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asiandramaexplorer

asiandramaexplorer

The Rational Life chinese drama review
Completed
The Rational Life
1 people found this review helpful
by asiandramaexplorer
Sep 30, 2022
35 of 35 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Slice of Life Drama that is pretty realistic

It's one of the better modern day CDramas I have seen. It definitely gives the KDramas a run for their money. When I was watching this with my girlfriend, we both agreed the acting, cinematography, story line, and writing is top notch for a modern day CDrama. It's a big budget production so everything is done to make it feel extremely realistic. I wasn't sure about this drama because of Dylan Wang. My girlfriend made me watch Meteor Garden with her; I couldn't even stomach past the second episode of that show and dropped it. He did a pretty good job portraying his character in this series, in my opinion he's a *little too perfect* with being there for the main FL and anticipating her needs. That's a separate gripe I have with CDramas and KDramas in general on these "perfect" BFs.

It starts off fairly slow in the beginning and took a while for me to get into it, it's a slice of life drama that highlights the sexism and hostility women face in the workplace, expectations placed on them to conform, and the concept of "left over" women. The show also depicts how men such as Dylan Wang's character do not need to embrace standard norms of masculinity. He can cook, clean, sew, design jewelry, wash women's hair, take care of his widowed mother, and be an assistant to a woman who is strong willed and independent without feeling his manhood is threatened. He falls in love with a woman older than him. It challenges the general roles and norms what it is to be a man and what masculinity means.

While I didn't really get the vibes of a deep or gripping love story, I enjoyed most of the characters in this series, relationship portrayals, growth, and realistic issues in the workplace and society.

Some highlights:

The mother of the main FL, initially she was annoying which I think the show intended her to be. however the relationship between them evolves and while she's not a bubbly friendly character, she's a straight shooter who has a good read on people.

The romantic relationship that develops between the ML's friend and supporting female character was fairly realistic in how it shows the pressures faced by young professionals who don't have a financial foothold yet and are reluctant to get into a romantic relationship when they can barely afford to survive in a big city.

The main FL's boss who is the head of the EV division, did a wonderful job with his character. If I was an actor I would clamor for that role mainly because of how that character was written and how good the actor played that role. His character is not a good guy nor bad guy per se, he represents the side of masculinity that is the opposite of MLs personality and demeanor. One of my favorite scenes is where he spins the wooden top at a workplace dinner and gives his meaning for it.

Overall a good watch, not exciting but a slow slice of life thoughtful drama on society, norms, and toxic workplace culture.
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