What a Rom-Com should be!

I LOVED this drama! I think it's rating of 7.9 is far too low. It was a heart-warming, satisfying romance with plenty of amusement and very little of the things we hate about C-drama Rom-Coms. Here's my take on the characters:

ML - I absolutely loved him! He shot into my ML Hall of Fame, coming in at third place behind Min-Min of 'Strong Woman Bong Soon' and the Grand Tutor of 'Be My Princess'. He shares the spot with Gu Yanzhen of 'Arsenal Military Academy'. This is my favorite role that this particular actor has played (I wasn't crazy about him in 'Fall in Love' or 'The Starry Love'). He plays the bad-tempered, aloof/arrogant yet inwardly warm-hearted and emotionally bumbling ML to perfection. I think it's the best I've seen this actor look too - his hair style fit him perfectly. All he needed was glasses (which he got at the very, very end). He does an excellent job of switching from the aloof, scolding boss to the sweet, tender, smiling boyfriend. And gosh, what a boyfriend! He supports and believes in FL unconditionally and immediately gets justice for her when the obsessed chick frames her. Just an FYI - his heart has only and always belonged to FL. There's no ex-girlfriends, no childhood sweethearts, no fiancées. He's never been in love before until he meets FL so he clueless about what to do with his feelings. Once he finally confesses, his heart belongs 100% to FL - no wavering. He shows no mercy to the obsessed chick despite their past university acquaintance. Some might says he's controlling, but I see it as his desire to help FL achieve her dreams and potential.

FL - she's cute without being that annoyingly cutesy character that C-dramas tend to love (and I hate). A warning to the faint-hearted, FL goes through a lot of character development so if she seems far to apologetic and ditsy at first, hang in there! Remember that she's young and inexperienced and had a terrible boss prior to her coming to ML's law firm. She does mature as both a woman and a lawyer. Her influence in ML's life causes him to soften his hard-nose lawyer demeanor and philosophy. However, my goodwill toward her did cool when she sort of breaks up with ML following the obsessed chick's little framing trick. She has an inferiority complex throughout the drama - feeling that she's useless except as a sleep aid to ML, feeling she's not worthy of him loving her, etc. So, in the latter episodes, she's hell-bent to 'prove herself' and she's hypersensitive to everything ML says. I honestly don't know what her problem is. Should they work at different law firms? Yes, I think so, but she puts distance between them and ML doesn't have a clue why bc she doesn't really explain it. In my opinion, ML is wonderful and does everything he can to please her yet he's in the doghouse. It's like the writer suddenly decides their relationship is too perfect so she has to toss in some angst. What was all this angst about? Gaining ML's respect? I feel he already respected her - he's always praising her abilities. To change ML's view of marriage? I don't know how what she put him through did that, but his perspective did change. FL's behavior after the obsessed chick was sort of crazy and my warm feelings towards her cooled. My only other complaints about her was - 1) her hair when she had it down, it looked like she was wearing a fuzzy fur stole; and 2) sometimes she'd widen her eyes, making her look a little psycho.

FL's three co-workers - Absolutely loved them! Finally, Chinese supporting characters that are just as memorable and loveable as the Koreans! They were had good chemistry together and they didn't take over the scene. They were great supporting characters that added humor. I loved the glasses guy (Brother Bao) - he was amusing with his belief that ML's favored him and his constant chatter and drama. He was my favorite supporting character along with ML's mom. The other two coworkers formed the 'third couple' of this drama, and seriously, I liked them better than Wu Jun & FL's sister. Their romance was there without taking attention away from ML/FL (just like a Korean drama). Loved how the group protected FL from ML's scolding. So refreshing after watching so many drams with workplace bullying.

Parents - LOVED ML's mom! So glad that his parents weren't demanding he marry some rich girl or some childhood sweetheart. Mom was just happy that he liked someone, and she tried to help their romance along...although it backfired on her. We didn't see as much as FL's parents as ML's mom, but they were likeable as well. They only disapproved when FL made up lies about ML's profession, etc. So that tyrannical parent factor was not part of this drama. The writers/director used the parents to add humor instead of angst. Bravo! These are the type of parents I like!

Wu Jun & FL's sister - I liked Wu Jun's personality (and that adorable dimple & cool sunglasses), but he was kind of dumb. He recruited the scheming chick into their firm bc he thought ML liked her. Really? As far as I could tell, ML hadn't had any contact with this woman since university and SML thinks he likes her???? For someone who supposedly had people skills, he was pretty dumb when it came to discerning who ML liked. He thought the 'friend' ML talked about was this chick while most people know that when someone refers to a 'friend's problem', they're usually referring to themselves. If Wu Jun hadn't been such a dope and ML so clueless, we wouldn't have had to watch the scheming chick in the final half of this drama. That entire story arc was all Wu Jun's fault yet ML suffered the consequences. As for the sister, I liked her hair style, but as for her character, my reaction is - blah. I fast forwarded through Wu Jun & her scenes as well as her scenes with the ex.

Finally, the scheming chick. She wasn't able to interest ML all those years ago in university yet somehow she thinks he's hers and destroying FL will secure him. Because of her arrival, the pleasant workplace became toxic with a head b** and her gang of little b**. Didn't anyone notice that their formerly harmonious workplace was suddenly filled with nasty rumors and was directly related to this woman's arrival? Wu Jun knew what was going on and did nothing to prevent what happened except give the skank a weak warning. Fortunately, ML returned and obliterated the b**. He only relented from annihilating her completely bc of SML's pleading. I can't understand C-drama obsessed chick logic - just because you're stupid enough to like a guy for years, he's supposedly yours? And they always ask - why her and not me? Maybe because you're a vindictive, delusional, self-centered b**? Could that be the reason?

