poiboy1964
Honolulu, Hawaii
This review may contain spoilers
Right Girl, Wrong Guy
My first review in years! I had put off watching this for a couple of years as I thought this would be a drama of four separate stories of struggling entrepreneurs in the cutthroat business world. The story was far different from the synopsis on Drama List. The story started out promising until I could tell the 2nd ML had no chance in this bizarre love triangle (not really a love triangle as the 2nd ML was on the outside looking in).I did not like the ML character and felt he took advantage of the situation, starting a relationship on a lie, and taking way too long to tell the FL the truth about the letters. After the lies were exposed and the first breakup, I was really disgusted by the ML’s endless crying and stalking of the FL. I was dismayed the FL forgave him so quickly and took him back.
After Episode 8, when the ML and FL starting becoming close, I started skipping. I felt so sorry for the 2nd ML as he had no chance of catching the girl (it was just him and his AI friend). Towards the end of the drama, when it appeared the ML and FL were getting back together, I skimmed through Episode 13, skipped Episodes 14 and 15. I watched the end of Episode 16 and yes, the wrong guy won the girl.
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There are some twists and turns and was dazed and confused a few times
Well, the drama got off to a fast start with a great first episode. I think the idea of a fake runaway bride is hilarious! One thing I’m still confused about are the sisters. The sister in hiding is supposedly older and has graduated from college. The younger sister finished her freshmen year but they look like identical twins save the hair style.I don’t know why the FL lied about her identity for almost the entire series. I know she was trying to protect her family at first but she had plenty of opportunities to do the right thing later on (no, I don’t like liars). I loved the romance between the ML and FL but also found the supporting couple very cute.
When the ML finally stood up against his grandfather and was kicked out of the company, I found it laughable that he didn’t have a penny to his name and depended on the FL and others for $$$ and a place to live. The grandfather was a grouchy asshole and it took a near death experience for him to finally appreciate his family.
Everyone hated the evil female actress but I was enamored by her striking appearance and beauty. I hope she lands a lead role soon as I am now a big fan of hers. I felt bad for Pei’s character as he was the only one who didn’t find love (I noticed the actor was also in Nine Kilometers of Love, another drama on my hit list as I am a big Li Ting Ting fan!).
I’m beginning to enjoy Chinese dramas as they are short, 45 minutes or less. I’m also learning Mandarin and watching keeps the language fresh in my mind. I find the romance and kissing more natural than KDs but not crazy sexy like JDs. I’m not sure if I will rewatch this drama but towards the end, I rewatched the first episode and thoroughly enjoyed it and better understood what was going on.
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Not What I Expected
I knew there would be some conflict but this drama was heavy, depressing...so much emotional trauma! The only couple I was cheering for was Shen Yue and Leon Leong and they only lasted a couple of episodes (insert sad face emoticon). I know this is just a story but I hated Chen Du Ling’s character so much, I was shouting all sorts of profanity at the TV. I loved the music especially the closing song by Shen Yue and Chen Du Ling. If you’re a Shen Yue fan, this drama has zero rewatch value as her happiness is always short lived...poor Ansheng!Was this review helpful to you?
A Landmark Chinese Drama
For those who say the acting was terrible or the FL was annoying, this is your opinion and not based on fact. This was Shen Yue’s first drama, in a main role, and her performance was flawless. No way is she cast in Meteor Garden if acting was only so-so. Yes, the premise, of the story, is similar to ISWAK with the smart guy rejecting the not so smart girl but the story was different, refreshing. I have been gravitating towards C-Dramas with only the K-Drama “Because This is My First Life” in my favorite dramas of all time.Was this review helpful to you?
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An almost perfect drama
Disclaimer: I’m a huge Shen Yui fan! I’ve also enjoyed Jasper Liu in Triad Princess and When I See You Again. There are some hilarious scenes, where the main leads keep running into each other, in the beginning. There was great chemistry between between the ML and FL even when they did not like each other early on. The FL slowly brought the ML out of his shell helping him overcome his mysophobia.The ML fell madly in love with the FL and was over-the-top in expressing how much he loved/cared about her. The ML’s therapist and FL’s new neighbor was a threat for a few episodes before he realized the FL loved only the ML. I enjoyed both of the budding romances between the supporting actors/actresses…so much love in the air. There was always something interesting happening at the end of each episode.
Storylines I did not like:
1) When we found out the connection between the ML’s therapist and the FL and her mom, I was thinking, “Here we go with the childhood memory flashbacks.” Like I said earlier, the therapist was only a threat for a short amount of time but hated him for using his position to try and win over the FL.
2) I was hoping the writers wouldn’t revisit car accident that killed the FL’s mom and have someone in the ML’s family responsible (yes, they went there and it was exposed at the worst possible time-damn you grandpa!). I wanted to skip through the through the drama until the ML and FL got back together but I resisted. Their separation was painful but their eventual reconciliation was beautiful and endearing (I’m a sucker for the “couple running towards each other and embracing” scene).
I loved the OST, especially Pure Love whether it was the instrumental or vocal version (something lovey dovey was happening or about to happen). I waited, in anticipation, for this drama for over a year and was not disappointed. I slowed my binge watching towards the end because I wanted the drama to last longer. I will definitely rewatch Use For My Talent again (I’ve already watched some of the early, funny scenes again).
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This could have been great!
