As Beautiful as You

This Is Not Just An Office Romance

I never imagined that Xu Kai and Tan Song Yun would be in the same drama. But here we are.

Since the drama's poster was released, I had high hopes. Of course, because I trust in the acting quality of both of them.

When I saw the poster, I thought this drama would be a romantic comedy, like What's Wrong With Secretary Kim. I assumed it would be just another office drama, full of cliché scenes between a boss and the employees. But I was completely wrong. This drama is truly different from what I had imagined.

For a drama, it’s quite detailed in discussing business and AI. In my opinion, if you're not interested in one of those topics, this drama may be hard to accept. The portion dedicated to business and AI takes up much of the duration, compared to the romance. However, since I’m interested in both, I can say that this drama is very informative.

As someone living in a Southeast Asian country, I would even add another genre, which is Sci-fi. The AI they created in the drama is so detailed and amazing that it feels like a fantasy. I can’t imagine something like that existing in my own country. China has truly advanced. At times, it felt like I was in a different time altogether.

Back to the drama, its pacing is quite slow. Especially in the first 15 episodes, there are many back-and-forth moments that can be frustrating. However, by episode 20, I couldn’t stop watching. Every episode sparked new curiosity. Many interesting characters in this drama are portrayed as antagonists. However, among all the antagonists, I dislike Wei Qiu Zi and Shao Yi Chen more than Zeng Di and Chang He.

The two main antagonists (Zeng Di and Chang He) have clear reasons for doing what they do. Neither of them asks to be seen as good people. But as for Wei Qiu Zi and Shao Yi Chen, they’re just two cowards, sticking together because they feel they can rely on each other. Shao Yi Chen is the most cowardly character I’ve ever seen in a Chinese drama. He refuses to move forward, always behind Ji Xing, who is constantly pushing ahead. Yi Chen only wants to live in his comfort zone, but he’s too cowardly to directly tell Ji Xing this. So when he finds a trivial mistake that could free him from blame, he immediately decides to break up with Ji Xing. It’s so cowardly. Ji Xing wasn’t the one absent during his lowest point; it was Yi Chen, who cowardly didn’t let Ji Xing see him at his lowest. What an annoying character.

Wei Qiu Zi is no different from Yi Chen. From the start, Qiu Zi never saw Yi Chen as Ji Xing's boyfriend. From the beginning, she targeted Yi Chen. As Ji Xing’s friend, she didn’t try to hold back her feelings at all. Honestly, I would avoid people like her in real life. That’s why she was there when Yi Chen was going through a tough time — because she tried to wedge herself into the relationship between Yi Chen and Ji Xing. And she got her moment. Honestly, Yi Chen and Qiu Zi are very well suited for each other. Thankfully, by the end of the episodes, they no longer appeared, so I could calm down when those two acted as if nothing had happened.

I can somewhat sympathize with Han Yuan’s character. She’s in an uncomfortable position. Though she’s the older sibling, she’s a woman. She’s also not as smart as her younger brother. She took care of Dong Yang while Han Ting was in Germany. Han Yuan is capable of leading Dong Yang. Unfortunately, Han Ting is also very capable of taking Dong Yang further. Understandably, Han Yuan lost direction at times because she was trying to maintain her presence. Thankfully, in the end, Ji Xing helped Han Yuan realize that she didn’t need to push Han Ting aside to keep her place in Dong Yang. After all, Han Yuan does have an important role there.

Ji Xing's character is very strong-willed. From the start, she had a very firm stance and determination. It’s no wonder someone like Yi Chen couldn’t match her. Even Han Ting was overwhelmed. But the reason why Han Ting endured and Yi Chen didn’t was that Han Ting never felt inferior to Ji Xing's strength. Instead, he wanted to become stronger too, so they could both improve together. On the other hand, Yi Chen felt inferior as Ji Xing grew stronger.

Previously, I had one favorite male character in Chinese dramas, Yu Tu from You Are My Glory. But now, that character has been replaced by Han Ting. I think someone like Han Ting couldn’t possibly exist in the real world. He’s the type of person who, when making a decision, will give 100% or even 200%. But he’s also very logical, he considers many factors, which makes him seem unreal. But if I met someone like Han Ting in real life, I’d probably chase after him haha.

