Loving, Never Forgetting (2014)

I waited for this drama to be subbed for about half a year and it was worth it. The plot is a little similar to Autumn's Concerto and Autumn's Concerto fans would certainly enjoy, if not as much as AC. Loving Never Forgetting is not about two people in love who have a baby. It's about two strangers who have a one-night stand and the man doesn't even remember the woman. Imagine saving a little boy in an accident and finding out he's your son, even though you can't even recognize the mother! This drama follows these two people as they fall in love and truly become a real family. The plot has some ridiculous, rather-makjang elements but overall it's a heart-warming story.

Jerry Yan is one of the most handsome Taiwanese actors and I have watched him in a few dramas. His character here is quite different from the immature-but-funny-and-sweet brats he generally plays. Here, he's a cold, ruthless businessman who does not believe in love or marriage. I liked him here and he definitely stole the show! Wu Tong is really clumsy and at times, really stupid. She's the perfect damsel-in-distress, something that ticked me off a bit. I'm kind of used to strong drama female leads now and characters like her make me want to roll my eyes at them every minute. If I got a penny for every time she fell down, I would be a millionaire. But the woman is plain stubborn. She never got rid of those heels (and how did she afford them anyway since she barely managed to earn her living). But anyways her character wasn't entirely hate-worthy. I mean, she was the sweet, innocent, perfect lead after all. Tong Tong was alright. Nothing compared to Xaio Le obviously (Xaio Le was too classic). Supporting characters were fine. My personal favorite was the special assistant.

The OST was good enough. This was my third Chinese drama (I think) and although these dramas are longer in terms of episodes, they're enjoyable. I could rewatch Jerry Yan's scenes with his child and Wu Tong but the rest I would definitely skip in the second round (if there is one). It's a good drama overall and when it comes down to it, definitely worth the watch.

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I hated this drama for the reason I often hate dramas: the male lead was a jerk. He treated the female lead badly (really really badly), but was still forgiven again and again. Actually, pretty much all of the characters treat the female lead badly but are still forgiven. The whole series is a train wreck of mistreatment with occasional romantic breaks. This woman should be in a domestic violence shelter getting help filing a divorce, not living "happily" ever after with the male lead.

Friends, being too forgiving only makes you more attractive to the kinds of men who mistreat women and therefore need to be forgiven a lot.

Content Warning: contains a sexual assault scene while the female lead is unconscious. The assaulter is forgiven instantly and never truly held accountable.

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