This review may contain spoilers
An amazing slice of life drama that made me think about life
This is an absolute gem of a show. It's the first time i've binged a slice of life drama. China tends to do these dramas really well and this was really one of the best.
Things I liked:
- That this was set in Chengdu, one of my fav cities in China and the characters spoke the local dialect often, nice touch! i also loved how they brought out the relaxing ways of chengdu's local culture - the teatimes, taking the time to relax in a busy period etc. i love it.
- the acting was really good. ren su xi was great in this as usual (and had alot of really funny dialogue for her character which she delivered well) but i also like the dong jiaxi actress alot.
- the parent-child dynamics especially between ren su xi and her mum/dad, all the misunderstandings, annoyance, frustration but ultimately love. it reminded me alot about my own relationship with my parents and was a reminder to be patient with them and treat them better
- while im not a fan of the insurance industry and how it's run in my country, i appreciate how this drama shone a spotlight on the job and how it's really run. it also showed other less popular jobs - a civil servant working in the neighbourhood post, an aspiring theatre actress/director/writer and a beauty influencer. i liked that the drama showed the day to day of each role, even the unglamourous bits and it was this realism that i loved.
- the sismance was amazing, i love it when all the females in a drama are written to get along, they had their differences and were all very different people and had their own lives but still supported one another in their own ways, i love it. it's a very realistic portrayal of close friendships - that you dont have to be together 24/7 to be considered good friends
- the 3 romances (minus Gou Dan Dan's) were all very cute and sweet. the men all were nice and treated their ladies well.
- the biggest one for me is that this drama actually inspired me to take a look at my life and how i was leading it and why i was working. what was all the busy-ness for - for money? and at the risk of what - physical and mental health, not spending time with one's family? it also made me rethink what success meant and how it looked like. and what it meant to chase your dreams and not have it be fulfilled or having to park it aside for family, or having it manifest successfully in other ways (jiaxi's trajectory). i loved how resilient all our 4 ladies were in their own ways and how even if they had challenges along the way, they always found a way out.
Things I liked less:
- I didn't enjoy Gou Dan Dan's personality much or her storyline. I ff-ed alot of her scenes in the last third of the drama as I just wasn't interested in her romance with the new guy either. Her character is headstrong, stubborn, defiant and not very open, a combo i dont quite enjoy in a person. Also her thing with her husband dragged on for sooooo long I just got tired of it after awhile
- The over-focus on the romance which kicked in the last half of the drama, i just am not interested lol
Things I liked:
- That this was set in Chengdu, one of my fav cities in China and the characters spoke the local dialect often, nice touch! i also loved how they brought out the relaxing ways of chengdu's local culture - the teatimes, taking the time to relax in a busy period etc. i love it.
- the acting was really good. ren su xi was great in this as usual (and had alot of really funny dialogue for her character which she delivered well) but i also like the dong jiaxi actress alot.
- the parent-child dynamics especially between ren su xi and her mum/dad, all the misunderstandings, annoyance, frustration but ultimately love. it reminded me alot about my own relationship with my parents and was a reminder to be patient with them and treat them better
- while im not a fan of the insurance industry and how it's run in my country, i appreciate how this drama shone a spotlight on the job and how it's really run. it also showed other less popular jobs - a civil servant working in the neighbourhood post, an aspiring theatre actress/director/writer and a beauty influencer. i liked that the drama showed the day to day of each role, even the unglamourous bits and it was this realism that i loved.
- the sismance was amazing, i love it when all the females in a drama are written to get along, they had their differences and were all very different people and had their own lives but still supported one another in their own ways, i love it. it's a very realistic portrayal of close friendships - that you dont have to be together 24/7 to be considered good friends
- the 3 romances (minus Gou Dan Dan's) were all very cute and sweet. the men all were nice and treated their ladies well.
- the biggest one for me is that this drama actually inspired me to take a look at my life and how i was leading it and why i was working. what was all the busy-ness for - for money? and at the risk of what - physical and mental health, not spending time with one's family? it also made me rethink what success meant and how it looked like. and what it meant to chase your dreams and not have it be fulfilled or having to park it aside for family, or having it manifest successfully in other ways (jiaxi's trajectory). i loved how resilient all our 4 ladies were in their own ways and how even if they had challenges along the way, they always found a way out.
Things I liked less:
- I didn't enjoy Gou Dan Dan's personality much or her storyline. I ff-ed alot of her scenes in the last third of the drama as I just wasn't interested in her romance with the new guy either. Her character is headstrong, stubborn, defiant and not very open, a combo i dont quite enjoy in a person. Also her thing with her husband dragged on for sooooo long I just got tired of it after awhile
- The over-focus on the romance which kicked in the last half of the drama, i just am not interested lol
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