A Hot Mess

This is a great drama to watch when you're in the mood for a classic cliche, trashy, garbage fire, trainwreck c-drama. Sometimes, after I watch a /really/ good drama, I have to watch a couple trash ones to bring my standards and expectations back down. This was a needed palette cleanser.

Here, every character has a room temperature IQ. Logic and reasoning are no where to be found. Not a single attempt was made to incorporate the PPL in a classy or subtle way. The subtitles are in shambles. I spent a significant amount of braincells trying to figure out if Zhang Tian Ai was wearing some sort of wig or not. It's a mess.

But I finished all 24 episodes, so I guess it's my type of mess.
And! Thanks to this drama, I get to say that Qu Chu Xiao has played both my favorite male lead, Zhang Wan Sen :'), and my least favorite male lead, Chen Yan >:(. Wonderful.

PLOT:
The story is told through Hai Tang's omniscient perspective - she's written a memoir/novel that recounts certain events in her life. Its title is "My Friend Miss Chen Bai Lu" (also this drama's native title). As such a title would suggest, the storyline here mostly focuses on Chen Bai Lu and Chen Yan. She is poor (but was once rich) and hardworking, while he's the rich playboy type. Normal stuff. Hai Tang has little narration monologues here and there, but they aren't subtitled on iQiyi so I'm not sure what kind of context they add.

I can't help but wonder if this was adapted from a webcomic or maybe a webnovel. How the scenes flow and the logic (or lack thereof) of storyline really give me this impression. The happenings in this drama are really quite divorced from reality, in that special kind of ridiculous way that you see in cheap c-webcomics/novels.
The basic "story loop" is like - misunderstanding -> fight and separate -> forgive and get back together OR fight some more -> repeat. It's Chen Yan's misunderstanding 99.9% of the time and neither of them will explain themselves properly. Many things just don't make sense - from the ways the characters react to things, to their general behavior, to every single plotline. The makjang/dog's blood levels are very high, but it gets pretty boring in the last few episodes.
There's plenty of kissing scenes though, if you like those.
The ending is.. open I guess. I suppose it's a sad one (nobody dies though...I think?), but I was kinda happy cause I really disliked Chen Yan by that point ahaha.

As far as characters go, Hai Teng is really your typical naive doormat c-drama heroine. Very kind but no backbone. She has an incredibly unbearable and shrill best friend who is an absolute crazy person and a total Karen.. is that redundant? Yang Ku An exists.
Chen Bai Lu is actually kinda refreshing; compared to Hai Tang, she's on the colder, mellower, and more mature side (relative to everyone else). For the most part, I liked her character, though she is just as dumb as the rest.
Chen Yan is a really...greasy, childish character. He's embarrassing and really pissed me off at some points (the sheer audacity this character has omg). He has some cute moments though, and his bulky old person phone amused me (idk why).

ACTING:
Acting is a solid OK from everyone, nothing too offensive aside from Zhang Tian Ai's dubbing.
I watched this because of Qu Chu Xiao. After being both emotionally victimized and impressed by his acting in Shining For One Thing, I wanted to see him in a lighter role. This was his first drama, so he is a bit green and a little uneven here. Likewise with Chen Ya An. Their acting is overall fine (some scenes are very good even), just a little green.

OST:
Bog-standard BGM stuff. Nothing noteworthy. There's just two OST tracks (I think???) and I don't remember how either of them go.

CONCLUSION:
This was a solid hate-watch. Despite the nonsense plot and the occasionally scuffed editing, this was surprisingly watchable for me (though the last couple episodes drag). I don't know how or why. I struggled to rate this because while it is very lacking on a technical level, I was pretty engaged and did have some fun watching.
Can't help but feel like the director was a bit of a perv though...

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Sweet, sweet abuse of the heart

My god, this drama is such a sight for sore eyes. Despite having absolutely 0 expectations for this, it's now living rent-free in both my brain and in the shattered remains of my heart.
This drama is pretty well rounded in all aspects - it's got the acting, the visual direction (color grading, cinematography), the OST, the charming characters, the engaging story, and copious amounts of emotional torture.

This review is not going to be concise /at all/. This drama quickly earned a spot on my favorites list and I have a lot to say. Seriously, I am perma-stuck in the pit named "Shining For One Thing". It's staying power is very strong.

STORY:
The directors and writers are total sadists. Absolute emotional terrorists. The story they've crafted is as painful as it is sweet. This is the only drama I've ever dreaded hearing the words "I like you". As lovely and cute as the first half(ish) of the story is, it's at it's best during the later half as events unravel and the writers really start to be EVIL.
Strictly speaking, the story isn't 100% watertight. Some scenarios are logic-stretching, and there's some off-details here and there, but there's nothing too egregious. Plus the stellar performances of Zhang Jia Ning and Qu Chu Xiao help buoy such faults.

