Começar de Novo (2020)

Perfeito.

Esse é um dos dramas que eu mais esperei, o plot de contrato de casamento com papéis meio invertidos (a protagonista que é a CEO dominadora meio doidinha e o protaginsta sendo o mais calmo e gentil) também me atraiu e o drama não deixou a desejar.

Acho que uma das unicas coisas que não curti foi o secundário com essa paixonite, que nem pensava em como a FangNing se sentiria com isso e acabava magoando também a Cai SIYu, mas logo foi resolvido.

A passagem de tempo que geralmente é algo que acabo não curtindo muito, também foi boa, deu tempo pra eles todos mudarem, e até amadurecerem mais e a criança é a coisa mais fofa que eu já vi.

Os casais secundários foram bem feitos e até mesmo um que só se conceta mais no fim faz com que você se apegue a eles e torça pra ficarem juntos logo. Não há nem o que falar do casal protagonista, foram perfeitos. A química da Zhou Youtong e do Dong Jun foi incrível e você realmente se pega pensando se não eram um casal de verdade de tão bem que atuaram.

No geral esse drama é muito bom, engraçado e com a tristeza na medida certa, tem um romance legal e bem desenvolvido. Não decepcionou em nada daquilo que se propôs a fazer. è sem dúvida um dos melhores cdramas do ano e talvez de todos que eu já vi.

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Protagonista forte que te faz torcer pelo casal

No geral foi um drama que eu gostei muito, os dois protagonistas são amáveis, fácil de gostar e torcer por eles.
Gostei muito da protagonista: ela tem personalidade forte, inteligente e sabe o que quer, mas acho que ela foi perdendo um pouco essa personalidade ao longo do drama, se tornando muito bobinha e insegura. Foi como se os dois protagonistas fossem trocando de identidade ao longo do tempo.
Um fato que me decepcionou muito foi ela perder tudo, pois dificilmente quando o homem é o protagonista rico isso acontece, já que logo ele consegue se reerguer. Mas apesar disso acredito que foi pra evolução dela já que ela estava vivendo o sonho de outra pessoa. Chegou a hora dela deixar o passado pra trás e pensar mais nela.
Pra mim, a segunda faze do drama, depois da passagem de tempo, foi incrível. Não teve enrolação já que eles já tinham perdido muito tempo pra ficarem brigando até se resolverem. O que passou, passou, agora eles tinham um filho pra criar e ele já tinha perdido 5 anos anos da vida do garoto.
Gostei muito do drama do início ao fim, com suas ressalvas, mas é um drama incrível que indico pra quem quiser assistir algo mais tranquilo e leve.

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Hilarious and charming, great acting (especially female lead) even with the cliche plot device!

If you read the synopsis, this seems like every other contract-marriage drama but this one does it very well. Although this show might seem like it'll prey on cliche tropes, it actually is one of the most charming cdramas of the year in my opinion.

Characters: First off, you have actually supportive parents. They're not the stereotypical "evil" in-laws. Both parents are good-hearted and want the best for their children and just want them to be happy.

You also have interesting side couples. At first glance, you might think a love-triangle will deter the show, but it really doesn't. At first, you might find the SML as a "bad guy" but you realize that he's actually harmless and caring deep down - it doesn't fall into the pithole of an annoying second male lead. He actually cares for the FL and her wants/desires. The love-triangle essentially stops a bit halfway through and SML starts to focus on the SFL, who is one of the cutest "best-friend-character" of the FL. Even the initially annoying Tang Ping stops her bratty nature relatively quickly and becomes a supportive character instead, Overall, the characters are very enjoyable.

The main female lead is a forceful and strong CEO while the male lead is a caring, quiet, and considerate doctor. It's nice to see more strong female leads. Even though she's assertive, Zhou Yutong is SO funny and adorable as well. So many individual cute moments + cute relationship moments. Simon Gong plays his part great as a foil to the FL. There's great character developments and you begin to see a role reversal in the later episodes which makes everything so much more quirky and entertaining. Honestly, the leads + supporting cast are done so well!

