Friendship turned to Love and life lessons- Must watch!

I'm a bit lazy writing reviews, however, at some point I think I owe it to this film/ series to have a high rating and for people who tumble on this to watch. Noona Romances are a trend nowadays, some would be on it or don't. But for me, I like it because it brings a lot of maturity to watch unlike those school-setting boys next door falling in love with a clingy school girl or crush theme. What's lovable about this series is it didn't focus on one topic only, it showed how fate would bring two people from opposite sides of the table to be awkwardly acquainted, be best friends, fall in love, handle society's pressure, make the best version of themselves and succeding in life having a happy ending. That's how the story goes.
Now talking about the actors and characters. There is no single doubt that the lead actors did a fantastic job. Ruby Lin and Derek have great chemistry, thou there is a huge age gap in real life which is 17 years I guess..they both portrayed their roles with no awkwardness. Though Ruby Lin at 41 and had just given birth 4 months prior she started this role, how amazing this woman is and her passion for acting. I have been searching some of her works and mostly it is drama and historical roles. If you want to see her being light, goofy, smiling with her dimples on, laughing, funny, and stupidly childish lying drunk on the floor then you are lucky to see her on this. I wished she could have done more romantic comedy roles in the past or maybe in the future, who knows thou she is 47 now in 2023 she still looks young. Now talking about her character, I have all praises as said above the only thing I would comment about on the other side is that I hoped her character could have been vulnerable during the times that they were already a couple. The character was so fun to watch in the beginning as she was vulnerable. The character has always been a strong independent woman and would have been nice to see her being vulnerable in the relationship. Mentioning there was no time in the series that she said she loved the male lead "wo ay ni". I could have cried a lot if there was a moment in the story about confessing her love to the male lead. She did confess she had feelings and cried but was still in denial of it. Also, there was another comment I read here saying it did not show exactly what the female lead liked about the male lead. It would have been nice to see how she gets jealous of Shampoo who is the first love of the male lead. And with that, the support role of Shampoo could have been maximized.
Now Derek Chang, as a new actor is very good. No wonder he was nominated for this role. When he cried, there was so much sincerity that he didn't care that his saliva was dropping. Character-wise, the only thing to comment on is it just took a long time in the series for him to grow up. Yes, the story is that he is a boy who doesn't even know he is in love that is why he acts stupid. But it could have been nice if half of the series already showed that he grew up and that this time the female lead fell in love more. It could have been nice to see a little pride in the male lead character.
Overall both characters and actors did a fantastic job, and also just to add up the kissing scenes were done in a respectful, light, and kind-hearted way. The pecks and hugging were enough for the romantic vibes. This is the kind of chemistry that there is no need for a bed scene or hot kissing scene to make it sizzle.
To add up as well, I know most Chinese dramas though this is Taiwanese Drama, the story only focused on those two main lead characters. There are support characters but they just moved the story and main lead characters to where they should be. It is not like Chinese dramas which there are side stories aside from the main lead which is confusing. I became a fan of Ruby Lin and Derek Chang because of this. I am also glad that they are real friends following each other on IG even Derek having pictures of them together while filming. The story made an impact on me and I want to share it with all the people out there who want to just for a little while in their heavy lives escape and smile for 20 hours of watching. The last thing, you may also want to watch "Rational Life" on Netflix which is as great as this.
The final verdict is a 10/10!

Read More

The best RomCom.. must watch!

I have been watching Cdrama, Thaidrama, JDorama and Kdrama..this is the best Romcom I have ever watched from all. This is considered as a classic already. If you want to smile from start to finish..then watch this. Even the soundtrack was so good that I looked for it on Spotify..on top of Disney's Aladdin. The genre of age gap was not mentioned on here but in real life FL and ML have a huge age gap. The main focus here is a fanous actress falling in love with a regular guy..a regular working guy who doesn't have much luck in the world. He may be shown as a fool..but his foolness is his charm. I also like how the ML acting like a fool..the FL also acts with charm when they realized they have fallen in love with each other. I like that both characters have become vulnerable with each other. This series deserves a high rating as this was also shown in Thailand and Philippines. People nowadays put high reviews on actors they like even if the series wasn't good. So I put this rating on hoping as time evolves..this series will not be forgotten.