This drama was a great watch, and I highly recommend it. The angst is at the minimum and the romance at the maximum. It's took Asian dramas a while to understand that principle. Rom-Com stands to Romance | Comedy, and so few Asian drama focus on the comedy aspect. instead they fill it with angst. This drama, however, is what a Rom-Com should be!

P.S. the OST was good too, especially their love theme 'Loving You'. I liked the lullaby about the lazy cat too. It reminded me of Sheldon's Soft Kitty song.

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Started at good, hit a speed bump but ended well

It started out well. I loved a country setting because nearly all C-dramas are set in the city. I liked ML finally joining in and helping out on the farm instead of sitting around like a snooty prick. But like most C-dramas, the scriptwriter managed to kill the good feelings in the middle thanks to - you guessed it - a mean chick who was supposedly FL's 'friend'. Then ML gets on his high horse. I recommend skipping 20-23 to the ending, which is happy. Thankfully, these episodes are brief so the angst ought to go quickly if you chose to watch it. I don't recommend it because I can't stand petty men (or women); it particularly looks bad on a man, but ML has that type of personality.

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Very good but...

I watched this drama shortly after it came out, but recently I went back and watched it again because frankly, it can get confusing, and that's it's biggest flaw. With the scenes jumping back and forth between worlds, I really wish the director or whoever would have put something on the screen saying 'Republic of Korea' or 'Kingdom of Corea'. Also, it was hard to discern at times what the chief villain was doing by replacing people in the different worlds and what their purpose was - too many people were being replaced. Even the second time around, I didn't catch all the subtleties. Long story short - it was confusing at times, and I'm glad the King was smart enough to figure it out because I sure couldn't!

What I liked: the music was excellent. The romance was lovely, when it was there, and the actors/actresses did an great job with their roles. I think this is my favorite Lee Min-ho drama; I think he looked his best, and as always, he delivered plenty of emotion while still being an 'man of science'. Woo Do-hwan was handsome with those sexy lips and showed versatility with his two personalities.

My favorite scene: when the King is riding to FL's rescue on his white horse with his minions following.

What I didn't like: the inconsistency in FL's character (I'll get to that later) and the ending, which is too open for my liking. The King has asked FL to be his Queen, but she never answered him, and at some point, he just drops the subject altogether, and I guess they just date for the rest of their lives since we're shown old hands but who knows if they ever married. I guess the Kingdom must have become a Republic since the King apparently died without children. Who knows.

My favorite characters in order:

1) Jo Eun-sup - He was so cute with his longer hairstyle and he was really the only character that brought humor and light-heartedness to the drama. I loved him! His little sister was cute too when she made the 'I'm watching you' gesture to Jo Yeong. I honestly don't know how these people could so easily replace their counterparts since your closest friends and family ought to be able to tell a difference as demonstrated with the little sister, Na-ri & the King. They may lookalike, but their personalities and habits were completely different.

2) The King - he was just the kind of ruler you'd want. Smart and benevolent yet capable of strength and decisiveness. He had the Prime Minister's ticket right from the beginning and made sure not to fall into any of her traps. I loved when he said a decisive 'no' when she asked if she could marry him. I also loved his devotion to FL and his patience with her (she was getting on my last nerve in the beginning with her attitude). He was indeed the heroic King one hopes for.

3) Jo Yeong - of course, he has to be 3rd favorite even if he was suspicious and a wet blanket. He was the exact opposite of Eun-sup.

4) Court Lady Noh - how can you not like whatever role this actress plays? She's a staple of Korean drama.

4) FL gets into this category because the King loved her and the actress did a good job with the role. I wasn't crazy about her character though because 1) her initial attitude toward the King (she was snarky and rude); and 2) her inconsistencies. Although she displays strong emotion towards the King whenever he's gone, missing him like crazy, crying, etc., she refuses to leave her world and become his Queen. This is what really bugs me about her. I understand wanting your family and career, but he's the KING! He has to have an heir, especially since he doesn't have a brother or sister or nieces or nephews. I see the King sacrificing for FL and his country over and over again; it would be nice to see FL make a sacrifice for him - especially after he searches endlessly for her, visiting multiple universes. It would go a long way in convincing me that she loves him as much as he loves her. This inconsistency shows itself once again at the end where we don't see them marrying, etc. They just 'vacation' or 'date' in between worlds. It was cute, but are you really satisfied with this kind of life? Isn't the King feeling pressure to marry? None of these questions are answered, and you're left to answer them yourself.

Characters I didn't care about: Sin-Jae, Na-Ri. They were just there as supporting characters.

Characters I hated: The chief villain, of course, Prime Minster Koo (really hated this greedy, ambitious woman) and all the traitor's minions. I also couldn't stand Luna and her dazed look, ugly hair and crappy attitude. Don't know how dad and Na-ri couldn't tell something was up with this girl.

That's my take on this drama. I would have liked to see more closure at the end instead of this 'dating' between worlds nonsense and I would have liked it to be less confusing.

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Don't let the age difference put you off

I love the setting - Republican Era. I wish we had more C-dramas set in this era instead of the Dynasties. Costumes and set design are lovely.

