You are my Glory

 

True love is how a good romance drama feels. If you need some spark to your love cells definitely check out "You are my Glory". I am fully convinced that this drama is the best romance drama of 2021. This drama accomplished what most shows around the world fail to do. It showcased a healthy, functional, and happy relationship. In so many drama's I've choked on the toxicity of love tropes gone wrong, but this drama was a breath of fresh air. 

Qiao Jing Jing is a cheeky actress whose gaming skills are to be put on display in a huge tournament. Unfortunately for her, she sucks at playing the mobile game she just so happens to be the brand ambassador for. Despite her determination and her agent's husband's tutorials, she isn't gaining enough skill to not embarrass herself. Fortunately, her old high school crush happens to be playing the same game and with a bit of luck and a "broken" purifier, she's able to get a new tutor. 

Yu Tu is a scientist who finds himself with a lot of time on his hands because he's thinking of switching careers. Much to his surprise, he finds himself in a 12 hour a day contract to tutor a starlet he'd gone to high school with. 

As they train every day you can see them falling for each other. Yu Tu internally struggles with what he has to offer Qiao Jing. She's socially and financially out of his league. The show does a fantastic job of showing us how insecurity plays out in a respectful way. It shows us how to pursue someone without being a nutjob about it. We get to really enjoy their dating life. There isn't any unnecessary drama. Communication and resolution are quickly found. There is so much love, happiness, and exploration in their relationship, the viewers are flooded with a load of dopamine. 

For those who are young, it's a great example of how two healthy, whole, secure people come together. It doesn't mean that either party is perfect, but Jing Jing and Yu Tu accept each other. They don't demonize each other for traits in each other that aren't familiar. They don't get mean or lash out at each other when they're forced to be long-distance. Instead, they are mindful of each other's feelings. They've created a safe place for each other. When others have been critical about their dreams or goals in life, in each other they have found a reliable source of encouragement and support. 

This drama is a 10/10 officially the gold standard for all my future romance drama's lol

Love o2o Review

This Chinese drama was cotton candy good! From the first episode to the last episode I was always getting butterflies in my stomach. If you want something short and sweet, this drama will be up your alley.

Bei Wei Wei was such an enjoyable character. She is a hardworking student and a great gamer. I loved how she could balance her responsibilities with school and still dominate in the virtual world. Wei Wei has a nice girl squad, and they are navigating all the obstacles to university life as best as they can. Zheng Shuang plays this adorable character and she played with such youthful grace. The only alarming thing was how skinny this woman was. She played an 18 or 19-year-old character, so that may have been the cause of the diet, but there were times she looked emaciated. When I looked at other pictures of the actress, though she's petite, she looked healthy. I'm not sure what was going on in her life, or if the extreme weight loss was due to the role, but I couldn't get past how skinny she was. I also loved how she put people in their place. She was fiercely protective of her friends and she didn't mince words for the fools in her life.

Eye-candy Xiao Nai is the University heartthrob. He's a basketball player, a top student for his major, and he comes from a scholastic (rich) family. This allusive wonder boy has his own squad, and they are always giving him a hard time. Yang Yang's face is basically perfect. I couldn't imagine another person to play this role. His cold demeanor was utterly charming. Xiao Nai and Wei Wei had a wonderful chemistry together. I liked how mature their relationship was. Both parties were consistently considerate of each other and honest. There was ample time for the storyline to turn stupid, but it never did.

There isn't a lot to discuss about this drama. It's short, sweet, and satisfying. There are some characters that are annoying, but they aren't central to the plot.

P.S The best eye-candy in this drama was Zhang Vin. Good lord, that man is gorgeous.

When a Snail Falls in Love Review

When this drama came out I was incredibly excited because I'd seen some of the cast in an amazing drama called "Love Me if You Dare" and another gem called "Ode to Joy". When a snail falls in love is  Chinese drama, based on a book with the same title. This action-packed, thriller was extremely impressive, and I when I rewatched it again, it proved to be even more enjoyable.

XuXu, is an eccentric woman who is a genius criminal profiler. Her high I.Q and the way she expresses her thoughts and emotions are incredibly unique. This petite oddball throws herself in terrifying cases, giving a different perspective to crimes committed. XuXu made me laugh a lot. Her observations are  Sherlockian and she is in a perpetual state of being perplexed by those around her. I liked how we had to watch this skinny Minnie gain some muscle in order to stay on as a detective. She demonstrates insane work ethic and dedication to her chosen profession.  The way she interacted with her team was unique as well. Though she made some social faux pas, it was refreshing to see her trying to correct her mistakes. The chemistry between her and Ji Bai was pretty good to see as well.

Oliva Wang and Kai Wang played love interests in another drama called "Ode to Joy". In their previous drama, Olivia's character was wild and incorrigible. The chemistry between them was a play on their individual characteristics. In "When a Snail Falls in Love" Both characters are extremely different but the chemistry is still sizzling. This show isn't nearly as demonstrative as "Ode to Joy" but we can feel the electricity zing between them.

Kai Wang plays upright Ji Bai. He comes from a wealthy background, but he is a hard-nosed detective ready to take down the bad guys with a vengeance. This character seemed like a jerk at first, but I realized he was just very dedicated to his job. This attractive team leader has to artfully navigate crushes, ribbing from colleagues, and heartbreak. Ji Bai is stoic no matter what the case is, but we do get to glimpse at his playful nature.

Over all this drama has a great story. The mystery and intrigue kept me glued to my screen, and I don't think there was ever a boring moment.