Read More

A classic 90s showing how pure love can move someone.

Read some reviews here and I guess I have to write a review that is not biased. Some do not like this because they feel the FL Asano Asako is condescending and a cheating character. While the ML they think is too nice and stupid. Now I am going to share how this impacts me. I watch shows that gives an impact in how the actors made me smile and cry. On how the actors show the characters and not act awkwardly. I do not care how realistic the script or story was written..that is why we watcn films because neither of it is true. Watch this film if you want to feel how the ML loved the FL eventhough he is the most stupid person and ugly man that a pretty young career woman could fall in love with. How the FL forgot her old love and realized that all the time it was a different kind of love that she was looking for. If you want to be moved with the old song.."no other love" which perfectly fits how the FL thought she could not love anyone anymore from her dead ex fiancee and finds new love with the ML. Watch this if you believe that people change..and you can learn to love someone.

Read More

A disappointing remake of the original story "My Dear Boy"

I understand why a couple of people rated a high score on this series, it might be that people didn't know that this was a remake of the original Taiwanese series My Dear Boy. I am basing my review here because I have watched the original version and couldn't help but be frustrated with how a beautiful plot was butchered in this remake. From the production to the added storyline is a big disappointment.
PLOT - This is a noona romance and slice-of-life drama. The ML chasing the FL, divorcee FL, annoying side characters that don't fit the bill,36 episodes with a lot of nonsense conversations, VERY SLOW BURN, and ended very casually with no romantic sizzle.
PRODUCTION - The ML was depicted as a poor character guy however, it doesn't make sense as to why his wardrobe throughout the series is just the same. He has a job and is not a beggar but his clothes are the same throughout. The FL character is a director and has her own company however her clothes aren't classy enough to depict a famous director. Her hairstyle was tied up throughout the series prolly because she looks young if her hair is put down. At the end of the series, both of them went to attend an awarding ceremony however both of them were wearing casual jeans when all the others were in formal wear. This can be overlooked but is annoying since again it is a 36-episode series .
CHEMISTRY - People say they have good chemistry and I also felt the same during the first episodes. I realized there was no real chemistry after several episodes. Prolly the chemistry is because both actors are good-looking. It felt like both of them were in a mentor-business-partner relationship and no real romantic spark even though there were hugs and eye connections.
PACING - The story was butchered from the original version as they added annoying side characters that did not build the
main plot. The sister-boyfriend hockey player was added to the story but did not provide any slice-of-life storyline or build the connection between the ML and FL. The father of the FL probably provided a lesson to the story about forgiveness but still did not build any relation to the plot. This is 36 episode series but the FL and ML just became a couple at episode 30. There was very little screen time for romance and even when there was love between the characters they are shown as just dating and not deep love. The original story depicted that the ML became a successful and famous director however in this remake the FL received an award rather than depicting that the ML was the one who became successful. The ending was a bluff, a very blunt acceptance speech of both of them on stage and just a hug. The end.

If you are looking for noona romance and some comedic feels, please watch my dear boy and pass this one!

Read More

Boring at its finest!

Have watched several Cdramas and I could say this is so far the most boring one I have watched. I tried this due to high ratings and the cast were all good and famous. But I agree with the unpopular reviews here..this is boring and storyline about gaming and then switched over to aeronautics does not add up to any romantic feelings to smile about on this drama. Its more of a scifi drama instead of romcom. The plot should have been a famous actress falling in love with a regular guy..but this was not emphasized. There are other cdramas to watch if the plot is about a famous actress and a regular guy..this series is definitely not it. Dilraba and Yangyang may have been paid a huge amount on this drama for them to play this..or prolly because it has something to do with being nationalistic since the drama is about chinese satellite.

