This show is definitely a mixed bag, but I enjoyed it overall. Many aspects of it are either ridiculous or poorly executed. The "bear knight" concept (that is, the male lead rescuing or offering comfort to the female lead while disguised as a teddy bear mascot) was initially somewhat cute and funny. It's a bit silly for my taste, but it would have been fine if limited to a few instances in mostly believable circumstances. Instead, it was used in situations that interfered with my ability to suspend disbelief even in a show like this, and it was overused to death. What started out as kind of cute was just obnoxious by the end.

The orchestra scenes were laughable in how poorly the actors pretended to play their instruments and in how poorly the music matched their playing. (Of course they can't be expected to master an instrument for a part, but it really would not have been too much effort for at least the main characters to be somewhat convincing. I blame the director for this rather than the actors, though.) And I was honestly shocked that a professionally produced show would include watermarked stock images. That's a pretty inexcusable oversight. I get that this is a lighthearted romantic comedy, but a bit more professionalism would have been nice.

That said, it is still a pretty fun drama overall in spite of its considerable flaws. It has a more "old-school drama" feel somehow, perhaps because it is intended in part to be a parody of shows such as Boys Over Flowers/Meteor Garden and Heirs (all of which I've seen some of but never managed to complete). As such, it is chock-full of some of the most overused tropes and nothing is particularly unpredictable, but the two main characters make up for that with their charisma and chemistry. It also helps that the tone of the show is lighthearted and humorous overall (which is exactly what I was looking for).

Lin Xing Chen could have been an easy character to dislike since she has been raised to think of herself as being above ordinary people. She has lived a very materialistic life geared towards either showing off her beauty, her designer goods, or her artistic skills. Her social media presence is evidently strong (as implied by her competitive scenes with frenemy Jia Na) and she is well known enough for even a minor faux pas in public to appear in gossip news. Xing Chen can definitely be annoying at times, but when contrasted with the deceptively "innocent" Yang Yang, her brasher, more honest approach is refreshing. Additionally, her goofiness, wild imagination, secret addiction to reading BL novels while eating junk food, and ultimately her choice of career make her seem more like a quirky, individualistic character and less like the picture-perfect princess she'd otherwise seem.

The male lead, however, is essentially a cookie-cutter image of a perfect prince (or knight in shining armor, if we're sticking to the fairy tale archetypes assigned by the series). Jiang Nian Yu is an exceptionally talented musician, ballroom dancer, and equestrian – among the best (if not the best) of his peers, despite not having the same financial resources. If that weren't enough, he's also the top student in the university. When he's not busy being perfect at school, he's working part-time at a local comic book store – which sometimes involves wearing a bear mascot (is that really common in China?) – and rescuing Xing Chen as "bear knight" when she's sad or in trouble. Unlike Chu Yao (the fiancé arranged for Xing Chen by their respective parents), Nian Yu is always able to remain levelheaded in a crisis. His main "weakness" is presented as PTSD related to a relative's death (not that I really consider that a weakness), but it is so unfeasible and poorly written that it should have been left out.

The main thing that prevents this character from being unbearably boring due to his lack of flaws is the actor's charisma. While male leads tend to be unrealistic in most dramas, Nian Yu is more forgiving, kind, romantic, and suave than typical. This could be annoying, but Mike Angelo is so good at it that I couldn't bring myself to care all that much. (I obviously didn't watch the show for its realism.) Both the actor and character remind me a lot of what I enjoy about Lee Dong Wook's character in "My Girl" (although Gong Chan is decidedly less perfect and more awkward).

Zheng Chu Yao and Yu Yang Yang – the second male and female lead respectively – aren't very likable. Chu Yao (or “Prince Yao,” as he is sometimes called) ironically refers to Xing Chen as “Princess Syndrome,” but his arrogance and willingness to throw his money around far exceeds hers. He treats her very poorly throughout the first half of the series until he realizes that he has feelings for her - then he wonders why she isn't madly in love with him and what Nian Yu has to offer her that he doesn't. Zero self-awareness. Still, he does provide some good comic relief at times. Yang Yang is full of self-loathing and insecurity because she's an average person in every respect surrounded by wealthy, outstanding peers, which causes her to lash out passive aggressively at Xing Chen. Neither character is completely terrible, and both demonstrate some growth, but neither seem to change completely either. The supporting characters are mostly forgettable. I honestly never cared much about any character but the main two.

There are a couple of subplots that really added nothing to the show. One involves a former romantic relationship between two minor characters that doesn't really go anywhere, even in the epilogue, but at least it doesn't take up too much time. (I suppose if anything, its purpose is to serve as a cautionary tale.) The other subplot is clearly meant to add more suspense and action, but it is handled poorly and the show would have been fine without it.

I chose to watch this because I've been wanting a change of pace from the lengthy historical dramas I've been watching more recently. It was a bit sillier than I would have expected, but after the first episode, I pretty much knew what I was getting myself into. This is a show to not take too seriously. The writing isn't great, but it's mostly fun anyway. The OST ranges from mediocre ballads to a bubblegum pop track with a Britney Spears soundalike singing English lyrics that are mostly nonsensical, and actually, that seems to suit the show perfectly.

I don't regret watching it, though I don't see myself watch it again. (Maybe rewatching specific scenes would be fun, but not the whole drama.) I can't say I'd definitely recommend watching or avoiding this one… but hopefully this review will help you determine whether it'd be worth it or not, based on what you're looking for specifically.

tl;dr:

Pros – some good comedy, lighthearted romance, good chemistry between leads

Cons – very flawed writing, unprofessional editing, forgettable supporting characters, mediocre OST