IncorrigibleMe
A tale of strong performances hindered by plot constraints
As the second instalment in to the VBL series, “You are Mine” stands out as an entertaining office rom-com series with a good plot supported by strong performances. But like its predecessor, falls short of being great due to lack of episodes. A couple of more episodes fleshing out the main characters would have made this one of the best series of 2023.
The series is about 2 central characters; Xia Shang Zhou, General manager of a reputed organization feared by his employees for being stern and quick to temper. Yao Shun Yu, a young and innocent man joins the organization as an Assistance Secretary to Xia. Finding him utterly useless during their first interaction, Xia learns to soften himself through daily interactions with Yao as he finds himself being attracted to this new addition to his team.
The series excels due to the strong performances by the two lead actors Parker Mao and Hsiao Hung. Parker Mao played a stoic, work-oriented individual who is above social interactions and lacks human emotions. Hsiao Hung, on the other hand brings to life the role of a young, cheerful youth who wants to work hard to help his family. Their acting prowess shines at scenes requiring extreme emotions of loss and heartbreak.
The series however fails in using the plot that it introduced in the early episodes. Xia Shang Zhou, is shown to be suffering from headaches and insomnia due to a childhood trauma and his mother’s strict upbringing. It’s this treatment from his mother along with multiple other factors that make him emotionless. That is a strong character building but is not capitalized further. There is no arc for Xia to break free from his mother’s control and grow as a character. Hsiao Hung, goes through an inner turmoil caused by his own feelings and his misunderstanding of Xia’s feelings towards him. A couple of more episodes to go through Xia’s past and his ultimate growth would have made this truly exceptional
In conclusion, “You are mine” is a series wherein the acting and chemistry between our two main leads, a plot with underlying themes of trauma, parental control and power dynamics makes it a must watch albeit a stronger plot could have made it a masterpiece
The series is about 2 central characters; Xia Shang Zhou, General manager of a reputed organization feared by his employees for being stern and quick to temper. Yao Shun Yu, a young and innocent man joins the organization as an Assistance Secretary to Xia. Finding him utterly useless during their first interaction, Xia learns to soften himself through daily interactions with Yao as he finds himself being attracted to this new addition to his team.
The series excels due to the strong performances by the two lead actors Parker Mao and Hsiao Hung. Parker Mao played a stoic, work-oriented individual who is above social interactions and lacks human emotions. Hsiao Hung, on the other hand brings to life the role of a young, cheerful youth who wants to work hard to help his family. Their acting prowess shines at scenes requiring extreme emotions of loss and heartbreak.
The series however fails in using the plot that it introduced in the early episodes. Xia Shang Zhou, is shown to be suffering from headaches and insomnia due to a childhood trauma and his mother’s strict upbringing. It’s this treatment from his mother along with multiple other factors that make him emotionless. That is a strong character building but is not capitalized further. There is no arc for Xia to break free from his mother’s control and grow as a character. Hsiao Hung, goes through an inner turmoil caused by his own feelings and his misunderstanding of Xia’s feelings towards him. A couple of more episodes to go through Xia’s past and his ultimate growth would have made this truly exceptional
In conclusion, “You are mine” is a series wherein the acting and chemistry between our two main leads, a plot with underlying themes of trauma, parental control and power dynamics makes it a must watch albeit a stronger plot could have made it a masterpiece
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