odetodramas
You Are My Glory is so sweet and drama-free. It's a breath of fresh air to see characters nearing 30 and having a mature relationship, facing relatable struggles. The story focuses solely on Yu Tu and Jing Jing with no side plots. The supporting cast is filled with really likable characters that helped make this drama more fun, like Yu Tu's friend Zhai Liang and Jing Jing's manager and assistant. Much of Yu Tu's storyline is about his dream of exploring space, which was very inspiring.
Dilraba really shines as Jing Jing and I think this is my favorite role of hers. She tends to lean into being cutesy but in this drama, strikes the right balance. Jing Jing is quick-witted and funny, but also a genuine and straightforward person. I liked that there are a lot of really fun moments that aren't overdramatized. I've never impressed by Yang Yang's acting but find him well-suited for a restrained, pensive character like Yu Tu.
Initially I thought, another gaming drama? But this drama didn't remind me of any other gaming dramas that I've watched! I don't know anything about games like the one they play in the first part of this drama (don't worry, gaming isn't the focus of the entire drama!) but I still found this storyline to be surprisingly captivating! It's so cute to see Jing Jing working hard to practice playing the game and Yu Tu training her.
It's so nice that there are no annoying drama cliches here - no love triangle, no parents disapproving, etc. Instead there are a lot of nice, smaller moments that are funny or delightful or moving. In a few scenes I found the writing/scene set-up questionable, like maybe it made sense on paper (in the novel), but seeing it unfold on screen felt unrealistic. Overall, this drama brought me a lot of joy!
P.S. Love the cameo by Janice Wu!
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I was so excited when I saw that Wei Zhe Ming and Hu Yi Xuan were being paired together. He Qiao Yan is a workaholic CEO who is very logical and data-driven, but would also do anything for his son, nicknamed "Xiao Bao." Xiao Bao became mute after a traumatic event, but takes a liking to Qin Yi Yue, a child psychologist, and so He Qiao Yan proposes the marriage/work contract.
Hu Yi Xuan has such a sweet, charming smile and she's delightful to watch. Unfortunately, her character's earlier enthusiasm for her work is sidelined when she enters the contract. She's continually being guilt-tripped into caring for Xiao Bao, as He Qiao Yan becomes jealous and overbearing despite not even admitting his feelings for her. I never felt invested in their relationship; it was like I was just waiting for them to be together because they were the leads. Xiao Bao is so cute that he might be enough to distract you from the weaker plot points.
Ning Fang was a standout character--a caring friend who didn't overstep boundaries. As for the best friends of the leads, Yang Ruo Wei and Wen Gu, I was deeply disappointed. Their dynamic of smart & sharp woman who won't fall for the spoiled playboy's tricks is one I really like no matter how many times I see it in c-dramas, but it really felt flat in this case. I didn't think they truly got to know each other, and they were stronger characters just as friends of He Qiao Yan and Qin Yi Yue. (Their dynamic actually made me think of two side characters in You Complete Me that had a much better developed storyline.)
It really felt like the plot became weaker as the drama went on, certain storylines are rushed in the end, and Qin Yi Yue seems too easily pressured into a choice towards the end. I honestly sat there wondering if I missed something.
Overall disappointing but perhaps worth a watch if you like the cast.
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The romance between the main character Tang Ming Xuan and Mo Fei is very satisfying. There were a lot of sweet moments so you won't be suffering for 40+ episodes to finally see them together. They support each other's careers, they work through normal relationship issues, and they're unfazed by others who try to stand between them. Sure, there's some jealousy but they don't go down the "I'm not good enough for you" route or the self-sacrificing "I should leave because it's better for you" route. Zhang Han and Xu Lu had such great chemistry that I don't think I can watch Xu Lu paired with Lin Yi in her new drama. *However* Xu Lu does play the character with a pouty feel/speaks with an overly cutesy voice (I don't know how else to describe this) and if you can't stand it, then you won't enjoy this drama.
Although this drama uses a lot of common tropes, it uses them in a reasonable way that isn't over-the-top. Scheming and angst are pretty low. Fang Xiao Yu's actions did annoy me because they crossed the line (why does Hong Yao refuse to play a character that I like?!) but that made it easier for me to not have second lead syndrome. If there's one unbearable character, it's Bai Xiaoman and I skimmed through her scenes.
