Please Be My Family (2023)

Watch for the wonderfully amazing kids, great OTP, hilarious rival ... BUT some caution ahead ...

There is so much to love about this drama -- the OTP pairing between Xie Binbin and Zheng Qiuhong, the most ridiculously adorable kids ever, and a rival you think you're going to thoroughly loathe, but end up finding absolutely delightful and hilarious. All of these factors make this drama worth watching.

ACTING:
Xie Binbin, who is simply adorakable and was also enormously likable in Party A Who Lives Beside Me, is equally endearing here. He's not the most emotive or best actor, but you can still sense his ever-present regret over his initial motivations, all of which culminates into a moving and heartfelt speech near the end of episode 27. He and Zheng Qiuhong, who was equally fantastic in Dine With Love, have great chemistry together. The pairing is inspired and I hope to see them together again in a future drama. But it's the children who are truly revelatory. At first, they just seem like your typical adorable C-drama kids, but it's almost magical watching Zhang Yanbo and Huang Bosi together as the story unfolds and they interact like true siblings. Episode 26, in particular, is a gem. First you'll cry, then you'll laugh out loud as the kids break your heart before charming your socks off.

Yang Xue'er, who plays Tong Luoqi, is pitch perfect as the bitchy rival with the heart of gold. I'd seen her in a number of other dramas before, but this character really allowed her to shine. Some of the funniest scenes in the drama involve her and the children, and some of the most heartwarming scenes are also between her and the FL.

Finally, I was surprised by my unexpected sympathy for Qin Tian once his back story was revealed. He was a different person in the flashbacks, and credit goes to Jin Chong for his acting. Of course, it doesn't justify his actions in any way, but it made his character more interesting and nuanced -- he wasn't just some one-dimensional villain out for the usual revenge.

STORY:
There are some minor quibbles here and there that can be glossed over, but there are a few significant issues that mar what otherwise could have been a very satisfying romcom. One of the biggest weaknesses is the secondary couple. Both BFFs are perfectly fine ... and yet ... somehow bland. That blandness spills over into their equally uninspired romance, which was really the only draggy part of the drama. Far too much time is spent on a courtship that has no spark.

Another major weakness is the overall plot that drives the entire story. A key component of the "mystery" is fairly obvious within the first episode and by the mid-point, viewers have a pretty good idea as to the other elements of the mystery. And yet, more than a dozen episodes go by before some of these theories are finally confirmed. (Eg. Speaking as someone with relevant experience, how does that detail about the brother not come up even once in conversation?!) I don't mind plot predictability, but the build-up to a couple of the big reveals felt quite forced, unrealistic, and unnecessary. Not surprisingly, the plot briefly got splattered with some obligatory "dog's blood". By the time the series ended, I still had some unanswered questions as to how certain key events were even possible.

Despite these problems -- and unlike The Love You Give Me, a recent modern drama that I found extremely frustrating to watch -- Please Be My Family was still very enjoyable. At less than 30 minutes each, it's also a breezy binge. Ultimately, the strongest aspect of this drama is the main cast of genuinely wonderful characters. They really carry the show and help compensate for the storyline flaws.

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This is how you (almost) score your own goal

This show is not particularly pretentious, and the early indication is a contract marriage trope with bonus cute little kids. The FL is a struggling single parent, but she is trying her best. The ML is the typical cold but super competent CEO who is also a single parent. After a series of fateful meetings and the odd accidental skinship later, they are married but not a couple. Easy peasy.

In fact, for a good 3/4 of the run, the show is motoring along very nicely. Their romantic journey is swoon-y and developing well. The little kids are not bothersome like some other dramas, and they add some colour to the mostly by-the-book main storyline. There is a hint of a revenge plot, but the general outlook is rosy.

This is where some iffy writing starts to rear its ugly head and almost scored an own goal. I’m keeping this spoiler free, so I'll talk in general terms.

The first problem is the portrayal of the leads. The FL is sweet and empathic, but she has a lot of self-doubt and can be easily swayed. On the other hand, the ML is smart but have very poor communication skills. This is a bad combo because it means misunderstanding can be just one scene away and any misstep escalates quickly.

This is not helped by poor communication between the protagonists. The ML, the grandfather, the FL's parents all withholding vital information and keeping secrets from each others. This only serves to pour oil on the fire of misunderstanding once there is a spark. Honestly, this is such a lazy trope but without it, there is almost no plot. Ouch!

