Flash Evaluate: You Are My Lover Good friend [China]

One of many drama classes I’ve been studying currently, is that second possibilities might be very rewarding, and that’s completely the case, with this present.

I’d checked out this present’s first 4 episodes, whereas auditioning dramas to cowl on Patreon, and had picked The Decide From Hell as an alternative, as a result of that present simply struck me as being rather more watchable and interesting.

Usually, when this type of factor occurs, I usually don’t find yourself watching the present that I didn’t decide, regardless of my finest intentions, and it truthfully appeared like this one was at risk of being left by the wayside for me too.

However then, I lately determined to return to this one on a whim, whereas casting about for a brand new drama nightcap after ending Excellent and Informal (evaluation right here!), and I ended up having fun with this one very effectively, you guys.

See what I imply about second possibilities doubtlessly being rewarding? 🥲

WHAT IT’S ABOUT

Jiang Shiyan (Zhang Xin Cheng) realizes that he has romantic emotions for Tang Yang (Wang Yu Wen), his longtime buddy since highschool, however he’s undecided what to do about it – or if he ought to do something about it.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

Listed below are some issues that I believe could be useful to remember, that will help you maximize your enjoyment of your watch.

1. This leans slice-of-life

What this implies, is that there are a lot of mini arcs that occur in our story world, and it looks like we’re just about doing life with these characters, whereas being flies on their partitions.

I discover that this interprets effectively into a daily, constant watch, as an alternative of say, binging many episodes directly, or having lengthy gaps of time between episodes.

I personally watched one episode an evening earlier than mattress, and that labored out very properly.

2. The romance is a slow-burn.

Maybe this goes with out saying, since our story leans slice-of-life, however the romance between our OTP, whereas assured, given Present’s style, doesn’t transfer quick.

You do should be affected person with it, however within the meantime, it’s gratifying to see how Present paints within the nuances, of how these two folks care about one another, and what they imply to one another.

3. This present is a component workplace drama

In reality, as a result of our leads work in several places of work, it’s nearly like watching 2 workplace dramas in a single, as a result of we get perception into the workings and the bits of drama in each places of work.

I wasn’t too scorching on this at first, however I have to say, the workplace stuff actually grew on me, and I additionally preferred that Present used these mini workplace arcs, to strengthen not solely character growth, but in addition, the event of our OTP relationship.

STUFF I LIKED

The idea

Possibly it was as a result of I’d been watching Love Subsequent Door (evaluation right here!); I discovered myself very a lot drawn to the friends-to-lovers premise of this story.

I simply actually preferred the concept our male lead would have all these emotions for our feminine lead, that he didn’t know what to do with. 😁

Additionally, I used to be moderately curious to see how this present dealt with the evolution of the OTP relationship, from a agency friendship form of area, right into a romantic form of area, and whether or not it might be completely different from how Love Subsequent Door handles it.

For the report, I did find yourself having fun with the sluggish evolution of this OTP relationship. 🥰

Zhang Xin Cheng as Jiang Shiyan

I’d actually preferred Zhang Xin Cheng in Go Forward (evaluation right here!), the place I felt he got here throughout as very likable and pure, so I used to be blissful to have him on my display once more.

Moreover, I used to be admittedly moderately curious to see him play within the romantic male lead area, significantly since I felt like I hadn’t fairly seen that potential in his character in Go Forward.

I’ll say that he was efficient as our romantic male lead, regardless that I can’t say that I had fangirl hearts in my eyes, like I did for Miles Wei in You Are My Secret (evaluation right here!).

Whereas it’s a little bit of a stretch that Jiang Shiyan could be such a profitable self-made CEO, with a large firm, at such a younger age, I’m blissful to roll with the concept he’d been so passionate throughout his meals blogger begin, that he turned that common on-line, and that simply flourished into the corporate that he has now.

Moreover, I like that Jiang Shiyan demonstrates persistently, that he’s obtained a great head on his shoulders, and is ready to make sensible selections, even when below strain.

Most of all, I like that he has this huge tender spot for Tang Yang – which I’ll speak extra about, in one other part the place I give attention to the connection between them.

Wang Yu Wen as Tang Yang

I actually loved Wang Yu Wen in The Love You Give Me (evaluation right here!), the place I felt she was additionally very likable and pure, and I actually welcomed the possibility to observe her once more.

And I’ve to say, I got here away from this, actually, actually liking Tang Yang, as a personality.

I believe considered one of my favourite issues is that Present lets us see what a reliable, succesful individual Tang Yang is.

I like that she’s no pushover, and regardless that she faces issues like a slimey supervisor who’s attempting to not solely passive-aggressively intimidate her, but in addition, low-key harass her, she’s unfazed, and has her personal methods to deal with the conditions.