I did love many of the side characters. First of all, Ming Xuan's assistant Yang Guang had all the best lines. He was so funny and observant as he helped Ming Xuan with his love life in little ways. Lin Xin Zhe played this character so well. Second, the younger siblings Mo Fan and Lu Zhu were so fun. Lu Zhu could've easily been one of those annoying spoiled younger siblings from a rich family but she was so likable and genuinely made an effort to improve. (Although she's Ming Xuan's cousin, she's grown up as a sister to him.) I do wish Duoduo had been a more rational character, or at least have shown some growth in her actions. She was always so impulsive and Cheng Yang was so patient.
Overall, this exceeded my expectations and was an enjoyable to watch if you like this sort of premise! Of the dramas with similar premises, I'd recommend this one.
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Mi Ka and Xing Kelei are both independent, brave, and driven people who love their careers, and they support and respect each other. They both lacked relationship experience and navigated obstacles together. It was a little dramatic that they faced so many intense, life-threatening situations, but I expected it.
I rated this lower because I didn't love the development of the second couple. They spent so much time in a frustrating situation that I lost interest in them completely. On the other hand, I wish there'd been more screen time for the third couple! I liked the contrast of their relationship because they're older and more mature. Aside from the couples, I loved the friendship between Mi Ka and Xiao Xia, and Xing Kelei and his team (Li Nian in particular had some hilarious moments). I also loved Xing Kelei and his sister! Xing Keyao is such a great character. This was a really enjoyable drama to watch and I eagerly awaited new episodes every day without losing interest. I do think the last two episodes were underwhelming and overwritten though.
P.S. I loved the OST, especially the ending song.
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Let me explain: the premise is great--the story centers around three women who work at two rival search portal sites. There's a mix of friendship and hostility, and I loved seeing these relationships evolve throughout the drama. The ethical issues that arise relating to search portal sites are really interesting. The characters feel pretty authentic, and visually, this drama is very pretty. I love the OST and MAMAMOO's "WOW" is so catchy that I had to download it after watching this.
However! In the middle, the pacing dragged. I'd be fairly bored for about 50 minutes... but then there'd be 10 minutes that were SO GOOD and I'd be interested again. The storyline between Bae Ta Mi and her love interest felt realistic with its push-and-pull but also sooo frustrating/painful to watch.
Also, Cha Hyun was my favorite character but Song Ga Kyung ended up having the most interesting character arc. Anyhow, despite how long this took me to watch, I will remember it fondly.
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Also, I have to say how impressed I was by Hwang In Yeop, who I had never seen before. He pulled off humor, attitude, and pain so well, and really made you love his character Seo Jun.
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It's abundantly clear that Bo Wang and Ma Zhai Xing had a strong connection to each other, from beginning to end. However, I first started losing interest during episode 15, because I felt that Bo Wang's actions were over-the-top. I understand that his goal was to push Ma Zhai Xing away and make her give up on him, but I refuse to believe he had to resort to those actions. Then it was Ma Zhai Xing's turn to cause me to lose interest. Halfway through, I started to feel like Ma Zhai Xing was obsessed with her memories of Lang Zai, self-absorbed, and not nearly as smart as she thought she was. Did she ever consider what Bo Wang had been through in those eight years or try to understand the ways that his situation had changed? All she did was try to bring back every single thing they liked together in the past, to drag him back to the Lang Zai she had preserved in her heart. Sure, you could say she was trying to help him find his true self, she brought him warmth and kindness... but she disregards his precarious new identity as a prince and becomes his weakness, a tool that can be used against him, and she doesn't even realize it.
When Ma Zhai Xing finally learns the truth, I thought this drama had a chance to prove me wrong and offer some growth. But what does Ma Zhai Xing do? She repeatedly makes emotional, impulsive choices when it comes to anything relating to Bo Wang. Does it ever really feel like she cares about those loyal family troops of hers? From beginning to end, I felt like that kindness and pureness of heart that everyone loves Ma Zhai Xing for has always been reserved for and dedicated solely for Bo Wang. Even if it seemed like kindness toward another character, wasn't that character someone related to Bo Wang?
I kept powering through this drama because I felt committed to seeing how things would end, but those last 10ish episodes didn't make sense to me. We kept being reminded of what a connection and understanding Ma Zhai Xing and Bo Wang had, and YET Ma Zhai Xing didn't see through his actions during that battle scene? Sorry, you can't keep trying to sell me the ~special connection~ and ~Ma Zhai Xing is so smart~ but tell me that Ma Zhai Xing had no suspicions at all despite everything that happens during and after the battle. Then, the last episode celebrates Ma Zhai Xing as this grand hero and it made me roll my eyes. First, where was that Ma Zhai Xing in the previous ten episodes??? That's what I wanted to see much earlier. Second, what happens just doesn't make sense, for each character. I won't get into the details because I don't want to spoil anything.