When a huge argument happens between them, from Han Ting’s perspective, Ji Xing might seem selfish. She doesn’t know how much effort Han Ting has put in to protect her. But from Ji Xing’s point of view, what she did makes sense. Even though Han Ting is kind, intelligent, and logical, he never communicates his plans to Ji Xing. Ji Xing always felt like she was being told to "Just leave it to me," which wasn’t reassuring at all. Their relationship was built on a fragile foundation in the beginning. But fortunately, both Han Ting and Ji Xing didn’t give up trying to start over. Unlike at the start, when many people supported their relationship, now that they were getting back together, many people doubted them. But the two of them didn’t doubt at all.

Because they truly trusted each other. They communicated the right way, working hand in hand so that neither felt burdened or diminished. They truly valued each other's presence.

Honestly, the special episode of this drama left me feeling uncertain. I know, the end of a person’s life is like that. But still, when it was shown, it felt hard to accept. And yes, the scene where the camera focuses on Han Ting’s hand holding the forgiveness card made me cry. Earlier, Ji Xing had said that if Han Ting left first, she would be very angry. But in the end, Han Ting did leave first, and Ji Xing wasn’t angry because Han Ting used the forgiveness card.

My favorite scene in this drama was actually when Han Ting and Ji Xing had that huge argument. The scene was so intense, and the acting from Tan Song Yun and Xu Kai was amazing. I could feel Ji Xing’s anger and fear, but I also felt Han Ting’s frustration and annoyance. Xu Kai’s eyes conveyed those emotions so well.

This drama truly made me feel the ups and downs of a relationship. Overall, it might not be the best Chinese drama I’ve ever watched, but in terms of the experience while watching, this drama made me feel so many emotions. Especially when Han Ting decided to make Doctor Cloud’s data open-source. At that moment, I felt how wonderful it would be if something like that could happen in real life. Because, as we know, nowadays, data has become a tool for war between businesses and even nations. But in this drama, data was what brought them together. Dong Yang’s mission is truly noble, even the board of directors sarcastically commented that Han Ting turned Dong Yang into a charity organization.

Honestly, I might never feel the same way when watching another drama. Even though I rate this drama an 8.5, I enjoyed this drama, and I feel lucky to have watched it. This drama has become one of the most memorable ones for me.

PS: All the actors and actresses performed very well.

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their chemistry was insane

You would think the leads were together in real life lol their chemistry was insane!

Her ex was full of doubts - wondering he can never give her the life she wants. That’s BS! She can never give him the life he wants because his support was very selfish when she decided to start her own company and not to mention that “specific” so called best friend who liked her friend’s man. I couldn’t stand either of them.


Anyways, even though it was a bit long, there were so many scenes I enjoyed watching and their chemistry made it so so much better.

THANK YOU FOR THE EXTRA EPISODE BECAUSE YOU GOT ME HERE CRYING. It made the ending perfect!!! I would definitely watch this again.

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As Beautiful as you

Excellent drama. Great story. Love the chemistry between the leads. Xu Kai is doing a superb job so is Seven. It might give us a hint of how starting a business is in China. It is a romance drama with quite a few good secondary stories. This is definitely a good watch! Excellent drama. Great story. Love the chemistry between the leads. Xu Kai is doing a superb job so is Seven. It might give us a hint of how starting a business is in China. It is a romance drama with quite a few good secondary stories. This is definitely a good watch! Excellent drama. Great story. Love the chemistry between the leads. Xu Kai is doing a superb job so is Seven. It might give us a hint of how starting a business is in China. It is a romance drama with quite a few good secondary stories. This is definitely a good watch!

