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Lost in Dramaland
Using standup comedy as a unique way to tell a story of self-discovery and growth
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25
With the use of standup comedy, our female lead Wu Xiu Ya, discovered her former true self which she hid deep inside of her. Due to an incident in high school and her freely expressing her displeasure, she learned a hard lesson and never spoke up for herself much anymore. But through reconnecting with a former classmate and finding solace in standup comedy, “Later, I Laughed” follows the journey of Xiu Ya to become a much more independent and self-aware person.
There’s a lot to like in this drama. I like the use of standup comedy as a way to express your true feelings - Although not all the jokes land successfully, I did have a fun time watching different characters performing. You are able to truly understand Xiu Ya’s point of view and perspectives through her jokes. The drama might not flat out show you that, but paying attention to her jokes disclose a different side of her.
There is truly no villain in this drama. Are there characters that annoy the heck out of me? Of course. The mothers aren’t always lovable. But, if you think from their perspectives, their worries and controlling behaviors all stem from their upbringing and life experiences. Deep down, mothers want what’s best for their children. They were brought up a certain way, or had experienced tough challenges in life that they don’t want their children to follow in their footsteps. Is the boyfriend patronizing and chauvinistic from FL's point of view? Most certainly. But if you don’t tell him how you truly feel, how else would he know? He really just wants to take care of you, and that’s the only way he knows how to. Don’t forget about the nosy and gossipy co-workers. But they aren’t any different than characters in other business dramas. It just seems to be Chinese culture.
The drama spends a considerable amount of time in promoting stand up comedy and dives into what it is and the challenges it faces in the entertainment industry. But I quite like learning more about it. At least it’s a unique profession that we don’t see much in drama-land. The camaraderie between the comedians at the bar is lovely to see. The 5 of them makes an interesting group of unique individuals from all walks of life. I also like the scenes of them hanging out and making fun of each other.
Unfortunately, the second half of the drama has more flaws. I think the rich guy overstays his welcome. The drama spends way too much on him and FL, and their non-relationship. It’s hard to believe a man of his caliber would fall for a girl he barely knows. Then all of a sudden, he disappears! Is it reasonable for someone like him to act that way just because of a blunder? Yes, it might hurt his pride, but it was way over-exaggerated to be realistic. Viewers for sure know he’s not going to be the last man standing, but at least he serves his purpose as a mentor and life coach for a brief period of time.
The romance isn’t satisfying either, and I was so hopeful in the beginning with Shi Ye’s longing looks. Although the chemistry between Xiu Ya and Shi Ye isn’t electrifying, they do have good conversations as friends and co-workers. The confession scene and the transition from friends to lovers are disappointing and anti-climatic. I was hoping for so much more fun banter and cute scenes before reality sets in. Luckily, we have a great second male lead in Zheng Hao. As I mentioned earlier, he wasn’t a horrible boyfriend, just a clueless one. But once he realized his faults, he changed and did not turn into a petty and evil 2ML. He is correct that Xiu Ya never gave him the chance to get to know the real Xiu Ya. He would have fallen in love with her just the same.
What brings down my rating even more is the last arc about the mother. The drama is able to find a way to address Shi Ye and his mother’s argument in a unique way at the wedding. That was a fun performance to clear the air and bring down the house. Unfortunately, the same could not be said in the resolution between Xia Ya and her mother. That arc becomes just like any other C-drama I’ve seen before. Is it realistic? Probably, just not creative.
The first half of the drama sets the stage for a great character development of Xiu Ya. But the second half falters with the extended rich guy plot, disappointing friends-to -over transition and uninspiring writing of the last arc.
But ultimately, at the end of the drama, viewers can see how far Xiu Ya has come along. She’s no longer the crowd pleaser who hides her own desires and feelings. She has learned to take the time to really find out what she wants in love, in career and in life. I do enjoy “Later, I Laughed” very much in the first half. With only 24 episodes, the drama moves along at a decent pace and the overall acting is good. I also like the songs played. Therefore, I still rate it a somewhat high 8.25, especially for its uniqueness in highlighting standup comedy in China.