As for the other characters: Although I liked Ji Chong's character, especially in the beginning, I was never rooting for a relationship between Ji Chong and Ma Zhai Xing, because it was always clear that her heart belonged to Bo Wang. I was surprised that I liked Bao Na a lot, except for her last story arc, because it felt too contrived for me. The biggest surprise for me was Wang Jia Yi as the fourth prince: a great performance and a likable character. (Can you believe it was only about two years ago that Wang Jia Yi was on Idol Producer and auditioned while holding that stuffed animal?!) The biggest missed opportunity for this drama was Yao Ji. Xin Zhi Lei is such a great actress and I would've loved to see more of her character's backstory. I also liked the members of the Night Fury a lot but would've liked more depth to them than just their fierce loyalty to Bo Wang. There was a scene where they did acknowledge their internal conflict, but I thought there could've been more. The emperor had a strong storyline throughout the drama and the actor did a great job. In general, the political storylines were pretty solid.
All in all, I'm glad I watched The Wolf because I was so curious about the hype, but it was a disappointment for me.
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I loved Li Yi Tong as Xia Ran Ran, who returns from abroad to take down her scheming stepmother while continuing her search for her missing mother. Xia Ran Ran is spoiled and impulsive, but also very upbeat and energetic. She reflects over her past actions, and I liked her relationship with Shao Ming Zhe because he helps her grow and learn. This is an age-gap romance, and I was never quite sure exactly how much older he was. (The one thing that bothered me was the timeline of his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, because she was in high school...) What won me over with their relationship is that they developed a friendship first and confided in each other about how they had been hurt in the past. They have great chemistry and I enjoyed their banter a lot, although at times I wished Xia Ran Ran could prove her ability without Shao Ming Zhe always helping her. I was only able to get through this drama because I liked them as a couple so much.
In the later portion of the drama, I couldn't stand that every single character learned a secret but left the person who it would hurt the most in the dark. When is that ever a good idea?! It felt like there was so much buildup for the moment this secret would finally be revealed, but when the moment came it was such a letdown because it was overshadowed by another storyline.
A big miss for this drama was Su Mo's character, because it felt like they couldn't decide what direction to go in. Sometimes the drama really made me hate her, but then it'd throw in a flashback that would make me sympathize and wish she and Xia Ran Ran could repair their broken friendship. These mixed signals from the writers ended up making her seem unlikable and untrustworthy, and her ending felt way too neat. Shao Ming Zhe's mother felt like an annoying, stereotypical character written just to set up some obstacles, and I wish there'd been more depth there. I didn't mind Peng Jing (the stepmother), because she was a formidable opponent for Xia Ran Ran, and her son was adorable - I wish there had been more scenes of Ran Ran and Chen Chen! Xia Ran Ran's father turned out to be more interesting than I expected, and his assistant Chen Luo was another potential love interest for Xia Ran Ran. I appreciated his character only because he made Shao Ming Zhe jealous, but otherwise Chen Luo was a pretty bland character.
This is definitely not the worst in the genre but prepare yourself with low expectations for the latter half.
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I enjoy these sorts of melodramas with love triangles/squares, revenge plots, business rivalries, family secrets—a lot of dramatic twists and turns—but it's because there's at least one redeeming part of the drama, usually the romance between the leads. In this drama, there's really nothing redeeming. The relationship between the two leads is fleeting and flimsy; she's the overly kind-hearted, self-sacrificing female lead who you end up pitying, while he's the calculating male lead who over and over again makes choices that hurt her, but in his mind he justifies it has having "no choice", owing someone else, or that his choice is what's best for her, too. Even up to the point I had watched, I was already rooting against him, and it only gets WORSE. The female lead says so herself at one point: she is constantly being used in other people's schemes and plans, the only person kept in the dark about what's truly going on. I was almost rooting for the second male lead instead, but he essentially treats her the same way.
The way this drama ends doesn't feel earned, and I truly despised Tang Guo Er. I would only recommend this if you are looking for a dramatic plot without caring about any of the characters.