Furthermore, the antagonist's motivation is a bit opaque. We are told one thing but snippets of information point to another. His mental state also casts a lot of doubt about what are facts and what might be his imagination. This is obviously done by the writer to keep us guessing and to create tension. Unfortunately, this part of the main plot is weak and loaded with inconsistencies and shortcuts. We are fed bits of information to try to paper over gaps in the narratives. For instance, one of the key characters is found to be adopted and her behaviour is all blamed on her time in the welfare home. Ditto pieces of damning info happen to fall into the wrong hands. Where did they come from? There are other contrivances, but I would be giving the main plot away.

Obviously, the writer is trying to shape the plot in a certain way, but it feels unnatural and leaves the viewer baffled and a bit frustrated. The drama would be better off without the revenge plot. The show doesn't need one and it derailed the main plot for little gain.

Acting wise, the FL is fine but her role is not well written. The ML’s visual is idol grade but his acting skill is still developing. There are times when he just looks uncomfortable and a bit lost.

The support cast is actually quite good. The SFL who started off chasing the ML but becomes the FL’s bestie is quite endearing. The 2CP works too. A bit kooky at times but their journey is heartfelt, and I can ship them. The senior cast members pull their weight and provided some stability.

I didn't have high hopes for the show at the beginning. I was hooked by mid show, but they lost me towards the end. The HEA ending and fan service helps to restore some faith. It is watchable and largely inoffensive. I just wish they'd leave well enough alone. Peace out.

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warning: you will get serious baby fever

the gem of this show are the adorable kids. chen chen and xuan xuan have my whole heart i give my babies a 10/10 for their acting, they're so cute i love them.

besides that the show is really mid. the story was kind of ass and was shittily paced. it's not like i watch these shows for the plot anyways but even the main leads disappointed me a bit. i like the male leads character but i have seriously no idea what's going on in that dumbasses head. the way he proposes is so sudden and weird?? and if you're like me and hate the miscommunication plot line then this drama def aint working out for you because there is SO much of the "i was secretly listening and left in a hurry because you hurt my feelings but later i find out that if i'd just heard you say the next sentence i would've realised it's a misunderstanding and this whole fight is for nothing" which SUCKS.

didn't care much for the second lead romance because the main plot annoyed me too much to focus. i pretty much watched the show on x2 speed and only properly watched the family scenes and some of the cute romance scenes post-marriage. if you're only watching it for the family aspect i recommend you do the same and just skip skip through the boring bits which makes the drama actually tolerable.

that being said, the family scenes are truly very cute and i wouldn't consider this drama a complete waste of time. i don't regret watching it one bit because xuan xuan and chen chen made all the time i wasted worth it.

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Amazing

Vey first about kids ,so cute ,so adorable .... They made drama lively.
I love them . Then chemistry among the leads amazing . So cooperative grandfather . Female lead's side her parents were cooperative but sometime dominative . But ending is good so it is okay. Other parallel love story were also very cute . Little emotional at some point .specially the scene when kido ran behind the car . For this he should given an award.
Full enjoyment one program . It is ver good drama but I have no words to explain it . As I have to complete five hundreds words to post it.

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The two adorable kids and this new family are worth your time.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

I wasn’t expecting much when I started watching “Please Be My Family”, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. This drama does not have any top idols or popular actors, so not many watched it. The drama centers around a marriage of convenience between two single parents and their children. Together, they formed a loving and happy family, and of course, the parents slowly fall in love with each other. But a family secret looms over our male lead throughout the drama. You will have to wait till the last few episodes of the drama for that secret to come out of the bag.

What I love most, and probably other watchers as well, are the two adorable kids. Chen Chen (ML’s son) and Xuan Xuan (FL’s daughter) are just too adorable. The acting is great and their spoken lines are even better. There is no way you don’t come to love them. They have the most scenes in the first half of the drama, and I miss their presence in the second half. Each kid is adorable in their own way and together, they are a dynamic duo. They are not overly mature like the adorable child in “The Love You Give Me” but act more like 5-year olds.

Their parents are pretty likable characters as well. Song Hao Yu (ML) might appear cold and calculating. But that’s because he was hurt in the past and of course, is waiting for the appearance of Qi Si Le (FL) to bring him out of his funk. I have to say, Qi Si Le is a great character. She’s not perfect, but it’s hard not to root for this single mother. She’s independent, mature, will defend herself and speak up and is not afraid to openly communicate when something is bothering her. She is a great role model for her daughter. Together, Hao Yu and Si Le, are great parents to the kids. They also have great chemistry together and actually try to talk it out when there is a misunderstanding. I was glad to finally see them have some cute and fluffy scenes as a couple (kisses are OK, not great).

