Xia Yi Zhan Shi Xing Fu

Wonderful cast with Victoria Song and Song Weilong as headliners but everyone shines!! Available on Netflix and kudos to Netfix for giving us the chance to see this charming, insightful comedy of manners. The interplay between the cast members is outstanding. I have actually watched this three times in Netflix and purchased the DVD.

It is a long drama, I agree with other reviews saying it should be at most 20 episodes, but I still enjoyed watching this. Once you get the grip of the story I wanted to know how the development of the characters was going to end, and didn't disappoint.

It's a drama about how social and personal expectations affect our decisions and how to be brave enough to ignore the pressure and be happy with yourself.

Came for Song Weilong, stayed for Victoria Song. Also discovered Miles Wei at some point and Esther Yu in another extremely childish and annoying role, but I'm trying not to fault her for that.

It's the character writing and development that are at fault here, but despite the issues I gotta say the drama became very bingeable in its second half when it started to deal with and show more mature issues and situations. I struggled in the beginning and honestly maybe the biggest flaw is the length. It is too long and wastes too much on some things while glossing over or under-developing others.

Its main focus is the female lead, He Fanxing and her mid-life, if you can call it that, crisis. I was and still am not a fan of ten year difference couples, and not because of the ten years between them, but because of the respective stages that they're at in their lives. A man in his very early twenties cannot and should not commit to a woman in her thirties and the ones that are able to follow through are unicorns. But if you look at these Asian romances you'd think it's a common occurrence.

In a way I strongly disagree with a vast majority of commenters and I will say Luming was better suited for Fanxing in every conceivable way, in this drama, with these players, as they're shown. Fanxing is very comfortable and at ease with him, in a way that she is not with Yuan Song, whom she is attracted to and not much else. This is a three month old love affair (as per usual in Asian dramas) and they're selling it like the love of both their lives. I never believed in the depth of their feelings, although they have good good chemistry and skinship, but let's be honest, it's just attraction. And I actually think Fanxing has much more scenes with Ye Luming than with Yuan Song, which is telling. Towards the end, when they get back together, there is no mature conversation between them, it's all silly games and teasing and jealousy. I really wanted some heart to heart. I just think their relationship is badly written, making it look juvenile, but selling it as natural and pure. I think He Fanxing is badly written in the first half, making her a mature professional but very silly and naive in love. Even as a very inexperienced woman she would have seen some things around her. This is a never been kissed virgin who falls in love like a teenager but also quickly gets physical with the guy, but she acts all coy and silly. Maybe that's the comedy part only I wasn't laughing. I actually liked her dynamic with Luming and that guy shows some real guts at the end, despite the fact that it makes him pitiful.

As for the other players, was not a fan of He Canyang and Minmin at all. I don't know what that was about, except to turn it into a South-American soap with all the forbidden couplings. I thought they should've reunited him with Professor Song. That would've been a challenge. And Professor Song's own relationship troubles were not given enough space at the end. As for their other female friend, well that one took too much space at some point.

And yes, momma He is biased against He Canyang by the way she acts when she finds out about both her kids' romantic choices.

Papa He's illness was used solely as a catalyst to push Fanxing even more towards Luming. Did not appreciate that.

Overall and despite all these flaws above, I actually enjoyed some of the mature themes and how they're dealt with and the love triangle kind of works in the second half, as in I see why she had to go through all of that, as odd as her choices were. It's a subjective eight but I will give it an eight, which is not to say I approve or believe in these two, but they can be enjoyable to watch.

This drama portrays a modern take on love and relationship between a man and women. There are moments that are completely swoon worthy. And there are moments that are a bit boring. The on-screen chemistry is definitely apparent between the main leads and even the other couples within the show.

This is a must watch if you are bored of the normal "status-quo" type of romance dramas!!!

This is an extremely long series of 41 eps.

This is ok if the content is interesting - but how many times can you repeat the same scenarios without falling asleep?

Older woman (32) is pursued by younger male (22) - shock - horror.

Fanxing is successful career woman who finds herself pursued by her own intern - a very handsome and attractive young man - Weilong Song.

I wasn't convinced by this - she looked every day of her age and I didn't find her particularly attractive.

The usual shame and embarrassment on her part is lathered on and on and on - until finally she drives it to destruction and immediately regrets it.

The parents in this series weren't as repulsive as they usually are - a point in it's favour - and I loved the impromptu dance of her older would-be lover in which he was joined by his niece.

Personally I thought he was a better fit for her - but then - who could resist Weilong Song?!!

There is the obligatory long separation (Why oh Why do they insist on this trope) and the inevitable resolution.

How on earth they dragged this out to 41 episodes is a mystery - too many girly conversations - too many sub romances which weren't remotely interesting. When Weilong wasn't on the scene neither was I.

16 eps would have been more than enough.

Be warned - you will need your finger on the fast forward button for most of this story.