The first four episodes were epic with all the action involving the two journalists in two different times, trying to save the President (connect by magic phones). The pace in the beginning was fast and I enjoyed being confused, trying to figure out what’s going on. Then the action disappeared and the drama became politicy (invented word), about politics which I found b-o-r-i-n-g! I started fast forwarding all the way to the end. I felt bad as I am in love with Lee Joo Young and this was her first big lead role in a drama. I felt like I was betraying her. Did I mention I’m in love with Lee Joo Young?!?!Was this review helpful to you?
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The Slowest Burning Romance Ever
The short flash forwards at the end of each episode made me feel like this couple was not meant to be. I can’t remember them kissing until they were grown up. They were never even boyfriend/girlfriend throughout high school though they obviously liked each other (her parents would never have allowed any dating). I hated the FLs parents as they smothered her, discouraged and even punished her for following her dream of writing. The drama does have a beautiful ending and was kind of unexpected considering the flow of the ML and FLs relationship in the past and present.Was this review helpful to you?
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I am starting to turn away from Korean rom-coms
Yes, the plot was not original but I liked how the drama started out. I enjoyed the ML and FL not liking each other at first, then slowly getting to know each other, then starting to like each other. I understand there must be a love triangle but not for almost the entire series! I am very fond of budding romances where the relationship takes a long time to develop and the romantic tension builds. I disliked the open competition between the MLs for the prize of dating the FL. She can’t date both of them, that would be ludicrous (oh wait, she did). One ML was trying to win over the FL with gifts and flowers while the other was acting like a high schooler in love. A short love triangle, I can live with. The MLs fighting, over the FL, episode after episode was very displeasing to me (time to ⏩). I did enjoy the romance between the supporting actors/actresses. I won’t drop the drama but I am hoping a winner will emerge soon (I’m cheering for the screenwriter) so their relationship can move forward (up to Ep 8).Edit: I'm up to Ep 14 and have to wait for the final two episodes. Okay, the love triangle did not last for more than a few episodes (my error!). I thoroughly enjoyed the romance between the ML & FL though the ML can be difficult and offensive. The events surrounding the MLs impending vanishing was truly heartbreaking (Nana, I'm here to comfort you!). I'm hoping for a happy ending. This drama started out with a cliche hate/love plot, then the love triangle before evolving into a beautiful love story followed by the breakup and the MLs upcoming vanishing/death?
Edit: Done with the last 2 ep! Finally! I won’t give away the ending but I was happy the ML & FL were back together. There was a trick ending concerning the MLs vanishing that caught me by surprise. Oh well, on to the next one!
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Surprise ending and not in a good way
I’m still saddened by the ending though I am happy I gave the drama a chance. I’m a big Li Ting Ting fan from Somewhere Only We Know and True Colours! I delayed watching 9km of Love as I perceived the drama would be about the love mis-adventures of pilots and flight attendants. Well, there was a bit of that but also deeper stories.There were some very cute/funny scenes in the first couple of episodes. There were also some dark/depressing moments. I felt so bad for Meng Ran with the gambling father and her family’s poverty. There was the jerk pilot pursuing Meng who ended up being a good guy. The relationship between the older female pilot and younger male pilot was cute.
I enjoyed the slow developing romance between the ML and FL. It was a sad ending (a great ending if there was a season two). I appreciated the many well developed characters and thought the acting was superb. I enjoyed each episode and slowed my binge the last few episodes as I did not want the drama to end. I know I will rewatch the first two episodes and when they started dating. As for the rest of the drama...?
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I hated the male lead’s character
I held out until the first kiss but I had to drop this drama as I couldn’t stand the male lead’s character. Is he really 30 years old because he acts so childish and says the dumbest things? I was not impressed by the ML’s country bumpkin pseudophilosophy about life (and did not find anything he said swoon worthy). I don’t know how the female lead could fall for this guy (maybe he just wore her down with his relentless pursuit of her). The ML is a nice person but he spends more time chasing of his love than he does at work. When the ML is working, he only obsesses over catching the Joker (who is, of course, directly linked to the FL). I almost wished the FL had reconciled with her ex-boyfriend to give her son a better life. TBH, I am coming off some short 10 minute episode Chinese dramas so I was never able to watch an entire episode, of this drama, in one sitting.Was this review helpful to you?
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I Wanted to Love This More
I’ll trying and keep the spoilers to a minimum. When I read the synopsis on Netflix, I thought this would be a cute story of two people coming together for different reasons. The major plot twist caught me off guard and it took a couple of episodes for me to recover (I felt kind of cheated since the leukemia/bone marrow donor storyline was a lie).The main villain’s evil/criminal brilliance is too perfect and not believable (he’s just a young kid, come on!). He was so brazen and always a step ahead of Ling and the police (arranged accident, poisoning(s), kidnapping(s), hypnosis, manipulation of everyone...no problem!).
I loved the romance and chemistry of the two leads but also enjoyed the growing relationships between the two supporting couples. After the emotional rollercoaster of this drama, I don’t know if I can handle season 2 even though it is not a continuation of season 1.
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Might Drop After First 20 Minutes
I want to drop this drama but I am resisting. The premise of a lazy high school student becoming a CEO is just not believable (only if the former CEO is his father or grandfather). Maybe if he was an entrepreneur and founded his own company? Nope. Setting up a fake ski accident and leaking it to the press for some crisis management test during an important contract signing? Dumb. I think the FL did an excellent job of handling the crisis, I mean it was her first day as the CEO’s secretary. Cut her some slack you arrogant ass! Well, I will I try and make it through the first episode at least. Nope, I couldn’t do it. After the ML said the FL isn’t good enough to be his assistant, I. am. dropping. this. drama.Was this review helpful to you?