Plot: It's nothing too special but I just wanted to say that it's a very funny drama. It's not really external conflict/plot-driven but more character-driven which I enjoyed a lot. There's actually "laugh out loud" moments. The chemistry between all the characters are great (leads with each other, different combinations of lead with supporting, supporting with supporting). Small misunderstandings are resolved relatively quick so it's a nice watch most of the time. The most important thing to note which might be a SPOILER is that there's actually a time-skip which breaks this show out of the mold of a generic contract-marriage drama. I generally don't like giving a "spoiler" but I feel like this one isn't that "important" to keep hidden but it's still important to mention since potential viewers might want to know. I normally hate a plot device like this, but in Begin Again, it's done very well -- reasons are valid, characters change and grow afterwards.

However, one issue I have with the plot is the business politics side. This is the one part of the drama where it feels forced and unnatural. Character motivations are unbelievable. It's not particularly prevalent but whenever it pops up, it just makes me want to fast-forward [but it's very minimal]. Honestly borderlining unwatchable for me; thank god the romcom aspect is done well to keep me locked in.

Conclusion: Watch this for the adorable characters. Strong female lead, nice male lead, character development, likable supporting cast. Even a show that seems to have many cliches, it actually subverts many obvious ones and is a great watch. It veers away from the melodrama tropes and is fresh and refreshing.

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MUST WATCH! LOVE THE LEADS ESPECIALLY ZHOU YU TONG!!

I don't usually watch c-drama (I'm a k-drama fans), but I'm so lucky to have found this drama, though the story is cliché but it was well written & executed.
This drama spoiled us with such visual from the leads 😍😍😍 and throughout the series we were spoiled with so many lovey dovey scenes, their chemistry was off the charts. having watched their BTS scenes, they looked really comfortable with each other.
Zhou Yu Tong has became my fav c-actress, I found her playing LFN sooooo charming and I can't imagine any other actress to pull it off like her. While Simon Gong's visual is just so dreamy.
Hope they can reunite in other drama in the future or can we please get season 2

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I’ve included a review of the English subs available

Chinese romance dramas used to always be either melodramas full of angst and sorrow or they would be over the top silly comedies. But lately they’ve been putting out some really good romantic comedies that are just the right combination of romance, comedy, and intrigue. This drama falls into that category. It’s not perfect but it’s a pretty decent drama.

Acting: It’s a rarity for me but I have no complaints about any of the actors in this drama. They all did a good job. But the main leads did a much better than average job. Let me explain.

The male lead:
When it starts out he reminds me a lot of a typical second male lead. He’s very sweet, kind, and charming. I like how, as the drama progresses, the male lead draws us in by slowly revealing everything his character has had to endure and why he’s so grateful for the little things in life. And as his character grows and matures into a much more confident and forceful person, you can’t help being touched.

The female lead:
The female leads portrayal of a cold and arrogant CEO is spot on. But when she gradually shows glimpses of the soft heart she hides beneath that tough cold exterior, that’s when you really start to understand and connect with her character. You can’t help but feel for her as she slowly reveals how tortured she is over her past. I liked how well she portrayed her characters immense growth and maturity too.

Cinematography and set design:
There was no weird camera angles or choppy editing. It flowed smoothly and seamlessly. I was never confused about what was happening. The set design was really nice and for once I have no complaints about the wardrobe (Chinese dramas tend to put really baggy or weird clothes on the female leads in modern romcoms). The music was perfect for each occasion never taking away from the scenes or getting too loud and drowning out the actors voices.