Now, the age difference. I honestly don't know how old ML is supposed to be when he rescues FL or how old FL is supposed to be. The actor looks like he's in his 30s, but the screenwriter/director might want him to be in his 20s when they meet. After all, he does not look 40+ after FL is grown up. There looks to be maybe 10 years difference between ML/FL during the majority of the film so I'm going with that. Also, we need to remember the time period in which this takes place. It was common for older men to marry much younger women. It was only recently that society started frowning on such relationships. Also, I'm going to assume that FL is at least 18 years old, but keep in mind that prior to the 1900s, 15 year olds did marry. They had to - disease & war would wiped out young people as well as old. It was only in modern times that both men and women married later in life. Also, childbirth took out a lot of mothers so the younger you were, probably better your chances of survival. It's important to consider the context and history in which a drama is set and not judge the characters by modern standards.

If you can't handle the age difference, then don't watch it, but I would recommend not even paying attention to the beginning. Just concentrate on the 90% of the drama in which the actor/actress looks close enough in age to not be creepy.

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Typical

Nothing new here. Same ole C-drama template filled with 'popular' Chinese actors/actresses. When will the Chinese realize that having a popular star doesn't make a drama good? Don't let the fans dictate your agenda! I'd rather have an original and interesting plot than a 'top' cast because an actor/actress, like a NFL quarterback, can't win the game when the playbook stinks and the coach doesn't give good direction. I'm beyond the stage in my life where I just want to see my favorite pretty boy (or girl); I want sustenance, I want creativity, I want originality. If that means reducing the number of episodes, so be it! I've always preferred movies to soap operas anyway. Ok, enough of a rant. I'm really starting to feel sorry (and embarrassed) for the Chinese when all they can produce is the same ole template filled with the latest and hottest stars. Just because an actor/actress has a hit drama doesn't mean they're right for every drama that shows up in their agency inbox. Yep, I'm talking to Dylan. Please, boy, get yourself a more selective agent before you ruin your career again. Or maybe you need a better director who can speak the language that brings out what we saw in LBFD. Pairing him with a popular actress doesn't guarantee success, and frankly, I was disappointed with Bai Lu's character as well so she didn't help him much. Well, anyway, that's all I'm saying. Please, I'm begging you, get rid of the C-drama Rom-Com template and write a new playbook.

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Meh! She chose the wrong guy, IMO

I haven't much to say about this drama. It was okay but not memorable. In my opinion, she chose the wrong guy. I preferred Bai Bing to ML. I didn't have anything against ML - he was alright - but for me, he was blah. Just a little too stiff, a little to unemotional. Kind of like a plank of wood. I mean, come on, what kind of sculptor wears a suit while sculpting? Of course, that's the costume designer's fault, but I'm sorry, I just couldn't take him seriously as a sculptor when he's sitting at a desk in a tie. I expect a sculptor to be in a studio with his hands dirty. Bai Bing wasn't the most expressive dude, but at least I got a sense of quiet longing from him. The other couples weren't memorable either. So, all I can say about this drama is 'meh'. It manages to avoid some of those really annoying C-drama plot devices like delusional women and tyrannical parents, but the romance just wasn't there to make up for it. The MC's chemistry was zero.

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Just adorable...especially ML!

I really don't know why this drama has a low rating of 7.7 because it's much better than a lot of dramas that get higher ratings (like Falling into Your Smile - sorry, I was not impressed by that drama at all). Yes, this drama is light-hearted and fluffy, but isn't that what a Rom-Com ought to be? It's also fairly short for a C-drama - only 18 episodes that run about 22-30 minutes long. The shorter length leaves you no time to get bored or press the fast forward button (although I did press it through the third couple, Zhao & the painter that dressed like a 12 year old).

ML falls first in this story, which I prefer to those FLs that idolize some guy for like forever even though he's the Abominable Snowman. Not so with this ML. He's adorable and just so, so cute! Ok, yes, he's a bit full of himself, and he's a fusspot, but I loved him! He's a 'character', a 'weirdo' as FL calls him, but he's the cutest weirdo I ever saw! He acts cold, especially in the beginning, but it's softened by his silliness and fussiness. His reactions were just so cute! I loved his trademark 'unbelievable' and his internal thoughts of 'come on, baby' when he was hoping FL would confess while he was pretending to be drunk. For me, ML was the star of this drama...even though FL was, indeed, very likeable. Although she had a cute appearance, she was not 'cutesy' in her mannerisms. She was actually sort of the straight guy to ML's comedy, but she wasn't cold and unlikeable like some of those Chinese FLs who play the 'serious' role. She was warm and sunny yet capable. Even her bestie wasn't the typical dingbag - she was likeable as well - it was cute when she was running away from the secretary after being caught taking photos.

There's really not a lot to say because, like I said, it was short, sweet and fluffy. Yeah, we got some templates (falling into kisses, blood phobia, childhood connection, etc.), but the cuteness and adorability (is that a word?) of ML made up for those worn out tropes. I really prefer MLs who have unique characters, not the Abominable Snowmen who never seem to melt enough to cause you to like them. I'm not a fan of the stone-faced MLs.

If you want something light-hearted and sweetness that'll make you smile and laugh, watch this drama!

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Very enjoyable to watch!