The supporting cast is lovely as well. The secondary leads are also very likable and have good chemistry together. Their romance doesn’t take up too much screen time but enough to tell their own story. But there are two other funny and interesting characters - Grandpa Song and President Tong Luo Qi. Grandpa is the best wingman and Luo Qi is the best frenemy out there. They are quite the scene stealers. The unlikely trio of girlfriends - Si Le, Li Xin and Luo Qi - are really fun to watch.

The general plot of the drama is not too unique or unpredictable. You can guess the family secret early on, but do need to wait for all the details to be exposed in the last couple episodes. One can also guess Su Le’s reaction once she found out the secret. If I have to say something is unpredictable, it is the way Si Le reacted to Hao Yu’s past romance and ex-girlfriend. I was so thankful to see a female lead who is mature enough to not get sucked into the ex’s drama and the bullshit spewed out from her mouth. She’s able to trust her man, see through the schemes and respond like a normal person.

My biggest criticism would be the villain’s story. I knew the evil scheme had to do with the family secret. But all that happened in the last few episodes were too dramatic and not quite logical for my taste. Oh another minor criticism would be the professional success that Su Le has after being in advertising for so many years.

Overall, I had a great time binge watching this drama. The kids and the female lead are worth my time, and the romance is satisfying. The acting isn’t bad and nothing too cringey or irritating.



Completed: 10/15/2023 - Review #367

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Went on for too long...

I really wanted to love this show the plot was there but it fell short. While watching this show I could tell that the writers did not have enough to stay in order to reach the episode count. Too much content was filler content and the main question at hand never gets answered.

The plot was interesting, but the writers bit off more than they could chew. It was poorly done and as I mentioned before too much content was filler content, which is impressive considering how each episode is 30 minutes. Half of the show went to waste on the secondary couple. And I believe I speak for everyone when I say that the secondary couple was pointless and boring. If you are going to waste an episode on a secondary couple, who adds nothing to the plot, at least make their story interesting.

At first, I thought it was for the sake of mystery that the plot was so vague, but I think it was due to poor writing. There were many plot holes and the main question: "How did the twins get separated?" never got answered. The whole show was built around the twins and all it told us was who their parents were.

I would also like to add I have never seen a male lead as fickle as this one. His love for the female lead was not convincing at all, it felt like they were in love because it was written in the script. The character development did not support his newfound love neither did the acting. I would also say the show was lacking in the fashion department. The way they dress the female lead did not fit her character at all, I thought she should have been dressed more elegantly, but at the same time, the female lead did not seem to have much of a personality to me.

Also, the male lead did not need to be a CEO, the business aspect was poorly fleshed out. The drama only cared about his business when the need to make the story longer, it would have been interesting to see him do anything else

I won't say the show was all bad because I did enjoy watching it. The children were cute and the main reason to watch, but there are many other dramas that have children in them that are way better. This one had potential, but it still fell short. I watched it while it was airing and after a while, I no longer got excited for new episodes and started counting down the days until the drama was over. I wish could say nicer things about this drama, but I think it would have been so much better if it was shorter.

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Fun watch and indeed a bunch of people who wanted to become family with others

This is one of those dramas that pretty much lacks all substance but is highly addictive making you, me , whoever is slighlty addicted to fluff press that next episode button over and over again.

The characters are more or less lovable at different stages of this drama, while the male lead has his evil moment and evil intentions he is pretty much lovable and fun to watch from start to finish. The female lead on the other hand is smart, funny and hard working most of the drama but has a few episodes of wtf out of character stupidity that I am going to pretend never happened to avoid lowaring the score.

The kids are sweet, the second female lead would make a great female lead to another female lead or in a story about sisterhood... The female leads best friend is bad ass but also annoying at times... predictable and brings 0 new to the story at all.. As I feel I have seen her in 80% of the c-dramas out there.

The villain is badly written, fine the person does stand for a bunch of drama, keeping this from becoming to fluffy. But other than that I feel like the whole villain plot is just off... And males 0 sense. Not for lack of trying but it just fell flat.

The dialog, parenting and all things that involved kids had some good parts but most of it had me questioning if the writers ever actually met a kid, a parent or could grasp the notion of building a relationship with kids based on honesty and trust beyond cute moments.

Still there are a bunch of grand gestures, bickering and people who come and go... nice kisses and I do believe the couple was indeed fun to watch.

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A nice series, warm and sweet, about family, children, and family ties.