Storyline:
Taking the typical drama plot and reversing it by having a cold rich female CEO chase after the male lead was a refreshing take on an old cliche. The comedy was perfectly timed and the characters were entertaining. But after a while you get tired of seeing the female lead continually chasing after the male lead only to get coldly rejected every time. I started to feel embarrassed for her. And the silly goofy over the top antics her “frenemy” resorted to when pursuing the male lead was not only annoying but it didn’t sit well with me since he was married. These things go on for almost 16 straight episodes which was just too long. It was cute and funny in the beginning but after a while it became repetitive and predictable. I found myself hoping for something different or more interesting to happen. Fortunately the chasing ends and the annoying “frenemy” has lots of character growth and I even started liking her. Then they even put in some intriguing plot twists midway through the drama, breathing fresh life into it. But one of the plot twists didn’t make sense and hurt rather than helped the drama. It’s never a good idea when a drama makes the audience angry at one of the leads for doing something stupid and hurtful. There’s lots of ways of making a drama more interesting without making one of the main leads hurt the other one even if it’s with noble intentions. Nothing irritates me more than noble idiocy. It’s one drama trope that’s been way over used lately. If they hadn’t dragged things out for so long in the beginning and if they hadn’t made a main character do the noble idiocy thing, it would have been a perfect drama.

For those watching it with English subs:
There aren’t a lot of good English subs out there for this drama. The best I could find were on Daily Motion by Carmon Eng Sub, but be forewarned that they aren’t perfect. The subs would be pretty good for a while then there would be short periods where the conjugation and sentence structure would be way off. During these periods the basic thoughts are there but you have to reconstruct the sentences in your head for it to make sense, which got tiresome. The depth of emotion and deeper essence of what’s being conveyed is missing during these periods. I’m still not 100% sure what exactly happened with some of the business aspects of the drama because of this. These subs are much better than the google translate subs, they're the best out there for this drama, and they’re definitely worth watching. And I really do appreciate this nice subbers hard work. But just be prepared for brief periods where the subs aren’t conjugated properly requiring you to pause everything so you can figure it out.

Overall thoughts:
Does this drama have flaws? Yes. Was I irritated at times? Yes. But I have to say that the main leads chemistry and romance really stood out in this drama. They have great kissing scenes, lots of hugs, piggyback rides, cuddles, etc. And the secondary couple are pretty cute too. There are a lot of lovable characters in this drama that you will root for. It’s not perfect but it’s pretty darn sweet and memorable.

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Only if your bored

This story started in a relatively positive way and was pretty cute at the beginning. Both the male lead and second male lead were very attractive. The female lead was also quite beautiful in my opinion. The costumes were fun. The female lead was portrayed as a smart independent woman and the male lead as a kind and considerate doctor. Typical chinese drama writing, contract marriage so someone can get what they want. Usually male CEO has to get married but in this drama the female lead was the CEO who needed to get married. Not very inventive but ok! I really did enjoy the drama till about episode 18-20 and then it went completely off the rails. She turned into such a stupid selfish bitch and I really could not stand her in the last 15 episodes. Any woman who hides a child from the father is pretty despicable in my mind. It sends all the wrong signals about what is responsible and decent behavior. This kind of writing just really infuriates me. Why could she not go to Germany with her husband like any normal human would? I get that the writers wanted her to look like she gave him up to help him but really? Her career was over anyway so she chose to run away and divorce him instead of staying by his side as his wife. He loved her and she said she loved him but obviusly she had no idea what love was. She was so self centered and selfish. The writing just made zero sense in the last 10 or15 episodes, it felt like they changed writers or something. This drama could have been 24 epsisodes and it might have been saved. The supporting characters were also very typical, nothing horrible but nothing great either. The formula writing continued. I would say watch if you are bored with nothing else but woud recommend a few other newer shows before this one.

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This show is all about relationships and it is love-hate for me

Dear Diary, I just had a lightbulb moment while watching Begin Again. I just realised that the show was designed to present us with a series of beautiful, happy or swoon-worthy moments like sugar highs and we shall want more. Unfortunately, for some of us, this will feel superficial when the highs wore off.

