A lighthearted and not too serious dramatization about family & work life, My Treasure is one of the better directed & grounded tv shows in terms of family drama standards. It does not feel like a typical sitcom. All the sets and places are real which creates that real ambience city-life workplace setting. The heart of the story is Dong Na, the main protagonist who is a fresh out of college student finding employment in a professional work environment at an accounting firm.

Vicky Chen is charming. One of the more skillful actresses her age even with a cast of veteran actors, her acting ability holds up so well. She has an incredibly good onscreen presence with her costars. She portrays Dong Na with a lively energy without it being over the top & has a natural presence both in acting & line delivery. Vicky Chen hits every beat. Dong Na is great example of a proactive protagonist, not just reactive who is up for any ventures. She is headstrong, smart, stubborn, and goodwilled who always finds a plausible solution to everyday problems in her life. She draws strength & knowledge from people around her, specifically her mother Qiu Xiao Xia.

Roy Chiu is charismatic as an unconventional type-boss figure, both in mannerism & speech to his appearance. He conveys emotions well through body gestures & facial expressions. He knows how to sell that image of Gu Fei who’s rational, capable, and honest who knows how to handle and take care of business and people, specifically in regards to Dong Na. Although Gu Fei falls into the trope of a male character with a tragic past, his trauma doesn’t hinder his efficient work ethics and professionalism in the workspace.

The drama builds ups great relationship between female characters. One of the major core relationships of the story is Dong Na & her mother Qiu Xiao Xia. Vicky Chen and Liu Min Tao portrays the daughter and mother relationship duo so well it is believable. Dong Na’s relationship with her boss Cheng Fan Yang starts from a cold-shoulder iciness to a warm almost maternal-like bond between the two. Her love-hate ‘frenemy’ relationship with Chu Ning, her college classmate, is hilarious & somewhat endearing. Their bickering towards each other is great throughout.

Dong Na forms a significant relationship with Gu Fei. There are memorable scenes between two from amusing banter and in-depth conversations in casual settings that doesn’t feel hollow, repetitive, or redundant. Dong Na & Gu Fei has a great momentum onscreen together with witty, heartfelt, & engaging dialogue. Their mentor-mentee relationship is a standout, both navigating through their uncertainties & trouble all while consoling the other when needed. I was wholeheartedly surprised by the chemistry and their unconditional support for each other. Dong Na and Gu Fei’s mutual and platonic sides of their relationship is more intimate and profound than any romance. The relationship develops & unfolds with such a natural progression. It has been a while since I enjoyed a relationship between a female and male character onscreen that does not make me want to pull my hair out.

My only gripe-issue is the romance. I don’t have anything against romance between the characters themselves but because the age difference between the actors. WenQi was a minor and Roy Chiu was an adult. The presentation of the romantic apsect towards the last few ep was awkward to watch. The story could have gone easily without any romance.

One of the strong suite is the dialogue, specifically in the conversations. The writer did a fantastic job creating a natural essence between the characters in the way they act, feel, and talk. Even with their appearances, nothing is overdone or gaudy. Besides the exceptional cast, the directing style is great. It is shot from a distant and at certain times from a wide-panoramic like angle which allows an immersive viewing of the characters within the environment they are placed in. It does not have those near close up shot that feels overly melodramatic. The comical sound effects is befitting to the drama’s humor. The last few episodes were a bit lackluster, in terms of its direction of the story. I like where the story was heading but not necessarily the execution in its writing. Cheng Fan Yang’s storyline in relation with her husband is the weakest since it is stagnant throughout the drama up until the end.

All in all, the drama had great moments between the characters. If you enjoy a more character driven-relationship type of drama with a hint of slice of life and humor that ends on a positive note, this is a good one to watch. There are definite tropes here and there but its not done in an overt exaggerated way in the usual family drama fashion.