One of the main reasons I like this C-drama and gave it 10 stars, when it might have only deserved 9, is because it managed to avoid a lot of the things I hate about C-dramas...or at least toned them down so that they're not annoying as hell. I think we actually managed to complete 24 episodes without a social media scandal that caused FL/ML to get fired or break up! Amazing - especially considering that both leads were celebrities. It reminded me a lot of 'Be My Princess' - another C-drama that I absolutely love. In both, although the leads were actor/actress, social media scandals were toned down, and their relationships were, for the most part, accepted by fans. So refreshing!

I like this particular actress very much. I first saw her on Princess Silver, and I liked her maturity. In Princess Silver, she was a much more serious character, but in Double Love, she's playing the upbeat, cute personality type. However, she manages to be cute without being annoying! No pouting or baby talk! Bravo! Also, despite her 'cuteness', she is fairly mature. She doesn't take the bullying crap from the cocky chicks or the netizens, and when she gets mad at ML, she almost immediately wants to forgive him and only delays doing so because her brother tells her to make him suffer longer. Not only that but she's mad because of a very good reason (not some arbitrary childish offense), and it's the same reason the FL on 'You've Got Mail' should have gotten mad but didn't. Still, this short-lived anger did lead to my favorite scene in the whole drama - ML outing their relationship in front of the whole world...or at least those at the festival and those watching at home. So refreshing to see celebrities openly admitting to a relationship instead of hiding it like they're a couple of criminals. Celebrities shouldn't be afraid of their fans. They are entitled to private lives, which include having a girlfriend/boyfriend and marriage. Being a Westerner, I don't understand why Asian fans feel entitled to dictate their idol's private life.

As for ML, this actor played the same kind of role he usually plays - the tsundere. It would be nice to see him get outside his comfort zone (or type cast) and play a light-hearted, rascally character so we could see the full extent of his acting skills. I did enjoy seeing him with lighter colored hair, and I would encourage him to eat some food - he's much to thin for his height. I know FL said he had a nice figure, but honestly, he's a bean pole. However, the Chinese costume designer, for once, clothed him well in long coats and turtlenecks - very classy, very chic. I liked his steady, quiet presence, and he didn't have any childhood sweethearts clinging to him nor any previous relationships to cause angst except for his long lost mom showing up briefly at the end. He did, however, have a psycho chick obsessed with him, but she wasn't as annoying as most of the C-drama psycho chicks because he didn't give a crap about her nor did he have any previous or present interaction with her beyond work (she was an actress in the drama he and FL were a part of). In the game, apparently, it was a delusional rumor among players that they were a couple, but I saw no evidence of it. He was only ever interested in FL, both inside and outside the gaming world.

Also, this drama manages to focus almost solely on ML/FL's relationship. We didn't get a lot of side relationships, which waste the viewers time (well, at least, I feel it wastes mine). We did have an odd relationship between FL's brother and the actor, Qiao Bei, but it didn't consume too much time, and honestly, I think Qiao Bei had more reason to get mad at the brother concealing his gaming identity than FL had getting mad at ML for the same time. The brother wanted to sign him as an actor and pretty much harassed him - nicely harassed - but still harassed. Qiao Bei told him over and over again, he wasn't interested, but the brother kept pursuing him so I guess the brother was a male psycho chick. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the relationship FL had with her brother - they had good sibling chemistry.

Parents did not factor into this drama much and caused very little angst. They were actually pleasant, what little we saw of them - one episode, I think.

There were some characters, however, that were simply unneeded and sort of ceased to exist at the end. For example, FL's brother's friend, Zhao Jing Xing. Honestly, I really liked this character as a love rival for ML. He wasn't as handsome as ML, but he was damn cool. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out what he really wanted and why he was even in the drama. He told the brother he only viewed FL as a sister yet he behaved as though he was romantically interested in her. He acted down in the dumps when ML outted their relationship so I'm confused at what he really felt or wanted. Also, Yiwei, ML's childhood friend, who apparently had a one night stand with Jing Xing in the past? Not sure. All I know is she pursued him like a psycho chick - all the way to Europe. Why he was in Europe or where he got his money - I don't know. Then she (Yiwei) re-reappears at the end at the award ceremony without Jing Xing so I have no idea where that relationship went, if it went anywhere. So, Jing Xing was a very mysterious character, whose only purpose was to make ML jealous. FL's best friend's character was pretty useless as well...but at least she wasn't the typical dingbat bestie. We saw very little of her. Also, at the end, we see ML/FL married with children. However, they're totally focused on the girl while we're left to assume that the little boy is theirs as well. They don't acknowledge him at all, other than to pick him up and carry him inside. Is he theirs or not? We had one other 'romance', and it was practically non-existent. At the end, a bitchy actress that joined the drama halfway through is suddenly brother's girlfriend. So glad I didn't have to watch the details of that relationship.

I did like how they handled the game portion. I like that they spent equal time outside the game as they did inside the game, and I liked how all the game characters were real people outside the game so there was no leaving fantasy ML behind, etc. I liked how ML/FL got 'married' in the game - just like in Love O2O. My only complaint about the game is that we got to see the real person behind the game character with the fan, but we didn't get to see the real person behind the game character that became FL's disciple. He was part of their group and should have been on the video call with everyone else.

So, the drama wasn't perfect, and there was some loose ends that never got tied, but overall, I really enjoyed watching this drama because it wasn't annoying like a lot of C-dramas who over exaggerate 1) social media scandals, 2) obsessed love rivals; and 3) tyrannical parents. It was just a very enjoyable romance.

