society regards as perfection. Loving yourself is the sincerest form of maturity because then, you can overcome anything that comes your way. Nan Nan found love, but not because she was insecure and was looking for someone to validate her self worth, but because love came at a time when she had accepted herself as she is. Love, to her, is not a complement, but rather a compliment.

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You cheat me & I cheat you be like

September seems to be a very busy month for all platforms despite airing mid-to-low-budget dramas. Youku also aired two dramas simultaneously which are In Between and Hero Is Back. It was quite a difficult choice, but I ended up skipping Hero is Back in favor of In Between. Of course, months before the airing, I had completed the novel though I skipped most of the second couple's scenes. I do admit that only insane people will watch this kind of drama because it's not your typical fluffy sugary drama such as Amidst a Snowstorm of Love or perhaps the recently completed You Are My Lover Friend. Okay, I'm not going to dilly dally anymore and let's get going into the review.

The best aspect for In Between must be the amazing production - every prop detail is shown meticulously, and the breathtaking cinematography is just... captivating (and don't get me started at the enamoring cities - I've got tons of praises for them lol). Aside from that, I also feel that the story is very realistic and stems away from your usual old-school-trope (you know what I mean). As you can see, we get a darker and moodier romance while also exploring the complex emotions of humans when they're experiencing love, self-discovery, growth, break up, cheating and so on. Well, sometimes you'd want to punch them on their faces when they're making dumb decisions for themselves especially the women (not of Han Su though, at least she still knows her bottom line), while the scumbag men are taking advantages of their indecisiveness.

Now, I'm going to explain the intricate relationship chart and see if you can understand it...

1) He Zhinan - Qu Yipeng
Zhinan and Yipeng accidentally encountered each other as they worked in the same building despite being in different departments. Yipeng thought that Zhinan was a rich girl and kept pursuing her and even had intimacy with her. However, after learning from Sister J that Zhinan's family condition was just average, Yipeng immediately left from her world and ran away to Tahiti to search for Zhinan's former colleague, whom Sister J claimed to be the rich one (Yipeng is an absolutely gold digger man that everyone needs to avoid, but still... Zhinan becomes the hunt of his prey).

2) He Zhinan - Gao Peng
Actually, Zhinan had a seven-year relationship with Gao Peng since their college years. Later, Gao Peng studied abroad in the UK and lost touch with Zhinan. After they met again in Hong Kong where Gao Peng had become a CEO for his company, Zhinan felt that he had changed a lot over the past few years and didn't seem to care her very much (you'll notice this when Gao Peng squandered his money to buy Zhinan tons of unnecessary gifts). In the end, they broke up peacefully and became normal friends... just normal friends.

3) He Zhinan - Wang Zilu
Zhinan and Zilu once encountered each other in an online platform, but it didn't leave a good impression on Zhinan. Hence, when she met him again, she decided to make his life more difficult. However, as they spent more time together, Zhinan found Zilu redeeming qualities, and she began to have feelings for her, even willing to invest in his doll universe when he even couldn't pay a large debt. I can't say their relationship is official for sure, but they still maintain a good relationship in the final episode.

4) Sun Hanhan - Zhou Bin
Nah, this is your typical older man-younger woman romance. Not much to expect about them, but I really dislike Zhou Bin and his abusive behaviors towards Hanhan. Hanhan is also a naive girl and lets herself being manipulated over and over again. But, in the end, she still gets her own freedom while Zhou Bin's career is shattered after Hanhan and Zeng Cheng team up in the law court (nice one, Hanhan).

5) Zeng Cheng - Zhou Bin
They were a married couple for 10 years before Zhou Bin knew the existence of Hanhan. But it was not a happy marriage though. Zhou Bin relied on Zeng Cheng's vast connection to build his career mainly took advantage of Zeng Cheng's position. Later, Zeng Cheng knew that her husband was cheating and had a cold war with Hanhan to extent of sacking Hanhan from the advertising company. However, Hanhan wasn't discouraged and attempted to explain herself to Zeng Cheng until she was convinced that Zhou Bin was actually a cruel jerk.

6) Han Su - Qu Yipeng
They were college sweethearts and as usual, Yipeng also took advantage of Han Su. After knowing that Han Su wasn't really serious in their relationship plus her insistence on moving to Hong Kong, Yipeng immediately broke up with her. Thank goodness Han Su could see through Yipeng's ulterior motives.

7) Han Su - Luo Ma
Both of them accidentally met each other in a bar and Han Su approached him because of playing truth or dare with Zhinan and Hanhan. At first, they thought it was a pure coincidence, but it turned out to be fate when Luo Ma moved to Han Su's law firm. However, Han Su didn't want to fall in love anymore and that was her reason of rejecting Luo Ma repeatedly.

8) Han Su - Gao Peng
Not long after he broke up with Zhinan, he was attracted by Han Su and pursued her nonstop despite her wariness. Han Su knew that Gao Peng wasn't her type of man and immediately rejected him too (still a peaceful break up though).

Kudos to every member of the casts for creating such an engaging masterpiece. Their micro expressions and the scenes when they're crying... it's just so natural and convincing. Anyway, they're too good in portraying cheating men and women lol...

OSTs and BGMs are pleasant to hear and don't sound distorted and I find myself keep humming to the song lol.

Overall, a ten out of ten. Give this a shot if you're not bothered with cheating/infidelity because this is such a rare masterpiece. As for rewatch, I may have to reconsider given that this drama only airs in China through Linmon channel which really exasperates me (same goes with A Journey to Love). Good luck in finding your true way and happy watching!!

P.S.
Don't imitate their actions or you're going to be a cheater FOR REALL!!!

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Unexpectedly refreshing take on the cheesiest mainstream genre.

this is so oddly (in a good way) unusual that i decided to say a few words straight away (watched 2 eps for now)
so far seems like a very high-quality production through and through.
the characters have real depth, look more like actual people then u're probably used to in these kinds of series. the FL still annoying, puts too much effort in opening her eyes as wide as it is anatomically possible which is a bit suffocating to look at - the familiar clichéd "ingénue type" or so it seems so far.

the depicted world where all is ruled by materialistic interior motifs is alien to me. and personally, i wouldn't have survived past daycare for sure. but it's depicted so thoroughly, with so much attention to detail that I couldn't help but appreciate it and was drawn in (for the most part).

loved the music, Accusefive is 1 of my favorites, although admittedly I happen to know just a handful of Chinese musical artists.
loved the opening credits sequence and i don't skip it (!!)

most of the dialogs and the attention to visual details that help to tell the story and actually are essential to the plot in a smart way (as in "respecting the viewer's IQ") - wow, never saw this high level in such a mainstream genre before. (did see it in "heavier" types of Chinese series though)
oh, and the long-takes! (is it what it's called?) they are a treat! maybe just 'cause i don't see them all that often anymore and wasn't expecting a fancier camera work...but still)

So there you go for now)
Let's wait n see how much (if any) disappointment there's gonna be for the viewer as the story unfolds LOL
Thank you for reading.

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I just started to watch this drama that came out few days ago. I've watched till episode 5 and I couldn't help but to give a review in an instant.

All the actors are very good and I really appreaciate many of their dramas and in this drama they are doing good as well. The thing that I'm not liking much is the plot because it shows how men take advantage and use women which is something very unacceptable. Even though I'm giving this review, I'll try my best to watch all the whole series.

I didn't want to give a very low ranking because even though I didn't like much this drama, I still don't want to give a full bad score.

- Review by sukimatchagirl

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