The show started well and promisingly. It wore the rom-com tag with pride and it left the viewer with little doubt that the show was light-hearted and fluffy. The OST is full of happy little tunes and zany sound effects to help us to spot any double entendre. The writer flipped the usual marriage contract trope and made the FL the instigator and she was smart, head strong as well as the powerful CEO of a large corporation. The ML was a sweet, gentle soul in contrast. There was good chemistry between the OTP but it was not without issues. The meet-cute was good and the pace was cracking in the first few episodes. However, once the show started to go on rails then the weak story telling began to show. One such issues was an odd tonal misalignment. As I mentioned before, the show took its rom-com root seriously. It seemed hellbent on being funny and light hearted even though when you look at the themes that were touched upon it was anything but. There was PTSD, unrequited love, one sided crush, obsession, revenge and stalking, etc . They are hardly trivial matters but the show muted their impact. You can feel an unease and a discord building under the cheery veneer if you bothered to look.

By the mid show mark, the corporate world of the FL has collapsed due to the shenanigans of a revenge plot. However, while it was presented to us as a surprise twist, it was telegraphed to us earlier on. In a sense, it was a tell-tale sign of the writing. Almost everything about the show was very transparent and shallow. Lots of tropes were used and most characters were one dimensional. Some did play for laughs but the lack of depth was telling.

The wheel really came off when the FL played the noble idiot card around the 2/3 mark. Why writers insist that running away from someone who truly loved you is the best way to bring them happiness and peace. Really?! In this case, it was even worse as a child was involved. As other reviewers have mentioned, she could have simply accompanied the ML overseas but that would be too logical.

Then the magical unicorn joined the cast. There was a SIX years time skip and the show basically used a 5 year old boy as the Deus Ex Machina to reset the show. Sunshine and happiness returned to the blighted land and we rejoiced!

However, there was little character development in the mean time and nothing was really addressed. In fact, the show basically spent the first episode after the time skip to berate the FL (via her friends and family) for being a noble idiot. If it was such a bad idea then why use it as a plot device? When you consider the script even had the ML telling the FL upon their reunion that he didn't change his phone number for 6 years and she pointedly said that she didn't either then why didn't they just call as they were obviously still pining for each other. Not only the OTP had a reset, the 2OTP (the author) had a reset and started their courtship again when nothing happened for 6 years?! The 3OTP pairing (the actress) was a waste of time.

Honestly, the last 10 episodes were done like a string of scenes designed to give us the feels or make us swoon but barely advanced the threadbare plot. It walked the same grounds of the earlier episodes. Sure, the little boy stole the show and the couple moments were sweet and the ML will make you swoon. It was so light that it could have lifted the Hindenburg. The revenge plot resurfaced briefly but it was poorly handled and strained credulity.

You'd either love this purely for the feels and sweet moments and ignore whatever else was going on and you will be happy. Or if you watch this with critical eyes then you will hate how the poor script was veneered over by "Mills and Boon" moments and ultimately leave you with a hollow feeling. Maybe re-watch the last few episodes if you needed a sugar hit.

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Regretting for wasting my 25+ hours for watching this

Initially, for around 22-23 episodes the story and direction is very good but after the 23rd episode I started regretting choosing this drama. Such a huge decision, a huge blunder I have never seen in any drama. Hiding from the beloved ones, hiding the existence of the son from the father, betraying her own son and husband without having them any warmth for six years for a useless reason. In this drama, according to me the director just played with the viewer's emotions in a very bad way even though there were so many alternate fair solutions for the problem.
I should appreciate the female lead acting, I should say her contribution is more compared to others even including the director.
If any wants to watch this drama you can watch till 22 episodes, if you continue to watch you also may regret for wasting your time.

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Nice start, boring ending.

This is the typical, syrupy rom-com. It started great, with a bossy/smart/strong FL, but unfortunately she looses some of her charming ways to become a boring FL (she still has some sparks, but it's greatly diminished throughout the episodes), and that made the drama loose some points, because it was what made me interested in the drama, in the first place.

I really liked the ML, he is so kind, and understanding (yeah it does help that he is hot), the type of guy who is friend zoned and is categorized as Second Male interest in dramas. In real life he would be the perfect choice to marry, and you can't help falling in love with him, so you do understand why she went after him, I mean, I would as well ;)

I wish this drama was shorter, I would have enjoyed it more. At some point, I started fast-fowarding a lot, because the secondary couples were getting too much screen time, so the plot was dragging a lot, and their stories weren't particularly interesting to me.