Read More

You can never go wrong on a 60 episode with Ma Si Chun

Same as others I was quite hesitant to watch this and have been on my watchlist for some time, the reason is it is 60 episodes. At last, I was able to watch it before 2023 ended and all I could say is that it was one of the best series I have binge-watched for the year. I gave it a 9/10 because it could have been so perfect from episodes 1- 20 however after came the war plot and the side characters which made the story lengthy but predictable. I for one am a sucker for romance and plot twists, however, the war twists of the story are predictable. I could have moved some episodes because of the war plot it's just that at each episode the FL and ML show a little screentime and it was soooo good and sweet! and I ended up watching all episodes because I didn't want to miss their screen time.
Ma Si Chun and Peter Sheng have an absolute chemistry! just the kiss smacks, the eye connection, their foolish air kissing and hugging each other is enough to sizzle. Until now I still think about how Ma Si Chun got the general role, she has a sweet face but she conquered the role! I liked that she wasn't portraying a manly man, she was a general but she has a soft and sweet side whenever she is with the ML. Peter Sheng on the other hand complemented the sweet side of Ma Si Chun. He is hilarious and at some point, it seems Ma Si Chun would smile because she finds it funny.

I have finished the series but I am watching it again however from episodes 1 - 20 only when the cousin arrived did it spoil the fun!

Read More

Straightforward Romance no dull moment just good vibes!

I would say the only disappointing thing about this series is that they did not make this a mainstream series. The series is short, and straightforward, with no BS side characters that take the limelight from the main leads, and no long discussions/scripting. This should have been a noona genre because the main leads have 10 years age gap in real life but the plot was of a dominant rich FL who falls for a poor warm-hearted guy. It also has this sleeping beauty vibe that was incorporated into the story as fantasy, but yes it made the plot cute. What is amazing about this series is that even though this is a fantasy romance the scripting, the pacing, and the acting were all so realistic. It will make you smile because there are scenes that happen in real life. Scenes that are: when the FL and her friend were talking about how she could initiate sex with the ML and made those hand signs that she did it the following morning. How the FL and ML were watching 50 shades of gray to initiate intimacy. How the FL and his brother have a love-hate relationship, having a narcissistic brother that you fight with but at the end of the day protects his sister. How every moment the FL and ML share time together cooking, and lying on the sofa, is as simple as just the eye connection. The actors have amazing chemistry, again they have 10 years age gap but how they acted in their roles was so real and had no awkwardness. How the FL took the ML's face to kiss intimately several times when both of them were lying in bed and how they both looked at each other's eyes. The FL has her charm in acting and the ML has this genuine freshness in him. Hope all C-Dramas can adapt to this, with no BS side characters, and no awkwardness when kissing and doing bed scenes for actors who have an age gap. In most noona themes there are no bed scenes or even intimate kissing but this series was so straightforward with the plot and acting. Also, even the supporting characters and plot were so good that it all just provided good vibes throughout.

I hoped there would be season 2 and the actors here would be given mainstream roles in the future.

Read More

Rollercoaster ride instead of Bus Stop

I would start this review because I just couldn't help to promote a series that was so good but failed in the middle until it drowned me down in the end. Don't get me wrong, this is still a good watch however it will leave you thinking if you are an overthinker. If you missed watching 101 Marriage Proposal or not please watch it first because this series came out after 101 Marriage Proposal was a hit in Japan during the 90's. I said so because the plot and the vibe were almost copied from 101 Marriage Proposal. And with that, it would be hard not to compare the two on where it hit the spot and where it failed.

We go summarize the story of an ML Bus Driver who is hard-working, kind-hearted, and quite good-looking but poor. The FL is a blue-collar independent woman working for a company wherein she got demoted and is feeling out of confidence with herself, she is pretty and always wears high heels. The series is seen as the FL rides the bus one night and the ML has a love-first-sight moment and pursues her though the FL isn't interested as she is still in love with her ex-BF who is her boss. The ML did his best to make the FL fall in love with him and succeed. During the time that the FL accepted the love of the ML, her ex-BF came back, and their misunderstanding of why they broke up was fixed. At this point, the ML accepted his fate and let go of the FL. Some work issues came in for the ML and FL reuniting with the ex-BF doesn't feel happy with the relationship as she was asked to resign from her job and just be a housewife. The end was a couple of realizations that both the FL and ML got back together and got married in the end.

