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ryoato

Sisheng Peak

ryoato

Sisheng Peak
As Beautiful as You chinese drama review
Ongoing 20/40
As Beautiful as You
7 people found this review helpful
by ryoato
Jul 15, 2024
20 of 40 episodes seen
Ongoing
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

The most beautiful moments in life only come after hardships

I can't believe a drama I have waited so long for has actually aired. Luckily this one isn't disappointing at all! In fact I am enjoying it at lot. Let me explain:

I love both of the main leads and have watched them in several of their own projects before. I have yet to finish a modern drama with Xu Kai in it, but this one is a good one to add to his filmography. For Tan Song Yun this is also another drama she should be proud of. It's not excellent or anything, it is just a solid and well done job for everyone involved.

This drama succeeds in telling a story of a young woman trying to achieve her dreams. To me, I like how that is the main focus rather than the romance. Xu Kai isn't in it as much as I like because of this, but in the end I am fine with it because the story that is being told doesn't fit for him to be in every single scene.

Tan Song Yun is a beautiful woman who has RANGE. She has played a similar story in Master of My Own, but she is a splendid actress to show a different side with her character here as Ji Xing. Ji Xing is also a great example of a strong female lead. She doesn't have the plot change unrealistically for her to succeed, and is shown to have strength through her perseverance instead. I have watched a bit of other dramas with female leads in positions that she has, but everything is handed to them perfectly. They are almost too bratty in a way, and it makes them unlikeable because everything they worked for is handed to them. Ji Xing really has to work for it, and even if some of the scenarios she gets past easily, it is just a series of misfortunes for this woman. What is done so right is that the ML, Han Ting, is not her knight in shining armor.

What could be a diluted romance between the two instead has a very interesting dynamic. Han Ting is neither someone who is overbearing and overprotective when he shouldn't be, and he instead is Ji Xing's senior that gives her advice. It is tough love, and he isn't handing things to her just because he has a crush on her. Despite his interest in her, he helps her in the long run by teaching her lessons of the field they both work in. Han Ting is a privileged man and he knows it, but he is humble enough to invest in a small company, and has emphasized it isn't just because of his crush. The way that the business is run in this drama is the most realistic I've seen in a C-drama, as compared to other dramas that just run too smoothly. Like they don't have financial issues, they don't worry about hiring, things just don't go wrong. Again, it's not the most realistic ever, but the drama knows how to make Ji Xing's business a new company rather than a flip of a switch well run company.

Xu Kai leads well here. I really like the parts where he is able to lean into his puppy love attitude, and want to see more. Unfortunately his character here isn't the most charismatic for him. His best role by far is Wonderland of Love, but if I sit back and stop comparing to that he does a well job. This drama stays pretty safe and isn't offensive, but it is better than the average office romance story.

When the direction is done well with the lighting and cinematography it really does well. It doesn't happen a lot, so in the end this drama isn't spectacular. The romance definitely is a slow-burn.

I recommend to fans of either and think it's a good office romance that feels fresh. A mentor-student relationship between two individuals that were once peers. Han Ting knows that Ji Xing is a smart woman and has a lot of potential, so he isn't easy on her. Its focus is the female lead who has to work hard for what she has and gets the bad parts of life handed to her 9 times out of ten. The supporting stories are also interesting, with the best friend of the FL being the best one there. It is nice to have a story besides the main one be interesting in a modern drama. He Rui Xian is perfect for the best friend role and she is just as strong as a woman as Ji Xing, but is instead more direct and forward and leans into her femininity more.

The themes of womanhood are done well also. Representing how just being a woman makes them to be seen as objects is disturbing, but it is unfortunately very real. I think it's important to see both Li Li and Ji Xing know their worth and leave their jobs, and I think Li Li is a great asset to Ji Xing's team.

The negatives are the ex boyfriend whose round rimmed glasses really didn't suit him, and the 'friend' who likes him. I don't like how she is portrayed as a friend when she has liked Ji Xing's 4-year partner in life? That is not good for the womanhood, but besides her Ji Xing surrounds herself by the right people. The antagonists are good without being too evil also, as this time it is another woman trying to bring Ji Xing down, her former boss.

So this is a good drama with good styling and clean camera work that doesn't have flashy editing. Recommend but not too highly.
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