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Disappointing
I enjoy dramas centering around a group of friends, especially when they're relatable storylines about women in their 30s. Unfortunately, this one was a miss. The monologues at the end of each episode felt over-the-top in trying to be insightful, the pacing was uneven, and there was so much product placement (BMW, Oreo, that mobile game). The biggest thing this drama was successful at was making me want to go to the gym; I loved that the women were always working out together.I did like Victoria Song as the bubbly Sun Yi He. Of course, I wanted to yell at her because her relationship with Sam was clearly going to be a train wreck, but I loved her dedication to her job and her friendship with Yu Tian. She experiences a lot of growth throughout the drama. After seeing Tony Yang in All is Well last year, I was excited to see him here and loved all his scenes. Ren Ran was my second favorite and I loved that she was a successful career woman, but her romantic storyline was also an emotional rollercoaster. David Wang is really good at playing unlikable businessmen, I swear that's the only role I've ever seen him play.
Oh, Ding Ding. She has the most lighthearted romance storyline and I love enemies-to-lovers, but it quickly became annoying. He turned into a lovesick puppy so quickly and she was too immature. I couldn't take her job with managing the boy group seriously, and when things take a turn for her towards the end, I wondered why she didn't simply get a job?! The opposite of Ding Ding is Karen, the most mature of the four. She owns the gym where they're always working out at, and she's a divorced single mom so naturally she has a different perspective than the others. Her son is cute and there's an emotional storyline with her mother, but the writing just didn't resonate with me.
The ending didn't even feeling like an ending! I had to double-check that there wasn't another episode. Similar-ish dramas I enjoyed more than this are: Find Yourself (also starring Victoria Song), Be Melodramatic (Korean). I haven't watched Nothing But Thirty yet but hear good things about it.
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Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and Ziqiu's bond is sweet and moving. Normally I'm eager for the characters to age up, but the childhood and high school episodes are so impactful and well-paced. I love Jianjian's silliness, her love of sweets, and her career as an artist! It's so rare to see a main character who is happily living as an artist. Despite her silliness she's not naive, she's used to diffusing tension and easing pain with humor, and she's a loyal friend who stands up to bullies. I'm a big fan of Tan Songyun, and even more so after this drama, because she excelled at both the humor and the emotional moments. Everyone's favorite character is Jianjian's dad, Li Haichao, who is a big-hearted softie, possibly the most patient, supportive, and understanding parent I've ever seen in a c-drama. Ling Xiao and Ziqiu both suffer from emotional trauma (it'll break your heart), but are able to find joy and love from growing up with Jianjian and her dad. Song Weilong and Steven Zhang both played their roles so well. (I've seen other dramas in which they played the leads, but they had me totally absorbed in their characters here.) I loved the supporting characters, too: Jianjian's friends, Ziqiu's friend, Jianjian's colleague.
Before I started this drama, I was worried about a love triangle, but I was relieved—although there are some unrequited feelings and some misplaced feelings, there's nothing truly frustrating here. The characters are human, so of course there are some emotional outbursts and awkwardness, but everyone reflects over their feelings and actions and faces them maturely. (Definitely no annoying I-won't-give-up/evil-schemer second leads here!) There isn't a strong focus on the romance, but I appreciate that they talked about mental health. I actually would've liked to see more of that storyline, to dig deeper into their relationship. (I am being intentionally vague so as not to spoil who the relationship is between, but I personally think it is pretty obvious from early on in the show.)
The most frustrating aspect of this show? The moms. It's the moms either abandon their children or are too controlling or are never satisfied. This is such a stark contrast to Li Haichao, who, like I said before, is so kind and supportive. Ling Xiao's dad is a workaholic who isn't around but he's upbeat when he's around, so it gets downplayed. (I am skeptical about him unable to take ANY time off during those nine years.) Fortunately, I did feel like some nuance with the moms was explored towards the end. One of the moms has a really heartbreaking character arc and I would've loved to see more of her scenes at the end. There's also a storyline towards the end about another mom that offers a layered, thoughtful reflection. But there's one mom who is truly self-centered and emotionally manipulative, and she was allowed to continue with her behavior for far too long. I can absolutely believe that there are people like her in the world, but it's tough to watch and I dreaded her scenes.
Although this drama is more slice-of-life and relatable, the pivotal moments are really dramatic. A lot occurs in rapid succession and it truly felt like an emotional rollercoaster during those episodes—but Jianjian, Ziqiu, and Ling Xiao are so likable and relatable that I felt invested in their lives. Despite some flaws and missed opportunities (if only there were MORE episodes), I truly loved this show, the cast, characters, and the melancholy but soothing OST.
