Hao Hao Sheng Huo (2021)

Not What I Was Expecting

Based on the trailer, I expected this to focus mostly on the main couple with the obligatory 2nd couple. However, this drama actually has 1 main couple and 3 other side couples. This is really a story about a woman and her 3 best friends and their individual paths to finding love. It focused on their careers as well but I wouldn't say that career growth was a major storyline even though they are often at work and talking about work.

Although I really enjoyed the first and last quarters of this drama, I was a bit let down by what I thought it would be and also what it could have been. Since it wasn't what I was expecting, a romance with 1 main couple, and instead had 4 female friends, I was thinking it would focus a bit more on their friendships but this just didn't happen. The friendships felt forced and other than the 1 female who joins the company of the other 2, we don't know much about how they met or how long they've known each other.

Also, there is so much that feels unresolved about what happened in the past. Why did someone leave someone else? Who is the other person involved in a certain little scandal? I have questions and never got the answers.

Honestly, I think I would have dropped this if not for the ML (Lin Yu Shen) but I really love Yu Shen so I stuck with it. To be fair through, sticking it and watching the whole drama I really enjoyed the FL's (Elvira Cai) acting and would be happy to watch her in other dramas. Lin Yu Shen and Elvira Cai were pretty entertaining to watch but the rest unfortunately just fell flat.

Would not recommend
Would not re-watch

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Long but my cup of tea

If you’ve read anything I’ve written before in review section, you’d notice I tend to give high ratings. I mostly visit to share my viewing pleasure (seldom unpleasant except for maybe one) whether it be the story or even acting. I say this mainly because I see quite many viewers did not particularly like this drama. Of course it’s alright but let me share mine.

I don’t find anything quite new with the plot and storyline. We here who enjoy asian dramas can probably agree we’ve seen way too many, therefore it’s normal to see revolving plot lines. This drama involves four women, each with a love interest. After seeing Lin Shen in Dating in the Kitchen I found him charming and wanted to see more of his work. Not disappointed here. His role is quite different but lots of similarities. Wasn’t too sure about Elvira Cai but she made it work here. She comes out as being too strong minded but I think it balances with her counterpart. This pairing is good.

If you’re patient enough, it’ll all come together. There’s a mystery as to why one of lead girl hates main lead guy. It’s about relationship development of the four girls. We can like or dislike these characters and their personalities or life but that’s exactly why they’re written. There’s something to learn about from everyone. There’s pain and scars we carry but they don’t necessarily need to keep us from moving on happily. Those are central themes if you stay long enough in this story, you’ll get.

As I said, there’s enough variety in this story to keep me entertained. It’s not perfect but find me one without a single complaint of some sort. This ends well for all cast, especially the main leads who were just lovely when they finally became lovers, rather than enemies. Would revisit this again for sure.

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