In all, it was a satisfying watch, and I do recommend it, specially, for those who like the clichés (like me ❤) and cute romance.

Ps: lot's of kisses and PDA.

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A Journey of Beginnings

On a more elementary level, the show really does nothing new but what it does do with the old tricks is imbue them with a boldness and down-to-earth quality that elevates the tropisms. The show knows precisely what it is by inserting satirical elements and occasionally breaking the fourth wall but it never loses its way by drowning itself in unnecessary melodrama as it nods its way through the romance comedy tropes in relentless fashion. In 35 episodes, the show goes through the entire gamut including a six-year separation, a child and the detestable noble idiocy. It is the whole house including the kitchen sink and the garden shed. Yet it comes together somehow and seldom feels like a mere revisit of of all the usual cliches. In the final analysis the drama’s decided success lies largely in the execution of a well-considered script.

It all begins where it usually begins — a threat by a family elder but with a bit of a twist. Lu Fangning (played by the versatile Zhou Yutong) is the CEO of the family business but doesn’t have a lot of credibility with the more conservative board members. Her father thinks that marrying and producing a child will help improve her currency with the oldies so hands her an ultimatum. As might be expected, she’s not terribly keen on being tied down by a man or a child until she crosses paths with the calmly handsome surgeon, Ling Rui, acted by immensely attractive Gong Jun. She’s smitten right away but he takes a lot more convincing largely because of her domineering, brash personality. On the surface it looks like something of a role reversal initially but it is not a simple case of subversion that the drama plays up with no small amount of glee.

So what’s the good and otherwise sensible doctor’s excuse for signing on to a ridiculous marriage contract with a woman whose goals are completely different to his? Well, his youngest aunt is in debt and while he earns a good enough wage to live on, the sum that is owed is a hefty one. The other reason, however, is one he keeps to himself. He inevitably discovers… wait for it… that they have a childhood connection. Alas it’s fate and he owes her a debt of gratitude for being the closest thing to a friend during the most difficult time of his life. She might carry off the bossy bravado with defiant aplomb but he remembers that there was a heart of gold beating under it. Besides, it’s only for a year. Or until the debt is paid. While Ling Rui may look like a he’s pushover because he has a good bedside manner, he can still drive a mean bargain like the best of them.

This all sounds like a recipe for an explosive disaster and it could be except that everybody’s favourite surgeon (that’s no hyperbole) does gradually fall for Fanning’s winning albeit bombastic ways. However, being honest with his feelings doesn’t come easily for Ling Rui who is often wracked with doubts about being putty in her hands. He can’t be sure that she’s not trying to use him to further her own ends and she doesn’t know what she’s doing wrong when she’s already at her wits end. A shouting match ensues, she goes cold on him and then he resolves to woo her properly. To begin again as it were.

All is well and the show enters into phase two where the two start behaving like a genuinely loving married couple to plenty of disgusted onlookers. External obstacles come by and serve only to strengthen their bond. An employee of the company wreaks havoc and Ling Rui is there to hold her hand at every point even to the point of giving up his lifelong dream as a fellow at a medical research institution in Germany. She’s in the dark until his mother comes crying and pleading with her. Immediately Fangning is guilt-stricken, thinking that she’s really been a disturbance in his otherwise well-ordered existence. In an excessive display of martyrdom, she leaves a set of divorce papers behind, takes off in the middle of the night only to discover later that she’s pregnant. All in that order. Meanwhile Ling Rui runs around frantically in search of his missing wife in all her favourite haunts and takes his heartbroken self off to Germany.

It’s the dreaded Noble Idiocy 101 and in the scheme of things, an entirely pointless exercise because there was no reason why they couldn’t have all gone to Germany together after the debacle at the company. But then there wouldn’t be an entertaining phase three to complete this heartwarming “healing” drama.

