Smile Hu knows how to pick her mini-dramas - The Killer Is Also Romantic remains one of the best of this genre. While The Love Duel is not quite at that level, it is still a fairly solid short-length series that affectionately pokes fun and pays homage to some of the best and worst drama romances and tropes, including those Bad Endings, while ultimately giving viewers a Happy Ending.

On paper, it incorporates a number of elements I do not particularly enjoy in dramas - goofy/slap-stick humour, travel or transmigration into a book or video-game world, to name two key ones. But the combination of a likable cast, a well-paced and respectable (if predictable) script, satisfying ending, and decent production values help elevate what could have been a painful waste of time into a fun and fluffy, easy watch, with just enough swoon factor to satisfy that drama itch in between full-length shows.