This started out okay but then the director and scriptwriter made some choices that not even Jasper's smile and Zhou Yu Tong's acting can save.

I found the ML's mood swings, especially when it comes to the FL's "work ethic", bewildering. I find it difficult to reconcile myself to the power differential between them. Furthermore, the ML seems to be withholding important information about his identity, and is making decisions for her (i.e. either through good intentions or through a lack of understanding) which end up making her life harder than it needs to be. If you are going to assert professional control over someone -- senior v junior -- then keep it to that. Stop making it personal and/or using personal information to manipulate the other party forcing them to come around to your way of thinking because you think it best.

How can the FL trust someone who takes away so many of her choices when it comes to self-determination. That is not love. This is an exercise in control. Furthermore, the FL started out well. Sure, she was a little frivolous, a little serious, has her pride -- who among us doesn't. And doesn't always make the best or smartest choices -- again, who among us does? But the systematic chipping away of her agency, making her look unprofessional - when she started out fine, and generally someone who is constantly on the back-foot -- apologising for herself? None of this is cool.

I don't watch dramas to get angry at chauvinistic nonsense. I see enough of that in real life. And if I wanted to watch people playing life or death games trapped by limited choices and circumstances I would watch Squid's Game. Not a drama that describes itself as a rom-com.