I grew to like watching her determine sensible methods to get herself out of those conditions, once they got here up.

[MINOR SPOILER]

Like the best way she makes use of the low-level trainee briefing that her supervisor sends her to, regardless of her being a senior-level supervisor, when she first takes up her place.

It’s so sensible of her to enroll in an analysis by the senior govt – which is obtainable to all of the attendees of mentioned briefing – which then sends her direct supervisor scurrying to have her workplace, which had been handled like some sort of storeroom as an influence transfer on his half, shortly cleaned up.

Heh. I obtained some satisfaction out of that, not gonna lie.

[END MINOR SPOILER]

After which there’s additionally how she manages to be so agency about holding issues skilled, and but comes throughout as pleasant and understanding, when coping with colleagues who need her to shut one or each eyes to irregularities, as a credit score audit supervisor.

I actually loved how succesful she is, and the way she appears to take so many of those challenges in stride. 🥲

Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan collectively

I actually grew to get pleasure from this OTP, my associates.

The advantage of this present permitting us to see a great chunk of the workplace goings-on in every of their lives, is that we additionally get to see how they make time and area for one another, regardless of each having busy careers.

I like the concept they textual content repeatedly, and attempt to meet repeatedly, and even have video calls, as a matter of routine.

This makes their state of blissful contentedness really feel attainable, and due to this fact inspiring, not like different characters in different dramas, who’ve job titles however don’t appear to ever do any precise work, and due to this fact have on a regular basis on the earth for love. 😉

Their state of connectedness additionally offers me “established couple” vibes, significantly when paired with how a lot Shiyan does for Tang Yang, and so fortunately too.

I discover it moderately amusing that they’re “sworn brothers” (not a spoiler coz it’s within the trailer), as a result of because of this Shiyan has successfully bro-zoned himself, lengthy earlier than realizing that he is perhaps growing emotions for his feminine “bro.” 🤭

In reality, once we begin our story, it already appears to me that Tang Yang is an especially vital individual to Shiyan, and that her happiness is principally a very powerful factor to him – even when his firm is in some sort of disaster.

[EARLY MINOR SPOILERS]

I believe it says lots that he’s extra fascinated with reserving a elaborate venue for Tang Yang to take her new colleagues to, for a welcome dinner – one thing that she by no means truly requested him to do – moderately than take note of the small print of the unfolding disaster that his firm is in, with the 2 livestreamers locked at an deadlock.

The best way Tang Yang’s always on his thoughts, and the best way he willingly plans his day round her with out a second thought, and the best way he cheerfully goes out of his method to anticipate her wants, in addition to assist her with stuff, instantly tells me that Shiyan would possibly effectively have a crush on Tang Yang.

Plus, he’s legitimately protecting of her.

When he realizes that she’s going to be at a division dinner at their buddy’s restaurant together with her slimey supervisor, he actually goes undercover as a waiter, in order that he can intercept any shady strikes from mentioned slimey supervisor.

That’s going fairly darn far on her account, sure?

[END EARLY MINOR SPOILERS]

As for Tang Yang, regardless that her actions point out that she firmly sees Shiyan as a platonic “bro” we do get little hints that maybe she won’t even have purely platonic emotions in the direction of him.

More often than not, Tang Yang is constant, in treating Shiyan with a platonic sort of nonchalance.

[EARLY MINOR SPOILER]

I used to be nearly satisfied, truthfully, till we get that scene in episode 4, once they’re on that video name, and he or she inadvertently catches sight of him together with his shirt half open, as he’s on the point of go away for work.

The best way she shortly averts her eyes and appears moderately flustered and discombobulated, tells me that he does impact her; she undoubtedly has the capability to see him as a person, even when she principally chooses not to concentrate to it. 🤭

Ooh. That’s somewhat tantalizing to me, truthfully. The chances!

[END EARLY MINOR SPOILER]

We get moments of hyper-awareness on occasion, which I very a lot loved, as Shiyan struggles to carry in his emotions for Tang Yang, as a result of naturally, considered one of his considerations is that he’d lose this friendship, if Tang Yang felt weirded out by his emotions for her.

It takes time, in addition to some Nudging Occasions, for our OTP to lastly get to position the place they’re able to admit their emotions for one another and act on mentioned emotions, and total, I did benefit from the experience very effectively.

Sure, all of it takes a good bit of time, however that’s additionally why it feels natural and plausible to my eyes. 🥲

The secondary loveline [SPOILERS]

Someplace alongside the best way, Present begins teasing a possible loveline between Cheng Hui and Sheng Nina (Wu Jun Ting and Luo Qiu Yun), and at first, I discovered it fairly random and obtuse, since these characters don’t seem to have a lot in frequent in any respect.

Sheng Nina’s a star with a following, whereas Cheng Hui, the Chief Expertise Officer at Shiyan’s firm, is reticent and fairly eccentric.