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Long but enjoyable

It was too long thanks to all the characters and their issues that needed to be resolved, but it did manage to tell a story without the usual Chinese template. There’s no tropey romantic moments (accidental kisses, blisters on heels, fireworks, etc.) and no love triangles, obsessed chicks or tyrannical parents. There was an internet scandal, but it was a past event in one of the side character’s lives (thank you, screenwriter, for not putting us through one of those!) This drama is mostly about relationships and the problems/benefits of living in a small village. There’s a slow burn romance between ML/FL, and that’s about it. We do have a side character (Mr. He, the musician) hooking up with an old lady (old compared to him but not old as compared to the various aunties or ML’s granny), but thankfully, their romance does not take a lot of time. I think he would have been better with the web novelist or even café worker, but for some reason, Asian dramas are obsessed with older women-younger men romances these days. I still don’t like an age gap of over 5 years, and this one looked about 10+!

My favorite character is probably Mr. Ma (or Haochao – I’ll always remember this actor by his Go Ahead role).

As for the leads, I definitely liked ML. I liked this actor an A’Yao better than his Go Go Squid role because he was friendlier, warmer, smiled a lot and was just an all-around nice guy. I also liked that he was just a normal guy – he wasn’t a born-rich CEO – trying to make a happy life for himself and his community. He was realistic as was his romance with FL. As for FL, I liked her quiet mature demeanor, but I wasn’t wild about her, probably because she was too reticent. Half the time, I didn’t know what she was thinking or feeling, and it took her until nearly the final episode to admit to loving ML…and she didn’t say it, ML said it for her. I like still waters that run deep, but I never really saw any ‘deep’ emotion from her. And at times, she could act childish – like when she got mad at ML for suggesting the café worker meet her problem head-on. But, overall, they were a realistic couple who didn’t rely on the normal tropes to express their devotion to each other.

Although I found the drama enjoyable, I did have some questions at the end such as:

1) FL apparently goes to Yunnan to heal from her best friend’s untimely death. Her friend had encouraged her to live life to its fullest, to find what she enjoyed. However, how is FL’s life any different at the end than what is was in Beijing? Yeah, she has a boyfriend now and strong relationships with the people she met while staying in the village, but she’s still focused on a career above all else. Rather than being happy with a single homestay in Yunnan, she wants several homestays throughout China. How is that relaxing? How can you stop and smell the roses with those big plans? How can she spend quality time with A’Yao if she (and he) is busy with work? For once, I’d like to see a drama where the leads are happy being together and enjoying a simple life rather than toiling away at a career. Success is not measured by wealth or prestige; it’s measured by how content you are with your life.

2) It’s been a year, and they still aren’t married. At least, the in-laws are finally meeting. Talk about a slow burn romance. Sorry – I’m not a fan of open endings. I like things signed, sealed and delivered. There's plenty of hints that they will eventually marry, but without seeing it, the story isn't complete in my mind.

3) I understand ML’s desire to develop the community so that there’s more jobs for the residents, but do they realize that development will change what everyone currently loves about the community? You’re no longer going to have the peace and quiet, the strong connection with your neighbors that you previously had when there's a bunch of noisy tourists everywhere not to mention all the new people moving in, forcing their values and ideas on you. There is a reason why some people chose to live in a small community, and they aren’t happy when the city comes to them, ok? Honestly, I could see those men who attacked FL’s construction site being more upset about that than not getting their fair share of the ‘wealth’. Living in a community that’s currently experiencing high development, I can well understand current residents not being pleased that their paradise is being changed. I think more time could have been spent showing the downside of development.

4) Also, the big development push is getting a bookstore to move into the community. Well, I like bookstores, but they’re starting to be a thing of the past thanks to e-books so how it that a benefit?

5) Finally, I preferred the homestay FL stayed in to the one she built. The one she stayed at was homey and quaint, idyllic even, while hers was nothing more than a hotel. There was no ‘home’ in the homestay, no character or warmth. It looked institutional to me.

I gave an overall rating of 9.5 because I wasn't wild about FL's character. I couldn't 'connect' with her even though I prefer mature characters. I had a hard time believing that she actually loved A-Yao because she didn't express the warmth of love very well. Also, I marked down the music because, although I liked the songs, I got tired of hearing them over and over again for 40 episodes.

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Finally! A C-drama that doesn't rely on a template!

This is a remake of the Taiwanese drama ‘Meet Me at 10:06’, which was pretty good (and on IQIYI), however, the Chinese have made some good improvements. First, believe it or not, they actually shortened it by 2 episodes, probably because we didn’t have a second or third couple taking up time and boring us. Second, I think the plot is tighter, and lastly, there’s more sweet romance and a much more satisfying ending. I think my favorite thing about this drama is it managed to tell a story WITHOUT meddling, tyrannical parents or obsessed female love rivals. It doesn't follow a prescribed template. The plot revolves around a past problem/event that the leads need to solve/change so they (and a few other people) could end up with a happy ending. It can get confusing at times, jumping in and out of 2021 and 2022, but the logic held together until we came to the end and the required happy ending. I think it kept my interest because 1) there was plenty of romance and sweet 'aww' moments; and 2) my mind was kept active analyzing the logic of overlapping time. Unlike most movies/novels, it starts out with the premise that ‘fate’ cannot be changed no matter what you do in the past. This is proven wrong as the drama progresses. I am a firm believer that fate isn’t fate if you can change it, HOWEVER, if time travel were possible outside the world of movies and novels, you’re darn tooting that it can be changed. And that’s why, although theoretically time travel is possible, I don't think we'll ever be able to do it because - fate must remain fate. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if people began popping back into their past (or any past time period) and changing things? The universe would cease to exist.