Phase three sees the return of Fangning to the mainland because her business partner has “kidnapped” her five-year-old son, Youyou to force her hand. Little Youyou, who is a constant source of delight, has his own agenda — he wants to find his dad in the haystack of the city where his parents met and fell in love. Fortunately for him and for us, Youyou finds his dad sooner rather than later and more frivolity ensues when Ling Rui tries to insert himself into Fangning’s life via the willing conduit of their precocious son.

There’s little doubt that phase three is my favourite not just because there’s an adorable child in the mix. Cute kids in contract marriages is always a bonus. Cute kids in contract marriages spouting great dialogue beyond their years is to die for. What elevates the ludicrous nature of the entire scenario brought about by the noble idiocy of six years ago is the writers’ profound understanding of fallen human dynamics. The kind of games men and women play to protect their egos. Two people separated not by the machinations of others but by hubris disguised as well-meaning sacrifice. It’s not a burden of love as they think but an exhibition of pride — Fangning was evidently trying to outdo Ling Rui in the art of self-sacrifice. In her mind, he gave up his dream for her so now as compensation she will give up everything for him. Including him. (Note the absurd irony of the situation). As usual she was trying to outdo the competition.

Except of course that’s not how marriage works.

On some level it make sense for a couple to begin again, try and rebuild their marriage because they have a child together. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that but there are plenty of hurt feelings and guilt floating in the ether that remain unspoken for longer than is healthy. Ling Rui who is still traumatized by her unceremonious hasty departure lives in constant fear that she will do her disappearing act again. Hence all his schemes are calculated to keep her permanently close even if it means using their son. Fangning, on the other hand, is saddled by so much guilt that she can’t imagine why Ling Rui would even think to reconcile except under obligation for the sake of their son. She was a disruptive influence in his life right from the start so her desire to set him free is not without some well-meaning intent to “compensate”. On the other hand, she’s helplessly confused by Ling Rui’s newfound take-charge attitude that’s backing her into all kinds of corners. She can sense the seething resentment in the overbearing demeanour but not the fear that’s really driving things.

It is sly of the writers to turn the roots of the noble idiocy into a character flaw but that gives it a certain credibility and mileage for storytelling when Ling Rui and Fangning skirt the elephant in the room and dance around each other awkwardly before reaching their happily-ever-after. Zhou Yutong and Gong Jun are just magic together but there’s no doubt that the little Youyou played by the appropriately named Honney is the cherry on top. When they play happy family, the place is dripping with sweetness like a well-stacked pyramid of profiteroles. Besides the noble idiocy provides plenty of fodder for moralizing about how couples are responsible for the flourishing of their marriages.

The cast (which includes family members and colleagues) are well-positioned in this dense forest of personalities but it’s the leads that really hold the whole edifice (sometimes on very shaky ground) together. They are both fine actors in their own right but especially Zhou Yutong who is very good with the comedic side of things. Gong Jun when he grins mischievously with a glint in his eye reminds me of Cary Elwes of Princess Bride fame. This drama too has some of the wittiest and funniest dialogue that I’ve seen in a C drama.

The show is not without its weaknesses. It is baffling that every single C drama including rom coms feels the need for some kind of faux villain with a revenge agenda that hardly makes any sense except to throw the proverbial spanner in the works. I can’t see the character’s justification for causing as much damage as he does and I’m getting rather weary of people using grief as the rationale for fictional vengeance as if to imply that it mitigates the outcomes of the offence. I also think that the push and pull between Lu Yiyao and Cai Siyu though amusing becomes unnecessarily protracted. It’s naked plot manipulation to walk in step with the leads’ own relationship woes just as the separation trope is. I don’t necessarily object to the six year time skip because we get a lot of delightful father-son bonding but it is still what it is — bald convenience for the production that takes away from an otherwise grounded script.