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Strong female lead, entertaining and emotional

I started watching the drama yesterday and watched 10 episodes in 2 days. It obviously catches my attention, and I could not wait for the next episodes and wished for them to come out sooner. Seven Tan has always delivered great performance and make all scenes believable. Her natural acting abilities lets you feel all the emotions she wants the audience to feel. All her crying scenes are believable and touching. They honestly made me cry with her as well. I truly enjoy the drama so far and looking forward every day to see the next episodes. I am also surprised to see XuKai's acting is pretty good in this drama. His other dramas have not left any deep impression for me especially when he always acts goofy/playboy in most of his dramas. I think his serious role in this drama suits him really well. Seven Tan and Xu Kai work really well together and they have great chemistry together. Not too impressed with the second male lead who was her boyfriend. It doesn't make sense for him to break up their relationship especially when they were together for 4 years. He should have known that the FL is very smart, ambitious and has a goal/dream to fulfill. It is also not realistic to see (from the preview) one of your best friend hooking up with your ex boyfriend no matter how much she likes him.

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For better or for worse, this is "unrealistic realism" in a drama.

PROs:

1. Good acting. Xu Kai has matured and has expressive eyes. Seven is consistently wonderful throughout all her scripts.
2. The ML, Han Ting, has some growth + character development throughout.
3. Relationship is portrayed in a less delusional, awkward way than most other dramas. There are highs, lows, and a lot of romantic scenes (for those who enjoy romance).

CONS:
1. 40 episodes for a romance is a little much, and the result is a rather draggy drama with many filler scenes from side character plots or the business side of this drama (not particularly useful in enhancing the drama though it may more closely resemble the book).
2. The FML, a supposedly smart and talented entrepreneur, makes the same mistakes over and over. Although I quite liked her general character in the beginning, I think her arc falls far too flat given how much time the drama had to develop it.
3. ABAY has some beautiful moments but a LOT of rather boring moments, too.

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EBAY": A Wonderful, Entertaining, and a Feel-Good Romance Drama

When it comes to the show "EBAY," I've checked it out based on the following criteria:

1. The Story: The blend of medical AI, business start-ups, friendship, and romance makes the story intriguing.
2. Screenplay and Storytelling: So far, there are no dragging or dull moments—the storytelling is well-executed.
3. Acting: The entire cast, especially the leads, delivers top-notch, natural performances.

The long wait for this show has been worth it. It consistently brings a smile to my face, and I eagerly anticipate each new installment. Interestingly, the small screen adaptation fills in some motivational gaps less visible in the novel. For one, it made the ML in the drama more human than the stern and more robotic kind in the novel. Kudos to all the artists, especially to my favorite Xu Kai, and creators who poured their heart and soul into this long-awaited modern romance entertainment piece. I agree with the saying that a happy heart sees and creates happiness all around. EBAY's artists and crew are all happy people who bring happiness to the viewers. Thank to you all!

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Beyond expectations!

What a heartwarming love story! I had this show in my watchlist for a long time, but I don’t know why, I never wanted to actually start it, I like both Tan Song Yun and Xu Kai, but I somehow didn’t quite like the idea of them being cast opposite each other. Now that I have finally finished this show, I can say that I stand corrected! Not only did hey look good together, they had a lovely chemistry and the romance didn’t disappoint at all. The beginning few episodes were not interesting enough, but the drama soon gained my interest. Tan Song Yun has had great chemistry with all actors she’s worked opposite, which shows her excellent acting skills. Xu Kai, on the other hand, has grown a lot as an actor since his older shows. He is an awesome eye candy, but he was more of that than ac actor before. I liked his acting a lot in Wonderland of Love, and he seemed to show emotions on his otherwise passive face in that drama. Likewise, here as well, he acted well and his growth as an actor was visible. Perhaps, the FL he’s cast opposite also has a part in bringing out his emotions well on screen. In both As beautiful as you and Wonderland of Love, he was cast opposite older FLs who acted very well, this might have had a positive effect on his acting skills as well. I loved him in Arsenal Military Academy as well, there again he was cast opposite Bai Lu whose acting skills don’t require an attestation by me. Overall, it was a beautiful and warm show with a lovely ending. The epilogue was excellent too, but the producers had to have one of them pass away, which I thought was unnecessary. We all know the reality of life, and we know people cannot live and die together, but we don’t need fictional characters to separate, since seeing them together forever is heartening for us viewers, making us believe in beautiful endings and happily everafters.

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Timeless love

This Drama was the most creatively written drama I seen in such a long time. This was brilliantly written and produced. The characters was really good. It had its ups and downs for me but honestly I felt like I was watching my parents grow up. That's how connected I felt.

