This review may contain spoilers
Too Slow of a Burn for Me - Timing was Off
This is an okay coming-of-age, friends-to-lovers Chinese drama that many viewers, including myself, found pleasant but ultimately forgettable. It moves very slowly, so fans of deliberate slow-burn romances may enjoy it more than I did. While some buildup is welcome in this genre, this one spends nearly half the episodes on the characters' childhood and high school years. Romance timing is everything—reveal it too early and you lose momentum for the later episodes (unless strong subplots carry it), but drag it out too long and the payoff feels absent. This drama struck an odd balance with too much of both in my opinion, likely because there isn't much else happening beyond their relationship.
I would not recommend it to most people simply because of the pacing, and it lacks anything uniquely standout to make the wait worthwhile. I don't regret watching it once, but it doesn't rank among the better-paced romances out there.
Spoilers
I really wanted to like Exclusive Fairytale because I loved the female lead character, Xiao Tu (female lead), so much. She wasn't your typical whiny, baby-talking, helpless female lead. She was mischievous in a fun way—a take-no-prisoners, rough-and-tumble tomboy type who was genuinely charismatic. I liked that about her, and it made complete sense why the young men were drawn to her. Many reviewers agree that Xiao Tu stands out positively for her energetic and unapologetic personality.
I liked the core relationship between Ling Chao (male lead) and Xiao Tu, and their gradual falling for each other felt natural and earned. It was refreshing that they were essentially god-siblings (with families so close), so most accepted them being together readily. Xiao Tu's father (female lead's father) was initially a bit of a holdout, but I think his concerns were valid given the family dynamics. Ling Chao is exceptionally intelligent and somewhat reserved, which could have been an issue, but Xiao Tu brings a strong social intelligence and warmth that balances him well. Their chemistry was fine overall, though the romance pacing undermined it.
The second couple was cute up to their weird breakup, which really made little sense and boiled down to miscommunication. It was disappointing that no one pushed harder to get his full side of the story earlier. When they were finally conditionally together they did this weird confession thing in front of all the friends when she was drunk. It was like all the things she wanted to tell him but did not when she was sober. It was a bit cringy just because they did it around the other friends. And they kissed like they were just then re-uniting when, at that point, he had been back and they were working about getting back together for some time. So that felt weirdly paced as well. Many other reviewers have noted that while the second couple starts strong, their arc becomes less engaging or adds limited value later on.
The girl who was so in love with Ling Chao (male lead) was completely annoying—your typical baby-talking, crybaby character whom I found grating (a common complaint in reviews). She admitted and acknowledged finally that they were never going to be together then continued to oddly compete with main girl for his attention. The mean-girl type from his class was also unpleasant, and I was glad Ling Chao saw through her and that Xiao Tu (female lead) eventually told her off.
Xiao Tu becoming a reporter later made perfect sense with her bold personality. I was glad she finally found her way. Her work place issues could have been a dynamic plot point if they hadn't spent so much time on the main couple's high school years they would have had more time on plot points like that. As it was it was interesting but very rushed.
The pacing of not only the romance but just the entire story was really off throughout. They spent far too much time in the high school years when the romance barely progressed. How many scenes do we need to see Xiao Tu treating Ling Chao like a younger brother before we get the point? Not that many. Then, once they got together, the later part dragged excessively. By the time he proposed, it felt like "really? Haven't they been practically married for a while now?" It wasn't surprising or exciting. Even the night they stayed together felt oddly timed—they had been living together practically and unofficially engaged for so long that it came across as "okay, we're just getting here now?" The extended childhood and post-confession stretches made the middle feel padded, a sentiment echoed by several viewers who found the youth portions overly long. Her career was rushed and squished in as was his. Important aspects of their life didn't get much time in the series at all.
It is also a bit of a romance killer to see the married with children aspect of a couple's life. I guess they had a boy? It seemed like he doted on the child? There was a bit of a weird period where we heard things from the child's voice but didn't see the child. Not sure why that was necessary.
Overall, the friends-to-lovers foundation and Xiao Tu's charm carry it to a solid 7.5/10 for me, but the execution holds it back from being something I'd rewatch or strongly recommend.
I would not recommend it to most people simply because of the pacing, and it lacks anything uniquely standout to make the wait worthwhile. I don't regret watching it once, but it doesn't rank among the better-paced romances out there.
Spoilers
I really wanted to like Exclusive Fairytale because I loved the female lead character, Xiao Tu (female lead), so much. She wasn't your typical whiny, baby-talking, helpless female lead. She was mischievous in a fun way—a take-no-prisoners, rough-and-tumble tomboy type who was genuinely charismatic. I liked that about her, and it made complete sense why the young men were drawn to her. Many reviewers agree that Xiao Tu stands out positively for her energetic and unapologetic personality.
I liked the core relationship between Ling Chao (male lead) and Xiao Tu, and their gradual falling for each other felt natural and earned. It was refreshing that they were essentially god-siblings (with families so close), so most accepted them being together readily. Xiao Tu's father (female lead's father) was initially a bit of a holdout, but I think his concerns were valid given the family dynamics. Ling Chao is exceptionally intelligent and somewhat reserved, which could have been an issue, but Xiao Tu brings a strong social intelligence and warmth that balances him well. Their chemistry was fine overall, though the romance pacing undermined it.
The second couple was cute up to their weird breakup, which really made little sense and boiled down to miscommunication. It was disappointing that no one pushed harder to get his full side of the story earlier. When they were finally conditionally together they did this weird confession thing in front of all the friends when she was drunk. It was like all the things she wanted to tell him but did not when she was sober. It was a bit cringy just because they did it around the other friends. And they kissed like they were just then re-uniting when, at that point, he had been back and they were working about getting back together for some time. So that felt weirdly paced as well. Many other reviewers have noted that while the second couple starts strong, their arc becomes less engaging or adds limited value later on.
The girl who was so in love with Ling Chao (male lead) was completely annoying—your typical baby-talking, crybaby character whom I found grating (a common complaint in reviews). She admitted and acknowledged finally that they were never going to be together then continued to oddly compete with main girl for his attention. The mean-girl type from his class was also unpleasant, and I was glad Ling Chao saw through her and that Xiao Tu (female lead) eventually told her off.
Xiao Tu becoming a reporter later made perfect sense with her bold personality. I was glad she finally found her way. Her work place issues could have been a dynamic plot point if they hadn't spent so much time on the main couple's high school years they would have had more time on plot points like that. As it was it was interesting but very rushed.
The pacing of not only the romance but just the entire story was really off throughout. They spent far too much time in the high school years when the romance barely progressed. How many scenes do we need to see Xiao Tu treating Ling Chao like a younger brother before we get the point? Not that many. Then, once they got together, the later part dragged excessively. By the time he proposed, it felt like "really? Haven't they been practically married for a while now?" It wasn't surprising or exciting. Even the night they stayed together felt oddly timed—they had been living together practically and unofficially engaged for so long that it came across as "okay, we're just getting here now?" The extended childhood and post-confession stretches made the middle feel padded, a sentiment echoed by several viewers who found the youth portions overly long. Her career was rushed and squished in as was his. Important aspects of their life didn't get much time in the series at all.
It is also a bit of a romance killer to see the married with children aspect of a couple's life. I guess they had a boy? It seemed like he doted on the child? There was a bit of a weird period where we heard things from the child's voice but didn't see the child. Not sure why that was necessary.
Overall, the friends-to-lovers foundation and Xiao Tu's charm carry it to a solid 7.5/10 for me, but the execution holds it back from being something I'd rewatch or strongly recommend.
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