Rhea
Malaysia
This review may contain spoilers
Honestly, I can understand the hype and why this drama got high ratings on douban. Imma give this drama an 8.5/10. I think the highest I’ve ever given a drama is a 9/10, but those were usually for historical/fantasy dramas. I really enjoyed The Day of Becoming You.
The body-switching trope is such a tired plot gimmick. I didn’t even consider watching this drama until I heard about the positive reviews, and so I was curious as to what the hype was all about. I’ve never watched the lead actors in anything before, so I went into this drama with minimal expectations. The first episode was slow. The male lead is in a boyband and the female lead is an entertainment journalist. Not really my thing. The chemistry was minimal too. Very meh. Nearly dropped it.
But then after a few episodes and a series of events, they switch bodies, and Steven Zhang’s acting begins to pique your interest. I was slowly drawn in and continued watching it to see where it would go. His mannerisms are really good, from his vocal control to his posture to his gestures. He really does feel like two different people. Liang Jie is good too, but Jiang Yi’s character also isn’t difficult to emulate. To “be” Jiang Yi, she mostly just speaks in a monotone voice and stuffs her hands in her pockets to emulate the “masculine” stance. However, I do think Jiang Yi is a bit more complex and nuanced than the typical stoic and brooding ML, but Liang Jie was believable enough as Jiang Yi.
They also switch back and forth several times (and I won’t spoil the reason why here). So it was interesting to see how their relationship grows when they’re forced to switch back and forth. Each time they switch, their relationship grows stronger and deeper as they gain more understanding about the other.
There were a lot of laugh out loud moments, and scenes that make you cringe (in an entertaining way) because of the nature of the body-switching genre. I also liked how the drama was mature and talked about adult topics, but at the same time, it still catered to your inner teenager. A lot of us have fangirled over boybands and other celebrities when we were in high school, so the drama made me reminisce about those times. I probably would have swooned over this drama when I was in high school, but now at 25, I’m enjoying this drama from an older and different perspective. Regardless, it’s still a really cute and fluffy drama.
But, I’m also the same age as Steven Zhang, so I can’t really bring myself to swoon and idolize over someone my age because I’d think about how we could have gone to school together (not really since we’re from different continents, but in theory), so it feels weird to admire him and other actors my age the same way that I used to admire an actor who’s older than me. Maybe I have an inferiority complex, but now that more and more leading actors and actresses are my age and/or younger, I’m realizing that I’m enjoying dramas differently than I used to.
I don’t immerse myself as much into a drama (which is a good thing because watching dramas now are less emotionally draining and demanding). Maybe it’s just me. Or maybe it’s part of the process of growing up and becoming more mature. I no longer idolize and fangirl over people, but I admire them as a peer. Does anyone else go through this phase in their mid-20s when suddenly people your age are dominating pop culture, and so you feel closer to them, but at the same time, more emotionally distant?
The period plotline was great. I loved how they talked about heavy flow, the frequency of changing hygiene products, staining your clothes and not wearing white, and swollen breasts. Period is more than just cramps and moodiness, so I’m glad they explored the topic more in-depth. The only other thing that they could have talked about in addition would be period diarrhea and constipation, but I guess that would be too TMI.
Characters, Chemistry, and Relationships
I don’t think any of the characters or their relationships frustrated or annoyed me me. They all made rational decisions. The plot flowed logically. The supporting characters were great. Yu Sheng Sheng’s parents were such perfect, model parents. They were so unconditionally loving and supportive. There were also no misunderstandings, no angst. Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng had such a healthy, non-toxic, transparent, and supportive relationship. And their chemistry never grew stale either. Even until the last episode, their relationship was still growing and they were still working through obstacles together that had a meaningful impact on their relationship. Yu Sheng Sheng was bubbly and optimistic, but she was never obnoxious. She also isn’t perfect either. She has people she dislikes, gets jealous, and can be selfish, but she’s also relatable. She’s not a “sha bai tien”. Jiang Yi was reserved, but never haughty or uncaring. Overall, A really great couple that grows on you. I’m going to miss watching them.
