Novelist Gu Man has written yet another novel (You Are My Glory) that was turned into an amazing drama. If you haven’t watched her dramas or read her novels you’re missing out. Two of her dramas, Boss & Me and Love o2o will forever be in my top ten all time favorite cdramas. I love how endearing and touching her novels are. This drama is deep and very emotional so most actors would struggle with it. But not Yang Yang and Reba. Their acting blew me away and made this drama what it is.

I expected this to be a cute romcom but was pleasantly surprised to find a rather deep drama with a unique story to tell. Even though it had a few cute and funny moments, it wasn’t something that made me laugh a lot. The drama mainly focuses on the leads and their struggles to achieve success in both their careers and in their private lives. In keeping with her other stellar dramas, Gu Man gives us a mature drama about adults working together to build a healthy relationship without all of the noble idiocy, stupid misunderstandings, love triangles, and unnecessary breakups. There are no second leads causing trouble nor is there anyone plotting against the leads at their workplace. This is more of a slice of life drama that has an underlying message and a lesson to teach.

I appreciate how much effort went into this drama. This is definitely a big budget drama. The set designs were elaborate, the wardrobe was gorgeous and many scenes were filmed in exotic locations. I especially loved the beautiful desert area they filmed in several times. The CGI for the games was really good too. They obviously went all out for this drama.

Some will say that this drama is not unique since the designer and gamer storylines have been done a lot lately. What makes this drama unique is not the setting the characters are put in. It’s how Gu Man wrote their characters and how those characters interact with others. This is a unique drama where the leads actually have a healthy relationship and communicate. And yet it’s not boring at all. She proves that you don’t have to have ridiculous misunderstandings, breakups, or obsessed second leads to make a drama interesting. That’s why this drama is so unique. And it’s why I like Gu Mans dramas so much.

There are no tripping and falling into the male leads arms, no accidental kisses, or drunk confessions. Everything is very normal and realistic so the drama was very relatable. The leads gradually fall in love over time and the issues they face aren’t silly misunderstandings but normal things many couples face in the real world. Their romance is very realistic and their chemistry is some of the best I’ve seen. If you prefer your romance dramas to have lots of kisses and skinship then you won’t be disappointed here. There’s lots of kisses, hugs, princess carrying, and cuddling. But it’s not cheesy at all, it’s very mature and realistic. The romance is what truly shines in this drama.

If I had a complaint, it would be that I wished there was a bit more tension and action in the drama. But slice of life dramas like this one don’t rely on evil antagonists or fast paced action scenes to move the plot along. They rely on well developed characters and the emotional journey they take to move us and get us invested in the drama. And this drama does that extremely well. Seeing the male lead work hard his whole life to achieve a dream he had since high school then reluctantly decide to give it up was heart wrenching. So when he decides to make one last effort to pursue his dreams, I won’t lie, I was out of my seat and cheering him on. And seeing both leads grow and mature in both their personal and professional lives was very satisfying. Their journey in life was quite endearing.

I’ve enjoyed watching Yang Yang and Reba mature and grow as actors over the years. I’ve watched many of their movies and dramas but this was probably the best I’ve seen from both of them. Their acting was amazing and their facial expressions blew me away. The whole cast did well but the main leads were spectacular.

Overall I’d say this was an amazing drama. It’s not cliche nor is it cheesy and the acting is incredible. The storyline is interesting as it delves into the world of online gaming, then we learn about aerospace engineering, and then we see what professional actors have to deal with. So it’s never boring or uninteresting. It’s one of the best slice of life dramas I’ve ever watched. If you don’t watch this drama then you’re missing out, I highly recommend it.