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My Girl is funny, cute, generally not frustrating, and there are great friendships and side couples as well. Yes, the premise is really far-fetched and the female lead's disorder being described as PTSD seems inaccurate. Meng Hui, the female lead, has a second personality that is triggered by emotional distress, and these episodes conclude only when her goal is fulfilled. What this sets up is the opportunity for a bold, fearless Meng Hui to emerge, and this version of Meng Hui was so fun to watch. Lia Jia Qi really shines in this role, and it wasn't until I looked her up afterwards that I realized she played Xiao You in the 2018 Meteor Garden remake! Anyways, if you can suspend your disbelief and accept the premise, this drama is really fun and enjoyable.
As for the male lead, Zhao Yi Qin has had a stream of dramas come out recently but this is the only one I've seen. His character, Shen Yi, is extremely stingy, which is really funny to watch, but he's also consumed by guilt. A major part of his storyline is unraveling that guilt and it's a bumpy road. I was definitely yelling at the screen at some of his actions, and at around episode 17 this storyline gets really messy. I wish it had been resolved with more honest conversations.
I loved Fan Zhi Xin as Sui An, Shen Yi's best friend. He starred in Mountains and Ocean and had a supporting role in Eternal Love of Dream, and I definitely want to see more of him! His friendship with Shen Yi was one of my favorite aspects of the drama, and it has its own complications. I was glad this drama didn't go the love triangle route and that he had his own romance storyline, but I thought it was underdeveloped. I didn't feel like I saw the connection and feelings forming from his side. Pu Tao (who was great in last year's lackluster Fall in Love) was also great as Meng Hui's friend Ah Tao, except that as a therapist, I thought she should've been helping Meng Hui face and resolve her issues to stop the episodes from occurring. I loved that Ah Tao is confident and fierce, and that she falls for a soft boy, but I hated that the ending implied that as their relationship develops, their dynamic needs to change???
Wei Lei was the best surprise of this drama. I appreciate that she wasn't a one-dimensional villain and leave it at that to not spoil anything! Also, I liked seeing Yi's company's employees and it was great that they were a variety of ages.
Lastly, I love the ending song 极星 (My Polar Star) by 陈雪燃 Chen Xue Ran! I thought his voice sounded familiar, and realized that he sang the opening song of Go Go Squid, 无名之辈 (Nameless Generation).
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Although it's one of the most intriguing aspects of the story, the drama doesn't explore the city ruled by women vs city ruled by men until the end. Instead, the story mostly centers around who will become the next City Master, and the contenders are Chen Qian Qian and Chen Chu Chu. Chu Chu is adopted and feels like despite being more skilled and working harder, their mother will always favor Qian Qian, who is always getting into trouble. Meanwhile, the oldest sister Chen Yuan Yuan is disregarded in the running entirely because she is disabled. I really dislike Yuan Yuan's storyline, and wanted to see other characters acknowledge that her disability didn't make her useless, that she still had her strengths and could be the next City Master.
Han Shuo and Qian Qian were fun to watch for most of the drama. Han Shuo trying to win Qian Qian over was cute, and the dynamic between their two right hand men was also hilarious. But in the end, Qian Qian falls for the same old tired drama cliche and hurts him to save him. Come on! As a drama writer, she should know that always backfires. The worst part is when Han Shuo attempts to sexually assault Qian Qian. This is never addressed afterwards, Han Shuo never apologizes and it's like this terrible, traumatic incident never happened??? I'm so disturbed by this.
I had planned to rate this higher because overall it's creative, funny, and original, but I just can't overlook the red flags.
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This review may contain spoilers
*There are minor spoilers when discussing the tropes in this drama.*I really wanted to like this, and even after it became difficult watch at around episode 16, I still continued for three more episodes. There are just too many frustrating storylines and a bunch of tropes that I don't care for.
I loved Xin Yun Lai in the movie Cry Me a Sad River and last year's drama Dreaming Back to the Qing Dynasty. Here he plays Fang Zhi You, the CEO of a small architecture company who hates lying. There's nothing wrong with refusing to lie, but Fang Zhi You is really direct to the point of being condescending and disregarding the feelings of others. I mean, you can be honest without sharing your every opinion, right? Meanwhile, Xu Yi Ren, played by Liang Jie, is the opposite, always resorting to little white lies - sometimes it's understandable, especially in business situations where you need to maintain good relationships, but sometimes her small lies cause more trouble than they're worth. It feels unrealistic how unprofessional their boss-assistant relationship is, but even after they become romantically involved, their "cute" interactions feel over-the-top. I mean, I felt like the dinosaur onesies scene came out of nowhere???