To Present’s credit score, this loveline truly finally ends up working fairly effectively, and I’m very pleasantly stunned.

I preferred attending to see how considerate and thoughtful Cheng Hui is, in the direction of Nina, and the way that slowly will increase her regard for him, in return.

Moreover, I believed it was a pleasant contact, that they might discover they each have a ardour for astronomy, thus demonstrating to us that they’ve extra in frequent than they could first seem.

The highschool flashbacks

Each episode ends with a flashback to Shiyan’s and Tang Yang’s highschool days, and I preferred these very effectively.

I felt that these flashbacks did a really good job of fleshing out the historical past and context of their relationship, such that I felt like my understanding of their bond turned somewhat deeper, after every flashback. 🥲

Moreover, fairly a couple of of the flashbacks additionally embrace Feng Weiran and Jiang Yanan (Guo Yun Qi and Guan Yue), and I do like the thought of this buddy group having a lot historical past collectively, after which staying collectively, by the years. 🥲

STUFF THAT WAS OK

Feng Weiran and Jiang Yanan

I had combined emotions about Weiran and Yanan, as a result of very often, Present makes use of them as plot catalysts.

Because of this their conduct might be fairly irritating and even annoying, generally, like [BROAD VAGUE SPOILER] once they’re written to have an enormous struggle, in order that they might every lean closely on our leads, thus taking time away from our leads truly spending time collectively. [END BROAD VAGUE SPOILER]

Total although, they’re typically innocent and likable, which is why I’ve obtained them on this impartial part.

STUFF I LIKED LESS

The factor with Zhou Mo [SPOILERS]

When Present first launched Zhou Mo (Wu Hao Chen), I’d assumed that he would play a reasonably minor function, most definitely as a contender for Tang Yang’s coronary heart, and thus, a possible love rival for Shiyan.

And he does play that function – to some extent.

The factor is, there’s an entire backstory to Zhou Mo, and it’s a lot larger than I’d first anticipated, with him being deep undercover, and on a mission to actual revenge on the individuals who’d taken benefit of his late girlfriend, who’d ended up taking her personal life, from the hopelessness of all of it.

Um. Yeah, that’s lots darker than I’d imagined, for a present like this. 😅

The unlucky impact of this, is that whereas all of that is popping out in Present’s closing stretch, it takes away time and focus from our OTP – which is the place my true curiosity lies.

I do admire that Present does nonetheless make sure that to reveal the bond between Shiyan and Tang Yang, by the unfolding of this arc’s final stretch, however would I’ve most popular if we may’ve simply spent the time on our OTP, with out all this revenge drama?

With no shadow of a doubt. 😑

THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]

In fact our story serves up a contented ending between Shiyan and Tang Yang, however I’m somewhat stunned and tickled, by how that works out.

It makes full sense to me that Shiyan and Tang Yang would proceed to be busy with work, since each of them are so achieved of their respective careers.

And, provided that they haven’t been relationship for all that lengthy, it additionally is smart that they might wish to take issues somewhat slower.

Truthfully, I hadn’t been anticipating that every one that enthusiastic strain from their mother and father, the place massive visitor lists had been already been drawn up, was only a ruse, to nudge them into eloping – as a result of the mother and father had been frightened that they’d by no means get married in any other case. 🤭

I believed it was a pleasant compromise that our OTP arrives at, with all of the household and family being invited to Leisure Home, to witness the nuptials through video, whereas mentioned nuptials happen within the faraway mountains, with simply the 2 of them current.

These two are nice at their jobs for a motive, eh? They certain discovered an ideal method to fulfill each the households, and their very own need to maintain issues private and comfy.

And the way sweetly poignant, that them coming again to this mountain, is a success of the promise that they’d made to one another, at age 18, that they might come again once more sooner or later, within the winter. 🥲

Actually, that’s one of many issues that I actually get pleasure from about this couple; there may be a lot that means and significance within the issues that they do; it’s all the time rooted in one thing meaning one thing to them each, and I like that.

I believed it was kinda foolish that they might dance on the mountains whereas every wrapped of their sleeping baggage, nevertheless it does talk a way that they’re younger at coronary heart, and that’s an ideal segue to that beautiful spotlight reel that we get, of their highschool days collectively, which is when it had all begun. 🥲

A beautiful, candy and nostalgic observe on which to depart our newly minted Mr. and Mrs., with the data and confidence that they are going to do nice sooner or later, simply as they’ve, previously. 🥰

THE FINAL VERDICT:

Low-key, heat and healthful.

FINAL GRADE: B+

TRAILER:

You may try a subbed trailer on VIU right here!

MV:

WHERE TO WATCH:

Present is obtainable on VIU, Viki, WeTV, andIQIYI.

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