Truth or Dare (2021)

Addicting and adorable, but ultimately disappointing

I was absolutely sucked into the drama in the first half, but found that I gradually lost interest in the second half because of where the plot was going.

I also had problems with the FL, who just seemed immature and annoying. She was also always described as someone who was so strong she could smash rocks, but she seemed weak in real fights? It was quite confusing. Honestly, I kept watching for the second couple, who I rooted for way more than the lead couple. I felt that they had more chemistry overall, and more development to their relationship.

The cast and acting were ok, as was the music, but I generally can't see myself rewatching any part of this.

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A Fateful Mix Up

She's the daughter of a street artist and is forced to marry a bandit. Another is the daughter of a prince and is arranged to marry a general. The brides are switched, all because of the misread of a simple character, resulting in the commoner marrying the general and the royal princess waiting to marry the bandit. It is this seemingly simple play of words/characters that has attracted my attention and drawn me into the story.

On that fateful day while waiting to be married off, both Xiao Wanzi (Li Gengxi aka Teresa Li) and Lu Yingyao (Sun Anke) are in their respective rooms in a motel until chaos strikes. In confusion, they run back into the wrong rooms because they misread the characters 竹 ("zhu") and 林 ("lin") which may look rather similar in certain calligraphy style. From there, they are sent to the wrong households as the wrong brides, and their fates totally change.

At the general's mansion, very soon Mei Shiqing (Huang Junjie) realizes Xiao Wanzi is an imposter. Nothing like a supposedly well-groomed princess, Xiao Wanzi is crass, has a common look and an illiterate. However, she is streetwise, honest, compassionate and upstanding as she protects others with her own life, and this is enough for Mei Shiqing to fall in love with her. He also has a secret identity as Ye Ling Xia that Xiao Wanzi idolizes. Like Batman, Ye Ling Xia helps the poor and weak. Numerous times, she comes forward to help him fend off the enemies, though he doesn't really need her help because he's a skilled martial artist and a superhero. But her selfless acts impress and attract him.

As Xiao Wanzi, Li Gengxi is very convincing with a lot of animated expressions, after all she uses to perform on the street and needs her vivacity for her acts. Many viewers find her not attractive enough, but for me, she fits the role well because Xiao Wanzi is supposed to be a very common looking girl with no sophistication.

Huang Junjie is very good looking and he looks extremely well as a wordless cold character. However, he still hasn’t grasped how to play such a stern character fully; frowning doesn't make him look serious but makes him look constipated. The only moments I find his acting perfect are when he tells people to “get out” in a stern voice, expressionless, and when he dresses as the superhero character with a mask.

I love the second couple here in particular Lu Yingyao who is well read, gentle and kind without the spoilt princess temperament. And she falls in love with the adopted son of the bandit, Xiao Bao (Ding Jiawen) who has a good heart. Under her coaxing, Xiao Bao eventually abandons his life as a bandit.

What seemingly two mismatched pairs become best of friends and love each other with no judgement of their respective backgrounds. Hanging around the mix up identities lurks something nefarious – smuggle, money laundering and conspiracy. The supervillain is not revealed until the final episode.

The Chinese title, “huā hǎo yuè yòu yuan” (the flowers are good and the moon is round), gives hints of the ending of the story. There are some pretty good OSTs here that I have enjoyed very much.

My Verdict
Though the storyline is not new, and can be tropey at times with predictable outcome, this is still rather a fun watch with a superhero protagonist, an animated first female lead, an intelligent lovable second female lead, an antagonist turns protagonist, and a hidden supervillain. The comedy is cute and sweet. For romance buffs, the two couples have never been separated since they first meet, and there are no misunderstandings that are not resolved quickly. There could be flaws here and there but the writing and editing are decent. Overall, it’s quite an enjoyable drama.

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