Plot: marriage between the FL, a young single mother who is struggling to pay for the care of her sick daughter, and the ML, a young CEO, also a single father of a boy of the same age. This marriage, arranged first for the children's sake, will encounter many difficulties, help to clear up the misunderstandings of the past and build a very strong bond within this family.

PROS:
- excellent actors, especially the 2 leads (great chemistry) and the child actors, very young.
- well-constructed, intelligent story, which gives clues step by step, at the right time. The characters are endearing, even the romantic rival. The only incoherent character is the evil, but since he is paranoid, it remains believable.
- perfect production, without downtime, with the right balance of romance, humor, action.

CONS:
There aren't really any, just that this series is a bit a fairy tale, with every character (except one:) being overly sweet, kind, cooperative...
The OSTs are enjoyable, without being memorable.

=> This drama will not be remembered, but it is well done, well acted and very pleasant to watch.
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Une jolie série, chaleureuse et douce, sur la famille, les enfants, les liens familiaux.

Plot : mariage entre une FL, jeune mère célibataire qui a du mal à payer les soins de sa fille malade, et le ML, jeune CEO, aussi père célibataire d'un garçon du même âge. Ce mariage, d'abord pour les enfants, va rencontrer de multiples difficultés, permettre d'éclaircir les malentendus du passé et construire un lien très fort au sein de cette famille.

PROS :
- excellents acteurs, particulièrement les 2 leads (great chemistry) et les acteurs-enfants, très jeunes.
- story bien construite, intelligente, qui donne les indices peu à peu, au bon moment. Les personnages sont attachants, même la rivale amoureuse. Le seul personnage peu cohérent est le evil, mais comme il est parano, cela reste crédible.
- réalisation parfaite, sans temps mort, avec le juste équilibre de romance, d'humour, d'action.

FLAWS :
Il n'y en a pas vraiment, juste qu'on est un peu chez les bizounours, avec tous les personnages sympas (sauf un :) et coopératifs.
Les OST sont agréables, sans être mémorables.

=> Ce drama ne restera pas dans les mémoires, mais il est bien fait, bien joué et très agréable à regarder.

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A pretty good, but imperfect drama

When I saw this show around, I know I had to watch it. Because what can I say, I’m a sucker for cute kids. And Please Be My Family has some of the arguably cutest kids in any drama I’ve watched.

One of the things that sets this show apart from some of the other single parent romances I’ve watched, is the fact that both characters in the main couple are single parents. Qi Si Le is a single mother of a five year old daughter, and Song Hao Yu is the single father of a five year old son.

Due to a pretty long string of events, that I won't detail, Si Le and Hao Yu get married, in doing so, providing both of their children and themselves a semblance of a complete family. And my gosh did I love their little makeshift family!

Watching Si Le and Hao Yu’s relationship develop over the framework of the kids and their family was one of my favorite parts of the show. And watching each of them connect with the other ones child through the story was freaking adorable on both ends.
Si Le and Hao Yu have quite a lot of cute fluff moments when they get together, and I loved every second of it. I could have used more of that and less of some of the stuff we got later on.

I’ve seen some people complaining about the cast, but I actually really liked them all. The kids were adorable, and I thought both Hao Yu and Se Li were well cast, I really liked them together.

Oh and another thing I loved fist, Si Le encounters not one, but two “Love rivals” and the way this drama dealt with both of them was phenomenal. Unlike many FL’s, especially in C-Dramas, Si Le is actually mature enough to deal with it all civilly and not allow them to cause a rift between her and Hao Yu. And this is also the only drama I’ve watched where FL actually becomes close friends with one of then. I loved their dynamic so freaking much too.

And as much as I did love the show, it does fall victim to a few of them problems that this kind of drama does. Including some underdeveloped plot points and a somewhat frustrating third act breakup.

I did agree more with FL during that whole story arc than I do with most though. While it was a bit frustrating, her reasoning made sense.

The last couple episodes were a little rushed and I wished we could have stayed on a few of the things that happened a little longer, but I did like the ending, so that mostly makes up for it.

I also found the secondary couple pretty uninteresting. But I’ve talked to some people who loved them.

None of this really detracted much from the things I liked though, it was an imperfect but still highly enjoyable drama.

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Fluff

Going through 24 episodes of the FL wearing ugly mummy jeans and tops has left me traumatized. I swear the wardrobe person must hate the lead actress for real otherwise there's no reason to style her character with such juvenile and ugly clothes. The story is okay-ish but there's an important element that's still unrevealed which will determine if this drama was worthwhile or not.

I'll update the ratings and review upon completion.

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