Ending
But this also brings me to talk about the last 5 minutes of the drama. It turns out that all the characters and their relationships, especially the relationship between Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng, were idealistic for a reason. Everything was just from the FL’s novel that she finished writing. I completely forgot about this setup at the beginning of the drama where the FL is struggling to write the ending of her novel. And so the final minutes of the drama reminds us that this was just all a fictional story within a fictional story. I was kind of disappointed because it took the magic out of Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng’s relationship.
We learn that the FL got the idea to write a body-switching story because she got into a fight with her boyfriend, Yi Jiang, who told her that she needs to walk a mile in his shoes. We also learn that similar to Jiang Yi, Yi Jiang was in a boyband, but unlike Yu Sheng Sheng in the novel, the “real” FL met Yi Jiang after he disbanded from his group. She also tells her editor how they frequently get into arguments and would stop talking to each other as a result, but things have changed for the better recently because Yi Jiang decided to change his outlook on things, similar to how Jiang Yi changed his outlook on life.
But in the “novel”, Yu Sheng Sheng and Jiang Yi never had a serious argument. They were always very transparent with each other and had strong communication. So the fact that we’re told that Yu Sheng Sheng and Jiang Yi aren’t real, even though their story is based on “real” characters, was disappointing. We’re reminded that their relationship is idealistic, even by cdrama standards. What a wake-up call. So that was my biggest gripe with the drama.
Overall Impressions
A cute, fluffy, funny drama. It has a consistent plot all the way through and doesn’t drag. I didn’t get completely hooked until episode 7 though, because that’s when Jiang Yi starts to fall for her, so the drama does have a slower start than other romcom dramas. Someone on reddit said that this is a “wine-type” drama, and I agree. It’s not a drama that you would be in a hurry to binge, but it does make you look forward to sitting down with your dinner in the evening to watch it.
Although the body switching genre is an old one, I actually haven’t watched too many so I can’t compare it to others. But I think the drama is worth watching for the relationship between the leads alone. It’s also a self-aware drama that pokes fun and references kdramas and the alpha-CEO dramas.
Other notes
After watching the first 12 or so episodes of the drama, I also realized who Steven Zhang reminds me of. He reminds me of the Youtuber Danny Gonzalez. They both have big eyes, straight noses, long faces, and petite, dainty lips. I mean, they both give off such playful, wholesome vibes.
The body-switching trope is such a tired plot gimmick. I didn’t even consider watching this drama until I heard about the positive reviews, and so I was curious as to what the hype was all about. I’ve never watched the lead actors in anything before, so I went into this drama with minimal expectations. The first episode was slow. The male lead is in a boyband and the female lead is an entertainment journalist. Not really my thing. The chemistry was minimal too. Very meh. Nearly dropped it.
But then after a few episodes and a series of events, they switch bodies, and Steven Zhang’s acting begins to pique your interest. I was slowly drawn in and continued watching it to see where it would go. His mannerisms are really good, from his vocal control to his posture to his gestures. He really does feel like two different people. Liang Jie is good too, but Jiang Yi’s character also isn’t difficult to emulate. To “be” Jiang Yi, she mostly just speaks in a monotone voice and stuffs her hands in her pockets to emulate the “masculine” stance. However, I do think Jiang Yi is a bit more complex and nuanced than the typical stoic and brooding ML, but Liang Jie was believable enough as Jiang Yi.
They also switch back and forth several times (and I won’t spoil the reason why here). So it was interesting to see how their relationship grows when they’re forced to switch back and forth. Each time they switch, their relationship grows stronger and deeper as they gain more understanding about the other.
There were a lot of laugh out loud moments, and scenes that make you cringe (in an entertaining way) because of the nature of the body-switching genre. I also liked how the drama was mature and talked about adult topics, but at the same time, it still catered to your inner teenager. A lot of us have fangirled over boybands and other celebrities when we were in high school, so the drama made me reminisce about those times. I probably would have swooned over this drama when I was in high school, but now at 25, I’m enjoying this drama from an older and different perspective. Regardless, it’s still a really cute and fluffy drama.