Now some points to ponder after watching the series and how it left me thinking as a viewer. The series was really at its best during the 7 episodes but failed until the end. It started great with that happy feeling vibes that would make you smile. The script was neatly and nicely written especially the tagline"Ride your life with me". It gave me the same vibe as watching a classic Japanese background series with a pure love story like 101 Marriage Proposal. Where it failed...Some of the actors' acting and character development. In characters, both the FL and ML were Wishy-Washy. First, it is understandable that the FL still has feelings for her ex since she was the one who dumped him because the parents were not in favor of her. It was really clear in the story that she and her ex were passionately in love with each other. The FL then was pursued by the ML and was moved on how he is doing everything to make her happy, thus accepting his love. Now the bad part begins, as a viewer there should be some time to blend in moments of togetherness between the ML and FL but it failed. As soon as the FL and ML got together the ex came back and the funny thing is there are more moments of togetherness between the supposedly ex-BF and the FL including the flashbacks. One of the worst parts is when the FL told the ML to trust her and that she would not go back to her ex-BF. After that moment, the ex-BF proposed to her with a ring and during that time the ML accidentally saw them together. Okay, as with every story, there should be a twist which I get, however, it depicted that the FL and ex-BF were the ones in love and the ML looked like a third wheel. It was so bad that they even had to show that they not only kissed but also slept together. The FL even said to the ex-BF after making love that she would break up with the ML. Also, when the FL and her best friend were talking, she mentioned that she and the ML have a platonic kind of relationship and could not think of being intimate with him. Even in the last part where the Ml and FL got back together, what the FL did was just give a peck on the cheeks of the ML without even hugging. I mean with that, it left me thinking as to where is the sincerity of the FL's character on that. Did she learn to love the ML or did she just choose him because he was a kind man and she could be herself with him? Is she really passionately in love this time with the ML or choose him because he was a safe choice that he could make her happy.
I know in reality women do make this kind of choice "Would you choose the one you love or the one who loves you more'?
But then again this is not reality and as a viewer, we want to see that kind of pure love that we do not see in real life.
I also have a comment about the FL's acting as she was so great in being charming but when it came to the drama part were she was supposed to be feeling resentful. I just couldn't see it in her acting, I don't know if it was supposed to be like that or if her character was just to be plain choosing the ML and not be resentful. In comparison with 101 Marriage Proposal, FL Atsuko Asano's character also chooses the other guy however, there was a certain sincerity with her acting (she cries her heart out) and her character was resentful. In the end comparing both,101 Marriage Proposal the FL chased the ML while the Bus Stop ML still chased the FL and met in between.
Now the ML's character is great, even the actor himself though I knew he was a comedian he did cry very sincerely in the series. The only negative thing is his character being wishy-washy. Several times he stood up for himself because of the FL dismissing him. However, the next day he is on his knees again pursuing the FL, this is great however they should have given enough storyline to show that the FL was at least falling in love with him. It could have been heart-warming if at some point the FL fell in love with the ML and just got confused with the return of the ex-BFas a twist. Even if the FL chooses the ex-BF, it would still be a good twist as long as it shows that the FL had a sincere love for the ML. And from Episode 7 till the end that was its downfall. In episode 7 the FL and ML just became a couple and I was rooting for the next episode to see them go on dates and moments of togetherness, but just a few scenes and the FL got back with her ex-BF instead. The ending was also superficial and very predictable. A runaway bride, a letter, friends making a way to convince the leads that they should be together, etc. And again, the ML chased the FL and finally, the FL showed up and ended with a kiss on the cheeks as an acceptance of his ring. The only good thing about the last part was again the lines which were maturely written and with depth. When the FL said she wanted to wear the heels but remove them to relax or be at home with the ML.

This series made an impact on me since I'm a sucker for one-sided love that wins at the end. However, I would just move on with another series and not re-watch this. I just want to watch a series that though has no perfectly nice characters but at least wouldn't leave me thinking after watching.

Read More

So so Cdrama..lacks romantic feeling

Watched this show because of thr casts and the genre of age gap relationships. You can watch this to kill time but not totally being into it every episode. Same as others review here..its an okay drama prolly because of the casts and decent storyline. However the feel good vibe that would make you smile while watching isn't on here. There was a moment of bed scene which is awkward because they were not even in a relationship and the chasing of the ML was so dragging that its almost at the end when they became a couple. They should have skipped that bed scene part as it doesn't make sense and doesn't make the audience feel the sizzle. If anyone is reading this..better watch Zhou Yu Tong the female lead other drama "begin again" which is way better than this..and gives that feeling of good vibes and romance that would make you smile. Also recommend another sports romcom with the same age gap relationship from Gina Jin "Falling into you".

Read More