Past the parallel-world/youthful-romance bits, this is ultimately a story about Lin Bei Xing discovering herself. In the beginning, she's like a rudderless ship - she doesn't really seem to care about her job, she doesn't appear to have any particular goals or ambition, she's fairly immature, and her longtime boyfriend has long since grown tired of her BS. At first, I found myself getting annoyed at her immaturity and her impulsive tendencies, but that's kind of the point here. As the drama puts it, fish swim in the waves but they don't know that the sea is behind them. For a long time, she was blind to so many things in her life, so it makes sense that she still has a lot of growing to do despite her age. These parallel timelines give her the opportunity to explore the world she was so ignorant about before. And in doing so, her character naturally receives that needed character development. And she absolutely goes through the wringer.

The parallel-world/youth-romance bits are equal parts sweet and painful. Lin Bei Xing spent her youth hyper-focused on Zhan Yu, thus shrouding her own "world" in mystery. There's so many things to be unraveled and discovered/rediscovered. In terms of storytelling, the parallel timelines kind of build on/play off of each other in a way. While the shorter timeline hops may feel inconsequential at first, they all serve a purpose. Later timelines provide more context for earlier ones, and it's super satisfying and engaging to see the pieces fit together as more is unraveled. However, the reality is quite cruel and some revelations are absolutely heart crushing. A lot of scenes will really hit different once you have the full context. The directors/writers really know how to break one's heart into 10 billion tiny pieces.

On the happier side, they also know how to make some endearing characters. This drama doesn't have a huge cast, but there's a lot of vivacity. The main leads are both very vibrant and alive, with Zhang Jia Ning and Qu Chu Xiao elevating them with their performances. The dynamic between the two is so cute. Also heart breaking.
Despite my issues with Lin Bei Xing's immaturity, it's hard not to love her. She's bright, bold, and a bit cheeky, just like her nickname (XingXing = star). She's a character that has a lot of maturing to do, but her charisma makes you root for her.
Zhang Wan Sen, the gentle shadow knight... I don't think I'll ever emotionally recover from him, this precious character. His character is so very detailed and carefully crafted, the writers really hit it out of the park. It's impossible to not have sympathy for him. It's impossible to not love him. Really raises the bar for male leads.
Of the supporting cast, most of them shined as well. Mai Zi in particular leaves a deep impression, for many reasons. He's such a good foil for Zhang Wan Sen and is another character that inspires a lot of sympathy...
Special shout-outs to Gazi and Yang Chao Yang for their lowkey comic relief.
Bonus middle finger to Zhan Yu and bonus double middle fingers to Lin Da Hai.

ACTING:
Acting is fairly solid across the board - there's not really many holes in this category, The main leads are the biggest standouts (their tears are my tears), but the supporting cast pulls their weight as well.

Qu Chu Xiao!! I really have endless praise for his performance as Zhang Wan Sen. Truly, I could go on forever. Its a complete and detailed performance - the tone of his voice, his body language, his micro-expressions, all his careful gestures even when those aren't the focus of the scene. He comes across perfectly as a quiet teenager with a monumental crush. Believable and natural. The director duo and writers surely deserve praise for this too. I can't imagine anyone else as Zhang Wan Sen.
Likewise, Zhang Jia Ning!! Much like Qu Chu Xiao, Zhang Jia Ning brings a lot of soul to Lin Bei Xing. Her performance is really infectious and charismatic. Zhang Jia Ning found a perfect balance that makes XingXing feel genuine and super likeable, not overboard at all. She's just incredibly charming in this role.

Out of the supporting cast, Jiang Yun Lin as Mai Zi! For someone who has only had 2 previous roles, he's quite charismatic! Imo, he had more presence than Wu Zi Xe did (though that's not really Wu Zi Xe's fault).
Again shout-outs for Sun Tian Yu and Luo Ming Jie for nailing their humorous characters without veering too hammy.

OST:
I feel like a lot of C-webdramas have pretty perfunctory BGM. Like Youtube vlog quality stuff. This is not the case here. All the tracks here are so, so perfect. From the instrumentals to the insert songs, everything fits to a T.
Some of the lyrics can be a little on the nose, but the production team matches them up so well with each scene that it adds extra meaning and ultimately enhances the scene. Even the instrumental tracks are finely placed. It's just really good attention to detail, which in turn helps build this drama's slightly melancholic/bittersweet atmosphere. Also helps me cry even more haha..ha.. :'')

PRODUCTION:
A drama is a team effort, so I do want to give some praise to the production team here for their work. Regardless of the story quality or the acting, this is a really beautiful drama to look at and hear. They had a clear visual direction and atmosphere in mind, and it really shows. The lighting, the color grading, the cinematography, the perfectly matched OST - all these add up to make a really aesthetically pleasing viewing experience. The only complaint I have is that the occasional dubbed-in lines are often quite noticeable.
As far as I can tell, this was directed by a duo who are both fairly new and young. This is their first credited work I think. A duo to keep an eye out for.

REWATCH:
This drama has me in a vice-grip. I look forward to eventually totally rewatching this - I feel like having the full context of Lin Bei Xing and Zhang Wan Sen's past will give that sweet first half a slightly different flavor. Next time, I will bring more tissues.