But, I’m also the same age as Steven Zhang, so I can’t really bring myself to swoon and idolize over someone my age because I’d think about how we could have gone to school together (not really since we’re from different continents, but in theory), so it feels weird to admire him and other actors my age the same way that I used to admire an actor who’s older than me. Maybe I have an inferiority complex, but now that more and more leading actors and actresses are my age and/or younger, I’m realizing that I’m enjoying dramas differently than I used to.
I don’t immerse myself as much into a drama (which is a good thing because watching dramas now are less emotionally draining and demanding). Maybe it’s just me. Or maybe it’s part of the process of growing up and becoming more mature. I no longer idolize and fangirl over people, but I admire them as a peer. Does anyone else go through this phase in their mid-20s when suddenly people your age are dominating pop culture, and so you feel closer to them, but at the same time, more emotionally distant?
The period plotline was great. I loved how they talked about heavy flow, the frequency of changing hygiene products, staining your clothes and not wearing white, and swollen breasts. Period is more than just cramps and moodiness, so I’m glad they explored the topic more in-depth. The only other thing that they could have talked about in addition would be period diarrhea and constipation, but I guess that would be too TMI.
Characters, Chemistry, and Relationships
I don’t think any of the characters or their relationships frustrated or annoyed me me. They all made rational decisions. The plot flowed logically. The supporting characters were great. Yu Sheng Sheng’s parents were such perfect, model parents. They were so unconditionally loving and supportive. There were also no misunderstandings, no angst. Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng had such a healthy, non-toxic, transparent, and supportive relationship. And their chemistry never grew stale either. Even until the last episode, their relationship was still growing and they were still working through obstacles together that had a meaningful impact on their relationship. Yu Sheng Sheng was bubbly and optimistic, but she was never obnoxious. She also isn’t perfect either. She has people she dislikes, gets jealous, and can be selfish, but she’s also relatable. She’s not a “sha bai tien”. Jiang Yi was reserved, but never haughty or uncaring. Overall, A really great couple that grows on you. I’m going to miss watching them.
Ending
But this also brings me to talk about the last 5 minutes of the drama. It turns out that all the characters and their relationships, especially the relationship between Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng, were idealistic for a reason. Everything was just from the FL’s novel that she finished writing. I completely forgot about this setup at the beginning of the drama where the FL is struggling to write the ending of her novel. And so the final minutes of the drama reminds us that this was just all a fictional story within a fictional story. I was kind of disappointed because it took the magic out of Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng’s relationship.
We learn that the FL got the idea to write a body-switching story because she got into a fight with her boyfriend, Yi Jiang, who told her that she needs to walk a mile in his shoes. We also learn that similar to Jiang Yi, Yi Jiang was in a boyband, but unlike Yu Sheng Sheng in the novel, the “real” FL met Yi Jiang after he disbanded from his group. She also tells her editor how they frequently get into arguments and would stop talking to each other as a result, but things have changed for the better recently because Yi Jiang decided to change his outlook on things, similar to how Jiang Yi changed his outlook on life.
But in the “novel”, Yu Sheng Sheng and Jiang Yi never had a serious argument. They were always very transparent with each other and had strong communication. So the fact that we’re told that Yu Sheng Sheng and Jiang Yi aren’t real, even though their story is based on “real” characters, was disappointing. We’re reminded that their relationship is idealistic, even by cdrama standards. What a wake-up call. So that was my biggest gripe with the drama.
Overall Impressions
A cute, fluffy, funny drama. It has a consistent plot all the way through and doesn’t drag. I didn’t get completely hooked until episode 7 though, because that’s when Jiang Yi starts to fall for her, so the drama does have a slower start than other romcom dramas. Someone on reddit said that this is a “wine-type” drama, and I agree. It’s not a drama that you would be in a hurry to binge, but it does make you look forward to sitting down with your dinner in the evening to watch it.
Although the body switching genre is an old one, I actually haven’t watched too many so I can’t compare it to others. But I think the drama is worth watching for the relationship between the leads alone. It’s also a self-aware drama that pokes fun and references kdramas and the alpha-CEO dramas.
Other notes
After watching the first 12 or so episodes of the drama, I also realized who Steven Zhang reminds me of. He reminds me of the Youtuber Danny Gonzalez. They both have big eyes, straight noses, long faces, and petite, dainty lips. I mean, they both give off such playful, wholesome vibes.
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