Anyhow, onto the tropes:
1. The supported-him-for-years second female lead. I get it, in an alternate universe, He Yu Wen could've gotten a friends-to-lovers result that she wanted. But in this universe, she becomes angry and spiteful, which is unfortunate because she seemed like a smart and charming person initially.
2. A revenge subplot. Li Zhe (played by Liu Hai Kuan, who The Untamed fans will recognize!) has a vendetta against his childhood best friend Fang Zhi You. However, it feels like a stretch to blame it all on Fang Zhi You, and Li Zhe using Xu Yi Ren as part of his revenge plans is off-putting.
3. Xu Yi Ren's awful aunt and cousin!!! These two are hands down the most intolerable characters in this show and I wanted to throw things every time they appeared on screen. I understand that Xu Yi Ren is grateful that they took her in as a child, but they're rude and demanding. The cousin is manipulative and a worse liar than Xu Yi Ren ever was and I really hope Xu Yi Ren doesn't passively go along with it.
4. The whole 'searching for person I shared a meaningful moment with' plot and repeated flashbacks to said moment. This isn't the worst trope in this drama but I just feel like I keep seeing it constantly and I'm tired of it. It's really adding to the drama here though so I guess if you like a complicated mess of feelings/somewhat of a love triangle then please enjoy!
5. Moving in together for reasons that don't make sense. I have nothing against dramas with cohabitation plots, but an assistant moving in with her boss (before they have a romantic relationship)??? It's not your responsibility as someone's boss to house your employee, especially for a prolonged time. It would've been more believable if she'd moved in after becoming his girlfriend, but maybe she'll move out after the point at which I dropped this drama in some kind of dramatic breakup storyline.
Also, I love Xia Di, the strong-willed, energetic best friend but wasn't invested in her relationship with Gu Bo, but maybe I should blame it on the similar older-woman-younger-man best friend storyline I just watched in Love Designer, which was really frustrating and drawn-out.
I hope in the episodes I didn't watch that Xu Yi Ren pursues her own dream and finally tells off her aunt and cousin, Fang Zhi You and Li Zhe finally talk out the issues between them, and He Yu Wen lets go and finds her own happiness.
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Dilraba Dilmurat finally plays a character who is not naive, silly, and clumsy. Zhou Fang is a motivated, ambitious fashion designer who speaks her mind, and I liked that they didn't make her a spectacularly talented designer but someone who is learning and recognizes how far she has to grow. Meanwhile, Johnny Huang's Song Lin is a workaholic CEO but he's (for the most part) straightforward. There is, thankfully, not a lot of will-they-or-won't-they and only briefly is there a second lead who tries to get between them. The biggest conflict between Zhou Fang and Song Lin is that they are both ambitious and stubborn, and they encounter work-related problems including conflicts of interest and struggles with work-life balance. They have a lot of very sweet moments, which is a nice change from all those dramas where it takes 40 episodes for the leads to finally express their feelings for each other. Also, I loved the storyline with Zhou Fang's nephew and Song Lin's younger sister. They brought so much humor and lightheartedness to the drama.
The other storylines were extremely weak. I loved Qin Qing in the beginning because she's a fiercely loyal friend and a confident, successful jewelry designer. Unfortunately, everything went downhill due to Zuo Yu Lin. I could understand her uncertainty due to their age gap, but it was his mother's storyline that I found intolerable. While Zuo Yu Lin initially seemed like a genuine, caring boyfriend, it was when they encountered a real external conflict that he showed his true colors. He should've addressed the issues with his mother rather than repeatedly lying and then letting Qin Qing do the work to win her over. Also, they became increasingly cheesy and over-the-top when they were together and it made me cringe.
The biggest missed opportunity was Su Yu Shan, who was initially presented as the Bad Guy, a ruthless businessman who uses questionable methods and ignores his lonely wife. They should have developed his story more, and not just in the last episode. Things changed so quickly in the end! The two other supporting characters were Zhou Fang and Qin Qing's friends, Huo Chen Dong and Shen Pei Pei, who totally disappear towards the end and receive an unsatisfying resolution in the final episode. Zhou Fang's mother was also had a significant storyline, and she was just too much. Honestly, all three mothers in this drama were rather domineering.
Lastly, a note on product placement: I hope to never encounter that awful ringtone that multiple (or was it every??) character used, but I am curious to try Hai Di Lao takeout (lol).
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