Ah my poor heart...

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Technically speaking, I don't think this drama is very good. HOWEVER, it doesn't take itself too seriously and manages to be fun and enjoyable despite the flaws.

STORY:
The storyline is pretty light for the most part. The stakes do get raised towards the end of the season, but it's not too overwhelming. There's a big bad villain with some kind of evil plot, but that stuff mostly just plays out on the side. I personally felt that the ending to this season could have been better (like more impactful or something), but it does its job in making you want to watch season 2.
The romance is also light and fluffy (....until the end, I guess). There's some sort of love polygon between Fei Fei, Tang Yi, Mo Ran, and the other girl zodiac whose name I can't recall. But no one in the polygon is truly evil or mean, which is always refreshing. There's another romantic storyline between the other-other girl zodiac whose name I don't remember and the guy zodiac with the goofy pom-pom beret, but I didn't really care too much about them to be honest.

ACTING/CAST:
Zhao Lusi is really cute and charming - I really like her here! Xiao Zhan (Mo Ran) and Wu Jia Cheng (the emperor's little brother) were also stand-out. Like a lot of the other viewers, I liked Mo Ran a lot more than Tang Yi even though the poor boy never even had a chance :( I feel like Xiao Zhan pulled off his character better than Jason Koo did his, but I think the writers share at least some of the blame for that.

MUSIC:
Not too bad. I think the producers REALLY liked that one insert song, the cute indie-sounding one that Zhao Lusi and Jason Koo sing. It reminded me a lot of Double Trouble Couple from Do Bong Soon lol

OVERALL:
This is a good show to watch if you are looking for something fluffy and light, something that won't work your brain cells too hard. I didn't think I was going to enjoy this show, but I ended up marathoning the whole thing! Flawed, but charming and enjoyable.

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This is one of my favourite j-dramas!
Story:
It's an episodic show - each episode focuses on a different aspect of labor standards in Japan. I know it doesn't sound very exciting, but the show manages to keep everything interesting and fresh. Not every resolution in the show is a perfect one; there are negative repercussions and not every ending is necessarily a happy one. Despite that, the show is quite funny and it never feels too depressing, even in its heaviest moments.

Acting/Cast:
It subverts a lot of workplace j-drama cliches - Danda Rin is not your typical, overly idealistic protagonist and her new co-workers are pretty competent (just a little complacent maybe?) and they don't hate her for no reason. Everyone is actually pretty charming and likeable.
Takeuchi Yuko plays our titular Danda Rin, an uncompromising labour inspector who made her last boss lose all his hair from stress. She's principled, but not preachy. Like I said, the supporting cast (or her coworkers at least lol) is quite likeable. The eventual comradery that develops between them and Danda is lovely to watch. For me, the two bosses Doteyama and Manabe, played by Kitamura Kazuki and Sano Shiro respectively, were the most enjoyable and memorable of the bunch. Doteyama is particularly entertaining and I loved his side-story.

Music:
Music is pretty well used and never overwhelms the scene. It's nothing to write home about really, but the background music was always complementary.

Rewatch:
I've actually watched this show I think a total of.. 3 times? Something like that. I typically like to rewatch this show in its entirety, so it's not something where I'd just reach for an episode when I'm bored.

Overall:
A really excellent drama. Would recommend to anyone!

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Surprisingly enjoyable! I started watching this out of boredom and ended up finishing within a few days. For me, it has just the right amount of makjang to make me wanna keep watching without it being absolutely crazy. I didn't have any expectations going in, but I felt pretty impressed/satisfied by the end.

Like a lot of other commenters have said, there isn't a ton of romance in this show. I would say the family melodrama has a bigger/more prominent role than the romantic bits.

STORY:
This lakorn has a bit of a slow start, as all the pieces of the story fall into place. Once the twins meet, which I think is about halfway through, things definitely get spicier. Most of the characters (except Pa, Neung's stepdad) are rather sympathetic. I appreciated that (most) of the 'evil' characters had some dimension, they weren't just raeng for no reason.
I liked the way they dealt with Neung's character. She does a lot of deplorable things, but she also very clearly has a mental problem and a conscience. I think they did a nice job of making her a sympathetic character, even as she spirals out of control. Song isn't as compelling, since she's already a good, nice person, her character doesn't have a whole lot of room to grow. However, she's still likeable and she's one of those rare nice-girl characters who isn't super weak. Her relationship with Ard is quite cute, I wish we got to see more of them together.

Also, Ying Yuot is an absolute saint. Seriously.

ACTING/CAST:
Everyone did a pretty good job here, I think! Min especially impressed me; she did a really great job differentiating Song and Neung. I think she did an especially good job with Neung's unhinged moments. Oftentimes, I feel like those scenes can get kinda cringey, but I think Min sold them pretty well.

MUSIC:
Just your normal lakorn music here, I think. Nothing special, but nothing bad.

REWATCH:
Honestly, this show doesn't have a lot of twists. It's pretty straight-forward, so I think it should be easy to rewatch it without losing too much enjoyment.

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