I liked both ML & FL as a couple and individually. I think they had good chemistry and were really sweet together. I like how 2021 Zhengyu fell in love with FL just like 2022 Zhengyu – although it took him a lot longer to see what his future self had already seen in her. They become a sort of odd love triangle although it’s only towards the end that Z-2021 finally starts softening towards her as they spend more and more time together. He sort of reminded me of ML is the K-drama 'Hyde Jekyll Me' - he was the other half watching longingly from the sidelines as his more likeable self enjoyed FL's love and affection. They were the same man, but FL sees them as separately.

Individually, ML is the more likeable of the two because of his unwillingness to give up on their happy ending. If it hadn’t been for him and his tenacity, FL would have surrendered to her ‘fate’. She would have continue on her path to first fate and then martyrdom. And that’s my biggest complaint about FL. I liked her character, but I really wanted to slap her starting at episode 15 where she decides to play the role of the noble idiot. She liked this role so much that she played it again! So, she dumps ML twice because she's overcome with fatalism, and then she, apparently, wants to be a martyr. She totally ignores ML's arguments and does what she feels is best. Argh! I wanted to shake her; it was SO frustrating! Honestly, the scriptwriter overused the noble idiot trope with this girl. Thankfully, Z-2021 finally steps up to the plate and saves his future with some much needed words to FL about how hurtful she was being by dumping Z-2022 over and over again. Because of this annoying fatalism, my warm feelings toward FL cooled slightly. Nevertheless, she was spunky, smart and mature and didn’t veer into that ‘cutesy’ character that the Chinese love so much and I hate so much. ML, although pretty cold and haughty in his lawyer persona, was wonderfully sweet as his future self. I really, really liked this guy.

My favorite scene was in episode 16 where ML shows FL their future in drawings/paintings. That was such a beautiful moment. It brought tears to my eyes – however, it still wasn’t enough to convince FL to give up her fatalism. This girl! Would someone just slap some sense into her, please?!

Thankfully, there were no second or third couples. Yes, there was the couple of Jirong and Shenghao, but we really didn’t see any of their romance or have to see them dating, etc. They and their marriage was just there as part of the overall plot. They were side characters. Unfortunately, Jirong, like FL, becomes completely unreasonable around the same time as FL and dumps Shenghao for basically no reason - it had some weird connection to her brother that I still can't make sense of. And amazingly, there were no parents – except for a brief appearance of FL’s grandma who was pleasant and didn’t meddle except to help ML draw FL out of hiding. There was also no annoying dingbat besties or equally annoying siblings. It was solely focused on the main couple and their journey to unravel the meaning/cause of their time overlap.

As mentioned above, I really liked the fact this drama managed to tell a story without relying on a template. I'm not saying there wasn't some of the usual tropes; what I'm saying is a lot of the usual (and annoying) ones were missing. Also, internet scandals were kept at a minimum. Oh, there was one, but it was quickly resolved. There wasn't a female love rival (unless you count Chen Kexin who tried to interest Z-2021 and failed miserably). Mu Shiming, the male love rival, was pretty much a non-entity. His role in the C-drama was smaller than it was in the T-drama. Z-2021 was more of a love rival although it took him a while to get the starch out of his breeches, and for a while FL couldn't accept him - she continued to see him separate from Z-2022.

Overall, it's probably the best time travel C-drama I've watched. The logic held together for the most part, but it ended up having the same problem as 'The Lakehouse'. If she hadn't dropped the bird, and if he hadn't picked it up, none of this would have happened, and they basically eliminated her dropping the bird by changing the past. Also, what happens when Z-2021 arrives at the day in the future when Z-2022 did what he did to save FL? I guess it won't happen because Mr. Sun went nutty - don't know how you logically resolve that. BUT, I still liked this movie just like I liked 'The Lakehouse'. Sometimes you just have to turn you brain off and enjoy the romance. I gave the re-watch value a 9 because it might be worth watching again if you had trouble following the time overlap logic.

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ML alone makes this worth watching!

I would have given this drama full stars if I had liked the FL better. I’m just not a fan of the ‘cutesy’ type of character, and her portrayal of the novel character was really annoying since pouting and baby talk took center stage. Why do Chinese guys like this type of girl? Do they have a secret desire to date babies? Anyway, I’m not saying the actress was bad – she wasn’t, she did a good job switching personality types – I’m just saying I prefer her sister’s type character – quietly intelligent and reserved in nature. FL was clever, but I just hated the ‘cutesy’ thing. I preferred her in real life rather than in the novel. Also, I hated how the costume designer dressed her in the novel world. What is she? A twelve year old? Do adult women actually wear big bows in their hair? If her novel husband, Feng Muchen, was the designer of her clothes, no wonder he went bankrupt! And don’t get me started on his wardrobe! Before his character was ‘taken over’ by the boyfriend, he dressed like a Korean gangster with patterned shirts and gold chains. Thanks goodness, ‘real world’ Feng Muchen ditched the gold chains!

