Fake It Till You Make It (2023)

A Love Letter to a Mature, Sexy, Communicative Romance with sizzling Chemistry

“Fake It Till You Make It” is not a drama for everyone. But if you are looking for something specific like I did, you might enjoy it very much. I found what I want - a mature romance about two smart individuals who give me realistic, honest and sincere conversations + sexy chemistry. A drama that is not full of romantic cliches and tropes, not a silly rom-com nor a sad and angsty drama. Because of this, I am giving this a very subjective and high rating of 9.0.

A few quick notes about this drama:

1. There’s a lot of business talk - about 50% business, 50% romance. If this is not your thing, you might want to reconsider watching.
2. This is not really a plot-driven drama. The business plot serves as a way for our main leads to grow personally and professionally.
3. Very dialog heavy - The beauty of this drama is the witty and thoughtful conversations.
4. Try not to fast-forward - you will miss the dialogs and get you out of the mood. Try not to do that with the business plot either, as you will be even more confused.


I LOVE the romance of the leads. Simple as that. Elvis (ML) is a likable and hard-to-resist playboy who's afraid of commitment or opening up. Tang Ying (FL) is a career-focused, hard-working lawyer who is afraid to get hurt after a failed love confession many years ago. They are on equal footing and power dynamics in this relationship. The two of them met as strangers on the plane, slowly becoming best friends and then lovers.

When as strangers, Elvis and Tan Yang seem to be total opposites but chemistry between them is evident. When they become best friends, they seem to be the perfect match in heaven. Their honest conversations of love and the constant flirting are the best part of the show. Even if it’s a few quick text messages, you can feel the chemistry. You root for them and want them to be together ASAP, yet I also worry about the loss in chemistry and excitement when they are together. We all know how dramas go when the couple becomes boring afterwards. Who knew our cool playboy will become a doting boyfriend who can act silly and cute? There are a few cute and fluffy scenes, though not much. The kisses are good but not as great as I want them to be (Elvira maybe is a little more shy than Elvis). We continue to have conversations to deal with potential misunderstandings once they are a couple. We learn that they might not be as perfect together as they seem when they were flirting. Their upbringing and ideals of being a couple brought them unease and discomfort, but they talk things through! They continue to have these honest conversations, some more emotional and heartfelt than the others. They continue to get to know each other, and learn to love each other for who they are and to live as a couple and not as individuals anymore.

On the other side of the romance spectrum, we also follow the journey of Lin Xin Zi (Tang Ying’s half sister). She has a completely different view on romance and marriage. She has her own internal rating system for her suitors and picking the best one to consider for dating and marriage. We all know how that will work out. I personally don’t think Lin Xin Zi is that attractive as a character, so I don’t know why all the guys fall in love with her. Her story, though predictable, is also relatable and realistic. Her way of thinking is probably very similar to many women in mainland China.

Enough of the romance, but what does it mean to “Fake It Till You Make It”? In this drama, all characters at some point have to mask their true intentions and feelings, and express themselves differently. You could be, 1) Having afternoon tea with a bunch of rich ladies and act like you have the richest and loveliest husband in the world who will buy you expensive purses, 2) Pretend you are a tea expert to impress your customer by studying info the night before, 3) Swallow your complaints and hate for your abusive boss and smile/nod to the insults thrown at your face, 4) Act like you are totally fine with your controlling boyfriend because you know he does everything out of love. They just need to tell themselves they are fine and believe that they will be fine.

The acting is on point. This is my first dramas of both Elvis Han and Elvira Cai and they do not disappoint. If you end up not liking this drama, at least you can enjoy the sexy and handsome Elvis Han. LOL. I do want to commend Dai Yun Fai, who played Lin Xin Zi’s boyfriend. I have seen Dai Yun Fan in many dramas, usually as a supporting character. I am so impressed with his emotional acting. He has a very small part in this drama but the last scene when he was on the bridge/overpass expressing his regrets was SO well-acted. I am also very satisfied with the end of his story. The overall acting is really good. There isn't a character that irritates or annoys me.

If you are like me and are looking for what I am looking for, then I strongly recommend this drama. I do think the drama started a little slow and you might be confused with the business side of things. It could also appear to be a little preachy, but stick with it and you will be rewarded with an amazing romantic journey between two flawed but realistic characters and excellent chemistry



Other Random Observations:
1. Elvis Han is just so charismatic and sexy, without the boyish look. I love the scenes when he was waiting by his car at the end of the night, and when he was reading a story by the bathtub. He has such a deep voice and his reading to FL is just so darn sexy.
2. I love FL’s phone conversation with ML about those heart-fluttering moments. It killed me in a good way!
3. Love the dynamic between the sisters. So natural.
4. Really smart to name all the women you are dating with the same nickname in your cell phone contact list. You don’t have to worry about calling out someone’s name wrong when you are drunk. LOL
5. Naming these women as fruits is hilarious as well.
6. Another good female mentor! They are hard to come by.
7. Natural looks for all! No white makeup, white filter or smoothing of skin!
8. Almost forgot, I love the comic book opening theme!



