AA2024

completely follow your point. I also don't understand people bashing ANY dramas; it's just artwork: some are awesome, some not, some on my taste, some not, etc - they are results of candid work of people trying to make a living through art/film. But I do want to remark Jdramas are usually more creative, more experimental in how they approach/express the themes. it's a pity that due to limited translation (ENG) options, we have access only to a small slice of their productions.

I agree to your point, but maybe we force the comparison. IMHO it's like comparing an honest & sturdy Subaru SUV with a comfy & glossy KIA SUV. It's up to each individual to enjoy / appreciate / connect with a specific drama. This is my point of view as European, so actually at the same (very) distance from various Asian art culture.

I liked "Love ambition" also for acting performances... if you are into it.
For "sunshine romance" I would also recommend "The Best Thing", it really overlaps to profile of "Shine on me". wish you nice watch!

I like your standing point and understanding of Asian drama "universe". upon my opinion, I would recommend for romance type dramas: C-dramas "Love ambition" and "Shine on me", K-drama "Dynamite kiss". hope they fit your taste...

sorry, hope I have not spoiled completely the story. let's share our opinions after all eps are subbed.

After all 10eps, FL and ML are together. while I was not able to fully understand the dialogues, it seems there is a kind of emotional connection between them, so she could not accept SML proposal. I appreciated her frank resolution and respect toward SML.
IMO the story was about finding you place, in spite of your weakness or so called "defects" by other people; the HE is encouraging for people to strive finding that place => I like it!

yet, one could think of a nice twist in this season ending: RJT/JC chose to leave JuAn and got hired at the new lawyer office of JC dad then the Season 2 will show us epic legal battles between RJT/JC team and BX/SF team; competitors in court, while friendship and inspiration in love & life.
More or less we continue the main story/intrigue of this drama: beautiful people striving to balance work/life, ambition/love, competition/friendship, with additional dimensions present/future, risk/safety.

It seems there will be 12eps... short preview from official site:
"#11 Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 24:24 -
Risa (Hiroe Igeta) is spiraling into ruin after an affair. To help Ryo (Yuda Toyoda), who is in financial trouble, Risa embezzles 10 million yen in insurance money entrusted to her by a client.
[...]
Just before the final episode! Who appears before Risa, who is in a desperate situation? What will be Kanako's fate? This hellish love triangle reaches a shocking climax!"

It's seems the ending goes for positive reality: they chose to go on separate ways, exploring more of living life with their true characters.

I "stumbled" on this movie while looking for early Abe Hiroshi movies and got intrigued by the story and how was conveyed to watchers: the story of cheating partners pictured through their real partners...
The cheating partners were:
- cousin, now writer, who raped her as teenager; now his wife (Kyoko Koizumi) is freed from him by knowing her husband’s past as a rapist and gets into a cat-fight with his current mistress.
- her first husband was left behind because the sex had declined and after that he become a recluse in a high value real-estate property; we learn about him because he is approached by a young woman real estate agent (Maho Nonami) who becomes fascinated by his pearl-inserted penis and ceases her sexual adventures to settle for him as eventual wife.
- her long-time lover in Tokyo - suicide dead now - is presented through reaction of his wife (Jun Fubuki) as she reluctantly reply to Matsuo email received on husband old computer; she learns for the first time about her husband’s long affair and that his otherwise inexplicable suicide happened just after Tsuya breaking off the affair.
- the young crush Tsuya had become obsessed with, is presented through his girlfriend beautician (Yoko Maki); he was not at all interested in Tsuya, but his girlfriend realized, after watching his reaction to the news of Tsuya death, that he will never marry her.
Then we got to understand Matsuo through the story of his ex-wife and his daughter he left them to elope with Tsuya on Oshima island.
Quite convoluted story, characters are pictured though phony mirrors and you realize how life is challenging us in our strive for love; many times the road looks ugly, gray and you get just few ephemeral moments.

It seems Chinese producers are taking after Korean ones this frustrating model to have wide-open endings... pointing for watchers begging for next season.
While I understand this quirky and lucrative approach, they must also respect the wide majority of watchers looking for satisfactory ending.
Just for my humor, I imagine the following open ending:
- RJT/JC: they boldly rejected JuAn and become founding lawyers of Jian-father office in Beijing; next season will entertain us with epic battles between RJT/JC and BX/SF (JuAn)
- YF/ZN: as they tried to get only greenlights, YF crashes the car getting significant injuries for hospitalisation; ZN proved his love taking care of YF in hospital and this will get them together, including blessing of YF family (greatly moved by the care and love of ZN); next season will show us their quest to be loving couple of busy & competitive legal advisors within XinKe company.
- BX/ZN: inspired by bold moe of RJT/JC, ZN confess officially his love for BX and they convince JuAn boss to accept their couple relation; however, they chose to be a non-married couple as a token of respect for JuAn, so that next season we'll enjoy comparison between couple lifes of YF/ZN and BX/ZN.

I think we must not forget dramas/movies are fiction... and the fact we got immersed/caught into the story is a proof the actors and crew made a good job. Initially I also thought "wtf it's utterly unbelievable", then I thought this could be coming from a kind of Japanese tolerance towards cheating: forgive for the sake of kids/family, as cheating is not a big deal as per JP adults culture. Still wonder if there could be in this world somebody so tolerant as the ML (husband): other people centered, forgiving, family-wise obedient and loving.

After 8eps, with current situation among characters, I share your opinion in terms of suitability; but I am sure there will be some emotions/sentiments emerging and changing the situation. imo FL and ML are drawn to each other, but they are afraid to show it or confess.

LOL! I've got much more (good) marriage years under my belt, but I still remember my father in law advice: Son, now it's you turn to deal with my daughter!..

Just binged 6eps in one night and agree with you about underrating. possible reason imo would be technicality of some scenes (too much legal lingo)...

Indeed it looks like curve ball story; but I found this is the interesting part: could that really happens? As both of them are changing - following a wake-up call from life you usually get in your late 20's, early 30's - let's imagine (for the sake of entertainment) the different roads they took after separation will actually bring them back. Life is not always standard geometry and "parallel lines" might meet each other sooner than infinite.

I got the same feeling, but I think it's just superficial: at surface both are really handsome and successful careers and both are a little afraid of love => they are somehow attracted together, but they realize is best just to offer each other emotional comfort, nothing more.
It could be related to "rebound syndrome", and you see that even in Ayumi - Katsuo how prudently/carefully relate to each other.

As it's among first performances after divorce, I wish Michelle Chen successfully re-boost in career.

I wonder when was filmed; Dong Jie looks like early 30s, but according to airing date she would have 43-44 years. It's really taking so long to get clearance - 10 years?

Interesting: license got for 30eps, will air only 28eps. this could explain long waiting time until airing.