Now, to the #1 reason I kept watching this drama – ML. He is the best boyfriend ever! And this actor did an excellent job showing a wide range of emotion and facial expressions. You could feel his desperation. I’ve liked him since I first saw him on ‘Professional Single’, and he’ll always be known as Song Si Yi in my mind. Like I said, he is the best boyfriend a girl could want. He risked his life to join her in this novel and bring her back to the real world. He was always devoted, always true and always...well...wonderful! I like how he was in love with her personality, not her appearance since he almost immediately realizes that the novel character is back and FL has departed to somewhere unknown. Even though the novel character tries to act ‘cutesy’, he knows it’s not his girlfriend and makes excuses to avoid her. What a guy! He's the best! I loved him, and main reason I tolerated FL’s character was because of him. Oh, and BTW, he's a hot kisser too! Finally, kisses that look like passionate kisses in an Asian drama. Sometimes we get those from the second couple, but it's rare for the main couple. And it was all him, he put all the effort in those hot kisses.

As for the plot, it actually wasn’t bad. Yes, there was some silliness, but I was surprised at how well the plot held together. The logic held together too. Usually, in these fantasy plots, I don’t like how it ends because FL has to leave fantasy ML behind in the book or game, and then, hopefully - but not always - she meets a ‘real life’ version of him. In this plot, both ML & FL are real people who knew each other prior to entrance into fantasyland so nobody’s going to be left behind (although ML briefly and accidentally gets left behind and ends up in another novel! That was cute!). It was reasonable that ML would follow FL into this virtual world, and it was reasonable how they got out of it. Ok, yeah, it's definitely fantasy, medicine hasn't advanced this far, but I didn’t have any unanswered questions at the end or any ‘but that doesn’t make sense’ feelings. All the main characters in the novel correspond with real people…even the two guy secretaries (look for a really cute twist at the end on these two!). It's sort of like the Wizard of Oz how Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion and Wizard were people that Dorothy knew prior to her 'dream'.

If you can tolerate FL’s personality, it’s definitely worth the watching, and even if you’re like me and can’t stand the ‘cutesy’ type, it’s still worth watching because of ML. I wish every boyfriend could be like this guy!

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Very sweet, very watchable

Finally, Zhou Junwei’s character gets the girl! He’s been in the SML position for far too long, and it was pleasing to see him move into the ML role. His song ‘Run to You’ grew on me as the drama progressed. At first, it didn’t sound as professional as other songs used in these dramas, but as I said, it grew on me to the point where I really loved it in the end. His voice and way he sings in English was unique, almost folksy in nature. He played the emotionally scarred character well, and honestly, he shouldn’t have to explain his mental illness to the public/customers. As a Westerner, it really bothers me how mental illness/orphans/single moms (even if they were married) are viewed in Eastern culture. I hope these dramas help in changing people’s perception of such groups. I can’t imagine boycotting a store or restaurant because the owner struggles with depression or panic attacks. And it’s even worse that this person’s private struggles are made public for everyone to gossip about. That’s really the worse part of this drama – the social media scandal which C-dramas are so fond of. I'm so tired of that angst trope.

As usual, I didn’t care about the second couple. ML's sister was nice, but I didn't care about her romance with the actor/model.

As for parents, I loved how supportive and accepting FL’s parents were of ML and his issues. These are the kind of Asian parents I like seeing in dramas.

And, of course, the little kid wins the ‘cute’ award. I was beginning to think ML should let Rui Rui confess for him since the kid would do a better job of it!

It’s a short and sweet review just like the drama. There’s nothing about this drama not to watch. It’s feel good and fluffy while still touching on controversial topics like mental illness.

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A hidden, under-appreciated gem!

I’ve already watched all 24 episodes on IQIYI. Some might say this drama is cheesy or has a lot of silly humor, but I personally loved it. There’s nothing wrong with cheesy humor if it makes you laugh, and this drama made me laugh. To me, this is what ROM-COM should be – romance AND comedy.

I loved FL. She was a strong ruler without being a b****. She simply exuded strength and power by the expression on her face. She wielded power like a man – by her expression, by the way she carried herself, by her confidence. She didn’t have to be underhanded, scheming, vindictive or seductive. She was strong yet playful – I loved the winks she gave. She and ML were, indeed, a power couple, although ML tended to give way to FL, making her the dominant partner. My favorite scene: she regains her memory and seats herself on ML’s throne. When he finds her, she boldly declared who she is, but he takes it as an invitation and says provocatively, ‘Yes, my lord’, leading to a steamy kiss scene. I also loved the scene where FL is taking out the evil/crazy Qi Meng with arrows. I like a woman who can solve her own problems, and the men in her life recognized her ability to do so and stood back and let her do it.

I loved ML too. He was handsome and confident yet he fully supported FL and complimented her power with his own. He wasn’t intimidated by her – they were equals. I loved how she gave him strength and confidence when he needed it – like when marriage envoys from the third city (can’t remember it’s name right now) turned around and began to leave because SML felt insulted. ML starts getting antsy, but FL steadied him by placing her hand on his, and they ended up winning the game of chicken. He even looked cute dressed as a woman (loved that facial gesture he gave FL). I was little disappointed with how he reacted to learning FL’s true identity, but he quickly changed his mind once he thought she was in danger. After that, this couple remained solid – each loving and supporting each other – a wonderful power couple. One last thing I’ve got to say about ML – this man liked his rose-scented baths! I’ve never seen a ML bathe so much! And he has the Cadillac of bathtubs too! I hope it had a hot spring feeding it because I’d hate to be the servants that had to boil water and fill that thing!