Completed: 9/4/2023 - Review #349

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When Elvis Met Elvira

Can anything good come out of MangoTV? Occasionally perhaps and this gem seems to be one of them. I don’t think it is hyperbolic to say that this is perhaps the best rom com I've seen in a long time... in the vein of When Harry Met Sally but more grounded in real world issues. Both leads are upwardly mobile hardworking outstanding professionals in their respective workplaces but circumstances are such that they are stretched to their limits. They live precariously on the precipice as they maneuver the snake pits of corporate culture as "slaves" to their masters' bidding due to the necessity of holding on to their jobs where nothing is ever a guarantee. It's highly realistic in the way it depicts the dog-eat-dog work environment that's all too familiar to struggling wage earners in the East Asian context. In reaction to this global phenomenon there’s been plenty of talk about the Great Resignation or quiet quitting in the past few years. Gone are the days where a person remains in the same job, profession, industry for their entire working life. This drama reflects that harsh reality of a competitive labour market in the everchanging contemporary economic landscape and the need for adaptability. While it satirizes the milieu that it explores, it is at its core a sympathetic exploration of the men and women who live in the coalface of workplace grind.

Elvis Han and Elvira Cai headline this office drama where romance is assumed to play an integral part of the work-life realities that afflict many overworked employees today. So how do people find time for courting and wooing in this day and age where men and women work long hours, barely have time for meals, are exploited by the employers competing with other employers for contracts and clients? It's a battleground out there and many are not past dirty tricks to gain the upperhand. A fact that inevitably spills into relationships with significant others.

Elvis Han's Xu Ziquan is an investment banker and for him, a rising star in the industry, it's the neverending chase for that next big deal that's giving him sleepless nights. He looks genuinely exhausted. (I suspect Elvis Han was nursing a cold for most of the shoot) If he can't clinch it, it's reallocations and retrenchments for his team. He meets Tang Ying (Elvira Cai) onboard a plane for the first time and the sparks are ignited. She's a corporate lawyer at the bottom of the food chain barely keeping her head above the water with a demanding supervisor on her back 24/7. She piques his curiosity during their brief exchange and apparently the feeling is mutual but neither expects to see the other again. Of course they do first through her sister then later they work together on a crucial M & A project. The two first decide that they are best suited to be friends and drinking partners in part because she has heard of his (overblown) reputation with women and in part because he is a bit of a commitment phobe. As they start to spend more time together, they begin to rethink their "friendship". Indeed can their "friendship" transition into a "dating relationship"? Not without a few bumps and wake-up calls along the way.

The push and pull is rather well done here and never goes overboard to the point of frustration. Work does get in the way. The leads are busy putting out fires on the one hand while rubbing shoulders with a whole host of potential obstacles to true love — acquaintances, colleagues, and clients. There are plenty of opportunities for them to look elsewhere and keep their options open till kingdom come but in the end they keep finding their way to each other regardless of admirers and ridiculous schedules. There are troublemakers strewn along the path of true love but once the main pairing make their minds up, they are a team in the making. Nonetheless what the series does even better is the way it deals with accommodation. With all the different kinds of relationships on display the narrative acknowledges that seeking companionship and making families is not only a human impulse but clearly constant negotiation is necessary to solidifying long-term relationships. The leads may tease and make jibes at one another but their conversation also have depth and thoughtfulness that show their commitment to each other.

There’s an important side story with Tang Ying’s sister Xinzi who is in search of the perfect mate that will check all the right boxes. It’s a long hard road for the spoilt princess type but through her experiences with a few men she comes to conclude a few home truths on her own.

The best thing about this is the script although it’s undeniable that the chemistry between the leads is fabulous and the direction is classy. The tension, the UST, the build-up is great. The dialogue more than anything else just sparkles especially during the banter between the leads. I find myself grinning from ear to ear as I watch their antics. Of course it’s even better in the Chinese. In a romantic comedy the repartee is almost everything. More than that however is the way the leads and their arcs are written. Tang Ying and Xu Ziquan are relatable people dealing with all the same kinds of issues that the rest of us know only too well. He’s no prince and she’s no Cinderella. They just want in on their piece of the pie. To make their mark in a complex world where they’ve been fed lies about their real priorities. They have their strengths and their flaws. Because they are decent people they try their best to get on with everyone even their bitterest rivals and sometimes it means they can’t say no. Sometimes it means that people who can’t take no for an answer take advantage of their good will.

All in all, it’s a wonderful 14-episode drama that isn’t driven (or hampered) by the usual incoherent adherence to romance tropes that plague a lot of rom coms in recent times. Moreover the length of the drama speaks volumes as to why this one is a cut above the rest.

And the OST... is outstanding. Just like When Harry Met Sally.

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