On the positive side, this drama has a decent cast, and you can't fault the visuals of the OTP. On top of that, the CP has good chemistry, some sweet swoon worthy moments and a decent amount of skinship. It is also relatively low angst and has no silly breakups. The two secondary couples are fine and did their duties occupying some of the screen time.

To distinguish itself from similar shows, the OTP are step siblings, but not blood related. I don't have any issue with that but some might.

Now we need to look at the other side of the ledger. What stood out for me is the lazy and transparent writing. This is evident right from the start. For instance, the ML recognised the FL immediately at the start of the show but pretended not to. The FL was clueless which was odd because she has been living with his mum for years. It is true that he has been studying and working overseas for some time but why doesn’t his mum have any recent photos of him at home or on her phone? No video calls, ever? Sure, it sets up the meet-cute but if you pause for 2 seconds you can see how problematic that is.

The show is also prone to parachute in characters and plots just because it can. The 3FL(Xia Xiaomian) is a young adult just arrived in a major city with no relatives nor friends, but she magically knew where the ML lives and latched onto him. I do find it a bit farfetched for c-drama.

The script writer likes to telegraph plot development way in advance as well. The FL has a boyfriend but he has to become the EX-boyfriend for the show to progress. To pave the way, we were presented with a laundry list of hints why they are incompatible. We have the co-worker who became a trophy wife but is treated more like a servant and her husband is a womaniser. Ouch! The BF shows up time and again with flowers even though the FL is allergic to them, and she told him so. Consider they have been together for 4 years; you’d think he should know. Similarly, she is portrayed as an ambitious career woman and all he talked about are his goals and how she can quit work and be a good housewife and so on. Was it a big surprise that she ditched him?

All the secondary CP’s are preordained. Yes, there are the usual push-pulls and misunderstandings, but their love lines are on rails. It is all nicely done but it is hardly original.

The pacing of this show is languid. Most plot developments are clearly sign posted in advance. The dreaded mid show drag is real and its length can do with a decent pruning.

The ending with the actors talking about love and how it relates to their characters is nice but is that a sign that they have run out of material and needed fillers?

Acting is mostly fine. Some roles like the FL’s father is very stereotypical. The younger actors is a bit rough around the edges but they earned their keeps. The FL did a lot of the heavy lifting, but it is hardly a breakout role. The ML is nice and handsome, but his delivery seemed a little stilted.

All in all, it is a decent rom-com. Its straightforward plots and low angst makes for easy viewing. There are better noona romances out there, such as My Fated Boy, so it is not high on my rewatch list.
OST is serviceable, nice but generic.