Completed: 12/9/2024 - Review #526
With the use of standup comedy, our female lead Wu Xiu Ya, discovered her former true self which she hid deep inside of her. Due to an incident in high school and her freely expressing her displeasure, she learned a hard lesson and never spoke up for herself much anymore. But through reconnecting with a former classmate and finding solace in standup comedy, “Later, I Laughed” follows the journey of Xiu Ya to become a much more independent and self-aware person.
There’s a lot to like in this drama. I like the use of standup comedy as a way to express your true feelings - Although not all the jokes land successfully, I did have a fun time watching different characters performing. You are able to truly understand Xiu Ya’s point of view and perspectives through her jokes. The drama might not flat out show you that, but paying attention to her jokes disclose a different side of her.
There is truly no villain in this drama. Are there characters that annoy the heck out of me? Of course. The mothers aren’t always lovable. But, if you think from their perspectives, their worries and controlling behaviors all stem from their upbringing and life experiences. Deep down, mothers want what’s best for their children. They were brought up a certain way, or had experienced tough challenges in life that they don’t want their children to follow in their footsteps. Is the boyfriend patronizing and chauvinistic from FL's point of view? Most certainly. But if you don’t tell him how you truly feel, how else would he know? He really just wants to take care of you, and that’s the only way he knows how to. Don’t forget about the nosy and gossipy co-workers. But they aren’t any different than characters in other business dramas. It just seems to be Chinese culture.
The drama spends a considerable amount of time in promoting stand up comedy and dives into what it is and the challenges it faces in the entertainment industry. But I quite like learning more about it. At least it’s a unique profession that we don’t see much in drama-land. The camaraderie between the comedians at the bar is lovely to see. The 5 of them makes an interesting group of unique individuals from all walks of life. I also like the scenes of them hanging out and making fun of each other.
Unfortunately, the second half of the drama has more flaws. I think the rich guy overstays his welcome. The drama spends way too much on him and FL, and their non-relationship. It’s hard to believe a man of his caliber would fall for a girl he barely knows. Then all of a sudden, he disappears! Is it reasonable for someone like him to act that way just because of a blunder? Yes, it might hurt his pride, but it was way over-exaggerated to be realistic. Viewers for sure know he’s not going to be the last man standing, but at least he serves his purpose as a mentor and life coach for a brief period of time.
The romance isn’t satisfying either, and I was so hopeful in the beginning with Shi Ye’s longing looks. Although the chemistry between Xiu Ya and Shi Ye isn’t electrifying, they do have good conversations as friends and co-workers. The confession scene and the transition from friends to lovers are disappointing and anti-climatic. I was hoping for so much more fun banter and cute scenes before reality sets in. Luckily, we have a great second male lead in Zheng Hao. As I mentioned earlier, he wasn’t a horrible boyfriend, just a clueless one. But once he realized his faults, he changed and did not turn into a petty and evil 2ML. He is correct that Xiu Ya never gave him the chance to get to know the real Xiu Ya. He would have fallen in love with her just the same.
What brings down my rating even more is the last arc about the mother. The drama is able to find a way to address Shi Ye and his mother’s argument in a unique way at the wedding. That was a fun performance to clear the air and bring down the house. Unfortunately, the same could not be said in the resolution between Xia Ya and her mother. That arc becomes just like any other C-drama I’ve seen before. Is it realistic? Probably, just not creative.
The first half of the drama sets the stage for a great character development of Xiu Ya. But the second half falters with the extended rich guy plot, disappointing friends-to -over transition and uninspiring writing of the last arc.
But ultimately, at the end of the drama, viewers can see how far Xiu Ya has come along. She’s no longer the crowd pleaser who hides her own desires and feelings. She has learned to take the time to really find out what she wants in love, in career and in life. I do enjoy “Later, I Laughed” very much in the first half. With only 24 episodes, the drama moves along at a decent pace and the overall acting is good. I also like the songs played. Therefore, I still rate it a somewhat high 8.25, especially for its uniqueness in highlighting standup comedy in China.
Completed: 12/9/2024 - Review #526
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