The ending episode 41 sigh.... it was the most breathtaking episode. The forgiveness card he had. He was so healthy yet, he knew he was going to pass away before her. I just couldn't stop crying. I held my partner tight. I just wanted to live life after this drama. We only get one chance. Meanwhile I'm watching this but in real life , mentally I was going through hell, thank you for creating this drama and being a contributing factor in my mental health healing. I know it's a drama but bravo ma and dad

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¿Cómo definimos el amor ? ¿Que dices tu?

Comencé a ver está serie sin ninguna expectativa, pensé una serie más de otros estilos que ya hemos visto de ambos protagonistas pero pensé que le daría una oportunidad y para mí sorpresa me gustó!!!.
El personaje de Han Ting se ganó mi corazón rápidamente con lo torpe y detallista que era cuando se trataba de amor. Ji Xing por su parte a veces la entendía y otras veces me estresaba pero aún así admiraba su trabajo.
Creo que ambos maduraron durante toda la serie y lo que más me gustó es que definitivamente me hicieron pensar ¿Que es realmente el amor ? y para mí pesar aún no tengo la repuesta.
Final bonito con un capítulo extra que me saco lágrimas con esa frase final como sobre que el amor solo se puede definir al final de nuestras vidas.
Los personajes secundarios todos me gustaron muy simpáticos y me alegra que Li Li finalmente eligiera al chico bueno porque el amigo de HanTing era una bandera roja andante pero pese a todo igual entendía su postura que demostraba aún muchas heridas.
Los villanos fueron precisos, desagradables y como en toda buena historia tuvieron su merecido.
Comedia romántica ligera , sobre amor y otros problemas.

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A rivetting love story that you should try watching!

If there ever was an unreliable MDL rating, it's for this drama. I have been stuck in a rut with being unable to enjoy dramas so had low expectations going into this and this drama just blew me away. 40 episodes were finished in no time.

What I enjoyed:
- Both characters had growth and developed with the passage of time. Unlike 80% of cdramas, the FL's actions were sensible and rational. She is very naive when it comes to business but is willing to learn and rely on herself to grow. I liked that the FL solved her own issues most of the time rather than being the damsel in distress. The ML also starts out cold and unfeeling but towards the end, he realises the value of love and sacrifice and learns how to communicate better to avoid misunderstandings.
- The wholesome and complete happy ending gave me butterflies. To find a love like that, is enviable. I thoroughly enjoyed the extra episode
- The leads had great chemistry and the plot was easy to follow and interesting that I was willing to watch 15 episodes of very little romance. I think even the SML at one point states the ML is filming a commercial drama rather than romance and that cracked me up
- The second leads were not ALL boring. Unlike most cdramas, where I skip the second and third lead stories, I enjoyed LL's storyline and how she fell for someone who was not right for her and not willing to make room for her in his life. She also learns and grows and accepts someone who has been patiently loving her all along. That was a nice cherry on top of the main leads' storyline.
[Slight spoiler below]
-Their breakup was believable and realistic. Their values, and perspectives differed quite a bit and the relationship was not ready to be tested like that. The FL did not forgive him right away and the ML had to grovel and ask for forgiveness multiple times before she returned to him. He learned to value her more and realised he couldn't be without her and she understood his actions better and reflected on how much he had done for her. Dramas that have no closure and unnecessary breakups annoy me but here it seemed like it was part of their growth and story. Without it, the drama would have lacked something and their love would have been less believable.

Did not enjoy as much:
- I skipped past the third leads story (the influencer friend and the bar owner as well as the grand aunt). It didn't add much to the story and I found it quite boring
- The ML rubbed me off the wrong way in the beginning with the way he sometimes looked down on the FL because he thinks she's clueless and will fail in her business. Ultimately I moved past it because he learned to behave better over time and it was part of his cold and business-like demeanor with everyone.
- The second male lead inserted after the breakup (in Germany) was unnecessary. They could have resolved issues without the jealousy aspect.

Overall, this drama took me along on a journey and I'm more of a fan of the main leads than before. This drama had continuity, chemistry, character development and a very satisfying ending.

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