Still the moralizing around marriage is one that I can largely get onboard with. Marriage isn’t two people acting as separate entities as they individually see fit. It certainly isn’t just a transaction like any other or any other relationship. “The two shall become one flesh.” Marriage is profoundly spiritual. Even when the leads make a mockery of the institution with their “business” contract, because they try to accommodate each other as they live together, they learn to love each in unexpected ways. Perhaps even to the extent of having a greater awareness than those who fall in love first and then marry. Frankly, to my mind, more than the lead couple still having feelings for each other is the more important question of forgiveness. What keeps couples together isn’t love so much as forgiveness. Unless Ling Rui and Fangning can forgive each other, they will forever be at an impasse. He can only resort to tricks and machinations to get her to stay. She will continue to walk on eggshells around him unsure where she stands with him, feeling undeserving of any second chance.

Thank goodness for friends to provide an outsider’s point of view or they’d be going around in circles forever. This is the part of the show that has the most traction with me. It’s also, I think the most realistic. Good, clear communication is undoubtedly essential in a marriage but genuine forgiveness brings some degree of healing… so that they can Begin Again.

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Amazing! MUST watch!

I usually don’t bother writing reviews but this was so good, I had to. This was everything! Everything I wanted in a rom-com drama. (So my review is with that in mind - this isn’t ground breaking plot, but just super sweet, lovable romance.). Good actors, ultimately a loving family and in-laws and without constant interference by third wheel/SL, or to many arcs with annoying antagonist. I loved both the FL and ML. There was so much chemistry and they look good together. No repeated breakup/makeup. They maturely love each other and the story shows the bond without SL, jealousy plot lines or w/o obsessive behavior. There is great character growth in almost all characters, especially FL. I love how she goes from being calculating business woman to such a warm person who lets go of her past ghosts and learns to open up and accept others around her. The ML is just perfection! The sweetest man a woman could wish for. LOVE it! I can’t wait to rewatch in a couple of months. Yup, that good!!

*SPOILER*

Don’t even get me started on the most adorable child actor! I love this drama not only a wonderful married life arc but also had an arc with life with child.

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A fun tongue-in-cheek look at common tropes

Oh Begin Again, how I love thee, let me count the ways. For a romance drama built on common tropes, it is quite self-aware and well-executed.

- The gender role reversal is so satisfying and hilariously well-done: the cold, business-like, domineering female CEO chasing the reluctant, shy, empathetic male doctor. They really commit to this -- Lu Fangning is a practical, badass businesswoman who sees something she likes (they even have her do the kabedon lol) while Ling Rui is sweet, warm, does the cooking for his mom and aunts, and cleans obsessively when he's upset. Of course, they soften towards each other as the romance progresses, but this dynamic is still rare in dramas and it's always nice to see competent ladies on screen.
- Interesting female characters with their own emotional arcs: of course, Lu Fangning is the lead with complex emotions and background, but even all the other ladies have distinct personalities and the relationships between women are complex but overall positive (FN with Tang Ping, FN with Cai Siyu, Ling Rui's mom and aunts, etc.). They all start in stereotypes, but they start to become more human and enjoyable over time.
- There are no "evil" characters: while not always executed successfully, the drama tries to avoid cardboard evil characters that are just there to be malicious. While there are antagonists and conflicts, actions come from mostly understandable motivations and the writers try to make all the characters 3-dimensional.
- The romance is sweet: while there are some eye-rolling and tropey moments, for the most part the romance is really cute - there aren't any serious threats from secondary leads, and their dynamic together is pretty adorable.

BUT these are all true up until the last part of the drama - then there is a turn that honestly doesn't make a whole lot of sense but is clearly there to create conflict for the end so that the writers can totally change up the dynamic. Then, they try to tie up a whole bunch of emotional arcs and loose ends, but without earning them, the last bit feels out of character and almost like these are totally different people. Although, at least they comment on how tropey it is, so they're self-aware!

Acting-wise, I thought the FL was great (and her dad too). I thought everyone else was fine, but maybe not as good (though the ML is SO pretty). The 2nd ML seemed so wooden that I fast forwarded through all of his scenes and his whole storyline/romance.

While this was still a romcom drama with all the tropes and cliches that follow, it was something fresh and surprisingly good.

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