The villainess was sufficiently hateful. Even though we had to watch her (and FL) marry ML, we knew it was a fake ceremony since ML/FL were on to her schemes. I usually don’t like these arranged marriage tropes, but it was clear that ML was in love with FL and would have dumped Qi Meng if FL had asked him to. Qi Meng wasn’t as annoying as some of these psycho chicks because FL always managed to get the best of her and foil her plots. As for the male villain, all I can say is he has a great bod which the director was happy to show us over and over again. I was disappointed that he escaped punishment at the end along with those old geezers who couldn’t accept a female ruler…even though she’d been leading them for years.

The supporting cast was loveable and added plenty of humor.

That being said, I’m not sure if I’m completely happy with the ending. Yes, ML/FL finally complete their marriage ceremony, but in the extra scenes, we see indications that there may be a sequel. If so, I’m not going to watch it because the Chinese have a way of ruining a good drama. I’m happy with finishing the story at episode 24.

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I only watched for the sizzle between ML/FL

Honestly, I only watched for the hot ML and the hot, steamy moments between him and FL. I didn't care about the family intrigue at all because it's the same ole revenge-based plot that never brings anyone any happiness. They get their revenge at the expense of their relationship (and in ML's case, his sanity) and end up more miserable than before. So, there's nothing new in this drama - I fast forwarded through everything but the hot moments. I didn't like any of the family members except perhaps Grandpa.

At first, FL wasn't worthy of a guy like ML - she had no backbone whatsoever - but she finally found some gonads and started acting like she might be worthy of such a cool dude. In the end, I liked her because she showed strength of character when needed, and she was clearly more stable than ML, emotionally and mentally. Yeah, he was badass cool but was hanging onto his sanity by his fingertips. This, viewers, is the result of a life based on getting revenge. Apparently, he needed to lose everything to come to his senses. And where were his buddies when he was falling apart? Chasing some chick. FL, of course, had to run to his rescue, even after he'd shredded her heart in the episode earlier. Nice to see that FL knows how to forgive.

And, of course, in true C-drama fashion, we had to break this couple up and try marrying ML off to a red-lipped, obsessed hag named Tang Lin. I had hoped we'd be able to avoid this obsessed chick/business marriage troupe, but, nope, right in the middle, the Chinese came through and used one of their favorite templates. I thought a ML of this caliber wouldn't allow himself to be pressured into a business marriage, but no, he walked right down the aisle and handed the hag her flowers. It was a sick copy of his first engagement with FL. I do applaud FL for, once again, finding a backbone and going and getting her man right in front of the red-lipped hag and guests. This shouldn't have happened and didn't need to happen. It was purely added to follow the angst template.

But wait! The stupidity and troupes are not over - in episode 20, we've got to go through the old 'your daddy (unintentionally) killed my daddy so I can't be with you' nonsense. Geez, I want to pull my hair out with this one! It's the stupidest reason for breaking up in the book. Quite frankly, ML gets what he deserves in the following scenes (near insanity) since he's so stupid as to throw away the woman who loves him because of something that happened in the past between their daddies. Honestly, dude, let it go, and your life wouldn't be a crap sandwich right now. Yes, seeing him in this state was heart-rending, but he brought a lot of it on himself by pursuing this grand revenge scheme of his. I understand being devastated by your family being killed/broken up but seek counseling, not revenge. There's healthier ways to deal with your grief.

As for the other couples, I could care less if the red-lipped hag found happiness with another guy. Honestly, I was hoping she'd throw herself into the ocean and drown. Yep, I'm heartless, but I've watched too many of these obsessed chicks to feel any sympathy. They have no self respect - clinging to a guy that pretty much detests you. I really don't understand these chicks - why live a life of misery with a man that feels nothing for you just for the sake of 'possessing' him? She goes on and on, shouting 'I like him! I like him!' Yeah, so what? I liked Harry Connick, Jr. in my youth, but I knew there was no hope of getting him so you accept it and move on. Some people are just unattainable, ok? As for the love triangle, I personally think the bestie ended up with the wrong guy. Yeah, I liked his personality better (upbeat, talkative and cheerful), but I preferred the quiet guy. He needed her more.

And let me ask you - why in 90% of these C-dramas is the evil mastermind behind everything a woman? I guess the Chinese culture (or at least the screenwriters and directors) agrees with Kipling who said 'The female of the species is more deadly than the male.'

Lastly, I'd like to give credit where credit it due. For once, the Chinese costume designer dressed FL with class, not like a multi-colored clown or twelve year old. And it's interesting that ML suddenly began wearing sweaters when he was in his soft and fluffy mode following his breakdown - nice use of clothing to reflect emotional state. But, dang, there's nothing hotter than a man in glasses who knows how to do the Superman tie tug! That, alone, is enough motivation to watch this drama.

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Meh

As far as acting and plot, it's one of the better 'shorts'. My only complaint - the ML is a coward, as he himself says at the end. He allows guy after a guy to walk away with FL without lifting a finger to stop it. So, to me, he's sort of a milk toast character, unworthy of being the ML. He gets ready to confess in episode 23, but once again, let's another guy walk off with FL, and then he just up and leaves for the company's overseas branch without even telling her or saying goodbye. And, as far as I can tell, they don't communicate with each other while he's overseas...like you don't have each other's number and can't text??? Sorry, it just wasn't satisfying. I'd rather her have ended up with the best friend - at least, he made an effort. Still, as mentioned, it's one of the better shorts in terms of acting and filming so you won't be too disappointed if you watch.

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